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Background: Resilience in children with early family life adversity is linked with successful adulthood psychological outcomes. However, whether resilience influences daily emotional responses to stress remains unclear. This study examined whether resilience capacity in the context of early family risks predicts better daily stress and affect outcomes during a stressful transition.Methods: International and interstate undergraduates (N = 98; aged 18-25 years) were grouped as Resilient (high family risk, high resilience), Vulnerable (high family risk, low resilience), or Control (low family risk, average anxiety and depression). Daily negative (NA) and positive affect (PA), perceived stress, and stressors were assessed 4-times daily across 14 consecutive days (4333 total surveys; 73.7% completion rate). Affect reactivity was operationalized as the NA and PA slopes on perceived stress from each survey.Results: The Resilient group did not differ from the Control group on all outcomes. The Vulnerable group reported significantly higher number of stressors, perceived stress levels, NA, and NA reactivity than the Resilient and Control groups (all p < .001); as well as significantly lower PA (p = .024) and PA reactivity (p = .003) than the Control group.Limitations: Our findings are not generalizable to other populations and cannot determine causality.Conclusions: Our findings suggest that resilience capacity is protective against the effects of early family risks on a daily basis. However, significant findings were limited to emotional distress outcomes and not supported for PA, suggesting resilience capacity may attenuate emotional distress but not positive emotions in response to stress in emerging adults with family risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To develop and validate an accelerated free-breathing 3D whole-heart magnetic resonance angiography (MRA) technique using a radial k-space trajectory with compressed sensing and curvelet transform. A 3D radial phyllotaxis trajectory was implemented to traverse the centerline of k-space immediately before the segmented whole-heart MRA data acquisition at each cardiac cycle. The k-space centerlines were used to correct the respiratory-induced heart motion in the acquired MRA data. The corrected MRA data were then reconstructed by a novel compressed sensing algorithm using curvelets as the sparsifying domain. The proposed 3D whole-heart MRA technique (radial CS curvelet) was then prospectively validated against compressed sensing with a conventional wavelet transform (radial CS wavelet) and a standard Cartesian acquisition in terms of scan time and border sharpness. Fifteen patients (females 10, median age 34-year-old) underwent 3D whole-heart MRA imaging using a standard Cartesian trajectory and our proposed radial phyllotaxis trajectory. Scan time for radial phyllotaxis was significantly shorter than Cartesian (4.88 ± 0.86 min. vs. 6.84 ± 1.79 min., P -value = 0.004). Radial CS curvelet border sharpness was slightly lower than Cartesian and, for the majority of vessels, was significantly better than radial CS wavelet (P -value < 0.050). The proposed technique of 3D whole-heart MRA acquisition with a radial CS curvelet has a shorter scan time and slightly lower vessel sharpness compared to the Cartesian acquisition with radial profile ordering, and has slightly better sharpness than radial CS wavelet. Future work on this technique includes additional clinical trials and extending this technique to 3D cine imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study evaluated the effectiveness of vocal hygiene education with resonant voice therapy for school-aged children with vocal nodules. A pre-test/post-test control group design was employed. Seventeen children aged between 6 and 9 years old with vocal nodules were randomly assigned to three groups: a treatment group, a placebo group and a control group. Children in the treatment group (n = 7) received six consecutive, weekly, one-hour sessions of vocal hygiene education with resonant voice therapy. Children in the placebo group (n = 5) received six consecutive, weekly, one-hour sessions on presentation skills training. Children in the control group (n = 5) did not receive any form of treatment. Subjective outcome measures included auditory-perceptual evaluation of overall dysphonia severity, the Pediatric Voice Handicap Index (pVHI) and the Children's Voice Handicap Index-10 (CVHI-10). Objective outcome measures included acoustic analysis of fundamental frequency, jitter, shimmer and noise-to-harmonic ratio. Significant improvements in perceptual ratings of overall dysphonia severity levels and pVHI scores were found in the treatment group. No significant changes in acoustic measures and CVHI-10 scores were noted in any of the three groups. Interestingly, an improvement in perceptual overall dysphonia severity levels at post-evaluation was observed in the no treatment control group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thermal barrier coating obtained by atmospheric plasma spraying (APS TBCs) has a distinct lamellar microstructure, in which the splats discontinuous interfaces running parallel to the metal/ceramic interface contribute largely to the reduction in the effective thermal conductivity of APS TBCs. The dependency of such contribution on the topological structure of the interface discontinuity is investigated in the present work. Firstly, the concept of discontinuity of splats interfaces was defined to quantify the splats discontinuous interfaces revealed by microscopic observations. Then, the microstructure model with a random distribution of discontinuous interfaces was established by utilizing the finite element simulation method to investigate the effect of interlayer discontinuity on thermal conductivity of the APS TBCs. Finally, an optimal topological structure of the interface discontinuity was found to be responsible for the lowest effective thermal conductivity of the APS TBCs and typical parametrical tendencies demonstrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Cold-set emulsion gels were fabricated from oil droplets coated by mixed proteins: whey protein and lactoferrin. The impact of protein composition, droplet concentration, pH, and ionic strength on the microstructure, texture, and stability of the cold-set emulsion gels was determined. Protein composition had a major influence on gel strength, with the strongest emulsion gels being formed at an optimized protein composition (0.5 wt% whey protein and 1.5 wt% lactoferrin). The storage modulus of the emulsion gels increased from 149 to 1590 Pa as the droplet concentration increased from 10 to 40 wt%. The gel strength could also be modulated by adjusting pH, with the strongest gels being formed at pH = 6.5, where the net charge on the droplets was neutral. Increasing the ionic strength weakened the electrostatic interactions, which inhibited droplet aggregation and led to a decrease in gel strength. These results may be useful for designing cold-set emulsion gels with rheological properties that can be tailored for specific commercial products. Graphical abstract Unlabelled Image Highlights • Cold-set emulsion gels were fabricated from mixed proteins without heating. • The properties of emulsion gels depended on protein composition and pH. • The addition of NaCl disrupted the cold-set emulsion gel structure. • Stronger gel strength were obtained with an increase in oil content. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • TRPML1 is specifically upregulated in triple-negative breast cancers (TNBCs). • Downregulation and pharmacological inhibition suppress the growth of TNBCs. • TRPML1 regulates TNBC development through controlling mTORC1 activity and lysosomal ATP release. Abstract The triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) that comprises approximately 10%–20% of breast cancers is an aggressive subtype lacking effective therapeutics. Among various signaling pathways, mTORC1 and purinergic signals have emerged as potentially fruitful targets for clinical therapy of TNBC. Unfortunately, drugs targeting these signaling pathways do not successfully inhibit the progression of TNBC, partially due to the fact that these signaling pathways are essential for the function of all types of cells. In this study, we report that TRPML1 is specifically upregulated in TNBCs and that its genetic downregulation and pharmacological inhibition suppress the growth of TNBC. Mechanistically, we demonstrate that TRPML1 regulates TNBC development, at least partially, through controlling mTORC1 activity and the release of lysosomal ATP. Because TRPML1 is specifically activated by cellular stresses found in tumor microenvironments, antagonists of TRPML1 could represent anticancer drugs with enhanced specificity and potency. Our findings are expected to have a major impact on drug targeting of TNBCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The solid solutions comprising amorphous conjugated polymer PCDTBT and different fullerene derivatives, i.e. crystalline PC 71 BM and amorphous NC 60 BA, have been investigated. It is found that the solid solution based on NC 60 BA could produce more hole carriers at the room temperature due to a smaller activation energy from trap state to free carriers compared to that based on PC 71 BM. A higher hole carrier density could effectively fill traps and reduce the recombination loss during charge transport process. The solid solution based on PC 71 BM shows enhanced exciton dissociation probability at the solid solution/C 60 heterojunction interfaces. With combining the advantages of both the solid solutions, a small amount of amorphous NC 60 BA was introduced into the PCDTBT:PC 71 BM bulk heterojunction structure and the ternary BHJ PSCs composed of PCDTBT, PC 71 BM and NC 60 BA were fabricated. The ternary PSCs display outstanding photovoltaic performance compared to the binary PCDTBT:PC 71 BM bulk heterojunction PSCs. Graphical abstract With the same device structure, the ternary polymer solar cells based on the PCDTBT:NC 60 BA:PC 71 BM blend demonstrate much better photovoltaic performance than the binary PCDTBT:PC 71 BM blend solar cells. Image Highlights • The electrical and photovoltaic characteristic between the PCDTBT:NC 60 BA and PCDTBT:PC 71 BM solid solution are different. • The carrier density in PCDTBT:NC 60 BA solid solution is higher than that in PCDTBT:PC 71 BM solid solution. • The measured activation energy in PCDTBT:NC 60 BA solid solution is smaller than that in PCDTBT:PC 71 BM solid solution. • The ternary PSCs based on PCDTBT:NC 60 BA:PC 71 BM blend show superior photovoltaic performance to the binary PCDTBT:PC 71 BM PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The solid solution phenomenon in the amorphous PCDTBT:PC 71 BM blend was investigated. It has been disclosed that the PCDTBT:PC 71 BM blend with less than 20% PC 71 BM may form a kind of solid solution structure, which demonstrates a deeper HOMO level, a higher hole mobility, more free charges and less trap density than those of the pure PCDTBT film. It may well explain why the typical PCDTBT:PC 71 BM bulk heterojunction solar cells require higher PC 71 BM ratio to achieve a high power conversion efficiency. In that case, a portion of PC 71 BM is well intermixed with PCDTBT to form a solid solution phase and others form a pure PC 71 BM phase. It is the PCDTBT:PC 71 BM solid solution but not the pure PCDTBT to serve as the donor phases and to form interpenetrating networks with PC 71 BM phases. The PCDTBT:PC 71 BM solid solution phases favor to increase the V OC and enhance the charge collection leading to a high photovoltaic performance for the PCDTBT:PC 71 BM bulk heterojunction solar cells. Graphical abstract The PCDTBT:PC 71 BM blend with less than 20% PC 71 BM may form a kind of solid solution structure, which demonstrates a deeper HOMO level, a higher hole mobility, more free charges and less trap density than those of the pure PCDTBT film. A graphical schematic illustrates the interpenetrating networks composed of the solid solution and PC 71 BM in a practical PCDTBT:PC 71 BM BHJ solar cells. Image Highlights • The existence of the solid solution comprising of PCDTBT and PC 71 BM was confirmed by UPS and CV measurement. • Electric characteristics of the solid solution was studied by the FET and the varied temperature conductivity measurement. • The difference of photovoltaic characteristics between pure PCDTBT and the solid solution were compared. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CD40 is a member of the tumor necrosis factor (TNF) receptor superfamily of receptors expressed on a variety of cell types. The CD40–CD40L interaction gives rise to many immune events, including the licensing of dendritic cells to activate CD8+ effector T cells, as well as the facilitation of B cell activation, proliferation, and differentiation. In malignant cells, the expression of CD40 varies among cancer types, mediating cellular proliferation, apoptosis, survival and the secretion of cytokines and chemokines. Agonistic human anti-CD40 antibodies are emerging as an option for cancer treatment, and early-phase clinical trials explored its monotherapy or combination with radiotherapy, chemotherapy, immune checkpoint blockade, and other immunomodulatory approaches. In this review, we present the current understanding of the mechanism of action for CD40, along with results from the clinical development of agonistic human CD40 antibodies in cancer treatment (selicrelumab, CDX-1140, APX005M, mitazalimab, 2141-V11, SEA-CD40, LVGN7409, and bispecific antibodies). This review also examines the safety profile of CD40 agonists in both preclinical and clinical settings, highlighting optimized dosage levels, potential adverse effects, and strategies to mitigate them. [Display omitted] • CD40L-CD40 signaling plays an intricate role in regulation of immune and malignant cells in the tumor microenvironment. • CD40 is linked to both biological and immunological functions. • Preclinical studies and clinical development of CD40 agonism therapies underscore its significance in cancer treatment. • Careful management of dosage optimization and adverse effects is crucial for future design of CD40 agonism cancer therapy. • Cytokine therapies, RAS/RAF/PI3K pathway targeted therapies, and CART therapies can potentially be incorporated with CD40 agonism therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of inclusion size and chemical composition on acicular ferrite (AF) nucleation and possible nucleation mechanisms were discussed. With the use of low-carbon structure steel containing 13 ppm Mg, the chemical composition and size of inclusions were quantified by scanning electron microscopy combined with an energy dispersive spectroscopy system. Results showed that the complex inclusions MgO-MnS and MgO-Al 2 O 3 -MnS are the most effective inclusions for inducing AF nucleation in Mg-containing A36, and their probabilities of AF nucleation are 35.8% and 41.4%, respectively. Moreover, the inclusion size in the range of 1–2 μm exhibits the most remarkable ability to induce AF formation. AF nucleates at the interface of MgO and MgO-Al 2 O 3 because of the low lattice misfit with AF. Complex inclusions, such as MgO-MnS and MgO-Al 2 O 3 -MnS, present a better ability of inducing AF formation than that of MnS due to the Mn-depleted zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The tips of large horizontal-axis wind turbines can easily reach high speeds, thus raising the concern that compressibility effects may influence turbine wakes and ultimately power production. All past studies have assumed that these effects are negligible. Compressibility effects are assessed here in terms of blade aerodynamic properties and variable density separately. Using the Blade Element Momentum (BEM) method, we find that under normal operating conditions (i.e., wind speed  < ∼ 15 m s −1 and tip speed ratio TSR  < ∼ 12 ) aerodynamic corrections to the lift and drag coefficients of the blades have a minimal impact, thus the incompressible coefficients are adequate. To assess the variable-density effects, numerical simulations of a single turbine and two aligned turbines, modeled via the actuator line model with the default aerodynamic coefficients, are conducted using both the traditional incompressible and a compressible framework. The flow field around the single turbine and its power performance are affected by compressibility and both show a strong dependency on TSR. Wind speed and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) differences between compressible and incompressible results origin from the rotor tip region but then impact the entire wind turbine wake. Power production is lower by 8% under normal operating conditions (TSR ∼ 8) and 20% lower for TSR ∼ 12 due to compressibility effects. When a second turbine is added, the front turbine experiences similar effects as the single-turbine case, but TKE differences are enhanced while wind speed differences are reduced after the second turbine in the overlapping wakes. These findings suggest that compressibility effects play a more important role than previously thought on power production and, due to the acceptable additional computational cost of the compressible simulations, should be taken into account in future wind farm studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interlaminar damages were investigated on the carbon fiber reinforced polymer (CFRP) composite laminate under laser irradiation. Firstly, the laminated T700/BA9916 composites were exposed to continuous wave laser irradiation. Then, the interface cracking patterns of such composite laminates were examined by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Finally, the Finite Element Analysis (FEA) was performed to compute the interface stress of the laminates under laser irradiation. And the effects of the laser parameters on the interlaminar damage were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer solar cells (PSCs) based on the PBDTTT-EFT (polymer donor):N2200 (polymer acceptor) blend have been fabricated with the active layer processed with various solvents including o -dichlorobenzene ( o -DCB), chlorobenzene (CB), chloroform (CF), and CF: p -xylene (PX) mixed solvent. A highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 5.37% is achieved with the active layer processed with CF:PX mixed solvent. The dependence of short-circuit current density ( J SC ) on incident light intensity indicates that the charge recombination is to some extent suppressed in the device with the active layer processed with the CF:PX mixed solvent and results in an enhanced J SC . Morphology studies disclosed that the domains are preferential face-on orientation in the active layers processed with o -DCB, CB and CF, while it shows a combined face-on and edge-on orientation in CF:PX-processed film. The long-lived trap-assisted charge recombination originated from the active layer morphological variance has been focused on and investigated. And the nanosecond transient absorption experiment further demonstrated that the PBDTTT-EFT:N2200 film processed with o -DCB shows obvious long-lived trap-assisted charge recombination, while the trap-assisted charge recombination is effectively suppressed in the PBDTTT-EFT:N2200 film processed with CF:PX mixed solvent. This implies that deep localized traps correlated with the PBDTTT-EFT:N2200 morphology are reduced by using the CF:PX mixed solvent to process the active layer. In addition, the domains with a mixed orientation in the active layer may also enhance the three-dimensional charge transport and hence improve the charge-collection efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is a general consensus that oocyte quality is the key to embryo survival in pig reproduction. Thus, study on regulation of the ovary-associated gene is of great significance in pig breeding. Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADs) are a family of enzymes which catalyze the conversion of arginine to citrulline in proteins. The peptidylarginine deiminases type VI gene ( PADI6 ) is mainly expressed in the ovary, and plays an important role in oocyte growth, fertilization and early embryo development. However, until now, little is known about its transcriptional regulation mechanism. Here, we firstly isolated and characterized the 5′-flanking region of porcine PADI6 gene. We determined the transcription start site using 5′-rapid amplification of cDNA ends (RACE) analysis, and identified the minimal promoter (− 85/+68) that drove the basal expression of PADI6 by constructing various progressive deletions. Mutational analysis and electrophoretic mobility shift assays demonstrated Sp1 bound to the − 56/− 47 region of the PADI6 promoter. Furthermore, overexpression of Sp1 significantly increased the promoter activity and promoted PADI6 gene expression, and accordingly, inhibition of Sp1 expression with specific siRNA significantly reduced the promoter activity and suppressed the PADI6 expression. In addition, inhibition of Sp1 binding by Mithramycin A treatment reduced the transcriptional activity of PADI6 in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, these data indicate that Sp1 is essential for the transcriptional regulation of PADI6 . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In Hong Kong, the general view still follows the biomedical discourse to define aging. The government and leading gerontologists follow the prevailing representation of elderly and describe growing old as a process of becoming "frail, infirm, and vulnerable" (Fealy et al., 2012: 91). Discussions of demographic trends often focus on the drastic effects of an aging society on economic development. Our research indicates that Hong Kong's construction of aging is a product of its market-driven economy. Drawing from the life stories of eight participants born in the 1930s,we examine themeaning of aging and the formation of character in a specific historical context, adopting the life-course perspective. We wish to understand how larger movements in the social and political world shaped the experiences of the participants and the strategies they developed to maintain agency and control in life. The participants in our study struggled for survival through unprecedented political disasters and social turmoil in their youth. When they reached maturity in the 1960s and 1970s, they devoted themselves to bettering their lives and contributed to the economic boom of the city. We maintain that the biomedical model offers a reductive and unjust means of viewing the people in this cohort, who are often seen as a problem and a burden. Challenging the prevailing ageist attitude, we set the life stories of the participants against the dominant biomedical model of aging. Our work aims to establish a just description of the life experiences of Hong Kong people. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Our study demonstrates a novel strategy for the ultrathin ALD-Al 2 O 3 film depositing onto polyethylene terephthalate via polydopamine modification (PDA@PET). • Earlier nucleation, more consecutive growth, and more conformal film are observed during the ALD onto PDA@PET. • The presence of the PDA layer narrowed the region of TMA infiltration into the PET, resulting in the formation of a conformal film on the surface. • An ultrathin ALD-Al 2 O 3 film on PDA@PET shows excellent water vapor blocking performance. Atomic layer deposition (ALD) has drawn considerable attention recently for depositing functional films on polymers. However, most polymers are inert and thermally fragile, thus posing many challenges during deposition. This study presents a novel strategy for ALD of an ultrathin Al 2 O 3 film on alkali-treated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) via polydopamine (PDA) modification. The tightly adherent PDA layer exhibited numerous robust active sites (phenolic hydroxyl groups), which are highly desirable for precursor chemisorption during ALD. The modification process was systematically characterized. The PET substrate showed many active sites and a smooth surface after 24 h of PDA deposition. The island growth mode was found during the ALD of an Al 2 O 3 film on the samples. The PDA layer absorbed a large quantity of the precursor (trimethylaluminum [TMA]) during the initial deposition, contributing to the early nucleation and continuous growth of the Al 2 O 3 film. In addition, the presence of the PDA layer narrowed the region of TMA infiltration into the PET, resulting in the formation of a conformal film on the surface. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that an Al 2 O 3 film with a thickness of about 10 nm was formed on the PDA-modified PET substrate after 100 ALD cycles, and exhibited excellent water vapor blocking characteristics. These findings suggest that the added PDA layer has tremendous potential to act as a bonding layer between polymers and ALD functional films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The electrodeposition behavior and material properties of the Ni–P alloy coatings produced in emulsified supercritical CO2 (sc-CO2) bath with different surfactants (dodecyl octaethylene glycol ether (C12EO8) and a commercial fluorosurfactant) were investigated. The formation of holes or voids which is normally found in conventional aqueous coating could be avoided if the electrodeposition was conducted in the emulsified sc-CO2 bath with proper addition of surfactant, but with the sacrifice of current efficiency. At a lower concentration of surfactant addition, the experimental results showed that fluorosurfactant was more effective than C12EO8 in reducing the surface roughness and void formation in the coating. A significant increase in micro-hardness of the Ni–P coating was observed if it was electrodeposited in the emulsified sc-CO2 bath as compared with that formed at conventional aqueous bath. The wear rate of the Ni–P coating formed in the emulsified sc-CO2 bath was relatively lower with fluorosurfactant as the surfactant than that with C12EO8. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The electrodeposition of Ni–P alloy in an emulsified supercritical carbon dioxide (sc-CO2) bath was investigated to explore the effect of H3PO3 concentration (ranging from 0 to 1.6M) on the material characteristics of the deposits. The experimental results showed that the P content in the deposit increased with increasing H3PO3 concentration in the emulsified sc-CO2 bath, while the weight gain of the Ni–P film decreased. At the same concentration of H3PO3, the significant decreases in weight gain and P content of the Ni–P films deposited in the emulsified sc-CO2 bath were found, as compared with that plated in the conventional aqueous electrolyte at ambient pressure. X-ray photoelectron analyses revealed that the carbon-containing Ni–P deposit could be obtained in the bath with the presence of sc-CO2 fluid. Transmission electron microscopy was employed for microstructure analysis. The average grain size of the Ni–P films deposited in the conventional aqueous electrolyte at ambient pressure or in the emulsified sc-CO2 bath varied, depending on the H3PO3 concentration and P content. The Ni–P films deposited from the emulsified sc-CO2 bath had a higher hardness as compared with that formed in conventional electrolyte. The hardness of Ni–P alloy deposited in the emulsified sc-CO2 bath was enhanced by the additional solid solution strengthening mechanism. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Nucleotide variation in 8 diploid Pseudoroegneria species was characterized using two single copy nuclear genes, the second largest subunit of RNA polymerase II (RPB2) and the translation elongation factor G (EF-G), and one chloroplast TrnD/T intergenic region. Among the Pseudoroegneria species studied, the estimates of nucleotide diversity (π) ranged from 0.04577 (RPB2) and 0.00183 (TrnD/T) for Pseudoroegneria tauri to 0.10667 (RPB2), 0.06174 (EF-G) and 0.03743 (TrnD/T) for Pseudoroegneria spicata. The highest nucleotide diversity of the RPB2 data set was found for P. spicata among the taxa analyzed. Our phylogenetic analyses separated the accessions of P. spicata into several groups, with 7 accessions of P. spicata forming a highly supported subclade (BS = 100%, PP = 1.00). The phylogenetic analysis also suggests that P. spicata, Pseudoroegneria gracillima and Pseudoroegneria stipifolia have a closer relationship than the other species within Pseudoroegneria. Pseudoroegneria libanotica and P. tauri were also found to exhibit a high level of sequence homology, however, only nuclear gene data (RPB2 and EF-G) clearly indicated the differentiation between the P. libanotica + P. tauri group with other St genome species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] • A large amount of β -carotene were encapsulated by polysaccharide-based HIPEs. • The OSA-starch/chitosan complexes could form 3D network in the aqueous phase. • The texture of β -carotene-enriched HIPEs could be modulated by altering pH values. • The stability of β -carotene was improved by encapsulating within the HIPEs. The main goal of the present work was to access the ability of high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) to encapsulate β -carotene. The carotenoid loading capacity of the HIPEs was around 20-fold higher when OSA-starch/chitosan complexes were used than when only OSA-starch was used. This impact could be mainly assigned to the capacity of the former HIPEs to trap carotenoid caystals in a stable form. The OSA-starch/chitosan complexes were shown to absorb on the oil droplets interface and form a 3D network in the aqueous phase, which helped to prevent droplet coalescence induced by β -carotene crystal. The incorporation of β -carotene within the oil droplets enhanced its resistance to chemical degradation when exposed to heat, ultraviolet radiation, or gastrointestinal conditions. Our results provide information that may aid the design and development of edible soft solids containing high carotenoid levels, which may be applied in food and pharmaceutical industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new approach of fabricating temperature-responsive high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs) was established, based on controlling the hydrogen bonding in the system. These hydrogen bonds form between octenyl succinic anhydride modified starch (OSA-starch) and tannic acid (TA), as well as between the complexes of the two. The influence of system composition, pH, ionic strength, and temperature on the electrical, microstructural, and rheological properties of the HIPEs was determined. The HIPEs formed relatively firm gels at ambient temperature, but became considerably softer when heated above about 50 °C, which was attributed to weakening of the hydrogen bonds between the OSA-starch/TA complexes. The gels became firm again when cooled, which showed that they exhibited thermo-reversible rheological behavior. Encapsulation of β-carotene in HIPEs improved its chemical stability under UV-light exposure under all pH conditions. The edible HIPEs created in this study may therefore be useful where thermo-responsive gel-like systems are required. Image 1 • OSA-starch/Tannic acid complexes was used to stabilize the HIPEs. • Tannic acid increased the viscosity and shear modulus of the HIPEs. • HIPEs had temperature-responsive properties basing on hydrogen bonding interaction. • HIPEs was able to protect β-carotene from photodegradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Murayaquinones B-E (1 – 4) were isolated from an insect derived actinobacterium. • Structures of new compounds were elucidated by analysis their spectroscopic data. • Murayaquinone D exhibited cytotoxic activities against six cancer cell lines. Chemical study of the insect-derived bacterium, Streptomyces sp. NA4286, led to the discovery of four new polyketides, murayaquinones B-E (1 – 4), together with a known compound, murayaquinone (5). The structures of new compounds (1 – 4) were determined by extensive analysis of their NMR and HRESIMS data. The absolute configuration of (+)- 1 and (−)- 1 was assigned through comparison of experimental and calculated ECD spectra. Murayaquinone D (3) exhibited potent cytotoxic activities against six human cancer cell lines with IC 50 values ranging from 1.03 to 9.99 μM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choosing an appropriate wake loss model (WLM) is a critical task in predicting power production of a wind farm and performing a wind farm layout optimization. Due to their efficient computational performance, analytical WLMs, also called kinematic models, are the most likely candidates for such applications. This paper examines the performance of six well-known analytical WLMs, i.e., Jensen, Larsen, Frandsen, Bastankah and Porté-Agel (BPA), Xie and Archer (XA), and Geometric Model (GM), by comparing their absolute error, bias, correlation coefficient, and ability to predict power production within one standard deviation of the mean observed values at three major commercial wind farms: Lillgrund (offshore, in Sweden), Anholt (offshore, in Denmark) and Nørrekær (inland, in Denmark). The three wind farms are chosen to cover many aspects of wind farms, such as offshore and inland conditions, regular and irregular layouts, and closely- to widely-spaced turbines. The conclusions of this review and the recommendations that are put forward provide practical guidelines for using analytical WLMs effectively in future wind energy applications. Overall, the Jensen and XA models stand out for their consistently strong performance and for rarely (Jensen) or never (XA) ranking last for all wind directions at all farms and are therefore the recommended models in general. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Niobium-doped titania (TNO) film can be used as a transparent conductive oxide (TCO) film due to its excellent conductivity and visible transparency. The performances of TNO sputtering targets are thus critical issues in optimizing sputtered films. This study clarifies the influences of inert and reducing atmospheres on the microstructure, densification, crystal structure, and electrical properties of TNO sputtering targets. The results indicate that a sintering atmosphere of 90% Ar–10% H 2 can result in a lower sintered density, larger grain size, and lower resistivity than can an atmosphere of Ar, followed by one of air. Sintering in 90% Ar–10% H 2 or Ar obviously decreases the resistivity of TiO 2 , from >10 8 Ω cm to <10 −1 Ω cm, and the TNO target, from >10 1 Ω cm to <10 −1 Ω cm. The resistivity of TNO target sintered at 1200 °C in 90% Ar–10% H 2 is as low as 1.8×10 −2 Ω cm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phytosterols are structurally similar to cholesterol but they are much less absorbed (<2%) than cholesterol (>50%) in the intestine. We hypothesize that phytosterols are poor substrates of intestinal acyl-CoA: cholesterol acyltransferase 2 (ACAT2), and thus minimal phytosterol esters are formed and packed into chylomicrons, leading to their low absorption. Two isotope tracing models, including a radioactive hamster microsomal ACAT2 reaction model and a differentiated Caco-2 cell model, were established to examine the specificity of ACAT2 to various sterols, including cholesterol, sitosterol, stigmasterol, and campesterol. Both models consistently demonstrated that only cholesterol but not phytosterols could be efficiently esterified by ACAT2 in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Molecular docking further suggested that unfavorable interactions existed between ACAT2 and phytosterols. In conclusion, phytosterols are poor substrates of ACAT2 and thus minimally absorbed. This work provides a theoretical basis for the use of phytosterol-based supplements in treating dyslipidemia and preventing heart diseases. [Display omitted] • An "esterification theory" is proposed to explain sterol absorption selectivity. • Phytosterols, unlike cholesterol, are poor substrates for hamster intestinal ACAT2. • Caco-2 cells can only efficiently esterify cholesterol but not plant sterols. • Unfavorable interactions may exist between ACAT2 and phytosterols. • ACAT2 limits the esterification and thus the absorption of phytosterols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, we show that the Chien et al.’s partially blind signature scheme based on RSA public cryptosystem could not meet the untraceability property of a blind signature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As a key building block to power flexible electronics, there is need for the development of flexible current collectors. Bombyx mori silk, a traditional textile, attracts increasing attention for its potential application in flexible electronics and is a promising raw material for flexible carbon electrodes in current collector fabrication. In this work, molybdenum dioxide nanoparticles (MoO 2 NPs), which possess chemical stability and high mass specific capacitance, was used as a feed additive and combined with mulberry leaves to raise silkworms. It was found that the MoO 2 NPs were embedded within the silk fibers, which endowed the resulting silk with favorable features for electrochemical energy storage in flexible electronics. After carbonization, the specific capacitance of electrodes prepared with silk from the MoO 2 NPs feeding group, with a mass/volume ratio of 5 g/L, was enhanced from 100 F/g to 245 F/g at a current density of 0.2 A/g. Impressively, the electrodes show high coulombic efficiency with excellent stability. This work demonstrates the possibility of producing carbonized silk with superior properties for developing silk-based flexible electrodes for use in energy storage devices in a large-scale, green, low-cost way. Unlabelled Image • A green and effective way to gain carbonized silk with better electrochemical characteristics at a large scale was presented. • The mechanical properties of the resulted silk were enhanced after feeding silkworms with MoO 2 nanoparticles. • It's the first time to observe the nanoparticles encapsulated within the silk directly via in situ functionalization. • The MoO 2 nanoparticles fed to silkworms retain the nanoscale dimensions and original structures after spinning. • Our study broadened the potential contribution of the carbonized silk to the development of soft electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Safrole oxide (SAFO), a metabolite of naturally occurring hepatocarcinogen safrole, is implicated in causing DNA adduct formation. Our previous study first detected the most abundant SAFO-induced DNA adduct, N7-(3-benzo[1,3] dioxol-5-yl-2-hydroxypropyl)guanine (N7γ-SAFO-G), in mouse urine using a well-developed isotope-dilution high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry (ID-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS) method. This study further elucidated the genotoxic mode of action of SAFO in mice treated with SAFO 30, 60, 90, or 120 mg/kg for 28 days. The ID-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS method detected N7γ-SAFO-G with excellent sensitivity and specificity in mouse liver and urine of SAFO-treated mice. Our data provide the first direct evidence of SAFO-DNA adduct formation in rodent tissues. N7γ-SAFO-G levels in liver were significantly increased by SAFO 120 mg/kg compared with SAFO 30 mg/kg, suggesting rapid spontaneous or enzymatic depurination of N7γ-SAFO-G in tissue DNA. Urinary N7γ-SAFO-G exhibited a sublinear dose response. Moreover, the micronucleated peripheral reticulocyte frequencies increased dose-dependently and significantly correlated with N7γ-SAFO-G levels in liver (r = 0.8647; p < 0.0001) and urine (r = 0.846; p < 0.0001). Our study suggests that safrole-mediated genotoxicity may be caused partly by its metabolic activation to SAFO and that urinary N7γ-SAFO-G may serve as a chemically-specific cancer risk biomarker for safrole exposure. [Display omitted] • N7γ-SAFO-G in liver of SAFO-treated mice was first detected by ID-HPLC-ESI-MS/MS. • N7γ-SAFO-G in mouse livers was significantly increased only with SAFO 120 mg/kg. • Urinary N7γ-SAFO-G increases significantly with SAFO doses in a sublinear fashion. • MNRET frequencies were well correlated with N7γ-SAFO-G levels in liver and urine. • Genotoxicity of safrole may be caused partly by its metabolic activation to SAFO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Acupuncture possesses the antidepressant potential. In this 6-week randomized controlled trial with 4-week follow-up, 160 patients with major depressive disorder (MDD) were randomly assigned to paroxetine (PRX) alone (n = 48) or combined with 18 sessions of manual acupuncture (MA, n = 54) or electrical acupuncture (EA, n = 58). Treatment outcomes were measured mainly using the 17-item Hamilton Depression Rating Scale (HAMD-17), Self-rating Depression Scale (SDS), clinical response and remission rates. Average PRX dose taken and proportion of patients who required an increased PRX dose due to symptom aggravation were also obtained. Both additional MA and EA produced a significantly greater reduction from baseline in score on HAMD-17 and SDS at most measure points from week 1 through week 6 compared to PRX alone. The clinical response was markedly greater in MA (69.8%) and EA (69.6%) groups than the group treated with PRX alone (41.7%, P = 0.004). The proportion of patients who required an increase dose of PRX due to symptom aggravation was significantly lower with MA (5.7%) and EA (8.9%) than PRX alone (22.9%, P = 0.019). At 4 weeks follow-up after completion of acupuncture treatment, patients with EA, but not MA, continued to show significantly greater clinical improvement. Incidence of adverse events was not different in the three groups. Our study indicates that acupuncture can accelerate the clinical response to selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and prevent the aggravation of depression. Electrical acupuncture may have a long-lasting enhancement of the antidepressant effects (Trial Registration: ChiCTR-TRC-08000278). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

α1,6-Fucosyltransferase (Fut8) knock-out (Fut8-/-) mice showed an abnormality in pre-B cell generation. Membrane assembly of pre-BCR is a crucial checkpoint for pre-B cell differentiation and proliferation in both humans and mice. The assembly of pre-BCR on the cell surface was substantially blocked in the Fut8-knockdown pre-B cell line, 70Z/3-KD cells, and then completely restored by re-introduction of the Fut8 gene to 70Z/3-KD (70Z/3-KD-re) cells. Moreover, loss of α1,6-fucosylation (also called core fucosylation) of μHC was associated with the suppression of the interaction between μHC and λ5. In contrast to Fut8-/- CD19+CD43- cells, the subpopulation expressing the μHCαλ5 complex in the Fut8-/- CD19+CD43- cell fraction was decreased. The pre-BCR-mediated tyrosine phosphorylation of CD79a and activation of Btk were attenuated in Fut8-KD cells, and restored in 70Z/3-KD-re cells. The frequency of CD19kw- CD43- cells (pre-B cell enriched fraction) was also reduced in Fut8+/+ bone marrow cells, and then the levels of IgM, IgG, and IgA of 12-week-old Fut8-/- mice sera were significantly lower than those of Fut8+/+ mice. Our results suggest that the core fucosylation of μHC mediates the assembly of pre-BCR to regulate pre-BCR intracellular signaling and pre-B cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interstellar chemistry leads to the formation of many prebiologically important molecules and is therefore of the fundamental interest to Astrobiology. Many organics can be produced in the gas phase where they can be detected. Molecules formed by reactions on the surfaces of dust grains are also best detected by millimeter-wave observations of sources in which the products of grain-surface chemistry have been deposited into the gas phase. In this article, we present a summary of the status of several searches for potential prebiotic molecules – aziridine, 2H-azirine, pyrimidine and glycine – in the hot molecular cores Sgr B2(N-LMH), W51 e1/e2 and Orion KL. Detections of these organic molecules would strengthen the thesis that interstellar organic matter, delivered in cometary impacts, could have played an important role in the prebiotic chemistry of the early Earth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It was found in our previous study that feeding silkworms with MoO 2 nanoparticles (NPs) as a food additive enabled the incorporation of MoO 2 NPs into the as-spun silk, which, in turn, can be used to build electrodes for energy storage. However, aggregation of the MoO 2 NPs was observed at high fractional feeding dosages. In order to disperse the MoO 2 NPs in fibrous silk and enhance the specific capacitance of the carbonized silk more effectively, a 0.5% (w/v) hydroxypropyl methyl cellulose (HPMC) solution was utilized as the dispersant in this work. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) results confirmed that HPMC increased the separation of MoO 2 nanoparticles incorporated within the silk matrix. Furthermore, the electrochemical performance was characterized, revealing that the specific capacitance of carbonized silk from this HPMC-MoO 2 NP feeding group reached 456 F/g, compared to the value of 245 F/g from the previous study, at a current density of 0.2 A/g, demonstrating a significant improvement. The feasibility of utilizing HPMC to maintain the segregated state of MoO 2 NPs throughout all stages of silk encapsulation, with negligible impact of this feeding regimen on the growth of silkworms, is demonstrated in this work. [Display omitted] • Upon in vivo feeding, HPMC can ensure the separation of nanoparticles even after they are encapsulated within silk fibers. • Feeding HPMC to the silkworm enhances the degree of graphitization of the carbonized silk. • Compared with previous results, the specific capacitance of the carbonized silk increased from 245 F/g to 456 F/g. • Our work produced a silk precursor with potential utility as a high-power supercapacitor component. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide continuous, accessible, and quality care, a diabetes share-care program has been in place in Taiwan for several years. Lukang Christian Hospital, a member of the diabetes share-care network, endeavors to provide “patient-centered” care aimed at increasing care quality and reducing diabetic complications. Information technology has been employed by the hospital for monitoring care quality and analyzing cost-effectiveness. Structured health-care programs have also been developed to ensure the completeness of diabetes care and to encourage self-management of individuals at high risk for diabetes. The implementation of these strategies has led to progressive improvement in quality measures and spawned novel and creative ways to deliver care services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]