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Hosta plantaginea (Lam.) Aschers flower is a famous Mongolian folk medicine in China and has a therapeutic effect on acute pharyngitis (AP). However, the effect and potential mechanism of H. plantaginea flower on AP have not been fully elucidated. The present work aimed to evaluate the effects and mechanisms of the crude extract of H. plantaginea flowers (HP) and its four fractions of petroleum ether fraction (HPA), ethyl acetate fraction (HPB), n-butanol fraction (HPC), and water residue (HPD) against AP in rats. A 15% ammonia-induced AP rat model in rats was established. Therapeutic effects of HP and HPA∼D in model rats were evaluated based on body weight, histopathological analysis, and inflammatory parameters, including tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), interleukin 1β (IL-1β), and IL-6. The protein expression of nuclear factor kappa-B p65 (NF-κB p65), inhibitor of NF-κB alpha (IκBα), c-Jun N-terminal kinases (JNK), mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) p38, extracellular signal-regulated kinase (Erk), just another kinase 1 (JAK1), signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3), phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), and protein kinase B (Akt) were detected by a Western blotting assay. HP, HPB, and HPC treatments markedly alleviated AP in rats by increasing body weight and improving pathological damages in pharyngeal tissues. In addition, HP, HPB, and HPC treatments significantly inhibited inflammation, including decreasing the levels of TNF-α, PGE2, IL-1β, and IL-6, and suppressing phosphorylated protein expression of p65, IκBα, JNK, p38, Erk, JAK1, STAT3, PI3K, and Akt in pharyngeal tissues of rats. Collectively, HP, HPB, and HPC can attenuate pharynx injury in rats by suppressing inflammation via inhibition of NF-κB, MAPKs, JAK-STAT, and PI3K-Akt pathways, which supports the traditional use of H. plantaginea flowers. [Display omitted] • For the first time, the anti-AP effect and mechanism of Hosta plantaginea were explored in-depth. • Hosta plantaginea flower showed a significant anti-AP effect in rats. • HPB and HPC were the main active fractions of H. plantaginea flower. • HPB and HPC fractions showed anti-AP effects through inhibition of NF-κB, MAPKs, JAK-STAT, and PI3K-Akt pathways. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Objective Long-term outcomes after endovascular aneurysm repair (EVAR) are threatened by aortic neck dilation (AND), graft migration, and subsequent endoleak development. The aim of this study was to determine the rate of AND and the occurrence of endoleaks after fenestrated EVAR of juxtarenal aneurysms with physician-modified endovascular grafts (PMEGs). Methods The study included 77 patients presenting with asymptomatic and ruptured juxtarenal abdominal aortic aneurysms treated with PMEGs who received radiologic follow-up. Analysis of computed tomography images took place on a three-dimensional workstation (TeraRecon, San Mateo, Calif). Aortic neck diameter was measured before and after EVAR at the lowest patent renal artery outer wall to outer wall. Significant AND was defined as >3-mm increase between baseline and follow-up, and sac regression >5 mm was considered significant. The patient's 1-month initial postoperative computed tomography measurement was considered baseline. The rate of AND was measured by comparing the baseline measurement with measurements at 6 months, 12 months, and annually thereafter up to 4 years. Results In this cohort of patients, 75% were men with a mean age of 74 ± 7.9 years. Median preoperative aneurysm size was 62 (57-73) mm, and median follow-up was 12 (3.5-30) months. Mean endograft oversizing was 17% ± 12.5%, and mean seal zone length was 41 ± 11 mm. At 1-year follow-up, the median aortic neck increase was 1.7 (0-3) mm. Maximum aneurysm size decreased dramatically during the first postoperative year, with significant sac regression in 65% of the patients. Aortic neck diameter at 1 year did correlate positively with the percentage of device oversizing. No other correlations were found. During the 4-year follow-up, there were no cases of type IA endoleaks. Conclusions AND does not influence outcome after endovascular repair of juxtarenal aneurysms using PMEGs. These midterm results support the applicability of PMEGs in juxtarenal aneurysm repair. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • A highly water-soluble in alkaline window hydrazone derivative is synthesized. • Hydrazone derivative acts as a molecular fluorescent pH probe. • Probe manifests selective fluorescence response to Cu2+ in alkaline aqueous medium. • Probe/Cu2+ complex serves as a highly sensitive molecular sensor for S2− anions. • A series of logic gates of the probe are achieved. Abstract The sensory properties of the simplest Probe- 1 are reported. Probe- 1 exhibits colorimetric and fluorimetric responses towards higher pHs. Also, a borate aqueous solution of Probe- 1 (pH = 10) could to detect the presence of Cu2+ in aqueous solution with high selectivity and sensitivity (3 μM). The Probe- 1 /Cu2+ complex responses selectively towards the presence of S2−, H 2 PO 4 - and P 2 O 7 4- through a de-metallization mechanism, resulting in a fluorescence enhancement of 143%, 97% and 134%, respectively. On the other hand, the Probe- 1 absorbance increases significantly only by S2- (131%). Furthermore, Probe- 1 executes many logic gates such as XOR , AND , INHIBIT , IMPLICATION , TRANSFER and NOT TRANSFER. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A distributed sensor network deployed to detect a binary event using a hard decision fusion scheme is considered. Earlier works show that the K -out-of- N counting rule is optimum in minimizing the total error rate when the sensor nodes participating in the event detection have identical performance indexes (detection and false-alarm probability pairs). In most scenarios, this optimum rule turns out to be the half-voting or majority rule. However, when the sensor nodes have non-identical performance indexes, the optimum value of K that gives the maximum correct decision probability may be anything from 1 to N and no general expression for it is available. Trying all possibilities before choosing the best value of K is computationally very demanding and the complexity grows rapidly as the number of sensor nodes increases, making it an impractical approach for a large sensor network. We propose a multistage decision fusion scheme for such networks using unanimity fusion rules and show that it gives an improved performance over unanimity, half-voting, majority, and some soft fusion rules and a comparable performance to the best K -out-of- N fusion rule in many cases with considerably reduced computational complexity in determining the global detection and false-alarm probabilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current driven magnetic domain wall (DW) motions of ferri-magnetic TbFeCo wires have been investigated. In the case of a Si substrate, the critical current density (Jc) of DW motion was successfully reduced to 3×10 6 A/cm 2 . Moreover, by using a polycarbonate (PC) substrate with a molding groove of 600 nm width, the Jc was decreased to 6×10 5 A/cm 2 . In order to fabricate a logic in memory, a current driven spin logics (AND, OR, NOT) have been proposed and successfully demonstrated under the condition of low Jc. These results indicate that TbFeCo nanowire is an excellent candidate for next generation power saving memory and logic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: New level schemes of 112,114,115,116,117,118Pd are established by means of , and measurements of prompt fission γ rays from 252Cf using the Gammasphere multi-detector array. Spins/parities were assigned to levels based on angular correlation measurements, level systematics and decay patterns. In the even-N isotopes 112,114,116Pd, two sets of odd-parity bands were identified and extended with spins measured in each band. The odd-parity bands with large level staggerings were interpreted as disturbed chirality with less pronounced triaxial deformations in the Pd isotopes than observed in the chiral symmetry breaking 110,112Ru with maximum triaxiality. Onset of wobbling motion was identified from the sign of the signature splitting in the γ band of even–even 114Pd, and probably also in 116Pd, as first seen in the isotone 112Ru. Maximal triaxiality in Ru and Pd isotopes is found to be reached for , 112Ru and 114Pd, 4 neutrons more than predicted in the theoretical calculations. The new data and TRS calculations allowed a systematic study of the band crossings in the even-N 112,114,116Pd and odd-N 115,117Pd isotopes. Now we find a new overall, more complex shape evolution than previously proposed from triaxial prolate in 110Pd via triaxial oblate in 112Pd to nearly oblate in 114,116Pd with a large change of the triaxial deformation parameter γ toward nearly oblate in the alignment in 114,115,116,117,118Pd, and triaxial-prolate–triaxial-oblate shape coexisting bands in 115Pd. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Pragmatic accounts for and conjunctions offer a unified analysis for all conjunctions (Blakemore and Carston, 2005; Gómez Txurruka, 2003; Zeevat and Jasinskaja, 2007). I propose two distinct interpretative strategies instead. On the relational strategy, the inferred relation between the conjuncts is computed first, and only then is relevance to the discourse sought for the two conjuncts taken as a single processing unit. On the independent strategy, each conjunct by itself makes a separate, but parallel contribution to the same discourse point. Different formal indicators cue addressees as to which of the pragmatic strategies was most likely intended. The most dramatic difference between the two readings is that the inferred relation between the two conjuncts may form part of the truth-conditional proposition expressed under the relational strategy, but under the independent strategy such relations, if inferred at all, are either truth-compatible inferences, or at best, conversational implicatures. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The latest PHENIX measurements of yields in d+Au collisions at are presented as well as the nuclear modification factor and . The results span a wide rapidity range () and are compared with several theoretical models. The data are also compared to several simple models of the geometric dependence of the nuclear modification. It is found that the forward rapidity data favor a stronger suppression than one that is linear or exponential in the density-weighted longitudinal thickness. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Natural and artificial gamma-emitting radionuclides (238U, 226Ra, 232Th, 210Pb, 40K, and 137Cs) were measured in the soils of a small catchment in the Central Pyrenees, Spain. The study was carried out in a mountainous area that was representative of the Tertiary Flysch landscapes in the Southern Pyrenees. Bulk soil cores (n = 77) were collected at the intersections of a 200 × 200-m grid established in the Arnás River Catchment. Mean radioisotope activities (Bq kg−1) were 40 (238U), 27 (226Ra), 35 (232Th), 74 (210Pb), 48 (210Pbex), 590 (40K), and 31 (137Cs). The 210Pb and 137Cs exhibited the greatest variability, whereas 226Ra and 40K showed the least spatial variation. The relationships between basic soil properties and radionuclide activities indicate that only the radionuclides, 210Pbex and 137Cs, that are fixed to the fine fraction of the soil are directly correlated with the organic matter content, whereas the natural radionuclides are inversely correlated with the carbonate content. GIS and geospatial interpolations revealed patterns in the spatial concentrations of radionuclides and indicated important differences in their distributions showing the different behaviour of natural and fallout-derived radionuclides. The radionuclide spatial patterns were strongly correlated with physiographic features such as gradient, orientation, and vegetation cover of the slopes. Within the catchment, the least vegetated and steepest slopes had the lowest radionuclide activities, which suggest that physical processes such as erosion are primary factors in the mobilization of radionuclides in association with soil particles. The results provide insights into the main factors that have affected the spatial distribution of radionuclides in the soils of the catchment, which improves our knowledge of the behaviour of radionuclides in the environment and can lead to a better comprehension of the factors that affect their mobility within ecosystems. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The inter-ocean exchange of water masses at the Agulhas Current termination comes about through the shedding of rings, and this process plays an important role in the global thermohaline circulation. Using several hydrographic sections collected during the ARC (Agulhas Retroflection Cruise), MARE (Mixing of Agulhas Rings Experiment) and WOCE (World Ocean Circulation Experiment), this investigation aims to establish the degree to which Red Sea Intermediate Water (RSIW) is involved in this exchange and at what level of purity. To this end a wide range of hydrographic parameters were used. Upstream from the Agulhas Current retroflection water with clear RSIW origin is shown to move downstream on both the landward and seaward sides of the Agulhas Current with the highest water sample purity or water-mass content exceeding 15%. The least mixed water was found close to the continental shelf. At the retroflection the RSIW purity shows considerable variability that ranges between 5% and 20%. This suggests that RSIW moves down the current in patches of considerably varying degrees of previous mixing. This pattern was also observed in a ring sampled during the ARC experiment. The MARE sections in turn indicate that at times RSIW may be entirely absent in the Agulhas Current. RSIW is therefore shown to travel down the current as discontinuous filaments, and this intermittency is reflected in its presence in Agulhas Rings. From the sections investigated it is therefore clear that any calculation of RSIW fluxes involved in inter-ocean exchange can only be done on the basis of event scales. RSIW not trapped in Agulhas Rings flows east with the Agulhas Return Current. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In view of the importance of Lagrange points to the exploration and development of space, the dynamics and stability of a satellite were studied under multiple Trojan asteroids influence. Through the use of a numerical simulator developed in MATLAB, consideration was given to the effects of gravitational forces exerted by the asteroids themselves, simulating the resulting insignificant influence of the Trojan asteroids on a satellite placed at the triangular Lagrange points. The study of optimized satellite transfers between triangular Lagrange points allowed the enforcement of multiple, specific, non-linear constraints on critical mission parameters of maximum thrust, mission duration, propellant consumption and accelerations. The optimized transfer trajectory between the two triangular Lagrange points was direction sensitive. That is, the minimum thrust optimized transfer trajectory for a satellite from to was unique and vastly different to that from to . A further exciting discovery highlighted that superposition of the latter trajectories formed a perfectly smooth, uninterrupted kidney-shaped loop, fused at the two relevant points of connection. Implications for this phenomenon extend directly to future mission planning. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The aortic depressor nerve (ADN) primarily transmits baroreceptor signals from the aortic arch to the nucleus tractus solitarii. Cell bodies of neurons that send peripheral fibers to form the ADN are located in the nodose ganglion (NG). Studies have implicated glutamate and nitric oxide in transmission of baroreflex signals; therefore, we tested the hypothesis that ADN neurons contain either vesicular glutamate transporters (VGLUTs) or neuronal nitric oxide synthase (nNOS) or both. We applied a fluorescent tracer, tetramethyl rhodamine dextran (TRD), to rat ADN to identify ADN neurons and then performed immunofluorescent labeling for nNOS and VGLUTs 1, 2, and 3 in NG sections. We found that VGLUT2-immunoreactivity (IR) and VGLUT3-IR was present in a significantly higher proportion of TRD positive neurons than in TRD negative neurons. In contrast, the percentage of TRD positive neurons containing VGLUT1-IR or nNOS-IR did not differ from that of TRD negative neurons. We also observed that the percentage of TRD positive neurons containing both VGLUT2-IR and nNOS-IR and the percentage of TRD positive neurons containing both VGLUT3-IR and nNOS-IR were significantly higher than that of TRD negative neurons. On the other hand, colocalization of VGLUT1-IR and nNOS-IR in TRD positive neurons did not differ from that of TRD negative neurons. These results support our hypothesis and suggest prominent roles of VGLUT2-IR containing neurons and VGLUT3-IR containing neurons in transmitting cardiovascular signals via the ADN to the brain stem. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Utterances containing detached and-conjncts seem to pose a difficulty for both traditional truth conditional accounts of the semantics of and and for recent pragmatic accounts. In this paper I analyze a range of constructed and actual examples and show that they can be accommodated in Blakemore and Carston''s relevance theoretic account of the interpretation of and-utterances. I argue that while the interpretive differences between standard two-conjunct coordinated utterances and utterances containing parenthetical and-conjuncts can be explained in terms of the fact these conjuncts are detached from their hosts, the role played by and in the interpretation of utterances containing detached conjuncts is precisely the same as the role that it plays in standard sentential coordination. I also distinguish between two ways in which and-parentheticals may contribute to interpretation, and will suggest that this difference may be related to Bolinger''s [Bolinger, Dwight D., 1989. Intonation and Its uses. Edward Arnold, London] characterization of the functional difference between compressed and expanded parentheticals. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

An all-optical half adder using semiconductor optical amplifier based devices is suggested and demonstrated at 10 Gbit/s. Boolean AB and AB out of two semiconductor optical amplifiers have been obtained and combined to achieve an all-optical XOR gate, which is logic SUM. Also, an all-optical XPM wavelength converter has been utilized to obtain an all-optical AND gate, which is logic CARRY. Logic SUM and CARRY are simultaneously realized. No additional input beam such as clock signal or continuous wave light other than input signals A and B is used in this new design, which is required in many other all-optical logic gates. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using a single robotic platform, the GeneTAC™ G3, we have automated most of the processes involved in the cloning and characterisation of novel disease causing genes by addressing the following; firstly, identifying the BACs of interest and making shotgun libraries. Secondly, automating the set up of sequencing reactions using methodology that eliminates the need for DNA preparation of 384 clones. Thirdly, generating sublibraries using selective re-arraying of library clones to enable the determination of the entire genomic sequence of the gene. Fourthly, determining gene function by combination of differential screening and mini Northerns using microarrays printed using the GeneTAC™ G3 system and hybridised using the GeneTAC™ HybStation (Genomics Solutions, Ann Arbor, USA). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In this study, assemblies comprising poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) bonded to glass were subjected to a temperature gradient from +30 °C to −40 °C at 0% humidity. Their behaviour was recorded using a 3D digital image correlation (DIC) setup. The deformations and the thermally induced surface strain development, due to thermal loading, were recorded using a stereo camera system with two charge-coupled device (CCD) cameras. Narrow field measurements were performed near the edges of the joint where a high concentration of peeling and shear strains might be expected. With the use of commercial DIC software, the thermal deformation of the structure and the developed surface strain fields (ε xx , γ xy , ε yy) are analysed. Joints with different bond line thickness (0.5 mm, 2 mm, 3.2 mm) of the silicone adhesive were investigated. The continuous image capture with the CCD cameras allowed identification of the failure conditions and the exact moment of failure of the bonded assembly. Additionally, the DIC experiment results were evaluated with the help of finite-element analysis results, which are in excellent agreement. This showed that the DIC method can be successfully applied for the investigation of thermally induced strains in adhesively bonded assemblies and thus contribute to understanding of the underlying thermal/mechanical behaviour of bonded systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel rhodamine-pyrazole based molecular probe was designed and easily synthesized. The probe could to detect several analytes in aqueous solution at biological pH (HEPES, pH = 7.2). Several heavy metal cations, including Cu2+, Fe3+, Al3+, Hg2+ and Ni2+ were detected discriminately by the probe. Also, the novel compound exhibited a good sensory selectivity towards S 2 O 5 2− by both absorption and emission spectra. Moreover, probe/Cu2+ complex could to detect several anions, including F−, CN−, S2−, CH 3 COO−, CO 3 2– and NO 2 −. Furthermore, the probe exhibited a high potential to work as a molecular system able to perform a number of logical operations such as AND , NAND , NOR and INHIBIT logic gates. Unlabelled Image • A novel rhodamine-pyrazole based fluorescent probe is synthesized. • Several heavy metal ions were detected discriminately at biological pH. • The probe manifested a good sensing selectivity towards S 2 O 5 2-. • The probe/Cu2+ complex is able to detect several anions. • A series of logic gates such as AND , NAND , NOR and INHIBIT are achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An abstract of the paper "Impact of Added Sand on the Recovery of Salmonella, Campylobacter, Escherichia coli, and Coliforms From Pre-Chill and Post-Chill Broiler Carcass Halves," by J. F. Hannah and colleagues is presented.

Abstract: This study established allele frequencies and some parameters of forensic interest with 15 autosomal STRs markers in a sample of 172 unrelated individuals from the Department of Cauca – Colombia using the PowerPlex® 16 BIO System (Promega CO) and Qiagen Multiplex PCR (Qiagen) kits. All markers analyzed showed more than 61% of heterozygosity. Penta E and Penta D were the only systems that are not in Hardy Weinberg equilibrium (p <0.0033) after Bonferroni correction. The probabilities of paternity (W), the power of exclusion (PE) and of discrimination (PD) accumulated for all loci analyzed were 0.9999, 0.9999 and >0.9999, respectively. The parameters of forensic interest have values suitable for routine use in forensic genetics. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]