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Objective: To provide radiographic parameters for optimal placement of posterior second sacral alar iliac (S2AI) screw for instrumentation and fusion of scoliosis to the second sacral level in a Chinese population. Methods: S2AI screw trajectories were mapped on three-dimensional computed tomography (3DCT) reconstructions of 60 normal adult pelvises. 1 mm inferior and 1 mm lateral to the S1 dorsal foramen were chosen as the entry point, and ideal S2AI screw trajectories were explored by rotating and cutting the 3D pelvis, ensuring that the trajectories were of maximum length and width. The directions and depth of these determined trajectories were then measured. Results: The ideal S2AI screw trajectories could be found in each pelvis. The left and right screw trajectory parameters for males were shown as follows: angulation was L 29.15 ± 8.60° vs. R 29.96 ± 8.28° ( p = 0.286) caudally in the sagittal plane and L 36.49 ± 3.14° vs. R 37.16 ± 3.14° ( p = 0.165) laterally in the transverse plane. The maximal and intrasacral lengths of trajectory were L 121.25 ± 8.33 vs. R 120.63 ± 7.54 mm ( p = 0.460) and L 26.20 ± 3.31 vs. R 26.92 ± 4.76 mm ( p = 0.268). The entry point was L 28.87 ± 3.33 vs. R 29.79 ± 3.55 mm ( p = 0.186) lateral to the second sacral midline, and L 44.14 ± 11.87 vs. R 43.89 ± 12.53 mm ( p = 0.687) underneath the skin. The trajectories for females were more caudal (L: 34.50 ± 6.56° vs. 29.15 ± 8.60°, p = 0.009; R: 35.72 ± 7.53° vs. 29.96 ± 8.28°, p = 0.007) in the sagittal plane, but the lateral angulation in the transverse plane showed no difference between genders ( p > 0.05). The female iliac medullar cavities were obviously narrower than those of males (L: 14.76 ± 2.46 vs. 16.98 ± 3.52, p = 0.006; R: 14.94 ± 2.60 vs. 17.00 ± 2.81, p = 0.005). Although the average maximal length of trajectories for females were about 5 mm shorter than those of males, intrasacral length were equal to those of males. Furthermore, both the distance from entry point to the S2 midline and skin in the transverse plane showed no difference between genders. Conclusion: The feasibility to insert S2AI screws to the sacrum and ilium in an Asian population along with the ideal entry angle and length of trajectory were identified for clinical practice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Global temperature is increasing, especially over northern lands (>50° N), owing to positive feedbacks. As this increase is most pronounced in winter, temperature seasonality (ST)-conventionally defined as the difference between summer and winter temperatures-is diminishing over time, a phenomenon that is analogous to its equatorward decline at an annual scale. The initiation, termination and performance of vegetation photosynthetic activity are tied to threshold temperatures. Trends in the timing of these thresholds and cumulative temperatures above them may alter vegetation productivity, or modify vegetation seasonality (SV), over time. The relationship between ST and SV is critically examined here with newly improved ground and satellite data sets. The observed diminishment of ST and SV is equivalent to 4° and 7° (5° and 6°) latitudinal shift equatorward during the past 30 years in the Arctic (boreal) region. Analysis of simulations from 17 state-of-the-art climate models indicates an additional STdiminishment equivalent to a 20° equatorward shift could occur this century. How SV will change in response to such large projected ST declines and the impact this will have on ecosystem services are not well understood. Hence the need for continued monitoring of northern lands as their seasonal temperature profiles evolve to resemble thosefurther south. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, nonlinear dynamic characteristics and optimal control of giant magnetostrictive laminated plate (GMLP) subjected to in-plane stochastic excitation were studied. Von del Pol nonlinear item was introduced to interpret the hysteresis phenomenon of the strain-magnetic field intensity curve of giant magnetostrictive material, and the nonlinear dynamic model of GMLP subjected to in-plane stochastic excitation was developed. Local and global stochastic stabilities were analyzed according to largest Lyapunov exponent theory and singular boundary theory. The functions of steady-state probability density and joint probability density were obtained, and the condition of stochastic Hopf bifurcation was analyzed. The reliability function was solved from backward Kolmogorov equation, and the probability density of the first-passage time was obtained. Finally, the optimal control strategy was proposed in stochastic dynamic programming method. Numerical simulation shows that the stability of the solution varies with parameter, and stochastic Hopf bifurcation appears in the process; the reliability of the system was improved by optimal control, and the first-passage time was delayed. The result is helpful to engineering applications of GMLP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevated levels of circulating triglycerides and increased arterial stiffness are associated with cardiovascular disease. Numerous studies have reported an association between levels of circulating triglycerides and arterial stiffness. We used Mendelian randomization to test whether this association is causal. We investigated the association between circulating triglyceride levels, the apolipoprotein A-V (ApoA5) -1131T>C single nucleotide polymorphism and brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV) by examining data from 4421 subjects aged 18-74 years who were recruited from the Chinese population. baPWV was significantly associated with the levels of circulating triglycerides after adjusting for age, sex, body mass index (BMI), systolic blood pressure, heart rate, waist-to-hip ratio, antihypertensive treatment and diabetes mellitus status. The −1131C allele was associated with a 5% (95% confidence interval 3-8%) increase in circulating triglycerides (adjusted for age, sex, BMI, waist-to-hip ratio, diabetes mellitus and antihypertensive treatment). Instrumental variable analysis showed that genetically elevated levels of circulating triglycerides were not associated with increased baPWV. These results do not support the hypothesis that levels of circulating triglycerides have a causal role in the development of arterial stiffness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Since their discovery in 2006, induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs) have gained increasing interest for tissue regeneration and transplantation therapies. However, teratoma formation after iPSC transplantation is one of the most serious drawbacks that may limit their further clinical application. We investigated here whether human iPSC-derived teratomas could be detected by an integrin-targeting agent (99m)Tc-PEG(4)-E[PEG(4)-c(RGDfK)](2) ((99m)Tc-3PRGD2).Methods: Human-induced pluripotent stem cells (hiPSCs) were generated and characterized. In vitro integrin α(v)β(3) expression levels of hiPSC- and hiPSC-derived teratoma cells were determined by flow cytometry. (99m)Tc-3PRGD2 was prepared, and planar gamma imaging and biodistribution studies were carried out in teratoma-bearing severe combined immunodeficient (SCID) mice. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of teratomas with 2-deoxy-2-[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose ((18)F-FDG) was also performed for comparison. Integrin α(v)β(3) expression in teratoma tissues was determined by immunofluorescence staining.Results: (99m)Tc-3PRGD2 showed high (2.82 ± 0.21 and 2.69 ± 0.73%ID/g at 0.5 and 1 h pi, respectively) and specific (teratoma uptake decreased from 2.69 ± 0.73 to 0.53 ± 0.26%ID/g after blocking with cold 3PRGD2) uptake in teratoma tissues, and planar gamma imaging demonstrated the feasibility of noninvasively detecting the teratoma formation with (99m)Tc-3PRGD2. (18)F-FDG showed low teratoma uptake and thus failed to detect the teratomas. Ex vivo immunofluorescence staining validated the integrin α(v)β(3) expression in the vasculature during teratoma formation.Conclusion: Gamma imaging with (99m)Tc-3PRGD2 is a promising approach for the noninvasive monitoring of tumorigenicity after hiPSCs transplantation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We theoretically show that a polarization-independent optical band-stop filter operation can be performed by a two-dimensional sub-wavelength array of symmetric cross-shaped plasmonic nanoantennas. The proposed filter's optical properties can be controlled by varying the size and periodicity of the plasmonic nanoantennas. So, this can be used to design filters in many frequency ranges of interest. In addition, the filter is simply constructed as a coating with only 30-nm thickness, which is much thinner than the operation wavelength, and thus facilitates the fabrication and further large-scale optical integration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyses reflection and refraction of plane waves at a perfect interface between two anisotropic piezoelectric media. The equations of elastic waves, quasi-static electric field, and constitutive relationships for the piezoelectric media are derived. A solution based on the inhomogeneous wave theory is developed to address the inconsistency between the numbers of independent wave modes in the media and the numbers of interfacial boundary conditions to obtain accurate reflection and refraction coefficients in case of strong piezoelectric media, where all the elastic and electric continuity conditions across the interface are satisfied simultaneously. The study shows that there exist independent and zero energy wave modes satisfying the general Snell's law and propagating along the interface for any incident wave angle. These waves can be treated as pseudo surface waves. It is further found that all the reflection/refraction waves including the pseudo surface waves obey the energy conservation law at the interface boundary. In addition, the analysis also reveals that the reflection and refraction elastic waves can turn into pseudo surface waves at some critical incident angles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigates the potential of ultrasonic non-destructive measurements of residual stresses using the modal frequency spacing method based on the interference spectrum of leaky Lamb waves as an alternative to the commonly used flight-time approach in ultrasonic methods. Extensive experiments were carried out to verify the viability and robustness of the technique using an instrumented leaky Lamb wave setup with uniaxial stressed samples and welded steel samples. To improve the signal-to-noise ratio, multiple sets of raw signals of specularly reflected and leaky Lamb waves were acquired and then averaged in the time domain. The acquired data in the time domain were then transformed into the frequency domain to form the interference spectrum of leaky Lamb waves with a good repeatability. The acoustoelastic coefficient of carbon steel is then derived from the measured relationship of wave velocity and applied stress. Finally, a welded steel plate was examined and residual stress was evaluated. The current work demonstrates the feasibility and the potential of the proposed method in measuring residual stresses in welded plates and thin-walled structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Description of syrinx resolution after posterior fossa decompression (PFD) in patients with scoliosis secondary to Chiari malformation type I (CMI) and syringomyelia (SM) has been rarely reported in the literature. This study was performed to investigate the outcome of PFD in patients with scoliosis secondary to CMI and to identify potential predictive factors for better outcome after PFD.Material and Methods: Patients with scoliosis secondary to CMI and SM, who had undergone PFD during the period 2000 through 2009, were recruited. Inclusion criteria were (1) age ≤ 18 years, (2) diagnosis of SM associated with CMI, (3) scoliosis as the first complaint, (4) having undergone preoperative and follow-up magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Patients with acquired CMI anomalies or who had received syringosubarachnoid shunting were excluded. The maximal S/C ratio and syrinx length were measured to evaluate syrinx resolution after PFD. A 20% decrease in S/C ratio or length at the latest follow-up was defined as a significant radiographic improvement and complete resolution was used to describe the syrinx disappearing after PFD.Results: 44 patients were recruited. Follow-up MRI was conducted for all 44 patients at 6 ± 3 months postoperatively, for 37 patients at 2 years ± 3 months, for 26 patients at 4 years ± 3 months, and for 15 patients at 6 years ± 3 months. 97.7% (43 of 44) of patients showed significant radiographic improvement by MRI. The distance of tonsillar descent (mm) was correlated significantly with the surgical outcome (r = 0.116, P = 0.013). Significant improvement was observed within 6 months postoperatively, with continued slow improvement after that.Conclusion: Syringes showed significant improvement after PFD in most patients with scoliosis secondary to CMI. Resolution generally occurred within 6 months follow-up and continued at a slow rate for several years. In addition, the severity of tonsillar descent is a potential predictor for better improvement after standard PFD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent studies have revealed the important role of aquaporin-1 (AQP1) in tumor cell migration and angiogenesis. However, the function of AQP1 in malignant pleural effusion has not been well characterized. We established a mouse model to examine the role of AQP1 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in the development of malignant pleural effusion. We showed that elevated expressions of AQP1 mRNA and VEGF protein were associated with increased volume of malignant pleural effusion. These results suggest that AQP1 and VEGF play important roles in the development of malignant pleural effusion in mice, which may help us find new strategies for the prevention and treatment of malignant pleural effusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Image-based rendering (IBR) is an promising technology for rendering photo-realistic views of scenes from a collection of densely sampled images or videos. It provides a framework for developing revolutionary virtual reality and immersive viewing systems. While there has been considerable progress recently in the capturing, storage and transmission of image-based representations, most multiple camera systems are designed to be stationary and hence their ability to cope with moving objects and dynamic environment is somewhat limited. This paper studies the design and construction of a movable image-based rendering system based on a class of dynamic representations called plenoptic videos, its associated video processing algorithms and an application to multiview audio-visual conferencing. It is constructed by mounting a linear array of 8 video cameras on an electrically controllable wheel chair and its motion is controllable manually or remotely through wireless LAN by means of additional hardware circuitry. We also developed a real-time object tracking algorithm and utilize the motion information computed to adjust continuously the azimuth or rotation angle of the movable IBR system in order to cope with a given moving object in a large environment. Due to imperfection in tracking and mechanical vibration encountered in movable systems, the videos may appear very shaky and a new video stabilization technique is proposed to overcome this problem. The usefulness of the system is illustrated by means of a multiview conferencing application using a multiview TV display. Through this pilot study, we hope to disseminate useful experience for the design and construction of movable IBR systems with improved viewing freedom and ability to cope with moving object in a large environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the influence of diet roughage proportion on the methanogenic communities from the rumen and fecal samples in Altay local sheep native to Xinjiang and better understand the association of methanogenic diversity or abundance with methane emissions of the ruminants. In this study, the high roughage diet was found to cause more methane emissions for either maintenance or ad- lib group, but the total methanogenic abundance was not influenced by roughage proportion and showed no significant difference between groups. Furthermore, the denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis was conducted to reveal the difference in methanogenic diversity. Phylogenetic analysis showed that the sequences obtained were divided into three groups, affiliated to the genus of Methanobrevibacter, Methanocorpusculum and an unidentified methanogenic-like group. Of these sequences, the predominant diversity from the genus of Methanobrevibacter and the unidentified methanogenic-like archaeons in the rumen was found to be significantly induced by the high roughage diet, implying that the variation of diversity at the species or strain level might have an effect on methane emissions from the rumen. Further analysis showed that five methangenic sequences from the rumen were possibly associated with the differential methane emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The α-Fe 2O 3/Si two-dimensional (2D) photonic crystal (PC) with hexagonal honeycomb structure was fabricated by self-assembly and solution-dipping method based on colloidal monolayer template with 780 and 470 nm diameter polystyrene (PS) spheres. Optical diffraction measurement was carried out under wavelengths of 800, 532 and 400 nm. An interesting dispersion phenomenon with a hexagonal diffraction pattern composed of six elliptical spots is observed under specific wavelengths. Both theoretical and experimental calculations reveal that the diffraction can only occur when the incident wavelength is smaller than $\sqrt{3}/2$ of lattice constant, and both the shape and distribution of these spots can be modified by the PC lattice constant and the incident wavelength. All these results reveal that optical properties of these 2D PC slabs are different from conventional diffractive devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fluorescence of different types of planthopper ( Hemiptera) and moth ( Lepidoptera), which constitute important Chinese agricultural pests, was investigated both in situ in a laboratory setting and remotely using a fluorescence light detection and ranging (lidar) system operating at a range of about 50 m. The natural autofluorescence of different species, as well as the fluorescence from insects that had been dusted with fluorescent dye powder for identification were studied. Autofluorescence spectra of both moths and planthoppers show a maximum intensity peak around 450 nm. Bleaching upon long-time laser illumination was modest and did not affect the shape of the spectrum. A single dyed rice planthopper, a few mm in size, could be detected at 50 m distance by using the fluorescence lidar system. By employing various marking dyes, different types of agricultural pest could be determined. We suggest that lidar may be used in studies of migration and movement of pest insects, including studies of their behavior in the vicinity of pheromone traps and in pheromone-treated fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Social vulnerability assessment of natural hazards aims to identify vulnerable populations and provide decision makers with scientific basis for their disaster prevention and mitigation decisions. A new method based on remote sensing is presented here to establish a model of social vulnerability for county-scale regions that lack of relative data. To calculate population density, which is the most important indicator in social vulnerability assessment, first, a statistical model is established to estimate the population on village level. Then a new concept defined as 'population density based on land use' is created to replace the arithmetic population density. The former has taken the dynamic human distribution related to land use into account; thus, it can map the population distribution more realistically. The other two indicators are age structure and distance to hospital. The application of this method to the Luogang District of Guangzhou, South China demonstrated its capability of providing high spatial resolution and reasonable social vulnerability for social vulnerability assessment of natural hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The overexpression of IRX1 gene correlates with the growth arrest in gastric cancer. Furthermore, overexpression of IRX1 gene suppresses peritoneal spreading and long distance metastasis. To explore the precise mechanisms, we investigated whether restoring IRX1 expression affects the angiogenesis or vasculogenic mimicry (VM). Human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and chick embryo and SGC-7901 gastric cancer cells were used for angiogenesis and VM analysis. Small interfering RNA was used for analyzing the function of BDKRB2, a downstream target gene of IRX1. As results, the remarkable suppression on peritoneal spreading and pulmonary metastasis of SGC-7901 cells by IRX1 transfectant correlates to reduced angiogenesis as well as VM formation. Using the supernatant from SGC-7901/IRX1 cells, we found a strong inhibiting effect on angiogenesis both in vitro and in chick embryo. SGC-7901/IRX1 cells revealed strong inhibiting effect on VM formation too. By gene-specific RNA interference for BDKRB2, or its effector PAK1, we got an effective inhibition on tube formation, cell proliferation, cell migration and invasion in vitro. In conclusion, enforcing IRX1 expression effectively suppresses peritoneal spreading and pulmonary metastasis via anti-angiogenesis and anti-VM mechanisms, in addition to previously found cell growth and invasion. BDKRB2 and its downstream effector might be potential targets for anti-cancer strategy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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This paper presents a nondestructive stress evaluation technique using the ultrasonic interference spectrum of leaky Lamb waves. By using a specific pitch-catch ultrasonic setup, the symmetric and antisymmetric modes of Lamb waves in a finite plate are decoupled, leading to simple relationships between the modal frequency spacing of two adjacent modes in the interference spectrum and the acoustic wave velocities that are functions of stress. As a result, the stress in the plate can be determined by measuring the modal frequency spacing instead of the relative flight times to calculate the acoustic wave velocity. Extensive experiments were carried out to verify the viability and robustness of the new technique using a simple testing system. It has been demonstrated that the new technique is about 25 times more accurate than existing flight-time approaches using the same testing system. The experimental results agree well with the results obtained by other ultrasonic methods using expensive equipment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

7 T experiment system, which was designed for a MRI superconducting switch test, has been developed at the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of China. The system mainly consists of a 7 T background superconducting coil, two pairs of 800 A vapor cooled current leads, a data acquisition system and more. The NbTi superconducting coil, with an operating current of 376 A, has a central field of 7 T and clear bore of 80 mm. The no-impregnation technique was adopted to fabricate this coil. The coil reached 96% of its short sample performance after three times quench. The system detailed experiments are presented in this paper. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to exploit the potential applications of graphene as gas sensors, the adsorptions of a series of small gas molecules (such as CO, O, NO and HO) on pristine graphene (PG) and Si-doped graphene (SiG) have been investigated by ab initio calculations. Our results indicate that the electronic properties of PG are sensitive to O and NO molecules, but not changed much by the adsorption of CO and HO molecules. Compared with PG, SiG is much more reactive in the adsorption of CO, O, NO and HO. The strong interactions between SiG and the adsorbed molecules induce dramatic changes to the electronic properties of SiG. Therefore, we suggest that SiG could be a good gas sensor for CO, O, NO and HO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using a highly flexible ligand 1,2- bis(1,2,4-triazole-1-yl)ethane (L), the one-dimensional (1D) chain polymer [[Mn(L)(Cl)(HO)] ( I) has been synthesized and structurally characterized. The crystal crystallizes in the monoclinic system, space group C2/ c, a = 12.507(4), b = 8.812(3), c = 12.662(4) Å, β = 115.474(6)°, Z = 4. The X-ray analysis shows that I has the three-dimensional (3D) supramolecular network featuring 1D channel along the crystallographic y axis via intermolecular O-H...N interactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To elucidate the osmotic adjustment characteristics of mangrove plants, inorganic ion and organic solute contents of intermediate leaves were investigated in 3-month-old Kandelia candel (L.) Druce seedlings during 45 days of NaCl treatments (0, 200, and 500 mM NaCl). The contents of Na, Cl, total free amino acids, proline, total soluble sugars, pinitol and mannitol increased to different degree by salinity, whereas, K content decreased by salinity compared with control. NaCl treatment induced an increase of inorganic ion contribution while a decrease of organic solute contribution. It was concluded that accumulating a large amount of inorganic ions was used as the main osmotic adjustment mechanism under salinity treatment. However, accumulation of organic osmolytes might be considered to play much more important role in osmoregulation under severe salinity (500 mM NaCl) than under moderate salinity (200 mM NaCl), thus the damage caused by high toxic ions (Na and Cl) concentration in K. candel leaves could be avoided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The caudal fin represents a fundamental design feature of fishes and plays an important role in locomotor dynamics in fishes. The shape of caudal is an important parameter in traditional systematics. However, little is known about genes involved in the development of different forms of caudal fins. This study was conducted to identify and map quantitative trait loci (QTL) affecting the length of caudal fin and the ratio between tail length and standard body length in Asian seabass ( Lates calcarifer). One F1 family containing 380 offspring was generated by crossing two unrelated individuals. One hundred and seventeen microsatellites almost evenly distributed along the whole genome were genotyped. Length of caudal fin at 90 days post-hatch was measured. QTL analysis detected six significant (genome-wide significant) and two suggestive (linkage-group-wide significant) QTL on seven linkage groups. The six significant QTL explained 5.5-16.6% of the phenotypic variance, suggesting these traits were controlled by multiple genes. Comparative genomics analysis identified several potential candidate genes for the length of caudal fin. The QTL for the length of caudal fin detected for the first time in marine fish may provide a starting point for the future identification of genes involved in the development of different forms of caudal fins in fishes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relative influence of seed and microsite availability in the seedling emergence and recruitment of Liaodong oak ( Quercus wutaishanica), which dominates the native hardwood forest in Loess Plateau, was examined by seed sowing experiments. Experiments were performed in 216 plots (30 × 30 cm), located in three typical stands ( Pinus tabulaeformis plantation, Liaodong oak forest and grassland, 72 plots per stand). A seed augmentation experiment was performed in an oak forest and a conifer plantation, and a seed introduction experiment was carried out in a grassland. Three main factors were considered: seed addition, disturbance and shrub cover. The seedling number and growth in every plot were recorded continuously over 3 years. GLM multivariate was used to analyze the relationships between seedling emergence/recruitment and the explanatory variables in every stand. The results showed that seed addition in undisturbed or disturbed plots always caused significantly increased seedling emergence and recruitment in oak and conifer forests. It demonstrated that the recruitment of Liaodong oak was limited by seed and microsite availability under closed forest, and litter is one of the factors leading to microsite limitation. However, in the grassland, no treatments improved recruitment, indicating that the grassland was not suitable for seedling recruitment because of intense light and soil drought. In the conifer forest, more recruited seedlings, and lower herbivory on seedling leaves, as well as thicker stem basal diameters, indicated that the P. tabulaeformis plantation was safer for Liaodong oak seedling establishment. Unexpectedly, shrub cover did not affect the recruitment of Liaodong oak in the three stands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tuberous sclerosis complex (TSC) is an autosomally inherited disorder that causes tumors to form in many organs. It is frequently caused by inactivating mutations in the TSC2 tumor-suppressor gene. TSC2 negatively regulates the activity of the GTPase Rheb and thereby inhibits mammalian target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) signaling. Activation of mTORC1 as a result of lack of TSC2 function is observed in TSC and sporadic lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM). TSC2 deficiency has recently been associated with elevated AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) activity, which in turn correlated with cytoplasmic localization of p27Kip1 (p27), a negative regulator of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (Cdk2). How AMPK in the absence of TSC2 is stimulated is not fully understood. In this study, we demonstrate that Rheb activates AMPK and reduces p27 levels in Tsc2-null cells. Importantly, both effects occur largely independent of mTORC1. Furthermore, increased p27 levels following Rheb depletion correlated with reduced Cdk2 activity and cell proliferation in vitro, and with inhibition of tumor formation by Tsc2-null cells in vivo. Taken together, our data suggest that Rheb controls proliferation of TSC2-deficient cells by a mechanism that involves regulation of AMPK and p27, and that Rheb is a potential target for TSC/LAM therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper develops and implements a new constraint formulation for treating nonlinear beam-to-shell, beam-to-solid, and shell-to-solid connections in explicit finite element analyses. The traditional methods commonly adopted to treat element couplings, namely transition elements or multi-point constraints, are investigated and their limitations are outlined and discussed. The newly proposed generalised constraint formulation enforces the kinematical and dynamic consistency across the element coupling interface simultaneously, and a method for implementing them in the explicit central difference integration algorithm is devised. Particular attention is devoted to the treatment of problems involving large rotations and deformations. To validate our constraint method, a number of finite element test cases are examined. Comparison of results of the new method and existing commercial codes against analytical results reveals good accuracy and robustness of the new algorithms in the treatment of both static and dynamic problems encountering large deformations and rotations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oncolytic adenoviruses are being investigated as potential anti-cancer agents. Selective lytic replication in cancer cells is essential for an effective and safe treatment. In this study, we compared 11 oncolytic adenoviruses in relevant cell cultures to assess their use for treating oral cancer and pre-cancerous lesions. We determined the cytotoxicity of oncolytic adenovirus infection and calculated selectivity indices for cytotoxicity to cancer cells compared with normal oral keratinocytes and fibroblasts. Keratinocytes were very sensitive to wild-type adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5); 1- to 3-log more than head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) cells. The potencies of oncolytic adenoviruses to kill HNSCC cells within 7 days after infection ranged from approximately 10 times less potent to approximately 10 times more potent than Ad5. The selectivity indices determined on fibroblasts and keratinocytes differed markedly. Two oncolytic adenoviruses were more selective than Ad5 for HNSCC cells compared with fibroblasts; and five viruses showed selective replication on HNSCC cells compared with keratinocytes. Overall, CRAd-S.RGD with E1A driven by the survivin promoter and an infectivity-enhancing capsid modification showed the most favourable cytotoxicity pattern; being very potent in killing HNSCC cells, only slightly less effective than Ad5 in killing pre-neoplastic keratinocytes and the least toxic to normal keratinocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report here a novel role for Jun dimerization protein-2 (JDP2) as a regulator of the progression of normal cells through the cell cycle. To determine the role of JDP2 in vivo, we generated Jdp2-knockout (Jdp2KO) mice by targeting exon-1 to disrupt the site of initiation of transcription. The epidermal thickening of skin from the Jdp2KO mice after treatment with 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA) proceeded more rapidly than that of control mice, and more proliferating cells were found at the epidermis. Fibroblasts derived from embryos of Jdp2KO mice proliferated faster and formed more colonies than fibroblasts from wild-type mice. JDP2 was recruited to the promoter of the gene for cyclin-A2 (ccna2) at the AP-1 site. Cells lacking Jdp2 had elevated levels of cyclin-A2 mRNA. Furthermore, reintroduction of JDP2 resulted in the repression of transcription of ccna2 and of cell-cycle progression. Thus, transcription of the gene for cyclin-A2 appears to be a direct target of JDP2 in the suppression of cell proliferation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an analytical model for predicting the maximum vibration reduction level in a four-phase 8/6 switched reluctance machine (SRM) by employing active vibration cancellation (AVC), one of the most effective and convenient methods for reducing the vibration and acoustic noise produced by SRMs. Based on the proposed method, the factors that influence the vibration reduction level are analyzed in detail. The relationships between vibration and noise reduction levels at resonance frequency and rotor speed are presented. Moreover, it is shown that a large damping factor will lead to smaller vibration reduction level with AVC while, in contrast, a large resonance frequency will increase the vibration reduction level. Both finite element analyses and experiments were carried out on a prototype 8/6 SRM to validate the proposed method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A prototype of a Superconducting Electromagnet Iron Remover (SEIR) system with a 3 tesla (T) central field has been designed and manufactured at the Institute of High Energy Physics (IHEP) of China. The SEIR system is deliberately designed to separate small pieces of hazardous ferromagnetic materials, such as detonators, from coal to achieve high purity and good yield. The SEIR system consists of a NbTi superconducting magnet, a LHe recondensation type cryostat with two GM cryocoolers (31 W/40 K, 1 W/4.2 K), and a pair of binary current leads (CLs), etc. This paper presents the thermal analysis and experimental results of the SEIR system. A three-dimensional (3D) model of calculation for the magnet system was built. The heat load and the temperature distribution of the magnet system were analyzed using a finite element method. With regard to the heat load of the system, the finite element analysis (FEA) simulation results were quite close to the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The IRX1 tumor suppressor gene is located on 5p15.33, a cancer susceptibility locus. Loss of heterozygosity of 5p15.33 in gastric cancer was identified in our previous work. In this study, we analyzed the molecular features and function of IRX1. We found that IRX1 expression was lost or reduced in gastric cancer. However, no mutations were identified in IRX1-encoding regions. IRX1 transcription was suppressed by hypermethylation, and the expression of IRX1 mRNA was partially restored in gastric cancer cells after 5-Aza-dC treatment. Restoring IRX1 expression in SGC-7901 and NCI-N87 gastric cancer cells inhibited growth, invasion and tumorigenesis in vitro and in vivo. We identified a number of target genes by global microarray analysis after IRX1 transfection combined with real-time PCR and chromatin immunoprecipitation assay. BDKRB2, an angiogenesis-related gene, HIST2H2BE and FGF7, cell proliferation and invasion-related genes, were identified as direct IRX1 target genes. The hypermethylation of IRX1 was not only detected in primary gastric cancer tissues but also in the peripheral blood of gastric cancer patients, suggesting IRX1 could potentially serve as a biomarker for gastric cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using a thermal evaporation and condensation method, Cu-doped SnO2 nanobelts were synthesized on silicon substrate. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy studies of Cu-doped SnO2 nanobelts demonstrate that the nanobelts are single-crystal structures and Cu is homogeneously doped into the SnO2 lattice. X-ray diffraction further confirmed the single-phase nature of these nanobelts. The photoluminescence measurements of the nanobelts and samples annealed in oxygen were measured from 77 K to 300 K. Field-emission measurements demonstrated that the Cu-doped nanobelts possessed good performance with a turn-on field of ∼2.9 V/μm and a threshold field of ∼4.8 V/μm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationship between de-excitation energies of superdeformed secondary minima relative to ground states and the density dependence of the symmetry energy is investigated for heavy nuclei using the relativistic mean-field (RMF) model. It is shown that the de-excitation energies of superdeformed secondary minima are sensitive to differences in the symmetry energy that are mimicked by the isoscalar-isovector coupling included in the model. With deliberate investigations on a few Hg isotopes that have data of de-excitation energies, we find that the description for the de-excitation energies can be improved due to the softening of the symmetry energy. Further, we have investigated de-excitation energies of odd-odd heavy nuclei that are nearly independent of pairing correlations, and have discussed the possible extraction of the constraint on the density dependence of the symmetry energy with the measurement of de-excitation energies of these nuclei. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total cross sections of electron scattering by eight molecules NF, PF, N(CH), P(CH), NH(CH), PH(CH), NHCH and PHCH, which have some structural similarities, are calculated at the Hartree-Fork level by the modified additivity rule approach [D.H. Shi, J.F. Sun, Z.L. Zhu, H. Ma, Y.F. Liu, Eur. Phys. J. D 45, 253 (2007); D.H. Shi, J.F. Sun, Y.F. Liu, Z.L. Zhu, X.D. Yang, Chin. Opt. Lett. 4, 192 (2006)]. The modified additivity rule approach takes into considerations that the contributions of the geometric shielding effect vary as the energy of incident electrons, the dimension of target molecule, the number of electrons in the molecule and the number of atoms constituting the molecule. The present investigations cover the impact energy range from 30 to 5000 eV. The quantitative total cross sections are compared with those obtained by experiments and other theories. Excellent agreement is observed even at energies of several tens of eV. It shows that the modified additivity rule approach is applicable to carry out the total cross section calculations of electron scattering by these molecules at intermediate and high energies, in particular over the energy range above 80 eV or so. It proves that the microscopic molecular properties, such as the geometrical size of the target and the number of atoms constituting the molecule, are of crucial importance in the TCS calculations. The new results for PH(CH) and PHCH are also presented at energies from 30 to 5000 eV, although no experimental and theoretical data are available for comparison. In the present calculations, the atoms are still represented by the spherical complex optical potential, which is composed of static, exchange, polarization and absorption terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the gas-liquid two-phase mixture transportation test, the k-ɛ-A p turbulence model was applied to simulate the two-phase turbulent flow in a vortex pump. By comparing the simulation and experiment results, inner flow features were revealed. The bubbles in the channel distribute mainly at the pressure side of the blades, and the aggregation degree of the bubbles is enhanced with an increase in inlet gas volume fraction. Experimental results indicate that the influence of the gas phase on vortex pump performance is small when the gas volume fraction is less than 10%. When the gas volume fraction continuously increases to 15%, the characteristic curves abruptly drop due to the gas blocking phenomenon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thanks to diode pumping through an optical bifurcated fiber, we take benefit of the birefringence of the Yb3+-doped GdAl3(BO3)4 crystal to get two-polarization and two-wavelength laser operation both in CW and in passive Q-switch regimes. Typical differential slopes are 54% and 30% respectively for the o- and e-waves. In the pulse regime the two o- and e-pulses are synchronous but not simultaneous. Free running laser emissions near 1040 and 1046 nm for the e- and o-waves respectively were obtained with 2.5 nm FWHM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total cross sections of electron scattering by several sulfur-containing molecules OCS, SO2, SF4, SF6, SF5CF3, SO2Cl2 and SO2ClF are calculated at the Hartree-Fork level employing the modified additivity rule approach. The modified additivity rule approach, which was proposed by Shi et al. [Eur. Phys. J. D 45, 253 (2007); Nucl. Instrum. Meth. B 254, 205 (2007)], takes into consideration that the contributions of the geometric shielding effect vary as the energy of incident electrons, the target’s molecular dimension and the atomic and electronic numbers in the molecule. The present investigations cover the impact energies ranging from 30 to 5000 eV. The quantitative total cross sections are compared with those obtained by experiments and other theories. Good agreement is observed even at energies of several tens of eV. It shows that the modified additivity rule approach is applicable to carry out the total cross section calculations of electron scattering by these sulfur-containing molecules at intermediate and high energies, especially over the energy range above 100 eV or so. In the present calculations, the atoms are still represented by the spherical complex optical potential, which is composed of static, exchange, polarization and absorption terms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Freshwater fish Carassius auratus were chosen as experimental animals, the hepatic biochemical responses to medium-term exposure of five PAHs were measured as ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) activity (phase I) and glutathione S-transferase (GST) activity (phase II) to assess sub-lethal effects. The fold increases of EROD and GST activity were calculated and both increased in the order Fluoranthene < Fluorene < Benzo(b)fluoranthene < Benzo(g,h,i)perylene < Indeno(1,2,3-cd)-pyrene. The clear dose–response relationships were found for liver EROD and GST activity induced by PAHs. The enzyme EROD and GST in Carassius auratus were confirmed as useful biomarkers of exposure to both PAH and PAH-like compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CSR1 (cellular stress response 1), a newly characterized tumor-suppressor gene, undergoes hypermethylation in over 30% of prostate cancers. Re-expression of CSR1 inhibits cell growth and induces cell death, but the mechanism by which CSR1 suppresses tumor growth is not clear. In this study, we screened a prostate cDNA library using a yeast two-hybrid system and found that the cleavage and polyadenylation-specific factor 3 (CPSF3), an essential component for converting heteronuclear RNA to mRNA, binds with high affinity to the CSR1 C terminus. Further analyses determined that the binding motifs for CPSF3 are located between amino acids 440 and 543. The interaction between CSR1 and CPSF3 induced CPSF3 translocation from the nucleus to the cytoplasm, resulting in inhibition of polyadenylation both in vitro and in vivo. Downregulation of CPSF3 using small interfering RNA induced cell death in a manner similar to CSR1 expression. A CSR1 mutant unable to bind to CPSF3 did not alter CPSF3 subcellular distribution, did not inhibit its polyadenylation activity and did not induce cell death. In summary, CSR1 appears to induce cell death through a novel mechanism by hijacking a critical RNA processing enzyme.Oncogene (2009) 28, 41–51; doi:10.1038/onc.2008.359; published online 22 September 2008 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Total cross sections for electron scattering by large molecules C4H8O, C5H10O2, C6H5F, C6H5Cl, C6F5Cl, C6H4(CHO)F and C4H8O2 are calculated at the Hartree-Fork level using the modified additivity rule approach. The modified additivity rule approach, which was proposed by Shi et al. [Eur. Phys. J. D 45, 253 (2007); Nucl. Instrum. Meth. B 254, 205 (2007)], takes into consideration that the contributions of the geometric shielding effect vary with the energy of the incident electrons, the target’s molecular dimension and the atomic and electronic numbers of the molecule. The present calculations cover the collision energies ranging from 30 to 5000 eV. The quantitative total cross sections are compared with those obtained by experiments and other theories. Good agreement is obtained even at energies of several tens of eV. It shows that the modified additivity rule approach is applicable to calculate the total cross sections of electron scattering by so large molecules at intermediate and high energies, especially above 100 eV. The total cross sections for electron scattering by the C4H8O2 molecule are predicted although no experimental and theoretical data are available for comparison over the present energy region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The polarized absorption and emission spectra of Pr3+ ions in SrWO4 single crystals were investigated at room temperature. The standard and modified Judd–Ofelt theories have been applied to analyze the polarized absorption spectra to determine the spectroscopic parameters, including the Judd–Ofelt intensity parameters Ωt (t=2,4,6), radiative transition probabilities, radiative lifetimes and branching ratios. The stimulated emission cross sections and fluorescence lifetimes of the promising laser level were obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantify the changes in the geometric shielding effect in a molecule as the incident electron energy varies, an empirical fraction, which represents the total cross section contributions of shielded atoms in a molecule at different energies, is presented. Using this empirical fraction, the total cross sections for electron scattering by CH4, C2H6, C2H3F3, C2H4, C2F4, C2Cl4 and C2Cl2F2 are calculated over a wide energy range from 30 to 5000 eV by the additivity rule model at the Hartree-Fock level. The quantitative total cross sections are compared with those obtained by experiment and other theories where available. Good agreement is attained above 100 eV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We constrain the Friedmann-Robertson-Walker (FRW) model with a “radiation-like” contribution to the Friedmann equation against the astronomical data. We analyze the observational bounds on a (1 + z)4 term from type Ia supernovae (SNIa) data, Fanaroff-Riley type IIb (FRIIb) radio galaxy (RG) data, baryon oscillation peak and cosmic microwave background radiation (CMBR) observations. We argue that it is not possible to determine the energy densities of individual components scaling like radiation from a kinematic astronomical test. The bounds for the density parameter of the total radiation-like term can be obtained. We find different interpretations of the presence of a scaling-like radiation term: the FRW universe filled with a massless scalar field in a quantum regime (the Casimir effect), the FRW model in a semiclassical approximation of loop quantum gravity, the FRW model in the Randall-Sundrum scenario with dark radiation or a cosmological model with global rotation. In this paper, we mainly concentrate on the Casimir effect arising from quantum effects of a scalar field. This contribution can describe a decaying part of the cosmological constant. We discuss the back-reaction of gravity on the Casimir-type force which is a manifestation of the vacuum fluctuations of the quantum scalar field at low temperature. It is shown that, while the Casimir energy gives rise to the accelerating Universe, the cosmological constant term is still required. We argue that a small negative contribution of a radiation-like term can reconcile the tension between the observed primordial 4 He and D abundances. Moreover, the presence of such a contribution can also remove the disagreement between the Hubble parameter H 0 values obtained from the SNIa and Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe (WMAP) satellite data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ZnO nanorods with 30 nm-diameter ultra-thin pinheads and ultra-thin nanobelts were successfully synthesized using a thiourea solution to etch nanorods and nancombs, which were obtained by a conventional thermal evaporation method. The materials obtained were investigated by field emission scanning electron microscopy and energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence. The data shows that hydrogen ions play an important role in synthesizing ZnO nanorods with ultra-thin pinheads and ultra-thin nanobelts. Field emission plots indicated that the turn-on field was reduced from 2.10 V/μm to 1.55 V/μm after thiourea solution treatment at a current density of 0.1 μA/cm2. Room-temperature photoluminescence spectra from ZnO nanostructures showed the PL spectrum peaks shifted towards short wavelengths with a large enhancement of UV bands compared with those of ZnO nanorods and nanocombs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Melting phase transition of atomic clusters has attracted a lot of interest in the last several decades due to their peculiar behaviors different from their bulk counterpart. Investigation of this kind of phase transition leads to the understanding of thermodynamics of finite systems. Recent progress in the experiments measuring thermodynamic properties of sized-selected atomic clusters has motivated the theoretical research interest in this area. In this report, heat capacities of aluminum clusters with around 55 atoms are investigated using extremely long constant energy molecular dynamics simulation with empirical many-body interaction potential. Some features of the heat capacity can be interpreted by the energy spectra obtained from quenches along the trajectories. Dips that emerged in the heat capacities in the previous experiment are not found. Different isomers are taken as the initial structures and found to anneal into the lowest energy structure before melting during the temperature increasing process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NaGd(WO4)2:Yb3+, Ho3+ single crystals have been grown by the Czochralski technique along the (0 0 1) orientation. Conversion of the infrared (IR) radiation at 980 nm into the visible emission in NaGd(WO4)2 crystals containing several different concentrations of Yb3+ and Ho3+ has been investigated. The NaGd(WO4)2: 8 at. % Yb3+, 4 at. % Ho3+ system exhibits intense red upconverted emission originating from the 5F5 level. The upconversion mechanism in a Ho3+-Yb3+ system under near infrared excitation is discussed. It is concluded that the green emission is excited by energy transfers from Yb3+ to Ho3+, whereas excited state absorption is involved in the excitation of red emission. The emission cross-section of the 5F5→5I8 transition at about 660 nm was estimated by using the Füchtbauer–Ladengurg formula. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We evaluate reference data to examine whether there are sex-, age-, height-, weight- and BMI-related differences of quantitative ultrasound parameters (QUS) for healthy Chinese children and adolescents. A total of 726 healthy children and adolescents (360 male and 366 female) aged from 10–21 years were examined with a Lunar Achilles Express densitometer. The measurements on the right heel included speed of sound (SOS), broadband ultrasound attenuation (BUA), and a calculated stiffness index (SI). Our results found that there were no significant differences for BUA, SOS and SI between males and females, except in the age range of 12 to 13 years. The values of all parameters were significantly higher in the 12-year-old females compared to males, and BUA values were significantly higher in 13-year-old females compared to males. A spurt in QUS parameters were observed at 12 years in females and at 14 years in males. A steady increase of BUA, SOS, and SI was seen with increasing body height and weight in both sexes. In conclusion, the present results can be used as reference data for children and adolescents in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare epidemiologic features and genetic characteristics of group A rotaviruses causing diarrhea in children and adults, a survey was conducted in Wuhan, China, during the period of Dec. 2000–May 2006. A total of 3839 stool specimens from diarrheal patients from eight hospitals were analyzed. Winter seasonality was observed for rotavirus diarrhea in both adults and children, showing overall rotavirus-positive rates of 9.0 and 23.9%, respectively. Throughout the study period, G3 was the most frequent G serotype in both adults and children (detection rates 86.2 and 87.8%, respectively), and was mostly associated with VP4 genotype P[8], VP 6 genotype II (subgroup II), and NSP4 genotype B. G3 rotaviruses were differentiated into eight electropherotypes, among which seven types were found in specimens from both adults and children. VP7 gene sequences of G3 rotaviruses from adults and children (6 and 4 strains, respectively), detected in different years and different hospitals, showed extremely high sequence identities (99–100%) to each other and to a few G3 rotavirus strains reported in Asia. However, lower sequence identities (82–96%) were observed to most of the human and animal G3 rotaviruses reported so far, including some Chinese strains. These findings indicate that in Wuhan, China, epidemic and genetic features of rotaviruses are similar in adults and children, and it has been suggested that G3 rotaviruses that might have originated from the same rotavirus were circulating among children and adults as prevailing viruses. In this study, two rotavirus strains, G9P[8] strain L169, derived from an adult, and G4P[6] strain R479, derived from a child, were isolated and genetically analyzed. The VP7 gene of L169 belongs to a major lineage of G9 rotaviruses that are globally widespread, but is distinct from G9 rotaviruses reported previously in China. The strain R479 had a VP7 gene which was divergent from most G4 human rotaviruses and showed an unusual dual subgroup specificity, I + II. The R479 VP6 gene does not belong to the main clusters of subgroup I and II rotaviruses phylogenetically, but is related to those of the porcine rotaviruses and some unusual human rotaviruses represented by the RMC321 strain isolated in eastern India. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adenovirus serotype 5 (Ad5) is widely used in the development of gene therapy protocols. However, current gene therapy strategies involving brain are mostly based on intra-cranial injection. A major obstacle for systemically administered vectors to infect brain tissue is the blood–brain barrier (BBB). One strategy to cross the BBB is transcytosis, a transcellular transport process that shuttles a molecule from one side of the cell to the other side. Recently, melanotransferrin (MTf)/P97 was found to be able to cross the BBB and accumulate in brain. We thus hypothesize that re-directing Ad5 vectors to the MTf transcytosis pathway may facilitate Ad5 vectors to cross the BBB. To test this hypothesis, we constructed a bi-specific adaptor protein containing the extracellular domain of the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor (CAR) and the full-length melanotransferrin (sCAR-MTf), and investigated its ability to re-direct Ad5 vectors to the MTf transcytosis pathway. We found this adaptor protein could re-direct Ad5 to the MTf transcytosis pathway in an in vitro BBB model, and the transcytosed Ad5 viral particles retained their native infectivity. The sCAR-MTf-mediated Ad5 transcytosis was temperature- and dose dependent. In addition, we examined the directionality of sCAR-MTf-mediated Ad5 transcytosis, and found the efficiency of apical-to-basal transcytosis was much higher than that of basal-to-apical direction, supporting a role of this strategy in transporting Ad5 vectors towards the brain. Taken together, our study demonstrated that re-directing Ad5 to the MTf transcytosis pathway could facilitate gene delivery across the BBB.Gene Therapy (2007) 14, 523–532. doi:10.1038/sj.gt.3302888; published online 30 November 2006 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]