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The organic pollutants present in wastewater produce greenhouse gas, CO2. Effective utilization of CO2 into valuable green fuels and its sensing is focused research area. Aiming above, this work is focused on fabrication of electrochemical coupled sensing system for degradation of 4-nitrophenol to CO2 from wastewater samples, electrochemical reducing system for transforming CO2 to alcohols and selective amperometric sensing system for quantifying alcohols. A graphene anchored iron oxide electrode was used as an electrocatalyst to facilitate the electrochemical oxidation process to mineralized organic pollutants into water and CO2. The CuO film on silicon substrate was used in cathodic compartment for converting CO2 to methanol and ethanol. Alcohol oxidase modified Au–Cu nanoparticle modified pencil graphite was selective sensing and quantifying the methanol and ethanol. The experimental results revealed that, graphene anchored iron oxide showed maximum degeneration of 4-nitrophenol 72% at 0.9 V. Furthermore, simultaneous reduction of CO2 at cathode gave good yield of the liquid fuels CH3OH and C2H5OH were 105.0 and 90.0 μmol/L respectively. In addition, Alcohol oxidase modified Au–Cu nanoparticles modified pencil graphite biosensor displays a linear response to both methanol and ethanol in the range 0.250–850 μmol/L with a detection limit of 0.07 μmol/L (S/N = 3) (RSD = 0.004 μA) and 0.7–800 μmol/L with detection limit of 0.068 μmol/L (S/N = 3) (RSD = 0.005 μA) with >40% quantitative yield. The response time is less than 50 s at ambient conditions. Consequently, the ethanol and methanol yield were obtained 30.0%. Our developed three-in-one provides a convenient, simple and reliable method to remediate polluted water and utilizing CO2 into green fuels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Acupuncture & Tuina Science is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Advances in Atmospheric Sciences is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Advances in Atmospheric Sciences is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Due to the disadvantages of vacuum tubes in terms of warm-up time, size, and high-voltage needs, solid-state power amplifiers (SSPAs) with gallium nitride (GaN) monolithic microwave integrated circuits (MMICs) are the key solution for power levels up to some kilowatts in continuous wave. An SSPA is the most convenient solution for these RF power levels due to its low weight, small size, negligible warm-up time, low-voltage operation, and high reliability. Spatial power amplifiers (SPAs) combining techniques are the best candidates for SSPAs due to the intrinsic low attenuation in dividing and combining functions. SPAs mainly use two types of probes: transverse and longitudinal, such as FinLines. This paper describes a broadband FinLine to microstrip (FLuS) transition based on dielectric lens theory. Comparative simulations with traditional FinLine transitions show a significant improvement in matching performances and a very significant increase in mechanical resistance of the transition. The proposed innovative FLuS uses a substrate shaping designed according to dielectric lens theory. Frequency simulations of a FLuS inside the WR22 waveguide are shown. These evidence the better performances of this transition than the classic FLuS transition using quarter-wave transformer (QWT) matching. A Q band spatial power combiner with dielectric lens FLuS was made and measured, showing the excellent performances of this innovative FLuS transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present a design of a high performance horn operating at 700 GHz. The feed, which comprises three smooth-walled conical sections, is easy to machine and yet has comparable performance to a corrugated horn. The measured radiation patterns show high main beam circularity, low sidelobe level and good agreement with theoretical predictions. The cross-polar level is below −20 dB across a frequency bandwidth of 140 GHz. The new design allows the fabrication of high performance, large format feed arrays cheaply and rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the daily Japanese 55-yr reanalysis data, this study analyzes the maintenance mechanism for 53 boreal winter blocking highs around the Ural Mountains (UBHs) during 1958–2018 based on the atmospheric energy budget equations. After decomposing the circulation into background flow, low-frequency anomalies, and high-frequency eddies, it was found that the interaction between the background flow and low-frequency anomalies is conducive to the maintenance of the UBHs. Due to the southwestward gradient in the climatological mean air temperature over the Eurasian continent, it is easy for the air temperature anomalies as well as the wind velocity anomalies in the middle and lower troposphere induced by the UBHs to facilitate the positive conversion of baroclinic energy associated with the background flow into the UBHs. Likewise, the conversion of barotropic energy associated with the background flow is also evident in the upper troposphere, in which the climatological mean westerlies have evident southward gradient to the northwest of Lake Baikal and southwestward gradient over Barents Sea. Note that the conversion of baroclinic energy associated with the background flow is dominant throughout the lifecycle of UBHs, acting as the major contributor to the maintenance of the UBHs. Although transient eddies facilitate maintenance of the UBHs via positive conversion of barotropic energy in the middle and upper troposphere, they hinder the maintenance of UBHs via negative conversion of baroclinic energy in the lower troposphere. The diabatic heating anomalies tend to counteract the local air temperature anomalies in the middle and lower troposphere, which damps the available potential energy of UBHs and acts as a negative contributor to the UBHs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We are standing at the crossroads of powerful new facilities emerging in the next decade on the ground and in space like ELT, SKA, JWST, and Athena. Turning the narrative of the star formation potential of galaxies into a quantitative theory will provide answers to many outstanding questions in astrophysics, from the formation of planets to the evolution of galaxies and the origin of heavy elements. To achieve this goal, there is an urgent need for a dedicated space-borne, far-infrared spectroscopic facility capable of delivering, for the first time, large scale, high spectral resolution (velocity resolved) multiwavelength studies of the chemistry and dynamics of the ISM of our own Milky Way and nearby galaxies. The Far Infrared Spectroscopic Surveyor (FIRSS) fulfills these requirements and by exploiting the legacy of recent photometric surveys it seizes the opportunity to shed light on the fundamental building processes of our Universe. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium (Li) metal is one of the most promising anodes for next-generation energy storage systems. However, the Li dendrite formation and unstable solid-electrolyte interface (SEI) have hindered its further application. Lithium nitrate (LiNO3) is extensively used as an effective electrolyte additive in ether-based electrolytes to improve the stability of lithium metal. Nevertheless, it is rarely utilized in carbonate electrolytes due to its low solubility. Here, a novel gel polymer electrolyte (GPE) consisting of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF), poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) with LiNO3 additive is proposed to solve this issue. In this GPE, polyether-based PEO serves as a matrix for dissolving LiNO3 which can be decomposed into a fast Li-ion conductor (Li3N) in conventional carbonate electrolytes to enhance the stability and Li+ conductivity of the SEI film. As a result, dendrite formation is effectively suppressed, and a significantly improved average Coulombic efficiency (CE) of 97.2% in Li-Cu cell is achieved. By using this novel GPE coupled with Li anode and LiNi0.5Mn0.3Co0.2O2 (NMC532), excellent capacity retention of 94.1% and high average CE of over 99.2% are obtained after 200 cycles at 0.5 C. This work presents fresh insight into practical modification strategies on high-voltage Li metal batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Polar/Eurasia (POL) pattern was previously identified based on the empirical orthogonal function method and monthly mean data, in which the positive and negative phases are anti-symmetric in spatial distribution. This paper identifies the positive (POL+) and negative (POL−) phases of the POL pattern through applying a novel approach, i.e., self-organizing maps, to daily 500-hPa geopotential height fields in May over 1948–2017. The POL+, POL1−, and POL2− patterns defined by this method represent actual physical modes. The POL+ pattern features a wave train from the northeastern Atlantic/northern Europe via the subarctic regions of Eurasia to Lake Baikal. The POL1− pattern is characterized by a planetary-scale dipole pattern with a positive anomaly band over subarctic Eurasia and a negative anomaly band from central Asia to the Sea of Okhotsk. The anomaly centers of the POL2− pattern are basically anti-symmetrical to those of the POL+ pattern. The POL+ pattern increases the blocking frequency over the northeastern Atlantic/northern Europe and northeastern Asia, where high-frequency transient eddies are highly recurrent in the north. Accordingly, precipitation increases apparently in the subarctic Asian continent and western Siberia, and decreases around Europe and Lake Baikal. A mimic wave train is also observed in the surface air temperature anomaly field. During the POL1− period, the blocking frequency is abnormally high over Eurasia, whereas high-frequency transient eddies are apparently suppressed over northern Eurasia. Correspondingly, significant precipitation deficits are observed in northern Eurasia. The POL1− pattern also causes a remarkable temperature increase in the subarctic seas of Eurasia and a considerable temperature drop in the midlatitude Asian continent. As the POL2− pattern prevails, the blocking frequency decreases over the North Atlantic/Europe but strengthens over the Asian continent. The POL2− pattern also causes wavelike anomalies of precipitation and surface air temperature over northern Eurasia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As leading modes of the planetary-scale atmospheric circulation in the extratropics, the Northern Hemisphere (NH) annular mode (NAM) and Southern Hemisphere (SH) annular mode (SAM) are important components of global circulation, and their variabilities substantially impact the climate in mid-high latitudes. A 35-yr (1979–2013) simulation by the climate system model developed at the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS-CSM) was carried out based on observed sea surface temperature and sea ice data. The ability of CAMS-CSM in simulating horizontal and vertical structures of the NAM and SAM, relation of the NAM to the East Asian climate, and temporal variability of the SAM is examined and validated against the observational data. The results show that CAMS-CSM captures the zonally symmetric and out-of-phase variations of sea level pressure anomaly between the midlatitudes and polar zones in the extratropics of the NH and SH. The model has also captured the equivalent barotropic structure in tropospheric geopotential height and the meridional shifts of the NH and SH jet systems associated with the NAM and SAM anomalies. Furthermore, the model is able to reflect the variability of northern and southern Ferrel cells corresponding to the NAM and SAM anomalies. The model reproduces the observed relationship of the boreal winter NAM with the East Asian trough and air temperature over East Asia. It also captures the upward trend of the austral summer SAM index during recent decades. However, compared with the observation, the model shows biases in both the intensity and center locations of the NAM's and SAM's horizontal and vertical structures. Specifically, it overestimates their intensities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thyroid cancer is the most widespread endocrine malignant cancer and its worldwide occurrence rates are swiftly mounting more pressure in the research institutions. Even though the transience of thyroid cancer is comparatively short, its rate of reappearance is moderately elevated, which is a major cause of the incurable disease of the thyroid gland. Consequently, we used natural component which restrains the cancer cell growth by amending precise molecular mechanisms. In this current study, we assessed sesame, which is a very active substance that inhibits cell proliferation by modulation of JAK/STAT-3 signaling in thyroid cancer cell lines (FTC-133). Results showed that sesame triggers cytotoxicity, ROS production and apoptosis in FTC-133 cell lines by time-dependent approach. Furthermore, Signal Transducer and Activating Transcription (STAT-3) is a novel oncogenic transcriptional factor which normalizes apoptosis and proliferation. The reticence of STAT-3 transcription was measured as an innovative approach to hamper thyroid cancer cell growth. In this current study, we established that sesame deactivates STAT-3 translocation, thereby reducing the elevated expression of, cyclin-D1, Bcl-2 and diminished expression of Bax, caspase-9 and 3 in FTC-133 cell lines. Conclusively, sesame hampers thyroid cell expansion and initiates apoptosis by hindering STAT-3 translocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on model predictive skill with respect to stratospheric sudden warming (SSW) events by comparing the hindcast results of BCC_CSM1.1(m) with those of the ECMWF's model under the sub-seasonal to seasonal prediction project of the World Weather Research Program and World Climate Research Program. When the hindcasts are initiated less than two weeks before SSW onset, BCC_CSM and ECMWF show comparable predictive skill in terms of the temporal evolution of the stratospheric circumpolar westerlies and polar temperature up to 30 days after SSW onset. However, with earlier hindcast initialization, the predictive skill of BCC_CSM gradually decreases, and the reproduced maximum circulation anomalies in the hindcasts initiated four weeks before SSW onset replicate only 10% of the circulation anomaly intensities in observations. The earliest successful prediction of the breakdown of the stratospheric polar vortex accompanying SSW onset for BCC_CSM (ECMWF) is the hindcast initiated two (three) weeks earlier. The predictive skills of both models during SSW winters are always higher than that during non-SSW winters, in relation to the successfully captured tropospheric precursors and the associated upward propagation of planetary waves by the model initializations. To narrow the gap in SSW predictive skill between BCC_CSM and ECMWF, ensemble forecasts and error corrections are performed with BCC_CSM. The SSW predictive skill in the ensemble hindcasts and the error corrections are improved compared with the previous control forecasts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the Regional Ocean Modeling System, this study investigates the simulation uncertainties in the current velocity in the low-latitude North Pacific where the Kuroshio originates [i.e., the beginning of the Kuroshio (BK)]. The results show that the simulation uncertainties largely reflect the contributions of wind stress forcing errors, especially zonal wind stress errors, rather than initial or boundary errors. Using the idea of a nonlinear forcing singular vector, two types of zonal wind stress errors (but sharing one EOF mode) are identified from error samples derived from reanalysis data as having the potential to yield large simulation uncertainties. The type-1 error possesses a pattern with positive anomalies covering the two zonal bands of 0°-15°N and 25°-40°N in the Pacific Ocean, with negative anomalies appearing between these two bands; while the type-2 error is almost opposite to the type-1 error. The simulation uncertainties induced by the type-1 and −2 errors consist of both large-scale circulation errors controlled by a mechanism similar to the Sverdrup relation and mesoscale eddy-like errors generated by baroclinic instability. The type-1 and −2 errors suggest two areas: one is located between the western boundary and the meridional 130°E along 15°-20°N, and the other is located between 140°-150°E and along 15°-20°N. The reduction of errors over these two areas can greatly improve the simulation accuracy of the current velocity at BK. These two areas represent sensitive areas for targeted observations associated with the simulation of the current velocity at BK. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lignin is the second most abundant renewable biomass-derived natural resource that has been used to replace traditional petrochemical-based materials. However, fabricating the lignin component into the various forms required for practical application is still challenging. In this work, we fabricated water-resistant lignin/poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) blend fibers by wet spinning and glutaraldehyde crosslinking methods. The effect of the lignin/PVA blend ratio and glutaraldehyde crosslinking process on the physicochemical properties of wet-spun lignin/PVA blend fibers were studied using maximum draw ratios, hydrolytic degradation profiles, and mechanical properties. Furthermore, the hexavalent chromium [Cr(VI)] removal behavior of lignin/PVA blend fibers was investigated according to the effect of pH, initial Cr(VI) concentration, and contact time. The wet-spun lignin/PVA blend fiber achieved excellent water stability through glutaraldehyde crosslinking and exhibited notable Cr(VI) adsorption capacity (350.87 mg/g) and good regeneration ability. These findings demonstrate that glutaraldehyde-crosslinked lignin/PVA blend fibers could be promising adsorbents for the remediation of heavy metal species containing textile wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We initiated a retrospective study on the long-term survival of cemented endoprostheses for bone tumours around the knee to answer the following questions: (1) What was the survival of these patients? (2) What was the overall survival of cemented prostheses around the knee? (3) What types of failures were observed in these reconstructions? (4) Did the survival and complications vary according to the site of the implant? (5) What was the functional result after cemented prosthesis replacement around the knee?Methods: From January 2006 to December 2013, 108 consecutive patients with an average age of 25 years, who had mature bone development as evidenced by imaging examinations, underwent 108 cemented endoprosthetic knee replacements for osteosarcoma resection. All patients received neoadjuvant chemotherapy using a multi-drug protocol consisting of high dose methotrexate (HDMTX), doxorubicin (ADM), cisplatin (DDP) and high dose ifosfamide (HDIFO). When extensor mechanism reconstruction was required, we ran nonabsorbable sutures through designated holes in the tibial component to fix detached hamstrings and the remaining ligaments in an imbricated fashion as well as reinforced the reconstruction with a medial gastrocnemius flap. Seventy-two (72/108, 66.7%) lesions were located in the distal femur and 36 (36/108, 33.3%) lesions at the proximal tibias. Nineteen patients were staged as IIA and 89 as IIB according to the Enneking staging system. The average follow-up was 53.3 months (range 12-125 months), with a minimum oncological follow-up of one year. Survival, prosthetic failure, complications and functional outcomes were recorded and reassessed at every visit after the primary operation.Results: At the final follow-up, the oncologic results showed that 33 patients died from metastases, and local recurrence occurred in ten patients. The estimated overall five-year and eight-year survival rates were 71% (95% CI: 62.4-79.65%) and 67.2% (95% CI: 58-76.4%), respectively. In this study, a total of 51 complications occurred in 45 patients, and at the end of follow-up, 59 patients had prostheses in situ. The estimated overall five-year and eight-year implant survival rates were 77.7% (95% CI: 67.9-87.5%) and 54.5% (95% CI: 31.4-77.6%), respectively, when patients who died with their original prostheses were censored. In total, 21 (21/108, 19.4%) implants failed, five due to infections (5/21), eight due to aseptic loosening (8/21), four due to local recurrence (4/21), three due to structural failure (3/21) and one due to soft tissue failure (1/21). The average Musculoskeletal Tumor Society Score (MSTS) at the most recent follow-up was 22.9 (9-30) points on a 30-point scale, which indicated an excellent or good functional outcome. Analysis of the results based on implant site revealed a slight difference of the estimated five-year prosthesis survival between implants located in the distal femur and those located in the proximal tibia [86.1% (95% CI: 75.5-97%) versus 66.9% (95% CI: 49.8-83.9%); P = 0.09]. However, the functional outcomes and complication rates of prostheses located in the distal femur were both better than those located in the proximal tibia.Conclusions: With effective management strategies for complications, cemented endoprosthetic reconstruction of the proximal tibia and distal femur using an extensor mechanism reconstruction technique provides a reliable method of reconstruction following tumour resection around the knee. Level of Evidence Level IV, therapeutic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using idealized numerical simulations, the impact of tropical cyclone size on secondary eyewall formation (SEF) is examined. Both unbalanced boundary layer and balanced processes are examined to reveal the underlying mechanism. The results show that a tropical cyclone (TC) with a larger initial size favors a quicker SEF and a larger outer eyewall. For a TC with a larger initial size, it will lead to a stronger surface entropy flux, and thus more active outer convection. Meanwhile, a greater inertial stability helps the conversion from diabatic heating to kinetic energy. Furthermore, the progressively broadening of the tangential wind field will induce significant boundary layer imbalances. This unbalanced boundary layer process results in a supergradient wind zone that acts as an important mechanism for triggering and maintaining deep convection. In short, different behaviors of balanced and unbalanced processes associated with the initial wind profile lead to different development rates of the secondary eyewall. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a systematic investigation of a broadband thin-film antenna-coupled high-temperature superconducting (HTS) terahertz (THz) harmonic mixer at relatively high operating temperature from 40 to 77 K. The mixer device chip was fabricated using the CSIRO established step-edge YBaCuO (YBCO) Josephson junction technology, packaged in a well-designed module and cooled in a temperature adjustable cryocooler. Detailed experimental characterizations were carried out for the broadband HTS mixer at both the 200 and 600 GHz bands in harmonic mixing mode. The DC current-voltage characteristics (IVCs), bias current condition, local oscillator (LO) power requirement, frequency response, as well as conversion efficiency under different bath temperatures were thoroughly investigated for demonstrating the frequency down-conversion performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The relationships between atomic and molecular hydrogen and dust of various sizes in extragalactic star-forming regions are considered, based on observational data from the Spitzer and Herschel infrared space telescopes, the Very Large Array (atomic hydrogen emission) and IRAM (CO emission). The source sample consists of approximately 300 star-forming regions in 11 nearby galaxies. Aperture photometry has been applied to measure the fluxes in eight infrared bands (3.6, 4.5, 5.8, 8, 24, 70, 100, and 160 μm), the atomic hydrogen 21 cm line, and CO (2-1) line. The parameters of the dust in the starforming regions were determined via synthetic-spectra fitting, such as the total dust mass, the fraction of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), etc. Comparison of the observed fluxes with the measured parameters shows that the relationships between atomic hydrogen, molecular hydrogen, and dust are different in low- and high-metallicity regions. Low-metallicity regions contain more atomic gas, but less molecular gas and dust, including PAHs. The mass of dust constitutes about 1% of the mass of molecular gas in all regions considered. Fluxes produced by atomic and molecular gas do not correlate with the parameters of the stellar radiation, whereas the dust fluxes grow with increasing mean intensity of stellar radiation and the fraction of enhanced stellar radiation. The ratio of the fluxes at 8 and 24 μm, which characterizes the PAH content, decreases with increasing intensity of the stellar radiation, possibly indicating evolutionary variations of the PAH content. The results confirm that the contribution of the 24 μm emission to the total IR luminosity of extragalactic star-forming regions does not depend on the metallicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the trends in the mean state and the day-to-day variability (DDV) of the surface weather conditions over northern and northeastern China (NNEC) during 1961-2014 using CN05.1 observational data. In this study, we show that the surface temperature (wind speed) has increased (decreased) over NNEC and that the DDV of the surface temperatures and wind speeds has decreased, indicating a trend towards a stable warm and windless state of the surface weather conditions over NNEC. This finding implies a trend towards more persistent hot and windless episodes, which threaten human health and aggravate environmental problems. The trends are also examined in reanalysis data. Both the ERA-40 and the NCEP data show an increasing (decreasing) trend in the mean state of the surface temperatures (wind speeds). However, the reanalysis data show a consistent decreasing trend in the DDV of the surface weather conditions only in the spring. The underlying reason for the decreased DDV of the surface weather conditions is further analyzed, focusing on the spring season. Essentially, the decreased DDV of the surface weather conditions can be attributed to a decrease in synoptic-scale wave activity, which is caused by a decrease in the baroclinic instability. There is a contrasting change in the baroclinic instability over East Asia, showing a decreasing (increasing) trend north (south) of 40°N. This contrasting change in the baroclinic instability is primarily caused by a tropospheric cooling zone over East Asia at approximately 40°N, which influences the meridional temperature gradient over East Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The NCEP-NCAR reanalysis dataset and the HadISST dataset (1959-2014) are used to analyze the impact of two types of El Niño events, i.e., eastern Pacific El Niño (EP-El Niño) and central Pacific El Niño (CP-El Niño) events, on the duration of major and minor sudden stratospheric warmings (SSWs) in Northern Hemisphere winter (November to February). Although the frequency of major and minor SSWs during different types of El Niño shows no distinct differences, the duration of both major and minor SSWs during CP-El Niño is shorter than that during EP-El Niño. The spatial distribution of geopotential height anomalies preceding major SSWs resembles the western Pacific (WP) teleconnection pattern, while the spatial distribution of geopotential height anomalies preceding minor SSWs bears similarity to the Pacific-North America (PNA) teleconnection pattern. An enhancement of the strength of both wavenumber 1 and wavenumber 2 is found before major SSWs. Before minor SSWs, wavenumber 1 is also strengthened, but wavenumber 2 is weakened. The analysis also reveals that EP-El Niño tends to induce positive phases of PNA and WP teleconnections, while CP-El Niño induces negative-phase WP teleconnection. As the positive phases of the PNA and WP teleconnections are related to the strengthening of wavenumber 1, EP-El Niño causes an enhancement of wavenumber 1 in the high-latitude upper troposphere and an enhancement of the upward wave flux in the high-latitude stratosphere, accompanied by a negative anomaly in Eliassen-Palm flux divergence in the subpolar stratosphere, which accounts for the longer SSW duration during EP-El Niño than during CP-El Niño. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To meet demand for processes that minimize the environmental impact generated by waste, efficient systems that degrade such substances and use them as an alternative source for renewable energy generation are increasingly becoming needed. Increased food production to meet the needs of the world's increasing population has encouraged the use of agrochemicals in order to ensure productivity in crops. However, excessive use of pesticides has caused contamination of natural systems and, therefore, of living beings. In this context, this work presents an alternative plan for an integrated system that simultaneously remediates contaminated environments and generates electricity using a Cu/CuO electrode as a photocatalyst. The materials were prepared from reagents and accessible metals, which reduced costs and contributed to a clean process, without using organic additives. The results showed that the generation of current in an area 6.9 cm was 193.37 μA for potassium hydrogen phthalate degradation. The Aminol 806® and Connect® pesticides were degraded by 54.46 and 21.02%, respectively, after 90 min in the system, under ultraviolet radiation. The results showed that, at pH 2.0, the generation of current was 2493.2 mA (36.165 mA m) for Aminol 806® and 7.894 mA (0.114 mA m) for Connect®. The degradation of organic contaminants and simultaneous power generation of energy in the integrated system provides a self-sustaining form of environmental remediation and energy recovery, and its use is possible on a large scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although conjugating algae are considered to have a cosmopolitan freshwater distribution, numerous ecological and taxonomic investigations revealed that many desmid taxa (at the level of genus, species and variety) are capable of occupying specific geographic zones, characterized by particular climatic attributes. Earlier studies have dealt with influences of temperature and irradiation (photosynthetically active radiation and ultraviolet radiation) on the physiology and ultrastructure of desmids. Yet, recent investigations demonstrated a clear relationship between these climatic factors and the distributional potential of conjugating algae, taking into account their photosynthetic, physiological and ultrastructural adaptations which had been revealed during and after certain temperature and irradiation treatments. Despite the fact that desmids can be considered as high-light-adapted algae, various species- and strain-specific characteristics and adaptations appeared in accordance with the light intensities predominating at their source localities, as estimated by their photosynthetic performance (obtained from PAM fluorometry and oxygen evolution measurements), pigment composition and morpho-anatomical characteristics. Interestingly, the high-light adaptation of photosynthesis as well as the relatively high growth temperature optima for majority of the desmid species investigated may provide some support for Coesel's hypothesis on the origin of desmids in the tropical zone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To differentiate the impact of insulin levels/resistance per se from that of excess weight on blood pressure (BP) daily changes, we evaluated, using 24-h ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM), systolic blood pressure (SBP) and diastolic blood pressure (DBP) in a cohort of young normotensive patients affected by polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). A cross-sectional study was performed. Fifty-four patients were studied according to (a) insulinemic state: 32 hyperinsulinemic and/or insulin-resistant (h-INS) and 22 normoinsulinemic (n-INS) patients; and (b) body mass index (BMI): 22 obese (BMI > 30) and 32 lean (18.0 < BMI < 24.9) patients. Each subject's SBP and DBP and heart rate (HR) were measured by ABPM. Supine and upright plasma renin activity (PRA), and aldosterone levels were also assayed. Patients in the h-INS group showed higher 24-h, daytime, and nighttime diastolic blood pressure (DBP), higher nighttime systolic blood pressure (SBP) levels, as well as an increased 24-h, daytime and nighttime HR, compared to both obese and lean patients in the n-INS group. In relation to BMI, only 24-h, daytime, and nighttime DBP were higher in obese than in lean patients. At variance, when both h-INS and obesity were considered, 24-h SBP and DBP were higher in h-INS obese subjects than in the other groups. In multivariate analysis, insulin (max peak), area under the curve of insulin and insulin sensitivity index was independently associated with SBP. (1) Within a normotensive range, hyperinsulinemia and/or insulin resistance influence daily BP variation more than obesity does, suggesting a pivotal role of insulin on BP control in PCOS; (2) altered insulinemic state and ABPM-derived higher nighttime BP and HR may represent early markers to identify PCOS subjects prone to high cardiovascular risk. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

New lifestyle is the main reason of diseases related to high blood glucose and lipid levels. Treatment by chemical drugs is common way for the remedy of these illnesses, which is replaced by application of medicinal plants. Vaccinum arctostaphylos fruits have been used extensively as traditional medicines for treatment of diabetic and lipidemic symptoms. These fruits have additional health benefits as they are rich in phytochemicals such as flavonoids and polyphenols, which have been reported to possess many pharmacological activities. In this research, the effect of solvent polarity on bioactive extract yield from unripe fruits of this plant was evaluated by GC-MS analysis. Then, antidiabetic and antilipidemic properties of different extracts were investigated in rats with streptozotocin-induced diabetes and compared to glibenclamide as reference chemical drug for diabetes. The results indicate that all extracts (particulaly, carbon tetrachloride extract) produce significant decrease in blood glucose and lipid levels, which can be related to the high content of fatty acids, sterols, phenolics, and unsaturated alcohols in these extracts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthetic compound 7-4-[Bis-(2-hydroxyethyl)-amino]-butoxy-5-hydroxy-8-methoxy-2-phenylchromen-4-one (V8) is a novel flavonoid-derived compound. In this study, we investigated the effects of V8 on Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4)-mediated inflammatory reaction in human cervical cancer SiHa cells and lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced TLR4 activity in cervical cancer SiHa (HPV16+) cells, but not in HeLa (HPV18+) and C33A (HPV−) cells. In addition, V8 inhibited LPS-induced expression of TLR4, MyD88, TRAF6 and phosphorylation of TAK1, and their interaction with TLR4 in SiHa cells, resulting in an inhibition of TLR4-MyD88-TRAF6-TAK1 complex. Moreover, V8 blocked LPS-induced phosphorylation of IκB and IKK, resulting in inhibition of the nuclear translocation of P65-NF-κB in SiHa cells. We also found that V8 reduced the expression of NF-κB target genes, such as those for COX-2, iNOS, IL-6, IL-8, CCL-2, and TNF-α in LPS-stimulated SiHa cells. These results suggested that V8 exerted an anti-inflammatory effect on SiHa cells by inhibiting the TLR4-MyD88-TRAF6-TAK1 complex-mediated NF-κB activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of the host-guest association of Morin hydrate (MO) with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) and C-hexylpyrogllol[4]arene (C-HPA) is reported in this paper. The iInclusion complexation of MO is studied by ultraviolet-visible, steady-state fluorescence, time-resolved fluorescence, H nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and two dimentional rotating-frame nuclear overhauser effect correlation (2D ROESY) spectroscopic techniques. The stoichiometry and the binding constant for the MO-β-CD complex are derived from the linearity of the Benesi-Hildebrand equation. The binding constant for the MO-C-HPA complex is calculated from the nonlinear curve fitting of fluorescence intensities. The effects of the acid strength on the absorption and fluorescence spectra of MO are studied in the absence and the presence of β-CD/C-HPA host molecules. The p K values of the ground and the excited states are reported. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was conducted to investigate the protective effect of phytoceramide against focal transient ischemic brain damage and the underlying mechanisms. Focal transient ischemic brain damage was produced in rats by occlusion of the middle cerebral artery for 2 h followed by 24 h of reperfusion (MCAO/reperfusion). Orally administered phytoceramide (10, 25, and 50 mg/kg) significantly reduced MCAO/reperfusion-induced brain infarction and edema as well as the development of behavioral disabilities in the animals. Depletion of glutathione levels and lipid peroxidation in brain tissue following MCAO/reperfusion was reduced by administration of phytoceramide. The expressions of phosphorylated extracellular signaling-regulating kinases/mitogen-activated protein kinase (p-ERK1/2 MAPK), inflammatory factors such as cyclooxygenase-2 and inducible nitric oxide synthase, and pro-apoptotic proteins Bax and caspase-3 were increased while the anti-apoptotic protein Bcl-2 was decreased in ischemic brain; these effects were significantly inhibited by treatment with phytoceramide. Furthermore, phytoceramide activated the phosphatidylinositol 3′-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway to prevent ischemic brain damage. These results suggest that phytoceramide may help prevent neurodegeneration caused by ischemic stroke due to its anti-oxidant, anti-apoptotic, and anti-inflammatory properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]