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Rapid and effective simultaneous removal of algal and extracellular organic matter (EOM) is essential for algal blooms water emergency treatment. In this study, a composite material was prepared by physical and chemical interaction between La-montmorillonite (La-MMT) and Mg/Al-layered double hydroxide (LDHs), and its removal effect of algal and extracellular organic matters (EOM) was investigated. The results showed that the removal rate of chlorophyll a (chl-a) was 96.8% within 2 h when the LDHs/La-MMT2:1 dosage was 1.0 g/L. Three-dimensional fluorescence characteristic spectra and parallel factor analysis showed that the removal of EOM by composite material mainly reflected in the removal of humus-like substances. The reaction heat of composite material for the algal solution was −32.7 J/g. Zeta potential changed from −25.7 mV to −16.9 mV, the main treatment mechanisms of composite material were surface adsorption, complexation precipitation, charge neutralisation, and ion exchange. These findings herein proposed that composite material was a potential and proper treating agent for removing algal cells and EOM from algal blooms water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zearalenone (ZEN), a nonsteroidal estrogenic mycotoxin, causes enormous economic losses in the food and feed industries. Simple, rapid, low-cost, and quantitative analysis of ZEN is particularly urgent in the fields of food safety and animal husbandry. Using the bioluminescent bacterium Photobacterium phosphoreum T3, we propose a bioluminescence inhibition assay to evaluate ZEN levels quickly. The limit of detection (LOD), limit of quantification (LOQ), and quantitative working range of this bioluminescence inhibition assay were 0.1 µg/mL, 5 µg/mL, and 5-100 µg/mL, respectively. The concentration-response curve of the bioluminescence inhibition rate and ZEN concentration was plotted within the range 5 to 100 μg/mL, as follows: y = 0.0069x2 – 0.0190x + 7.9907 (R2 = 0.9943, y is luminescence inhibition rate, x is ZEN concentration). First, we used the bioluminescence inhibition assay to detect the remaining ZEN in samples treated with purified lactonohydrolase ZHD101. The bioluminescence inhibition assay results showed a strong correlation with the HPLC analysis. Furthermore, we successfully evaluated the overall toxicity of samples treated with purified peroxidase Prx and H2O2 using the P. phosphoreum T3 bioluminescence inhibition assay. The results indicate that the degradation products of ZEN created by purified peroxidase Prx and H2O2 showed little toxicity to P. phosphoreum T3. In this study, a simple, rapid, and low-cost assay method of zearalenone by bioluminescent P. phosphoreum T3 was developed. The bioluminescence inhibition assay could be used to estimate the efficiency of enzymatic degradation of ZEN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple-negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive subtype with poor prognosis of breast cancer. Thiostrepton exerts anti-tumor activities against several cancers including TNBC. Herein we discussed the new molecular mechanisms of thiostrepton in TNBC. Thiostrepton inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell viability, accompanied by a decrease of c-FLIP and p-SMAD2/3. c-FLIP overexpression reduced the sensitivity of MDA-MB-231 cells to thiostrepton, while SMAD2/3 knockdown increased the sensitivity of MDA-MB-231 cells to thiostrepton. Moreover, c-FLIP overexpression significantly increased the expression and phosphorylation of SMAD2/3 proteins and vice versa. In conclusion, our study reveals c-FLIP/SMAD2/3 signaling pathway as a novel mechanism of antitumor activity of thiostrepton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) affects one in 66 children in Canada, and its symptoms may be particularly challenging for parents from a Chinese background. Further, when working with Chinese families, Western-educated service providers may experience difficulty in applying culturally relevant and family-centered care. This study examined the experiences of one Chinese-Canadian family as they receive intervention services for their two children with ASD. This pilot, single-case design, qualitative case study included semi-structured interviews with the parents, grandparents, as well as three service providers' views. Three major themes emerged from the data in the form of tensions: (1) within the family members; (2) within the therapeutic relationships, and (3) in addressing culture in therapy. Results suggested that although the family identified key cultural differences, service providers did not sufficiently address these within the therapeutic relationship, and the need for culturally-relevant and family-centered care was not fulfilled. Chinese-Canadian parents for children with autism spectrum disorder adopt both Chinese and Western values that fit best for their circumstances. Service providers and family members can have conflicting priorities, making family-centered care, culturally-relevant care challenging. Culture plays an important role in family expectations, and should be incorporated with more intention in the rehabilitation process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

AbstractBackgroundAimsMethodsResultsConclusionPositive psychological interventions (PPIs) are known to be effective in alleviating depression. However, the effect of PPIs on positive and negative emotions in depressed participants is not unclear.To systematically investigate the effects of PPIs on positive and negative emotions in depressed individuals.6 databases were searched for randomized controlled trials of PPIs in individuals with depressive disorders or depressive symptoms. Hedges’ g value was computed using a random-effects model to determine effect sizes.14 trials from 13 studies were included. Our meta-analysis showed that PPIs had significant but small effects on improving positive affect (g = 0.33, p = .02), life satisfaction (g = 0.26, p = .03), happiness (g = 0.62, p = .03) and depression (g = −0.32, p = .001), and negligible effects on improving well-being (g = 0.13, p = .24) and negative affect (g = −0.15, p = .31). Subgroup analyses of depression showed that PPIs have experienced benefits in improving depression in most subgroups. In addition, none of the subgroup analyses performed for outcomes other than depression found PPIs to be more effective than controls.PPIs can improve positive affect, life satisfaction, happiness and depression in depressed individuals, but further studies are needed to validate their effects on well-being, and negative affect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to investigate the different ground reaction force (GRF) characteristics from different stride types. This study included 30 Taiwanese elite college and professional baseball pitchers. Each pitcher was classified into one of the following stride types: tall and fall (TF), dip and drive (DD), or mixed (MX). Our findings indicated that DD pitchers pressed their bodies forward earlier than TF pitchers. In contrast, the GRF of the pivot leg of TF pitchers increased slowly in the first half of the stride phase and continued to increase even after the stride leg touched the ground. This type of continuous pressing in TF was different from that in DD and MX pitchers, which decreased rapidly into the arm-cocking & acceleration phases. We conclude that the lower extremities were used differently by TF, DD and MX pitchers. This information could serve as a training guideline for coaches and pitchers to enhance training effectiveness, while simultaneously lowering injury risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a compact configured 5G dual-band MIMO loop antenna system for laptop computers. The antenna system consists of two identical 95 × 2 mm2 four-antenna units that are arranged on the top edge of the display ground plane and are 10 mm away from the left and right sides. The four-antenna unit, each being a two-dimensional loop antenna of the same structure and size, are constructed on the on a 0.4 mm-thick FR4 substrate. The loop antenna with only 23 × 2 mm2 size is composed of a T-shaped feed-in section and a double short-circuit loop. In addition, the four loop antennas are arranged in the same direction and side by side with only 1 mm space to form a high-isolation four-antenna unit. The two sets of four-antenna units can cover 5G dual-band operation at 3300–3600 MHz and 4800–5000 MHz. The measured isolation between eight antennas is all better than 15 dB, the measured antenna efficiency is between 35% and 62%, and the measured envelop correlation coefficient ECC calculated from the electric-field radiation pattern is all less than 0.2. This compactly configured eight-antenna system is only 2 mm high in profile, making it ideal for use in 5G laptops with a high screen-to-body ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alcohol use is prevalent among post-secondary students and negatively impacts their academic achievement. Socially constructed gender-based perceptions can promote alcohol misuse on campus. This is a community-based participatory action research aiming to raise awareness of alcohol use and its relation to gender, bridge campus networks targeting alcohol misuse, and develop a sustainable health promotion intervention. Twelve student-peer researchers from two Canadian universities led the project during the 2017–2018 school year. One multi-phased health promotion initiative consisting of poster/video campaigns, a health promotion website, and on-campus events, was implemented on each campus. Student leadership was empowered through the Action Research Cycle and Fletcher's Ladder of Student Involvement. Data were collected through field notes, activity logs, and semi-structured interviews. A thematic analysis determined that student-peer researchers experienced a sense of accomplishment, empowerment, greater interest in the topic, and a desire to sustain the project, but faced challenges regarding the initiative structures, inter-researcher communication, and teamwork distribution. The results demonstrated that both initiatives successfully reached broad student bodies and increased student awareness of alcohol misuse. This intervention addressed culturally manifested drinking norms and demonstrated effective student-led participatory action research. However, the findings were unique to the specific campus culture and may be of limited generalizability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper systematically reviews 150 (VR/AR)-supporting language learning articles from 2008 to 2019 and summarizes the development trends. The definition of VR/AR is given firstly, and then the model of VR/AR supporting learning is proposed. This model's language types, research participants, learning devices, learning goals, research issues, research methods, research domains and learning strategies act as a coding scheme here. Meanwhile, through review and analysis, empirical study has been proven to be in its peak period; the VR/AR is increasingly applied, and larger numbers of immersive devices are being used. Under such circumstances, higher education is the principal of research, and speaking/expressing and words are still the most significant learning goals. As for research issues, the first period (2008–2013), which focuses more on learners' opinions, learning behaviours, learning attitudes and learning performance, is still the main scheme even though the second period (2014–2019) has more research issues and wider research scale. Right now, research about teaching and learning has already drawn the most attention, and task-based learning, situated learning, and game-based learning are the most commonly used learning strategies. Finally, this paper analyses VR/AR used in language learning through SWOT analysis to provide more profound suggestions and further discussion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let ξ = { ξ n i , 1 ≤ i ≤ n } n ∈ N be an array of random variables on the probability space (Ω , F , P). Let Q be another probability measure on F and, assume that under the law of Q , ξ is row-wise independent. Let h (P ∥ Q) be the sample-divergence rate of P with respect to Q related to ξ. A kind of strong deviation theorems, represented by h (P ∥ Q) , of the arithmetic mean and the geometric mean of ξ are obtained. Moreover, no conditions are imposed on the joint distribution of ξ. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an LTE MIMO dual antenna system for laptops. The LTE antenna is composed of a fed strip and a shorted strip. The antenna structure is very simple and can cover LTE octa-band operation (LET700/GSM850/900/GSM1800/1900/UMTS /LTE2300/2500) with the antenna size only 50 × 5 mm2 printed on the FR4 substrate. The LTE antenna is a design concept that integrates the metal hinges and ground plane into one of the antenna's resonant paths, which can effectively reduce the size of the antenna and can be tightly configured with the surrounding metal, while at the same time the antenna has good radiation characteristics. To effectively utilize the existing space of laptops, two LTE antennas of the same structure and size are symmetrically arranged in the clearance area on the left and right sides of the hinge of the laptop to form a MIMO dual antenna system. The measured isolation in the operating frequency band is better than 24 dB, while the measured antenna efficiency is better than 40%, which exhibits good antenna characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enriched environment (EE) is an important animal experimental paradigm to decipher gene-environment interaction. It is thought to be efficient in aiding recovery from certain metabolism disorders or cognitive impairments. Recently, the effects of EE during adolescence in mice gradually draw much attention. We first established an EE model in adolescent mice, dissected lipid metabolism, and further examined baseline level of anxiety and depression by multiple behavioral tests, including open field test (OFT), elevated zero maze (EZM), tail suspension test (TST), and forced swimming test (FST). EE mice exhibited lower weights, lower cholesterol than standard housing (SH) mice. Behaviorally, EE mice traveled more distance and had higher velocity than SH mice in OFT and EZM. Besides, EE mice showed reduced anxiety levels in OFT and EZM. Furthermore, EE mice also had less immobility time than SH mice in TST and FST. Thus, these results suggest that EE during adolescence has metabolic and behavioral benefits in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Psoriasis is a complex, chronic, lifelong inflammatory skin disease characterized by the development of erythematous, indurated, scaly, pruritic, and often painful skin plaques, and it is currently incurable. It profoundly affects psychological wellbeing and social functioning and has significant associated co-morbidities. To improve clinical approaches, understanding of the experiences of patients with psoriasis is needed. To explore the experiences and coping behaviors of patients with psoriasis. A qualitative study approach was conducted. Through semi-structured interviews, 20 patients with psoriasis were recruited from general practices and specialist dermatology practices in a regional teaching hospital in Taiwan. Recorded interviews were transcribed and analyzed by content analysis. Three themes and nine subthemes were identified: (1) Symptoms distress: (a) trouble with scaling, (b) bothersome itching, and (c) complex pain experiences; (2) Psychological distress: (a) encountering discrimination and (b) feeling stigmatized; (3) Managing psoriasis: (a) coping with symptoms, (b) seeking alternative methods, (c) using biologic agents, and (d) changing thinking and coexisting with the disease. The experience of patients with psoriasis has significant negative impacts on their lives. The findings of this study can provide healthcare professionals with a reference for the care of patients with psoriasis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to investigate quality properties of Chinese Sichuan-style (CSS) sausages treated with Chinese red wine (RW), yellow rice wine (YR) and Chinese beer (CB). The CSS sausages treated with 13% Chinese liquor as the control, and other three groups treated with 6.5% Chinese red wine as the RW group, 6.5% Chinese yellow rice wine as the YR group, and 6.5% Chinese beer as the CB group on the basis of 6.5% Chinese liquor addition were prepared. Results showed that RW, YR and CB group CSS sausages displayed higher L⁎(39.46–43.44) and Aw, lower pH (5.78–5.91) and protein content (33.75–37.44%) compared with those of the control. The YR group sausages had higher b⁎ value (23.25), total area% of aldehydes (3.09%) as well as flavor score (6.72), while the CB group CSS sausages showed higher a* value (24.29), total area% of aldehydes (3.94%) and kenones (2.13%), as well as lower free thiol groups (10.88 nmol/mg protein) relative to those of the control group. No significant difference in overall quality scores were detected between YR and CB group CSS sausages. The PCA showed that RW group CSS sausages achieved similar effects as CB group for volatile, color and sensory properties, which could separate CB/YR group CSS sausages from those of the other two groups. The results of this study indicated that it was applicable to improve quality properties of CSS sausages by using 6.5% Chinese yellow rice wine or beer on the basis of adding 6.5% Chinese liquor during processing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We aimed to explore whether large airway remodeling and small airway structural changes exist in subjects with small airway asthma phenotype and to evaluate the relationships between quantitative high-resolution computed tomography (qHRCT) parameters and lung function. We enrolled 15 subjects with small airway asthma phenotype and 18 healthy controls. The two groups were matched by age, sex and body square area (BSA) with propensity score matching (PSM). Pulmonary function and qHRCT parameters [wall thickness (WT), wall area (WA), lumen area (LA), wall area percentage (WA%) of the 4th–6th generations in the right upper lobe apical segmental bronchus (RB1), adjusted by BSA, WT/BSA, WA/BSA, and LA/BSA, relative volume change −860 HU to −950 HU (RVC−860 to −950) and the expiration to inspiration ratio of mean lung density (MLDE/I)) were compared between the groups. Correlation analysis was employed to assess the relationship between qHRCT parameters and pulmonary function. The small airway asthma phenotype had significantly higher WA%, RVC−860 to −950 and MLDE/I and lower LA/BSA than the healthy control. Additionally, we found moderate to strong correlations between impulse oscillation (IOS) indices and WA6% and WT6/BSA. No significant correlation was found between bronchial parameters and air trapping parameters (p > 0.05). Combining physiological tests with imaging approaches can lead to better evaluation of small airway disfunction (SAD) in asthmatic patients. Additionally, despite nonexistent airflow obstruction in patients with small airway asthma phenotype, large airway remodeling and small airway structural changes may appear simultaneously in the early stage of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuroblastoma (NB) is an embryonic malignant tumour of the sympathetic nervous system, and current research shows that activation of brown adipose tissue accelerates cachexia in cancer patients. However, the interaction between brown adipose tissues and NB remains unclear. The study aimed to investigate the effect of brown adipocytes in the co-culture system on the proliferation and migration of NB cells. Brown adipocytes promoted the proliferation and migration of Neuro-2a, BE(2)-M17, and SH-SY5Y cells under the co-culture system, with an increase of the mRNA and protein levels of UCP2 and PPAR-γ in NB cells. The UCP2 inhibitor genipin or PPAR-γ inhibitor T0090709 inhibited the migration of NB cells induced by brown adipocytes. Genipin or siUCP2 upregulated the expression of E-cadherin, and downregulated the expression of N-cadherin and vimentin in NB cells. We suggest that under co-cultivation conditions, NB cells can activate brown adipocytes, which triggers changes in various genes and promotes the proliferation and migration of NB cells. The PPAR-γ/UCP2 pathway is involved in the migration of NB cells caused by brown adipocytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives Methods Results Conclusions Clinical Implications This study aimed to examine the effect of 8-weeks of a 60-minute PARO intervention to reduce depressive symptoms and loneliness in older adults with dementia and investigated changes in their emotional or behavioral expressions and level of engagement with the PARO robot.This was a quasi-experimental study with a repeated measures design. The outcome measures were evaluated at four time-points: before the intervention, week 4, immediately after the intervention, and one month after the PARO intervention.Fifty-two participants were recruited. The age of the participants ranged from 65 to 96 years, with a mean age of 81.81 years (SD = 8.54) in the PARO group and 79.08 years (SD = 7.71) in the control group. Using a mixed between-within subjects’ analysis of variance, the results showed that there were significant interaction effects between the groups and time-periods for depression (p < .000), loneliness (p < .000), and engagement (p < .000).The PARO intervention alleviated depression and loneliness for older adults. Furthermore, the process of engagement with PARO may play an important role in the PARO effects.A tailored PARO intervention of at least 4 weeks could engender positive psychological benefits for older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study provides empirical insights into university branding and links it to student experience, value perception, and consumption journey. It also explores the relationship between these factors and their assistance to university brands in tackling the global issue of international student mobility. A review of branding literature, consumer experience, customer value, and consumer journey from extant studies on consumer behaviour and relevant studies on branding in the higher education sector provided a theoretical background for the study. Using focus group interviews, data were collected from international students in the Japanese higher education sector and analysed using content analysis. Empirical evidence of the interactions among these factors and branding supports the importance and feasibility of integrating these aspects into university branding. Thus, this study theoretically contributes to branding research by introducing the concepts of consumer experience, customer value, and consumer journey into the studies of branding in the context of higher education and their associations with university branding. It also provides managerial implications for branding a university from the aspects of student experience, value perception, and the consumption journey to address the issue of global student mobility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study seeks exploration of how employees' moral identity is related to voice behavior (i.e., the expression of constructive suggestions or ideas for improving work-related issues) in the current organizational dynamics. By integrating the self-consistency theory with a situational strength perspective, a moderated mediation model was constructed to examine connections among moral identity, leader secure-base support (LSBS), work engagement, and voice behavior. Surveys were collected at 2 time points, 1 month apart, from 206 full-time employees in various organizations and industries in Taiwan. Supporting results indicated that employees' moral identity was positively related to voice behavior. The mediating impact of work engagement as a motivational mechanism between moral identity and voice behavior was observed. Relative to when LSBS was low, the effect of moral identity on work engagement and the indirect effect of moral identity on voice behavior through work engagement were more substantial when LSBS was high. Academic and managerial implications were discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing studies have confirmed the accuracy of arterial spin labeling (ASL) in differentiating between primary central nervous system lymphoma (PCNSL) and high-grade glioma (HGG). We aimed to consolidate the existing evidence with a meta-analysis. Six literature databases were searched for relevant papers. After assessing the quality of studies, bivariate regression was performed, and the pooled sensitivity (SEN), specificity (SPE), positive likelihood ratio (PLR), negative likelihood ratio (NLR), diagnostic score, diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and the area under the curve (AUC) of the summary receiver operating characteristic (SROC) curve were calculated, along with the corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Deeks' test was used to determine risk of publication bias. Ten high-quality studies, comprising 151 patients with PCNSL and 455 with HGG, were included. The pooled SEN was 0.79 (95% CI: 0.72–0.85), pooled SPE was 0.90 (95% CI: 0.84–0.94), pooled PLR was 8.07 (95% CI: 5.01–13.02), pooled NLR was 0.23 (95% CI: 0.17–0.32), pooled diagnostic score was 3.56 (95% CI: 2.94–4.18), and pooled DOR was 35.10 (95% CI: 18.83–65.45). The AUC of SROC was 0.86 (95% CI: 0.83–0.89). No publication bias was found. ASL demonstrated high diagnostic accuracy in differentiating between PCNSL and HGG. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The main goals of this study are to identify the possible factors that may affect the level of passion that aircraft technicians have for their job and how job passion may lead to safety motivation. Aircraft maintenance technicians play an essential role in ensuring flight safety since they are obligated to carry out critical responsibilities related to maintaining flight devices. However, the significance and professionalism of civil aircraft technicians tend to be underestimated due to limited academic discussion of job-related issues. In practice, the particular job characteristics and working environment have led to various job demands and requirements for job resources, which may be related to the level of passion of the aircraft maintenance crews. Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to analyze the empirical data collected with the questionnaire survey. The sealable stamped addressed envelopes were attached to guarantee for the innominate approach, and a total of 411 usable samples was returned. Significant relations found between work-family conflict, professional development and job passion in the expected directions, while non-significant results were presented between work-load, social support, and job passion. In addition, job passion significantly and positively related to air technicians' safety motivation. Aircraft technicians undertake their workload without responding to it in a significantly negative manner, unless the designated work causes work-family conflict. A vision of career development is crucial to continuously elevate job passion in these individuals. Passionate aircraft technicians are motivated to contribute to aviation safety. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a low-profile two-element wireless local-area network (WLAN) multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna system designed for laptops. The primary and secondary elements are mirror-imaged 3-D metal-plate-loaded planar inverted-F antennas (PIFAs), each measuring only 31 mm × 2 mm × 2 mm. Although structurally simple, each PIFA can generate low- and high-frequency resonant modes through its long- and short-branches, respectively. In addition, the meander shorting metal section can easily be adjusted to shift the resonant frequency and to improve the impedance matching. Without any additional matching circuit or chip components, the antenna can cover the 2.4/5.2/5.8 GHz WLAN bands with a profile height of only 2 mm, which is smaller than the record low in the literature. Moreover, with the two PIFA elements deployed on the left and right sides of the top edge of the display ground plate, the measured isolation is larger than 23 dB in the low-frequency (high-frequency) band, and the measured realized radiation efficiency is at least 52% within all operating bands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper digests the influences of financial transparency and media coverage in the Chinese stock market. In China, media performs under a regulatory system and media information is regarded as the direction of news. In addition, the Chinese market is dominated by retail investors and financial information is always manipulated, so the reliability of financial information is quite intriguing. The effect of ostensible financial information on the stock market through the media hype is a crucial issue. We employ media and transparency to analyze over 3,000 stocks in China. First of all, the Chinese stock market is characterized by significantly negative momentum profit and thus exhibits price reversal. However, when high media coverage and high transparency jointly come into play, the significantly negative momentum profit turns to be significantly positive. This dramatic change alters the price reversal to be price momentum. By contrast, low media coverage and low transparency still result in price reversal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To evaluate the comparative effectiveness and safety of anterior cervical corpectomy with fusion (ACCF), laminoplasty (LP), and laminectomy and instrumented fusion (LF) in the treatment of ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament (OPLL). Embase, Pubmed, and Cochrane library were searched from their date of inception to June 13, 2020. Relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies comparing different procedures among ACCF, LP, and LF were identified, data were extracted to perform a network meta-analysis (NMA). The outcomes were the Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score and complications. We deemed 14 trials eligible, including 877 patients. In NMA, ACCF showed a significant improvement of JOA score compared with LP [MD= −0.89, 95% CI (–1.73, −0.18)], but no significant difference was found when compared LF with ACCF or LP. No significant differences in complications were found when compared LF with LP or ACCF, while ACCF showed significantly higher in complications than LP [OR = 1.99, 95% CI (1.10, 3.35)]. The surface under the cumulative ranking curves (SUCRA) showed that the rank of JOA score improvement is as follows: ACCF (82.5%), LF (79.5%), and LP (2.3%). And the rank of complication rate is as follows: LF (65.8%), ACCF (68.4%), and LP (2.1%). The biggest limitation was that none of the included studies were RCTs. Despite the higher probability of complications than LP, ACCF was the more recommended procedure for its highest ranking spectrums of JOA score improvement to treat the OPLL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a type of thermal structure ceramic, vanadium nitride (VN) ceramics are widely used in harsh conditions, such as high temperatures, variable temperatures, or oxidizing atmospheres. However, high friction coefficients and wear rates under wide temperature ranges limit the application of VN in moving parts. In this article, VN-based composites with different contents of MoS2/Ag lubricants are prepared by vacuum hot-press sintering technology, and the microstructure and tribological behavior of VN-MoS2/Ag composites over a wide temperature range are studied. The results show that sintered VN-based composites are composed of the VN phase and corresponding MoS2/Ag lubricants, where MoS2 and Ag are uniformly distributed in the VN matrix. The tribological behavior of VN-based composites confirms that the addition of MoS2 lubricant significantly improves the friction coefficient of the VN ceramic at room temperature and 300 °C, whereas the MoS2/Ag lubricants obviously decrease the friction coefficient of the VN ceramic at room temperature to 700 °C; in particular, the friction coefficient of the VN-MoS2/Ag composites at 700 °C is lower than 0.17. Furthermore, the synergistic effect between MoS2 and Ag lubricants is the key factor for the excellent friction coefficient and wear performance of VN-based composites over a wide temperature range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nothotsuga is a monotypic genus of Pinaceae endemic to southern China today. Molecular data indicate that Nothotsuga split from Tsuga during the Palaeogene with the earliest fossils from the upper Eocene of North Europe. However, Nothotsuga fossil has not been reported from China. Here, we describe several well-preserved seed cones from the upper Miocene of Tiantai County, Zhejiang Province, China. The fossil cones are characterised by ovate to elliptic shapes, rhombic to suborbicular and auriculate scales, and exserted subspathulate bracts with dentate margin and acute or acuminate apical cusp. These cones are ascribed to a new species Nothotsuga sinogaia sp. nov. based on detailed comparisons with all extant genera of Pinaceae. The present discovery indicate that Nothotsuga had a more northern distribution during the late Miocene and the increased annual range of monthly-mean temperature might have restricted its modern distribution to several scattered and fragmental areas in southern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yang-Yin-Jie-Du Decoction (YYJDD) was used to improve gefitinib efficacy in our clinical practice, but its mechanism remains unclear. This study explored if YYJDD could reverse gefitinib resistance. H1975 cells were exposed to control, 10 μM gefitinib, 3.2 mg/mL YYJDD or combination treatment. Cell viability was detected by MTT during 0–96 h. Apoptosis and the PI3K/Akt proteins were tested by flow cytometry and western-blot at 24 h. LY294002 was applied to further determine the role of the PI3K/Akt. 23 BALB/c nude xenograft mice received normal saline (n = 5), 80 mg/kg gefitinib (n = 6), 2.35 g/kg lyophilised powder of YYJDD (n = 6) or combination treatment (n = 6) by gavage for 4 weeks and submitted to TUNEL, immunohistochemistry, and western-blot. In vitro, gefitinib (IC50: 20.68 ± 2.06 μM) and YYJDD (IC50: 6.6 ± 0.21 mg/mL) acted in a moderate synergistic way. Combination treatment inhibited cell viability from 100% to 25.66%. Compared to gefitinb (33.23 ± 3.99%), cell apoptosis was increased with combination treatment (54.11 ± 7.32%), accompanied by down-regulation of the PI3K/Akt. LY294002 further inhibited cell viability, increased apoptosis, and down-regulated p-Akt/Akt. In vivo, the tumour sizes in the combination group (1165.13 ± 157.79 mm3) were smaller than gefitinib alone (1630.66 ± 208.30 mm3). The positive rate of TUNEL staining was increased by combination treatment (22.33 ± 2.75%) versus gefitinib (7.37 ± 0.87%), while the PI3K/Akt was down-regulated. YYJDD has potential to overcome gefitinib resistance. Future investigations should be focussed on its specific targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Following the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic, some hotels have introduced a new service model called contactless service. This paper unpacks this new hospitality landscape through a random sample of 510 valid responses collected at a smart hotel in Taiwan in June 2020 and discusses the emergent insights through Multiple Linear Regression (MLR). The findings revealed that (1) Sense experience (SE), feel experience (FE), and relate experience (RE) were all positively impacting information sharing (IS); (2) Sense experience (SE) and feel experience (FE) positively affected satisfaction (CS). The positive adjustment of the relationship between the sense experience (SE) and the related experience (RE) for information sharing (IS) is regulated by the outbreak event disruption (ED). Intelligence operation (IO) is a significant mediating effect among five-sense experiences, customer satisfaction, and information sharing. This paper analyzes empirical data and provides insights that illuminate the nuances of customer experiences with contactless hospitality service. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The beta anomaly indicates that high-beta stocks earn low future returns. We confirm the existence of the beta anomaly in the Chinese A-share stock market and propose that heterogeneous beliefs and arbitrage limits play important roles in explaining the beta anomaly. We provide a new proxy for aggregate disagreement based on analysts' earnings forecasts and find that the beta anomaly does not exist in stocks with low arbitrage limits and periods with low aggregate disagreement. Furthermore, a higher aggregate disagreement period leads to a more concave Security Market Line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To investigate the prevalence and clinical characteristics of myelinated retinal nerve fibre (MRNF) in a large teleophthalmology system. Methods: All records between January 2015 and December 2015 from Daheng Prust teleophthalmology system were reviewed by 2 ophthalmologists independently. MRNF was classified into continuous group and discontinuous group according to the relationship between MRNF patches and optic disc. The number, total area and location of MRNF patches were analysed. Concomitant ocular diseases were documented. Results: Out of 51469 subjects, MRNF was detected in 304 eyes of 263 subjects with a prevalence rate of 0.51 ± 7.1% per subject and 0.30 ± 5.4% per eye. Among 304 eyes with MRNF, 239 (78.6%) eyes were in continuous group and 65 (21.4%) eyes were in discontinuous group. Single MRNF patch was found in 249 (81.9%) eyes and multiple MRNF patches were found in 55 (18.1%) eyes. MRNF of small size was found in 150 (49.3%) eyes. The ratios of multiple MRNF patches and small-sized MRNF in the continuous group were significantly higher than those in the discontinuous group (P =.014 and P <.001). In continuous group, the MRNF patches were located most frequently in the superior region (68.6%) of the optic disc; In discontinuous group, the MRNF patches were located most frequently in the inferotemporal region (38.5%) of the retina. Epiretinal membrane (12 eyes, 3.9%) was the most common concomitant ocular disease. Conclusion: MRNF is uncommon in China. MRNF usually presents unilaterally and as a single small whitish patch that is connected with optic disc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Occupational therapy interventions in mental health settings are often delivered to groups. This meta-ethnography synthesizes existing qualitative literature on clients' experiences of occupational therapy interventions in mental health service settings to determine factors that influence the occupational therapy experience. A model illustrating clients' group occupational therapy experiences was constructed by the authors using Noblit and Hare's seven phases of meta-ethnography. Through participation in occupational therapy groups, clients undergo transformative learning, leading to enhanced self-esteem, a sense of belonging, the development of skills, and the experience of positive emotions. Situations negatively experienced by clients are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a 'reconfigurable narrow open-slot LTE MIMO antennas for metal-rimmed smartphone applications,' which consist of two structurally identical L-shaped slot antennas combined with a metal rim with a 1 mm wide opening. The slots are 3 mm wide and 90 mm long, and are placed diagonally on the upper left and lower right corners of the mobile phone in a mirror-symmetrical manner to achieve good isolation. The 1 mm wide opening divides the L-slot structure into a longer open-slot and a shorter open-slot, and two different feed monopoles are designed to couple and excite the resonance modes of the slot by switching between the two different feed monopoles to cover LTE700/GSM850/900 and GSM1800/1900/UMTS/LTE2300/2500, respectively. The measured isolation is better than 11 dB, the measured antenna efficiency is better than 40%, and the calculated ECCs from measured radiation patterns are lower than 0.3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a DTV/LTE antenna design without physical structure for laptop computers. By changing the laptop's right revolving axis to a non-conductor material and exciting several dipoles and loop paths formed by the display, keyboard ground plane and metal revolving axis using a feed matching circuit at an appropriate position of the slot on the hinge to cover the frequency bands for DTV (470–862 MHz) and LTE (698–960 MHz, 1710–2690 MHz). The feed matching circuit is fitted to the keyboard ground plane adjacent to the hinge. It consists of a 3.6 nH chip inductor and a 0.2 pF chip capacitor to improve the high frequency matching and increase the high frequency bandwidth. The antenna can cover the frequency bands required by DTV and LTE, and the measured antenna efficiency in the operational frequency band is also better than 50%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Heat stroke (HS) elicits the systemic inflammatory responses that result in multiple organ dysfunction (MOD). Heat shock response and autophagy are activated during heat stress for removal of damaged organelles and proteins, emerging as a major regulator of cellular homeostasis. Ethyl pyruvate (EP) is a derivative of pyruvic acid and possesses antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects. This study aims to investigate the effects of EP on MOD in HS rats and explore the possible mechanisms. Method: Anesthetized rats were placed in a heating chamber (42 °C) to elevate the core body temperature attaining to 42.9 °C. Rats were then moved to room temperature and monitored for 6 h. EP (60 mg/kg, i.v.) was administered 30 min prior to heat exposure. Results: Results showed that EP significantly reduced HS-induced increases in plasma levels of LDH, CPK, GPT and CK-MB, reversed the decrease of platelet counts, and alleviated intestinal mucosal and pulmonary damage. Moreover, EP reduced pro-inflammatory protein, including TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1β, HMGB1 and iNOS, and induced stress proteins, heme oxygenase-1 (HO-1), heat shock protein (HSP) 70 and HSP90 in the liver of HS rats. The levels of HS-activated autophagy-regulatory proteins were affected by EP, in which the phosphorylated mTOR and AKT were reduced, and the phosphorylated AMPK increased, accompanied with upregulation in ULK1, Atg7, Atg12 and LC3II, and downregulation of p62. Conclusion: In conclusion, EP ameliorated HS-induced inflammatory responses and MOD, and the underlying mechanism is associated with the induction of the stress proteins HO-1 and HSP70 as well as restorage of autophagy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The class of locally stationary processes assumes that there is a time-varying spectral representation, that is, the existence of finite second moment. We propose the α-stable locally stationary process by modifying the innovations into stable distributions and the indirect inference to estimate this type of model. Due to the infinite variance, some of interesting properties such as time-varying autocorrelation cannot be defined. However, since the α-stable family of distributions is closed under linear combination which includes the possibility of handling asymmetry and thicker tails, the proposed model has the same tail behaviour throughout the time. In this paper, we propose this new model, present theoretical properties of the process and carry out simulations related to the indirect inference in order to estimate the parametric form of the model. Finally, an empirical application is illustrated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although the majority of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC) patients demonstrate favorable outcomes after radiotherapy and/or chemotherapy, about 8–10% of patients will develop recurrent disease, and genomic alterations (GAs) associated with the recurrence are unclear. This study investigated the GAs in the paired primary tumors and recurrent tumors of 7 NPC patients with relapse, as well as the primary tumors of 15 NPC patients without relapse by deep targeted next-generation sequencing on 440 cancer-related genes. BRCA1 and TP53 mutations were significantly enriched in patients with relapse (P = 0.021 and P = 0.023, respectively). Survival analysis revealed that the GAs of TP53, ZNF217, VEGFB, CDKN1B, GNAS, PRDM1, and MEN1 were associated with significantly shorter overall survival. The GAs of the tumor also altered after treatment in the relapsed group, and five genes (CDK4, FGFR3, ALK, BRCA1, and CHEK2) in the recurrent tumors were potentially druggable. The discovery of GAs associated with recurrence or survival in NPC may serve as potential prognostic gene signatures of high-risk patients. Targeted therapies are available in some of the clinically relevant GAs and may be considered in future clinical trials. Given the limitation of the sample size, validation by a larger cohort is warranted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal production (AP) is an unavoidable evil in which manufacturers must hold all production resources until the AP issue is resolved. This study proposes a new case-based diagnosis mechanism (named eDM) that allows manufacturers to accelerate AP resolution. eDM consists of two intelligent agents implemented by an enhanced case-based reasoning algorithm. Also, eDM provides the AP factor analysis result from four dimensions: human operator, equipment, raw material, and production method. The feature-aggregation function diagnoses AP by inferring the potential symptoms to improve the accuracy of the AP factor analysis. To validate the feasibility and efficiency of eDM, this study investigates a manufacturer in Taiwan as the experimental target and conducts two field experiments. Experimental results show that for all the cases the diagnosis can be accomplished after two to three iterations of eDM. Compared with a general diagnosis process in terms of 188 cases, eDM evaluates, on average, seven to eight cases for each iteration that exhibits a relative increase in reasoning efficiency. eDM is also shown to be an intelligent expert system that provides inexperienced production engineers (PEs) with suggestions based on historical cases to accelerate the AP resolution process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rice is the most important food crop in Taiwan, directly feeding more than 23 million people in the country. Information on rice production is thus crucial for crop management and food policymaking. This study aims to develop a machine learning (ML) approach for predicting rice crop yields in Taiwan using time-series Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) data. We processed the data for the period from 2000 to 2018, following three main steps: (1) data pre-processing to generate smooth time-series Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) data, (2) establishment of models for yield predictions using the heading date (HD) NDVI value, and the accumulated NDVI value of the dates from heading to maturity (DHM). The data from 2000 to 2017 were used for building predictive models using the random forests (RF) and support vector machines (SVM), leaving the 2018 data for model assessment, and (3) evaluation of model performance. The results compared with the government's yield statistics indicated good predictions, with the root mean square error (RMSE) and mean absolute error (MAE) values between 7.1% and 11.8%, and Willmott's index of agreement (d) values between 0.81 and 0.84 for the first crop, and 5.6% and 11.3% and d values between 0.91 and 0.95 for the second crop, respectively. A slight underestimation of yield predictions was observed for both crops, with the relative error (RE) values of −6.5% to −8.2% and −3.8% to −6% for the first and second crops, respectively. The results of regression analysis also confirmed a close agreement between these two datasets, with the correlation coefficient (r) higher than 0.84 (p-value <0.05), in both cases. Although some factors, including mixed-pixel issues, boundary effects, and cloud cover potentially affected the modelling results, our study demonstrated the effectiveness of ML methods for regional rice yield predictions from MODIS NDVI data in Taiwan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate whether salvianolic acid B is able to enhance repair of degenerated intervertebral discs by mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) through the promotion of MSC differentiation into nucleus pulposus cells in a nucleus-pulposus-like environment and by enhancing the trophic effect of MSCs on residual nucleus pulposus cells (mediated by transforming growth factor-β1). Successful intervertebral disc degeneration models, established by aspiration of the nucleus pulposus in New Zealand white rabbits, were randomly divided into eight groups: Group A was treated with MSC transplantation. Group B was treated with MSC transplantation and salvianolic acid B, with the subgroups B1, B2, B3, and B4 receiving 0.01 mg/L, 0.1 mg/L, 1 mg/L, and 10 mg/L salvianolic acid B, respectively. Groups C and D were treated with phosphate buffer saline and sham graft, respectively. Group E was the normal control group. At the end of week 8, the type II collagen, proteoglycan, transforming growth factor-β1, and water contents in each group were examined by semi-quantitative immunohistochemistry, spectrophotometry, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, and magnetic resonance, respectively. The content of type II collagen, proteoglycan, transforming growth factor-β1, and water in groups B3 and B4 were significantly higher than those in group A (p < 0.01). Salvianolic acid B (1 mg/L to 10 mg/L) plus MSC transplantation was more effective in repairing degenerated intervertebral discs than was stem cell transplantation alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes a 3.5-GHz four-element multi-input multi-output (MIMO) antenna system for fifth-generation (5G) laptops. The four antennas are configured into two dual-antenna units, measuring 26 × 3 × 2 mm3 each and separated by a distance of 6 mm, the latter of which accounts for the isolation between the two units. The two antennas in each unit are located on the two sides of the same substrate and are both three-dimensional inverted-F antennas (IFAs) of the same size, but are deployed to be skew-symmetric with respect to the top edge of the display ground. With a decoupling neutralization line connecting the two antennas in the same unit, the simulated isolation between them is enhanced by up to 8 dB. Within the operating frequency band, its measured isolation exceeds 12 dB, the simulated electric field ECC (envelope correlation coefficient) is smaller than 0.15, and the measured realized radiation efficiency is more than 40%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A compact planar inverted-F antenna (PIFA) placed on one of the two hinges of a laptop computer is proposed for wireless local-area network (WLAN) operation. The aim of this design is to integrate the PIFA's metal surroundings as part of the radiating structure. When the PIFA is fed, resonant modes in the hinge slot bounded by the two hinges, display ground plane, and keyboard ground plane can in turn be excited. Since the 200 × 5 mm2 slot is much larger than the 10 × 5 mm2 PIFA itself, the latter, although compact and structurally simple, can be made efficiently radiating with the help of the former. Measured efficiencies are all over 50% in the desired three WLAN bands [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This paper develops a conceptual framework to analyze the impact of a supply chain network (SCN) structure on relationship management strategies (RMS) that focal firms apply to manage sustainability issues within the SCN. Design/methodology/approach: This paper is based on a comprehensive review and analysis of the industrial marketing and purchasing (IMP), sustainable supply chain management (SSCM), and SCN literature. Findings: The conceptual framework expands the network perspective in the SSCM context by considering the important role of the SCN structure in the firm's decision-making process. Four factors (dependency, distance, power, and transparency) were found that are useful in conceptualizing the SCN structure. The conceptual framework also categorizes various sustainability practices into four RMS (noncompliance, transactional, dictatorial, and collaborative), which are needed to make an SCN more sustainable. In addition, 16 propositions are developed based on how firms may identify the most effective RMS to implement appropriate sustainability practices through examining their SCN structure. Research limitations/implications: The conceptual framework, developed as a result of a comprehensive review of the literature, led to the development of 16 propositions, which can assist in furthering a research agenda on RMS to diffuse various sustainability practices within SCN structures. Originality/value: The relationship between SCN structure and RMS in the sustainability context remains an under-researched but emerging area of interest. This paper leverages existing research to develop a conceptual framework suitable for empirical testing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polyethylenimine (PEI), a cationic, hydrophilic flexible polymer has been incorporated into the polyamide (PA) skin layer through an interfacial polymerization (IP) reaction. The modified thin-film composite (TFC) membranes display improved forward osmosis performance: enhancement in water permeability and antifouling characteristics. The incorporation of PEI into the skin layer has been evidenced by different characterization techniques; FTIR for modification of surface functionalities, zeta potential for surface charge, water contact angle for hydrophilicity of the surface, SEM and AFM for surface morphologies including surface roughness, XPS for surface attachment of heteroatoms and their relative composition. PEI was found to induce a positive zeta potential, high degree of hydrophilicity and high factional free volume into the active skin layer. The increase in the relative composition of PEI in the active skin layer was found to decrease the surface roughness and the skin layer thickness. An optimized PEI composition showed significantly enhanced water permeability, salt rejection and fouling resistance in FO and pressure-retarded osmosis (PRO) mode. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

2,4,6,8,10,12-Hexanitro-2,4,6,8,10,12-hexaazaisowurtzitane (HNIW)-based polymer-bonded explosives (PBXs) were prepared through an aqueous suspension method using cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) or fluorine rubber F2311 as a binder. Then the variation rules of mass, surface micro-topography, mechanical properties, thermal decomposition performance, detonation velocity and mechanical sensitivity of the samples before and after accelerated aging tests for different durations were measured. Then the variables of the samples that before and after accelerated aging tests for different durations, will be measured, these variables including the variation rules of mass, surface micro-topography, mechanical properties, thermal decomposition performance, detonation velocity, and mechanical sensitivity. The PBX columns showed an acceptable mass loss of less than 1%, after accelerated aging tests. The surface of the PBX samples became more and more uneven as the aging duration prolonged, which was in a good agreement with the order of mass loss. Moreover, the tensile strength, the thermal stability, the detonation velocity and the mechanical sensitivity of the samples were not significantly affected by the aging process, suggesting that the PBXs remained valid after an accelerated aging test at 60°C for 60 days. A further estimation using the modified Arrhenius equation revealed that the storage life at ambient temperature (20°C) of the HNIW-based PBXs was over 10 years, which satisfies the application demands for explosives. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to assess how an activity-based costing (ABC) system can assist the justification of capital investments for green manufacturing systems (GMSs). We provide an investment decision model and a numerical example for the justification of GMS based on the ABC system to include not only the direct performances but also the intangible benefits that are generated by the adoption of GMS. Our findings provide insight into the value of capital investments for a GMS based ABC system and demonstrate the opportunity to reduce pollution while simultaneously improving the value of investment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although differential expression of ABO antigens on platelets is related to recipients' platelet recovery and neonatal alloimmune thrombocytopenia in ABO-incompatible transfusion and pregnancy, the expression of ABO antigens on platelets in normal and variant ABO blood group individuals is rarely reported. Here, we analyzed the expression of ABO antigens on platelets in a cohort of 515 individuals with normal and variant ABO. The variants were also genotyped for ABO and/or FUT1 loci to distinguish inherited or acquired ABO variants. The results showed that ABO antigens expression on individual platelets was relatively stable during the storage period in vitro. The frequency of low-, moderate-, and high-expression phenotype in normal individual was 59.6%, 35.5%, and 4.9%, respectively. The platelets from para-Bombay and most inherited ABO subgroups express very low levels of ABO antigens, but the acquired ABO variants and the B3 subgroup express normal or abnormally high levels of ABO antigens on platelets. The data extend the information of antigens expression on platelets, which may help to improve the strategy of platelets transfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a novel two-dimensional graphene oxide-BaTiO3 (GO-BT) hybrid, via covalent bonding between animated BaTiO3 nanoparticles (BT-NH2) and graphene oxide (GO), have been prepared. Then the graphene oxide-BaTiO3 (GO-BT) hybrid is introduced into poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) matrix to obtain composites with a high-dielectric property. The microstructure and the dielectric property of the composites were investigated. The resulting composites filled with only 1 wt% GO-BT hybrids possess an excellent dielectric constant of 61 at 100 Hz, which is nearly 2.5 times that of neat PVDF. Surprisingly, the dielectric loss of the composites with 1 wt% GO-BT hybrids are as low as that of PVDF. These research results provide an effective method into the fabrication of advanced PVDF-based dielectric nanocomposites with low content of the GO-BT hybrids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]