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Two indolo[3,2-b]carbazole-containing hypercrosslinked microporous organic polymers have been successfully synthesized via Friedel-Crafts alkylation reaction in the presence of anhydrous FeCl 3 . It was found that the polymer InCz-HCP2 produced from the monomer with more reaction active sites shows a higher Brunauer-Emmet-Teller specific surface area up to 1421 m 2 g −1 than InCz-HCP1. Both polymers show high isosteric heats of CO 2 adsorption over 27 kJ mol −1 because the incorporation of indolo[3,2-b]carbazole unit into the skeleton of the polymers enhanced the binding affinity between the pore wall of the polymer and CO 2 molecules. InCz-HCP2 shows a hydrogen uptake ability of 1.68 wt% (77.3 K/1.13 bar) and a carbon dioxide capture capacity of 3.58 mmol g −1 at 273 K/1.13 bar with a good CO 2 /N 2 selectivity of 29:1 at 273 K. With those adsorption properties, these materials could be considered as potential candidates for gas storage and separation.

In order to investigate the shear strength of fine sand reinforced by grouting and freezing method, a series of direct shear tests was carried out in a temperature-adjusted wall-in refrigerator. Four different soil samples were prepared including non-grouted unfrozen sample (NU), grouted unfrozen sample (GU), non-grouted frozen sample (NF), and grouted frozen sample (GF) considering different factors of moisture content, water–cement ratio, freezing temperature, and curing time. The linear Mohr–Coulomb strength envelope was adopted to describe the relationship between shear strength and vertical pressure of fine sand. The function of freezing and grouting was validated, and the main results show that the shear strength of unfrozen sample decreases with increasing moisture content; in terms of frozen sample, the shear strength increases with moisture content and decreasing freezing temperature; a greater water–cement ratio always produces larger shear strength of GF sample which also increases with curing time as expected; however, the strength of GU sample experiences an opposite trend in water–cement ratio; the effect of different factors on the cohesion c and internal friction angle φ was also discussed and analyzed with many proposed non-linear models.

A series of BODIPY-containing microporous organic polymers was synthesized via a Sonogashira–Hagihara cross-coupling reaction of a BODIPY derivative with triple polymerisable groups and a range of aryl–alkyne monomers. All of the polymers show high isosteric heats of CO2 adsorption (23.3–27.3 kJ mol−1) because the incorporation of heteroatoms (N, B, F) from the BODIPY unit into the polymer skeleton enhanced the binding affinity between the pore wall and CO2 molecules. The aryl–alkyne monomer has a large influence on the surface area and CO2 adsorption performance of the resulting polymers. The polymer BDPCMP-3 shows a high Brunauer–Emmett–Teller specific surface area of up to 725 m2 g−1, while BDPCMP-2 with a low surface area of 582 m2 g−1 shows a high CO2 uptake ability of 2.25 mmol g−1 at 1.13 bar/273 K with a CO2/N2 adsorption selectivity of 32.3.

Phase-change materials (PCM) possess an ability to accumulate and generate a lot of heat during the substance change from one phase to another. Such materials can be used with soil as an alternative type of thermal regulation of the subgrade during construction in cold regions. This paper reviews the impact of two types of PCM (PCMf-hybrid liquid and PCMm- microencapsulated paraffin) on the soil temperature. An experiment was conducted with three groups of samples: (1) samples with PCMm or PCMf added at a ratio of 2% and 4% of the dry weight of the soil; (2) samples reinforced with 4% of cement with an addition of PCMm or PCMf; and (3) samples with PCMf added after drying and re-adding water up to the optimal amount. PCMf and PCMm have been tested in DSC at various scanning speed levels. The results showed that, compared to that of the PCMm sample, PCMf has a greater enthalpy both during freezing and thawing, as well as the temperature peak during freezing is closer to zero. The study of temperature changes in soil samples with PCMm, PCMf, and cement added at the change of the ambient temperature T 0 = 10 ° C → ( - 10 ° C ) → ( 10 ° C ) showed that the soil samples with various PCM additions have a lower temperature change rate than the soil samples without PCM additions. The results of the Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) microfilming confirmed satisfactory components concentration in the soil mixture. There is also a noticeable number of craters and less porosity in the samples containing liquid PCMf and cement. A two-dimensional model of PCMm microcapsule per unit volume of soil was analyzed with the help of Comsol Multiphysics software (a powerful software product for modeling heat transfer and phase change in porous medium). It was determined that, during the phase change, the PCMm microcapsule has a thawing effect on the soil. During the examination of a three-dimensional model of eight PCMm capsules per unit volume of soil, it was noted that the thawing effect extends to 18.2% of the calculated area.

Background Programmed death ligand-1 (PD-L1) expression remains a crucial predictor in selecting patients for immunotherapy. The current study aimed to non-invasively predict PD-L1 expression based on chest computed tomography (CT) images in advanced lung adenocarcinomas (LUAD), thus help select optimal patients who can potentially benefit from immunotherapy. Methods A total of 127 patients with stage III and IV LUAD were enrolled into this study. Pretreatment enhanced thin-section CT images were available for all patients and were analyzed in terms of both morphologic characteristics by radiologists and deep learning (DL), so to further determine the association between CT features and PD-L1 expression status. Univariate analysis and multivariate logical regression analysis were applied to evaluate significant variables. For DL, the 3D DenseNet model was built and validated. The study cohort were grouped by PD-L1 Tumor Proportion Scores (TPS) cutoff value of 1% (positive/negative expression) and 50% respectively. Results Among 127 LUAD patients, 46 (36.2%) patients were PD-L1-positive and 38 (29.9%) patients expressed PD-L1-TPS ≥50%. For morphologic characteristics, univariate and multivariate analysis revealed that only lung metastasis was significantly associated with PD-L1 expression status despite of different PD-L1 TPS cutoff values, and its Area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) for predicting PD-L1 expression were less than 0.700. On the other hand, the predictive value of DL-3D DenseNet model was higher than that of the morphologic characteristics, with AUC more than 0.750. Conclusions The traditional morphologic CT characteristics analyzed by radiologists show limited prediction efficacy for PD-L1 expression. By contrast, CT-derived deep neural network improves the prediction efficacy, it may serve as an important alternative marker for clinical PD-L1 detection.

A series of dynamic direct shear tests and triaxial tests were conducted to investigate the dynamic properties of the warm frozen soil along the Qinghai-Tibet railway. The relationship between dynamic shear stress and dynamic shear strain of frozen soil under relatively high negative temperature is given according to the test results. The influences of cooling temperature, vertical pressure, confining pressure and vibration time on both dynamic shear modulus and dynamic damping ratio are discussed. The test results indicate that the dynamic stress-strain relationship in warm frozen soil at different cooling temperatures can be described by Hardin-Drnevich constitutive model. The maximum dynamic shear modulus increases with decreasing cooling temperature and increasing vertical and confining pressures; however, it exhibited a slightly decreasing tendency with increase in vibration time. On the other hand, the maximum damping ratio decreases with decreasing temperature and increasing vertical pressure and confining pressure, but showed a minor increasing tendency with increasing vibration time. The multiple regression method was used to assess the relationships between dynamic parameters and influence factors.

This study aimed to examine the change in the mechanical properties of the silty sand reinforced with an aqueous solution of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) subjected to freeze-thaw cycles. A series of unconsolidated undrained triaxial compression tests were conducted to determine the compressive strength, resilient modulus, cohesion, and internal friction angle. Experimental samples were prepared by adding aqueous solutions of different PVA concentrations (5%, 7.5%, and 10% of the weight of the water) into silty sand. The numbers of freeze-thaw cycle (0, 5, 10, 15, 20) were realized in a closed system. A comparison of reinforced and unreinforced samples of silty sand showed that the addition of an aqueous solution of PVA can significantly affect the mechanical properties of silty sand. It was experimentally proven that the positive impact on the mechanical properties of soil increases with increasing concentration of PVA in the solution and with increasing number of freeze-thaw cycle. When a 10% aqueous solution of PVA was added into the soil, the strength of the samples after 20 freeze-thaw cycles increased by 8.5% compared with the strength before freezing. The resilient modulus of unreinforced samples after 20 cycles decreased by 16.1%, while that of reinforced samples after 20 cycles increased by 30.2%. According to the results, the reinforcing additive has a significant effect on the cohesions of soil both before and after the freezing process.

γδ T cells are a unique subset of T cells found in both blood (Vδ2) and tissues (Vδ1). Unlike canonical αβ T cells that recognize peptide antigens through MHC class I/II molecules, γδ T cells recognize lipids and metabolites presented by non-MHC molecules. γδ T cells are highly cytotoxic and can rapidly kill both infected and cancer cells. Their cytotoxicity and lack of MHC restriction makes γδ T cells a promising target for allogeneic cell transfer therapy. In collaboration with MRL Oncology and ID/Vax we are investigating γδ T cells as a potential “off-the-shelf” cell transfer therapy. The ESC is currently optimizing ex vivo expansion protocols for both Vδ1 and Vδ2 T cells. Vδ2 cells rapidly expand from PBMCs after exposure to Zometa/IL-2, and are efficient cancer killers in vitro. To assess activation state, targeted metabolomics analysis was performed during Vδ2 expansion, and displayed significant differences in glutamate utilization, lactic acid, myo-inositol, and several essential and non-essential amino acids. We have also isolated and expanded Vδ1 T cells from PBMCs and human tissues (colon). These cells express high levels of NKG2D, which is suggestive of cytotoxic potential and we are currently assessing their cancer cell killing capacity in vitro. In collaboration with GpGx, we are identifying the dominant T-cell receptor (TCR) repertoires present in these populations by performing sc-TCRseq, sc-REAPseq, and comprehensive immunophenotyping. The results of these assays will be used to identify the optimum expansion protocol as well as to inform on the mechanisms underlying γδ T cell cancer targeting.

Subgrade diseases caused by temperature differences of sunny-shady slope seriously threaten the safe operation of highways or railways in permafrost regions. This study analyzes the transverse thermal characteristics of different soil layers for three different cooling embankments based on temperature data collected from the newly constructed Gonghe–Yushu Expressway. The complex causes of differential temperature fields in warm permafrost regions are then investigated. Three-dimensional heat transfer models are established for each cooling embankment and used to predict the long-term transverse thermal characteristics of the embankments. On the basis of the study, optimized engineering measures are proposed to mitigate the transverse ground temperature difference between the slopes. Results demonstrate that the temperature differences between the sunny and shady sides for all three cooling embankments are greater than 0 °C. The underlying permafrost displays a warming trend which can be understood to be increasing under the effect of climate warming. Ventilated embankment with insulation and crushed rock proved the most effective in decreasing transverse thermal differences. These findings provide important technical references for the future construction and operational safety of expressway in warm permafrost regions.

Natural products represent a rich reservoir of small molecule drug candidates utilized as antimicrobial drugs, anticancer therapies, and immunomodulatory agents. These molecules are microbial secondary metabolites synthesized by co-localized genes termed Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs). The increase in full microbial genomes and similar resources has led to development of BGC prediction algorithms, although their precision and ability to identify novel BGC classes could be improved. Here we present a deep learning strategy (DeepBGC) that offers more accurate BGC identification and an improved ability to extrapolate and identify novel BGC classes compared to existing tools. We supplemented this with downstream random forest classifiers that accurately predicted BGC product classes and potential chemical activity. Application of DeepBGC to bacterial genomes uncovered previously undetectable BGCs that may code for natural products with novel biologic activities. The improved accuracy and classification ability of DeepBGC represents a significant step forward forin-silicoBGC identification.

Retinopathy has become one of the major factors that lead to blindness worldwide. Although many clinical therapies are concerned about such disease, most of them focus on symptoms alleviation. In this study, we aim to investigate whether coculture retinal stem cells (RSCs) with bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells transfected with angiogenin-1 (Ang-1-BMSCs) affects the damaged retinal tissue of oxygen-induced retinopathy of prematurity (OIR-ROP) mice. After OIR-ROP mouse model establishment, Ang-1-BMSCs, RSCs, and OIR-ROP retinal tissues were cocultured in a a transwell chamber. RSCs proliferation and the expression of Ang-1, insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) in the supernatant of RSCs, as well as β-tubulin and protein kinase C (PKC) expression were evaluated. Finally, the repair of OIR-ROP mice retinal tissues was observed by injecting Ang-1-BMSCs + RSCs. In the OIR-ROP mouse model, RSCs cocultured with OIR-ROP retinal tissues could be induced to differentiate into cells expressing β-tubulin and PKC and promote the expression of Ang-1 and IGF-1. coculture of Ang-1-BMSCs further enhanced the proliferation and differentiation of RSCs by promoting the expression of Ang-1 and IGF-1. Coculture of RSCs + Ang-1-BMSCs induced differentiation of Ang-1-BMSCs through interaction among intercellular factors and restored the damaged retinal tissue of OIR-ROP mice. Collectively, our study provided evidence that coculture of Ang-1-BMSCs and RSCs could promote the proliferation and differentiation of RSCs and improve the treatment for the damaged retina tissue of OIR-ROP mice.

Glycoporphyrin dendrimers have received increasing attentions due to their distinct physical and chemistry properties, such as fluorescence and water solubility. They also acted as a promising photodynamic therapy (PDT) sensitizer and used in the study of carbohydrate-protein interaction. In this study, different generations of porphyrin-cored dendrimers consisting of glycosylated siloxane-poly (amido amine) typed dendron (PP-Si-PAMAM-Dm-Lac, m = 1, 2, and 3), multifunctional specific-targeting sensitizers, had been synthesized via click reaction. The structure of PP-Si-PAMAM-Dm-Lac was characterized by 1H NMR, GPC, FT-IR, UV-vis and fluorescence analyses. This glycoporphyrin dendrimers, not only obtained high fluorescence quantum yield and singlet oxygen production efficiency, but also showed specific recognition of lectin and remarkable temperature-responsive property (20–80 °C). These properties proved a facile click synthetic strategy of glycosylated siloxane-poly (amido amine) typed dendrimers with multiple functions as a promising tumor-selective photsensitizer (PS) for PDT and also allow applications in highly sensitive fluorescent probes over a larger temperature window.

It is a very significant issue for the e-commerce industry to recommend the high quality goods for the users in the mass information. However, the accuracy and efficiency have seriously affected the recommendation quality of the recommendation system. In order to solve this problem effectively, this paper first uses support vector machines (SVM) to classify products, obtaining the positive and negative feedbacks of each product. Then it calculates the comprehensive scores of product ratings and reviews for positive feedback; the comprehensive scoring data is used to establish a collaborative filtering recommendation algorithm, and a final recommendation list is generated according to the preference score. Finally, Taobao’s online data is used to verify the proposed algorithm. The research results show that the algorithm has good recommendation accuracy and speed, and has a certain practical value.

Background: Research on the changes to knee structures in asymptomatic amateur ice hockey players (AAIHPs) has been limited. We aimed to assess the performance of the knees in AAIHPs using 3.0-T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Methods: A total of 71 asymptomatic knees (32 AAIHPs and 39 age- and sex-matched controls) were imaged using a 3.0-T MRI scanner at the Affiliated Zhongshan Hospital of Dalian University in April 2017. Two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists were blinded to assess all MRI findings, including bursae around the knee, bone marrow edema (BME), meniscal signal changes, and articular cartilage and ligament damage. Any disagreements were resolved by a third professor of musculoskeletal radiology. Categorical variables were compared using the Chi-square test and continuous variables using the Student’s t-test or Mann-Whitney U-test. Results: The most common finding was fluid-filled bursae surrounding the knee. In the AAIHP group, which totaled 32 knees and 416 bursae, 155 (37%) fluid-filled bursae were present. In the control group, there were a total of 39 knees and 507 bursae, and 91 (18%) fluid-filled bursae were present. There was a significant difference in the number of fluid-filled bursae between the two groups (P < 0.05). However, in AAIHPs, the prevalence of meniscal signal changes (16 knees, 50%) was higher than in the control group (2 knees, 5%; P < 0.001). Importantly, 15 of the 19 were grade II signals. Other changes were only found in AAIHPs. Articular cartilage lesions were detected in 47% of their knees, predominantly at the patellofemoral joint, and BME was found in 34% of their knees. Conclusion: The MRI findings of knees in AAIHPs mainly manifested as self-protection reaction, and proper ice hockey exercise could be advocated. Key words: Articular; Cartilage; Hockey; Knee; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Meniscus

Autosomal recessive woolly hair/hypotrichosis (ARWH/HT: OMIM #278150/604379) is a rare hereditary hair disease characterized by tightly curled hair at birth which can lead to sparse hair later in life. The mutations in both LIPH and LPAR6/P2RY5 are responsible for autosomal recessive woolly hair with or without hypotrichosis (ARWH/HT). To conduct clinical and genetic investigations in four patients from three unrelated Chinese Han families with ARWH/HT, we performed mutation screening of LIPH and LPAR6/P2RY5 gene and identified four mutations in LIPH: c.454G>A, c.614A>G, c.736T>A, c.742C>A. c.736T>A and c.742C>A mutations were reported in previous studies, and c.454G>A, c.614A>G were identified for the first time. We carried out functional studies of the two mutants with c.454G>A (p.Gly152Arg, G152R) or c.614A>G (p.His205Arg, H205R). Interestingly, both of them lead to secretion defects of LIPH, which are involved in the pathogenesis of ARWH/HT.

In order to investigate the mechanical properties of frozen saline sandy soil, a series of triaxial compression tests were conducted on frozen saline sandy samples with Na2SO4 contents of 0%, 0.5%, 1.5%, 2.5% and 3.5% by weight at the temperature of −6 °C. The strain softening/hardening, shear contraction and dilation properties as well as pressure melting of ice and particle crushing under high pressure are studied. The experimental results indicate that strain softening/hardening phenomena occur when the confining pressures are below and above 6 MPa, respectively, together with high dilation characteristics. The strength increases to a peak value and then decreases with the increasing confining pressure. The grain size distribution varies greatly after triaxial compression test compared with the original one, indicating that particle crushing occurs during the test. Thus, a double-yield-surface elastoplastic constitutive model is developed by employing the non-associated flow rule. The proposed model is verified by comparing the simulation results with the experimental data. It is found that the stress-strain relation and volumetric deformation can be predicted well under both low and high confining pressures.

Xeroderma pigmentosum (XP) is a rare, recessive hereditary disease characterized by sunlight hypersensitivity and high incidence of skin cancer with clinical and genetic heterogeneity. We collected two unrelated Chinese patients showing typical symptoms of XPC without neurologic symptoms. Direct sequencing of XPC gene revealed that patient 1 carried IVS1+1G>A and c.958 C>T mutations, and patient 2 carried c.545_546delTA and c.2257_2258insC mutations. All these four mutations introduced premature terminal codons (PTCs) in XPC gene. The nonsense mutation c.958 C>T yielded truncated mutant Q320X, and we studied its function for global genome repair kinetics. Overexpressed Q320X mutant can localize to site of DNA damage, but it is defective in CPD and 6-4PP repair. Readthrough of PTCs is a new approach to treatment of genetic diseases. We found that aminoglycosides could significantly increase the full length protein expression of Q320X mutant, but NER defects were not rescued in vitro.

Near the end of the Pleistocene epoch, populations of the woolly mammoth (Mammuthus primigenius) were distributed across parts of three continents, from western Europe and northern Asia through Beringia to the Atlantic seaboard of North America. Nonetheless, questions about the connectivity and temporal continuity of mammoth populations and species remain unanswered. We use a combination of targeted enrichment and high-throughput sequencing to assemble and interpret a data set of 143 mammoth mitochondrial genomes, sampled from fossils recovered from across their Holarctic range. Our dataset includes 54 previously unpublished mitochondrial genomes and significantly increases the coverage of the Eurasian range of the species. The resulting global phylogeny confirms that the Late Pleistocene mammoth population comprised three distinct mitochondrial lineages that began to diverge ~1.0–2.0 million years ago (Ma). We also find that mammoth mitochondrial lineages were strongly geographically partitioned throughout the Pleistocene. In combination, our genetic results and the pattern of morphological variation in time and space suggest that male-mediated gene flow, rather than large-scale dispersals, was important in the Pleistocene evolutionary history of mammoths.

Electroacupuncture has been shown to improve cerebral blood flow in animal models of stroke. However, it is unclear whether electroacupuncture alters miRNA expression in the cortex. In this study, we examined changes in the cerebral cortical miRNA profile, cerebral blood flow and neurological function induced by electroacupuncture in a rat model of stroke. Electroacupuncture was performed at Renzhong (GV26) and Neiguan (PC6), with a frequency of 2 Hz, continuous wave, current intensity of 3.0 mA, and stimulation time of 1 minute. Electroacupuncture increased cerebral blood flow and alleviated neurological impairment in the rats. miRNA microarray profiling revealed that the vascular endothelial growth factor signaling pathway, which links cell proliferation with stroke, was most significantly affected by electroacupuncture. Electroacupuncture induced changes in expression of rno-miR-206-3p, rno-miR-3473, rno-miR-6216 and rno-miR-494-3p, and these changes were confirmed by quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. Our findings suggest that changes in cell proliferation-associated miRNA expression induced by electroacupuncture might be associated with the improved cerebral blood supply and functional recovery following stroke.

The reaction of p-nitrophenyl acetate and α-alanine can be improved apparently with β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) according to previous research, the interaction mechanism between β-cyclodextrin and p-nitrophenyl acetate is described in this paper. Density functional theory (DFT) method is used throughout the study. According to the energy (the binding energy, the deformation energy) and structural deformation, entry models and reaction process can be pinpointed, viz p-nitrophenyl acetate embed β-CD from the wide rim. Then frontier molecular orbital, dual descriptor, natural bonding orbital (NBO), and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) are employed to reveal the mechanism of electron transferring. The mechanism illustrates that β-CD plays a catalytic role during the synthesis reaction, improving the reactivity and selectivity of the process. Graphical Abstract DFT study on the effects of catalysis by β-cyclodextrin in the reaction of p-nitrophenyl acetate.

This work addressed efficient one-pot conversion of cellulose to 5-hydroxymethylfurfural by porous solid acid in the presence of 1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium chloride ([Emim]Cl). On the basis of stable water-in-oil pickering high internal phase emulsions (HIPEs), porous solid acid (HC-PDVB-SS-SO3H) was prepared by polymerizing divinylbenzene (DVB) and sodium p-styrenesulfonate (SS), succedent sulfonation in H2SO4 and hypercrosslinking process. HC-PDVB-SS-SO3H with a stable network exhibited mesopores within a macropore structure, high BET specific surface area and more super-strong acid sites. To test catalytic activity, the reaction conditions were optimized via response surface methodology, and the sequence of the three variables affecting HMF yield followed the order, temperature > reaction time > amount of catalyst. By comparing with the other as-prepared porous solid acid, it can also be concluded that BET specific surface area and super-strong acid site both played key roles in cellulose conversion. Moreover, HC-PDVB-SS-SO3H was very easily reused at least four times without significant loss of activity.

In order to explore the behavior of clay reinforced by polypropylene (PP) fiber, a series of dynamic triaxial tests were conducted on samples with multi-stage dynamic loading process under different confining pressures of 0.3 MPa, 0.4 MPa and 0.5 MPa. The soil physical properties were significantly affected by the seasonal freezing of the active layer. To simulate this effect, all samples were subjected to the freeze-thaw process of up to 15 cycles. Samples reinforced with 0.75% PP fiber showed the greatest dynamic strength, and a similar regularity was found for samples after 15 freeze-thaw cycles. The dynamic shear modulus decreased with the increase of confining pressure, but decreases with the increasing strain and number of freeze-thaw cycle. The dynamic shear modulus of samples with PP fiber is relatively larger than that of unreinforced samples. After 15 freeze-thaw cycles, the dynamic shear muduli of samples with 0.25%, 0.5% and 0.75% fiber increased by 27.3%, 50.1% and 63.6%, respectively, compared with the one of unreinforced samples at γ = 0.3% and σc = 0.3 MPa. The dynamic shear moduli of unreinforced sample and samples with 0.25%, 0.5% and 0.75% fiber content after 15 freeze-thaw cycles decreased by 7.9%, 7.6%, 5.4% and 6.3%, respectively, compared with the one before freeze-thaw cycle at γ = 0.05%. The damping ratio shows an increasing tendency with the increases of shear strain and fiber content. The damping ratio of samples reinforced with 0.25%, 0.5% and 0.75% fiber increased by 11.11%, 8.89% and 15.56%, respectively, compared with the one of unreinforced sample at γ = 0.005%. The Davidenkov model was adopted to describe the dynamic behavior of reinforced soil after freeze-thaw cycles at various confining pressures. The dependences of the normalized shear modulus on the shear strain amplitude are described. The behavior of the fiber after exposure to freeze-thaw cycles was analyzed by using Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM) method.

Using undrained triaxial shear tests, this study investigates the mechanical properties of lean clay under the freeze-thaw (F-T) and thermostatic-curing (T-C) cycles. The shear strength and Duncan-Chang model parameters, considering both the number of cycles and the freezing temperatures, were calculated from the hardening strain-stress curves. Compared to the shear strength in the T-C group, the F-T effect causes irreversible attenuation of shear strength in specimens with water content of 17.6%. Except for the damage ratio, the other four model parameters in the T-C group are all greater than those in the F-T group at the same cycle. Different fitting functions simply and directly reveal the trend of the model parameters with the cycles. The freezing rate due to freezing temperature induces a significant difference in water redistribution and dry density from the core to the surface layer of the specimen, which is why the model parameter and its fitting parameters don’t monotonically decrease with stepwise-reduced freezing temperatures. The gray correlation degree shows that the freezing temperature cannot be ignored when considering the F-T effect. The generalized Hooke's Law in principal-stress form demonstrates the applicability of the Duncan-Chang model while considering the F-T effect and the T-C effect.

Sales forecast is an indispensable link in the business activities of enterprises, and the accuracy of prediction is directly related to the effectiveness of enterprise sales and operation activities. In order to improve the prediction accuracy, a sales forecasting model based on LSTM is proposed. The model uses SA to optimize the initial connection weights of LSTM neural network, which solves the problem that the LSTM neural network converges to the local optimal, thus improving the network performance, and then makes an empirical analysis of the construction of the sales forecasting model based on SA-LSTM. The results show that the sales forecasting model improves the prediction accuracy, also reduces the number of iterations, and obtains a good prediction effect.

Graphene fiber (GF) is a macroscopically assembled fibrous material made of individual units of graphene and its derivatives. Beyond traditional carbon fibers, graphene building blocks consisting of regulable sizes and regular orientations of GF are expected to generate extreme mechanical and transport properties, as well as multiple functions in smart electronic fibrous devices and textiles. Here, the features of GF are presented along four lines: preparation, morphology, structure-performance correlations, and state-of-the-art applications as flexible and wearable electronics. The principles, experiments, and keys of fabricating GF from graphite with different methods, focusing on the industrially viable mainstream strategy, wet spinning, are introduced. Then, the fundamental relationship between the mechanical and transport properties and the structure, including both highly condensed structures for high-performance and hierarchical structures for multiple functions, is presented. The advances of GF based on structure-performance formulas boost its functional applications, especially in electronic devices. Finally, the possible promotion methods and structural-functional integrated applications of GF are discussed.

Natural products represent a rich reservoir of small molecule drug candidates utilized as antimicrobial drugs, anticancer therapies, and immunomodulatory agents. These molecules are microbial secondary metabolites synthesized by co-localized genes termed Biosynthetic Gene Clusters (BGCs). The increase in full microbial genomes and similar resources has led to development of BGC prediction algorithms, although their precision and ability to identify novel BGC classes could be improved. Here we present a deep learning strategy (DeepBGC) that offers reduced false positive rates in BGC identification and an improved ability to extrapolate and identify novel BGC classes compared to existing machine-learning tools. We supplemented this with random forest classifiers that accurately predicted BGC product classes and potential chemical activity. Application of DeepBGC to bacterial genomes uncovered previously undetectable putative BGCs that may code for natural products with novel biologic activities. The improved accuracy and classification ability of DeepBGC represents a major addition to in-silico BGC identification.

Container sea-rail transport is increasingly becoming a mainstream mode of transport. It is an effective way to improve the transport efficiency by integrating the business processes of container sea-rail combined transport. According to analyse the business processes of container sea-rail combined transport, this paper designs the integration framework based on four levels: the base layer, the integration layer, the information transfer layer and the information presentation layer. Arena is used to simulate the process. The simulation results show that the freight transportation cycle of the railway transportation, ocean transportation and container sea-rail combined transport is reduced. Therefore, it is feasible and necessary to integrate the business process of container sea-rail combined transport.

The widely used pseudorabies virus (PRV) Bartha-K61 vaccine has played a key role in the eradication of PRV. Since late 2011, however, a disease characterized by neurologic symptoms and a high number of deaths among newborn piglets has occurred among Bartha-K61-vaccinated pigs on many farms in China. Clinical samples from pigs on 15 farms in 6 provinces were examined. The PRV gE gene was detectable by PCR in all samples, and sequence analysis of the gE gene showed that all isolates belonged to a relatively independent cluster and contained 2 amino acid insertions. A PRV (named HeN1) was isolated and caused transitional fever in pigs. In protection assays, Bartha-K61 vaccine provided 100% protection against lethal challenge with SC (a classical PRV) but only 50% protection against 4 challenges with strain HeN1. The findings suggest that Bartha-K61 vaccine does not provide effective protection against PRV HeN1 infection.

Hesperetin dihydrochalcone 4'-glucoside, 1, and phloretin 4'-glucoside, 2, belong to a family of dihydrochalcone glycosides that exhibit flavorant properties. In this study was developed a competitive, indirect homologous ELISA for the detection of targets 1 and 2 in fermentation media. Immunogen and coating antigen were prepared by conjugating hapten, 4-(3-oxo-3-(2,6-dihydroxy-4-glucoside phenyl)propyl) benzoic acid, to thyroglobulin and bovine serum albumin, respectively. Antibodies raised in rabbits M6122, M6123, and M6124 and the coating antigen were screened and characterized to determine their optimum concentrations. The optimized ELISA, developed with antibody M6122, gave IC50 values of 27.8 and 21.8 ng/mL for 1 and 2, respectively. Selectivity of the assay was assessed by measuring cross-reactivity of antibody M6122 to related congeners such as aglycones and the 2'-glycosides of hesperetin dihydrochalcone, 5 and phloretin, 6. Antibody M6122 showed very low recognition of 5 and virtually no recognition of the aglycones and 6.

In response to the wide spread of microbial contamination induced by bacterial pathogens, the development of novel materials with excellent antibacterial activity is of great interest. In this study, novel antibacterial chitosan (CS) and polyhexamethylene guanidine hydrochloride (PHGC) dual-polymer-functionalized graphene oxide (GO) (GO-CS-PHGC) composites were designed and easily fabricated. The as-prepared materials were characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Raman spectroscopy. Their antibacterial capability towards bacterial strains was also studied by incubating both Gram-negative bacteria and Gram-positive bacteria in their presence. More significantly, the synergistic antibacterial action of the three components was assayed, and the findings implied that the as-prepared GO-CS-PHGC shows enhanced antibacterial activity when compared to its single components (GO, CS, PHGC or CS-PHGC) and the mixture of individual components. Not only Gram-negative bacteria but also Gram-positive bacteria are greatly inhibited by GO-CS-PHGC composites. The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) value of GO-CS-PHGC against E. coli was 32 μg/mL. With the powerful antibacterial activity as well as its low cost and facile preparation, GO-CS-PHGC has potential applications as a novel antibacterial agent in a wide range of biomedical uses.

Plant tillering and related traits are morphologically important components contributing to switchgrass ( L.) biomass yield. The objectives of this study were to estimate broad-sense heritabilities for tillering-related traits, to analyze correlations between biomass yield and the traits, and to identify quantitative trait loci (QTL) for them. A first-generation selfed population of NL94 plant and a hybrid population between NL94 and SL93 plants were field established in a randomized complete block design with three replications in Stillwater and Perkins, OK. Phenotypic data were collected in 2 yr and genotypic data were obtained by genotyping simple-sequence repeat (SSR) markers in the two populations on the basis of two preexisting genetic maps. Plant base size (PBS), plant girth (PG), tillering ability (TA), tiller diameter (TD), and tiller dry weight (TDW) were positively correlated with biomass yield in both populations. Consistently, PBS had the largest correlation coefficients for biomass yield, suggesting its value as an indirect selection criterion for biomass yield. Twenty and 26 QTL for six tillering-related traits were detected in the hybrid and selfed population, respectively. Among the QTL, one on linkage group (LG) 5a between sww-2387/PVCAG-2197/2198 and PVGA-1649/1650 for PBS, PG, and TA and another on LG 2a between sww-2640/sww-2545 and PVCA-765/766 for TD and TDW were stably detected in multiple environments in the two populations. The findings add to the knowledge base regarding the genetics of tillering-related traits that could be used in accelerating the development of high-yielding cultivars through marker-assisted selection.

The conversion of 2-phenylbenzimidazole using o-phenylenediamine and benzaldehyde can be improved significantly under β-cyclodextrin (β-CD). The density functional theory (DFT) method was applied to study the whole process. According to energy parameters (binding energy, deformation energy) and structural deformation, entry models and the reaction process can be pinpointed, with o-phenylenediamine embedding β-CD from a wide rim, and then benzaldehyde passing into the inclusion from the narrow rim. Subsequently, natural bonding orbital (NBO), Mulliken charge, frontier orbital, FuKui function and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) methods were employed to reveal the mechanism of electron transfer. The results illustrate that β-CD plays a catalytic role in synthesis reaction mechanism on the secondary side, improving the reactivity and selectivity of the process. Graphical Abstract Density functional theory study of the effects of β-cyclodextrin in synthesis of 2-phenylbenzimidazole via benzaldehyde and o-phenylenediamine.

DNA sequences extracted from preserved remains can add considerable resolution to inference of past population dynamics. For example, coalescent-based methods have been used to correlate declines in some arctic megafauna populations with habitat fragmentation during the last ice age. These methods, however, often fail to detect population declines preceding extinction, most likely owing to a combination of sparse sampling, uninformative genetic markers, and models that cannot account for the increasingly structured nature of populations as habitats decline. As ancient DNA research expands to include full-genome analyses, these data will provide greater resolution of the genomic consequences of environmental change and the genetic signatures of extinction.

The actin cytoskeleton has been implicated in plant defense against pathogenic fungi, oomycetes, and bacteria. Actin depolymerizing factors (ADFs) are stimulus responsive actin cytoskeleton modulators. However, there is limited evidence linking ADFs with plant defense against pathogens. In this study, we have isolated and functionally characterized a stress-responsive ADF gene (TaADF3) from wheat, which was detectable in all examined wheat tissues. TaADF3 is a three-copy gene located on chromosomes 5AL, 5BL, and 5DL. A particle bombardment assay in onion epidermal cells revealed the cytoplasmic and nuclear localization of TaADF3. The expression of TaADF3 was inducible by abscisic acid (ABA), as well as various abiotic stresses (drought and cold) and virulent Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici (Pst) but was down regulated in response to avirulent Pst. Virus-induced silencing of TaADF3 copies enhanced wheat resistance to avirulent Pst, with decreased reactive oxygen species (ROS) accumulation and hypersensitive response (HR). Upon treatment with virulent Pst, TaADF3-knockdown plants exhibited reduced susceptibility, which was accompanied by increased ROS production and HR. Interestingly, the silencing of TaADF3 resulted in hindered pathogen penetration and haustoria formation for both avirulent and virulent Pst. Moreover, the array and distribution of actin filaments was transformed in TaADF3-knockdown epidermal cells, which possibly facilitated attenuating the fungus penetration. Thus, our findings suggest that TaADF3 positively regulates wheat tolerance to abiotic stresses and negatively regulates wheat resistance to Pst in an ROS-dependent manner, possibly underlying the mechanism of impeding fungal penetration dependent on the actin architecture dynamics.

With the rapid development and the wide use of mobile technology, m-commerce research has gradually become the focus of scholars. Difficulties exist in m-commerce, such as information sharing, business collaboration, and process reengineering. Grid management, a new managerial concept, has the potential of being a powerful weapon that affects the study on m-commerce process. This study systematically analyzes the traditional m-commerce process and its problems. On that basis, this paper constructs the grid m-commerce process based on the idea of grid management. Through the help of Arena simulation software, the authors prove that all the convenience, function, and safety of the process are improved by grid M-commerce process.

Pyrethroids are a class of insecticides that are becoming increasingly popular in agricultural and home use applications. Sensitive assays for pyrethroid insecticides in complex matrices are difficult with both instrumental and immunochemical methods. Environmental analysis of the pyrethroids by immunoassay requires either knowing which pyrethroids contaminate the source or the use of nonspecific antibodies with cross-reactivities to a class of compounds. We describe an alternative method that converts the type II pyrethroids to a common chemical product, 3-phenoxybenzoic acid (3-PBA), prior to analysis. This method is much more sensitive than detecting the parent compound, and it is much easier to detect a single compound rather than an entire class of compounds. This is useful in screening for pyrethroids as a class or in situations where a single type of pyrethroid is used. We demonstrated this technique in both citrus oils and environmental water samples with conversion rates of the pyrethroid to 3-PBA that range from 45 to 75% and methods that require no extraction steps for either the immunoassay or the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) techniques. Limits of detection for this technique applied to orange oil are 5 nM, 2 μM, and 0.8 μM when detected by LC-MS/MS, gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, and immunoassay, respectively. The limit of detection for pyrethroids in water when detected by immunoassay was 2 nM.

Reducible sodium alginate nanospheres cross-linked with disulfide linkages were developed for site-specific drug delivery in inflammatory bowel disease. The nanospheres were synthesized by self-assembly of amphiphilic thiolated sodium alginate (TSA) in deionized water and subsequently producing disulfide bond cross-linking. TEM showed that the nanospheres had a spherical core–shell configuration with a size of about 170 nm. Dynamic light scattering showed that the nanospheres had high stability, narrow size distribution and a pH-dependent swelling transition. Cytotoxicity study indicated that the nanospheres had no apparent cell inhibition. Moreover, the size of the nanospheres increased because of the cleavage of disulfides within their network structures in 10 mM glutathione (GSH) solution. As compared with that in GSH-free buffer, the drug release in pH 6.0 buffer with GSH from drug-loaded nanospheres exhibited a marked increase, indicating that the nanospheres may be used for colon-specific drug delivery.

The origin of novel gene functions through gene duplication, mutation, and natural selection represents one of the mechanisms by which organisms diversify and one of the possible paths leading to adaptation. Nonetheless, the extent, role, and consequences of duplications in the origins of ecological adaptations, especially in the context of species interactions, remain unclear. To explore the evolution of a gene family that is likely linked to species associations, we investigated the evolutionary history of the A-superfamily of conotoxin genes of predatory marine cone snails (Conus species). Members of this gene family are expressed in the venoms of Conus species and are presumably involved in predator-prey associations because of their utility in prey capture. We recovered sequences of this gene family from genomic DNA of four closely related species of Conus and reconstructed the evolutionary history of these genes. Our study is the first to directly recover conotoxin genes from Conus genomes to investigate the evolution of conotoxin gene families. Our results revealed a phenomenon of rapid and continuous gene turnover that is coupled with heightened rates of evolution. This continuous duplication pattern has not been observed previously, and the rate of gene turnover is at least two times higher than estimates from other multigene families. Conotoxin genes are among the most rapidly evolving protein-coding genes in metazoans, a phenomenon that may be facilitated by extensive gene duplications and have driven changes in conotoxin functions through neofunctionalization. Together these mechanisms led to dramatically divergent arrangements of A-superfamily conotoxin genes among closely related species of Conus. Our findings suggest that extensive and continuous gene duplication facilitates rapid evolution and drastic divergence in venom compositions among species, processes that may be associated with evolutionary responses to predator-prey interactions.

The gelation of a photocrosslinkable carboxymethyl chitosan (Az-CMCS), which was synthesized by mixing azidobenzaldehyde (Az) and an aqueous solution of carboxymethyl chitosan (CMCS), has been studied. The photocross-linking reaction kinetics were rapid, and the time required for completely converting into the insoluble hydrogels was less than 60 s for 10% aqueous solution of Az-CMCS samples upon exposure to 273.5 nm irradiation of UV lamp (4 W or 20 W). A relatively high photoirradiation intensity and Az content incorporated in AZ-CMCS could obviously shorten the time. The obtained hydrogels showed good pH sensitivity and the lysozymatic degradability. Diuron-loaded hydrogel membranes could also be formed rapidly by solar-simulated UV irradiation of a mixed aqueous solution of AZ-CMCS and diuron. Release profiles of diuron from the diuron-loaded hydrogel membranes in a buffer of pH 6.0 were shown to be diffusion controlled. The formation of a porous structure in the hydrogels on swelling was assumed to be the reason for this diffusion behavior.

With the development of Mobile E-commerce, the research on the process has won more and more attention. Evaluation and optimization of existing process is the focus among the process research. This paper will do some research on it with the combination of simulation and grid management theory. Firstly, form the evaluation system of Mobile E-commerce process. Secondly, put in order the existing process, namely Non-grid Mobile E-commerce process and put in order Grid Mobile E-commerce process. Thirdly, simulate the model of Grid and Non-grid Mobile E-commerce process. Finally, compare the out coming and point out the superiority of Grid Mobile E-commerce process. This paper provides a new way on the research of Mobile E-commerce.

It is a common knowledge that detector fatigue causes a calibration curve to deviate from the preferred linear relationship at the higher concentration end. With the adaptation of an isotopically labeled analog of the analyte as the internal standard (IS), cross-contribution (CC) of the intensities monitored for the ions designating the analyte and the IS can also result in a non-linear relationship at both ends. A novel approach developed to assess 'the extent and the effect of [CC]… in quantitative GC-MS analysis' can be extended (a) to examine whether a specific set of CC values is accurate; and (b) to differentiate whether the observed non-linear calibration curve is caused by detector fatigue or the CC phenomenon. Data derived from the exemplar secobarbital (SB)/SB-d(5) system (as di-butyl-derivatives) are used to illustrate this novel approach. Comparing the non-linear nature of calibration data that are empirically observed to that derived from theoretical calculation (with the incorporation of adjustment resulting from the ion CC phenomenon), supports the conclusions that (a) both CC and detector fatigue contribute significantly to the observed non-linear nature of the calibration curve based on ion-pair m/z 207/212; and (b) detector fatigue is the dominating contributor when the calibration curve is based on ion-pair m/z 263/268.

Aim To evaluate the antithrombosis of recombinant hirudin variant III emulsive microparticles (rHVIII EP) and disclose its mechanism via oral administration. Methods Normal and DIC (disseminated intravascular coagulation) rats as well as IVC (inferior caval vein) thrombosis rats were used to determinate the pharmacodynamics of rHVIII. rHVIII was labeled with FITC (fluorescein isothiocyanate) to test the absorption of emulsive microparticles using Caco-2 monolayer model and everted gut sacs model. Results rHVIII EP was able to prolong thrombin time, clotting time and inhibit thrombus formation in vivo. rHVIII EP could be absorbed in the whole intestinal sections. Transport experiment indicated that the Papp value was (2.68 ± 0.14) ×10-6 cm·s−1 from AP side to BL side, and (3.02 ± 0.66) ×10-6 cm·s−1 from BL side to AP side, respectively, indicating that rHVIII is absorbed in the intestine through passive transport. Compared with intravenous route, the absolute bioavailability of rHVIII EP via oral route was 11.42%. Conclusion rHVIII EP has anti-thrombosis and anticoagulation effects with proper bioavailability. Our study here elucidated for the first time that rHVIII EP delivered via oral route has potentiality in development.