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Supplemental Digital Content is available in the text., Objective— The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an ancient and evolutionarily conserved pathway that regulates essential aspects of cell differentiation, proliferation, migration and polarity. Canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Macrophage is one of the major cell types involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, but the role of macrophage β-catenin in atherosclerosis remains elusive. This study aims to investigate the impact of β-catenin expression on macrophage functions and atherosclerosis development. Approach and Results— To investigate the role of macrophage canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling in atherogenesis, we generated β-cateninΔmyeLDLR−/− mice (low-density lipoprotein receptor–deficient mice with myeloid-specific β-catenin deficiency). As expected, deletion of β-catenin decreased macrophage adhesion and migration properties in vitro. However, deficiency of β-catenin significantly increased atherosclerotic lesion areas in the aortic root of LDLR−/− (low-density lipoprotein receptor–deficient) mice without affecting the plasma lipid levels and atherosclerotic plaque composition. Mechanistic studies revealed that β-catenin can regulate activation of STAT (signal transducer and activator of transcription) pathway in macrophages, and ablation of β-catenin resulted in STAT3 downregulation and STAT1 activation, leading to elevated macrophage inflammatory responses and increased atherosclerosis. Conclusions— This study demonstrates a critical role of myeloid β-catenin expression in atherosclerosis by modulating macrophage inflammatory responses.

The processing of aerospace thin-walled parts with complex curved surfaces can hardly realize both high precision and high efficiency. It is challenging to choose the optimal processing scheme under the limited technological condition. This study proposes a tool path optimization for five-axis numerical control based on Mastercam numerical control programming software. Numerical control program is introduced to VERICUT software to implement simulation optimization through different cutting parameters. Different tool paths of surface processing are optimized to select the optimal cutting trajectory with the highest processing efficiency and the optimal surface quality. On this basis, with processing productivity as the object function, the processing parameters are optimized through control variable method to determine the optimal cutting force and cutting thickness on the premise of guaranteeing the processing quality (cutting force), so that both processing efficiency and processing quality can be perfected. Through experiments, the machining efficiency is increased by 61.5% after two optimization operations, and the machining quality is improved effectively (the average cutting force of finishing is reduced by 76.6% to the largest extent). This not only meets the requirements of processing precision and maximizes the efficiency of processing but also provides a reference for the further application of key parts in aerospace and some other fields.

The nail is a continuous skin appendage. Cells located around the nails, which display coordinated homeostatic dynamics and release a flow of stem cells in response to regeneration, have been identified in mice. However, very few studies regarding human nail stem cells exist in the literature. Using specimens isolated from humans, we detected an unreported population of cells within the basal layer of postnatal human nail proximal folds (NPFs) and the nail matrix around the nail root. These cells were multi-expressing and expressed stem cell markers, such as keratin 15 (K15), keratin 14 (K14), keratin 19 (K19), CD29, CD34, and leucine-rich repeat-containing G protein-coupled receptor 6 (Lgr6). These cells were very similar to mouse nail stem cells in terms of cell marker expression and their location within the nail. We also found that the putative nail stem cells maintained their abundance with advancing age, but cell proliferation and nail growth rate were decreased on comparison of young and aged specimens. To summarize, we found a putative population of stem cells in postnatal human nails located at NPFs and the nail matrix. These cells may have potential for cell differentiation and be capable of responding to injury, and were retained, but may be hypofunctional during aging.

The novel mesoionic insecticide triflumezopyrim was highly effective in controlling both imidacloprid-susceptible and resistant planthopper populations in Malaysia. However, the toxicity of triflumezopyrim to planthopper populations and their natural enemies has been under-investigated in China. In this study, the median lethal concentrations (LC50) of triflumezopyrim were determined in eight field populations of Nilaparvata lugens and one population of Sogatella furcifera from China under laboratory conditions. Triflumezopyrim showed higher toxicity to planthopper populations than the commonly-used insecticide, imidacloprid. Furthermore, the lethal effect of triflumezopyrim on eight beneficial arthropods of planthoppers was investigated in the laboratory and compared with three commonly-used insecticides, thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin. Triflumezopyrim was harmless to Anagrus nilaparvatae, Cyrtorhinus lividipennis and Paederus fuscipes, while thiamethoxam, chlorpyrifos and abamectin were moderately harmful or harmful to the insect parasitoid and predators. Triflumezopyrim and thiamethoxam were harmless to the predatory spiders Pirata subpiraticus, Ummeliata insecticeps, Hylyphantes graminicola and Pardosa pseudoannulata, and slightly harmful to Theridion octomaculatum. Chlorpyrifos caused slight to high toxicity to four spider species except U. insecticeps. Abamectin was moderately to highly toxic to all five spider species. Our results indicate that triflumezopyrim has high efficacy for rice planthoppers populations and is compatibile with their natural enemies in China.

The objective of this study is to investigate whether the addition of double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP) to leflunomide and methotrexate repairs MRI bone erosion in patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Seventy-two patients with highly active RA of > 3 years' duration were randomized to receive DFPP in addition to DMARDs (leflunomide and methotrexate) or DMARDs. Contrast-enhanced MRI of the right wrist was performed at months 0, 6, and 12. MRI bone erosion, synovitis, and bone edema were scored with validated methods. The primary endpoint was the change in MRI bone erosion over 12 months. Patients treated with DFPP in addition to DMARDs demonstrated significantly greater decrease in MRI erosion score compared with those treated with DMARDs, being 11.3 ± 9.6 at month 12, compared with 16.9 ± 8.3 in patients with DMARDs (P

In this work, a simple, rapid and economic one-pot strategy is developed for the synthesis of 3D nanoporous gold (NPG) in aqueous solution with the assistance of a functionalized ionic liquid, 1-hydroxyethyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([HEmim]Cl), at room temperature. It is shown that 3D NPG is constructed from twisted and interconnected Au nanochains with diameters of approximately 40 nm. This material has a high specific surface area of 22.77 m2 g−1 and various porous structures, including macropores, mesopores and micropores. Yet, there are lots of crystal defects, such as a twin boundary, edge atoms and amorphous regions. It is demonstrated that [HEmim]Cl plays an important role in directing the growth and assembly of 3D NPG, and the ionic liquid concentration, the amount of reductant and the reaction temperature also have influences on the morphology and structure of NPG to a certain extent. Based on control experiments, a possible growth mechanism is illustrated for the formation of 3D NPG. In addition, the as-prepared 3D NPG exhibits superior catalytic activities for both the reduction of p-nitrophenol and the degradation of methylene blue in water, which can be completed in 14 min and 8 min, respectively, at 25 °C.

With the promotion of inactivated poliomyelitis vaccine (IPV) and live attenuated oral poliomyelitis vaccine (OPV), the global reported cases of poliomyelitis have reduced sharply from 0.35 million in 1988 to 74 in 2015. The Polio Eradication & Endgame Strategic Plan published by WHO in 2013 included the strategy of implementation of poliovirus safe handling and containment measures to minimize the risks of facility-associated reintroduction of virus into the polio-free community to prevent the re-import of poliovirus. Toward this strategy, we produced replication-incompetent pseudovirus of poliovirus type 1, 2, 3 attenuated strains by constructing poliovirus capsid expression vectors and poliovirus replicon then transfecting HEK293T cells and developed a pseudovirus-based neutralization assay (pNA) to determine neutralizing antibody titer which is more secure, time-saving and reliable than conventional neutralization assay (cNA). By using anti-poliovirus rat serum, we demonstrated excellent correlation between neutralizing antibody titers measured by cNA and pNA. It was concluded that pNA can be a potential alternative to replace cNA as a safe and time-saving system for titer determination after live poliovirus's safekeeping.

Heat stress (HS) is a major stressor for laying hens. It causes enormous financial losses worldwide annually. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect and mechanism of a probiotic mixture of Bacillus subtilis and Enterococcus faecium on the performance of laying hens under HS. Eight hundred and fifty-six commercial laying hens (Hy-Line Brown, aged 40 weeks) were randomly allocated to three groups, Group C (26 °C), Group H (33 °C) and Group H + PM (33 °C + probiotic mixture), respectively. The trial lasted for 20 days. Compared with Group H, we demonstrated that treatment with the probiotic mixture significantly increased the egg production rate, average daily feed intake (ADFI), and egg weight of laying hens under HS (p

The design of green and ingenious strategies for the fabrication of anisotropic nanoparticles and their assembly is particularly important in the advancement of nanoscience and nanotechnology but still remains an enormous challenge. In this work, the Ag films, with variously shaped particles as building blocks, were successfully prepared at the interface of different ionic liquids and water (ILs–H2O) under ambient conditions only by using ILs with different cationic structures. The as-prepared Ag films with different morphologies were characterized and analyzed by scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and X-ray powder diffraction. The possible growth mechanisms were also suggested for the formation of differently morphological Ag films at the ILs–H2O interface. The as-obtained Ag films could be directly applied to perform surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) studies. It was found that the nanobelt-contructed Ag films prepared at the inter...

Rational design of ingenious strategies to build hierarchical architectures of nanomaterials is highly desirable and technically important due to their excellent properties and widespread application in varied fields. Here, we report a facile one-pot approach for the solvothermal synthesis of freestanding CuS nanowalls with the assistance of a common ionic liquid, 1-decyl-3-methylimidazolium bromide ([C10mim]Br). In the presence of [C10mim]Br, intriguing CuS nanowalls have been fully constructed from the as-generated CuS thin nanosheets at the liquid–liquid interface of chloroform and water. An outstanding feature is that no hard template is utilized to support and/or assist the growth of CuS nanowalls. The as-prepared CuS nanowalls have been characterized and analyzed systematically and a series of factors affecting the morphology have been investigated. It is found that the alkyl chain length, anionic nature and heterocyclic structure of ionic liquids play an important role in directing the formation of freestanding CuS nanowalls. A possible growth mechanism for the formation of CuS nanowalls is presented based on control experiments. In addition, the as-synthesized CuS nanowalls demonstrate prominent catalytic activity for the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate (AP).

A polypyrrole-modified bimetallic electrode composed of Pd-Ag on a Ti substrate (Pd-Ag/PPY/Ti) was successfully prepared via a chemical deposition method, and was applied to the electrocatalytic hydrodechlorination of 4-chlorophenol (4-CP) in aqueous solution. The electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Various influences on the dechlorination efficiency of 4-chlorophenol, including applied current, initial pH value, and temperature, were studied. The dechlorination efficiency of 4-CP reached 94% within 120 min under the optimum conditions, i.e., a dechlorination current of 6 mA, an initial pH of 2.30, and a temperature of 303 K. The apparent activation energy of the dechlorination of 4-CP by the Pd-Ag/PPY/Ti electrode was calculated to be 49.6 kJ/mol. The equivalent conversion rate constant kPd was 0.63 L.gPd−1·min−1, which was higher than the findings presented in comparable literature. Thus, a highly effective bimetallic electrode with promising application prospects and low Pd loading was fabricated.

Background Obesity‐associated chronic inflammation has been known to contribute to atherosclerosis development, but the underlying mechanisms remain elusive. Recent studies have revealed novel functions of IKK β (inhibitor of NF ‐κB [nuclear factor κB] kinase β), a key coordinator of inflammation through activation of NF ‐κB, in atherosclerosis and adipose tissue development. However, it is not clear whether IKK β signaling in adipocytes can also affect atherogenesis. This study aims to investigate the impact of adipocyte IKK β expression on atherosclerosis development in lean and obese LDLR (low‐density lipoprotein receptor)–deficient ( LDLR −/− ) mice. Methods and Results To define the role of adipocyte IKK β in atherogenesis, we generated adipocyte‐specific IKK β‐deficient LDLR −/− ( IKK β ΔAd LDLR −/− ) mice. Targeted deletion of IKK β in adipocytes did not affect adiposity and atherosclerosis in lean LDLR −/− mice when fed a low‐fat diet. In response to high‐fat feeding, however, IKK β ΔAd LDLR −/− mice had defective adipose remodeling and increased adipose tissue and systemic inflammation. Deficiency of adipocyte IKK β did not affect atherosclerotic lesion sizes but resulted in enhanced lesional inflammation and increased plaque vulnerability in obese IKK β ΔAd LDLR −/− mice. Conclusions These data demonstrate that adipocyte IKK β signaling affects the evolution of atherosclerosis plaque vulnerability in obese LDLR −/− mice. This study suggests that the functions of IKK β signaling in atherogenesis are complex, and IKK β in different cell types or tissues may have different effects on atherosclerosis development.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play pivotal roles in modulating key biological processes in gastric cancer (GC). As a newly identified miRNA, the function and potential mechanism of miR-188-5p in GC has not been thoroughly elucidated. Here, quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction detection showed abnormally higher expression of miR-188-5p in GC cells and tissues. Gain-of-function analysis in vitro showed that miR-188-5p promoted GC cell proliferation and migration, while loss-of-function studies showed the reverse. Targetscan has predicted that phosphatase and tensin homolog (PTEN) was a potential target gene of miR-188-5p. miR-188-5p suppressed PTEN messenger RNA and protein expression and activated downstream AKT/mTOR signaling in GC cells, but luciferase reporter analysis showed that PTEN was not regulated by miR-188-5p via the 3' untranslated region. Furthermore, we observed that miR-188-5p overexpression promoted Sal-like protein 4 (SALL4) protein expression, cellular nuclear translocation, and transcription. Knockdown of SALL4 eliminated the effect of miR-188-5p in GC cells as well as suppression of PTEN. Taken together, our results demonstrate that miR-188-5p promotes GC cell proliferation and migration while suppressing tumor suppressor gene PTEN expression via transcriptional upregulation of oncogene SALL4. We conclude that miR-188-5p acts as an oncomiRNA in GC and may be a promising therapeutic target for GC.

A significant reduction in rice starch digestibility and subsequent postprandial blood glucose responses following extended cold treatment (at 4 &deg, C for 24 h) have been demonstrated in both in vitro and in vivo studies, respectively. The impact of cold treatment was more significant for parboiled rice compared to other rice varieties. This study aimed to investigate consumer liking of sensory characteristics that may influence consumer acceptability of three available rice products in the Auckland region (medium grain white, medium grain brown and parboiled rice, which were either freshly boiled or cold-treated and reheated). The consumer liking of sensory characteristics (colour, taste, flavour, and texture) of each rice sample were accessed using visual analogue scales (VAS) in a randomized single blind setting. In the second stage, the participants evaluated their acceptability on VAS after the nutritional value and the characteristics of the rice samples were revealed. Sixty-four rice consumers reported higher likings of sensory characteristics of cold-treated parboiled rice and medium grain brown rice. The effect of cold treatment on the liking of sensory characteristics was more significant for parboiled rice (p &lt, 0.05). Participants who are between 36 and 55 years old and consume rice domestically more than 10 times per month preferred cold-treated brown rice (73.8% of the participants&rsquo, population (67.4%, 80.2%)) and parboiled rice (74.3% of the participants&rsquo, population (67.9%, 80.7%)) (p &lt, 0.001). As a result, cold-treated reheated parboiled rice received higher likings and acceptability and could be recommended and accepted as a healthier replacement of the daily staple meal.

With the rapid development of software and physical devices, cyber-physical systems (CPS) are widely adopted in many application areas. Due to the increasing complexities of these systems, it is difficult to detect defects in CPS models. Counterexample generation in CPS model checking is a good choice as it is able to find defects in CPS models efficiently and can provide meaningful diagnostic feedback to facilitate debugging. In many studies, robustness-guided counterexample generation of CPS is investigated by various optimisation methods, which falsify the given properties of a CPS. In this paper, we combine genetic algorithm (GA) with acceptance-rejection technique based on the neighbourhood of the input sequence space, and propose a novel algorithm which is called ARSG algorithm. The idea of this algorithm is similar to 'exploration-exploitation' in reinforcement learning. Finally, the new algorithm is compared with the cross-entropy algorithm and the genetic algorithm under different parameters, and the performance of the new algorithm is better than the other two algorithms.

A simplified full-depth precast concrete deck panel system for accelerating bridge construction (ABC) is introduced and a finite element analysis (FEA) is conducted to investigate the static and dynamic responses of this conceptual deck system. The FEA results are compared to those of the traditional full-depth precast concrete deck panel system. The comparison results show that the mechanical behavior of the new deck system is different from that of the traditional deck system. The concrete decks in the new system act as two-way slabs, instead of the one-way slab in the traditional system. Meanwhile, the connections in both the longitudinal and transverse directions may need to accommodate the negative moments. Compared to those in the traditional system, the longitudinal nominal stress at middle span increases a lot in the new deck system and the effective flange width varies significantly. In addition, the dynamic results show that the impact factor is influenced by the spacing of connections. Finally, some design concerns of the new deck system are proposed.

When employing streamflow forecasting in practical applications, such as reservoir operation, one important issue is to deal with the uncertainty involved in forecasting. Traditional studies dealing with the uncertainty in streamflow forecasting have been limited in describing the evolution of forecast uncertainty. This paper proposes a copula-based uncertainty evolution (CUE) model to describe the evolution of streamflow forecast uncertainty. The generated forecast uncertainty series fits the observed series well in terms of observed mean, standard deviation and skewness. Daily flow with forecast uncertainty are simulated and used to determine the effect of forecast uncertainty on real-time reservoir operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), China. Results show that using the forecast inflow coupled with the pre-release module for reservoir operation of TGR in flood season cannot increase the flood risk.

As a relatively clean energy, natural gas will be increasingly in demand to meet short-term low-carbon targets. The gap between the demand and supply of natural gas will be increasingly scrutinized, which highlights the significance of natural gas supply security. Considering the extensive connections among various aspects related to natural gas supply and the complex interactions behind these connections, ecological network analysis was applied to simulate the natural gas supply system in China and systematically measure its overall security level. Network Information Analysis, Structural Analysis, and Utility Analysis were conducted. It is found that the Chinese natural gas supply security increased during 2000–2011. In terms of the influence of different compartments on the whole natural gas supply system, in order from the largest to smallest influence they are: supply sources, consumption sector, refining, and reserve sectors. And the relationships among compartments became stronger in the later stage than that in the earlier stage of the study period. Suggestions on improving China’s natural gas supply security were proposed based on the results and further scenario analysis. The network model developed herein is a new perspective for natural gas supply security assessment, which can be used as guidance for policy making.

Objective. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical efficacy and safety of acupuncture therapy in the treatment of acute gouty arthritis.Methods. A literature search of PubMed, EMBASE, ISI Web of Science, CENTRAL, and CNKI was conducted from the inception date of each database up to October 2015. Two investigators screened each article independently and were blinded to the findings of the other reviewer. Data was extracted according to the predetermined collection form. Meta-analysis was performed.Results. We analyzed data from 28 RCTs involving 2237 patients with gouty arthritis. Compared with conventional pharmacological treatments acupuncture was more effective in rendering patients free from symptoms after 24 hours, lowering serum urate, alleviating pain associated with gouty arthritis, and decreasing the ESR; regarding CRP, no statistically significant difference was found. In addition, the frequency of adverse events in acupuncture treatment was lower than that in control group.Conclusion. Based on the findings of our study, we cautiously suggest that acupuncture is an effective and safe therapy for patients with gouty arthritis. However, the potential beneficial effect of acupuncture might be overstated due to the methodological deficiency of included studies. High quality RCTs with larger scale are encouraged.

In the context of climate change, natural gas is becoming increasingly important for low-carbon development in China. The gap between the demand and supply of natural gas, domestically, and China’s high dependence on foreign sources, highlights the importance of ensuring a secure system for supplying natural gas in the country. This study applied ecological network analysis, a powerful systems-oriented method, to simulate interactions between different nodes of the natural gas supply system and to evaluate the system’s security level. Two network models were constructed at the regional and national layers, respectively, by dividing external natural gas suppliers into multiple regions and countries. These models were used to evaluate the overall security level and related characteristics of China’s natural gas supply system from 2000 to 2012. The results showed stable improvement in the system’s security during this period. With the exceptions of some specific indicators (e.g., the mutualism index (MI)), analyses of network information and structure yielded the mostly similar results for the two models. In conclusion, a regional layer (RL) network model is considered more economical than a national layer (NL) model for evaluating the overall security of China’s natural gas supply system, especially when available data are limited.

The Baishan molybdenum deposit is located in the eastern section of the Jueluotage tectonic belt, Eastern Tianshan. There is a granite porphyry intrusion beneath the Baishan Mo ore bodies discovered by recent exploration drilling, and the Cu–Mo minerals are widely distributed in the porphyry. The zircon LA-ICPMS U–Pb age of the granite porphyry intrusion is 228.1 ± 8.0 Ma, which is in coincidence with the age of Mo mineralization (227.7 ± 4.3 Ma). The granite porphyry intrusion is calc-alkaline and peraluminous. The magma was derived from a lower crustal source, it experienced distinct crystal fraction during its evolution, and the magma intruded in a Triassic compressional background, and was probably influenced by far-field effects of the Tethys system to the south. Based on the geological, geochemical and geochronological characteristics of the granite porphyry intrusion, we propose that there is probably a porphyry Cu deposit beneath the Baishan high-Re Mo deposit.

Physically distributed hydrological models are effective in hydrological simulations of large river basins, but the complex characteristics of hydrological features limit their application. An easy-to-use and high-efficiency hydrological model is needed for efficient water resource management in practice. Machine learning (ML) based models have the potential to provide fast mapping pathways between meteorological predictors and hydrological responses without detailed descriptions of the corresponding physical processes. However, the extensive data requirements, ignoring of spatial variability and poor performance for extreme flows limit the application of ML models. This study attempts to develop an ML-based hydrological model by combining physically based distributed hydrological model with an artificial neural networks (ANN), computer vision (CV) and a categorization approach (CA). To solve the insufficient training problem, we use a physically distributed hydrological model (GBHM) together with a stochastic rainfall generator to generate a large amount of synthetic data (GBHM-ANN). To improve the extreme flow simulation, we add the categorization approach into GBHM-ANN (GBHM-ANN-CA). To capture the spatial variability of the predictors, we also use a local binary pattern-based computer vision method to form GBHM-ANN-CA-CV model. The effectiveness of the three modeling approaches are demonstrated by synthetic case studies. We finally evaluate GBHM-ANN-CA-CV using the real data from the upper Chao Phraya Basin in Thailand. The results show that the prediction accuracy of our new data-driven model is greatly improved in data-limited watersheds. Specifically, the CV extracted spatial information can improve the robustness of the data-driven hydrological model, and the CA can greatly improve high flow simulations. The combined model yields a satisfactory accuracy for long-term daily streamflow simulations. This study demonstrates the potential of ML-based hydrological models in water resource management, especially in changing environments.

To take advantage of Ag NPs‒enhanced membrane properties, how to slow the release of silver ions from membrane surface is the key. In this study, to enhance silver stability, half encapsulated Ag NPs by a loosely polyimide (PI) were covalently grafted onto ceramic membrane (CM) via in-situ reduction during thermal imidization. Various techniques were used to characterize the micro‒structure, pore size distribution, surface tension, and Zeta potential of the polyimide‒silver nanoparticle‒ceramic composite membrane (PI–Ag/CM). The antibacterial activity was assessed with fluorescent imaging method. The stability of silver was evaluated by static immersion and dynamic filtration tests. The anti‒biofouling performance was evaluated using bovine serum albumin (BSA) and E. coli as the model foulants, respectively. The results showed that the Ag NPs with the size of 50–80 nm were uniformly embedded on the surface of the grafted PI, which endowed the PI‒Ag/CM with improved silver stability, antibacterial activity, and anti‒biofouling performance simultaneously. This study demonstrated a new pathway for the modification of CM‒based and other inorganic membranes with lasting anti‒biofouling performance in water treatment.

To prepare an anode with high catalytic activity, long service life and suitability for electrochemical oxidation of industrial wastewater, a noble Al-doped SnO2-Sb electrode on a porous titanium substrate was prepared via an improved sol-gel process. The Al concentration in the sol for the doped metallic oxide on the electrode was investigated. The surface morphologies of the electrodes were characterized via SEM, EDS, XRD and XPS. The electrochemical properties and stabilities of the anodes were investigated by CV, LSV, EIS and accelerated life tests. The surface of the SnO2-Sb-Al anode was uniform and compact when the amount of doped Al was 2.0 at.%, and it possessed the smallest particle size with a long service life. Moreover, the SnO2-Sb-Al-2 anode had the highest oxygen evolution potential (1.57 V). The mineralization degree of phenol reached 69.2% after 2 h when the effective area of the SnO2-Sb-Al-2 anode was 8 cm2 and the applied current density was 10 mA/cm2. Thus, the electrode is suitable for printing, dyeing, and electroplating, while also having potential applications in the pharmaceutical industry and in wastewater cleanup of other refractory biodegradables.

Following the recommended use of the inactivated poliovirus vaccine from Sabin strains (sIPV) by the WHO, a D antigen-specific neutralizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) 1G10 that recognized the human poliovirus type 1 Sabin strain (PV-I Sabin) was produced for D-antigen potency evaluation on sIPV. Study of the mAb 1G10 showed that it recognized a discontinuous conformational epitope of PV-I Sabin antigen. To identify this epitope quickly, easily and cost-effectively, clues to the epitope's identity were first obtained by employing a novel mimotope strategy based on a phage display library and "in silico" prediction. Then, the conformation of the epitope region, including the amino acid sequence, neutralizing sites, and location of this epitope, was identified using several classic epitope-mapping methods such as synthesized peptides analysis, neutralization assay and site-directed mutagenesis. The mimotope strategy may offer some guidance for achieving epitope identification in a more feasible and effective way. This mAb could be used in an in-house or national and international standard IPV D-antigen potency ELISA kit in the future.

This article elaborates electromagnetic compatibility of medical electrical equipment and the regulatory tests based on related standards. And elaborating the diversity and the necessity of rectification by specific cases and deeply discussing and summing up for improving the compatibility of medical electrical equipment.

Objective: The Wnt/β-catenin signaling is an ancient and evolutionarily conserved pathway that regulates essential aspects of cell differentiation, proliferation, migration and polarity, and canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling has also been implicated in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Macrophage is one of the major cell types involved in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis, but the role of macrophage β-catenin in atherosclerosis remains elusive. This study aims to investigate the impact of β-catenin expression on macrophage functions and atherosclerosis development. Approaches and Results: To investigate the role of macrophage canonical Wnt/β-catenin signaling in atherogenesis, we generated low-density lipoprotein receptor-deficient (LDLR -/- ) mice with myeloid-specific β-catenin deficiency. As expected, deletion of β-catenin decreased macrophage adhesion and migration properties in vitro. However, deficiency of β-catenin significantly increased atherosclerosis in LDLR -/- mice without altering the plasma lipid levels. Mechanistic studies revealed that β-catenin can regulate activation of signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT) pathway in macrophages, and ablation of β-catenin resulted in STAT3 downregulation and STAT1 activation, leading to elevated macrophage inflammatory responses and increased atherosclerosis. Conclusions: This study demonstrates a critical role of myeloid β-catenin expression in atherosclerosis by modulating macrophage inflammatory responses.

Dissimilar metal sheets of Ni47Ti44Nb9 (at.%, short for NiTiNb) shape memory alloy and Ti6Al4V (TC4) alloy with the same thickness of 0.2 mm are joined by using micro laser welding technology. The microstructure and crack in the weld are studied by optical microscope (OM) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that the cracks are easy to generate during the laser lap welding of NiTiNb alloy and TC4 alloy due to plenty of brittle intermetallic compound of Ti2Ni. However, the welding cracks can significantly reduce or disappear by adding filler metal of Ni foil. No-defect joint is obtained when NiTiNb alloy is located on the upper and 50 μm thick Ni foil is added during the lap welding process. The crack sensitivity can be decreased because of finer grains and elliptic boundaries. The shear load of the joint can reach 162 N.

The responses of soil carbon (C) mineralization priming effects induced by biochar to nitrogen (N) and the mechanisms in relation to soil microbial community and C availability were examined. A sandy loam soil (under a long-term C3 crop rotation) amended with biochar derived from maize straw (C4 crop) with or without additional N was incubated for 30 days. Primed native soil-derived carbon dioxide emission by biochar was −64.4 and −95.9 mg C kg −1 in soils without and with N, respectively; and additional N showed no influence on priming effects (−66.9% and −72.0%) during the whole incubation. Whereas, N increased ( p n = 6) the magnitude of priming effects from −68.3% to −83.5% at the early incubation stage (days 0–11) while N decreased ( p n = 6) that from −64.9% to −38.8% at the late incubation stage (days 11–30). Nitrogen increased microbial biomass ( p > 0.05, n = 6) and the proportion of gram-positive (G + ) bacteria ( p n = 6) while N decreased the ratios of gram-negative to G + bacteria ( p > 0.05, n = 6) and aerobic to anaerobic microbes ( p n = 6) as estimated by phospholipids fatty acids at the beginning of the incubation. The opposite impact, however, occurred on day 11 in biochar-amended soils. On the other hand, N had no influence on native-soil derived dissolved organic carbon throughout the incubation in biochar-amended soils. Therefore, the results indicated that N could affect biochar induced C mineralization priming effects through the change of microbial community, especially the increase of G + bacteria in the soil tested.

In this work, we have synthesized four 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium carboxylate ionic liquids (ILs): 1-butyl-3-methylimidazolium glycolate ([C4mim][HOCH2COO]), lactate ([C4mim][CH3CHOHCOO]), benzoate ([C4mim][C6H5COO]), and glycinate ([C4mim][H2NCH2COO]). The transport properties such as viscosities and conductivities have been experimentally determined for these ILs at (303.15 to 343.15) K. From these data, the influences of substituent group in carboxylate anion and system temperature on viscosities and conductivities of the ILs have been examined. In addition, Walden plots have been plotted to investigate ionicity of the ILs, and the viscosity and conductivity data have been correlated by Vogel–Fulcher–Tammann (VFT) and Arrhenius equations.

Excessive nitrate (NO3 −) accumulation in greenhouse vegetable soils often results in nitrogen (N) loss through leaching or gaseous emission as a result of denitrification. Dissimilatory NO3 − reduction to ammonium (NH4 +) (DNRA) as affected by organic amendments in a greenhouse vegetable soil was studied. Soil incubations were carried out following the amendment of rice straw (RS), Chinese milk vetch (CMV), and a control (CK) without organic amendment using two 15 N isotope methods in the laboratory. Gross DNRA rates were 15.2–26.2 and 0.21–1.06 mg N kg−1 day−1 when estimated by the recovery of 15NO3 − in NH4 + and organic N (ON) pools (M1) and by mean residence time (MRT) of NH4 + (M2), respectively. Microbial NO3 − assimilation might occur due to high NO3 − content in the tested soil (1.27 g N kg−1), and thus, M1 probably overestimated gross DNRA rates. Gross DNRA rates estimated by M2 were higher in RS and CMV treatments than those in CK and were significantly (p

As a class of green and designable solvents, ionic liquids (ILs) have been used extensively in inorganic synthesis. In those schemes, ILs were usually used as reaction media to replace water and organic solvents, and/or used as stabilizer and capping agents to act like an amphiphilic molecule or polymer. However, the unique properties of ILs were not fully utilized in the area of material preparation. In this study, a new protocol of "ILs-water interfacial synthesis" was developed and used for the preparation of Ag nanomaterials. Taking the advantage of tunable property of ILs-water interface, Ag nanomaterials with different morphology such as triangular nanoplates, polygonal nanoplates, and nanoparticles could be facilely obtained. Growth mechanism of the triangular Ag nanoplates has been investigated from structural characterization and molecular dynamics (MD) simulation. It was shown that growth of the nanoplates was under kinetic control mainly due to high viscosity and ionicity of the ILs. Furthermore, the antimicrobial performance of these Ag samples was tested to study the influence of shape of the Ag nanomaterials on the antimicrobial activity and the related antimicrobial mechanism. The results suggested that the efficient antimicrobial activity of the triangular Ag nanoplates was ascribed to their sharp corners and edges and large areas of active (111) crystal plane, which leads to the higher amount of leaching Ag(+) ion.

In this research, we introduce a one-pot sonochemical method for the fabrication of magnetite@reduced graphene oxide (Fe3O4@rGO) nanocomposite as anode material for Li-ion batteries. Fe3O4@rGO is synthesized under ultrasonic irradiations by using iron (II) salt and GO as raw materials. An in-situ oxidation-reduction occurs between GO and Fe2+ during the ultrasonic chemical reaction process. Fe3O4 particles with the size of ∼20 nm are uniformly deposited on the surface of rGO nanosheets. The electrochemical activity of Fe3O4@rGO is systematically evaluated as an anode material in Li-ion battery. Li-ion cells using Fe3O4@rGO as electrode deliver high discharge and charge capacities of 1433.6 and 907.8 mAh g−1 in the initial cycle at 200 mA g−1. Even performed at 500 and 5000 mA g−1, it is able to deliver reversible capacities of 846.4 and 355.6 mAh g−1, respectively, demonstrating outstanding Li-ion storage performance. This research presents a straightforward and efficient method for the fabrication of Fe3O4@rGO, which holds great potential in synthesis of other metal oxides on graphene sheets.