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Insurance fraud erodes the profits of insurance companies and damages the rights and interests of honest policyholders, and thus is a severe unethical behavior. A handful of literature suggest to d...

Supervisors often behave in demanding ways toward their subordinates, who do not necessarily regard this demanding supervision as hostile. However, this phenomenon has not as yet been formally exam...

The early stages of diabetic foot represent a critical treatment period, but patients show no obvious symptoms. Upon the development into foot ulcers, a risk of amputation exists for which treatment costs are high. In this study, considering the plantar pressure as an important physiological parameter of the foot, we proposed methods to assist the diagnosis of early diabetic foot. Plantar pressure images of early diabetic foot patients were collected and de-noised. An improved automatic regional division algorithm of plantar pressure images was proposed. Laplacian spectrum features were extracted according to the maximum pressure point, pressure center point, and pressure values of the different plantar regions, including plantar shape and tactile features. Finally, based on these data, a support vector classifier was designed and sequential minimal optimization algorithms were used to train the classifier on the plantar pressure data of the left and right foot in 70 subjects to identify early diabetic foot. The results showed that the average recognition rates of the algorithm were high, providing an important reference for the diagnosis of early diabetic foot.

TiNi thin films have attracted wide attentions as actuator materials in the micro-electro-mechanical systems (MEMs) for aerospace craft. However, multiple irradiation, such as the proton, was generally considered as an essential expired factor for the materials used in the aerospace. The present paper focused on the microstructure, martensitic transformation and shape recovery property of TiNi thin films after being irradiated by proton. A single layer structure B19′ phase to a dual-phase (B2 and B19′) with multilayer structure after proton irradiation have been revealed through a combination technique of grazing incidence (GI) XRD and TEM. As-formed irradiated films with amorphous layer and B2 austenite phase displayed a two-step martensitic transformation behavior, which occurred in the irradiated and the unirradiated layer. In contrast, the unirradiated counterparts just exhibited a single-step martensitic transformation. In addition, some defects could be seen after the TiNi films being irradiated. Such defects could induce a stress field that produces the R phase in the B2 phase. Furthermore, the synergistic effect of preferential sputtering effect and inverse Kirkendall effect induced the GP zones in the irradiated layer after 120 keV proton irradiation. The existence of amorphous phase and precipitation significantly deteriorated the shape recovery property.

The presence of Eschericia coli O157:H7 in the natural environment is a serious threat to human health. The native microbial community in soil plays an important role in resisting E. coli O157:H7 invasion. This study examined the responses of soil microbial community to E. coli O157:H7 invasion during a 32-day incubation. The E. coli O157:H7 persisted longer in γ-irradiated soil than non-irradiated soil while glucose addition decreased its persistence in the irradiated soil which was associated with an increasing recovery of the native community. The invasion of E. coli O157:H7 increased soil organic carbon mineralization, an indicator of microbial activity, in both non-irradiated and irradiated soils, while glucose addition significantly promoted the carbon mineralization process. The 16S rRNA sequencing data showed the gradual recovery of the native bacterial population including specific taxa such as proteobacteria and actinobacteria following irradiation. It is concluded that soil microbial function and structure can affect persistence of E. coli O157:H7 and that lower biodiversity of the native community favors its persistence.

Rhodococcus sp. WB9, a strain isolated from polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons contaminated soil, degraded phenanthrene (PHE, 100 mg L−1) completely within 4 days. 18 metabolites were identified during PHE degradation, including 5 different hydroxyphenanthrene compounds resulted from multiple routes of initial monooxygenase attack. Initial dioxygenation dominantly occurred on 3,4-C positions, followed by meta-cleavage to form 1-hydroxy-2-naphthoic acid (1H2N). More than 95.2% of 1H2N was transported to and kept in extracellular solution without further degradation. However, intracellular 1H2N was converted to 1,2-naphthalenediol that was branched to produce salicylate and phthalate. Furthermore, 131 genes in strain WB9 genome were related to aromatic hydrocarbons catabolism, including the gene coding for salicylate 1-monooxygenase that catalyzed the oxidation of 1H2N to 1,2-naphthalenediol, and complete gene sets for the transformation of salicylate and phthalate toward tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Metabolic and genomic analyses reveal that strain WB9 has the ability to metabolize intracellular 1H2N to TCA cycle intermediates, but the extracellular 1H2N can’t enter the cells, restricting 1H2N bioavailability and PHE mineralization.

Ophiocordyceps sinensis, a well-known Chinese complementary herb, is a rare and valuable therapeutic resource. Cordyceps militaris (C. militaris) is a commonly used substitute for O. sinensis. A metabolomic-based approach for exploring the similarities and differences in the metabolites of O. sinensis and C. militaris in water-boiled and 50% ethanol-soaked extracts is of great significance. To distinguish between the global metabolite profiles of O. sinensis and C. militaris extracts obtained from either the water-boiled or 50% ethanol-soaked methods, we investigated the herb samples using 1HNMR-based metabolic fingerprints combined with multivariate statistical analysis. This study revealed that a total of 52 primary metabolites were identified and quantified from O. sinensis and C. militaris samples. Forty-three (83% of 52) metabolites were detectable in both O. sinensis and C. militaris. According to the variable importance in projection (VIP) value and p-value from the Mann-Whitney test, 7 metabolites (alanine, aspartate, glutamate, mannitol, ornithine, serine, and trehalose) differed between O. sinensis and C. militaris. Arginine, glucose, putrescine, pyroglutamate, betaine, O-phosphocholine, and xylose differed significantly between the water-boiled and 50% ethanol-soaked methods used to prepare the herb extracts. This study demonstrated that water-boiled extraction was a much faster method (30 min. vs 360 days) that resulted in a 30% higher number of extracted metabolites (compared to 50% for the ethanol-soaked method) for both O. sinensis and C. militaris.

Organochlorines are critical soil contaminants and the use of biochar has recently shown potential to improve soil remediation. However, little is known about biochar-microbe interactions nor the impact on environmental processes such as the immobilization and biodegradation of organochlorine compounds. In this study, we performed microcosm experiments to elucidate how biochar affected the biodegradation and sequestration of pentachlorophenol (PCP). Our results showed that the amendment of biochar markedly inhibited PCP biodegradation due to a strong sorption affinity for PCP under both aerobic and anaerobic conditions. Notably, the inhibitory effect was relatively weaker under anaerobic conditions than under aerobic conditions. The addition of biochar can dramatically shift the bacterial community diversity in the PCP-spiked soils. Under aerobic conditions, biochar significantly stimulated the growth of PCP-degrading bacteria Bacillus and Sphingomonas, but reduced the opportunities for microbes to contact with PCP directly. Under anaerobic conditions, the non-strict organohalide-respiring bacteria Desulfovibrio, Anaeromyxobacter, Geobacter and Desulfomonile were the main drivers of PCP transformation. Our results imply that the use of biochar as a soil remediation strategy for organochlorine compounds should be cautious.

Mycobacterium sp. WY10 was a highly effective PAHs-degrading bacterium that can degrade phenanthrene (PHE, 100 mg L−1) completely within 60 h and 83% of pyrene (PYR, 50 mg L-1) in 72 h. In this study, ten and eleven metabolites, respectively, were identified in PHE and PYR degradation cultures, and a detailed PHE and PYR metabolism maps were constructed based on the metabolic results. The strain WY10 degraded PHE and PYR with initial dioxygenation mainly on 3,4- and 4,5-carbon positions, respectively. Thereafter, PYR degradation entered the PHE degradation pathway via the ortho-cleavage. It was observed that the “lower pathway” of PHE and PYR degradations were different. Based on the kinetics of residual metabolites, PHE was degraded in a dominant phthalate pathway and a minor salicylate pathway. However, both phthalate and salicylate pathways played important roles on PYR degradation. The WY10 genome revealed there were fifty-three genes related to PAHs degradations, including a complete gene set for PHE and PYR degradation via the phthalate pathway. The candidate gene/ORF, BOH72_19755, encoding salicylate synthase might contribute in the salicylate pathway.

Background. The intestinal microbiota plays essential functions that affect piglet health at the weaning stage. However, our understanding of the succession of bacterial intestinal communities during weaning and Nursery Periods of pig is limited. Methods. To better understand this, we performed 16S rDNA gene sequencing of the contents of four distinct intestinal segments [duodenum (D), jejunum (J), ileum (I), and cecum (C)] in six Chinese Shanxi Black pigs at day 25 (B25 group; i.e., weaning) and day 70 (B70 group; i.e., nursery). Results. We found that the dominant phyla are Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, and Firmicutes. In addition, the dominant genera were Acinetobacter, Prevotella, Streptococcus, and SMB53 (Clostridiaceae). The microbiota in the B25 group across segments were significantly different from that in the corresponding segments in the B70 group. In addition, the distinct segments in the B70 group presented a continuum consisting of compartmentalized architecture whereas the distinct segments in B25 group were relatively similar. The predicted molecular function analysis revealed higher enrichments in associated metabolisms as well as stress-induced functions in the B25 group. Conclusions. This study provides insights into the succession of intestinal microbiota in Chinese Shanxi Black pigs before and after weaning, and provides reference for improving the intestinal development of piglets.

Steroid hormones play essential roles for living organisms. It has been long and well established that the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria are essential sites for steroid hormone biosynthesis because several steroidogenic enzymes are located in these organelles. The adrenal gland lipid droplet (LD) proteomes from human, macaque monkey, and rodent are analyzed, revealing that steroidogenic enzymes are also present in abundance on LDs. The enzymes found include 3β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase (HSD3B) and estradiol 17β-dehydrogenase 11 (HSD17B11). Analyses by Western blot and subcellular localization consistently demonstrate that HSD3B2 is localized on LDs. Furthermore, in vitro experiments confirm that the isolated LDs from HeLa cell stably expressing HSD3B2 or from rat adrenal glands have the capacity to convert pregnenolone to progesterone. Collectively, these data suggest that LDs may be important sites of steroid hormone metabolism. These findings may bring novel insights into the biosynthesis and metabolism of steroid hormones and the development of treatments for adrenal disorders.

In this paper, we propose a new deep convolutional neural network for content-based music recommendation, and call it MusicCNNs. To learn effective representations of the music segments, we have collected a data set including 600,000+ songs, where each song has been split into about 20 music segments. Furthermore, the music segments are converted to “images” using the Fourier transformation, so that they can be easily fed into MusicCNNs. On this collected data set, we compared MusicCNNs with other existing methods for content-based music recommendation. Experimental results show that MusicCNNs can generally deliver more accurate recommendations than the compared methods. Therefore, along with the collected data set, MusicCNNs can be considered as a new benchmark for content-based music recommendation.

Deep learning models obtain exponential ascension in the field of image classification in recent years, and have become the most active research branch in AI research. The success of deep learning prompts us to make greater achievements in image classification. How to obtain effective feature representation becomes particularly important. In this paper, we combine the wavelet transformation and the idea of deep learning to build a new deep learning model, called Deep Gabor Scattering Network (DGSN). Concretely, in DGSN, we use the Gabor wavelet transformation to extract the invariant information of the images, partial least square regression (PLSR) for feature selection, and support vector machine (SVM) for classification. A key benefit of DGSN is that Gabor wavelet transformation can extract rich invariant features from the images. We show that DGSN is computationally simpler and delivers higher classification accuracy than related methods.

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are typical persistent organic pollutants (POPs) that mostly generated from the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels, waste incineration, forest and prairie fires, and industrial processes (Bamforth and Singleton 2005; Zeng et al. 2010). They are widespread distributed in environments, such as soil, air, water, sediment, etc. (Johnson et al. 2005). Because of their potential bioaccumulation and high toxicity, great attention has been paid to study the behavior of PAHs in soil and to develop effective practices to remediate PAHs-contaminated soil in the past decades. In this chapter, some work about the toxicity (Ma et al. 2010a), adsorption (Li et al. 2013; Zeng et al. 2014; He et al. 2015a; Ma et al. 2011, 2016), and dissipation of PAHs (Ma et al. 2010b, c; He et al. 2015b) in soil conducted in our group these years is reviewed.

Microbial ecological studies have been remarkably promoted by the high-throughput sequencing approach with explosive information of taxonomy and relative abundance. However, relative abundance does not reflect the quantity of the microbial community and the inter-sample differences among taxa. In this study, we refined and applied an integrated high-throughput absolute abundance quantification (iHAAQ) method to better characterize soil quantitative bacterial community through combining the relative abundance (by high-throughput sequencing) and total bacterial quantities (by quantitative PCR). The proposed iHAAQ method was validated by an internal reference strain EDL933 and a laboratory strain WG5. Application of the iHAAQ method to a soil phenanthrene biodegradation study showed that for some bacterial taxa, the changes of relative and absolute abundances were coincident, while for others the changes were opposite. With the addition of a microbial activity inhibitor (NaN3), the absolute abundances of soil bacterial taxa, including several dominant genera of Bacillus, Flavobacterium, and Paenibacillus, decreased significantly, but their relative abundances increased after 28 days of incubation. We conclude that the iHAAQ method can offer more comprehensive information to reflect the dynamics of soil bacterial community with both relative and absolute abundances than the relative abundance from high-throughput sequencing alone.

An analytical procedure for determination of water- and methanol-extractable pentachlorophenol (PCP) in soils was developed using vortex-assisted liquid-liquid extraction (VALLE) and gas chromatography (GC). Significant extraction parameters such as vortex speed and liquid-liquid volume ratio were optimized for extracting PCP from solution. The recovery of PCP was the highest (97.4%) with good reproducibility and a small relative standard deviation (RSD, 0.5%) when the vortex speed was at 2000 rpm. Meanwhile, when the volume ratio of derivatization solution to n-hexane was at 10:4, the recovery of PCP was 103% with a RSD of 0.7%. The linearity of the calibration curve for PCP determination ranged from 1.25 μg L−1 to 4000 μg L−1, with a correlation coefficient (R2) of 0.9999. The detection limit of PCP in water samples was below 0.2 μg L−1 and the measuring range was relatively wide, and suitable for trace- and micro-analysis of PCP. Compared with traditional extraction methods (liquid-liquid and solid-phase), VALLE consumes less extractant, requires fewer steps, and achieves higher recovery (96.8%) and smaller RSD (3.7%). The reliability of VALLE was verified in four distinct types (paddy, red, black and alluvial) of soil samples spiked with 1 and 10 mg kg−1 PCP. The total recoveries of PCP in the soil samples were in the range of 89.5%–98.9% by water extraction and 88.7%–98.4% by 3 consecutive extractions with methanol in a sequential procedure. The results indicated that VALLE-GC satisfied the requirements for extracting and determining water- and methanol-extractable PCP in soils polluted by PCP at varying levels.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) are in limited numbers and heterogeneous, making their detection, isolation, and enumeration a major challenge. To overcome these difficulties, we developed a novel method to detect and enumerate CTCs with invasive property. Our assay consists of three simple steps: enrichment, Matrigel invasion assay, and immunostaining. We have validated this method using mouse xenograft tumor models and confirmed its utility in human cancer patients. Our method does not require special equipment and antigen expression for CTC selection, is less likely to be affected by the heterogeneity of the CTCs, and could be applicable to virtually all cancers. Most important, our method enumerates invasive CTCs, which may allow more accurate correlations with clinical outcome and treatment response compared with other CTC detection methods.

Mutations in the KRAS gene are very common in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but effective therapies targeting KRAS have yet to be developed. Interest in tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), a potent inducer of cell death, has increased following the observation that TRAIL can selectively kill a wide variety of human cancer cells without killing normal cells both in vitro and in xenograft models. However, results from clinical trials of TRAIL-based therapy are disappointingly modest at best and many have demonstrated a lack of therapeutic benefit. Current research has focused on selecting a subpopulation of cancer patients who may benefit from TRAIL-based therapy and identifying best drugs to work with TRAIL. In the current study, we found that NSCLC cells with a KRAS mutation were highly sensitive to treatment with TRAIL and 5-fluorouracil (5FU). Compared with other chemotherapeutic agents, 5FU displayed the highest synergy with TRAIL in inducing apoptosis in mutant KRAS NSCLC cells. We also found that, on a mechanistic level, 5FU preferentially repressed survivin expression and induced expression of TRAIL death receptor 5 to sensitize NSCLC cells to TRAIL. The combination of low-dose 5FU and TRAIL strongly inhibited xenograft tumor growth in mice. Our results suggest that the combination of TRAIL and 5FU may be beneficial for patients with mutant KRAS NSCLC.

The natural (S0) and chemically modified Phanerochaete chrysosporium including the methylation of amino groups (S1), acetylation of hydroxyl groups (S2), lipid removal (S3), esterification of carboxyl groups (S4), and base hydrolysis (S5) were characterized, and their sorption for phenanthrene (PHE) was investigated. The sorption isotherm of PHE on natural biomasses was apparently linear, while it was nonlinear for the modified ones. The partition coefficient (K d ) describing the sorption affinity of PHE by biomasses followed the order of S0 (9.24 L g−1) > S5 (8.94 L g−1) > S1 (7.13 L g−1) > S2 (6.97 L g−1) > S3 (6.38 L g−1) > S4 (3.51 L g−1) and decreased as temperature increased. The PHE adsorption fitted well to the pseudo-second-order kinetic model, and the sorption capacity was in the order of S5 (2041.5 μg g−1) > S0 (1768.8 μg g−1) > S2 (1570.9 μg g−1) > S1 (1552.9 μg g−1) > S3 (1346.4 μg g−1) > S4 (991.0 μg g−1). Moreover, the π–π and electron donor–acceptor interactions may govern PHE sorption which processed spontaneously and exothermally. The natural and modified biomasses, especially the base hydrolysis treated ones, were economical and effective biosorbents for PHE removal.

A set of conjugated polymers based on poly(triphenylamine-phenothiazine) with carboxylic acid side groups have been synthesized and utilized as sensitizers for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs). The polymers feature a conjugated side-chain consisting of a thiophene unit (PPAT4), alternating with either 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT, PPAT5) or EDOT–thiophene (PPAT6) as the π-bridge. This methodology constitutes a consolidated step to adjust the molecular HOMO and LUMO energy levels of dyes, hence red-shifting and broadening the absorption spectra of a conjugated polymer. Compared with the model compound (PAT), the polymers exhibit a higher molar extinction coefficient throughout the visible region, and a better photovoltaic performance in DSSCs with I−/I3− electrolyte. Interestingly, depending on the Suzuki coupling reaction, we obtain a fairly high degree of polymerization (DP values are 58, 46, and 38 for PPAT4, PPAT5 and PPAT6, respectively) based on the three polymers. More encouraging is that when using the high DP polymers as sensitizers, photoelectrochemical tests based on the DSSC format demonstrate a power conversion efficiency of 4.7%, 3.7% and 4.1% for PPAT4, PPAT5 and PPAT6, respectively, under the illumination of AM1.5G and 100 mW cm−2. This presented a considerably high photo-to-electric conversion efficiency in polymer dye-sensitized solar cells, outperforming all polymer dye-sensitized solar cells previously reported.

Cyclin C was cloned as a growth-promoting G1 cyclin, and was also shown to regulate gene transcription. Here we report that in vivo cyclin C acts as a haploinsufficient tumour suppressor, by controlling Notch1 oncogene levels. Cyclin C activates an 'orphan' CDK19 kinase, as well as CDK8 and CDK3. These cyclin-C-CDK complexes phosphorylate the Notch1 intracellular domain (ICN1) and promote ICN1 degradation. Genetic ablation of cyclin C blocks ICN1 phosphorylation in vivo, thereby elevating ICN1 levels in cyclin-C-knockout mice. Cyclin C ablation or heterozygosity collaborates with other oncogenic lesions and accelerates development of T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (T-ALL). Furthermore, the cyclin C encoding gene CCNC is heterozygously deleted in a significant fraction of human T-ALLs, and these tumours express reduced cyclin C levels. We also describe point mutations in human T-ALL that render cyclin-C-CDK unable to phosphorylate ICN1. Hence, tumour cells may develop different strategies to evade inhibition by cyclin C.

Treatments that target immune checkpoints, such as the one mediated by programmed cell death protein 1 (PD-1) and its ligand PD-L1, have been approved for treating human cancers with durable clinical benefit. However, many patients with cancer fail to respond to compounds that target the PD-1 and PD-L1 interaction, and the underlying mechanism(s) is not well understood. Recent studies revealed that response to PD-1-PD-L1 blockade might correlate with PD-L1 expression levels in tumour cells. Hence, it is important to understand the mechanistic pathways that control PD-L1 protein expression and stability, which can offer a molecular basis to improve the clinical response rate and efficacy of PD-1-PD-L1 blockade in patients with cancer. Here we show that PD-L1 protein abundance is regulated by cyclin D-CDK4 and the cullin 3-SPOP E3 ligase via proteasome-mediated degradation. Inhibition of CDK4 and CDK6 (hereafter CDK4/6) in vivo increases PD-L1 protein levels by impeding cyclin D-CDK4-mediated phosphorylation of speckle-type POZ protein (SPOP) and thereby promoting SPOP degradation by the anaphase-promoting complex activator FZR1. Loss-of-function mutations in SPOP compromise ubiquitination-mediated PD-L1 degradation, leading to increased PD-L1 levels and reduced numbers of tumour-infiltrating lymphocytes in mouse tumours and in primary human prostate cancer specimens. Notably, combining CDK4/6 inhibitor treatment with anti-PD-1 immunotherapy enhances tumour regression and markedly improves overall survival rates in mouse tumour models. Our study uncovers a novel molecular mechanism for regulating PD-L1 protein stability by a cell cycle kinase and reveals the potential for using combination treatment with CDK4/6 inhibitors and PD-1-PD-L1 immune checkpoint blockade to enhance therapeutic efficacy for human cancers.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) disseminate from solid primary cancers into the peripheral blood and lymphatic vessels and can lead to metastatic tumor development; thus, CTC assays are an important clinical tool for monitoring progression and evaluating prognosis in cancer. However, CTCs are limited in number and heterogeneous in their biological and physical properties, making their detection, isolation, and enumeration a major challenge. To overcome these difficulties, novel techniques have been developed to detect and enumerate CTCs with an invasive phenotype. In this chapter, we will summarize these recently developed methods and detail two novel methods for capturing and enriching CTCs on the basis of their viability and their invasive properties.

Psoriasis is a common chronic inflammatory skin disease which is characterized by hyperproliferation and aberrant differentiation of keratinocytes; however the exact pathogenesis is largely unknown. Interleukin-22 (IL-22) has demonstrated its vital role in T cell-mediated immune response by interacting with keratinocytes in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. The microRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of small non-coding RNA molecules that play important roles in cellular processes by regulating gene expression at the post-transcriptional level. MiR-330 has been reported to inhibit the proliferation and migration of mouse keratinocytes. In the present study, we indicated that miR-330 expression in lesion tissue of psoriasis patients was specifically down-regulated, and could inhibit IL-22-induced proliferation of HaCaT and HKC cell. Wnt/β-catenin pathway plays an essential role in the pathogenesis of psoriasis. By direct targeting CTNNB1, miR-330 could significantly downregulate IL-22-induced CTNNB1 expression. In addition, we found that the downstream targets of β-catenin, CyclinD1 and Axin2, could be affected by miR-330; miR-330 could suppress CyclinD1 protein expression and rescue Axin2 protein expression. Taken together, we indicated miR-330 inhibits IL-22-induced proliferation of HaCaT and HKC cell by targeting CTNNB1 and subsequently affect the downstream factors, CyclinD1 and Axin2 for the first time, and provide diagnostic markers and a novel target for psoriasis treatment.

Pollutant-degrading bacteria migrated by fungi may enhance the contacts between microorganisms and pollutants and improve the bioremediation efficiency of persistent organic pollutants in soil. Here, the migration of phenanthrene (PHE)-degrading bacteria Massilia sp. WF1 and Mycobacterium sp. WY10 by the hydrophobic fungi Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium) and its effects on the PHE biodegradation in soil were investigated. Migration of the hydrophilic bacterium WF1 was better than that of the hydrophobic bacterium WY10 by P. chrysosporium mycelia since strain WF1 possesses flagellum and the type III secretion system. The interaction energy change of P. chrysosporium-WF1 was lower, but the interaction forces (van der Waals attractions, capillary forces, and cross-linking effects) were stronger than those of P. chrysosporium-WY10. Thus, the adhesive attraction between strain WF1 and P. chrysosporium was stronger, and consequently, strain WF1 was migrated by P. chrysosporium to a greater extent than WY10. The corresponding migration mechanism was inferred to be a bacterial ‘passive’ method: bacteria adhered to mycelia before they migrated with the growing mycelia. Moreover, migrated strain WF1 via P. chrysosporium showed effective PHE biodegradation in soil. Fungus-mediated migration of pollutant-degrading bacteria may play an important role in the bioremediation of pollutants in soil.

More than ten percent of people suffer from at least one episode of depression and related mental disorders in a lifetime, and depression and related mental disorders are one of the world’s greatest public health problems. A multiple system theory holds that dysregulation of the multiple systems underlies the pathogenesis of depression and related mental disorders, and new therapies based on the multiple system dysregulation theory are urgently needed. In this study, the antidepressant effect of decoction from herbCistanche deserticolaY.C.Ma andCistanche tubulosawas examined. HerbCistanchedecoction reduced the immobility period significantly in the mouse tail suspension test. Mice treated with herb decoction showed an improved ability of spatial learning and memory in the Morris water maze test. Groups treated herb decoction displayed a downregulated monoamine oxidase (MAO) activity; the dopamine (DA) concentration in the brain was upregulated, indicating herbCistanchedecoction improved the nerve excitability; the serum concentration of corticosterone (CORT) was downregulated, showing that mice benefited from a reduced stress level. Hence, the antidepressant efficacy and mechanism of traditional Chinese herbCistanchewere explored in this study. HerbCistancheshowed a potential to be developed as a complementary and alternative therapy for depression.

Circulating tumor cells (CTCs) disseminate from solid primary cancers into the peripheral blood and lymphatic vessels and can lead to metastatic tumor development; thus, CTC assays are an important clinical tool for monitoring progression and evaluating prognosis in cancer. However, CTCs are limited in number and heterogeneous in their biological and physical properties, making their detection, isolation, and enumeration a major challenge. To overcome these difficulties, novel techniques have been developed to detect and enumerate CTCs with an invasive phenotype. In this chapter, we will summarize these recently developed methods and detail two novel methods for capturing and enriching CTCs on the basis of their viability and their invasive properties.

Biochars produced from swine manure (SM), fruit peels (FP), Phragmites australis (PA) and Brassica rapa (BR) were applied at different rates to a sandy loam soil at 70% moisture. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) measurements showed that feedstock type, biochar type and application rate significantly affected the soil microbial communities. PLFAs derived from bacteria, fungi, actinomycetes, G + ve and G − ve bacteria and sulfate reducers were higher with FP biochar at 3% and 1% weight: weight (wt:wt), respectively, followed by SM at 1% and PA biochar at 3%, than in the control soil. The control soil also contained higher concentrations of certain iso:anteiso PLFAs, which are indicative of environmental stress, than did biochar treated soils. Protozoa PLFAs only increased in PA 3% and BR 1% treatments. Redundancy analysis illustrated the relationships between microbial communities and chemical properties within biochar types and addition rates to soil. The analysis indicated that different biochars induced different chemical changes such as increased pH, dissolved organic carbon and total carbon and nitrogen in soil and changed the microbial community structure. These properties may be used as indicators of both soil improvement and C sequestration.

Understanding the adsorption processes of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in the soil–water system is important in order to protect public health from waterborne diseases. The aim of this study was to investigate the role of pH on E. coli O157:H7 adsorption on kaolinite and goethite. The adsorption of E. coli O157:H7 on kaolinite and goethite over a wide range of pH levels (3–10) was determined. Confocal microscopy, zeta potential, classic Derjaguin–Landau–Verwey–Overbeek (DLVO) theory, and Fourier transform infrared spectrometry were used to provide insights into the mechanisms that affect E. coli O157:H7 adsorption. E. coli O157:H7 adsorption was greater on the positively charged goethite than on the negatively charged kaolinite. The maximum adsorption of E. coli O157:H7 occurred on goethite at pH 3, and increasing pH resulted in decreased adsorption on kaolinite and goethite. Confocal microscopy images confirmed that higher affinities of E. coli O157:H7 occurred on kaolinite and goethite at low pH. Zeta potential, interaction energy, and Fourier transform infrared analysis indicated that electrostatic forces between the E. coli O157:H7 and goethite surfaces controlled the extent of E. coli O157:H7 adsorbed onto goethite surfaces at low pH, and hydrogen bonding and inner-sphere complexation play majors roles in E. coli O157:H7 adsorption to goethite at high pH levels. However, electrostatic force is not the main force for E. coli O157:H7 adsorption to kaolinite. Goethite displayed a larger adsorption capacity for E. coli O157:H7 than kaolinite. The adsorption of bacteria on kaolinite and goethite was pH dependent, and high percentages of E. coli O157:H7 adsorption to kaolinite and goethite occurred at low pH levels.

HTS coil is a key component for saturated iron core superconducting fault current limiter (SISFCL), which does not quench during all kinds of operation conditions of SISFCL. Voltages of the HTS coils have big differences among different operation conditions of SISFCL. During the normal operation, large dc current loaded on the HTS coils magnetize the iron core to saturated, and voltage on the HTS coils is very low. When a short-circuit fault occurs in the grid, dc current is cut off in milliseconds, resulting in high induced voltage on the HTS coils. After the fault is clear, a dc voltage is applied on the HTS coils for rapid magnetization of iron core. Design of electrical insulation for HTS coils is based on the above working conditions. In this paper, a dc breakdown test results of HTS tapes wrapped with Kapton as turn insulation, and the insulation structure, and the electrical test results of the HTS coils in 220 kV SISFCL are introduced in detail. Now, in-live operation of the 220 kV SISFCL also shows that the electric insulation of HTS coils is satisfied, reliable, and safe.

Superconducting fault current limiter (SFCL) is a kind of short-circuit current limiting device for power grid. It's a new application of superconducting technology on power equipments. Saturated Iron-core Superconducting fault current limiter (SISFCL) is one of many types of SFCL. It takes the advantage that no quenching occurs in superconducting wires during fault current limiting process. The immediately reacting and fast recovering are also its main characteristics. The structure and function of SISFCL is similar to that of traditional transformer and current limiting reactor respectively. Based on mature technologies on design and manufacture of iron core and windings of transformers, SISFCL could be made at the same voltage level as traditional transformers. But there are also significant differences between them. SISFCL will offer an effective solution to limit short-circuit current in future HV or EHV power systems because of its peculiar structures and properties. In this paper, we introduce the structure and characteristics of the SISFCL developed by Innopower. It may help readers to understand SISFCL and its enormous application value for power grids.

TRAIL (Apo2L) is a potent inducer of cell death. Interest in TRAIL has increased, following the observation that TRAIL can selectively kill a wide variety of human cancer cells without killing normal cells both in vitro and when grown as xenografts. Therefore, TRAIL has been proposed as a promising anticancer agent and currently is being tested in clinical trials. However, recombinant TRAIL has a very short plasma half-life, which limits its therapeutic potential. To overcome this limitation, we investigated the ability of the human IgG1 fragment crystallizable region (Fc) to enhance TRAIL stability. In this report, we show that Fc-TRAIL chimeric protein displays higher specific activity in vitro and a significantly longer half-life in mice than recombinant human TRAIL (rh-TRAIL). No short-term toxicity, especially liver toxicity, was observed. More importantly, Fc-TRAIL was much more effective in inhibiting tumor growth in a xenograft tumor model compared with rh-TRAIL. Our data suggest that fusion of Fc to TRAIL is able to improve the bioavailability and activity of TRAIL both in vitro and in vivo, and Fc-TRAIL may be explored for future clinical applications in cancer treatment and prevention. Mol Cancer Ther; 13(3); 643–50. ©2014 AACR.

The survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in soils can contaminate vegetables, fruits, drinking water, etc. However, data on the impact of E. coli O157:H7 on soil microbial communities are limited. In this study, we monitored the changes in the indigenous microbial community by using the phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) method to investigate the interaction of the soil microbial community with E. coli O157:H7 in soils. Simple correlation analysis showed that the survival of E. coli O157:H7 in the test soils was negatively correlated with the ratio of Gram-negative (G − ) to Gram-positive (G + ) bacterial PLFAs (G − /G + ratio). In particular, levels of 14 PLFAs were negatively correlated with the survival time of E. coli O157:H7. The contents of actinomycetous and fungal PLFAs in the test soils declined significantly ( P , E. coli O157:H7. The G − /G + ratio declined slightly, while the ratio of bacterial to fungal PLFAs (B/F ratio) and the ratio of normal saturated PLFAs to monounsaturated PLFAs (S/M ratio) increased, after E. coli O157:H7 inoculation. Principal component analysis results further indicated that invasion by E. coli O157:H7 had some effects on the soil microbial community. Our data revealed that the toxicity of E. coli O157:H7 presents not only in its pathogenicity but also in its effect on soil microecology. Hence, close attention should be paid to the survival of E. coli O157:H7 and its potential for contaminating soils.

In manufacturing of InSb focal plane detector, InSb chip have to be polished from backside to reduce its thickness and then be plated a layer of coating to decrease its reflection (enhance its transmittance) for infrared ray. Moreover, the anti-reflection coating has to be multilayer for more anti-reflection bandwidth. In this article, it is introduced that the optimal design of triple layer λ/4 anti-reflection coating——the anodic oxide, SiNx and MgF2. The best thickness range of each layer and its theoretical reflective index are calculated from simulation software, until the refractive index of each layer has been measured by ellipsometer. And then the transmissivity and reflectivity of the triple layer coating are measured for testing and verifying its performance on the transmittance and reflection. In the end, the anti-reflective effect of the triple layer coating and monolayer SiNx coating are respectively measured and compared by infrared focal plane array measurement system. And it is showed that this triple layer coating achieved more anti-reflection bandwidth and better anti reflective effect.

Two-dimensional (2D) hybrid organic-inorganic perovskites have recently attracted attention due to their layered nature, naturally formed quantum well structure, large exciton binding energy and especially better long-term environmental stability compared with their three-dimensional (3D) counterparts. In this report, we present a brief overview of the recent progress of the optoelectronic applications in 2D perovskites. The layer number dependent physical properties of 2D perovskites will first be introduced and then the different synthetic approaches to achieve 2D perovskites with different morphologies will be discussed. The optical, optoelectronic properties and self-trapped states in 2D perovskites will be described, which are indispensable for designing the new device structures with novel functionalities and improving the device performance. Subsequently, a brief summary of the advantages and the current research status of the 2D perovskite-based heterostructures will be illustrated. Finally, a perspective of 2D perovskite materials is given toward their material synthesis and novel device applications.

Solvothermally treating an as-prepared poly(vinylidenefluoride) (PVDF) colloidal suspension leads to a significant impact on the surface properties of the resulting topcoat on a pertinent prime coating. The coating, possessing a fibrous porous matrix, exhibits a water contact angle in the range of 115–136°. However, the coating possesses droplets sticking ability that can be attributed to the pseudo-hydrogen bonding effect of the polarized C–H bonds in each repeating unit of PVDF polymer chains. The hydrophobicity of the topcoat is affected by the formulation of colloidal suspension, which is carried out by introducing a solution of PVDF in dimethylforamide into an excess of methanol. The colloidal suspension formed is subjected to solvothermal treatment subsequently. By thermodynamics, the treatment enhances chain packing density and growth of crystallites inside the colloidal particles of PVDF in the methanol-dominant dispersion medium. Furthermore, the realized chain packing states are retained during the drying of coating through chain affixation role of a small number of poly(divinylbenzene) nodules generated in situ. As a result, a fibrous porous matrix composed of the PVDF submicron knots is attained. The coexistence of the polarized CH2 group and the fibrous porous structure prompts a sticky hydrophobic surface.

The martensitic transformation behavior of a Ti–Ni alloy irradiated by proton with different doses has been investigated. It is found that the samples irradiated by 150 keV protons have a two-step phase transformation during heating and only one-step transformation during cooling. The exothermic peak at higher temperature disappears during the following thermal cycling. A model based on the stress-assisted martensitic transformation was established by the Transport of Ions in Matter (TRIM) calculations in order to explain the transformation behavior.

Pyruvate kinase isoform M2 (PKM2) is an enzyme-catalyzing conversion of phosphoenolpyruvate to pyruvate in the glycolysis pathway. It was demonstrated that PKM2 interacts with tyrosine phosphopeptide, and the interaction with the tyrosine phosphopeptide affects the pyruvate kinase activity of PKM2. Our experiments suggest that PKM2 is also an active protein kinase (Gao, X., Wang, H., Yang, J. J., Liu, X., and Liu, Z. R. (2012) Mol. Cell 45, 598–609). We report here that growth signals reciprocally regulate the pyruvate kinase and protein kinase activities of PKM2 by different mechanisms. On the one hand, growth signals induce protein tyrosine phosphorylations. The tyrosine-phosphorylated protein(s) regulates the conversion of pyruvate kinase and protein kinase of PKM2 by directly interacting with PKM2. Binding of the tyrosyl-phosphorylated proteins at the fructose 1,6-bisphosphate-binding site converts the tetrameric PKM2 to a dimer. On the other hand, growth stimulations also lead to PKM2 phosphorylation, which consequently regulates the conversion of protein kinase and pyruvate kinase activities. Growth factor stimulations significantly increase the dimer/tetramer PKM2 ratio in cells and consequently activate the protein kinase activity of PKM2. Our study suggests that the conversion between the pyruvate kinase and protein kinase activities of PKM2 may be an important mechanism mediating the effects of growth signals in promoting cell proliferation. Background: Pyruvate kinase M2 is also a protein kinase. It is not known how the pyruvate kinase and protein kinase are controlled. Results: Growth stimulations increase the dimer/tetramer PKM2 ratio and activate the protein kinase activity of PKM2. Conclusion: The growth signals reciprocally regulate the pyruvate kinase and protein kinase activities of PKM2. Significance: Studies reveal an important example regarding how cancer cells cope with bioenergetic stress during growth.

Biochars have been considered as useful soil amendments due to their beneficial properties in improving soil fertility, carbon (C) sequestration, and soil decontamination. In our study, a series of biochars produced from different types of feedstocks at two pyrolysis temperatures (300 and 500 °C) were characterized to evaluate their different potentials as soil amendments. Ten types of feedstocks were used to prepare biochars at the pyrolysis temperatures of 300 and 500 °C, for 2 h. Chemical and physical analyses, X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) analyses were conducted to determine differences in biochar properties. Then, soil incubation studies were used to investigate the relationships between these biochar properties and their different ameliorant values in soil. The pH, ash, total C, total potassium, total phosphorus, total base cation concentrations, surface areas, and total pore volumes of biochars produced at 500 °C were higher than at 300 °C, while the reverse applied for yields, total oxygen and total hydrogen, and average pore widths and particle sizes. Cluster analysis suggested that biochars derived from similar feedstock types belonged in the same category. The SEM, XRD, and FTIR analyses of typical biochars from the different categories suggested both variations and similarities in their characteristics. In addition, the results from soil incubation experiments were consistent with the conclusions made from biochar characteristics analysis. Biochars derived from swine manures, fruit peels, and leaves with high pH and macro-nutrients appeared appropriate to increase soil pH and soil nutrient availability; whereas, biochars from wetland plant residues with high C concentrations and Brunauer–Emmett–Teller were better for soil C sequestration and contaminant adsorption.

Despite the huge progress achieved over the past decade, the relationship between the molecular weights of dyes and the performance of dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) remains unclear. In this article, we report on the fine control of the number-average molecular weight (Mn) of poly(triphenylamine-2,2′-bithiophene) (PPAT) dyes with cyanoacrylic acid moieties as acceptors. We found a correlation between the Mn and photovoltaic performance of these polymers when they were used for DSSC applications. In this study, three samples (PPAT-01, PPAT-02, and PPAT-03) with different Mn values (Mns = 1700, 2800, and 3500 g/mol) were prepared through the control of the polymerization time and characterized by analytical gel permeation chromatography and NMR. Under the same experimental conditions, the overall cell efficiency of the oligomer dyes showed a nonmonotonic tendency with increasing molecular weight. The power-conversion efficiencies were 2.81% for PPAT-01, 4.72% for PPAT-02, and 1.88% for PPAT-03. UV absorption measurements proved that PPAT-03 formed aggregation, whereas PPAT-01 and PPAT-02 were in the monolayer state adsorbed on TiO2. The larger aggregation decreased charge transfer; thus, poor photoelectric conversion performance was observed. Furthermore, a higher molecular weight reduced the amount of PPAT-03 adsorbed on TiO2, and this had a crucial effect on the performance of the cells because of the reduced photocurrent. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2016, 133, 44182.

Soil microbiota play a critical role in soil biogeochemical processes and have a profound effect on soil functions. Recent studies have revealed microbial co-occurrence patterns in soil microbial communities, yet the geographic pattern of topological features in soil microbial co-occurrence networks at the continental scale are largely unknown. Here, we investigated the shifts of topological features in co-occurrence networks inferred from soil microbiota along a continental scale in eastern China. Integrating archaeal, bacterial and fungal community datasets, we inferred a meta-community co-occurrence network and analyzed node-level and network-level topological shifts associated with five climatic regions. Both node-level and network-level topological features revealed geographic patterns wherein microorganisms in the northern regions had closer relationships but had a lower interaction influence than those in the southern regions. We further identified topological differences associated with taxonomic groups and demonstrated that co-occurrence patterns were random for archaea and non-random for bacteria and fungi. Given that microbial interactions may contribute to soil functions more than species diversity, this geographic shift of topological features provides new insight into studying microbial biogeographic patterns, their organization and impacts on soil-associated function.

The effects of a high-velocity impact on the microstructure, phase transformation and mechanical property of aged Ti49Ni51 alloy are investigated. The transformation behavior and microstructure along the impact direction after impact emerge with regionalization characteristics, including a deformed region near the crater (0–4 mm) and an un-deformed region of the distal crater (5–6 mm). Stress-induced martensite is the main deformation mechanism in the deforming region of aged Ti49Ni51 alloy under high-velocity impact.