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The effective mitigation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from crop cultivation requires an overall consideration, due to the trade-off relationship between GHGs and the mitigation measures sometimes undermining grain yields and economic returns. To explore the maximum potential of GHG mitigation without sacrificing economic returns, we investigated the GHG emissions, crop yields and economic returns over two years in three rice-cropping systems (rice–wheat, RW; rice–fava bean, RB; and rice–fallow, RF). Different N fertilization levels and straw incorporation methods were employed in each of the rice-cropping systems at the study site, in the Taihu Lake region (TLR) of China. Bean straw produced in the RB system was fermented aerobically before incorporation, while straws produced in the RW and RF systems were directly incorporated into the soils. Relative to the traditional RW system, methane emissions during the rice seasons were significantly reduced by 29–44% in the RB system; annual N inputs were reduced by 43%; annual nitrous oxide emissions for N fertilization treatments were decreased by 56–69%; and the average rice yield was increased by 5.2%. As a result, the GHG intensity (GHGI) was significantly reduced by 11–41%, and the annual net economic benefit (NEB) was increased by 22–94%. Compared with the RW system, the GHGI in the RF system was increased by 8–30% and the NEB was decreased by 3–33%. Considering the current rice/wheat production practices employed in the TLR, the GHGI could be reduced by 26% while the NEB could be improved by 23%, with an annual reduction in the N application rate (currently 525 kg N ha−1) by 20% and the conversion of the RW systems into RB systems that use straw fermentation. The results of this study suggest that high economic return and GHG mitigation could be simultaneously achieved by the integrated adoption of reasonable reduction in N application rates, the use of appropriate rice-cropping systems and by employing eco-friendly straw management.

The impacts of simultaneous inputs of crop straw and nitrogen (N) fertilizer on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and reactive nitrogen (Nr) releases from rice production in intensive agricultural regions are not well understood. A field experiment was established in a rice–wheat cropping system in the Taihu Lake region (TLR) of China since 2013 to evaluate the GHG intensity (GHGI), Nr intensity (NrI) and environmental costs of concurrent inputs of wheat straw and N fertilizer to rice paddies. The field experiment included five treatments of different N fertilization rates for rice production: 0 (RN0), 120 (RN120), 180 (RN180), 240 (RN240) and 300 kg N ha–1 (RN300, traditional N applied rate in the TLR). Wheat straws were fully incorporated into soil before rice transplantation in all treatments. The results showed that the response of rice yield to N application rate successfully fitted a quadratic model. Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions were increased exponentially as N fertilization rates increased, while methane (CH4) emissions increased slightly with wheat straw rates increased. The estimated soil organic carbon sequestration rate varied from 129.58 (RN0) to 196.87 kg C ha−1 yr−1 (RN300). Seasonal average GHGI of rice production ranged from 1.20 (RN240) to 1.61 kg CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) kg–1 (RN0), while NrI varied from 2.14 (RN0) to 10.92 g N kg−1 (RN300). CH4 emissions dominated GHGI with proportion of 70.2-88.6%, while ammonia (NH3) volatilization dominated NrI with proportion of 53.5-57.4% in all fertilization treatments. The damage costs to environment incurred by GHG and Nr releases from current rice production (RN300) accounted for 8.8% and 4.9% of farmer’s incomes, respectively. Cutting the traditional application rate of N fertilizer from 300 to 240 kg N ha−1 improved rice yield and nitrogen use efficiency by 2.14% and 10.30%, respectively, whilst simultaneously reduced GHGI by 13%, NrI by 23% and total environmental costs by 16%. Moreover, the reduction of 60 kg N ha−1 improved farmer’s income by 639 ¥ ha–1, which would provide them with an incentive to change their traditional N application rate. Our study suggests that GHG and Nr releases, especially the CH4 emission and NH3 volatilization, from rice production in the TLR could be further curbed, considering the current incorporation pattern of straw and N fertilizer.

Introducing foreign elements is an appealing means to endow wide band gap semiconductors with visible-light responses. Here, we investigated a series of Rh-doped Zn2TiO4 as water reduction photocatalysts. Our results show that Rh doping is effective to improve the visible-light response as well as surface hydrophilicity of Zn2TiO4. Efficient photocatalytic hydrogen evolution was observed after Rh doping and was found to be compositional dependent. The best performance was recorded for sample Zn2Ti0.96Rh0.04O4, with an apparent quantum efficiency of ≈0.74 % under full-range irradiation (λ≥250 nm) and ≈0.25 % under visible-light irradiation (λ≥420 nm). The light absorption and surface hydrophilicity are likely the controlling factors for the better activity. Theoretical calculations suggest that Rh doping is responsible for a band gap reduction and is due to a newly formed valence band composed mainly of Rh 4d orbitals at the top of the original valence band. The visible-light activity can be attributed to the electron excitations from this new valence band to the conduction band.

In the present article, a novel hollow spherical lignin-supported vanadium-based Ziegler–Natta catalyst was synthesized. The active centers of the obtained catalyst well dispersed in the lignin through the SEM-EDX analysis. The resultant catalyst was investigated in ethylene polymerization and found to exhibit remarkable catalytic activity upon activation with ethylaluminium sesquichloride cocatalyst and ethyl trichloroacetate activator. During the polymerization, the lignin was gradually exfoliated by the polymerization force arising from the propagation of ethylene chain. The resultant PE/lignin nanocomposites preformed higher thermal stability compared to virgin PE. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Background and purpose Brainstem gliomas (BSGs) in adults are rare brain tumors with dismal outcomes. The aim of this study was to determine the clinical and genetic features in a series of BSGs and their association with the prognosis. Methods Fifty patients who underwent a stereotactic biopsy between January 2016 and April 2018 at a single institution were collected. Data on clinicopathological characteristics were analyzed and factors associated with patient survival were identified using a Cox regression model. Results The median age at diagnosis was 55.5 years, and 62% of the patients were male. Glioblastoma (44%) accounted for the largest proportion of BSGs, and oligodendroglioma (2 of 50) was rarely encountered. The IDH mutation (6 of 44) occurred infrequently in astrocytomas, and IDH-mutant tumors harbored both ATRX loss and MGMT promoter methylation at a relatively low level. Wild-type IDH astrocytomas were identified as having high rates of 1p/19q codeletion (5 of 38) and loss of heterozygosity 1p (8 of 38) or 19q (8 of 38) only. In diffuse midline glioma H3K27M mutant, MGMT promoter methylation occurred in three of four cases. Patients were offered radiotherapy and/or concurrent/adjuvant temozolomide chemotherapy, and their median survival time was 13 months. Multivariate analysis revealed that a low tumor grade, absence of tumor enhancement, duration of symptoms ≥3 months, Karnofsky performance status ≥70, and ATRX loss conferred a survival advantage. Conclusions Adult BSGs showed different molecular genetic characteristics, but also resembled supratentorial gliomas in their clinical features associated with oncological outcomes.

Circular RNAs (circRNAs) are formed from the genome through diverse back splicing and feature the closed loop. circRNAs are widely available in a variety of cells and characterized by conservation, structural stability, high abundance and tissue-specific or developmental-specific expression. Recent studies have shown that circRNAs are closely related to liver diseases, such as metabolic-associated fatty liver disease, hepatitis, liver cirrhosis and hepatocellular carcinoma. circRNAs play an important role in the progression of liver diseases, are potential diagnostic and prognostic markers, and have translational value in therapy. This article reviews the research on circRNAs in liver diseases, with a view to providing a theoretical basis and new ideas for future research and treatment of liver diseases.

The use of nitrification inhibitors (NIs) with ammonium (NH4+) -based fertilizers is an efficient strategy for reducing nitrogen (N) loss by affecting ammonia-oxidizing archaea (AOA) and ammonia-oxidizing bacteria (AOB) in agricultural soils. The inhibition mechanisms of NIs on AOA and AOB are still debated, as some studies have demonstrated that NIs inhibited functionally dominant groups, while others have reported selective inhibition of AOB rather than AOA. Here, we identified the impacts of the most commonly used NIs (dicyandiamide (DCD), 3,4-dimethylpyrazole phosphate (DMPP) and nitrapyrin) on the nitrification activity, N2O emission, and abundance and metabolic activity of ammonia oxidizers (AOA, AOB, and comammox (detected only in HL)) in three paddy soils (HL, JX, and SC) with distinct properties using microcosm incubation combined with the 13CO2-DNA-stable isotope probing (SIP) technique. Most of the NIs treatments effectively inhibited the N2O emission with efficacy suppressed the metabolic activity of AOB, regardless of soil type and NI type, whereas the nitrification process and AOA activity could not be inhibited. The efficacy of NIs was also dependent on soil chemical properties, as nitrapyrin did not inhibit AOB growth at the beginning of microcosm incubation in HL, and DCD successfully inhibited the activity of both AOA and AOB in JX. In HL, DCD and DMPP effectively inhibited the activity of comammox, while nitrapyrin could not inhibit its activity. This study is the first to identify the response pattern of comammox to DCD, DMPP, and nitrapyrin in paddy soil by DNA-SIP microcosm incubation. This study also suggested that NIs might selectively inhibit AOB rather than AOA.

Nitrogen fertilization (NF) is an important agricultural management practice that greatly affects soil carbon (C) storage through regulating the balance of soil C input (straw biomass) and output (ecosystem respiration), especially for agroecosystems with simultaneous straw incorporation (SI). However, little is known about how different NF rates affect soil C balance (net ecosystem carbon budget, NECB) in flooded paddy ecosystems with SI. We conducted a two-year field experiment in a typical rice–wheat cropping system in southern China to investigate the response of soil C input (net primary production (NPP) and SI), output (ecosystem respiration and methane emissions), and NECB and N losses under five different NF rates (0/0, 120/90, 180/135, 240/180 and 300/225 kg N ha−1 for the rice/wheat season). Straw harvested from previous cropping season was chopped and fully incorporated into the soil prior to the next season. Our results showed that all treatments had a positive NECB value ranged between 4057–14380 kg C ha−1 yr−1. Compared with the no NF, NF treatments clearly increased the annual NECB by 17.2 %–185 % depending on NF rate. A 20 % reduction relative to the local NF rate (525 kg N ha−1) increased annual crop yield by 4.1 %–6.7 % and NECB by 9.6 %–16.8 %, which was attributed to the increase in NPP (2.6 %–6.2 %) and straw C input (3.8 %–6.1 %), and the decrease in ecosystem respiration (1.8 %–2.1 %) and methane emissions (8.4 %–10.4 %). Moreover, total reactive N losses were significantly decreased by 21 %. However, further reducing the rate by 40 % from local NF rate significantly decreased crop yield by 12.7 %–14.9 % and NECB by 16.7 %–19 %, mainly due to the significant decrease in soil C input through NPP by 14 %–18 % and straw C input by 7.4 %–15.8 % as the inadequate N supply impaired crop growth. Our results suggest that optimizing NF rate is effective in further enhancing soil C storage, decreasing N pollution and sustaining food security in paddy ecosystems with simultaneous SI.

Aiming at the nonlinear strong coupling system composed of the joints of 6-axis industrial robot, the traditional PID control is difficult to achieve the accuracy and convergence speed requirements of robot trajectory tracking, an intelligent control method based on IWOA-PID (Improved Whale Optimization Algorithm-PID) is proposed. IWOA is an improved intelligent heuristic algorithm based on the Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA). Using IWOA to dynamically adjust PID control parameters, so as to improve the accuracy and convergence speed of robot trajectory tracking. Using MATLAB toolbox and Simulink to build simulation model. In the simulation experiment and field test, IWOA-PID control is compared with WOA-PID control and traditional PID control. The experimental results show that the trajectory tracking accuracy of each joint is high and the convergence speed is fast based on IWOA-PID control, and it has high engineering practical value.

The increasing demands of energy storage require the significant improvement of current Li-ion battery electrode materials and the development of advanced electrode materials. Thus, it is necessary to gain an in-depth understanding of the reaction processes, degradation mechanism, and thermal decomposition mechanisms under realistic operation conditions. This understanding can be obtained by in situ/operando characterization techniques, which provide information on the structure evolution, redox mechanism, solid-electrolyte interphase (SEI) formation, side reactions, and Li-ion transport properties under operating conditions. Here, the recent developments in the in situ/operando techniques employed for the investigation of the structural stability, dynamic properties, chemical environment changes, and morphological evolution are described and summarized. The experimental approaches reviewed here include X-ray, electron, neutron, optical, and scanning probes. The experimental methods and operating principles, especially the in situ cell designs, are described in detail. Representative studies of the in situ/operando techniques are summarized, and finally the major current challenges and future opportunities are discussed. Several important battery challenges are likely to benefit from these in situ/operando techniques, including the inhomogeneous reactions of high-energy-density cathodes, the development of safe and reversible Li metal plating, and the development of stable SEI.

Glioma is the most common and aggressive type of brain tumor. It has a poor prognosis and a high recurrence rate. Despite continued advances in surgery, chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the clinical outcomes remain dismal. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important roles in the initiation and progression of a multitude of tumors. Until now, the molecular mechanism that is responsible for glioma tumorigenesis and progression remains unclear. Increasing evidence has shown that miRNAs play an important role in glioma. In this review, we focus on the current advances in determining the role of miRNAs in regulating tumorigenesis and the progression of glioma. In addition, the relevant roles of miRNAs about the diagnosis and target therapy have been clarified.

Neuronal K(v)7/KCNQ channels are voltage-gated potassium channels composed of K(v)7.2/KCNQ2 and K(v)7.3/KCNQ3 subunits. Enriched at the axonal membrane, they potently suppress neuronal excitability. De novo and inherited dominant mutations in K(v)7.2 cause early onset epileptic encephalopathy characterized by drug resistant seizures and profound psychomotor delay. However, their precise pathogenic mechanisms remain elusive. Here, we investigated selected epileptic encephalopathy causing mutations in calmodulin (CaM)-binding helices A and B of K(v)7.2. We discovered that R333W, K526N, and R532W mutations located peripheral to CaM contact sites decreased axonal surface expression of heteromeric channels although only R333W mutation reduced CaM binding to K(v)7.2. These mutations also altered gating modulation by phosphatidylinositol 4,5-bisphosphate (PIP(2)), revealing novel PIP(2) binding residues. While these mutations disrupted K(v)7 function to suppress excitability, hyperexcitability was observed in neurons expressing K(v)7.2-R532W that displayed severe impairment in voltage-dependent activation. The M518V mutation at the CaM contact site in helix B caused most defects in K(v)7 channels by severely reducing their CaM binding, K(+) currents, and axonal surface expression. Interestingly, the M518V mutation induced ubiquitination and accelerated proteasome-dependent degradation of K(v)7.2, whereas the presence of K(v)7.3 blocked this degradation. Furthermore, expression of K(v)7.2-M518V increased neuronal death. Together, our results demonstrate that epileptic encephalopathy mutations in helices A and B of K(v)7.2 cause abnormal K(v)7 expression and function by disrupting K(v)7.2 binding to CaM and/or modulation by PIP(2). We propose that such multiple K(v)7 channel defects could exert more severe impacts on neuronal excitability and health, and thus serve as pathogenic mechanisms underlying Kcnq2 epileptic encephalopathy.

Objective To investigate the clinical significance of long non-coding RNA LINC01617 in esophageal cancer and explore the effect of LINC01617 on the proliferation and metastasis of esophageal cancer cells. Methods Real time fluorescence PCR was used to detect the expression of LINC01617 in 142 cases of esophageal cancer and adjacent tissues. The relationship between the expression level of LINC01617 and the survival rate of esophageal cancer patients was analyzed. The function of LINC01617 was detected in esophageal cancer cell lines. The tumor growth ability test was carried out in the nude mice. Results We found that LINC01617 was overexpressed in esophageal cancer, and its expression was associated with poor prognosis of esophageal cancer. In vitro experiments confirmed that knockout of LINC01617 significantly inhibited the proliferation, migration and invasion of esophageal cancer cells. Moreover, knockout of LNC01617 can inhibit the growth of esophageal cancer in nude mice. The Akt pathway may be involved in the regulation of cell activity in esophageal cancer. Conclusions LINC01617 may be involved in the occurrence and development of esophageal cancer, suggesting that LINC01617 can be used as a biomarker and potential therapeutic target for esophageal cancer.

Whether Li4Ti5O12 has a solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) layer on the electrode surface has been the subject of controversy for a long time due to the delicate nature of this SEI layer and the lack of reliable characterization tools. In this paper, we report direct visualization of SEI layer formation on an LTO electrode surface by in situ atomic force microscopy under potential control. Our results showed that no SEI layer formed from EC/DMC based electrolyte in the potential range of 2.5–1.0 V. However, by extending the reduction potential down to zero, it is possible to grow a SEI layer on the LTO surface. The strategy of forming an SEI layer by discharging an LTO anode down to 0 V in the first cycle and then operating the battery in the normal range of 2.5–1.0 V might be a facile method to improve LTO battery performance. Various additives such as Vinylene Carbonate (VC), ethylene sulfate (ES) and fluoroethylene carbonate (FEC) were used as additives to evaluate their effect on SEI layer formation.

A novel well-defined amphiphilic Core-Shell star-block copolymer was synthesized from trimethylolpropane, e-caprolactone, and glycidyl methacrylate by a combination of enzymatic ring-opening polymerization and atom transfer radical polymerization. The structure and molecular weight of the macroinitiator and the star-block copolymer were confirmed by means of nuclear magnetic resonance and gel permeation chromatography. The effects of the glycidyl methacrylate sequence length on the hydrodynamic diameter and morphology of the polymer micelles were investigated by dynamic light scattering and transmission electron microscopy, respectively.

SummaryContext Pituitary stalk interruption syndrome (PSIS) is a rare cause of combined pituitary hormone deficiency characterized by a triad shown in pituitary imaging, yet it has never been evaluated due to the visibility of pituitary stalk (PS) in imaging findings. Objective The major objective of the study was to systematically describe the disease including clinical presentations, imaging findings and to estimate the severity of anterior pituitary hormone deficiency based on the visibility of the PS. Methods This was a retrospective study including 74 adult patients with PSIS in Shanghai Clinical Center for Endocrine and Metabolic Diseases between January 2010 and June 2014. Sixty had invisible PS according to the findings on MRI, while the rest had a thin or intersected PS. Basic characteristics and hormonal status were compared. Results Of the 74 patients with PSIS, age at diagnosis was 25 (22–28) years. Absent pubertal development (97·3%) was the most common presenting symptom, followed by short stature. Insulin tolerance test (ITT) and gonadotrophin-releasing hormone (GnRH) stimulation test were used to evaluate the function of anterior pituitary. The prevalence of isolated deficiency in growth hormone (GH), gonadotrophins, corticotrophin and thyrotrophin were 100%, 97·2%, 88·2% and 70·3%, respectively. Although the ratio of each deficiency did not vary between patients with invisible PS and with visible PS, panhypopituitarism occurred significantly more frequent in patients with invisible PS. Patients with invisible PS had significantly lower levels of luteinizing hormone (LH), follicle stimulation hormone (FSH) and hormones from targeted glands including morning cortisol, 24-h urine free cortisol, free triiodothyronine (FT3), free thyroxine (FT4) and testosterone (T) in male than patients with visible PS. Moreover, patients with invisible PS had lower peak LH and FSH in GnRH stimulation test, and higher peak cortisol in ITT while peak GH remained unchanged between two groups. Conclusions The prevalence of multiple anterior pituitary hormone deficiency was high in adult patients with PSIS. And more importantly, we found the visibility of PS shown on MRI might be an indication of the severity of PSIS.

// Nan Wang 1 , Dan Guo 1 , YangYang Zhao 1 , ChengYa Dong 1 , XiaoYan Liu 1 , BinXia Yang 1 , ShuWei Wang 1 , Lin Wang 1 , QingGuo Liu 1 , Qian Ren 1 , YongMin Lin 1 , XiaoTong Ma 1 1 State Key Laboratory of Experimental Hematology, Institute of Hematology and Blood Diseases Hospital, Chinese Academy of Medical Sciences, Peking Union Medical College, China Correspondence to: XiaoTong Ma, e-mail: maxt@ihcams.ac.cn Keywords: TWIST-1, myeloid leukemia, leukemia stem cell, prognostic factor, c-MPL Received: December 11, 2014 Accepted: May 08, 2015 Published: May 20, 2015 ABSTRACT Alterations of TWIST-1 expression are often seen in solid tumors and contribute to tumorigenesis and cancer progression. However, studies concerning its pathogenic role in leukemia are scarce. Our study shows that TWIST-1 is overexpressed in bone marrow mononuclear cells of patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and chronic myeloid leukemia (CML). Gain-of-function and loss-of-function analyses demonstrate that TWIST-1 promotes cell growth, colony formation and drug resistance of AML and CML cell lines. Furthermore, TWIST-1 is aberrantly highly expressed in CD34 + CD38 − leukemia stem cell candidates and its expression declines with differentiation. Down-modulation of TWIST-1 in myeloid leukemia CD34 + cells impairs their colony-forming capacity. Mechanistically, c-MPL, which is highly expressed in myeloid leukemia cells and associated with poor prognosis, is identified as a TWIST-1 coexpressed gene in myeloid leukemia patients and partially contributes to TWIST-1-mediated leukemogenic effects. Moreover, patients with higher TWIST-1 expression have shorter overall and event-free survival (OS and EFS) in AML. Multivariate analysis further demonstrates that TWIST-1 overexpression is a novel independent unfavourable predictor for both OS and EFS in AML. These data highlight TWIST-1 as a new candidate gene contributing to leukemogenesis of myeloid leukemia, and propose possible new avenues for improving risk and treatment stratification in AML.

Background/aim MicroRNA-93-5p (miR-93-5p) dysregulation has been reported in many types of human cancer. However, the collective effect of miR-93-5p in both lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma and the mechanism underlying miR-93-5p involvement in non-small cell lung cancer cells (NSCLC) is unknown. Herein, our purpose was to reveal the role and explain this mechanism, with the goal of contributing to the development of new diagnostic biomarkers and individualized therapeutic targets. Materials and methods We examined miR-93-5p expression in NSCLC specimens (including lung adenocarcinoma and squamous cell carcinoma) by qPCR. The effects of miR-93-5p inhibitor on proliferation, migration, and invasion of NSCLC cells were determined by MTT assay, colony formation assays, apoptosis assay, cell cycle assay and transwell chamber assays, respectively. The molecular mechanisms underlying these effects were investigated via dual luciferase reporter assay and western blotting. Results MiR-93-5p expression levels were significantly correlated with NSCLC patients overall survival rate. Cell proliferation, migration, and invasion were significantly inhibited by miR-93-5p down-regulation. Dual luciferase reporter assay demonstrated that miR-93-5p directly bound with the 3′-untranslated region of the tumor suppressor gene PTEN and RB1. Conclusion MiR-93-5p is up-regulated in NSCLC and plays an oncogenic role by inhibiting PTEN and RB1, suggesting miR-93-5p may be a novel prognostic indicator and a therapeutic target in NSCLC.

Practical decision situations are becoming increasingly complicated. It is common for a person to select or rank alternatives with respect to multiple attributes, and the TODIM (an acronym in Portuguese of interactive and multiple attribute decision making) method, which is one of the first multiple attribute decision making (MADM) methods based on prospect theory, has received more attention due to its great performance in considering the bounded rationality of decision makers (DMs). However, the classical TODIM method can only handle the MADM problems with crisp numbers. In this paper, considering that intuitionistic linguistic variables are convenient to describe uncertain or imprecise information, we propose the intuitionistic linguistic TODIM (IL-TODIM) method and intuitionistic uncertain linguistic TODIM (IUL-TODIM) method to solve uncertain MADM problems with IL and IUL variables, respectively. Additionally, a novel distance measure for IUL numbers is developed, based on which we can obtain the corresponding dominance degree of one alternative over another. Finally, examples are provided to show the validity of the proposed methods, and we also conduct a comparison of the results between the IL-TODIM method and the existing intuitionistic fuzzy MADM methods to illustrate the effectiveness of our proposed methods.

Fibroblast growth factor receptors are growth factor receptor tyrosine kinases, exerting their roles in embryogenesis, tissue homeostasis, and development of breast cancer. Recent genetic studies have identified some subtypes of fibroblast growth factor receptors as strong genetic loci associated with breast cancer. In this article, we review the recent epidemiological findings and experiment results of fibroblast growth factor receptors in breast cancer. First, we summarized the structure and physiological function of fibroblast growth factor receptors in humans. Then, we discussed the common genetic variations in fibroblast growth factor receptors that affect breast cancer risk. In addition, we also introduced the potential roles of each fibroblast growth factor receptors isoform in breast cancer. Finally, we explored the potential therapeutics targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors for breast cancer. Based on the biological mechanisms of fibroblast growth factor receptors leading to the pathogenesis in breast cancer, targeting fibroblast growth factor receptors may provide new opportunities for breast cancer therapeutic strategies.

For environmentally conscious and sustainable manufacturing, many more manufacturers are acting to recycle and remanufacture their post-consumed products. The most critical process of remanufacturing is disassembly, since it allows for the selective extraction of the valuable components and materials from returned products to reduce the waste disposal volume. It is, therefore, important to design and balance the disassembly line to work efficiently due to its vital role in effective resource usage and environmental protection. Considering the disassembly precedence relationships and sequence-dependent parts removal time increments, this paper presents an improved discrete artificial bee colony algorithm (DABC) for solving the sequence-dependent disassembly line balancing problem (SDDLBP). The performance of the proposed algorithm was tested against nine other approaches. Computational results evidently indicate the superior efficiency of the proposed algorithm for addressing the environmental and economic concerns while optimizing the multi-objective SDDLBP.

Urbanization in China is bringing distinct growth in heating energy consumption. Hence, the key to ensuring the responsibility of energy structure reform is to reasonably predict urban heat supply. This paper presents a top-down prediction method based on the grey system theory. The prediction method is embedded in a genetic algorithm optimization with the objective function of a posterior difference ratio in order to achieve the highest accuracy. In the methodological framework, the first step is to screen the explanatory variables from the preliminary factors by employing grey relational analysis. Then, the grey models of the dependent and explanatory variables are combined to establish the grey system state equation. Finally, the posterior difference of the results is examined to determine the optimization process. The case study focuses on 16 preliminary factors and 3 cities in China. According to the prediction results, the improved prediction accuracy shows the advantages of optimization process as well as updated training data. The comprehensive annual growth rate of the heat supply is finally proposed to integrate all of the prediction possibilities. The top-down prediction method reveals the future tendency of annual heat supply so as to assist urban planning and energy structure reform.

Background The effectiveness of psoriasis therapies in real-world settings remains relatively unknown. Objective We sought to compare the effectiveness of less commonly used systemic therapies and commonly used combination therapies for psoriasis. Methods This was a multicenter cross-sectional study of 203 patients with plaque psoriasis receiving less common systemic monotherapy (acitretin, cyclosporine, or infliximab) or common combination therapies (adalimumab, etanercept, or infliximab and methotrexate) compared with 168 patients receiving methotrexate evaluated at 1 of 10 US outpatient dermatology sites participating in the Dermatology Clinical Effectiveness Research Network. Results In adjusted analyses, patients on acitretin (relative response rate 2.01; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.18-3.41), infliximab (relative response rate 1.93; 95% CI 1.26-2.98), adalimumab and methotrexate (relative response rate 3.04; 95% CI 2.12-4.36), etanercept and methotrexate (relative response rate 2.22; 95% CI 1.25-3.94), and infliximab and methotrexate (relative response rate 1.72; 95% CI 1.10-2.70) were more likely to have clear or almost clear skin compared with patients on methotrexate. There were no differences among treatments when response rate was defined by health-related quality of life. Limitations Single time point assessment may result in overestimation of effectiveness. Conclusions The efficacy of therapies in clinical trials may overestimate their effectiveness as used in clinical practice. Although physician-reported relative response rates were different among therapies, absolute differences were small and did not correspond to differences in patient-reported outcomes.

Cancer cells are characterized by altered glucose metabolism known as the Warburg effect in which aerobic glycolysis is increased. Glucose is converted to lactate even under sufficient oxygen tension. Interfering with this process may be a potential effective strategy to cause cancer cell death because these cells rely heavily on glucose metabolism for survival and proliferation. 2-Deoxy-D-glucose (2DG), a glucose analog, targets glucose metabolism to deplete cancer cells of energy. In addition, 2DG increases oxidative stress, inhibits N-linked glycosylation, and induces autophagy. It can efficiently slow cell growth and potently facilitate apoptosis in specific cancer cells. Although 2DG itself has limited therapeutic effect in many types of cancers, it may be combined with other therapeutic agents or radiotherapy to exhibit a synergistic anticancer effect. In this review, we describe the Warburg effect and discuss 2DG and its underlying mechanisms and potential application for cancer treatment.

Straw incorporation has multiple effects on greenhouse gas emissions and soil productivity. However, few studies have comprehensively evaluated the effects of long-term straw incorporation. An ongoing long-term straw incorporation experiment in a rice–wheat cropping system in China was established in 1990 and was used in the present study to evaluate the net global warming potential (NGWP) and the net economic benefit (NEB) of the straw return. The following four field treatments were included: a control (CK); N, P and K fertilization (NPK); fertilization plus a moderate rate of straw application (NPKS1); and fertilization plus a high rate of straw application (NPKS2). We calculated the increase in the soil organic carbon (SOC) and the straw-induced emissions of CH4 and N2O, which were expressed as the global warming potential (GWP) in units of CO2-equivalent (CO2-eq) at the 100-year scale. The straw-induced NEB was defined as the difference between the economic income, which was calculated by multiplying the increase in straw-induced crop grain yield by the grain price, and the economic loss was computed by multiplying the increase in straw-induced CO2-eq emissions by the carbon price. The results showed that long-term straw incorporation significantly increased the CH4 emissions and the topsoil SOC density. The GWP of the straw-induced CH4 emissions was 3.21–3.92 times that of the straw-induced SOC sequestration rate, suggesting that long-term direct straw incorporation in the rice–wheat systems worsens rather than mitigates the climate change. Additionally, continuous straw incorporation slightly enhanced the rice and wheat grain yields, contributing to the production of the NEB. We determined that under the current carbon price, ranging from 2.55 to 31.71 EUR per ton CO2-eq, the direct straw incorporation will produce a positive NEB, ranging from 156 to 658 RMB ha−1 year−1, if the grain yield prices do not fluctuate, which does not provide a significant incentive for farmers to change from their traditional direct straw incorporation pattern. Considering the other benefits that the straw application produced, such as improving soil fertility and the water retention capacity, we recommend that the government should establish an incentive for ecological compensation to encourage farmers to implement proper straw incorporation, such as composting straw under aerobic conditions before application.

Interferon‑induced transmembrane protein 3 (IFITM3) has been recently identified as a potential molecular marker. IFITM3 has been reported to be upregulated in various human diseases, including colon and breast cancer, astrocytoma, as well as ulcerative colitis. However, the clinical significance and underlying mechanisms of IFITM3 dysregulated expression in gastric cancer (GC) remain to be determined. The present study aimed to evaluate the expression of IFITM3 in human gastric tumor cells and specimens and investigate the effects of IFITM3 knockdown in the regulation of GC growth and its potential mechanism. IFITM3 expression was significantly overexpressed in the GC cell lines and GC tissues compared with corresponding normal controls by RT‑qPCR, western blot analysis and immunohistochemistry, and this overexpression was correlated with tumor differentiation, lymph node and distant metastasis, and advanced tumor node metastasis stages. Furthermore, knockdown of IFITM3 expression suppressed tumor cell migration, invasion and proliferation significantly in vitro, arrested tumor cells at the G0/G1 phase and reduced the cell numbers in the S phase of the cell cycle. We preliminarily confirmed that IFITM3 can be mediated by the activities of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Further investigation revealed that silencing of IFITM3 effectively reversed the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) phenotype and reduced the activities of MMP-2 and MMP-9 expression. Taken together, these data suggested that IFITM3 is a potential therapeutic target for GC.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are novel regulators in cancer biology. BRAF-activated lncRNA (BANCR) is overexpressed in melanoma and has a potential functional role in melanoma cell migration. However, little is known about the role of BANCR in the development of papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). In the present study, BANCR expression was examined in six pairs of PTC and matched adjacent normal tissues. The results revealed that BANCR levels were significantly higher in the PTC tissues and PTC IHH-4 cells compared with the normal controls. Knockdown of BANCR in the IHH-4 cells inhibited proliferation and increased apoptosis of the cells in vitro. Further investigation of the underlying mechanisms revealed that BANCR markedly activated autophagy. Overexpression of BANCR inhibited apoptosis in the IHH-4 cells, whereas inhibition of autophagy stimulated apoptosis in the BANCR-overexpressed cells. BANCR overexpression also increased cell proliferation and the inhibition of autophagy abrogated BANCR overexpression-induced cell proliferation. In addition, the overexpression of BANCR resulted in an increase in the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I, a marker for autophagy, while the knockdown of BANCR decreased the ratio of LC3-II/LC3-I. These results revealed that BANCR expression levels are upregulated in PTC. Additionally, BANCR increases PTC cell proliferation, which could activate autophagy.

Atmospheric nitrogen (N) and sulfur (S) deposition is a significant and growing issue for ecological environment in many parts of the world such as China. However, the study on atmospheric deposition, especially N deposition, is still at the initial stage and usually neglected in agro-ecosystems. To assess the characteristics of N and S wet deposition in agro-ecosystems, we selected Yingtan Station (YTS) located in the developing area and Changshu Station (CSS) in the developed area as typical, agricultural study sites in Southeastern China during 2010–2011. In the two areas, the total N and S wet deposition were in ranges of 30.49–37.37 kg ha−1 year−1 N and 56.02–59.06 kg ha−1 year−1 S, respectively, surpassing their corresponding critical loads in China. The annual means of NH4+–N, NO3−–N and dissolved organic N (DON) deposition contributed 49.6%, 26.4% and 24.0% of the total deposition, respectively. Similar total N and S deposition data were observed in the two sites, but their N species, especially DON, were different due to different numbers of slaughter pigs and types of N fertilizers applied. In conclusion, DON was identified as an important contributor to the total N deposition and should also be monitored in the future. Such high N and S deposition would deteriorate agroecosystems in Southeastern China. Related political measures on livestock industries, managements of motor vehicles and technologies of coal and oil combustion should be improved timely and implemented effectively for reducing the regional N emission and deposition in the future.

Long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) are recently identified regulators in tumorigenesis and tumour progression. BRAF-activated lncRNA (BANCR) is overexpressed in melanoma and has a potential functional role in melanoma cell migration. However, little is known concerning the role of BANCR in the development of colorectal cancer (CRC). The current study examined BANCR expression in 60 pairs of CRC and matched adjacent normal tissues. The quantitative polymerase chain reaction results showed that BANCR was frequently overexpressed in cancer tissues and this overexpression was found to significantly correlate with lymph node metastasis and tumour stage. The ectopic expression of BANCR contributed to the migration of human CRC Caco-2 cells, whereas knockdown of BANCR inhibited the migration of the HCT116 cells in vitro. Further investigation into the underlying mechanisms responsible for the migratory effects revealed that BANCR induced the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) through an MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase-dependent mechanism as treatment with the MEK inhibitor, U0126 decreased migration and reversed the EMT in the BANCR-overexpressed HCT116 cells. These results revealed the significance of BANCR in the molecular etiology of CRC and implied the potential application of BANCR in the therapeutic treatment of CRC.

A short-term study was conducted to investigate the greenhouse gas emissions in five typical soils under two crop residue management practices: raw rice straw (Oryza sativa L., cv) and its derived biochar application. Rice straw and its derived biochar (two biochars, produced at 350 and 500°C and referred to as BC350 and BC500, respectively) were incubated with the soils at a 5% (weight/weight) rate and under 70% water holding capacity for 28 d. Incorporation of BC500 into soils reduced carbon dioxide (CO2) and nitrous oxide (N2O) emission in all five soils by 4−40% and 62−98%, respectively, compared to the untreated soils, whereas methane (CH4) emission was elevated by up to about 2 times. Contrary to the biochars, direct return of the straw to soil reduced CH4 emission by 22−69%, whereas CO2 increased by 4 to 34 times. For N2O emission, return of rice straw to soil reduced it by over 80% in two soils, while it increased by up to 14 times in other three soils. When all three greenhouse gases were...

Dual-responsive amphiphilic block copolymers were synthesized by combining enzymatic ring-opening polymerization (eROP) of -caprolactone (CL) and ATRP of N,N-dimethylamino-2-ethyl methacrylate (DMAEMA). The obtained block copolymers were characterized by gel permeation chromatography (GPC), NMR and FTIR-IR. The critical micelle concentration (CMC) of copolymer was determined by fluorescence spectra, it can be found that with hydrophilic block (PDMAEMA) increasing, CMC value of the polymer sample increased accordingly, and the CMC value was 0.012 mg/mL, 0.025 mg/mL and 0.037 mg/mL for -b-, -b-, -b-, -b- was chosen as drug carrier to study in vitro release profile of anti-cancer drug (taxol). The temperature and pH dependence of the values of hydrodynamic diameter (Dh) of micelles, and self-assembly of the resulting block copolymers in water were evaluated by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The result showed that with the temperature increasing and pH decreasing, the Dh decreased. Drug-loaded nanoparticles were fabricated using paclitaxel as model. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and atomic force microscopy (AFM) had been explored to study the morphology of the hollow micelles and the nanoparticles, revealing well-dispersed spheres with the average diameters both around 80 nm. In vitro release kinetics of paclitaxel from the nanoparticles was also investigated in different conditions (pH and temperature, etc.), revealing that the drug release was triggered by temperature changes upon the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) at pH 7.4, and at by an increase of pH.

A nanostructured protective structure, pillared by the copper nanoclusters and in situ filled with lithium oxide in the interspace, is constructed to efficiently improve the cyclic stability and lifetime of lithium metal electrodes. The porous structure of copper nanoclusters enables high specific surface area, locally reduced current density, and dendrite suppressing, while the filled lithium oxide leads to the structural stability and largely extends the electrode lifespan. As a result of the synergetic protection of the proposed structure, lithium metal could be fully discharged with efficiency ∼97% for more than 150 cycles in corrosive alkyl carbonate electrolytes, without dendrite formation. This approach opens a novel route to improve the cycling stability of lithium metal electrodes with the appropriate protective structure.

Using soil slurry-based (15)N tracer combined with N2/Ar technique, the potential rates of denitrification, anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox), and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and their respective contributions to total nitrate reduction were investigated in 11 typical paddy soils across China. The measured rates of denitrification, anammox, and DNRA varied from 2.37 to 8.31 nmol N g(-1) h(-1), 0.15 to 0.77 nmol N g(-1) h(-1) and 0.03 to 0.54 nmol N g(-1) h(-1), respectively. The denitrification and anammox rates were significantly correlated with the soil organic carbon content, nitrate concentration, and the abundance of nosZ genes. The DNRA rates were significantly correlated with the soil C/N, extractable organic carbon (EOC)/NO3(-) ratio, and sulfate concentration. Denitrification was the dominant pathway (76.75-92.47%), and anammox (4.48-9.23%) and DNRA (0.54-17.63%) also contributed substantially to total nitrate reduction. The N loss or N conservation attributed to anammox and DNRA was 4.06-21.24 and 0.89-15.01 g N m(-2) y(-1), respectively. This study reports the first simultaneous investigation of the dissimilatory nitrate reduction processes in paddy soils, highlighting that anammox and DNRA play important roles in removing nitrate and should be considered when evaluating N transformation processes in paddy fields.

The Beijing Subway system carries about 8 million passengers per day in 2012, and the congestions caused by large passenger volume has become a major issue in transit stations especially transfer ones. In order to suppress the congestion to an acceptable level, an indicator reflecting transit station service level is urgently needed. However, previous researches mainly focus on the passenger density of certain areas, such as stairs and walking corridors. This paper aims to propose a composite indicator reflecting the service level of a whole transit station. Filed investigation of several transfer stations was conducted during peak commuting period, in order to find out the usual congestion points of each passenger flow line. According to investigation results, Platform stair, Exit AGM (Automatic Gate Machine), Platform and Corridor entrance were chosen as key nodes to reflect transit station service level. And the weight of each key node was decided by the average passenger density ratio, based on simulation experiment of SHD station. Finally, the service level of SHD station was evaluated with fuzzy comprehensive evaluation.

Along with the rapid development of China economy, more people pour into large cities since 2000. In order to settle the housing problem timely, large communities emerged in big cities of China such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou. There is usually a high population density and high proportion of commuter travel in large communities, and the traffic development of which is relatively difficult, this paper aims to solve this problem. Taking TTY district of Beijing as an example, a large scale resident trip survey was conducted. The travel indicators travel time, travel distance, etc, were detailed discussed. The main traffic problems of TTY district were summarized as: 1) separation of office and residence; 2) insufficient traffic supply; 3) unreasonable road network structure. Finally, corresponding countermeasure was proposed in the article to deal with the existing problems.

The leaves of the chrysanthemum variety 'NAU04-1-31-1' are variegated with distinct green and yellow sectors. The chlorophyll content of the yellow leaf tissue is less than that in the green one. The chloroplasts in the yellow leaf tissue were vacuolated, lacked thylakoid membrane structure and contained clusters of plastoglobuli with few or no starch grains. The yellow leaf tissue was more sensitive to photo-inhibition than the green leaf tissue. Suppression subtractive hybridization (SSHs) libraries were constructed to identify genes which were differentially transcribed in the two tissue types. The sequencing of 339 SSH clones identified 150 unigenes (93 singletons and 57 contigs), of which 85 were differentially transcribed in the green leaf tissue and 65 in the yellow leaf tissue. Unigenes associated with photosynthesis were particularly frequent, and many of these genes were up-regulated in the yellow leaf tissue. Both CmChlH which encodes the large subunit of Mg-chelatase and CmFtsH (ATP-dependent metalloprotease) were up-regulated in the yellow leaf tissue, and their transcription was regulated by light.

Silica gel acts as a key role in adsorption refrigeration systems. The adsorption deterioration must greatly impact the performance of the silica gel–water adsorption refrigeration system. In order to investigate the adsorption deterioration of silica gel, many different silica gel samples were prepared according to the application surroundings of silica gel in adsorption refrigeration systems after the likely factors to cause such deterioration were analyzed. The specific surface area, silanol content, adsorption capacity and pore size distribution of those samples were tested and the corresponding adsorption isotherms were achieved. In terms of the experimental data comparisons, it could be found that there are many factors to affect the adsorption performance of silica gel, but the pollution was the primary one to decline the adsorption capacity. In addition, the adsorption performance of the deteriorated samples after being processed by acid solution was explored in order to find the possible methods to restore its adsorption performance.

Due to the poor transfer organization in urban public transport terminal, pedestrian crowd are often forced to weaving in their transfer flow lines. Frequent weaving behaviors not only decrease passengers’ transfer comfort, but may also trigger serious crowd disaster such as trampling. In order to get accurate understanding of the weaving features of pedestrian crowd and analyze the relevant evolution law, researches have been conducted on the basis of field investigation. First, the typical weaving phenomenon were defined and classified, and a microscopic parameters system of pedestrian crowd weaving flow was constructed. The detection and quantification methods of multiple indicator parameters were also given. Then, correlation between different behavioral parameters was analyzed based on the survey data of weaving pedestrian crowd on the stairs of DongZhiMen (DZM) hub. The basic characteristics and evolution law of the weaving behaviors were then discussed, and conclusions were drawn.

Iodine-doped NaTaO3 nanoparticles were prepared by hydrothermal conditions and explored as the visible-light-driven photocatalysts for photodegradation of methylene blue in water. It is found that I-doped NaTaO3 showed photodegradation efficiency superior over the un-doped NaTaO3. UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectra indicate that the absorption edges shifted towards longer wavelength with increasing the iodine concentration. The energy band structure and the transient behavior of the photogenerated charge carriers for both un-doped and doped NaTaO3 powders were investigated using density functional theory. The improved photocatalytic activity under visible light for I-doped NaTaO3 may be caused by both the broadening of valence band that inhibited the recombination of e-h+ pairs and the narrowing of energy band gap due to the much negative energy levels in the bottom of conduction bands.

High purity anatase nano-TiO2 powders with high photocatalytic activity were prepared by a hydrothermal synthesis method. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission transmission electron microscopy (FETEM), ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) light absorption spectrum and photoluminescence (PL) spectrum were adopted to characterize the catalyst. Effects of temperature, time and sol concentration of hydrothermal synthesis on particle size and phases were investigated. Photocatalytic activities in the degradation of Rhodamine B Dye were studied. The experimental results indicated that photocatalytic activity of the nano-TiO2 powers was much higher than that of P25 (Degussa).

The effects of microwave sintering and conventional H2 sintering on the microstructure and properties of W-15Cu alloy using ultrafine W-15Cu composite powder fabricated by spray drying & calcining-continuous reduction technology were investigated. In comparison to the conventional H2 sintering processing, microwave sintering to W-15Cu can be achieved at lower sintering temperature and shorter sintering time. Furthermore, higher performances in microwave sintered compacts were obtained, but high microwave sintering temperature or long microwave sintering time could result in coarser microstructures.

Multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT)/TiO2/C60 composite catalysts were prepared by hydrothermal method. TiO2 was deposited on the MWCNT surface. Their photocatalytic activities for degradation of Rhodamine B dye were studied. X-ray diffraction, field emission transmission electron microscopy, ultraviolet-visible light absorption spectrum and photoluminescence spectrum were carried out to characterize the composite catalysts. The results indicated that MWCNTs and C60 could greatly enhance the photocatalytic activity of TiO2.

Agricultural soils in China have been estimated to have a large potential for carbon sequestration, and modelling and literature survey studies have yielded contrasting results of soil organic carbon (SOC) stock change, ranging from � 2.0 to 10.6%yr � 1 . To assess the validity of earlier estimates, we collected 1394 cropland soil profiles from all over the country and measured SOC contents in 2007‐2008, and compared them with those of a previous national soil survey conducted in 1979‐1982. The results showed that average SOC content in the 0‐20cm soil increased from 11.95gkg � 1 in 1979‐1982 to 12.67gkg � 1 in 2007‐2008, averaging 0.22%yr � 1 . The standard deviation of SOC contents decreased. Four major soil types had statistically significant changes in their mean SOC contents for 0‐20cm. These were: 17.5% for Anthrosols (paddy soils), 118.3% for Eutric Cambisols, 130.5% for Fluvisols, and � 22.3% for Chernozems. The change of SOC contents showed a negative relationship with the average SOC contents of the two sampling campaigns only when soils in the region south of Yangtse River were excluded. SOC contents of the two major soil types in the region south of Yangtse River, i.e., Haplic Alisols/Haplic Acrisols and Anthrosols (paddy soils), changed little or significantly increased, though with a high SOC content. We suggest that the increase of SOC content is mainly attributed to the large increase in crop yields since the 1980s, and the short history as cropland establishment is mainly responsible for the decrease in SOC content for some soil types and regions showing a SOC decline.

Pure and vanadium doped NaTaO3 nanoparticles were synthesized by hydrothermal conditions. From XRD studies, both pure as well as vanadium doped NaTaO3 are found to show pure orthorhombic phase of tatanlate. STEM studies show the formation of cube shape particles in all the samples with a particle size about 70 nm. UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra clearly indicates the red-shift in the series of vanadium doped NaTaO3 catalysts, resulting in a decrease in the band gap of NaTaO3 caused by substitution of V5+ ions at Ta5+ site with an increase of vanadium doping concentration in NaTaO3. The results reveal that Vanadium doped NaTaO3 show good photocatalytic performance under visible light and RhodamineB (RB) degradation is improved with Vanadium doping. The photocatalytic mechanism was discussed by density functional theory. V5+ ions substitution of Ta5+ ions results in an intermediate band (IB) below the bottom of the conduction band (CB), which is mainly attributed to the state of V 3d. Meanwhile the broad...

The effects of activated sintering technology of H2 atmosphere sintering on the microstructure and properties of W-15Cu alloy using ultrafine W-15Cu composite powder fabricated by spray drying & calcining-continuous reduction technology were investigated. The experimental results showed that W-15Cu alloy, consolidated by activated sintering technology of H2 atmosphere sintering for 1 h at 1300 °C, with 98.5 % relative density, transverse rupture strength 1218 MPa, Vickers hardness HV0.5 378, average grain size about 1.2 μm and thermal conductivity 192 W/m·K, was obtained. In comparison to the normal sintering process, activated sintering process to W-15Cu alloy could be achieved at lower sintering temperature. Furthermore, better properties in activated sintered compacts were obtained, and activated sintering process resulted in finer microstructure and excellent properties.