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Hollow glass microspheres (HGMs)/epoxy syntactic foam reinforced by multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was prepared in this study. The effect of MWCNTs on the density, mechanical properties and water absorption of HGMs/epoxy syntactic foam was investigated. Because of the low density and low content of MWCNTs, the density of HGMs/epoxy syntactic foam does not change much with adding MWCNTs. In addition, the compression strength of HGMs/epoxy is enhanced by 17–25% when adding 0.3 wt% MWCNTs. The fracture surfaces of specimens were examined with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and results indicated that the bridging effect of MWCNTs is the reinforcement mechanism. Analyzing the water absorption testing results, it is concluded that MWCNTs may decrease the water absorption content due to the hydrophobicity. Bigger inorganic ions in salt water could prevent the water diffusion, which results in a decrease of water absorption. In addition, the water absorption rate decreases with the extension of testing time.

Changsha Kiln, located at Changsha in Hunan Province, south of China, is famous for exported and coloured porcelain during the Tang Dynasty (A.D. 7th-10th century) period. Although the opinion that copper-red porcelain originates from Changsha Kiln is widely accepted in academic circles, chemical characters of glaze and colour mechanism of its copper-red porcelain have not been fully investigated and studied. Therefore, a shard of opaque glaze porcelain with red pigments which excavated at Changsha Kiln (A.D. 7th-10th century) was analyzed by Energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence (EDXRF), Synchrotron X-ray absorption near-edge spectroscopy (XANES), micro X-ray diffraction (μ-XRD), microscopy and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) methods. Combining with XANES and μ-XRD results, it indicates that metal copper is the major colouring-generation element status of the red hue. On the other hand, for the first time the study demonstrates that glaze of the sample from Changsha kiln is a typical phase separated-crystalline glaze with large particles surrounding acicular crystals which lead the opaque appearances. Because the sample from Changsha Kiln is Chinese ancient early stage copper-red porcelain relic, it will help to understand the origin of copper-red porcelain in China and enrich the knowledge of Chinese ancient ceramic culture.

For the application of the Al–Ti–B system in Al-free Mg alloys, yttrium was selected and its effect on microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of Mg–6Zn/TiB 2p composite was studied. The results indicate that the addition of Y could transform the extra Al (which is the by-product of the Al–Ti–B SHS reaction) into Al 2 Y and Al 11 Y 3 phases, and then refined the as-homogenized microstructure of the Mg–6Zn/TiB 2p composite. The Al 2 Y and Al 11 Y 3 particles, as well as the TiB 2 particles, effectively stimulate the occurrence of dynamic recrystallization during the cross-rolling, which contribute to the grain refinement and the formation of a weak double peak texture. That results in the comprehensive improvement of the mechanical properties.

Ginsenoside Rg1 (Rg1) is a multipotent triterpene saponin extracted from ginseng, and has been proven to act as a nootropic agent against various types of neurological damage. The present study was designed to investigate the neuroprotective effect and the underlying mechanisms of Rg1 on apoptosis induced by β-amyloid peptide 25-35 (Aβ25-35) in primary cultured cortical neurons. The primary neurons were preincubated with 20 µM Rg1 for 24 h and exposed to 10 µM Aβ25-35 for 72 h. In the present study, we found that Rg1 prevented nuclear factor κ-light-chain‑enhancer of activated B cells (NF-κB) nuclear translocation and IκB-α phosphorylation in primary cultured cortical neurons after Aβ25-35 exposure by scavenging excess reactive oxygen species (ROS); ROS was measured using DCFDA and examined using a fluorescence microscope. In addition, Rg1 successfully suppressed Aβ25‑35-inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) expression and nitric oxide (NO) production in a NF-κB-dependent manner; the suppression of NO was clearly illustrated by the NO production assay. Pretreatment of the cells with Rg1 elevated the proportion of Bcl-2/Bax, lessened the release of cytochrome c from mitochondria into cytoplasm and then blocked mitochondrial apoptotic cascades after Aβ25-35 insult by lowering NO generation. Taken together, our data demonstrate that Rg1 rescues primary cultured cortical neurons from Aβ25-35-induced cell apoptosis through the downregulation of the NF-κB/NO signaling pathway.

REBa2Cu3Ox (REBCO) coated conductors are an enabling technology for >1 GHz nuclear magnetic resonance spectrometers that need >23.5 T solenoids, compact high-field fusion reactors beyond the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor, and 20 T class accelerator magnets. An in-depth understanding of stress and strain management is critically needed for these applications. Here, we report experimental data and an analysis of damages of REBCO-coated conductors in several scenarios relevant for their applications in high-field magnets and unique to their multi-layer thin film structure. The examined scenarios include failure induced by quench, failure induced by epoxy impregnation, and failure induced by a combination of epoxy impregnation and quench. The root cause is film blistering and peeling induced by thermally interfacial stresses characteristic of multilayered heteroepitaxial thin film structures on thick substrates utilized. The quantitative stress analysis is introduced using simple and easy to use formulas and clearly indicates how materials and structural characteristics affect the magnitude and the distribution of stresses and deflections. Finally, a simple method is introduced for removing degradation of REBCO coated conductors due to epoxy impregnation. Our data and analysis help our understanding of the practical limit of REBCO-coated conductors and can be utilized as a guidance for the physical design of REBCO coated conductors and high-current cables assembled from them and for minimizing damages.

BACKGROUND Epithelial ovarian cancer (EOC) has been classified into four molecular subtypes, of which the mesenchymal subtype has the poorest survival. Our goal is to develop an immune-based prognostic signature by incorporating molecular subtypes for EOC patients. METHODS The gene expression profiles of EOC samples were collected from seven public datasets as well as an internal retrospective validation cohort, containing 1192 EOC patients. Network analysis was applied to integrate the mesenchymal modalities and immune signature to establish an immune-based prognostic signature for EOC (IPSEOC). The signature was trained and validated in eight independent datasets. RESULTS Seven immune genes were identified as key regulators of the mesenchymal subtype and were used to construct the IPSEOC. The IPSEOC significantly divided patients into high- and low-risk groups in discovery (OS: P

Alternating ultrahigh temperature (AUHT) method for curing cement paste was established to investigate the effects of dry and steam conditions on the compressive strength of the cement paste. X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry, scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption were used to test the phases, chemical structure, microstructure, and pore structure of the cement paste in order to elucidate the mechanisms by which the curing conditions influenced the compressive strength of the cement paste cured at AUHT. The results showed that, when the curing time reached nine days under AUHT-dry conditions, the compressive strength of the cement paste decreased rapidly and continuously. However, when the cement paste was cured under AUHT-steam conditions, its compressive strength was highly stable. When the curing time increased to 21 days, the compressive strength of the cement paste under AUHT-dry conditions decreased to 25.8 MPa, which is only 89% of the compressive strength of the cement paste cured under AUHT-steam conditions. According to the chemical structure, microstructure, and pore structure results, under AUHT-dry conditions, xonotlite formed in the cement paste and its microstructure changed from “network” and “bulk” to “highly-porous spongy-type assembly”, which increased the porosity of the cement paste and reduced its compressive strength. Under AUHT-steam conditions, some new products formed, increasing the total content of hydration products and maintaining their “bulk” microstructure. Therefore, the porosity of the cement paste cured under AUHT-steam conditions was lower than that of the cement paste cured under AUHT-dry conditions, but the compressive strength was higher.

Capacitive micro-machined ultrasonic transducer (CMUT) has emerged as a promising candidate for gravimetric humidity sensing applications for its unique advantages. However, the measurement accuracy is badly influenced by the ambient pressure especially in the occasions of large pressure change such as meteorological observation. Therefore, a novel dual-frequency CMUT was proposed for pressure self-compensation during humidity measurement for the first time. The pressure self-compensation was carried out by obtaining the humidity measurement curves under different pressures. The CMUT sensor was designed with two resonant frequencies of 180 kHz and 1.8 MHz. Firstly, the pressure was detected by measuring the frequency shift around 180 kHz and this frequency was almost not affected by the humidity conditions. Then the relative humidity (RH) could be acquired through the resonant frequency shift around 1.8 MHz in RH of 30 %–90 % at this pressure. The cells of 1.8 MHz were functionalized by graphene oxide (GO) to improve the sensitivity of humidity sensing. The results demonstrated that the dual-frequency sensor showed high sensitivity for pressure detection and exhibited good sensitivity for RH sensing under different pressures, for example the sensitivity at 1 atm is 1.96 kHz/%RH for RH of 60 %–90 % and 663 Hz/%RH for RH of 30 %–60 %. Decent repeatability was also achieved by the CMUT sensor. What’s more, this dual-frequency sensor can be used in the cases where simultaneous detection of pressure and humidity is necessary. Compared with detection of pressure and humidity simultaneously by two sensors, this CMUT sensor owns many advantages such as small volume, low cost, high consistency as well as easy operation.

A Rubik's cube as a reconfigurable microfluidic system is presented in this work. Composed of physically interlocking microfluidic blocks, the microfluidic cube enables on-site design and configuration of custom microfluidics by means of turning the faces of the cube. The reconfiguration of the microfluidics could be done in the way of solving an ordinary Rubik's cube, with the help of Rubik's algorithms and computer programs. An O-ring aided strategy is used to enable self-sealing and automatic alignment of the microfluidic cube blocks. The proposed cube exhibits good reconfigurability and robustness in versatile microfluidic applications and is proved to be a promising candidate for setting up microfluidic platforms in resource-limited settings.

Two cabbage (Brassica oleracea) cultivars ‘Tekila’ and ‘Kilaherb’ were identified as resistant to several pathotypes of Plasmodiophora brassicae. In this study, we identified a clubroot resistance gene (Rcr7) in ‘Tekila’ for resistance to pathotype 3 of P. brassicae from a segregating population derived from ‘Tekila’ crossed with the susceptible line T010000DH3. Genetic mapping was performed by identifying the percentage of polymorphic variants (PPV), a new method proposed in this study, through bulked segregant RNA sequencing. Chromosome C7 carried the highest PPV (42%) compared to the 30–34% in the remaining chromosomes. A peak with PPV (56–73%) was found within the physical interval 41–44 Mb, which indicated that Rcr7 might be located in this region. Kompetitive Allele-Specific PCR was used to confirm the association of Rcr7 with SNPs in the region. Rcr7 was flanked by two SNP markers and co-segregated with three SNP markers in the segregating population of 465 plants. Seven genes encoding TIR-NBS-LRR disease resistance proteins were identified in the target region, but only two genes, Bo7g108760 and Bo7g109000, were expressed. Resistance to pathotype 5X was also mapped to the same region as Rcr7. B. oleracea lines including ‘Kilaherb’ were tested with five SNP markers for Rcr7 and for resistance to pathotype 3; 11 of 25 lines were resistant, but ‘Kilaherb’ was the only line that carried the SNP alleles associated with Rcr7. The presence of Rcr7 in ‘Kilaherb’ for resistance to both pathotypes 3 and 5X was confirmed through linkage analysis.

Phosphorothioate (PT) modification by the dnd gene cluster is the first identified DNA backbone modification and constitute an epigenetic system with multiple functions, including antioxidant ability, restriction modification, and virus resistance. Despite these advantages for hosting dnd systems, they are surprisingly distributed sporadically among contemporary prokaryotic genomes. To address this ecological paradox, we systematically investigate the occurrence and phylogeny of dnd systems, and they are suggested to have originated in ancient Cyanobacteria after the Great Oxygenation Event. Interestingly, the occurrence of dnd systems and prophages is significantly negatively correlated. Further, we experimentally confirm that PT modification activates the filamentous phage SW1 by altering the binding affinity of repressor and the transcription level of its encoding gene. Competition assays, concurrent epigenomic and transcriptomic sequencing subsequently show that PT modification affects the expression of a variety of metabolic genes, which reduces the competitive fitness of the marine bacterium Shewanella piezotolerans WP3. Our findings strongly suggest that a series of negative effects on microorganisms caused by dnd systems limit horizontal gene transfer, thus leading to their sporadic distribution. Overall, our study reveals putative evolutionary scenario of the dnd system and provides novel insights into the physiological and ecological influences of PT modification., Phosphorothioate (PT) modification by the dnd gene cluster is the first identified DNA backbone modification and has been shown to constitute a multifunctional epigenetic system. Despite a variety of advantages for hosting dnd systems, these systems are surprisingly distributed sporadically among contemporary microbial genomes. To address this ecological paradox, Jian et al. systematically investigated the occurrence and phylogeny of dnd systems in prokaryotes, and provided evidence to suggest that dnd systems have originated in ancient Cyanobacteria (probably Nostocales) after the Great Oxygenation Event.

A novel cylindrical flexible enzyme-electrode sensor was fabricated with a bigger working electrode (WE) surface than the traditional pin-like one for implantable continuous glucose monitoring. On the WE surface, a 3D nanostructure consisting of graphene and platinum nanoparticles was constructed to enhance the sensitivity; in conjunction with the bigger WE, this nanostructure enabled hypoglycemia detection, which is still a big challenge in clinics. The cylindrical sensor was fabricated by rotated inkjet printing which enabled direct patterning of microstructures on a curved surface, thus overcoming the restriction of the traditional planar micromachining by photolithography. Specifically, the cylindrical substrate (polyetheretherketone, PEEK) was modified by (3-aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane and (3-mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane to facilitate surface wettability, which discourages the coalescence of adjacent droplets, and to facilitate the adhesion of metals to PEEK in order to construct robust electrodes. A synchronous heating method was used to evaporate the solvent of the droplets quickly to prevent them from running along the cylindrical surface, which affects the formation of the printed electrode significantly. In vitro experimental results showed that the proposed sensor was able to detect the glucose concentration ranging from 0 to 570 mg dL−1 which demonstrated its capability for physiological glucose detection. In vivo experiments were conducted with rats, and the measurement results recorded using the implanted cylindrical sensor showed great compliance to those recorded using a commercial glucometer which exhibited the viability of the proposed sensor for implantable continuous glucose monitoring, even under the hypoglycemic conditions.

The qualitative and quantitative analysis of different types of histopathology images of cancerous tissue can not only help us in better understanding of tumor but also explore various options for cancer treatment. However, it is still a challenging task due to cellular heterogeneity. Deep learning approaches have been shown to produce encouraging results on image detection in various tasks. In this paper, we investigate issues involving Faster R-CNN for construction of end-to-end colorectal adenocarcinoma images analysis system. We experimented with different types of network for extract features, and analyzed the impact of time and accuracy. In addition, we optimize the various stages of the network training process. We have evaluated them on a large dataset of colorectal adenocarcinoma images, consisting of more than 20,000 annotated cells belonging to four different classes. Our results presenting competitive accuracy and acceptable running time. Prospectively, the proposed methods could offer benefit to pathology practice in terms of quantitative analysis of tissue constituents in whole-slide images. Code and dataset will be made publicly available.

Justicia procumbens (J. procumbens) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine which was used for the treatment of fever, pain, and cancer. A compound 6'-hydroxy justicidin B (HJB) isolated from J. procumbens exhibits promising biological properties. However, the mechanism of action and the in vivo behavior of HJB remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of HJB on human leukemia K562 cells and its pharmacokinetic properties in rats. The results demonstrated that HJB significantly inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells and promoted apoptosis. Besides, HJB resulted in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential deltaPSIm, increased the level of the calcium homeostasis regulator protein TRPC6 and cytosolic calcium. The activity of caspase-8, caspase-9 and the expression of p53 were significantly increased after treatment with HJB. Additionally, HJB has rapid absorption rate and relative long elimination t1/2, indicating a longer residence time in vivo. The results indicate that HJB inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells and induced apoptosis by affecting the function of mitochondria and calcium homeostasis to activate the p53 signaling pathway. The pharmacokinetic study of HJB suggested it is absorbed well and has moderate metabolism in vivo. These results present HJB as a potential novel alternative to standard human leukemia therapies.

Arachis monticola (2n = 4x = 40) is the only allotetraploid wild peanut within the Arachis genus and section, with an AABB-type genome of ∼2.7 Gb in size. The AA-type subgenome is derived from diploid wild peanut Arachis duranensis, and the BB-type subgenome is derived from diploid wild peanut Arachis ipaensis. A. monticola is regarded either as the direct progenitor of the cultivated peanut or as an introgressive derivative between the cultivated peanut and wild species. The large polyploidy genome structure and enormous nearly identical regions of the genome make the assembly of chromosomal pseudomolecules very challenging. Here we report the first reference quality assembly of the A. monticola genome, using a series of advanced technologies. The final whole genome of A. monticola is ∼2.62 Gb and has a contig N50 and scaffold N50 of 106.66 Kb and 124.92 Mb, respectively. The vast majority (91.83%) of the assembled sequence was anchored onto the 20 pseudo-chromosomes, and 96.07% of assemblies were accurately separated into AA- and BB- subgenomes. We demonstrated efficiency of the current state of the strategy for de novo assembly of the highly complex allotetraploid species, wild peanut (A. monticola), based on whole-genome shotgun sequencing, single molecule real-time sequencing, high-throughput chromosome conformation capture technology, and BioNano optical genome maps. These combined technologies produced reference-quality genome of the allotetraploid wild peanut, which is valuable for understanding the peanut domestication and evolution within the Arachis genus and among legume crops.

The UGlcAE has the capability of interconverting UDP-d-galacturonic acid and UDP-d-glucuronic acid, and UDP-d-galacturonic acid is an activated precursor for the synthesis of pectins in plants. In this study, we identified nine UGlcAE protein-encoding genes in tomato. The nine UGlcAE genes that were distributed on eight chromosomes in tomato, and the corresponding proteins contained one or two trans-membrane domains. The phylogenetic analysis showed that SlUGlcAE genes could be divided into seven groups, designated UGlcAE1 to UGlcAE6, of which the UGlcAE2 were classified into two groups. Expression profile analysis revealed that the SlUGlcAE genes display diverse expression patterns in various tomato tissues. Selective pressure analysis indicated that all of the amino acid sites of SlUGlcAE proteins are undergoing purifying selection. Fifteen stress-, hormone-, and development-related elements were identified in the upstream regions (0.5 kb) of these SlUGlcAE genes. Furthermore, we investigated the expression patterns of SlUGlcAE genes in response to three hormones (indole-3-acetic acid (IAA), gibberellin (GA), and salicylic acid (SA)). We detected firmness, pectin contents, and expression levels of UGlcAE family genes during the development of tomato fruit. Here, we systematically summarize the general characteristics of the SlUGlcAE genes in tomato, which could provide a basis for further function studies of tomato UGlcAE genes.

Delayed encephalopathy after acute carbon monoxide poisoning (DEACMP) is a serious complication that occurs several days or weeks after carbon monoxide (CO) intoxication. This study identified computed tomography (CT) findings in the prediction of DEACMP development. Adults with CO poisoning admitted to Beijing Chaoyang Hospital, Shenyang Ninth People's Hospital, Shanxi Second People's Hospital and Shandong Provincial Hospital in China from January 2013 to January 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. Baseline demographic and clinical characteristics were extracted from the medical records. Brain CT imaging was carried out within 24 h of admission, and an integrated CT score was calculated to semi-quantify lesion severity. Patients were followed-up for 6 months. Baseline characteristics and CT findings were compared among patients who developed DEACMP (DEACMP group) and those who did not (non-DEACMP group). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis was used to examine the utility of integrated CT score for predicting DEACMP. Among the 123 patients included in the analysis, 27 (22.0%) developed DEACMP. The DEACMP and non-DEACMP groups did not differ with regard to age, sex and carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) level at admission. However, compared with the non-DEACMP group, the patients in the DEACMP group had longer onset time of symptoms and duration of exposure to CO, higher acute physiology and chronic health evaluation-II (APACHE-II) score, lower Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) score, and there was a higher proportion of patients with severe symptoms and brain CT abnormalities (81.5 vs. 51.0%; P

Seed expansion in peanut is a complex biological process involving many gene regulatory pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important regulatory roles in plant growth and development, but little is known about their functions during seed expansion, or how they contribute to seed expansion in different peanut lines. We examined seed miRNA expression patterns at 15 and 35 days after flowering (DAF) in two peanut eighth-generation recombinant inbred lines (RIL8); 8106, a medium-pod variety, and 8107, a super-pod variety. Using high-throughput sequencing, we identified 1,082 miRNAs in developing peanut seeds including 434 novel miRNAs. We identified 316 differentially expressed miRNAs by comparing expression levels between the two peanut lines. Interestingly, 24 miRNAs showed contrasting patterns of expression in the two RILs, and 149 miRNAs were expressed predominantly in only one RIL at 35 DAF. Also, potential target genes for some conserved and novel miRNAs were identified by degradome sequencing; target genes were predicted to be involved in auxin mediated signaling pathways and cell division. We validated the expression patterns of some representative miRNAs and 12 target genes by qPCR, and found negative correlations between the expression level of miRNAs and their targets. miR156e, miR159b, miR160a, miR164a, miR166b, miR168a, miR171n, miR172c-5p, and miR319d and their corresponding target genes may play key roles in seed expansion in peanut. The results of our study also provide novel insights into the dynamic changes in miRNAs that occur during peanut seed development, and increase our understanding of miRNA function in seed expansion.

The article discussed the feasibility from the idiosyncratic risk point of view that CEO enhances the stability of its position by income smoothing. Taking the data of A-share companies listed in Shanghai Stock Exchange and Shenzhen Stock Exchange between 2005 and 2011, the article examined the direct influence of income smoothing upon change of CEO and its indirect influence upon change of CEO by influencing idiosyncratic risks. The article found that the increase of the income smoothing degree would significantly decrease the probability of change of CEO, while the increase of idiosyncratic risks would significantly increase the probability of change of CEO. In addition, the influence of income smoothing upon change of CEO, to a great extent, is realized by influencing idiosyncratic risks. The evidences used in the article show that one of CEO’s major motives to perform income smoothing is to safeguard its position.

In the present paper, the influences of the addition forms of Sn, such as nanoparticles or ingot, on the microstructure and properties of magnesium alloy matrix were investigated. It was found that the size of as-formed Mg2Sn phases was in nano scale for the sample with Sn nanoparticles addition. While Mg2Sn phases were in macro scale for the sample with Sn ingot addition. The strength and plasticity of the AZ31 alloy matrix were improved because of the Sn additions regardless of nanoparticle or ingot. However, the AZ31 alloy with Sn ingot addition exhibited better mechanical properties than the sample with the nanoparticle addition, which could be owing to the loss of Sn nanoparticles in the processing of smelting and existence of nanoscopic Mg2Sn phase as particle clusters in the matrix.

The FAD2 gene family is functionally responsible for the conversion of oleic acid to linoleic acid in oilseed plants. Multiple members of the FAD gene are known to occur in several oilseed species. In this study, six novel full-length cDNA sequences (named as AhFAD2-1, -2, -3, -4, -5, and -6) were identified in peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.), an analysis of which revealed open reading frames of 379, 383, 394, or 442 amino acids. Sequence comparisons showed that AhFAD2-1 and AhFAD2-2 shared 76% identity, while AhFAD2-2, -3, and -4 displayed highly significant homology. There was only 27% identity overlap between the microsomal ω-6 fatty acid desaturase and the chloroplast ω-6 fatty acid desaturase encoded by AhFAD2-1, -2, -3, -4, and AhFAD2-5, -6, respectively. The phylogeny tree of FAD2 transcripts showed five major groups, and AhFAD2-1 was clearly separated from other groups. Analysis of AhFAD2-1 and AhFAD2-2 transcript distribution in different peanut tissues showed that the AhFAD2-1 gene showed upward of a 70-fold increase in expression of fatty acid than the AhFAD2-2 gene in peanut developing seeds, while the AhFAD2-2 gene expressed most abundantly in peanut flowers. Because the AhFAD2-1 gene played a major role in the conversion of oleic to linoleic acid during seed development, the identification of this novel member in this study would facilitate the further genetic manipulation of peanut oil quality. The implications of overall results also suggest that there may be more candidate genes controlling levels of oleate acid in developing seeds. Results also may be due to the presence of complex gene networks controlling the fluxes between the endoplasmic reticulum and the chloroplast within the peanut cells.

In this study, multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were added as carbon sources to fabricate in situ casting TiC/Ti6Al4V (TC4) composites. The effects of MWCNTs on the microstructure and mechanical properties are studied. The composites are analyzed by X-ray diffraction, field-emission scanning electron microscope and electron probe microanalysis. The fracture behavior of TiC/TC4 composites are also studied. Smaller size of TiC particles and grain compared with TC4-graphite composites can be observed. The tensile strength of TC4-MWCNTs composites is about 1110.1 MPa, which is higher than that of TC4-graphite composites, about 1003.6 MPa. Fracture behavior also was changed by adding MWCNTs in situ casting TiC/TC4 composites.

A novel Al–Ti–C master alloy containing Al4C3 and TiC particle clusters, which exhibits great refining potential for Mg, was prepared. With the addition of 2% Al–Ti–C master alloy, the grains transform to equiaxed crystal with a diameter of (110±17) μm. The results indicate that Al4C3 and TiC particle cluster, rather than a single particle, plays an important role in the refining process. Compared with the simplex smooth nucleating substrate, concave regions on the particle cluster provide easier route for the transformation from liquid Mg atoms to stable nucleus. Nucleus with a small size can also reach the critical nucleation radius when they attach on the concave regions of the substrate. Al4C3 and TiC particle clusters thus become more favorable nucleating substrate for α-Mg grains.

The effect of RE addition on glass-forming ability (GFA) and mechanical properties of (Cu47Zr45Al8)100−xREx (RE = Ce, Nd, Gd, Y, Dy, Lu, x = 0–4 at.%) bulk metallic glasses (BMGs) has been studied in this paper. It has been found that trace amount of rare-earth addition in the Cu-rich Cu–Zr–Al alloys can decrease the temperature of glass transition (Tg) and increase γ(γ = Tx/(Tg + Tl)) value, and therefore improve the GFA. The (Cu47Zr45Al8)96Y4 bulk metallic glass with critical diameter of 25 mm was prepared by copper-mold-casting. The (Cu47Zr45Al8)97Lu3 bulk metallic glass exhibited good plasticity 4.65% at room temperature during compression test, which was applied high yield strength of 1840 MPa. With the increase of rare-earth elements addition up to 4 at.%, the fracture strength of the alloy reduced obviously and no more plastic deformation can be observed on the fracture surface. Young’s modulus, fracture strength and Poisson’s ratio were investigated for the mechanism of deformation (from plasticity to brittleness) in the compression tests.

This paper reports a flexible electrochemical film power supply with a disposable glucose-based energy patch as an epidermal energy device. The electrical power is independently generated from the electrochemical reaction between the glucose oxidase (GOx) and glucose molecules which are immobilized on the cathode. Platinum nanoparticles (PtNPs) are employed to enhance the electrons transfer from the active center of the enzyme to the electrode as well as to catalyze hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) from the decomposing of glucose to prevent enzyme deactivation. The glucose-based energy patch is disposable that could be replaced when it is used up. Moreover, the device is fabricated by inkjet printing which enables direct writing and additive manufacture under low temperature to meet the requirement of flexible and stretchable substrates for epidermal electronics.

Seed expansion in peanut is a complex biological process involving many gene regulatory pathways. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play important regulatory roles in plant growth and development, but little is known about their functions during seed expansion, or how they contribute to seed expansion in different peanut lines. We examined seed miRNA expression patterns at 15 and 35 days after flowering (DAF) in two peanut eighth-generation recombinant inbred lines (RIL8); 8106, a medium-pod variety, and 8107, a super-pod variety. Using high-throughput sequencing, we identified 1,082 miRNAs in developing peanut seeds including 434 novel miRNAs. We identified 316 differentially expressed miRNAs by comparing expression levels between the two peanut lines. Interestingly, 24 miRNAs showed contrasting patterns of expression in the two RILs, and 149 miRNAs were expressed predominantly in only one RIL at 35 DAF. Also, potential target genes for some conserved and novel miRNAs were identified by degradome sequencing; target genes were predicted to be involved in auxin mediated signaling pathways and cell division. We validated the expression patterns of some representative miRNAs and 12 target genes by qPCR, and found negative correlations between the expression level of miRNAs and their targets. miR156e, miR159b, miR160a, miR164a, miR166b, miR168a, miR171n, miR172c-5p, and miR319d and their corresponding target genes may play key roles in seed expansion in peanut. The results of our study also provide novel insights into the dynamic changes in miRNAs that occur during peanut seed development, and increase our understanding of miRNA function in seed expansion.

The basic leucine zipper (bZIP) transcription factors have crucial roles in plant stress responses. In this study, the bZIP family gene SlbZIP38 (GenBank accession No: XM004239373) was isolated from a tomato (Solanum lycopersicum cv. Ailsa Craig) mature leaf cDNA library. The DNA sequence of SlbZIP38 encodes a protein of 484 amino acids, including a highly conserved bZIP DNA-binding domain in the C-terminal region. We found that SlbZIP38 was differentially expressed in various organs of the tomato plant and was downregulated by drought, salt stress, and abscisic acid (ABA). However, overexpression of SlbZIP38 significantly decreased drought and salt stress tolerance in tomatoes (Ailsa Craig). The findings that SlbZIP38 overexpression reduced the chlorophyll and free proline content in leaves but increased the malondialdehyde content may explain the reduced drought and salt tolerance observed in these lines. These results suggest that SlbZIP38 is a negative regulator of drought and salt resistance that acts by modulating ABA signaling.

Justicia procumbens (J. procumbens) is a traditional Chinese herbal medicine which was used for the treatment of fever, pain, and cancer. A compound 6′-hydroxy justicidin B (HJB) isolated from J. procumbens exhibits promising biological properties. However, the mechanism of action and the in vivo behavior of HJB remain to be elucidated. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of action of HJB on human leukemia K562 cells and its pharmacokinetic properties in rats. The results demonstrated that HJB significantly inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells and promoted apoptosis. Besides, HJB resulted in decreased mitochondrial membrane potential deltaPSIm, increased the level of the calcium homeostasis regulator protein TRPC6 and cytosolic calcium. The activity of caspase-8, caspase-9 and the expression of p53 were significantly increased after treatment with HJB. Additionally, HJB has rapid absorption rate and relative long elimination t1/2, indicating a longer residence time in vivo. The results indicate that HJB inhibited the proliferation of K562 cells and induced apoptosis by affecting the function of mitochondria and calcium homeostasis to activate the p53 signaling pathway. The pharmacokinetic study of HJB suggested it is absorbed well and has moderate metabolism in vivo. These results present HJB as a potential novel alternative to standard human leukemia therapies.

Rapid extraction and construction of 3D model from the images plays an important role in the spatial data acquisition. And it is an important data source of Smart City construction. How to ensure the accuracy and measure the uncertainty of images-based 3D model reconstruction is one of research questions. Specifically, the model of 3D point cloud reconstruction based on binocular vision is studied. Then 3D point cloud error metric model and quantitative expression method are constructed, based on the matrix theory and differential covariance propagation law. This research would provide a theoretical basis for the quality control of 3D image modeling and accuracy assessment.

Interferon-γ-inducible lysosomal thiol reductase (GILT) plays an important role in the major histocompatibility complex-restricted antigen processing of endocytosed proteins via catalyzing the disulfide bond reduction in the endocytic pathway. Here, the cDNA of Chinese sturgeon (Acipenser sinensis) GILT (CsGILT) was cloned. It contained an open reading frame of 762 nucleotides encoding a protein of 254 amino acids with an estimated molecular weight of 28.1 kDa. The characteristic structural features, including a signature sequence CQHGX2ECX2NX4C, a CXXC motif, two potential N-glycosylation sites, and eight conserved cysteines were detected in the deduced amino acid sequence of CsGILT. CsGILT was widely expressed in Chinese sturgeon with the highest expression in the spleen, and CsGILT mRNA expression was significantly up-regulated when Chinese sturgeons were challenged with polyinosinic polycytidylic acid or Vibrio anguillarum. The recombinant CsGILT displayed obvious thiol reductase activity demonstrated by catalyzing the reduction of mouse IgG(H+L) by dithiothreitol into heavy chain and light chain. CsGILT also displayed significant antioxidant activity in mouse dentritic cells as indicated by its increasing GSH level and GSH/GSSG ratio, decreasing intracellular reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide levels and lipid peroxidation, as well as enhancing the activities of the antioxidative redox enzymes including catalase and superoxide dismutase. Our results suggested an important role for CsGILT in the immune response in Chinese sturgeon to pathogen invasion possibly via a conserved functional mechanism throughout vertebrate evolution, contributing to our understanding the immune biology and protection of Chinese sturgeon.

Chemotherapy is considered a high-risk procedure where system failures are more likely to occur. Failure mode and effects analysis (FMEA) is a systematic, multidisciplinary team-based approach to error prevention. We described our experience of using FMEA as a prospective risk-management technique throughout the chemotherapy process. The occurrence, detectability and severity were assessed. Fifteen potential risk factors associated with 10 failure modes were identified. Improvement measures were proposed according to risk priority number. A computerized physician order entry (CPOE) and complete prescription audit system (CPAS) were introduced to reduce potential risks during chemotherapy. Introduction of this system was associated with a decrease from 2.60% to 0.60%. As a result, FMEA is a useful tool to evaluate potential risk in healthcare processes.

BTB (broad-complex, tramtrack, and bric-a-brac) family proteins are characterized by the presence of a protein-protein interaction BTB domain. BTB proteins have diverse functions, including transcriptional regulation, protein degradation, chromatin remodeling, and cytoskeletal regulation. However, little is known about this gene family in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), the most important model plant for crop species. In this study, 38 BTB genes were identified based on tomato whole-genome sequence. Phylogenetic analysis of BTB proteins in tomato revealed that SlBTB proteins could be divided into at least 4 subfamilies. The SlBTB proteins contains 1-3 BTB domains, and several other types of functional domains, including KCTD (Potassium channel tetramerization domain-containing), the MATH (meprin and TRAF homology), ANK (Ankyrin repeats), NPR1 (nonexpressor of pathogenesis-related proteins1), NPH3 (Nonphototropic Hypocotyl 3), TAZ zinc finger, C-terminal Kelch, Skp1 and Arm (Armadillo/beta-catenin-like repeat) domains are also found in some tomato BTB proteins. Moreover, their expression patterns in tissues/stages, in response to different abiotic stress treatments and hormones were also investigated. This study provides the first comprehensive analysis of BTB gene family in the tomato genome. The data will undoubtedly be useful for better understanding the potential functions of BTB genes, and their possible roles in mediating hormone cross-talk and abiotic stress in tomato as well as in some other relative species.

This paper reports a novel electrochemical glucose sensor fabricated on the flexible cylindrical substrate with bigger working electrode surface by the rotated inkjet printing method to overcome the challenge of hypoglycemia detection in clinics. The rotated inkjet printing technique enables directly patterning microstructures on cylindrical surface which overcomes the limit of the traditional planar micromachining by lithography. (3-Aminopropyl) trimethoxysilane (APTES) and (3-Mercaptopropyl) trimethoxysilane (MPTMS) were employed to modify the flexible cylindrical substrate (polyetheretherketone, PEEK) to promote the surface wettability to avoid the coalescence of adjacent droplets, and to promote the adhesion of metals to PEEK which, in turn, is beneficial to constructing stable and durable microelectrodes on the cylindrical surface. Then a bigger working electrode surface is obtained to improve the sensitivity of the sensor which, in turn, enables the potential for hypoglycemia detection. Both of the structure and the manufacturing process of the proposed glucose sensor are much simpler compared with those of the traditional pin-like enzyme electrode sensor.

Peanut (Arachis hypogaea) consists of two subspecies, hypogaea and fastigiata, and has been cultivated worldwide for hundreds of years. Here, 158 peanut accessions were selected to dissect the molecular footprint of agronomic traits related to domestication using specific-locus amplified fragment sequencing (SLAF-seq method). Then, a total of 17,338 high-quality single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the whole peanut genome were revealed. Eleven agronomic traits in 158 peanut accessions were subsequently analyzed using genome-wide association studies (GWAS). Candidate genes responsible for corresponding traits were then analyzed in genomic regions surrounding the peak SNPs, and 1,429 genes were found within 200 kb windows centerd on GWAS-identified peak SNPs related to domestication. Highly differentiated genomic regions were observed between hypogaea and fastigiata accessions using FST values and sequence diversity (π) ratios. Among the 1,429 genes, 662 were located on chromosome A3, suggesting the presence of major selective sweeps caused by artificial selection during long domestication. These findings provide a promising insight into the complicated genetic architecture of domestication-related traits in peanut, and reveal whole-genome SNP markers of beneficial candidate genes for marker-assisted selection (MAS) in future breeding programs.

Photosynthesis is the process by which dry matter accumulates, which affects rapeseed yield. In this study, we identified GOLDEN2-LIKE1 (GLK1), located on chromosome A07 and 59.2 kb away from the single nucleotide polymorphism marker SNP16353A07, which encodes a transcription factor associated with the rate of photosynthesis in leaves. We then identified 96 GLK1 family members from 53 species using a hidden Markov model (HMM) search and found 24 of these genes, which were derived from 17 Brassicaceae species. Phylogenetic analysis showed that 24 Brassicaceae proteins were classified into three subgroups, named the Brassica family, Adenium arabicum, and Arabidopsis. Using homologous cloning methods, we identified four BnaGLK1 copies; however, the coding sequences were shorter than the putative sequences from the reference genome, probably due to splicing errors among the reference genome sequence or different gene copies being present in the different B. napus lines. In addition, we found that BnaGLK1 genes were expressed at higher levels in leaves with more chloroplasts than were present in other leaves. Overexpression of BnaGLK1a resulted in darker leaves and siliques than observed in the control, suggesting that BnaGLK1 might promote chloroplast development to affect the rate of photosynthesis in leaves. These results will help to elucidate the mechanism of chloroplast biogenesis by GLK1 in B. napus.

The transdermal administration of chemotherapeutic agents is a persistent challenge for tumor treatments. A model anticancer agent, epirubicin (EPI), is attached to functionalized superparamagnetic iron-oxide nanoparticles (SPION). The covalent modification of the SPION results in EPI-SPION, a potential drug delivery vector that uses magnetism for the targeted transdermal chemotherapy of skin tumors. The spherical EPI-SPION composite exhibits excellent magnetic responsiveness with a saturation magnetization intensity of 77.8 emu g(-1) . They feature specific pH-sensitive drug release, targeting the acidic microenvironment typical in common tumor tissues or endosomes/lysosomes. Cellular uptake studies using human keratinocyte HaCaT cells and melanoma WM266 cells demonstrate that SPION have good biocompatibility. After conjugation with EPI, the nanoparticles can inhibit WM266 cell proliferation; its inhibitory effect on tumor proliferation is determined to be dose-dependent. In vitro transdermal studies demonstrate that the EPI-SPION composites can penetrate deep inside the skin driven by an external magnetic field. The magnetic-field-assisted SPION transdermal vector can circumvent the stratum corneum via follicular pathways. The study indicates the potential of a SPION-based vector for feasible transdermal therapy of skin cancer.

The effects of precipitates on grain size and mechanical properties of as-cast AZ31- x %Nd magnesium alloy were investigated, and the affecting mechanism was also discussed. The results indicated that Al 2 Nd phase, Al 11 Nd 3 phase and a few Al-Mn-Nd-Fe phase were formed when adding 0.38 wt.%–1.46 wt.% Nd into AZ31 melt, coarse Al 2 Nd transformed into Al 11 Nd 3 gradually with the increasing of Nd content. Due to structure and size transformation and content increasing of Al-Nd phase, the grain size of AZ31- x %Nd alloy increased firstly, and then decreased with the increment of Nd content. After reaching a minimum value, once again it rose up, provided that Nd content was further increased. The tensile property reached its optimal value when the adding amount of Nd content was 1.05 wt.%, however, adding excessive amount of Nd deteriorated both ultimate strength and elongation of AZ31 alloy.

An high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry method has been optimised and established for the quality evaluation of the traditional Chinese medicine Dan Deng Tong Nao capsules through simultaneous determination of the following eight active components: danshensu, salvianolic acid A, salvianolic acid C, puerarin, scutellarin, apigenin, 3,4-dihydroxybenzaldehyde, and ferulic acid. All of the analytes were separated on a Waters Xbridge™ C18 column (4.6 × 150 mm, 3.5 µm particle size) with a mobile phase consisting of methanol/acetonitrile (50 : 50, v/v) and water containing 0.1 % formic acid. All of the compounds showed good linearity (R2 > 0.997). The recoveries, measured at three concentration levels, varied from 94.94 to 107.3 %. The validated method was successfully applied to evaluate the eight active components in Dan Deng Tong Nao capsules collected from different production batches. The results suggested that the method established in this study could be considered a good approach to controlling the quality of Dan Deng Tong Nao capsules and other related botanical drugs.

Microstructures and element distributions of the as-cast, hot-rolled and cold-rolled Cu–Mg–Te–Y alloys were studied. Effects of rolling process and annealing temperature on the properties of the Cu–Mg–Te–Y alloys were correspondingly investigated. The results indicate that the Mg element is homogeneously distributed in the matrix and the fragmentized Cu2Te phase is dispersed in the matrix after hot rolling. Then, the Cu2Te phase is further stretched to strip shape after the cold rolling process. The microstructures of the cold-rolled alloy keep unchanged for the sample annealed below 390 °C for 1 h. However, after annealing at 550 °C for 1 h, the copper alloy with fibrous microstructures formed during the cold rolling process recrystallizes, leading to an obvious drop of hardening effect and an increase of electrical conductivity. The Cu–Mg–Te–Y alloy with better comprehensive properties is obtained by annealing at 360–390 °C.