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Biomass is a sustainable and renewable energy source with relatively low pollution emissions. It can be transformed into gaseous, liquid and/or solid biofuels as well as other raw chemical materials and products. Among the biomass conversion technologies, densified solid biofuel is one of the means that is storable and transportable with low heating cost. In order to achieve the target of reducing the amount of carbon dioxide emissions per unit of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) by 40–45% until 2020 as set at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and realize the goal of China׳s 12th Five-year Plan (2011–2015) for the development of biomass energy, given that carbon emissions will peak in 2030 as estimated in 2014 during Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Conference, China should vigorously develop densified solid biofuel, so as to sharply minimize the unorganized burning of crop residues. This paper introduces the current status of China׳s densified solid biofuel and the industry in following aspects: (a) the classification of densified solid biofuel; (b) development of densified solid biofuel industry; (c) molding technology of densified solid biofuel; (d) characteristics of densified solid biofuel combustion; (e) the problems faced during molding, handling, transportation and storage; (f) existing Chinese standards for densified solid biofuel and the assessment of densified solid biofuel; and (g) market analysis and perspectives of densified solid biofuel and the industry. Moreover, this study provides a comprehensive overview of the development of China׳s densified solid biofuel and the related industry, proposes some recommendations for further development of the industry for domestic and international biomass energy researchers as well.

How to improve environmental quality and achieve high-quality development of economy have become important challenges for China in the new era. Based on the KLEMS framework, this paper analyzes the relationship between environmental regulation, factor substitution, and energy-saving effect by using panel structure vector autoregression model and panel data of China industry from 2004 to 2014. The following conclusions are drawn:(1) China's environmental regulation can promote the substitution of capital to energy, however, benefit of this substitution in the long run is greater than that in the short run. (2) Only in the long run can China's environmental regulations have significant energy-saving effect, technological innovation is the main reason for the improvement of energy-saving effect of environmental regulation. (3) China's environmental regulation will not significantly improve the structure of capital, which makes the economic benefits low. Finally, the paper discusses the possible ways to improve China's environmental regulation from the aspects of forming a scientific environmental supervision system, improving energy pricing mechanism and capital structure.

Fringe projection profilometry based on phase-shift method has been commonly used for three-dimensional measurement. However, measuring the specular surface is always a challenging task since the specular area cannot present original intensity information. This paper presents a novel framework for measuring objects with specular surfaces. Firstly, a set of phase-shifted fringe patterns with maximum intensity value is projected onto the specular surface. Then, the dichromatic reflection model is developed to theoretically decompose an image into specular and diffuse reflection components, which identifies specular pixels more robustly and effectively than judging by saturation only. Secondly, since the location and intensity of specular areas are acquired, the best projection intensity corresponding to the specular areas can be determined by fitting a power function that transforms captured specular reflection components to projected intensities, aiming to minimize specular areas and decrease specular reflection components. It should be stated here that the assumption based on this paper is that the fewer specular reflection components, the fewer measurement errors. Subsequently, the adaptive fringe patterns, which are constructed using the best projection intensity, are reprojected for phase recovery. Thirdly, it is reasonable that there still exist regions where the specular reflection components are too high. For these information-loss areas, the pixel inpainting technique is adopted when extracting the disparity map. Finally, the ultimate result combines adaptive fringe reconstruction with pixel inpainting. The experiment results verify that the proposed measurement framework can effectively and robustly perform three-dimensional reconstruction of various objects with specular surfaces.

In order to assess the potential risk of pipeline underwater leakage, a self-designed experimental setup is carried out to study the gas release rate and dispersion behavior in different release scenarios. A transparent organic glass tank with dimension of 1 m × 0.5 m × 0.5 m (height × width × length) was placed in a wind tunnel. The release pipeline made by stainless-steel with diameter of 25 mm were used to simulate for variation release depth. The different size and shape of leakage orifices in 1 mm, 3 mm, 5 mm in round and 3.5 × 2 mm, 7 × 1 mm in rectangle were designed for comparison. The medium of methane gas was released from the controllable cylinder. The variation parameters of flow rate and pressure were measured by a flow meter and pressure gauge respectively. A high speed camera was employed to recorded the phenomenology of dispersion characteristics and breakup process for a wide range of orifice size in the time-resolved images. The dynamic plume diameter on water surface was measured by a Vernier caliper placed above the water tank. The considered factors including orifice size, leakage pressure and water depth effect on gas flow rate and dispersion behavior was quantitative investigated. The fitting correlation between the gas flow rate and variation parameters can provide fundamental information for evaluation the hazard consequences of gas release in engineering application.

Evaluating potential hazards caused by accidental LNG release from underwater pipelines or vessels is a significant consideration in marine transportation safety. The aim of this study was to capture the dynamic behavior of LNG jet released under water and to analyze its vapor dispersion characteristics and combustion characteristics on the water surface during different release scenarios. Controlled experiments were conducted where LNG was jet released from a cryogenic storage tank. The dynamic process of LNG being jet released from orifices of different sizes and shapes, as well as the rising plume structure, were captured by a high-speed camera. The leakage flow rate and pipeline pressure were recorded by a flow meter and pressure gauge, respectively. The concentration distribution that emanated from the water surface was measured utilizing methane sensors in different positions with various wind speeds. The flame combustion characteristics of LNG vapor clouds, which immediately ignited upon the enclosed water tank, were also recorded. Additionally, the mass burning rate of the flame on the water surface was evaluated, and a new correlation between the ratio of flame length and width was established. The results indicated a large dimensionless heat release rate (Q*) and a continuous release flow rate in a limited burning area. This study could provide greater understanding of the mechanisms of LNG release and combustion behavior under water.

Manganese (Mn) is an essential micronutrient for animals. An 8-week feeding experiment with oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense was conducted to determine the effects of Mn supplementation on growth, antioxidative indices, intestinal morphology, and gut microbiota in juveniles of this species. Manganese sulfate monohydrate was added to a basal semi-purified diet at six levels: 5.4 (control), 13, 22, 34, 73 and 150 mg Mn kg−1 diet. Each diet was fed to juvenile prawns (mean weight 0.104 ± 0.003 g), twice daily to apparent satiation, in four replicates. Prawns fed the 22 mg Mn kg−1 diet achieved the highest weight gain. The Mn concentration in muscle significantly increased with increased dietary Mn supplementation, from 5.4 to 22 mg kg−1 diet, but leveled off in animals fed greater levels. Prawns fed the 34 mg Mn kg−1 diet had the lowest malondialdehyde content. Total superoxide dismutase activity in the hepatopancreas increased significantly with an increasing level of dietary Mn in the groups fed the 5.4 (control) to 73 mg kg−1 diets, but plateaued with higher levels of supplementation. Prawns fed the 13–150 mg Mn kg−1 diets had significantly higher Mn superoxide dismutase activity than those fed the 5.4 mg kg−1 diet. Epithelial cells of the intestine were closely arranged, with clear cell definition, in the groups fed the 5.4 (control) or 22 mg Mn kg−1 diet, whereas these cells were completely separated from the basement membrane in prawns fed the 150 mg Mn kg−1 diet. The estimator of community richness (Chao1) in the intestine was significantly higher for prawns fed the 22 mg Mn kg−1 diet as compared with animals fed the 5.4 (control) and 150 mg Mn kg−1 diets. The dominant phyla in the gut of M. nipponense were Proteobacteria, followed by Firmicutes and Bacteroidetes, regardless of the level of Mn supplementation. The intestinal microbiota phylotypes significantly differed among the groups fed the 5.4 (control), 22 and 150 mg Mn kg−1 diets. We conclude that Mn supplementation in formulated feeds for this species can improve growth performance and Mn deposition in muscle, whereas diets causing Mn deficiency or excess will induce oxidant stress, and very high levels of dietary Mn could damage the intestinal morphology. The intestinal core microbiota were not affected by the dietary Mn level, although the microbiota richness was somewhat affected. Based on weight gain, the optimal level of Mn supplementation for juvenile M. nipponense is 17.59 mg kg−1 diet.

Energy consumption has caused major crises and severe global challenges, such as environmental problems and climate change. Household appliances are highly utilized products that consume considerable electricity. The wide adoption of energy-saving appliances saves power resources and promotes the development of low-carbon economy. However, energy-saving appliances are usually more expensive than ordinary household appliances, thereby hindering their widespread adoption. Therefore, the factors influencing consumers’ willingness to pay a price premium for energy-saving appliances should be explored. A comprehensive model was constructed based on the theory of planned behavior and consumer perceived value literature. The influencing factors were identified in terms of product, consumer, and regulation and publicity. Data were collected through questionnaire survey method, as it is suitable for collecting data on human beliefs and perceptions. 327 valid responses were obtained from the survey, and the data were analyzed using partial least squares. Results show that consumers’ attitude toward purchasing energy-saving appliances positively impacts willingness to pay a price premium. Consumer perceived quality, price, emotional, and environmental values significantly and positively impact consumers’ purchasing attitude. Furthermore, the perceived effectiveness of energy efficiency labeling institutional mechanism and personal norm significantly and positively influences consumers’ purchasing attitude. Nevertheless, social value, environmental awareness, and media publicity do not significantly affect consumers’ purchasing attitude. Finally, suggestions on how to promote energy-saving appliances were proposed.

Hydraulic fracturing is commonly used for the exploitation of shale gas. However, the mechanism of permeability increase after the fracturing has still remained unclear so far. In this study, a hydraulic fracturing experiment was performed on Longmaxi shale specimens in order to create the hydraulic fractures. In order to investigate the cracks at micro-scale, several small slices were collected from the fractures surface and scanned with the scanning electron microscope (SEM). The regions of interest were captured through SEM for analyzation and investigation of the micro cracks. The captured images show that the densely distributed micro cracks can increase the permeability by connecting pores with macro fractures. Micro cracks generally propagate along the boundaries of hard mineral grains and soft organic matters. We selected three parameters: length, tortuosity and branching to quantitatively characterize the cracks at micro-scale, which generally obey to the logarithmic normal distribution.

In China, a new green behavior mobile application named Ant Forest was lunched, in which users can plant trees to protect the environment. Ant Forest offers an information technology based way that enables people to engage in green behavior. The application has attracted a large number of users, and millions of trees have been planted. However, the users' participation in this new kind of green behavior has been rarely studied in current literature. To fill this gap, we built a research model to study antecedents of user's continue intention to use Ant Forest. Survey data were collected from Ant Forest users and 278 valid questionnaires were received. Partial least squares path modeling method was used to analyze the data. Results show that satisfaction influence users' intention to continue using Ant Forest. Environmental concern, perceived enjoyment, and game interaction have positive influence on satisfaction, while perceived cost has negative influence on satisfaction. This paper contributes to researchers' understanding of green and low-carbon behaviors. In addition, suggestions on promoting new forms of green and low-carbon behavior were proposed for policy makers, and management suggestions on how to promote Ant Forest were also proposed which may benefit Ant Forest managers.

Summary Calprotectin (CP) inhibits bacterial viability through extracellular chelation of transition metals. However, how CP influences general metabolism remains largely unexplored. We show here that CP restricts bioavailable Zn and Fe to the pathogen Acinetobacter baumannii, inducing an extensive multi-metal perturbation of cellular physiology. Proteomics reveals severe metal starvation, and a strain lacking the candidate ZnII metallochaperone ZigA possesses altered cellular abundance of multiple essential Zn-dependent enzymes and enzymes in de novo flavin biosynthesis. The ΔzigA strain exhibits decreased cellular flavin levels during metal starvation. Flavin mononucleotide provides regulation of this biosynthesis pathway, via a 3,4-dihydroxy-2-butanone 4-phosphate synthase (RibB) fusion protein, RibBX, and authentic RibB. We propose that RibBX ensures flavin sufficiency under CP-induced Fe limitation, allowing flavodoxins to substitute for Fe-ferredoxins as cell reductants. These studies elucidate adaptation to nutritional immunity and define an intersection between metallostasis and cellular metabolism in A. baumannii.

Efficacy comparison of icotinib and pemetrexed in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma and the effects on the prognostic survival rate of patients were investigated. A retrospective analysis was performed in 132 lung adenocarcinoma patients who were treated in the Affiliated Hospital of Weifang Medical University from July 2010 to July 2015. Among them, 69 patients were treated with icotinib (icotinib group), and 63 patients were treated with pemetrexed (pemetrexed group). In the icotinib group, 125 mg icotinib was orally administered continuously, 3 times a day, until progressive disease or intolerable adverse reactions occurred. In the pemetrexed group, 500 mg/m2 pemetrexed was intravenously dripped for a total of 4 cycles, 21 days for 1 cycle, until progressive disease or intolerable adverse reactions occurred. The efficacy, toxic and side effects, and survival rate of the two groups were evaluated. There was a statistically significant difference in toxic and side effects between the two groups of drugs after the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma (P0.05). In conclusion, the clinical efficacy of icotinib is similar to that of pemetrexed in the treatment of lung adenocarcinoma, but icotinib has less adverse reactions, with better improvement in disease control.

This paper introduces the working principle and characteristics of the direct-expansion evaporative condensation air-conditioning system, and an relative experimental research has been conducted. The result shows the direct-expansion evaporative condensation air-conditioning system has the advantages of energy saving, water saving, land saving, compact structure and low pollution. Therefore, the direct-expansion evaporative condensation air-conditioning system has great potential for use and it also has the capacity in automation controls.

This paper introduces the working principle and characteristics of the direct-expansion evaporative condensation air-conditioning system, and analyzes the main factors affecting the cooling efficiency of a building’s direct-expansion evaporative condensation air-conditioning system. Based on the conclusion, this paper optimizes the operation strategy and reduces the system energy consumption and provide reference for the design, control and operation of this system in the future.

Background To explore the effects of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), which mimics sleep apnea syndrome, on the cardiac renin angiotensin system (RAS), and to investigate the cardiac protection of an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB)telmisartan (TERT) against CIH. Methods 32 healthy male C57B6J mice were randomly divided into CIH, ARB, blank and air control groups. CIH lasted for 12 weeks. Cardiac angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE), angiotensin converting enzyme 2 (ACE 2) and angiotensin II (Ang II) were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Myocardial apoptosis were assessed by TUNEL assay and myocardial cell ultrastructure were observed under transmission electron microscope. Results Cardiac ACE expression was higher in the CIH group than in blank and air control groups, which was decreased with TERT treatment. TERT treatment elevated the expression of cardiac ACE 2 and Ang II compared with CIH group. Myocardial cell and capillary endothelial cell apoptosis, mitochondrial injury were most severe in CIH groups, which were mitigated with TERT treatment. Conclusions CIH changes the expression of cardiac ACE, ACE2 and Ang II, which may cause myocardial damage. TERT protects mice from CIH-linked cardiac damage via modulating the activity of RAS in the hearts.

Recent studies of hydrogen sulfide (H(2)S) signaling implicate low molecular weight (LMW) thiol persulfides and other reactive sulfur species (RSS) as signaling effectors. Here, we show that a CstR protein from the human pathogen Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis), previously identified in Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), is an RSS-sensing repressor that transcriptionally regulates a cst-like operon in response to both exogenous sulfide stress and Angeli’s salt, a precursor of nitroxyl (HNO). E. faecalis CstR reacts with coenzyme A persulfide (CoASSH) to form interprotomer disulfide and trisulfide bridges between C32 and C61′, which negatively regulate DNA binding to a consensus CstR DNA operator. A ΔcstR strain exhibits deficiency in catheter colonization in a catheter-associated urinary tract infection (CAUTI) mouse model, suggesting sulfide regulation and homeostasis is critical for pathogenicity. Cellular polysulfide metabolite profiling of sodium sulfide-stressed E. faecalis confirms an increase in both inorganic polysulfides and LMW thiols and persulfides sensed by CstR. The cst-like operon encodes two authentic thiosulfate sulfurtransferases and an enzyme we characterize here as an NADH and FAD-dependent coenzyme A (CoA) persulfide reductase (CoAPR) that harbors an N-terminal CoA disulfide reductase (CDR) domain and a C-terminal rhodanese homology domain (RHD). Both cysteines in the CDR (C42) and RHD (C508) domains are required for CoAPR activity and complementation of a sulfide-induced growth phenotype of a S. aureus strain lacking cstB, encoding a nonheme Fe(II) persulfide dioxygenase. We propose that S. aureus CstB and E. faecalis CoAPR employ orthogonal chemistries to lower CoASSH that accumulates under conditions of cellular sulfide toxicity and signaling.

Background: Hepatic cytochrome P450 (CYP) isoforms, CYP1A2, is one of important enzymes for many drugs metabolism. Studies have confirmed that sustained hypoxia can influence the expression of hepatic CYP, including CYP1A2. The impact of chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH), a marked characteristic of sleep apnea, on CYP1A2 remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the effect of CIH on the expression of hepatic CYP1A2 in a mouse model with sleep apnea. Methods: Twenty four old male (6–8 weeks) C57BL/6J mice (n=12 in each group) were randomly assigned to either normoxia group or CIH group. Mice in CIH group underwent 12 weeks intermittent hypoxia exposure. The different gene expression of hepatic CYP1A2 between two groups was analyzed by quantity real-time polymerase chain reaction. The protein levels of hepatic CYP1A2 in each group were observed by using western blotting and immunohistochemistry. Results: After 12 weeks of exposure to intermittent hypoxia, the expression of hepatic CYP1A2, at the mRNA and protein levels was decreased more significantly in the CIH group than the normoxia group (P Conclusions: CIH contributes to inhibiting the expression of hepatic CYP1A2. This implies that the dosage of drugs metabolized by CYP1A2, should be adjusted in patients with sleep apnea.

Supplemental_figure for Effects of thermal cycling on phenylethynyl-terminated PMDA-type asymmetric polyimide composites by Yixiang Zhang, Masahiko Miyauchi, and Steven Nutt in High Performance Polymers

Lignification is one of the most crucial factors affecting the edible value of the stem of wild Pteridium aquilinum. To investigate the probable mechanism of lignification, the changes in protein profiles in the stem of wild P. aquilinum during its development were investigated by means of two-dimensional electrophoresis technology. The two-dimensional electrophoresis results revealed that there were twenty-seven differential proteins, twenty-four proteins of which were identified by MALDI-TOF/TOF. We classified these twenty-four proteins into six functional categories: photosynthesis (8, 33.3 %); respiratory metabolism (4, 16.7 %); stress response and defence (6, 25.0 %); cell structure (1, 4.2 %); phenylpropanoid metabolism (4, 16.6 %) and unclassified protein (1, 4.2 %). According to the functional analysis of these differentially expressed proteins, we concluded that photosynthesis was enhanced during P. aquilinum’s development and sugars generated from photosynthesis were partially metabolized through the glycolysis pathway and phosphopentose pathway, respectively, thus producing the precursors for lignin biosynthesis. The up-regulation of caffeoyl-CoA-O-methyl-transferase and SAM synthetase in abundance and the down-regulation of chalcone synthase can be directly responsible for lignification during stem development. This experiment is useful for understanding the biochemical mechanisms of the lignification process of P. aquilinum during its development.

PX-phase PbTiO3 (PT) nanowires with open channels running along the length direction have been investigated as an anode material for lithium ion batteries. This material shows a stabilized reversible specific capacity of about 410 mAh·g–1 up to 200 cycles with a charge/discharge voltage plateau of around 0.3–0.65 V. In addition, it exhibits superior high-rate performance, with 90% and 77% capacity retention observed at 1 and 2 A·g–1, respectively. At a very high current rate of 10 A·g–1, a specific capacity of over 170 mAh·g–1 is retained up to 100 cycles, significantly outperforming the rate capability reported for Pb and Pb oxides. The results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses along with the cyclic voltammogram results reveal that the PX-phase PT nanowires undergo irreversible structural amorphization and reduction reactions during the initial cycle, which allow them to transform into a composite structure composed of 2–5 nm Pb nanoparticles uniformly dispersed in the 1D amorphous Li2O·TiO2·LiTiO2 matrix. In this composite structure, the presence of abundant amounts of Ti3+ in both the charged and discharged states enhances the electrical conductance of the system, whereas the presence of ultrafine Pb nanoparticles imparts high reversible capacity. The structurally stable TiO2-based amorphous matrix can also considerably buffer the volume variation during the charge/discharge process, thereby facilitating extremely stable cycling performance. This compound combines the high specific capacity of Pb-based materials and the good rate capability of Ti3+-based wiring. Our results might furnish a possible route for achieving superior cycling and rate performance and contribute towards the search for next-generation anode materials.

Highlight Under darkness, JAZ7 was up-regulated and the mutant showed a severe leaf senescence phenotype. Genetics and transcriptomic analysis revealed JAZ7 as an important regulator of dark-induced leaf senescence., JASMONATE ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins play important roles in plant defence and growth by regulating jasmonate signalling. Through data mining, we discovered that the JAZ7 gene was up-regulated in darkness. In the dark, the jaz7 mutant displayed more severe leaf yellowing, quicker chlorophyll degradation, and higher hydrogen peroxide accumulation compared with wild-type (WT) plants. The mutant phenotype of dark-induced leaf senescence could be rescued in the JAZ7-complemented and -overexpression lines. Moreover, the double mutants of jaz7 myc2 and jaz7 coi1 exhibited delayed leaf senescence. We further employed GeneChip analysis to study the molecular mechanism. Some key genes down-regulated in the triple mutant myc2 myc3 myc4 were up-regulated in the jaz7 mutant under darkness. The Gene Ontology terms ‘leaf senescence’ and ‘cell death’ were significantly enriched in the differentially expressed genes. Combining the genetic and transcriptomic analyses together, we proposed a model whereby darkness can induce JAZ7, which might further block MYC2 to suppress dark-induced leaf senescence. In darkness, the mutation of JAZ7 might partially liberate MYC2/MYC3/MYC4 from suppression, leading the MYC proteins to bind to the G-box/G-box-like motifs in the promoters, resulting in the up-regulation of the downstream genes related to indole-glucosinolate biosynthesis, sulphate metabolism, callose deposition, and JA-mediated signalling pathways. In summary, our genetic and transcriptomic studies established the JAZ7 protein as an important regulator in dark-induced leaf senescence.

In this study, we reported the first example of multi-functional 1-triacontanol-polymerized-octadecylsiloxane (1-triacontanol-PODS) coatings. The multi-functional 1-triacontanol-PODS coatings are formed on various substrates including cotton wool, filter paper, sponge, and glass via immersing the substrates in hot solutions (∼50 °C) of 1-triacontanol, octadecyltrichlorosilane (OTS) and ethanol. After coating, it is found that the 1-triacontanol-PODS-coated materials possess with superhydrophobicity, superoleophilicity and anti-corrosion ability. Furthermore, highly efficient oil/water separation and excellent self-cleaning ability were also observed on the 1-triacontanol-PODS-coated materials. For instance, the flux of 1-triacontanol-PODS coating modified cotton wool for ClCH 2 CH 2 Cl/H 2 O separation was ranged from 5677 to 32,157 L m −2 h −1 after 50 cycles, and the mass-based absorption capacities for the oils are in the range 15–31; Both micro (>20 μm) and nano dust particles (∼50 nm) were fully removed from 1-triacontanol-PODS coating-modified glass substrate.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is thought to protect bacteria from oxidative stress, but a comprehensive understanding of its function in bacteria is largely unexplored. In this study, we show that the human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) harbors significant effector molecules of H2S signaling, reactive sulfur species (RSS), as low molecular weight persulfides of bacillithiol, coenzyme A, and cysteine, and significant inorganic polysulfide species. We find that proteome S- sulfhydration, a post-translational modification (PTM) in H2S signaling, is widespread in S. aureus. RSS levels modulate the expression of secreted virulence factors and the cytotoxicity of the secretome, consistent with an S-sulfhydration-dependent inhibition of DNA binding by MgrA, a global virulence regulator. Two previously uncharacterized thioredoxin-like proteins, denoted TrxP and TrxQ, are S-sulfhydrated in sulfide-stressed cells and are capable of reducing protein hydrodisulfides, suggesting that this PTM is potentially regulatory in S. aureus. In conclusion, our results reveal that S. aureus harbors a pool of proteome- and metabolite-derived RSS capable of impacting protein activities and gene regulation and that H2S signaling can be sensed by global regulators to affect the expression of virulence factors.

Lung cancer is the third most frequent human malignant tumour and the leading cause of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Emerging lines of evidence have demonstrated that microRNAs (miRNAs) are upregulated or downregulated in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), and this phenomenon is involved in the regulation of various processes during tumorigenesis and progression, including tumour groWTh, apoptosis, cell invasion, and tumour metastasis. Therefore, understanding the molecular mechanism that associates abnormally expressed miRNAs with NSCLC formation and development may lead to the identification of novel diagnostic, and therapeutic targets for patients with NSCLC. miRNA-584 (miR-584) functions as a tumour suppressor in several types of cancer. However, the expression pattern, detailed biological function and underlying molecular mechanism of miR-584 in NSCLC remain unclear. Therefore, the present study detected the expression of miR-584 in NSCLC, investigated its role in NSCLC cells and determined its underlying molecular mechanism. In the current study, it was demonstrated that miR-584 was downregulated in NSCLC tissues and cell lines. Low miR-584 expression was correlated with tumour size, tumour node metastasis stage and distant metastasis. Overexpression of miR-584 inhibited cell proliferation and invasion in NSCLC. Additionally, metadherin was identified as a direct target gene of miR-584 in NSCLC as confirmed by a series of experiments. Moreover, upregulation of miR-584 was involved in the regulation of the phosphatase and tensin homolog/Akt serine/threonine kinase signalling pathway in NSCLC. Thus, miR-584 may serve as a tumor-suppressor, and the results of the present study provide a reference for future research into the potential mechanisms underlying NSCLC progression.

Head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) is the sixth most common cancer worldwide. The five-year survival rate of HNSCC has not improved even with major technological advancements in surgery and chemotherapy. Currently, docetaxel, cisplatin, and 5-fluoruracil (TPF) treatment has been the most popular chemotherapy method for HNSCC; but only a small percentage of HNSCC patients exhibit a good response to TPF treatment. Unfortunately, at present, no reasonably effective prediction model exists to assist clinicians with patient treatment. For this reason, patients have no other alternative but to risk neoadjuvant chemotherapy in order to determine their response to TPF. In this study, we analyzed the gene expression profile in TPF-sensitive and non-sensitive patient samples. We identified a gene expression signature between these two groups. We further chose 10 genes and trained a support vector machine (SVM) model. This model has 88.3% sensitivity and 88.9% specificity to predict the response to TPF treatment in our patients. In addition, four more TPF responsive and four more TPF non-sensitive patient samples were used for further validation. This SVM model has been proven to achieve approximately 75.0% sensitivity and 100% specificity to predict TPF response in new patients. This suggests that our 10-genes SVM prediction model has the potential to assist clinicians to personalize treatment for HNSCC patients.

It has long been known that patients suffering from inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) have an increased risk of developing colorectal cancer (CRC). The innate immune system of host cells provides a first-line defence against pathogenic infection, whereas an uncontrolled inflammatory response under homeostatic conditions usually leads to pathological consequences, as exemplified by the chronic inflammation of IBD. The key molecules and pathways keeping innate immunity in check are still poorly defined. Here, we report that the chromatin remodeller polybromo-1 (PBRM1) is a repressor of innate immune signalling mediated by retinoic acid-inducible gene-I (RIG-I)-like receptors (RLRs). Knockdown of PBRM1 in colon cancer cells increased the expression of two receptor genes (RIG-I and MDA5) and upregulated interferon (IFN)-related and inflammation-related gene signatures. The innate immune signal stimulated by a double-stranded RNA viral mimic was exaggerated by PBRM1 suppression. PBRM1 cooperated with polycomb protein EZH2 to directly bind the cis-regulatory elements of RIG-I and MDA5, thereby suppressing their transcription. Moreover, upregulation of RIG-I and MDA5 is required for IFN response activation induced by PBRM1 silencing. TRIM25, a protein stimulated by the RLR pathway and IFN production, physically interacted with PBRM1 and induced PBRM1 protein destabilization by promoting its ubiquitination. These findings reveal a PBRM1-RLR regulatory circuit that can keep innate immune activity at a minimal level in resting cells, and also ensure a robust inflammatory response in the case of pathogen invasion. PBRM1 was found to be downregulated in primary tissues from patients with CRC or IBD, and its expression correlated negatively with that of RLR genes and interferon-stimulated genes in CRC samples. Lower PBRM1 expression was associated with advanced pathological grade and poorer survival of CRC patients, indicating that PBRM1 could serve as a potential prognostic biomarker for CRC. Copyright © 2017 Pathological Society of Great Britain and Ireland. Published by John WileySons, Ltd.

supplementary_file for Process development for phenylethynyl-terminated PMDA-type asymmetric polyimide composites by Yixiang Zhang, Atul Jain, Lessa K Grunenfelder, Masahiko Miyauchi and Steven Nutt in High Performance Polymers

Swine manure application could affect soil legacy P and related transformation. Soil samples were taken for two rice seasons to uncover the responses of soil P fractions and phosphomonoesterase activities in a middle-term swine manure-applied rice field. The field experiment treatments included three swine manure organic amendment rates (26 [low], 39 [middle], and 52 kg P ha−1 [high]) and two controls (no fertilizer and 26 kg P ha−1 superphosphate). On seasonal average, the relative sizes of labile (H2O-P, NaHCO3-Pi, and NaHCO3-Po), moderately labile (NaOH-Pi and NaOH-Po), and stable (HCl-P and residual-P) P pools were in 1: 3.1: 3.6 and 1: 2.3: 3.7 ratios in 2011 and 2012, respectively. According to P fractions (except for residual-P) and phosphomonoesterase activities, treatments could be ranked as M52 > M39 > M26 > P26 > CK over the whole rice growth stages, but the difference between the 39 and 52 kg P ha−1 manure rates was not significant. Most of P fractions showed the highest content at rice seedling stage for all treatments while phosphomonoesterase activities reached their maximums at rice tillering stage for all treatments. Moreover, repeated swine manure did not affect most of P fractions (except for NaOH-Po) and phosphomonoesterase activities under the plow layer due to the mature plow pans. Our results suggest that the swine manure application should be kept at about 39 kg P ha−1 to decrease potential environmental risks and to maintain soil legacy P in the paddy soil.

China is one of the major energy-consuming and carbon-emitting countries. Promotion of efficient energy use is crucial in reducing energy consumption and carbon emission. Under external pressure and realizing the importance of energy conservation, many firms have adopted measures to save energy. Such measures entail active employee participation. However, employees often lack motivation and thus do not actively participate in energy saving activities. Studies on factors that drive employee energy saving remain scarce. To fill this gap in research, drawing on theory of planned behavior and taking office workers as example, we develop a model for studying the antecedents of employee electricity saving behavior in organizations. The model was empirically examined using survey data collected from office workers in Beijing, China. Results show that employee attitude toward electricity saving and perceived behavioral control positively influence employee intention to save electricity. Environmental benefit, organizational benefit, enjoyment, and organizational electricity saving climate positively influence employee attitude toward electricity saving, whereas the effect of anticipated extrinsic benefit is found insignificant. This study contributes to research on energy saving by presenting the energy saving behaviors of employees, which remains largely ignored in the current literature despite its importance. The implications of promoting employee electricity saving are discussed in accordance with the study findings.

This study presents an application of data envelopment analysis (DEA) approach with considering undesirable outputs, and not only examines the energy efficiency performance of China's transport sector from 2003 to 2009, but also maximizes energy-saving potential of transport sector of China's 30 administrative regions. Environmental DEA technology is adopted, which treats undesirable measures by distinguishing between weak and strong disposability. The output directional distance function is used, which explicitly expands desirable outputs and simultaneously reduces undesirable outputs. From the empirical results, the lowest number of efficient regions was recorded in 2007 or 2008, which eventually slightly recovered. Similarly, the overall average energy efficiency reached the lowest record in 2007 or 2008. These results are consistent with the policy guidance in the 11th Five-Year Plan (2006-2010) period that a series of new policies in the transport sector are implemented to reverse the trend of energy intensity increase. The Eastern area generally performed better than the Central area and Western area. The Central area was better than the Western area, except in some critical years such as in 2008, the financial crisis significantly affected port turnover. The total potential energy saving from 2003 to 2009 was 35.72 Mtce, the total potential energy saving was approximately 2.75% of the total transport energy use.

The present study evaluated the effect of different sources of dietary carbohydrate on the growth, immunity, antioxidant capacity, and digestive enzyme and carbohydrate metabolism enzyme activities in the juvenile oriental river prawn, Macrobrachium nipponense. The experimental diets, which comprised raw maize starch, pregelatinized maize starch, dextrin, maltose, glucose or cellulose, were fed to juvenile prawns for 56 days, respectively. We found that prawns fed with starch, dextrin or maltose achieved better growth. The highest digestive enzyme activities were noted in prawns fed with starch or dextrin. Furthermore, the prawns fed with starch, dextrin or maltose exhibited significantly higher levels of hepatopancreas hexokinase (HK) and phosphofructokinase (PFK) activities. Phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) activity was higher in prawns fed with dextrin, maltose or cellulose, and higher glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PDH) activities were observed in prawns fed with starch or dextrin. We further evaluated the effect of different dietary carbohydrate sources on antioxidant capacity and immune competence. Prawns supplied with starch exhibited superior activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), total antioxidant capacity (T-AOC), lysozyme and respiration burst, and had lower level of maleic dialdehyde (MDA). In summary, the dietary addition of starch is a promising option for juvenile prawn farming, given its positive effect on the growth, glycolysis, pentose phosphate pathway, antioxidant activity and immunity of prawns.

The Pseudomonas syringae effector protein AvrRpm1 activates the Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) intracellular innate immune receptor protein RESISTANCE TO PSEUDOMONAS MACULICOLA1 (RPM1) via modification of a second Arabidopsis protein, RPM1-INTERACTING PROTEIN4 (AtRIN4). Prior work has shown that AvrRpm1 induces phosphorylation of AtRIN4, but homology modeling indicated that AvrRpm1 may be an ADP-ribosyl transferase. Here, we show that AvrRpm1 induces ADP-ribosylation of RIN4 proteins from both Arabidopsis and soybean (Glycine max) within two highly conserved nitrate-induced (NOI) domains. It also ADP ribosylates at least 10 additional Arabidopsis NOI domain-containing proteins. The ADP-ribosylation activity of AvrRpm1 is required for subsequent phosphorylation on Thr-166 of AtRIN4, an event that is necessary and sufficient for RPM1 activation. We also show that the C-terminal NOI domain of AtRIN4 interacts with the exocyst subunits EXO70B1, EXO70E1, EXO70E2, and EXO70F1. Mutation of either EXO70B1 or EXO70E2 inhibited secretion of callose induced by the bacterial flagellin-derived peptide flg22. Substitution of RIN4 Thr-166 with Asp enhanced the association of AtRIN4 with EXO70E2, which we posit inhibits its callose deposition function. Collectively, these data indicate that AvrRpm1 ADP-ribosyl transferase activity contributes to virulence by promoting phosphorylation of RIN4 Thr-166, which inhibits the secretion of defense compounds by promoting the inhibitory association of RIN4 with EXO70 proteins.

The poly[oligo(ethylene oxide) methyl ether methacrylate]s, POEOMA24 and POEOMA78 with average degree of polymerization (DP) of 24 and 78, respectively, are separately achieved by initiators for continuous activator regeneration (ICAR) atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of OEOMA300 monomer. The mixtures of [POEOMA24 ]0 /[POEOMA78 ]0 = 1/1, 2/1, or 4/1 are employed as macroinitiator/stabilizer to practice the ICAR ATRP polymerization-induced self-assembly (PISA) of benzyl methacrylate (BnMA) at 65 °C. When the obtained dispersions are sequentially cooled to room temperature, diluted into ethanol, and observed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) measurement, the cases of [POEOMA24 ]0 /[POEOMA78 ]0 = 1/1 or 2/1 and target DPPB n MA = 100 or 200 lead to nanoparticles with irregular sizes, while the cases of [POEOMA24 ]0 /[POEOMA78 ]0 = 4/1 and target DPPB n MA = 300 give the regular ones. When the obtained dispersions at a high temperature (65 °C) are directly diluted into room temperature ethanol and observed by TEM, nanoparticles with light contrast but clear contour can be observed. The results show that the higher content of POEOMA78 tends to improve the solubility of diblock copolymer and thus leads to insufficient stabilization of the nanoparticles. The morphological difference from the room-temperature and 65 °C dispersions help elucidate the intrinsic character of the PISA system.

China is one of the major energy-consuming countries, and is under great pressure to promote energy saving and reduce domestic energy consumption. Employees constitute an important target group for energy saving. However, only a few research efforts have been paid to study what drives employee energy saving behavior in organizations. To fill this gap, drawing on norm activation model (NAM), we built a research model to study antecedents of employee electricity saving behavior in organizations. The model was empirically tested using survey data collected from office workers in Beijing, China. Results show that personal norm positively influences employee electricity saving behavior. Organizational electricity saving climate negatively moderates the effect of personal norm on electricity saving behavior. Awareness of consequences, ascription of responsibility, and organizational electricity saving climate positively influence personal norm. Furthermore, awareness of consequences positively influences ascription of responsibility. This paper contributes to the energy saving behavior literature by building a theoretical model of employee electricity saving behavior which is understudied in the current literature. Based on the empirical results, implications on how to promote employee electricity saving are discussed.

Increasing research efforts attempt to understand how wikis can be used to improve team performance. Previous studies have mainly focused on the effect of the quantity of wiki use on wiki content quality in wiki-based communities. Our study focuses on the quality aspect of wiki use in a team context. We develop a construct, cognitive elaboration during wiki use, and explore its nomological network in the team context. Integrating literature on wiki and distributed cognition, we propose that cognitive elaboration during wiki use influences team performance (i.e., wiki content quality) through knowledge integration among team members. We likewise identify its team-based antecedents, including task involvement, critical norm, task reflexivity, time pressure, and process accountability by drawing on the motivated information processing literature. Furthermore, we empirically test the research model using multiple-source survey data collected from 46 wiki-based student project teams. The theoretical and practical implications of our findings are subsequently discussed.

A multiblock fluorinated polyurethane was synthesized using tetraphenylethane-based polyurethane as macroiniferter to free-radically polymerize 1H,1H,3H-trihydro perfluoro-2,4-dimethylpentyl methacrylate (FDPMA). Simultaneous self-assembly occurred in FDPMA polymerization process and various nanostructures, like multicore particles, formed depending on FDPMA concentration. Fluorophobic effect and the cooperation of the fluorinated blocks with polyurethane blocks are demonstrated to be the main contribution. That soluble FDPMA in DMF becomes insoluble after polymerization triggers the self-assembly process and leads to the nanostructure formation, and the polyurethane blocks that are soluble in DMF and immiscible with the fluorinated blocks stabilize the discrete nanostructures. Further, the nanostructures in solutions can evolve into various morphologies, such as disk and fiber, when dried to solid state. All these results not only reveal the feasibility and robustness of the multiblock copolymer on the modulation of self-assembly structure but also represent a facile and efficient approach for novel nanostructure construction. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part A: Polym. Chem. 2013

Purpose: Chondrosarcomas are notoriously resistant to cytotoxic chemotherapeutic agents. We sought to identify critical signaling pathways that contribute to their survival and proliferation, and which may provide potential targets for rational therapeutic interventions. Experimental Design: Activation of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTK) was surveyed using phospho-RTK arrays. S6 phosphorylation and NRAS mutational status were examined in chondrosarcoma primary tumor tissues. siRNA or small-molecule inhibitors against RTKs or downstream signaling proteins were applied to chondrosarcoma cells and changes in biochemical signaling, cell cycle, and cell viability were determined. In vivo antitumor activity of BEZ235, a phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/mTOR inhibitor, was evaluated in a chondrosarcoma xenograft model. Results: Several RTKs were identified as critical mediators of cell growth, but the RTK dependencies varied among cell lines. In exploration of downstream signaling pathways, strong S6 phosphorylation was found in 69% of conventional chondrosarcomas and 44% of dedifferentiated chondrosarcomas. Treatment with BEZ235 resulted in dramatic reduction in the growth of all chondrosarcoma cell lines. Tumor growth was similarly inhibited in a xenograft model of chondrosarcoma. In addition, chondrosarcoma cells with an NRAS mutation were sensitive to treatment with a mitogen-activated protein kinase/extracellular signal–regulated kinase kinase (MEK) inhibitor. Functional NRAS mutations were found in 12% of conventional central chondrosarcomas. Conclusions: RTKs are commonly activated in chondrosarcoma, but because of their considerable heterogeneity, targeted inhibition of the PI3K/mTOR pathway represents a rational therapeutic strategy. Chondrosarcomas with NRAS mutations may benefit from treatment with MEK inhibitors. Clin Cancer Res; 19(14); 3796–807. ©2013 AACR.

Recent studies implicate hydrogen sulfide (H2S) oxidation as an important aspect of bacterial antibiotic resistance and sulfide homeostasis. The cst operon of the major human pathogen Staphylococcus aureus is induced by exogenous H2S stress and encodes enzymes involved in sulfide oxidation, including a group I flavoprotein disulfide oxidoreductase sulfide:quinone oxidoreductase (SQR). In this work, we show that S. aureus SQR catalyzes the two-electron oxidation of sodium sulfide (Na2S) into sulfane sulfur (S0) when provided flavin adenine dinucleotide and a water-soluble quinone acceptor. Cyanide, sulfite, and coenzyme A (CoA) are all capable of functioning as the S0 acceptor in vitro. This activity requires a C167–C344 disulfide bond in the resting enzyme, with the intermediacy of a C344 persulfide in the catalytic cycle, verified by mass spectrometry of sulfide-reacted SQR. Incubation of purified SQR and S. aureus CstB, a known FeII persulfide dioxygenase-sulfurtransferase also encoded by the cst operon, yields thiosulfate from sulfide, in a CoA-dependent manner, thus confirming the intermediacy of CoASSH as a product and substrate of SQR and CstB, respectively. Sulfur metabolite profiling of wild-type, Δsqr, and Δsqr::pSQR strains reveals a marked and specific elevation in endogenous levels of CoASSH and inorganic tetrasulfide in the Δsqr strain. We conclude that SQR impacts the cellular speciation of these reactive sulfur species but implicates other mechanisms not dependent on SQR in the formation of low-molecular weight thiol persulfides and inorganic polysulfides during misregulation of sulfide homeostasis.

Freshwater aquaculture ponds are important artificially regulated aquatic ecosystems which provide a large number of freshwater fish products in China. The cyanobacteria bloom and microcystin (MC) pollution caused by anthropogenic eutrophication have attracted much attention due to their toxic effects. To provide an insight into the cyanobacterial problem in the ponds, the environmental parameters and MCs of a typical artificial pond in the Yangtze River Delta region of China were monitored and studied from May to December 2015. During the monitoring period, the ponds were in serious eutrophication with total phosphorus (TP) concentrations between 0.95 and 1.80 μg/L, and total nitrogen (TN) concentrations between 1.1 and 4.86 μg/L. High feed coefficient and high fish stock were the main reasons for the eutrophication. The results showed that the water temperature was the key factor that affected the cyanobacteria blooming in the pond. The chlorophyll a concentration was significantly positively correlated with the cyanobacteria density during the blooming season. MC-LR and MC-RR existed simultaneously and showed a significant positive correlation. The peak concentrations of dissolved MC-LR and MC-RR in the pond water were 40.6 and 4.7 μg/L, respectively, which is considered highly toxic. Free MC-LR and MC-RR were also found in the aquaculture products. MC-LR concentrations in the bighead carp (Aristichthys nobilis) liver and shrimp (Macrobrachium nipponense) muscle were up to 2.64 and 4.17 μg/kg, respectively. MC-RR concentration was up to 1.89 μg/kg in the black carp (Mylopharyngodon piceus) liver. The results implied the potential health risks for citizens and pets caused by current artificial freshwater aquaculture pond systems.

Yixiang Zhang,1 Yeqing Yuan,1 Yufang Chen,2 Zhao Wang,3 Fangfang Li,3 Qingsong Zhao4 1Department of Urology, The Second Affiliated Hospital of Jinan University, Shenzhen People’s Hospital, Shenzhen, Guangdong, 2Department of Pharmacology, School of Basic Medicine, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, Hubei, 3Department of Medical Oncology, State Key Laboratory of Oncology in South China, Collaborative Innovation Center for Cancer Medicine, Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 4Department of Urology, The First People’s Hospital of Jining, Jining, Shandong, People’s Republic of China Abstract: The GSTP1 gene plays an important role in detoxification of carcinogens. GSTP1 gene polymorphisms may alter the susceptibility of urinary system cancer. Numerous studies have been performed to investigate the association between GSTP1 Ile105Val (rs1695 A>G) polymorphism and urinary system cancer risk. Nevertheless, the results remain controversial and only prostate cancer and bladder cancer are covered. We identified eligible studies from PubMed, Elsevier, and three equivalent Chinese databases including the Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang, and Weipu. Pooled odds ratios and 95% confidence intervals were used to assess the strength of the association between GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism and urinary system cancer risk. In total, 11,762 cases and 15,150 controls from 51 studies were included in the final meta-analysis. The pooled results from all included studies showed a statistically significant association between GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism and urinary system cancer. In the subgroup analyses, the GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism was found to be significantly associated with prostate cancer risk and also a risk factor for urinary system cancer among Asians. In conclusion, our meta-analysis indicated that GSTP1 Ile105Val polymorphism was associated with urinary system cancer susceptibility, which needs to be validated by more rigorous data from further large-scale population studies with different ethnicities. Keywords: GSTP1, polymorphism, urinary system cancer, susceptibility, meta-analysis

Lung cancer is one of the leading causes of cancer-associated mortality worldwide. Previous evidence suggested that microRNAs (miRs) exhibit important regulatory roles in tumorigenesis and tumor development, including in non‑small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The present study investigated the expression of miR‑199b in NSCLC tissues and cell lines, in addition to the biological roles of miR‑199b in the carcinogenesis and progression of NSCLC. The results of the present study demonstrated that miR‑199b expression was decreased in NSCLC tissues and cell lines compared with matched adjacent healthy tissues and a healthy human bronchial epithelial cell line, respectively. An MTT assay demonstrated that the viability of NSCLC cells was decreased by miR‑199b. The migratory and invasive abilities of NSCLC cells were suppressed by miR‑199b overexpression. In addition, zinc finger E‑box‑binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1) was identified to be a novel direct downstream and functional target for miR‑199b in NSCLC, using bioinformatics analysis, luciferase reporter assay, the reverse transcription‑quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blotting. ZEB1 underexpression mimicked the roles of miR‑199b overexpression in NSCLC cells. In conclusion, the present study demonstrated that miR‑199b was downregulated in NSCLC and acted as a tumor suppressor by targeting ZEB1.

The scavenger receptor class B, type I (SR-BI), is a member of the CD36 superfamily comprising transmembrane proteins involved in mammalian and fish lipid homeostasis regulation. We hypothesize that this receptor plays an important role inMacrobrachium nipponenselipid metabolism. However, little attention has been paid to SR-BI in commercial crustaceans. In the present study, we report a cDNA encodingM. nipponensescavenger receptor class B, type I (designated as MnSR-BI), obtained from a hepatopancreas cDNA library. The complete MnSR-BI coding sequence was 1545 bp, encoding 514 amino acid peptides. The MnSR-BI primary structure consisted of a CD36 domain that contained two transmembrane regions at the N- and C-terminals of the protein. SR-BI mRNA expression was specifically detected in muscle, gill, ovum, intestine, hepatopancreas, stomach, and ovary tissues. Furthermore, its expression in the hepatopancreas was regulated by dietary lipid sources, with prawns fed soybean and linseed oils exhibiting higher expression levels. RNAi-based SR-BI silencing resulted in the suppression of its expression in the hepatopancreas and variation in the expression of lipid metabolism-related genes. This is the first report of SR-BI in freshwater prawns and provides the basis for further studies on SR-BI in crustaceans.

A ZJ-type high pressure lubrication pump is analyzed by multidisciplinary design optimization (MDO) method, where data are sampled via optimal Latin hypercube experiments, and the response surface models (RSMs) for the plunger piston and cylinder body of the pump are built.Lightweight design of the piston mechanism is conducted by using the improved collaborative optimization with a relaxation factor combined with sequential quadratic programming (SQP) algorithm.The results show that the approximate model accelerates the opimization speed greatly, the mass of optimized plunger mechanism is reduced by 8.03%, and MDO can effectivelly deal with the coupling factors between the different components to reduce mass while the stress constraints and fatigue life are met.

Purpose – Online forums are increasingly deployed as important e‐learning tools for facilitating student learning in classrooms. However, building an online forum does not guarantee participation by students. The purpose of this paper is to advance our knowledge of facilitating student participation in this context by studying the role of communication environment.Design/methodology/approach – The model was tested using data collected from a survey administered in a university in Hong Kong.Findings – Results revealed that psychological safety communication climate influenced the intention of students to continue their participation both directly and indirectly through perceived responsiveness and self‐efficacy.Originality/value – This study builds on social cognitive theory and extends the existing understanding of participation in e‐learning by highlighting the roles of psychological safety communication climate and perceived responsiveness, two communication environment factors critical to student learn...

The rapid growth of the Chinese economy has resulted in great pressure on energy consumption, especially the energy intensive sector – the industrial sector. To achieve sustainable development, China has to consider how to promote energy efficiency to meet the demand of Chinese rapid economic growth, as the energy efficiency of China is relatively low. Meanwhile, the appeal of energy saving and emission reduction has been made by the Chinese central government. Therefore, it is important to evaluate the energy efficiency of industrial sector in China and to assess efficiency development probabilities. The framework of total factor energy efficiency index is adopted to determine the discrepancy of energy efficiency in Chinese industrial sector based on the provincial statistical data of industrial enterprises above designated size in 30 provinces from 2005 to 2009, with gross industrial output as the output value and energy consumption, average remaining balance of capital assets and average amount of working force as the input values. Besides, in considerate of the regional divide of China, namely eastern, central, and western, and economic development differences in each region, energy efficiency of each region is also analysed in this paper. The results show that there is room for China to improve its energy efficiency, especially western provinces which have large amount of energy input excess. Generally speaking, insufficient technological investment and fail of reaching best scale of manufacture are two factors preventing China from energy efficiency promotion. Based on our findings, some policy implications on the improvement of energy efficiency, particularly for economically underdeveloped regions in China, are also discussed.

The objective of this study is to explore the protective effect of an angiotensin receptor blocker (ARB) on local cardiovascular angiotensin II (AngII) and oxidative stress markers such as malondialdehyde (MDA), NADPH oxydase p47(phox), and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine/8-hydroxyguanosine (8-OHdG/8-OHG) of mice that had chronic intermittent hypoxia (CIH).Thirty-two healthy male C57B6J mice were randomly divided into four groups: CIH (12 weeks of CIH), ARB (CIH+Telmisartan), air control (room air delivery), and blank control (no treatment). AngII, p47(phox), and 8-OHdG/8-OHG were detected in mouse cardiocytes by immunohistochemistry. MDA was measured with the thiobarbituric acid method.The highest AngII levels occur in the ARB treatment group (P 0.05), followed by the CIH group (which was higher than the two control groups; P = 0.000). The levels of p47(phox) were statistically higher in the CIH group than in the other groups (P = 0.000) and lower in the ARB group (but still higher than in the two control groups, P = 0.000). The levels of 8-OHdG/8-OHG were the highest in the CIH group (P 0.05), followed by the ARB group (which was higher than the two control groups, P = 0.000). The levels of MDA in the myocardial homogenate of mice were the highest in the CIH group (P = 0.000).Based on the above results, it can be concluded that Telmisartan may protect mouse cardiocytes from oxidative stress damage due to CIH.

Tiered electricity price (TEP) reform is a planning policy for household electricity conservation in China. Based on TEP, several price hierarchies are provided, and additional payment will be charged if the electricity consumptions exceed the upper bound of each hierarchy. Yet, the optimal level of each price tier and the institutions for implementing TEP need further research, which are set on the basis of considering residents’ affordability and willingness to pay. Therefore, this paper aims at exploring determinants of public willingness to accept TEP and finding out the acceptable range of premium. A questionnaire survey in four urban cities of China is conducted to collect data, and an ordinary regression model is adopted in our analysis to identify the drivers and barriers to general public’s acceptance of TEP. The results show that middle income earners are the groups that are mostly opposed to TEP. Rather than just focusing on economic factors, public environmental awareness should be highlighted during the implementation of TEP, because cost is not a statistically significant determinant in this study. Moreover, the public acceptable rate of premium of TEP in the urban cities, according to our research results, may be below .05 RMB/kW h.