Search

Chilli anthracnose is a major infectious disease of the genus Capsicum. Chemical control is the primary means of controlling this disease; however, the excessive use of chemical pesticides can adversely affect ecological security and human health. Here, our aim was to explore the synergistic effects of chemical and biological pesticides in the control of chilli anthracnose. The bacterial strain LY7, which is antagonistic to the anthracnose-causing fungus Colletotrichum scovillei, inhibited the growth of C. scovillei by 83.52%. Through morphological and genetic analyses, this strain was identified as Bacillus velezensis. Then, the compatibility of LY7 with three common chemical fungicides was determined. The in vitro protective and therapeutic efficacies of the 1 × 109 CFU/mL (colony-forming unit/mL) bacterial solution were 66.38% and 35.18%, respectively, but both were significantly lower than those of prochloraz, the most compatible fungicide. We then conducted field efficacy trials to elucidate the best combination of prochloraz and LY7; the highest control efficiency was achieved with a suspension of 1.0 × 108 CFU/mL of LY7 mixed with 0.75 g/L prochloraz (3:7 ratio). Electron microscopy revealed the inhibitory effects of LY7 and prochloraz on C. scovillei mycelial growth. These results suggest that an LY7-based biofungicide can partially replace prochloraz, serving as an integrated management strategy to control chilli anthracnose. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the implementation of the parallel hybrid implicit-explicit finite-difference timedomain (HIE-FDTD) method using the Message Passing Interface (MPI) library. The method proves to be very effective in simulating large-scale three-dimensional electromagnetic problems with fine structures in one direction. For the decomposition of the computational volume in the HIE-FDTD method, an MPI Cartesian 2D topology is implemented, allowing arbitrary division of the volume in two directions. Derived data types provided in the MPI library are employed to optimize inter-process communication. High accuracy and efficiency are subsequently demonstrated through a numerical example of a frequency-selected surface (FSS). It shows that the proposed method is very suitable for parallel computing, and the parallel efficiency maintains above 80% for different numbers of processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Almond expeller is an undeveloped reservoir of bioactive peptides. In the current study, a zinc ion ligand Arg-Pro-Pro-Ser-Glu-Asp-Glu-Asp-Gln-Glu (RPPSEDEDQE) offering a noncompetitive inhibitory effect on ACE (IC50: 205.50 μmol·L−1) was identified from almond albumin hydrolysates via papain and thermolysin hydrolysis, subsequent chromatographic separation, and UPLC-Q-TOF-MS/MS analysis. Molecular docking simulated the binding modes of RPPSEDEDQE to ACE and showed the formation of hydrogen bonds between RPPSEDEDQE and seven active residues of ACE. Moreover, RPPSEDEDQE could bind to fifteen active sites of ACE by hydrophobic interactions, and link with the His387 and zinc ions of the zinc tetrahedral coordination. Ultraviolet wavelength scanning and Fourier-transformed infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that RPPSEDEDQE can provide multiple binding sites for zinc ions. However, RPPSEDEDQE cannot bind with any central pocket of ACE, which was evidenced by an inhibition kinetics experiment. Additionally, the zinc-chelating capacity and inhibiting ability against ACE of RPPSEDEDQE were both not significantly reduced by the hydrolysis of gastrointestinal enzymes. A moderate to high dose of RPPSEDEDQE (100–150 mg·kg bw−1) significantly reduced the systolic and diastolic blood pressure of spontaneous hypertensive rats, but chelation with zinc ions decreased its antihypertensive efficiency. These results indicate that bitter almond albumin peptides may be used for lowering blood pressure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C1 ERP component reflects the earliest visual processing in V1. However, it remains debated whether attentional load can influence it or not. We conducted two EEG experiments to investigate the effect of attentional load on the C1. Task difficulty was manipulated at fixation using an oddball detection task that was either easy (low load) or difficult (high load), while the distractor was presented in the upper visual field (UVF) to score the C1. In Experiment 1, we used a block design and the stimulus onset asynchrony (SOA) between the central stimulus and the peripheral distractor was either short or long. In Experiment 2, task difficulty was manipulated on a trial‐by‐trial basis using a visual cue, and the peripheral distractor was presented either before or after the central stimulus. The results showed that the C1 was larger in the high compared to the low load condition irrespective of SOA in Experiment 1. In Experiment 2, no significant load modulation of the C1 was observed. However, we found that the contingent negative variation (CNV) was larger in the low compared to the high load condition. Moreover, the C1 was larger when the peripheral distractor was presented after than before the central stimulus. Combined together, these results suggest that different top‐down control processes can influence the initial feedforward stage of visual processing in V1 captured by the C1 ERP component. Our new ERP findings inform about top‐down modulatory effects created by attentional load on early visual processing in the primary visual cortex (V1). In two experiments, we found that V1 activity was not reduced when attentional load increased. However, this lack of modulation could be explained by the likely contribution of other cognitive processes, including working memory, which could mask or interfere with the early gating of sensory processing in V1 created by attentional load. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Developing high‐capacity electrodes requires the evaluation of electrochemical behaviors with an increasing current density. Currently, the current density for evaluation of high‐capacity electrodes has reached a new stage where the polarization at the lithium counter electrode has become a technical barrier for the accurate evaluation of battery electrodes, resulting in severe performance and mechanism mischaracterizations. Here, the accurate electrochemical behavior for high‐capacity electrodes via a single‐channel three‐electrode vehicle is decoupled, by which the impact of lithium counter electrode is minimized. The testing high‐capacity graphite electrode is capable of delivering an excellent rate capability with 81.7% capacity retention at 0.3 C, as well as stable cycling performance retaining 97.5% practical reversible capacity after 225 cycles, much higher than the graphite electrode tested with traditional half‐cell testing vehicle but in close agreement with the results obtained from a well‐matched full cell, reflecting accurate electrochemical performance evaluations of high‐capacity electrodes. Moreover, detailed electrochemical mechanisms of impedance and diffusion properties for working electrodes are also successfully decoupled individually. This work uncovers the mismatch between traditional evaluation configuration and increasing testing current density and provides a guideline for accurate electrochemical evaluation for ever‐increasing high‐capacity electrodes, which is of great significance for high‐energy lithium or other alkali‐metal ion batteries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heating performance of biomass is of significant importance for the followed chemical reactions i.e. pyrolysis, gasification, combustion, etc. Corn straw (CS) is an important renewable resource. Microwave (MW) heating performances of corn straw particles affected by corn straw mass (10, 16, 22, 28 and 34 g), corn straw particle size (0.075, 0.125, 0.200, 0.355 and 0.600 mm) and microwave power (400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 W) were explored in detail in this study. It can be obtained that when the microwave powers were 400, 450, 500, 550 and 600 W, the average heating rates were 23.06, 33.19, 61.35, 88.70 and 101.46°C/min, respectively. When the corn straw particle sizes were 0.075, 0.125, 0.200, 0.355 and 0.600 mm, the average heating rates were 101.46, 61.07, 52.70, 37.34 and 56.04°C/min, respectively. When the corn straw masses were 10, 16, 22, 28 and 34 g, the average heating rates were 36.31, 46.24, 101.46, 92.95 and 46.01°C/min, respectively. Formulae were further proposed to estimate the transient temperatures of biomass particles, and the R2 values ranged from 0.984 to 0.999. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The C1 event‐related potential (ERP) captures the earliest stage of feedforward processing in the primary visual cortex (V1). An ongoing debate is whether top‐down selective attention can modulate the C1. One side of the debate pointed out that null findings appear to outnumber positive findings; thus, selective attention does not seem to influence the C1. However, this suggestion is not based on a valid approach to summarizing evidence across studies. Therefore, we conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis investigating the effects of selective attention on the C1, involving 47 experiments and 794 subjects in total. Despite heterogeneity across studies, results suggested that attention has a moderate effect on the C1 (Cohen's dz = 0.33, p <.0001); that is, C1 amplitude is larger for visual stimuli that are attended than unattended. These results suggest that C1 is affected by top‐down selective attention. This is the first systematic review and meta‐analysis for the effects of selective attention on the C1 ERP component. We showed statistical evidence in favor of an effect of selective attention on the C1 and no difference of modulation by different types of attention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fractal theory demonstrates significant merit in the feature expression of forms of matter in nature. This study uses fractal theory to study the backfill grouting of a shield tunnel. The seepage path was considered as a seepage mesh inserted into the rock-soil mass. For the fractal features of the seepage mesh, the formulas for the diffusion distance and the pressure contribution of grout were derived. The results showed that the diffusion equations of different grout patterns (Newtonian fluid and Bingham fluid) were of a uniform form after calculation, and the equations for the pressure distribution of grout with a change in radius were identical. The diffusion distance of grout increased with increasing grouting time, and there was no indication that the development of diffusion distance tended to be gradual; the downward tendency of the grout diffusion velocity was not moderated. The segment pressure increased with an increase in the diffusion distance. With a constant diffusion distance, a greater grouting pressure produced a greater segment pressure. The favorable performance of grout was attributed to an appropriate mixture ratio. An improper mixture ratio resulted in a smaller reinforcement area in the stratum, which impaired the stability of the shield tunnel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A stable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) is highly desired to prevent parasitic reactions during normal operation of lithium‐ion batteries (LIBs). Lithium carbonate (Li2CO3) is one of the most significant components for smooth SEI passivation layers; while the formation mechanism and special distribution of the Li2CO3 layer has not yet been illustrated. Here, an over‐potential tailored Li2CO3 growth mechanism based on the typical hard carbon anode is demonstrated. With an increase in the over‐potential, the size of Li2CO3 decreases gradually as the amount increases. When the over‐potential is large (potential at 0.01 V), a Li2CO3‐rich thin and dense inorganic layer with the average thickness of 4.4 nm in the SEI is constructed. The special SEI the completely wraps the boundaries of the anode enables a larger Li‐ion de‐solvation energy barrier and a lower Li‐ion diffusion energy barrier, which supports low self‐discharge behavior and a fast kinetic rate at the anode. More generally, this Li2CO3 growth mechanism is also applicable to commercialized graphite anodes and similar results are also obtained. Therefore, this work provides a new insight into the Li2CO3 growth mechanism in SEIs, as well as a guideline for the design of stable artificial SEIs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shield tunnel is widely adopted in the metro construction, and backfill grouting is the significant part. With power-law fluid grouts as the study object, a cylindrical infiltration diffusion model and spherical infiltration diffusion model are developed by applying the generalized Darcy law and theories of seepage mechanics based on the displacement effect of grout on groundwater. Through examples, the impact of factors including grouting pressure and formation permeability coefficient in the spherical displacement infiltration diffusion model on diffusion radius, flow rate, total pressure of grout in segments, and uniform equivalent pressure in grout diffusion area (grout pressure per unit area in a segment) is analyzed. The result shows that, the diffusion speed, injection flow rate and the pressure received in segments increase with an increase of the grouting pressure. Meanwhile, as the injection time increases, the flow rate of grout under conditions of different grouting pressure all decreases, and a sharp decrease exists. The diffusion speed and grouting pressure are positively correlated to the permeability coefficient, and with the increasement of the injection time, the diffusion displacement of grout in different permeability coefficient varies increasingly, the increase amplitude of the pressure acting on the segment by grout increases gradually. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing amounts of tailings and waste rubber tires have caused threats to the environment. In order to reuse these solid wastes, this study proposed a cemented tailings material containing crumb rubber recovered from waste tires. Unconfined compression tests and thermal conductivity measurements were conducted to evaluate the feasibility and performance of the proposed cemented tailings. Results revealed that the stress-strain behavior of the cemented tailings changed by the inclusion of crumb rubber. The unconfined compressive strength of cemented tailings decreased with increasing crumb rubber content. The inclusion of crumb rubber increased the failure strain and nonlinearity index of the cemented tailings. It was found that the addition of 4% crumb rubber provided the greatest improvement in ductility. The increase of the rubber content further increased the thermal insulation capacity of the cemented tailings. The low stiffness and the dimpled surface of the crumb rubber were responsible for the reduced compressive strength and thermal conductivity of the cemented tailings. In conclusion, the crumb rubber had both positive and negative effects on the cemented tailings. In practical application, the rubber admixture amount should be flexibly adjusted for different use case to make the cemented tailings material show the most suitable performance characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Composite bipolar plates composed of conductivity fillers and resins are widely employed in stationary proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) due to their high corrosion resistance in acidic environments. Phenol-formaldehyde resin is a commonly used adhesive in composite bipolar plates; while numerous benzene rings in phenol-formaldehyde resin result in the poor flexibility of composite bipolar plates. Embedding the flexible segment (–CHOH–CH 2 -O-) in the resin network structure of phenol-formaldehyde resin by copolymerization with epoxy resin is an effective method for improving the defects of phenol-formaldehyde resin. In this contribution, to tailor flexible-segment-rich (–CHOH–CH 2 -O-) resin network structure, the co-polymerization mechanism of phenol-formaldehyde resin and epoxy resin is investigated in detailed by in-situ Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR), based on which an Alter-T strategy is proposed for flexible-segment-rich (–CHOH–CH 2 -O-) resin network structure during composite bipolar plates fabrication process. The obtained composite bipolar plates consisted of graphite and flexible-segment-rich resin network structure delivers improved flexural strength (86.97 MPa), electrical conductivity (203.22 S cm−1) and areal resistance (3.41 mΩ cm2) in comparison to previously reported composite bipolar plates with same components, which are also over the technical standard of the DOE. It is further demonstrated that enriching the flexible segment for improving the poor flexibility of resin network structure is of great importance to enhance the performance of the composite bipolar plates. A two-step alteration of temperature (Alter-T) strategy was proposed to tailor flexible-segment-rich (–CHOH–CH 2 -O-) in the resin network structure during polymerization, for improving the performance of CBP including mechanical properties and electrical conductivity. This approach provides a new insight of improving CBP performance by regulating resin network structure. [Display omitted] • Epoxy is embedded in the resin network structure of Phenol-Formaldehyde. • The resin network structure flexibility is improved by embedding flexible-segment. • The composite bipolar plates exhibit improved comprehensive performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The recent emergence of new fentanyl analogues and synthetic opioids on the drug market poses a global public health threat. However, these compounds cannot typically be identified using existing analytical methods. In this study, we aimed to develop and validate a rapid and sensitive method based on ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-MS/MS) for the simultaneous determination of 37 fentanyl analogues and novel synthetic opioids in hair samples. Hair samples (20 mg) were extracted by cryogenic grinding in an extraction medium of methanol, acetonitrile, and 2 mmol/L ammonium acetate (pH 5.3). Following centrifugation of the samples, the analytes were separated using a WATERS Acquity UPLC HSS T3 column. The limits of detection (LODs) and limits of quantification (LOQs) ranged from 0.5 to 2.5 pg/mg and from 2 to 5 pg/mg, respectively. The intraday and interday precisions were within 13.32% at LOQ, low, medium, and high levels. The accuracies were within the range of 85.63–116.1%. The extraction recoveries were in the range of 89.42–119.68%, and the matrix effects were within the range of 44.81–119.77%. Furthermore, the method was successfully applied to the detection and quantification of fentanyl and sufentanil in hair samples from two authentic cases. Thus, this method has great potential for detecting fentanyl analogues and novel synthetic opioids in forensic work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fibrinogen-related proteins (FREPs) are widely found in both vertebrates as well as invertebrates, and they play a crucial role in host immunity. In this study, we isolated a novel ficolin gene (Mnfico 3) from the oriental river prawn Macrobrachium nipponense. The complete cDNA sequence of Mnfico 3 was 1133 bp long, containing an open reading frame of 765 bp coding for Mnfico3, a protein consisting of 254 amino acids. The Mnfico3 protein contained a putative N-terminal signal peptide and a fibrinogen-related protein domain present at the C-terminal. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that Mnfico3 had a closer evolutionary relationship with vertebrate ficolins than with its invertebrate homologues. Tissue distribution analysis indicated that Mnfico 3 was predominantly expressed in muscle, in which its transcription was increased following bacterial challenge by Aeromonas veronii. Function analysis using recombinant protein revealed that rMnFico3 had broad-spectrum binding capacity to a variety of microorganisms and pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) ligands. Furthermore, rMnFico3 exhibited Ca2+-dependent agglutinating activity against microbes in vitro , and ability to attach to the hemocyte surface which promoted phagocytosis and subsequent clearance of invasive bacteria in vivo. Silencing rMnFico3 in prawn through RNAi did not alter the expression of antimicrobial peptide genes (ALF and Crustin). These results manifested that MnFico3 functioned as a potential pattern recognition receptor (PPR) to mediate cellular immune response by recognizing PAMPs, agglutinating invasive microbes, and promoting phagocytosis of hemocytes. • Mnfico3, a ficolin protein from M. nipponense , was identified as a new pattern recognition receptor. • Mnfico3 predominantly expressed in muscle and was up-regulated in response to bacterial stimulation. • rMnFico3 had broad-spectrum binding capacities to a variety of microorganisms and PAMPs. • rMnFico3 exhibited Ca2+-dependent agglutinating activity against microbes, and acted as opsonin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have shown that performance‐dependent monetary rewards facilitate visual perception. However, no study has examined whether such a positive effect is limited to the rewarded task or may be generalized to other tasks. In the current study, two groups of people were asked to perform two visual perception tasks, one being a reward‐relevant task and the other being a reward‐irrelevant task. For the reward‐relevant task, the experimental group received performance‐dependent monetary rewards, whereas the control group did not. For the reward‐irrelevant task, both groups were not rewarded. The two tasks were randomly intermixed trial by trial (Experiment 1) or presented block by block (Experiment 2) or session by session (Experiments 3a, 3b, and 3c). Results showed that performance‐dependent monetary rewards improved participants' performance on the relevant task in all experiments and impaired their performance on the irrelevant task in Experiments 2, 3a, 3b, and 3c. These results suggested that monetary rewards might incur a cost on reward‐irrelevant tasks. Finally, the benefit of monetary rewards disappeared when they were no longer provided during the final session. This is the first study that reveals both the bright and dark sides of the performance‐dependent monetary rewards in visual perception. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study examined the associations between perceived crime-specific victimization risk, avoidance behavior, and their relationships with health of older adults. Method: A representative sample of 453 Chinese aged 60 and older from Kunming provided information on their socio-demographic characteristics, perceived crime victimization risk, avoidance behavior, physical and mental health. Results: Avoidance behavior was common among participants, with 61.4% avoiding unsafe areas and 42.2% avoiding social activities. Path analyses showed that perceived risk of vandalism was associated with avoiding participating in social activities, while perceived risk of attack was related to avoiding unsafe areas during the day. Meanwhile, avoiding social activities and perceived risk of vandalism were significant predictors of poor mental health, and avoiding unsafe areas was a salient predictor of poor physical health. Perceived risk of attack had an indirect effect on physical health through avoiding unsafe areas during the day. Conclusion: Study findings highlight the importance of addressing perceived victimization risk in encouraging social participation and mobility among older adults. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The abuse of fentanyl and its analogues, which are potent, short-acting, synthetic narcotic analgesics, has become a major issue. Many cases containing fentanyl-analogue and novel synthetic opioids have also been reported. Hence, we report the determination of fentanyl, fentanyl-analogue and novel synthetic opioids in whole blood by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The method is characterized by the use of a simple, fast and inexpensive liquid-liquid extraction (LLE) for sample preparation, a rapid run time (8 min) and a low required volume of whole blood (100 μl). The limits of detection (LODs) ranged from 0.005 to 0.03 ng/ml, and the lower limits of quantitation (LLOQs) ranged from 0.05 to 0.2 ng/ml. The method was shown to be liner over a concentration range of 0.2–40 ng/ml for fentanyl, norfentanyl and norcarfentanil and 0.05–40 ng/ml for all other target analytes. Recoveries were within the range of 72.09%–103.22%, and the matrix effects were in the 67.95%–113.32% range. Moreover, the method was applied to the detection and quantification of fentanyl and its analogues in whole blood from real forensic cases. This methodology has great potential for use in the determination of fentanyl and its analogues in forensic cases. • A UHPLC-MS/MS method was developed for 28 fentanyl analogues and novel synthetic opioids in whole blood. • Extraction procedure is simple and fast through liquid-liquid extraction with ethyl acetate. • LODs were 0.005 to 0.03 ng/ml and LLOQs were 0.05 to 0.2 ng/ml for all analytes. • The procedure was successfully applied to three real cases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In vertebrates, tumor necrosis factors (TNFs) are well-known cytokines involved in a diversity of physiological and pathological events. In the present work we identified a novel TNF-like gene (MnTNF) from Macrobrachium nipponense , which codes for a protein sharing detectable sequence identify (26–27%) to the mammalian TNFSF members, TWEAK and EDA. Tissue distribution analysis indicated that MnTNF was predominantly expressed in nervous tissue, and at relatively high level in haemocytes, gill, intestine and muscle, whereas was almost undetectable in hepatopancreas. In gill, MnTNF was significantly up-regulated at both mRNA as well protein levels upon Aeromonas veronii challenge. RNA interference (RNAi) mediated MnTNF silencing led to a significant overexpression of the antimicrobial peptide (AMP) gene crustin , but a non-significant overexpression of another AMP gene anti-lipopolysaccharide factor (ALF), and inhibited the activation of phenoloxidase (PO) significantly following bacterial challenge. Meanwhile, the expression of NF-κB-like factor gene relish was increased while that of dorsal and STAT was uninfluenced in MnTNF-depleted prawn. We suppose that MnTNF be involved in regulating the expression of AMP genes and the capacity of PO by coordinating with the Imd pathway. • A novel tumor necrosis factor homologous gene MnTNF was isolated from Macrobrachium nipponense. • MnTNF in gill was significantly increased at both mRNA as well protein levels post Aeromonas veronii challenge. • Silencing MnTNF enhanced the expression of crustin , but inhibited the PO activity following bacterial challenge. • The expression of relish was increased while that of dorsal and STAT was uninfluenced in MnTNF-depleted prawn. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract High-dimensional, quantity, uncertain and diverse data sets bring serious challenges to the development of intelligent systems. Granular computing is a theoretical approach to deal with uncertain and massive data, including rough sets, fuzzy sets, quotient spaces, covering rough sets, neighborhood rough sets and etc. In this paper, by introducing the neighborhood rough set model, some structured data named neighborhood granules are formed to achieve the cognition of a neighborhood system. Then, a three-level structure of granules in the neighborhood system is proposed: the neighborhood granule, the neighborhood granule swarm and the neighborhood granule library. The size measures of neighborhood granules and neighborhood granule swarms are also presented. Furthermore, we define a variety of distance measures for the neighborhood granules and the neighborhood granule swarms, and discuss their properties and relationships. Finally, considering the uncertainties of neighborhood systems, we propose the uncertainty measures of various neighborhood granules from the perspectives of algebra and entropy, and prove the monotonicity principle of these measures. Theoretical analysis and examples show that the granule structures, distances and measures in neighborhood systems are effective tools for complex data measuring and classifying. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Activity participation is essential to the wellbeing of aging adults. Divergent levels of activity participation within aging populations have been explained from diverse perspectives, but the interaction effects of key determinants, such as personality and health, are often ignored. This study examines the effects of extravert personality on aging adults’ activity levels by addressing its interaction with perceived physical health and mental health. A sample of 304 adults aged 50 and older was selected using systematic sampling from participants of an institute for promoting active aging at a university in Hong Kong in 2017. Data on socio-demographic characteristics, perceived physical and mental health, extraversion personality traits, and level of activity participation were collected using a telephone survey. Most participants (46.7%) reported moderate activity levels and over a quarter (26.6%) reported high or low activity levels. Multi-nominal logistic regression analyses show that extraversion was associated with an increased likelihood of reporting moderate (OR = 1.85, p = .036) but not high (p > .05) activity levels when adjusted for perceived physical and mental health and socio-demographics, with low activity levels being the constant comparison. Meanwhile, extraversion predicted both moderate (OR = 3.84, p = .014) and high (OR = 5.06, p = .032) activity levels for participants with poor or average perceived mental health. However, the interaction effects of extraversion with perceived physical health or mental health were not significant in predicting either moderate or high activity levels (p > .05). The implications for enhancing activity participation among aging adults are discussed in view of both personality and perceived health status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The single von Willebrand factor C-domain proteins (SVWCs), also known as Vago, are primarily found in arthropods. Their expression was induced by nutritional status, bacterial and viral infections. Despite the prominence of SVWCs in antiviral immunity, the detailed molecular mechanisms remain poorly explained. SVWC has been proposed to elicit antiviral activities through its function as an interferon analog. In contrast, herein, we illustrate that an SVWC homolog from Macrobrachium nipponense (MnSVWC) confers host defense against white spot syndrome virus (WSSV) and covert mortality nodavirus (CMNV) as a pattern recognition receptor (PRR). qRT-PCR analyses demonstrated that the expression of MnSVWC was enhanced upon WSSV infection in all detected tissues, including gills, nerve cords, and hemocytes. Coating WSSV with recombinant MnSVWC (rMnSVWC) promoted the phagocytic activity of hemocytes and subsequent clearance of invasive WSSV from the prawn. On the other hand, the knockdown of MnSVWC with RNAi improved the proliferation ability of WSSV and CMNV in the prawn. Analysis of ELISA and Co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) showed that rMnSVWC could bind WSSV by interacting with the vesicle proteins VP26 and VP28. Co-IP analysis verified the interaction between MnSVWC and calmodulin, which implies a vesicle protein-SVWC-calmodulin-clathrin-dependent mechanism underlying the hemocyte-mediated phagocytosis against WSSV. Subsequently, MnSVWC was recognized to activate the expression of transcription factor STAT and an interferon-stimulating gene Viperin, illustrating its involvement in modulating humoral immunity via activation of the JAK/STAT pathway after WSSV infection. These findings indicate that MnSVWC could bind to WSSV as a PRR and participate in the promotion of hemocyte-mediated phagocytosis and the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway in prawns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The automatic voltage control (AVC) system is typically to minimize the grid loss while maintaining the voltage magnitude in an acceptable operational band. Being a market-driven power system, the power loss is normally purchased based on the market price. This paper proposes an approach for the Danish AVC system to couple the automatic voltage control (AVC) system to the market price in order to accurately assess the operational cost, where the objective is to minimize the total operational cost including the grid loss, the shunt switching cost, the transformer tap change cost and the cost of the voltage control service provided by the power plant owners. The benefit of employing the large offshore wind farms in this AVC system is investigated. The simulation based on the measurement data from the Danish electricity control center demonstrates the superiority of the proposed approach in terms of the cost minimization. The gained profit by employing the wind farms can be an argument to purchase the voltage control service provided by these wind farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the prevalence of victimization among older Chinese living in urban China and its psychological and behavioral impacts. A representative sample of 453 older adults aged 60 or above was recruited from Kunming, the People’s Republic of China, using multistage sampling method. Participants were individually interviewed on their demographic characteristics, experience of common crime and domestic violence victimization, fear of common crime and domestic violence, mental health, and constrained behavior. Results showed that 254 participants (56.1%) reported one or more types of common crime and 21 (4.6%) reported experiencing domestic violence in the past. Seventeen participants (3.8%) reportedly experienced both common crime and domestic violence victimization. There was no gender difference in the overall incidence of victimization but in some subtypes. Regression analyses indicated that past experience of common crime victimization was significantly associated with greater fear of common crime (β = .136, p = .004), poorer mental health (β = .136, p = .003), and more constrained behavior (β = .108, p = .025). Fear of common crime predicted increased constrained behavior (β = .240, p < .001) independent of gender, age, education, household finances, living arrangement, and physical health. Domestic violence victimization was not significant in predicting poor mental health and constrained behavior but was significant in predicting fear of domestic violence (β = .266, p < .001), which was related to poorer mental health (β = .102, p = .039). The study suggests the importance of taking older people’s risk and experience of victimization into consideration in gerontological research, practice, and policymaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A selective and ratiometric turn-on fluorescent probe was designed and synthesized by using a novel dicyanoisophorone-based derivative and acrylate moiety. The probe displayed high stability and good selectivity to cysteine (Cys) over homocysteine (Hcy) and glutathione (GSH). It also exhibited rapid response to Cys within 180 s. Most importantly, the fluorescence intensity ratio at 590 and 525 nm (I590/I525) was linearly dependent on the Cys concentration in the range from 0 to 40 μM and the detection limit calculated to be 0.48 μM. This probe was also applied for bioimaging of intracellular Cys in living HeLa cells with low cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High-grade gliomas (HGG) are the most common malignant brain tumors in the pediatric population and account for a large subset of all pediatric central nervous system neoplasms. The management of pediatric HGG continues to be challenging, with poor outcome in many cases despite aggressive treatments. Consequently, parallel research efforts have been focused on identifying the underlying genetic and biological basis of pediatric HGG in order to more clearly define prognostic subgroups for treatment stratification as well as identify new treatment targets. These cutting-edge advances have revolutionized pediatric neuro-oncology and have revealed novel oncogenic vulnerabilities that are being therapeutically leveraged. Promising treatments – including pathway-targeting small molecules as well as epigenetic therapy – are being evaluated in clinical trials, and recent genomic discoveries in rare glioma subgroups have led to the identification of additional new potentially-actionable alterations. This review summarizes the current state of knowledge about the molecular characterization of pediatric HGG in correlation to the revised World Health Organization (WHO) classification, as well as provides an overview of some targeted treatment approaches in the modern clinical management of high-grade gliomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One of the major benefits of carbon ion therapy is enhanced biological effectiveness at the Bragg peak region. For intensity modulated carbon ion therapy (IMCT), it is desirable to use Monte Carlo (MC) methods to compute the properties of each pencil beam spot for treatment planning, because of their accuracy in modeling physics processes and estimating biological effects. We previously developed goCMC, a graphics processing unit (GPU)-oriented MC engine for carbon ion therapy. The purpose of the present study was to build a biological treatment plan optimization system using goCMC.Methods and Materials: The repair-misrepair-fixation model was implemented to compute the spatial distribution of linear-quadratic model parameters for each spot. A treatment plan optimization module was developed to minimize the difference between the prescribed and actual biological effect. We used a gradient-based algorithm to solve the optimization problem. The system was embedded in the Varian Eclipse treatment planning system under a client-server architecture to achieve a user-friendly planning environment. We tested the system with a 1-dimensional homogeneous water case and 3 3-dimensional patient cases.Results: Our system generated treatment plans with biological spread-out Bragg peaks covering the targeted regions and sparing critical structures. Using 4 NVidia GTX 1080 GPUs, the total computation time, including spot simulation, optimization, and final dose calculation, was 0.6 hour for the prostate case (8282 spots), 0.2 hour for the pancreas case (3795 spots), and 0.3 hour for the brain case (6724 spots). The computation time was dominated by MC spot simulation.Conclusions: We built a biological treatment plan optimization system for IMCT that performs simulations using a fast MC engine, goCMC. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that full MC-based IMCT inverse planning has been achieved in a clinically viable time frame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper proposes an automatic voltage control (AVC) system for power systems with limited continuous voltage control capability. The objective is to minimize the operational cost over a period, which consists of the power loss in the grid, the shunt switching cost, the transformer tap change cost, and the generator reactive power output cost. The problem is formulated in a multi-stage optimal reactive power flow (MORPF) framework, solved by the nonlinear programming techniques via a rolling process. The voltage uncertainty caused by wind power forecasting errors is considered in the optimal voltage/var dispatch by including a security margin in the voltage magnitude constraints. The robustness of the MORPF solution considering the voltage security margin is therefore improved. A platform is built for the offline investigations, employing the measurement data from the Danish national electricity control center, where study cases based on the western Danish power system demonstrate the superiority of the proposed AVC system in term of the cost minimization. Monte Carlo simulations are carried out to verify the proposed method on the robustness improvements. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous studies have shown that long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) behave as a novel class of transcript during multiple cancer processes, such as cell proliferation, apoptosis, migration, and invasion. LINC00152 is located on chromosome 2p11.2, and has a transcript length of 828 nucleotides. The biological role of LINC00152 in LAD(lung adenocarcinoma) remains unknown. Methods: Quantitative reverse transcription PCR(qRT-PCR) was used to detect LINC00152 expression in 60 human LAD tissues and paired normal tissues. In vitro and in vivo studies showed the biological function of LINC00152 in tumour progression. RNA transcriptome sequencing technology was performed to identify the downstream suppressor IL24(interleukin 24) which was further examined by qRT-PCR, western bolt and rescue experiments. RNA immunoprecipitation (RIP), RNA pulldown, and Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) assays were carried out to reveal the interaction between LINC00152, EZH2 and IL24. Results: LINC00152 expression was upregulated in 60 human LAD tissues and paired normal tissues. High levels of LINC00152 expression were correlated with advanced TNM stage, larger tumor size, and lymph node metastasis, as well as shorter survival time. Silencing of LINC00152 suppressed cell growth and induced cell apoptosis. LINC00152 knockdown altered the expression of many downstream genes, including IL24. LINC00152 could interact with EZH2 and inhibit IL24 transcription. Moreover, the ectopic expression of IL24 repressed cell proliferation and partly reversed LINC00152 overexpression-induced promotion of cell growth in LAD. Conclusions: Our study reveals an oncogenic role for LINC00152 in LAD tumorigenesis, suggesting that it could be used as a therapeutic target in LAD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under investigation in this paper is a higher-order nonlinear Schrödinger equation which can describe the propagation of ultrashort pulse in the inhomogeneous optical fiber. Lax pair and conservation laws are constructed from which the integrability of the equation can be verified. Nonautonomous breathers and rogue waves for the equation are derived based on the Darboux transformation (DT) and generalized DT, respectively. Influence of the group-velocity dispersion, third- and forth-order dispersion and gain or loss coefficient on the propagation and interaction of the nonautonomous breathers and rogue waves, is also discussed specifically. There exist two types of nonautonomous breathers. Expressions of the quasi-periods for the two types of nonautonomous breathers are given and the effects of coefficients on the quasi-periods are also discussed. Gain or loss coefficient affects the background for the nonautonomous breather, while third-order dispersion has an influence on the trajectory of the nonautonomous breather. Group-velocity dispersion affects the range of the nonautonomous rogue wave. In addition, group-velocity dispersion also produces a skew angle and the skew angle rotates in the clockwise direction with the increase of group-velocity dispersion. When forth-order dispersion coefficient is taken as a linear function of distance, the structure of rogue wave pair can be formed. The separation and relative locations for the two constituents of rogue wave pair are affected by the coefficients of the linear function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electric transit buses have been recognized as an important alternative to diesel buses with many environmental benefits. Electric buses employing lithium titanate batteries can provide uninterrupted transit service thanks to their ability of fast charging. However, fast charging may result in high demand charges which will increase the fuel costs thereby limiting the electric bus market penetration. In this paper, we simulated daily charging patterns and demand charges of a fleet of electric buses in Tallahassee, Florida and identified an optimal charging strategy to minimize demand charges. It was found that by using a charging threshold of 60–64%, a $160,848 total saving in electricity cost can be achieved for a five electric bus fleet, comparing to a charging threshold of 0–28%. In addition, the impact of fleet sizes on the fuel cost was investigated. Fleets of 4 and 12 buses will achieve the lowest cost per mile driven when one fast charger is installed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel pregn-17(20)-en-3-amine derivatives were synthesized and their anti-metastatic effects were evaluated in human breast cancer cells using chemotaxis assay. Compared with positive control LY294002, a PI3K inhibitor, derivatives 5a , 19a , 20a , 19g , 20f , 5c , 12e and 12f exhibited significant inhibitory effects against cancer cell migration induced by chemokine epidermal growth factor (EGF). Especially, the IC 50 for compound 20f was as low as 0.03 μM. Preliminary structure-activity relationship studies suggested that most 3 β -substituted derivatives were more effective than those 3α-substituted derivatives, provided there was no substituted group at position C-16. Moreover, the α , β -unsaturated fragment in ring D might be critical for their anti-metastatic activities. Further investigations on compound 20f revealed inhibitory effects on cell adhesion, migration and invasion of MDA-MB-231 cells. The mechanisms for the anti-metastatic effect of 20f might be through the inhibition of the phosphorylations of PI3K, Akt, PKCζ, and integrin β1 in a dose-dependent manner. Taken together, the novel steroidal alkaloid derivative 20f could be further explored as an effective anti-metastatic agent for the treatment of human metastatic breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Butyrylcholinesterase (BChE) is recently regarded as a biomarker in progressed Alzheimer's disease (AD), the development of selective BChE inhibitors has attracted a great deal of interest and may be a viable therapeutic strategy for AD. Previously, an aromatic tertiary amine derivative (S17 – 1001) was screened and validated as a selective BChE inhibitor. Structured-based molecular modification guided the synthesis of 43 analogs. Biological test of cholinesterase inhibition, in vitro blood brain barrier permeation assay, neurotoxicity assay and neuroprotective effects assay indicated two optimal compounds 17c and 19c. Both compounds showed selective BChE inhibitory (h BChE < 20 nM, ee AChE > 10 μM), good BBB permeation and primary cell safety. Besides, 17c can dose-response protect cell from Aβ 1−42 induced damage. It also demonstrated that 17c and 19c were able to restore cognitive impairment in vivo test. These data suggest that 17c and 19c represent promising candidate for follow-up in the drug-discovery process against AD. [Display omitted] • Novel aromatic tertiary amine derivatives were determined as selective butyrylcholinesterase inhibitors. • Not trigger acute toxicity on mice and obvious neurotoxicity on cells. • Significantly reversed Aβ-induced memory deficit in mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

3-O-[(E)-4-(4-cyanophenyl)-2-oxobut-3-en-1-yl]kaempferol (Fla-CN), a semi-synthesized flavonoid derivative of tiliroside, reduces whole-body adiposity, ameliorates metabolic lipid disorder, improves insulin sensitivity and benefits other disorders characterized by insulin resistance in high fat diet induced obesity mice. The improvement of insulin sensitivity and the reduction of weight gain are correlated with the changes of leptin and adiponectin levels. As a result, Fla-CN treatment could increase the expressions of pAMPK and miR-27 in the liver and adipose tissues. Meanwhile, we discovered that the expressions of various adipogenesis genes were downregulated, which were target genes of miR-27. This is the first report for the action of miR-27 by flavonoid derivative in rodents. The action of Fla-CN might be through multiple approaches including AMPK activation and enhancement in miR-27 expression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Snake rolling is a relatively new asymmetrical rolling technique that employs horizontally-displaced rolls with different peripheral speeds. In this study, an AA1060 aluminum plate has been subjected to single-pass snake rolling to investigate the effect of asymmetric boundary conditions on bending behavior under different thickness reductions. Microstructure, texture and mechanical properties of a flat plate processed by snake rolling to a 50% thickness reduction are compared with those in conventional rolling. The results indicate that snake rolling leads to a more uniform through-thickness distribution of shear strain and a more significant texture change than conventional rolling. Meanwhile, the differences in the average grain size and in the resulting mechanical properties between the two rolled plates fall within experimental errors. It is concluded that the snake rolling technique is effective in reducing the plate curvature by adjusting the offset distance and speed ratio of the working rolls. The advantage of snake rolling in improving mechanical properties is insignificant, at least at the level of thickness reduction examined in this study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proper placement of electric vehicle supply equipment (charging stations) requires an understanding of vehicle usage patterns. Using data from the National Household Travel Survey on vehicle mileage and destination patterns, analyses were performed to determine electric vehicles' charging needs, as a function of battery size and state of charge. This paper compares electric vehicle charging needs with Department of Energy electric vehicle charging data from real-world charging infrastructure. By combining the electric vehicles charging needs with charging data from real-world applications, locations with high electric vehicle charging likelihood are identified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To develop and validate a scale of stigma for infertile Chinese women. Method(s) Infertile women admitted to the Xiangya Hospital, the Second Xiangya Hospital, and the Third Xiangya Hospital of Central South University for treatment were approached to participate in this study. The Infertility Stigma Scale (ISS) development involved: [1] item generation based on literature, interview (experts/patients: N = 5/N = 20) and related scale; [2] pre-test questionnaire formation with both experts' ratings (N = 9) and infertile women's feedbacks (N = 30); [3] the component structure assessed by principal components analysis with varimax rotation (N = 334); [4] convergent validity assessed with Social Support Rating scale, Self-Esteem scale, Family APGAR Index (N = 334); and [5] reliability identified by internal consistency Cronbach's α (N = 334), split-half reliability (N = 334), test–retest reliability (N = 20). Result(s) This study yielded a 27-item ISS with 4 factors (self-devaluation, social withdrawal, public stigma, and family stigma). Exploratory factor analysis indicated that these 4 factors accounted for 58.17% of total variances. The Cronbach's α, split-half coefficient and test–retest correlation coefficient for the whole scale was 0.94, 0.90, and 0.91, respectively. The associations of the ISS with other measures suggested good convergent validity. The Content Validity Index (CVI) was 0.92. Conclusion(s) The ISS appears to be a reliable and valid measure to assess levels of stigma experienced by infertile Chinese women. It may be a useful tool to help identify infertile women at greater risks of distress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the use of fuel cell powered vehicles as an option for power back-up. Topics discussed include use of fuel cell electric vehicles (FCEVs) during outage, deployment of FCEVs in the U.S. by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), introduction of hydrogen filling stations for fuel cell range-extending vehicle (FCREV), use of automatic transfer switch (ATS) to provide power to home, and method of water electrolysis for generation of hydrogen for FCEVs.

Liver cirrhosis occurs as a consequence of many chronic liver diseases that are prevalent worldwide. Here we characterize the gut microbiome in liver cirrhosis by comparing 98 patients and 83 healthy control individuals. We build a reference gene set for the cohort containing 2.69 million genes, 36.1% of which are novel. Quantitative metagenomics reveals 75,245 genes that differ in abundance between the patients and healthy individuals (false discovery rate < 0.0001) and can be grouped into 66 clusters representing cognate bacterial species; 28 are enriched in patients and 38 in control individuals. Most (54%) of the patient-enriched, taxonomically assigned species are of buccal origin, suggesting an invasion of the gut from the mouth in liver cirrhosis. Biomarkers specific to liver cirrhosis at gene and function levels are revealed by a comparison with those for type 2 diabetes and inflammatory bowel disease. On the basis of only 15 biomarkers, a highly accurate patient discrimination index is created and validated on an independent cohort. Thus microbiota-targeted biomarkers may be a powerful tool for diagnosis of different diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This systematic review and meta-analysis aimed to synthesize the evidence on the effect of couple-based interventions on quality of life (QOL) among prostate cancer patients and their spouses. Method: Six English databases and two Chinese databases were systematically searched to identify relevant RCTs that examined the effect of couple-based interventions on QOL. The data from the included studies were extracted by two independent reviewers using a standardized data extraction form. Methodological quality was assessed by using the Cochrane Risk of Bias Tool. Meta-analysis was conducted among the suitable studies that the available data were sufficient. Results: One thousand ninety-five studies were identified, and 11 studies met the inclusion criteria for qualitative synthesis and 7 studied for meta-analysis. Couple-based interventions involve different formats of physical and psychosocial interventions. Physical exercise-based interventions were popular among couples, and these interventions had the highest level of adherence among all interventions examined herein. However, the meta-analysis of total QOL and physical and mental health revealed a non-significant effect on both prostate cancer patients and their spouses. More RCTs examining couple-based interventions may be needed in developing countries, especially in Asian countries. Conclusion: Couple-based interventions had non-significant effect on improving the total QOL and physical and mental health of prostate cancer patients and their spouses. However, the current evidence is limited because the sample size of the studies is small. Thus, more studies with large sample sizes need to be included to detect the efficacy of couple-based interventions on prostate cancer patients and their spouses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preclinical Research The preparation of novel E ‐ salignone derivatives and their biological evaluation as potential antimetastatic agents is described. The E ‐ salignone amide derivatives were prepared from epiandrosterone and androsterone, and characterized by analytical 1H NMR, 13C NMR, and mass spectrometry. The derivatives were evaluated for antimetastatic activity in MDA ‐ MB ‐ 231 cells by using a transwell assay. Comparing with the positive control, LY294002, compounds 19b, 19d, and 19e exhibited significant inhibitory effects on the EGF ‐ induced invasion of MB ‐ MDA ‐ 231 cells. Moreover, compound 19b also had antimigration effects in wound ‐ healing assay. Compound 19b may represent a novel antimetastatic agent for treating breast cancer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We reported a facile and controllable route to prepare nest-like ZnO without any complicate experimental equipments, pressure and gas control procedures. The nest-like ZnO was made within a muffle furnace in air atmosphere under normal pressure through a simple carbon thermal reduction reaction. The product was characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) and photoluminescence (PL). The results showed that the product was wurtzite ZnO and had an interesting hollow nest-like microstructure with a prickly porous shell. The shell consisted of ZnO nanospheres, and a few ZnO nanorods grew on the shell surface. The gas sensing test indicated that the nest-like ZnO had an excellent gas sensing behavior toward ethanol. The response of the sensor to 50ppm ethanol was about 100, which was at least four times more than other gases. Moreover, even down to 1ppm ethanol, the response still reached 3.8. Both the response time and recovery time of the sensor were short. All of these proved that the nest-like ZnO is a promising gas sensing material for ethanol detecting. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Here, we describe a novel method utilizing double stable isotope ultra performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry to measure tissue contents and activity of phenylethanolamine N-methyltransferase (PNMT), the enzyme responsible for synthesis of the stress hormone, epinephrine. The method is based on measurement of deuterium-labeled epinephrine produced from the reaction of norepinephrine with deuterium-labeled S-adenosyl- l-methionine as the methyl donor. In addition to enzyme activity, the method allows for determination of tissue contents of PNMT using human recombinant enzyme for calibration. The calibration curve for epinephrine was linear over the range of 0.1 to 5,000 pM, with 0.5 pM epinephrine representing the lower limit of quantification. The calibration curve relating PNMT to production of deuterium-labeled epinephrine was also linear from 0.01 to 100 ng PNMT. Intra- and inter-assay coefficients of variation were respectively 12.8 % ( n = 10) and 10.9 to 13.6 % ( n = 10). We established utility of the method by showing induction of the enzyme by dexamethasone in mouse pheochromocytoma cells and strong relationships to PNMT gene expression and tissue epinephrine levels in human pheochromocytomas. Development of this assay provides new possibilities for investigations focusing on regulation of PNMT, the crucial final enzyme responsible for synthesis of epinephrine, the primary fight-or-flight stress hormone. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel quantum secure direct communication scheme based on four-qubit cluster states is proposed. In this scheme, the quantum channel between the sender Alice and the receiver Bob consists of an ordered sequence of cluster states which are prepared by Alice. After ensuring the security of quantum channel, Alice prepares the encoded Bell-state sequence, and performs Bell-basis measurements on the qubits at hand. Then Alice tells the measured results to Bob, and Bob also performs Bell-basis measurements on his own qubits. Finally Bob can get the secret information through the analysis of their measured results. In our scheme, the qubits carrying the secret message do not need to be transmitted in public channel. We show this scheme is determinate and secure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The measurement of the neutrino velocity with the OPERA detector in the CNGS beam shows unexpected indication, that the muon neutrino velocity, vν, exceeds the velocity of light in the vacuum, c, which is obviously in contradiction with the most basic hypothesis of modern physics. Within the framework of minimal Standard Model Extension (SME), we discuss the modified dispersion relation and consequently the velocity-energy relation of muon neutrinos. The simplified models are fitted to the OPERA data, Fermilab experiment and MINOS data. We find that minimal Standard Model Extension can describe these long baseline superluminal neutrinos to a good accuracy. For the well-known tension between the OPERA measurement and the Supernova 1987A neutrino observation, we discuss two ways out of the contradiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of new tiliroside derivatives were synthesized and characterized by analytical 1H NMR, 13C NMR and mass spectrometry. All of the compounds were evaluated for anti-diabetic properties in vitro using HepG2 cells. Compounds 3c, 3d, and 3i–l caused significant enhancements in glucose consumption by insulin-resistant HepG2 cells compared with control cells and cells that were exposed to metformin (an anti-diabetic drug). Moreover, compound 3l significantly activated adenosine 5′-monophosphate-activated protein kinase activity and reduced acetyl-CoA carboxylase activity. Thus, the tiliroside derivative 3l offers potential to be developed as a new approach for treating type II diabetes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We propose a new relation between quark mixing matrix and lepton mixing matrix. Since the parameters in the quark sector are well determined, we employ them to describe the mixing of leptons. Phenomenologically, we study the neutrino oscillation probabilities for different channels, which can be measured precisely in forthcoming reactor and accelerator experiments. As an example of the applicability of our assumption, CP violation in the lepton sector is also discussed. In the latest T2K experiment, the range of the mixing angle is measured, and our prediction of is compatible with their result. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Dehydroepiandrosterone producing adrenocortical zona reticularis and the adrenal medulla are in direct contact and are highly intermingled in many species. This results in potentially strong paracrine influences of high local dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations on the adrenal medulla. Dehydroepiandrosterone has neuroprotective properties and increases neural stem cell proliferation and neurogenesis. Therefore, we aimed to establish its effects on chromaffin progenitor cell proliferation and differentiation. Previously, we successfully isolated chromaffin progenitors from bovine adrenal medulla in spherical cultures, so-called chromospheres. Seven days treatment of chromospheres with dehydroepiandrosterone at high concentrations (100μM) hampered proliferation of chromaffin progenitors. Under differentiation conditions, dehydroepiandrosterone in the presence of retinoic acid, increased tyrosine hydroxylase and decreased dopamine-β-hydroxylase mRNA expression. In addition, there was a tendency to increase dopamine contents. Dehydroepiandrosterone/retinoic acid is therefore suggested to induce dopaminergic differentiation from chromaffin progenitor cells. Furthermore, the high dehydroepiandrosterone concentrations present in the fetal and adult adrenal may play an important role in adrenomedullary cell proliferation and differentiation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We focused on the effects of the inorganic acid HNO3 on the gas-sensing properties of nanometer SnO2 and prepared the powders via a dissolution–pyrolysis method. Furthermore, the powders were characterized by means of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and energy-dispersive X-ray spectra (EDS). Several aspects were surveyed, including the calcining temperature, concentration of nitric acid and the working temperature. The results showed that the gas response of 3wt% HNO3-doped SnO2 powders (calcined at 500°C) to 10ppm Cl2 reached 316.5, at the working temperature 175°C. Compared with pure SnO2, appropriate HNO3 could increase the gas sensitivity to Cl2 gas more significantly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]