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To meet the requirement from the economy and society, China's emergency rescue has been developing towards specialization and professionalization. The working environment for emergency responders is special accompanying with tremendous challenges and uncertainties. To promote the research on occupational health and personal protection is an important guarantee for the workers in China to realize the goal of "decent work". This paper reviews the hazards that affect the occupational health of emergency rescue workers, the research progress of adverse outcomes caused from exposure to these hazards, and the related development issues of personal protection. In order to ensure the safety and health of emergency rescue workers, the direction of further research on occupational health of emergency rescue workers is put forward.随着社会与经济的发展，我国应急救援已经进入专业化与职业化的发展阶段。应急救援工作环境特殊，推进相关人员职业健康与个体防护研究是落实劳动者实现"体面劳动"的重要保障。本文综述了影响应急救援人员职业健康的危害因素以及可能导致的健康影响，对个体防护现状与存在的问题进行了总结，并提出了未来应急救援人员职业健康研究方向的建议。.

Researchers have been aiming to replace copper with carbon nanotube/copper nanocomposites, which are lighter and exhibit better electrical, mechanical, and thermal properties. However, the strength is far below pure carbon nanotube assembly and even much lower than some copper-based alloys. This disadvantage hinders the extensive application of carbon nanotube/copper nanocomposites. In this study, the carbon nanotube/aluminum-copper nanocomposites with ultra-strength and stiffness were prepared. The strength and elasticity modulus of composite reached as high as 6.6 and 500 GPa, respectively, while a high conductivity of 1.8 × 107 S/m was maintained. This can be attributed to the diffusion of Cu and Al atoms into the carbon nanotube fiber, which enhances friction between the carbon nanotubes by "pinning" and "bridging". This structure provides us with novel insights into the design of carbon nanotubes/metal nanocomposites with ultrahigh strength and conductivity.

Background: The incidence of CNS metastatic disease in breast cancer patients (pts) seems to have increased in recent years with the improvement of systemic therapy. However, treatment options for CNS metastases have remained limited due to the inability of most agents to cross the BBB. ANG1005 is a novel peptide drug-conjugate, consisting of 3 paclitaxel molecules covalently linked to Angiopep-2, a peptide designed to utilize the LRP-1 transport system to cross the BBB/BCB and to penetrate malignant cells. Methods: We conducted an open label phase II clinical study to test its activity in metastatic breast cancer (BC) pts with recurrent brain metastasis (BM), including BCBM pts with newly diagnosed leptomeningeal carcinomatosis (LC). Adult pts with measurable, recurrent BM from breast cancer, with or without LC (n=72 safety population; n=58 efficacy population) were enrolled in the study. ANG1005 was administered IV at 600 mg/m2 q3w. HER2+ patients were allowed to continue trastuzumab +/- pertuzumab. Intracranial (IC) response was assessed by Gd-MRI using CNS RECIST 1.1 and extracranial response (EC) was evaluated per RECIST 1.1. Results: Median age was 47.5 (26-76) years. Safety was similar to that of paclitaxel with myelosuppression as the predominant toxicity (WBC: 83%, RBC: 71%, PLT: 69%). Pts received a median of 6 (1-29) prior therapies for BC, including 84% with taxanes. As prior therapy for BM, 87% pts had cranial surgery and/or radiation and 19% pts received systemic therapies. Intracranial tumor response is presented for all pts as well as the various patient subsets as shown below: Table 1: Intracranial Response by Breast Cancer SubsetOutcome by CNS RECISTAllHER2+HER2-TNBCLCSample size, n5828301223PR (best response), n (%)8 (14%)4 (14%)4 (13%)2 (17%)5 (22%)Confirmed PR, n (%)3 (5%)2 (7%)1 (3%)02 (9%)SD, n (%)33 (57%)19 (68%)14 (47%)5 (42%)12 (52%))PD, n (%)17 (29%)5 (18%)12 (40%)5 (42%)6 (26%)Clinical benefit (SD+PR), %71%82%60%59%74%Abbreviations: TNBC, triple-negative breast cancer, a sub-group of HER2-; LC, leptomeningeal carcinomatosis Table 1 definitions: data based on evaluable pts with clinical or radiological evaluation ≥ 4 weeks from C1D1; LC pts included 15 HER2+ and 8 HER2-; best response is the best response recorded from the start of the study treatment until the disease progression; confirmed PR requires a ≥28-day confirmation of response. Extracranial tumor responses of 1 (3%) CR, 2 (7%) PRs and 24 (80%) SDs were seen in 30 evaluable pts, including after prior taxanes (93%). The 6 month OS in all pts was 50.2% (95% CI: 37.4, 61.6). In general, CNS clinical symptoms post-ANG1005 were improved, including in LC pts. Conclusions: ANG1005 is active against previously treated BC metastasis both within and outside the CNS. A randomized study is planned. Updated efficacy and safety data will be presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Ibrahim NK, Tang S-C, Brenner AJ, Kesari S, Piccioni DE, Anders CK, Carillo JA, Chalasani P, Kabos P, Puhalla S, Garcia AA, Tkaczuk KH, Ahluwalia MS, Lakhani NJ, Kumthekar P. A phase II, open-label, multi-center study of ANG1005, a novel brain-penetrant peptide-drug conjugate, in breast cancer patients with recurrent CNS metastases [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P1-12-01.

Background: Treatment options for brain metastases are limited to local therapies due to the inability of most anti-cancer agents to cross the blood brain barrier (BBB). ANG1005 is a novel taxane derivative, being developed for targeted treatment of brain metastases. It consists of 3 paclitaxel molecules covalently linked to Angiopep-2 designed to cross the BBB and to penetrate malignant cells, regardless of location, via the low density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor related protein-1 (LRP-1) transport system. Methods: Adult patients with measurable recurrent brain metastases from breast cancer with, or without, leptomeningeal disease are currently being enrolled in this multi-center, open-label study (planned n=56). ANG1005 is administered IV at 600 mg/m2 every three weeks (one cycle) until disease progression, unacceptable toxicity or consent withdrawal. HER2+ patients are allowed to continue HER2 targeted therapies. The primary endpoint is intracranial objective response rate, as assessed by MRI using CNS RECIST 1.1. Secondary endpoints include duration of intracranial response, median progression-free survival, 3/6/12-month progression-free survival rate, overall survival at 6 months, extracranial objective response rate, safety and tolerability. Extracranial response is also assessed by CT using RECIST 1.1. An imaging sub-study, evaluating the use of 18F-FLT-PET in comparison to MRI, is also ongoing in 10 patients with measurable brain metastases from breast cancer, receiving ANG1005 IV at 550 mg/m2. Results: Accrual is ongoing and to date, 48 patients have been treated with a range of 1-18 cycles of ANG1005. Median age is 47 years (range: 26-65). Safety profile is similar to that of paclitaxel with myelosuppression as the predominating toxicity. Based on data from patients evaluated to date for intracranial response, 6/30 (20%) patients had a partial response (PR) and 17/30 (57%) had a stable disease (SD), as best response. A sub-analysis, based on breast cancer sub-type is presented below: Intracranial Response by Breast Cancer SubsetOutcome by CNS RECISTHER2- (n=13)HER2+ (n=17)TNBC (n=6)LMD (n=11)PR, n (%)1 (8%)5 (29%)1 (17%)4 (36%)SD, n (%)6 (46%)10 (59%)2 (33%)5 (45%)PD, n (%)6 (46%)2 (12%)3 (50%)2 (18%)TNBC, triple-negative breast cancer, a sub-group of HER2-; LMD, leptomeningeal disease, including 3 HER2- and 8 HER2+ patients The longest duration on treatment is for 18 cycles, seen in a patient with an intracranial PR that sustained for 10 cycles; the treatment is still ongoing. Extracranial tumor evaluations were completed in 14 patients, all showing disease control including in those previously treated with paclitaxel. One (7%) patient had a PR and 13 (93%) patients had an SD. Conclusions: CNS activity was observed in all subsets of breast cancer, suggesting that ANG1005 is a promising therapy for treatment of brain and leptomeningeal metastases from breast cancer. ANG1005 treatment also resulted in disease control in extracranial lesions, including patients previously treated with paclitaxel. The dose and treatment regimen were well tolerated with a safety profile similar to paclitaxel. Updated efficacy and safety data will be presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Tang S-C, Bates S, Kesari S, Brenner AJ, Anders CK, Garcia A, Ibrahim NK, Tkaczuk KHR, Kumthekar P. A phase II, open-label, multi-center study of ANG1005, a novel brain-penetrant taxane derivative, in breast cancer patients with recurrent CNS metastases. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P6-17-04.

Background: Indoleamine 2,3 dioxygenase (IDO) is a tryptophan-catabolizing enzyme that plays a key role in the normal regulation of peripheral immune tolerance. Tumors also employ this mechanism to induce a state of immunosuppression, evading immune mediated destruction. Indoximod (D-1-methyltryptophan) is a broad IDO pathway inhibitor as it has been shown to potentially interfere with multiple targets within the IDO pathway. Preclinical studies in MMTV-neu mouse models have demonstrated that combining indoximod with cytotoxic chemotherapy had a greater in-vivo anti-tumor effect than either agent alone. A phase 1 trial combining docetaxel and indoximod demonstrated safety and responses in metastatic breast cancer (mBC) patients. Based on these data a phase 2 trial evaluating indoximod in combination with taxane chemotherapy as first line therapy in patients with metastatic breast cancer was initiated. Methods: The study is a 1:1 randomized, placebo controlled, four arm phase 2 trial. The study treatment is docetaxel 75mg/m2 IV D8 plus indoximod 1200mg PO BID D1-14 every 21 days or matching placebo in study arms 1A and 2A or paclitaxel 80 mg/m2 IV weekly 3 out of 4 weeks with indoximod or matching placebo given BID Days 1-14 in arms 1B and 2B. The primary endpoint is progression free survival. Secondary endpoints include overall survival, response rate, safety, and immune response correlative assays. Patients with measurable, histologically confirmed mBC, no prior chemotherapies (hormonal therapies allowed) in the metastatic setting, ER+ or ER –, HER2 -, ECOG PS 0-1, no active CNS disease, no active autoimmune disease are eligible. Target enrollment is 154 patients. Results: At submission, 65 patients have evaluable safety data on trial. The pooled, blinded data was evaluated for any safety signals. Patient demographics include median age 58 years, 95% female, 17% African American, 25% triple-negative disease, and 82% with multiple sites of metastatic disease. 28% of patients had at least one Grade 3 or 4 adverse event. Those occurring in multiple patients include dyspnea 5%, pleural effusion 3%, non-cardiac chest pain 3%, and febrile neutropenia 3%. Most patients had at least one adverse event (86%). The most common were anemia 14%, tearing 11%, constipation 19%, diarrhea34%, nausea 44%, vomiting 22%, fatigue 48%, peripheral edema 17%, increased liver function tests 10%, lymphopenia 17%, hyperglycemia 15%, myalgia 14%, dizziness 14%, dysguesia 16%, headache 20%, peripheral neuropathy 12%, dyspnea 19%, alopecia 34%, and rash 14%, all compatible with the side effect profile of single agent taxanes. No immune specific serious advents were reported. No treatment related deaths have been reported. Conclusion: The aggregate safety data for these 65 patient are similar to what is typically observed with docetaxel and paclitaxel. No unexpected serious immune linked adverse events were reported. The trial is currently open at multiple clinical sites in the US and Europe and actively enrolling patients. Updated data will be presented. NCT01191216. Citation Format: Tang S-C, Montero A, Munn D, Link C, Vahanian N, Kennedy E, Soliman H. A phase 2 randomized trial of the IDO pathway inhibitor indoximod in combination with taxane based chemotherapy for metastatic breast cancer: Preliminary data. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirty-Eighth Annual CTRC-AACR San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium: 2015 Dec 8-12; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P2-11-09.

MiR-146a plays as diverse roles in systemic malignancies, stimulating the tumor growth or blocking the tumor proliferation. However, its roles in breast cancer stem-like cells are barely known. We first identified the suppressive role of miR-146a in stem cells' renewal, promoting the asymmetric division of stem-like cells, and the expression of miR-146a was positively related with Let-7b level in vitro and in clinical specimens. Previous studies of Let-7 revealed its suppressive functions in stem-like cells expansion, and miR-146 was predicated to target and bind to the 3'UTR of LIN28, a negative regulator of Let-7 maturation. By using luc-assay and western, results showed that miR-146a increased the Let-7b level through degrading Lin28, and Lin28 is required for miR-146a induction of stem cells arresting and more asymmetric stem cells division. Moreover, Let-7 controlled Wnt signaling pathway activity is governed and strengthened by miR-146a, contributing to decrease the ratio of stem-like cells, forcing stem cells dividing asymmetrically. MiR-146a in turn formed negative feedback loop with Let-7 via the repression of NF-kB and Snai1 caused by Let-7b. Our results suggested the possible miR-146a/LIN28/Let-7/Snai1 signaling pathway in restraining the symmetric cells division, which was referred to the self-renewal capacity of breast cancer-stem like cells, and this axis helps to prohibit long–term tumor resistance and recurrence.MiR-146a plays as diverse roles in systemic malignancies, stimulating the tumor growth or blocking the tumor proliferation. However, its roles in breast cancer stem-like cells are barely known. We first identified the suppressive role of miR-146a in stem cells' renewal, promoting the asymmetric division of stem-like cells, and the expression of miR-146a was positively related with Let-7b level in vitro and in clinical specimens. Previous studies of Let-7 revealed its suppressive functions in stem-like cells expansion, and miR-146 was predicated to target and bind to the 3'UTR of LIN28, a negative regulator of Let-7 maturation. By using luc-assay and western, results showed that miR-146a increased the Let-7b level through degrading Lin28, and Lin28 is required for miR-146a induction of stem cells arresting and more asymmetric stem cells division. Moreover, Let-7 controlled Wnt signaling pathway activity is governed and strengthened by miR-146a, contributing to decrease the ratio of stem-like cells, forcing stem cells dividing asymmetrically. MiR-146a in turn formed negative feedback loop with Let-7 via the repression of NF-kB and Snai1 caused by Let-7b. Our results suggested the possible miR-146a/LIN28/Let-7/Snai1 signaling pathway in restraining the symmetric cells division, which was referred to the self-renewal capacity of breast cancer-stem like cells, and this axis helps to prohibit long–term tumor resistance and recurrence. Citation Format: Sun X, Du N, Li G, Zhang J, Zhang J, Xiao G, Wang J, Tang S-C, Ren H. MiR-146a functions as suppressive non-coding gene via indirect upregulation of Let-7 to promote asymmetric division and inhibit the self-renewal ability of breast cancer stem-like cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 2016 San Antonio Breast Cancer Symposium; 2016 Dec 6-10; San Antonio, TX. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(4 Suppl):Abstract nr P5-07-10.

Biomonitoring can be applied to assess internal exposure and environmental exposure by exposure markers with providing internal exposure to biological characterization and individual exposure information, which is a key tool to evaluate the risk exposure to disease by biological alternation information. With the development of high throughput, broad spectrum and high efficiency screening and detection technology, biomonitoring is defined as traditional biological monitoring (targeted monitoring) and non targeted monitoring analysis (exposomic approaches). An exposomic approach differs from traditional biomonitoring in that it can theoretically include all exposures of potential health significance, whether they are derived from exogenous sources. Both traditional and nontraditional biomonitoring methods should be used to understand the complexity of exposures faced throughout the lifespan. Through hybrid approaches, emerging techniques and the integration of bioinformatics, and developing the detection methods for low abundance chemicals, improving the differentiation ability between endogenous and exogenous chemical, the health outcomes and exposures can be widely recognized and characterized, which can finally contribute to improving the precise prevention and intervention for diseases under the new exposomic model.生物监测通过观察体内生物学信息改变，提供内暴露的生物表征和个体暴露信息，应用暴露标志物来评价内暴露和环境外暴露，是评价暴露-疾病风险的关键工具。随着高通量、广谱、高效的甄别检测技术的发展，生物监测可以分为传统生物监测(有目标的监测)和非目标性的监测分析(暴露组)。暴露组生物监测方法旨在识别对健康和疾病有影响的所有潜在暴露指征，但其生物样品的可及性和质量，以及对新物质特别是非持久性化学物质的识别与监测，乃至如何综合运用统计学处理暴露组复杂的数据集仍面临巨大挑战。结合新兴技术、无目标性的生物监测方法与传统的生物监测技术，结合生物信息学，发展低丰度化学物质的检测方法，提高内源性分子与外源性分子的区分能力，实现内暴露广泛的识别及健康结局的表征，最终在新环境暴露组模式下，提高疾病的精准预防和干预。.

To observe the curative effect of dl-3-n-Butylphthalide (NBP) on patients with acute cerebral infarction (ACI) and its effects on levels of serum vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and basic fibroblast growth factor (bFGF).A total of 160 ACI patients treated in our hospital who met the criteria were selected and randomly divided into treatment group (n=80, including 42 males and 38 females) and control group (n=80, including 40 males and 40 females). The control group was treated with routine drug therapy, while the treatment group was treated with butylphthalide on this basis. The curative effect was evaluated using the National Institute of Health Stroke Scale (NIHSS) and the Activity of Daily Life Scale (ADL Scale). The levels of the two factors in serum were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), and the changes in the levels of the two factors in serum at different time points before and after treatment were compared between the two groups.After treatment, the levels of the two factors in serum in both groups were significantly increased compared with those before treatment (p0.05), and the increase in treatment group was more significant than that in control group (p0.05). The scores of ADL scale in both groups were significantly increased after treatment compared with those before treatment, and the increase in treatment group was more significant than that in control group (p0.05). The scores of NIHSS in both groups were significantly decreased compared with those before treatment, and the decrease in treatment group was more significant than that in control group (p0.05).NBP can improve the expressions of VEGF and bFGF in serum of ACI patients, and its effect is superior to that of conventional drugs.

To investigate the superiority of dynamic magnetic resonance imaging as an assessment method of pharyngeal constriction and cricopharyngeal muscle function, and introduce a new way to measure the pharyngeal constriction ratio, anteroposterior diameter of esophageal entrance and thickness of cricopharyngeal muscle in healthy volunteers.Twenty volunteers who were assessed as normal by fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing and videofluoroscopic swallowing study were included in this study. With the use of 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging, Fiesta sequence and Asset technique, the median sagittal plane and intervertebral transverse plane from C1 to C5 were scanned repeatedly. Pharyngeal constriction ratio in the median sagittal and intervertebral transverse plane, anteroposterior diameter of esophageal entrance and thickness of cricopharyngeal muscle were assessed and the data were analysed by SPSS13.0.The intervertebral transverse plane between C1 and C2 was superior in observation of pharyngeal constriction ratio in the same way that the plane between C4 and C5 was superior in cricopharyngeal evaluation. The average of sagittal and intervertebral pharyngeal constriction ratio were estimated as 0.08±0.02, 0.09±0.04 respectively and the average of thickness of cricopharyngeal muscle and anteroposterior diameter of esophageal entrance were (6.50±1.69) mm, (1.99±0.76) mm respectively.Dynamic magnetic resonance imaging was superior in assessing the function of pharyngeal constriction and cricopharyngeal muscle by scanning the swallowing process in the median sagittal and intervertebral transverse plane.

This study examined the relationship between ideas and delusions of reference (I/DOR) and attentional shift to a self-referential stimulus (subject's own name, SON).Psychotic patients with I/DOR (n = 20) and without I/DOR (n = 17) matched for age and education were tested for attentional shift to SON embedded in a background voice clip presented binaurally when engaging in an attention-demanding task (computerised Stroop task). Reaction time and accuracy in Stroop tasks with and without embedded SON were measured. I/DOR severity, other positive symptoms, negative symptoms and cognitive performance were assessed.There was significant interaction between conditions (Stroop tasks with and without SON) and groups (patients with and without I/DOR) on reaction time (F(1,32) = 4.22, p = .05). Simple main effects showed a significant mean difference in reaction time between conditions in patients with I/DOR (107.7 milliseconds, p = .001) but not in those without (5.8 milliseconds, p = .86). Within-subject difference in reaction time correlated with I/DOR severity scores (r = .33-.52, range; p.05) and remained significant after controlling for other clinical and cognitive variables.The significant interaction and simple main effect suggest that I/DOR are associated with a heightened attentional shift to SON. The SON paradigm can potentially be developed into a neurocognitive parameter of I/DOR. However, the lack of non-self stimuli in the SON paradigm limits the interpretation on whether I/DOR are associated with general or specific distractibility related to self-referential information and further studies are warranted.

The present study was conducted to assess the effects of dietary supplementation of Zingiber officinale and Zingiber zerumbet and to heat-stressed broiler chickens on heat shock protein (HSP) 70 density, plasma corticosterone concentration (CORT), heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (HLR) and body temperature. Beginning from day 28, chicks were divided into five dietary groups: (i) basal diet (control), (ii) basal diet +1%Z. zerumbet powder (ZZ1%), (iii) basal diet +2%Z. zerumbet powder (ZZ2%), (iv) basal diet +1%Z. officinale powder (ZO1%) and (v) basal diet +2%Z. officinale powder (ZO2%). From day 35-42, heat stress was induced by exposing birds to 38±1°C and 80% RH for 2 h/day. Irrespective of diet, heat challenge elevated HSP70 expression, CORT and HLR on day 42. On day 42, following heat challenge, the ZZ1% birds showed lower body temperatures than those of control, ZO1% and ZO2%. Neither CORT nor HLR was significantly affected by diet. The ZO2% and ZZ2% diets enhanced HSP70 expression when compared to the control groups. We concluded that dietary supplementation of Z. officinale and Z. zerumbet powder may induce HSP70 reaction in broiler chickens exposed to heat stress.

Background Due to the dispersed nature of neurites and fibers, the microtome-based 2-dimensional histology provides only a limited perspective of the enteric nervous system. To visualize the enteric plexus, we applied optical clearing to avoid scattering in the human ileum to facilitate photon penetration for 3-dimensional (3-D) microscopy of the neural tissue. Methods Human ileal specimens were derived by trimming the donor bowel due to its excess length during the clinical trial of small intestinal transplantation. The pan-neuronal marker PGP9.5 was used as the immunostaining target to reveal the enteric plexuses. The labeled tissues were immersed in the optical-clearing solution prior to deep-tissue confocal microscopy. The serial sections were digitally analyzed and processed by reconstruction algorithms for 3-D visualization. Key Results Optical clearing of the ileal specimen led to less fluorescence signal decay along the focal path in the tissue and a higher signal-to-noise ratio of the confocal micrographs in comparison with the untreated saline control. Taking advantage of the high signal-to-noise ratio images, we applied software-based signal analysis to identify the presence of the nerve fibers and quantify the signal peaks. The image stacks derived from the serial anatomic micrographs created panoramic views of the gut wall innervations with their associated microstructures. Conclusions & Inferences We provide an optical approach to improve the imaging depth in 3-D neurohistology of the human ileum. This methodology has significant promise in facilitating our understanding of the enteric nervous system in health and disease.

We report a photolithographic process for micropatterning of two-component biomolecules on a transparent organic film via lateral functional polymer brushes of poly(sodium acrylate) (P(AA)) and poly(glycidyl methacrylate) (P(GMA)). The pattern of binary polymer brushes were prepared via consecutive UV-initiated grafting processes, under the assistance of the in situ formed poly (4,4'-bi[N-(4-vinylbenzyl) pyridinium]) (P(BVV)) photomask. The epoxy groups of the P(GMA) microdomains can be aminated for covalently coupling biotin, while the P(AA) microdomains were used for immobilizing immunoglobulin (IgG). The resulting biotin- and IgG-coupled microdomains interact specifically with their corresponding target proteins, avidin and anti-IgG, respectively.

Summary Parthenium hysterophorus is an invasive weed native to tropical and subtropical America. Since its introduction into China in 1926, this weed has been limited to southern areas (18°–25°N). However, new populations were recently reported in Shandong (35°N). The origin of this geographically isolated population remains unclear. In this study, we used inter simple sequence repeat and chloroplast DNA sequence markers (trnQ-5’rps16) to investigate the genetic structure of 18 invading populations of P. hysterophorus and to examine the genetic relationship of Shandong and southern populations. Our data show that Shandong population is genetically different and has apparently higher levels of genetic diversity than most populations in southern China. Both neighbour-joining clustering and principal coordination analysis clearly separated Shandong from other populations. Chloroplast DNA sequence analysis further confirmed that the Shandong population was characterised by a unique haplotype that was not found in southern populations. We conclude that the population in Shandong may have been independently introduced from areas outside China. As P. hysterophorus has a broad potential distribution in China, attention should be paid to both international and domestic quarantine to prevent new introductions and curtail the possible hybridisation and gene flow between populations in different regions.

The microstructure evolution of Ni-25 at.% Al thin films prepared by magnetron co-sputtering is investigated by using in-situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) study from room temperature to 750 °C. The diffraction rings of both Ni and Al are present in the selected area electron diffraction (SAED) of as-deposited films, and then the diffraction ring of Al disappears when the films are heated up to 300 °C. At 500 and 700 °C, the diffraction rings and spots of L1 2 intermetallic Ni 3 Al phase are found, respectively, which means that the formation of ordered Ni 3 Al phase starts from 500 °C. Moreover, it is found that the grain growth is relatively slow when the temperature is lower than 300 °C, while all of normal grain growth, abnormal grain growth and annealing twinning occur at higher temperatures.

The crystallization of amorphous Ge films has been studied as a function of annealing temperature between 400 and 700°C by in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM). It is found that crystallization does not occur until the annealing temperature reaches 650°C, which is nearly 250°C higher than the crystallization temperature in previous reports. The high crystallization temperature and average crystal size obtained by in situ TEM are in agreement with those from Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction measurement. The kinetics analysis indicates that homogeneous nucleation is the dominant crystallization mode and the activation energy is up to about 3.1 eV.

The analytic models for size-dependent Curie temperature Tc and saturation magnetization at room temperature Ms of Fe3O4 nanoparticles have been proposed in terms of the size-dependent melting temperature. The Tc(r) and Ms(r) values decrease with a decreasing of the particle radius r. Agreement between model predictions and the corresponding experimental results can be found, which enable us to determine the size dependences of the thickness of nonmagnetic surface layer δ(r) and t(r) in respectively describing Tc(r) and Ms(r) functions. It is found that both δ(r) and t(r) increase with a decreasing of r and t(r) is always twice as large as δ(r). Moreover, the surface layer should be an intrinsic property of ferromagnetic crystals since the nonmagnetic surface layer exists in the whole size range rather than vanishes as r approaches infinite.

A model for size-dependent surface energy of elemental nanocavities is proposed in terms of size-dependent cohesive energy. It is found that the surface energy of elemental nanocavities increases with decreasing of the cavity size to several nanometers. The newly built model is validated to be in agreement with that based on some other theories. Moreover, an analytic model is developed to describe the size-dependent melting temperature of elemental nanocavities for the first time. The analytic results show that the melting temperature increases with decreasing of the size of nanocavities. The theoretical predictions confirm well to the available data of argon obtained by molecular dynamics simulations.

A combined necking and shear localization analysis is adopted to model the failures of two aluminum sheets, AA5754 and AA6111, under biaxial stretching conditions. The approach is based on the assumption that the reduction of thickness or the necking mode is modeled by a plane stress formulation and the final failure mode of shear localization is modeled by a generalized plane strain formulation. The sheet material is modeled by an elastic-viscoplastic constitutive relation that accounts for the potential surface curvature, material plastic anisotropy, material rate sensitivity, and the softening due to the nucleation, growth, and coalescence of microvoids. Specifically, the necking/shear failure of the aluminum sheets is modeled under uniaxial tension, plane strain tension and equal biaxial tension. The results based on the mechanics model presented in this paper are in agreement with those based on the forming limit diagrams (FLDs) and tensile tests. When the necking mode is suppressed, the failure strains are also determined under plane strain conditions. These failure strains can be used as guidances for estimation of the surface failure strains on the stretching sides of the aluminum sheets under plane strain bending conditions. The estimated surface failure strains are higher than the failure strains of the forming limit diagrams under plane strain stretching conditions. The results are consistent with experimental observations where the surface failure strains of the aluminum sheets increase significantly on the stretching sides of the sheets under bending conditions. The results also indicate that when a considerable amount of necking is observed for a sheet metal under stretching conditions, the surface failure strains on the stretching sides of the sheet metal under bending conditions can be significantly higher.

Varicella-zoster virus (VZV) is a human herpesvirus, which during primary infection typically causes varicella (chicken pox) and establishes lifelong latency in sensory and autonomic ganglia. Later in life, the virus may reactivate to cause herpes zoster (HZ; also known as shingles). To prevent these diseases, a live-attenuated heterogeneous vaccine preparation, vOka, is used routinely in many countries worldwide. Recent studies of another alphaherpesvirus, infectious laryngotracheitis virus, demonstrate that live-attenuated vaccine strains can recombine in vivo, creating virulent progeny. These findings raised concerns about using attenuated herpesvirus vaccines under conditions that favor recombination. To investigate whether VZV may undergo recombination, which is a prerequisite for VZV vaccination to create such conditions, we here analyzed 115 complete VZV genomes. Our results demonstrate that recombination occurs frequently for VZV. It thus seems that VZV is fully capable of recombination if given the opportunity, which may have important implications for continued VZV vaccination. Although no interclade vaccine-wild-type recombinant strains were found, intraclade recombinants were frequently detected in clade 2, which harbors the vaccine strains, suggesting that the vaccine strains have already been involved in recombination events, either in vivo or in vitro during passages in cell culture. Finally, previous partial and complete genomic studies have described strains that do not cluster phylogenetically to any of the five established clades. The additional VZV strains sequenced here, in combination with those previously published, have enabled us to formally define a novel sixth VZV clade. IMPORTANCE Although genetic recombination has been demonstrated to frequently occur for other human alphaherpesviruses, herpes simplex viruses 1 and 2, only a few ancient and isolated recent recombination events have hitherto been demonstrated for VZV. In the present study, we demonstrate that VZV also frequently undergoes genetic recombination, including strains belonging to the clade containing the vOKA strain.

Some FeTPP−Cl/carbon electrocatalysts, heat-treated at temperatures up to 800 °C, have been studied with cyclic voltammetry, x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, extended X-ray absorption fine structure, and in situ Mossbauer spectroscopy. It appears that the heat treatment induces considerable site heterogeneity in electronic terms, although structurally the Fe−N4 moiety seems persistent. The data indicate that only part of these Fe−N4 sites contributes to the activity for the electrochemical reduction of O2 but that they operate according to the well-known redox mechanism.

The influence of plastic anisotropy on the plastic behavior of porous ductile materials is investigated by a three-dimensional finite element analysis. A unit cell of cube containing a spherical void is modeled. The Hill quadratic anisotropic yield criterion is used to describe the matrix normal anisotropy and planar isotropy. The matrix material is first assumed to be elastic perfectly plastic. Macroscopically uniform displacements are applied to the faces of the cube. The finite element computational results are compared with those based on the closed-form anisotropic Gurson yield criterion suggested in Liao et al. 1997, “Approximate Yield Criteria for Anisotropic Porous Ductile Sheet Metals,” Mech. Mater., pp. 213–226. Three fitting parameters are suggested for the closed-form yield criterion to fit the results based on the modified yield criterion to those of finite element computations. When the strain hardening of the matrix is considered, the computational results of the macroscopic stress-strain behavior are in agreement with those based on the modified anisotropic Gurson’s yield criterion under uniaxial and equal biaxial tensile loading conditions.

It is well known in the literature that the isotropic hardening rule in plasticity is not realistic for handling plastic deformation in a simulation of a full sheet metal forming process including springback. An anisotropic hardening rule proposed by Mroz is more realistic. For an accurate computation of the stress increment for a given strain increment by using Mroz’s rule, the conventional sub-interval integration takes excessive computing time. This paper proposes the radial return method to compute such stress increment for saving computing time. Two numerical examples show the efficiency of the proposed method. Even for a sheet model with more than 10000 thin shell elements, the radial return method takes only 40% of the overall computing time by the sub-interval integration.

A case of sternal cleft is presented in which an iliac bone graft was used to repair a defect of the lower two-thirds of the sternum together with a local rotation flap for wound closure. A second operation was necessary due to loss of the flap tip. At 2-year follow-up there was some absorption of the grafted iliac bone. The pertinent literature is reviewed and therapeutic principles are discussed.

House crows (Corvus splendens) in Selangor, Malaysia were examined for the presence of Campylobacter species, Salmonella species, Mycoplasma gallisepticum and Mycoplasma synoviae by serology, culture and pcr. For the detection of Campylobacter and Salmonella species swabs were taken either from the intestine or cloaca. For the detection of mycoplasmas, swabs were taken either from the choanal cleft or trachea for culture and pcr and serum samples were tested by the rapid serum agglutination (rsa) and monoclonal antibody-blocking elisa (mbelisa) for antibodies to M gallisepticum and M synoviae. For campylobacter, 25.3 per cent of the crows were positive by culture, and the species identified were Campylobacter jejuni and Campylobacter coli. No Salmonella species were isolated. Four of 24 swabs were positive for M gallisepticum dna but none gave positive results for M synoviae dna. No M gallisepticum or M synoviae antibodies were detected by rsa but 60 per cent of the sera gave positive reactions for M gallisepticum and 13 per cent gave positive reactions for M synoviae by mbelisa.

We have studied, as part of a group of international multicenter phase II clinical trials, the toxicity and effectiveness of CAMPATH1H administered intravenously three times a week in an outpatient setting to patients with recurrent or progressive low grade lymphoma. We report here on the toxicity and therapeutic results of the first seven patients treated before the study was closed prematurely because of unacceptable toxicity. Classical complete or partial responses of treatment were seen in three of seven patients. One complete response lasted 8.5 months and the other complete response is ongoing at 1 year. Responses occurred in nodal sites as well as in skin and peripheral blood. The first three or four antibody infusions in each patient was associated with grade 1 or 2 side-effects including rigor, fever, facial flushing, nausea, vomiting, hives, wheezes, hypotension, and/or diarrhea but these subsequently decreased or disappeared. The most significant toxicity was profound lymphopenia and associated infection, usually viral. Six of seven patients had culture or serologically documented infections and four patients had two or more such episodes. All infections responded to temporary discontinuation of antibody therapy and appropriate antiviral or antibiotic agents. We conclude that CAMPATH1H monoclonal antibody has therapeutic activity against low grade non-Hodgkin's lymphoma but that this activity is limited by marked lymphopenia and an unacceptably high frequency of serious infection at the dose and schedule used in this trial.

Although consumers' adoption rate of Renewable Energy (RE) have increased in recent years, yet feedback and surveys have shown the barriers for RE adoption are largely due to factors of initial investment cost, lack of RE awareness, and perceived lack of reliability of the technologies. Therefore, overcoming the effects of these barriers is becoming important in order to influence consumers' RE adoption behavior and attitudes. RE policies and regulations in many countries around the world have been established in order to promote adoption of RE. This paper first outlines and compares the key strategies and policies between four developed countries: Australia, the United States of America, United Kingdom and Singapore. It then presents the development of Renewable Energy Intelligence System, a knowledge portal tool which aims to provide knowledge and increase awareness of RE. Hence, it is expected that the portal will influence consumers' decision towards the adoption of RE.

The present study was conducted to assess the effects of dietary supplementation of Zingiber officinale and Zingiber zerumbet and to heat-stressed broiler chickens on heat shock protein (HSP) 70 density, plasma corticosterone concentration (CORT), heterophil to lymphocyte ratio (HLR) and body temperature. Beginning from day 28, chicks were divided into five dietary groups: (i) basal diet (control), (ii) basal diet +1%Z. zerumbet powder (ZZ1%), (iii) basal diet +2%Z. zerumbet powder (ZZ2%), (iv) basal diet +1%Z. officinale powder (ZO1%) and (v) basal diet +2%Z. officinale powder (ZO2%). From day 35-42, heat stress was induced by exposing birds to 38±1°C and 80% RH for 2 h/day. Irrespective of diet, heat challenge elevated HSP70 expression, CORT and HLR on day 42. On day 42, following heat challenge, the ZZ1% birds showed lower body temperatures than those of control, ZO1% and ZO2%. Neither CORT nor HLR was significantly affected by diet. The ZO2% and ZZ2% diets enhanced HSP70 expression when compared to the control groups. We concluded that dietary supplementation of Z. officinale and Z. zerumbet powder may induce HSP70 reaction in broiler chickens exposed to heat stress.

In this paper, we develop a general Markov model for the HIV epidemic involving both sexual contact and IV drug use. For this model, we derive the probability generating function of the HIV epidemic and derive equations for the means, the variances and the covariances of the numbers of susceptible people, latent people, infective people and AIDS cases. By using these equations, we generate some simulation studies to illustrate effects of some risk factors on the mean HIV behavior and on the variances and the covariances of the numbers of latent people, infective people and AIDS cases.

Due to the dispersed nature of neurites and fibers, the microtome-based 2-dimensional histology provides only a limited perspective of the enteric nervous system. To visualize the enteric plexus, we applied optical clearing to avoid scattering in the human ileum to facilitate photon penetration for 3-dimensional (3-D) microscopy of the neural tissue.Human ileal specimens were derived by trimming the donor bowel due to its excess length during the clinical trial of small intestinal transplantation. The pan-neuronal marker PGP9.5 was used as the immunostaining target to reveal the enteric plexuses. The labeled tissues were immersed in the optical-clearing solution prior to deep-tissue confocal microscopy. The serial sections were digitally analyzed and processed by reconstruction algorithms for 3-D visualization.Optical clearing of the ileal specimen led to less fluorescence signal decay along the focal path in the tissue and a higher signal-to-noise ratio of the confocal micrographs in comparison with the untreated saline control. Taking advantage of the high signal-to-noise ratio images, we applied software-based signal analysis to identify the presence of the nerve fibers and quantify the signal peaks. The image stacks derived from the serial anatomic micrographs created panoramic views of the gut wall innervations with their associated microstructures.We provide an optical approach to improve the imaging depth in 3-D neurohistology of the human ileum. This methodology has significant promise in facilitating our understanding of the enteric nervous system in health and disease.

This article highlights the role of the legislative framework for direct foreign investment (DFI) and private sector development in ASEAN. The importance ofDFI, the role and objec tives of policy legislation in affecting DFI decisions, and the primary investment legislation are examined. The article concludes with some ideas on the policy legislation trends in the 1990s, and in so doing it considers whether much more needs to be done to keep pace with the formidable changes in many parts of the world.

For power-law hardening materials, a stress resultant constitutive law of incremental plasticity nature for thin plates is constructed. The yield function in the stress resultant space is approximated in quadratic form and an equivalent stress resultant is defined. One of two parameters in the yield function is analytically determined based on the concept of complementary potential surface. The other is determined by the least square method to fit the complementary potential surface of Chou et al., (1991). In analogy to the work of Hill (1979), the equivalent work-conjugate generalized plastic strain rate is derived. Finally, the hardening rule between the equivalent stress resultant and generalized plastic strain is obtained based on the results of Chou et al. (1991) for power-law materials under proportional straining conditions.

In this paper we develop a stochastic model for the HIV epidemic involving both sexual contact and IV drug use by taking into account the dynamic of the HIV epidemic. The model is formulated in terms of the chain multi-nomial model which provides a mechanism by means of which one may derive the moments of the numbers of S people, L people, I people and A people. By using the model we show by Monte Carlo studies that the randomness of the number of different partners per unit time seem to have little effects on the HIV epidemic if the expected number of different partners per unit time is not very small (say >= 0.5). However, the numerical results indicate clearly that in almost all the cases the results of the deterministic model provide poor approximation to the corresponding expected numbers of the stochastic model.

An 27 Al NMR study of aluminum molybdate (Al 2 (MoO 4 ) 3 ) has been carried out. Using the double-rotation technique (DOR), the residual line broadening observed in magic angle spinning (MAS) that is caused by second-order quadrupolar interactions is completely removed. The four inequivalent aluminum resonances, as predicted from the space group symmetry obtained from X-ray and neutron powder diffraction data, are clearly revealed by NMR. Moreover, additional structure in the DOR spectrum may be indicative of further inequivalency in the unit cell that is not discernible by powder diffraction methods

The axisymmetric stretch flanging process is a common secondary operation in sheet metal stamping. The process is characterized by a uniaxial state of stress at the edge of the flange. An approximate analysis, based on the assumption that the state of stress throughout the flange is mainly uniaxial, is used to model the stretch flanging (second step) process. The approximation is derived from the total strain membrane theory of plasticity which incorporates strain hardening and normal anisotropy of the material. Under such conditions, flangeability is controlled by the tensile elongation of the metal and is limited by localized necking or fracture of the flanged edge. The analysis includes a stretching limit criterion to determine the flanging limit of the material. The influence of prestretching (first step) on flangeability is modeled using the membrane shell theory with axisymmetric deformation to solve the contact condition in stretch forming. Inputs to the model are a desired flange profile, material properties, and sheet thickness. The output includes the feasibility of the flanging operation, any requirements for prestretching and the size of the trim radius needed to successfully flange the profile. The model is verified by experimental results.

The nucleation, growth and coalescence of micro-voids are important failure mechanisms in ductile materials. Gurson (1977) has developed a dilatation plasticity theory to quantitatively characterize the state of deformation and damage associated with micro-voids in isotropic materials. This theory, however, is not applicable to aluminum sheets because they are highly anisotropic. A dilatational plasticity theory for anisotropic ductile materials is developed in this study. The constitutive law is established for aluminum sheets that contain micro-voids, where the matrix material of aluminum is characterized by an anisotropic constitutive model developed by Barlat et al. (1991). Based on the numerical analysis, an approximate yield function is given in the closed form for anisotropic sheets. It shows that the mean hydrostatic stress plays an important role in the plastic behavior of anisotropic micro-voided aluminum sheets.

Sanguinarine, a benzophenanthridine alkaloid, has anticancer potential through induction of cell death. We previously demonstrated that sanguinarine treatment at a low level induced apoptosis or programmed cell death (PCD) in the Bcl-2 low-expressing K562 human erythroleukemia cells, and that a high level induced blister cell death (BCD); whereas Bcl-2 overexpressing, sanguinarine-treated JM1 pre-B lymphoblastic cells displayed neither apoptosis nor BCD morphologies. Here, we report that sanguinarine-treated K562 cells, when analyzed by western blot, showed significant increase in expression of the pro-apoptotic Bax protein in apoptosis, but not in BCD. cDNA expression array of PCD in K562 cells failed to reveal the presence of Bax at the gene transcript level, which suggests that this cell death process does not require de novo protein synthesis. Treated JM1 cells, on the other hand, showed an increase in the expression of Bcl-2 protein in both forms of cell death, but failed to show Bax expression. The role of other members of the Bcl-2 family remained negligible. Caspase-3 activation was observed in apoptosis of K562 cells but not in BCD or in sanguinarine-treated JM1 cells. These results suggest that sanguinarine in K562 cells induces apoptosis through increasing Bax and activating caspase-3, whereas sanguinarine-induced BCD involves neither. These results also suggest that in JM1 cells, Bcl-2 may play a role in susceptibility of cells to induction of apoptosis and BCD.