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This paper proposes a 3D (three dimensions) continuous risk matrix to assess the operational safety in inland container terminals (ICTs). In this paper, based on the operational features of ICTs and relevant literature, the risk factors (RFs) affecting the operational safety in ICTs are first investigated. A 3D continuous risk matrix based on a fuzzy AHP (Analytic Hierarchical Process) approach is then proposed to assess the operational safety in ICTs. Unlike the traditional risk matrix constructed by risk measures of likelihood and consequence, the proposed risk matrix considers one more risk measure: preventive-ability of an organization that can provide more accurate information for decision makers in risk assessments. Finally, the ICTs in Taiwan were empirically investigated to validate the model. Based on the results, theoretical and managerial implications are discussed.

Simple Summary No predominant changes between R- vs. Ad-feed intake on leukocyte defense against pathogens were observed in broiler breeder hens despite some differences in inflammatory and respiratory burst responses. Overall, supplemental 25-OH-D3 had more pronounced effects on the innate immunity of Ad-hens. In vitro studies confirmed the differential effects of 25-OH-D3 to rescue immune functions altered by glucose and/or palmitic acid exposure. Abstract Past immunological studies in broilers focused on juveniles within the rapid pre-slaughter growth period and may not reflect adult immune responses, particularly in breeders managed with chronic feed restriction (R). The study aimed to assess innate immune cell functions in respect to R vs. ad libitum (Ad) feed intake in breeder hens with and without dietary 25-hydroxycholecalciferol (25-OH-D3) supplementation. Ad-feed intake consistently suppressed IL-1β secretion, respiratory burst, and cell livability in peripheral heterophils and/or monocytes along the feeding trial from the age of 51 to 68 weeks. Supplemental 25-OH-D3 repressed IL-1β secretion and respiratory burst of both cells mostly in R-hens, but promoted monocyte phagocytosis, chemotaxis, and bacterial killing activity in Ad-hens in accompany with relieved hyperglycemia, hyperlipidemia, and systemic inflammation. Overnight cultures with leukocytes from R-hens confirmed the differential effects of 25-OH-D3 to rescue immune functions altered by glucose and/or palmitic acid exposure. Studies with specific inhibitors further manifested the operative mechanisms via glucolipotoxicity in a cell type- and function-dependent manner. The results concluded no predominant changes between R- vs. Ad-feed intake on leukocyte defense against pathogens despite some differential differences, but supplemental 25-OH-D3 exerts more pronounced effects in Ad-hens.

5-axis hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing is a new and promising technology for many industrial applications. Because of its complexity, the machining simulation is very important to verify the effectiveness of tool path. However, most simulation methods are proposed for subtractive manufacturing and additive manufacturing separately. This paper presents a novel geometric simulation technique for the 5-axis hybrid additive-subtractive manufacturing, which is based on Laser Engineered Net Shaping (LENS) and milling. In the proposed method, 5-axis additive swept volume elements are represented with Tri-dexel models and then converted into triangular meshes for visualization. Workpiece after additive manufacturing can be then used as a workblank for subtractive manufacturing simulation. Finally, a geometric simulation module is developed based on SIEMENS NX software to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed simulation method.

In the present study, we fabricated non-toxic, injectable, and thermo-sensitive NIPAAm-g-chitosan (NC) hydrogels with thiol modification for introduction of disulfide cross-linking strategy. Previously, NIPAAm and chitosan copolymer has been proven to have excellent biocompatibility, biodegradability and rapid phase transition after injection, suitable to serve as cell carriers or implanted scaffolds. However, weak mechanical properties significantly limit their potential for biomedical fields. In order to overcome this issue, we incorporated thiol side chains into chitosan by covalently conjugating N-acetyl-cysteine (NAC) with carbodiimide chemistry to strengthen mechanical properties. After oxidation of thiols into disulfide bonds, modified NC hydrogels did improve the compressive modulus over 9 folds (11.4 kPa). Oscillatory frequency sweep showed a positive correlation between storage modulus and cross-liking density as well. Additionally, there was no cytotoxicity observed to mesenchymal stem cells, fibroblasts and osteoblasts. We suggested that the thiol-modified thermo-sensitive polysaccharide hydrogels are promising to be a cell-laden biomaterial for tissue regeneration.

A 2,2,6,6-tetramethyl-N-oxopiperidinium (TEMPO+)-mediated three-component diverse transformation of vinyl azides under metal-free conditions is described. The reaction protocols are operationally simple and conducted at ambient temperature, allowing to access various TEMPO-trapped ketones, amides, and α-alkoxyalkyl azides. Preliminary mechanistic studies indicate that an alkene radical cation-mediated radical–radical cross-coupling C–O bond formation could be involved.

The purpose of this study was to investigate the density heterogeneity pattern as a factor affecting Bragg peak degradation, including shifts in Bragg peak depth (ZBP), distal range (R80 and R20), and distal fall-off (R80–R20) using Monte Carlo N-Particles, eXtension (MCNPX). Density heterogeneities of different patterns with increasing complexity were placed downstream of commissioned proton beams at the Proton and Radiation Therapy Centre of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, including one 150 MeV wobbling broad beam (10×10 cm2) and one 150 MeV proton pencil beam (FWHM of cross-plane=2.449 cm, FWHM of in-plane=2.256 cm). MCNPX 2.7.0 was used to model the transport and interactions of protons and secondary particles in density heterogeneity patterns and water using its repeated structure geometry. Different heterogeneity patterns were inserted into a 21×21×20 cm3 phantom. Mesh tally was used to track the dose distribution when the proton beam passed through the different density heterogeneity patterns. The results show that different heterogeneity patterns do cause different Bragg peak degradations owing to multiple Coulomb scattering (MCS) occurring in the density heterogeneities. A trend of increasing R20 and R80–R20 with increasing geometry complexity was observed. This means that Bragg peak degradation is mainly caused by the changes to the proton spectrum owing to MCS in the density heterogeneities. In contrast, R80 did not change considerably with different heterogeneity patterns, which indicated that the energy spectrum has only minimum effects on R80. Bragg peak degradation can occur both for a broad proton beam and a pencil beam, but is less significant for the broad beam.

IL-10 is a master regulator of immune responses, but its cellular source and function in cattle during the initial phase of immune priming have not been well established. Despite a massive B cell response in the abomasal draining lymph nodes in Ostertagia ostertagi (OO)-infected cattle, protective immunity is slow to develop, and partial protection requires years of repeated exposure. In addressing this problem, our initial hypothesis was that B cells produce IL-10 that downregulates the host protective immune response. However, our results showed that neutrophils made up the majority of IL-10-producing cells in circulation and in secondary lymphoid tissues, particularly the spleen (80%). Conversely, IL-10-producing B cells were rare. In addition, approximately 10% to 20% of the neutrophils in the blood and spleen expressed MHC II and were IL-10 negative, suggesting that neutrophils could also participate in antigen presentation. In vitro investigation of bovine neutrophils revealed that exposure thereof to OO extract increased IL-10 and MHC II expression in these cells in a dose-dependent manner, consistent with IL-10+/MHC II+ neutrophils detected in cattle shortly after experimental OO infection. Co-culture of untreated neutrophils with anti-CD3 antibody (Ab)-stimulated CD4+ T cells led to enhanced T cell activation; also, IL-10 depletion with neutralizing Ab enhanced the stimulatory function of neutrophils. OO extract depressed neutrophil stimulation of CD4+ T cells in the presence of IL-10-neutralizing Ab, suggesting that OO utilizes both IL-10-dependent and independent mechanisms to manipulate the bovine immune response. Finally, contact and viability were required for T cell-stimulatory neutrophil function. This report, to the best of our knowledge, is the first to demonstrate that neutrophil-derived IL-10 is directly involved in T cell regulation in cattle. Our data suggest that neutrophils and neutrophil-derived IL-10 are co-opted by nematode parasites and other pathogens to attenuate host immune responses and facilitate pathogen survival.

A redox-neutral, mild, and simple protocol is developed for the synthesis of α-trifluoromethylated ketones from vinyl azides under transition-metal-free conditions. In the presence of organic photoredox catalyst N-methyl-9-mesityl acridinium and sodium trifluoromethanesulfinate, a broad range of substituted vinyl azides were found to react smoothly upon visible-light irradiation, readily furnishing the corresponding products in satisfied yields.

A mild and transition-metal-free protocol is herein presented for chloro-, bromo- and trifluoromethylthiotrifluoromethylation of unactivated alkenes. The easy-handling Langlois reagent, as well as N-halophthalimide and N-trifluoromethylthiosaccharin, is used in this method. In the presence of an organic photoredox catalyst N-methyl-9-mesityl acridinium, a broad range of desired products were afforded in satisfactory yields upon visible-light irradiation via a radical process.

Meat-type Red-feather country hens fed ad libitum (AD-hens) exhibit obesity-associated morbidities and a number of ovarian irregularities. Leukocyte participations in ovarian activities are unstudied in AD-hens. In contrast to feed-restricted hens (R-hens), ovulatory process of the F1 follicle appeared delayed in AD-hens in association with reduced F1 follicle progesterone content, gelatinase A (MMP-2) and collagenase-3 (MMP-13) activities coincident with elevated IL-1β and no production (P

Background and Aims Endolumenal therapies serve as a treatment option for GERD. This study aimed to determine if magnets could be placed endoscopically using the adventitial layer to create a subadventitial space near the esophagogastric junction to augment the lower esophageal sphincter using submucosal endoscopy. Methods This study consisted of 2 phases, ex vivo and in vivo, with domestic pig esophagus. A long submucosal tunnel was made at the mid to lower esophagus. The muscularis propria was incised by a needle-knife within the submucosal tunnel. A subadventitial tunnel was made by biliary balloon catheter blunt dissection, and a magnet was deployed in the subadventitial space. The same maneuver was done within the opposing esophageal wall, with magnet placement in the opposing subadventitial space. Results Submucosal tunnels and subadventitial tunnels were successful without perforation ex vivo in all attempts and in 9 of 10 cases, respectively. Magnets were deployed in the subadventitial space in 7 cases. Magnets connected and separated with atraumatic endoscope passage into the stomach and reconnected when the endoscope was withdrawn under fluoroscopy in 5 of 7 cases (71.4%). In vivo submucosal tunnels and subadventitial tunnels were successful in all 5 cases, and magnet augmentation was functionally active in 4 cases (80%). Conclusion Subadventitial tunnels were feasible and could represent a new working space for endoscopic treatment. Endoscopic placement of magnets within the subadventitial space may be an attractive alternative endolumenal therapy for GERD.

The purpose of this study is to access proton dose distribution in dual resolution phantoms using MCNPX 2.6.0. The dual resolution phantom uses higher resolution in Bragg peak, area near large dose gradient, or heterogeneous interface and lower resolution in the rest. MCNPX 2.6.0 was installed in Ubuntu 10.04 with MPI for parallel computing. FMesh1 tallies were utilized to record the energy deposition which is a special designed tally for voxel phantoms that converts dose deposition from fluence. 60 and 120 MeV narrow proton beam were incident into Coarse, Dual and Fine resolution phantoms with pure water, water–bone–water and water–air–water setups. The doses in coarse resolution phantoms are underestimated owing to partial volume effect. The dose distributions in dual or high resolution phantoms agreed well with each other and dual resolution phantoms were at least 10 times more efficient than fine resolution one. Because the secondary particle range is much longer in air than in water, the dose of low density region may be under-estimated if the resolution or calculation grid is not small enough.

Here we report a novel electron-donor–acceptor (EDA) complex-enabled three-component cyanofluorination of vinyl azides under metal-free conditions in a cis-specific manner. This reaction protocol is operationally simple without exclusion of either moisture or oxygen, allowing access to a wide range of highly-functionalized α-azido-β-fluoronitriles bearing quaternary carbons that are difficult to obtain by existing methods.

An effective cytotoxic T lymphocyte (CTL) response against intracellular pathogens is generally accomplished by immense CTL expansion and activation, which can destroy infected cells. Vigorous immune responses can lead to activation of bystander CD8+ T cells, but the contribution from antigen-specific CTLs is not well understood. We found that CTLs secrete extracellular vesicles following antigen stimulation. These CTL-derived vesicles contain CTL proteins and exhibit markers and size profiles consistent with exosomes. Interestingly, further stimulation of CTLs with IL-12 impacts exosome size and leads to selective enrichment of certain exosomal proteins. More important, exosomes from IL-12-stimulated CTLs directly activated bystander naïve CD8+ T cells to produce interferon-γ (IFNγ) and granzyme B (GZB) in the absence of antigens, whereas control exosomes derived from antigen-stimulated CTLs did not. In addition, IL-12 induced exosomes are able to strengthen the effects of weak antigen stimulation on CTLs. Proteomic analysis demonstrates that IL-12 stimulation alters catalytic and binding activities of proteins in CTL exosomes. Our findings indicate that the biological function and morphology of exosomes secreted by CTLs can be influenced by the type of stimulation CTLs receive. Thus, a fully functional, ongoing, antigen-specific CTL response may influence bystander CD8+ T cells through secretion of exosomes.

At the Chang Gung Memorial Hospital, a wobbled beam together with a set of single scatterers produces a uniform proton field at the first and second gantries for proton radiotherapy. Conformal field shaping was accomplished by using only a multileaf collimator (MLC) or a combination of an MLC and a brass aperture (downstream of the MLC). The MLC-only technique typically delivered extra low dose tails in penumbra compared to the dose delivered using both the MLC and brass aperture/block. This study attempted to provide a physical explanation of this phenomenon by Monte Carlo simulation and phase space analysis. The Particle Therapy System Simulation Framework was used as the Monte Carlo tool for beam propagation simulation. This research team investigated four possible causes for low dose tails including, (a) same-side MLC scattering; (b) opposite-side MLC scattering; (c) MLC transmission; and (d) proton angular distribution broadened by the wobbling magnets. The results indicated that the proton angular distribution broadened by the wobbling magnets is the single cause of low dose tails and can be stopped by inserting a downstream brass aperture.

A metal-free efficient synthesis of olefins via microwave-assisted direct decarboxylative elimination of arylacetic acids is described. This reaction, using commercially available reagent PIFA as oxidant, readily provides a variety of desired products in moderate to good yields.

In this study, we developed a novel method using supercritical carbon dioxide (SCCO 2 ) to prepare acellular porcine cornea (APC). Under gentle extraction conditions using SCCO 2 technology, hematoxylin and eosin staining showed that cells were completely lysed, and cell debris, including nuclei, was efficiently removed from the porcine cornea. The SCCO 2 -treated corneas exhibited intact stromal structures and appropriate mechanical properties. Moreover, no immunological reactions and neovascularization were observed after lamellar keratoplasty in rabbits. All transplanted grafts and animals survived without complications. The transplanted APCs were opaque after the operation but became transparent within 2 weeks. Complete re-epithelialization of the transplanted APCs was observed within 4 weeks. In conclusion, APCs produced by SCCO 2 extraction technology could be an ideal and useful scaffold for corneal tissue engineering. Statement of significance We decellularized the porcine cornea using SCCO 2 extraction technology and investigated the characteristics, mechanical properties, and biocompatibility of the decellularized porcine cornea by lamellar keratoplasty in rabbits. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first report describing the use of SCCO 2 extraction technology for preparation of acellular corneal scaffold. We proved that the cellular components of porcine corneas had been efficiently removed, and the biomechanical properties of the scaffold were well preserved by SCCO 2 extraction technology. SCCO 2 -treated corneas maintained optical transparency and exhibited appropriate strength to withstand surgical procedures. In vivo, the transplanted corneas showed no evidence of immunological reactions and exhibited good biocompatibility and long-term stability. Our results suggested that the APCs developed by SCCO 2 extraction technology could be an ideal and useful scaffold for corneal replacement and corneal tissue engineering.

The success of many endosseous implants in orthopaedic and dental applications depends on the surface characteristics, as they affect osseous integration. Previous investigations indicated that a novel large-grit sand-blasted and acid-etched (SLA) titanium (denoted as SLAffinity-Ti) implant had better bone integration than that of a comparably shaped implant with a plasma-sprayed titanium surface. The purpose of the present investigation was to create a SLAffinity surface on pedicle screws and trauma screws and to compare it with the surfaces of a sand-blasted-only implant and commercial implants in terms of bone integration. The cortical bone and spine of twelve minipigs were implanted with 3 and 4 implants, respectively, and the bone integration was evaluated using micro-computed tomography (micro-CT), mechanical tests (pull-out strength and stripping torque), and histological analysis (toluidine blue and hematoxylin and eosin staining) one and three months after implantation. The micro-CT images showed that the gap between the bone and implant was consistently higher in the sand-blasted-only and commercial groups compared to that in the SLAffinity group 1 and 3 months after implantation. Moreover, the bone volume of implant inserted into bone and the percentage of implant inside bone tissue were greater in the SLAffinity screws 1 and 3 months after implantation, as compared to the sand-blasted and commercial screws. In the mechanical tests, the removal torque and pull-out strength (p < 0.05) were higher in the SLAffinity group at 1 and 3 months. The histological results were consistent with mechanical testing, showing that the SLAffinity group had the most mineralized matrix, the most bone formation around the screws, and the most bone cells in bone tissue. These findings indicate that a SLAffinity surface can effectively enhance the holding strength and integration of pedicle screws and cortical screws, promoting early healing and improving outcomes, compared to sand-blasted-only and commercial implants.

Patients diagnosed with acute respiratory distress syndrome are generally severely distressed and associated with high morbidity and mortality despite aggressive treatments such as extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) support. To identify potential biomarker of predicting value for appropriate use of this intensive care resource, plasma interleukin-10 along with relevant inflammatory cytokines and immune cell populations were examined during the early and subsequent disease courses of 51 critically ill patients who received ECMO support. High interleukin-10 levels at the time of ECMO installation and during the first 6 hours after ECMO support of these patients stand as a promising biomarker associated with grave prognosis. The initial interleukin-10 level is correlated to other conventional risk evaluation scores as a predictive factor for survival, and furthermore, elevated interleukin-10 levels are also related to a delayed recovery of certain immune cell populations such as CD14+CD16+, CD14+TLR4+ monocytes, and T regulator cells. Genetically, high interleukin-10 is associated to two polymorphic nucleotides (−592 C and −819 C) at the interleukin-10 gene promoter area. Our finding provides prognostic and mechanistic information on the outcome of severely respiratory distressed patients, and potentially paves the strategy to develop new therapeutic modality based on the principles of precision medicine.

An efficient and mild fluorination of vinyl azides for the synthesis of α-fluoroketones is described. The mechanistic studies indicated that a single-electron transfer (SET) and a subsequent fluorine atom transfer process could be involved in the reaction.

An efficient and mild fluorination of vinyl azides for the synthesis of α-fluoroketones is described. The mechanistic studies indicated that a single-electron transfer (SET) and a subsequent fluorine atom transfer process could be involved in the reaction.

A metal-free efficient synthesis of olefins via microwave-assisted direct decarboxylative elimination of arylacetic acids is described. This reaction, using commercially available reagent PIFA as oxidant, readily provides a variety of desired products in moderate to good yields.

The plant hormone auxin plays an important role in many growth and developmental processes, including tropic responses to light and gravity. The establishment of an auxin gradient is a key event leading to phototropism and gravitropism. Previously, polar auxin transport (PAT) was shown to establish an auxin gradient in different cellular domains of plants. However, Han et al. recently demonstrated that for proper auxin gradient formation, plasmodesmal callose-mediated symplasmic connectivity between the adjacent cells is also a critical factor. In this manuscript, the strategy to elucidate the role of particular genes, which can affect phototropism and gravitropism by altering the symplasmic connectivity through modulating plasmodesmal callose synthesis, is discussed. The first step is to screen aberrant tropic responses from 3-day-old etiolated seedlings of mutants or over-expression lines of a gene along with the wild type. This preliminary screening can lead to the identification of a range of genes functioning in PAT or controlling symplasmic connectivity. The second screening involves the sorting of candidates that show altered tropic responses by affecting symplasmic connectivity. To address such candidates, the movement of a symplasmic tracer and the deposition of plasmodesmal callose were examined. This strategy would be useful to explore new candidate genes that can regulate symplasmic connectivity directly or indirectly during tropic responses and other developmental processes.

The holding power of the bone–screw interfaces is one of the key factors in the clinical performance of screw design. The value of the holding power can be experimentally measured by pullout tests. Historically, some researchers have used the finite-element method to simulate the holding power of the different screws. Among them, however, the assumed displacement of the screw withdrawal is unreasonably small (about 0.005–1.0 mm). In addition, the chosen numerical indices are quite different, including maximum stress, strain energy, and reaction force. This study systematically uses dental, traumatic, and spinal screws to experimentally measure and numerically simulate their bone-purchasing ability within the synthetic bone. The testing results (pullout displacement and holding power) and numerical indices (maximum stress, total strain energy, and reaction forces) are chosen to calculate their correlation coefficients. The pullout displacement is divided into five regions from initial to final withdrawal. The experimental results demonstrate that the pullout displacement consistently occurs at the final region (0.6–1.6 mm) and is significantly higher than the assumed value of the literature studies. For all screw groups, the measured holding power within the initial region is not highly or even negatively correlated with the experimental and numerical results within the final region. The observation from the simulative results shows the maximum stress only reflects the loads concentrated at some local site(s) and is the least correlated to the measured holding power. Comparatively, both energy and force are more global indices to correlate with the gross failure at the bone–screw interfaces. However, the energy index is not suitable for the screw groups with rather tiny threads compared with the other specifications. In conclusion, the underestimated displacement leads to erroneous results in the screw–pullout simulation. Among three numerical indices the reaction-force is the optimal index for the screw–pullout problem.

Easy insertion of the implant and stable bone purchase is essential for an ideal dental implantation. At the implant tip, the cutting flutes and conical profile are respectively designed to reduce insertion resistance and facilitate the initial insertion. However, the tapered tip might reduce the self-tapping and bone-purchasing abilities of the flutes and the tip threads. Using sawbone blocks as standard specimens, this study experimentally measures the insertion torque, holding power, and bending strength of eight varieties of implant (4 shapes×2 profiles). The bony contact, interfacial mechanism, and the altered shape of the flutes, at different section planes, are used to explain the experimental results. The results reveal that the bone-implant gaps at the tip region significantly suppress both the self-tapping and bone-purchasing abilities of the flutes and the tip threads. This makes initial insertion of the conical implant easier. However, the conical implant eventually requires a higher insertion torque and holding power, due to tighter bony contact, at the tail threads. The bowl-fluted design has the least flute space to store the squeezed bone chips, so both insertion torque and bending strength are significantly higher. For the conical group, the holding powers of three flute designs are nearly comparable. Overall, the conical implant with bowl flutes is the optimal design, with a lower resistance to initial insertion and higher stability, for final instrumentation.

Background/purpose Stable osseointegration between implant threads and the surrounding marginal bone provides the mechanical base of an implant for daily chewing activity. The contact area of implant-bone interfaces and the concentrated stresses on the marginal bones are principal concerns of implant designers. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effects of thread shape and taper on the initial stability of the implant-bone structure. Materials and methods The thread design was parameterized by shape and taper. Thread shapes included symmetrical, square, and buttressed. Thread tapers were divided into cylindrical and conical profiles. Nine variations of the thread design were developed to numerically evaluate their geometric and mechanical effects on the marginal bone. Results Among the three thread shapes with the same pitch, the contact area of the square thread was the highest. Among all implant models, it was found that the site with the greatest stress in the surrounding jaw bone was consistently concentrated at the root radii of the first thread. The maximal stress of the square thread was the least. For the same thread shape and taper, a finer pitch resulted in a remarkable increase in the contact area and a decrease in the peak stress. The contact areas and peak stresses of the conical and cylindrical implants were nearly equal. Conclusion Taking wall thickness and stress concentrations into consideration, the square thread with a 0.60-mm pitch possessed the optimal contact area and stress values compared to the others.

The genetic heterogeneity in cancer cells has an increased chance in the acquisition of new mutant such as drug-resistant phenotype in cancer cells. The phenotype of drug resistance in cancer cells could be evaluated by the number or function of drug transporters on cell membranes, which would lead to decreased intracellular anti-cancer drugs concentration. Caveolae are flask-shaped invaginations on cell membrane that function in membrane trafficking, endocytosis and as a compartment where receptors and signaling proteins are concentrated. Caveolin-1 (CAV1) is the principal structural protein of caveolae and closely correlates with multidrug resistance in cancer cells. In a systematic study of the ubiquitin-modified proteome, lysine 176 of CAV1 was identified as a potential post-translational modification site for ubiquitination. In this article, we identified a mutation at lysine 176 to arginine (K176R) on CAV1 would interfere with the biogenesis of caveolae and broke the interaction of CAV1 with P-glycoprotein. Functional assays further revealed that K176R mutant of CAV1 in cancer cells increased the transport activity of P-glycoprotein and decreased the killing ability of anti-cancer drugs in non-small-cell lung cancer cell lines.

Cities are where majority of people are living as well as the main engines that drive our economy. People are attracted to live in cities as there are more hope for jobs, education, healthcare and better living standards. This is not a surprise that urbanisation rate keeps on increasing. With the scarcity of resources on earth and worsening of our environment, amplified further by climate change, cities have to be designed and reformed in a sustainable way and to provide safe, reliable and healthy places for their citizens to prosper. Latest ICT technologies will for sure contribute to smart living, in which convenience and enhancement are the keys. A holistic approach is required to shape our future cities as resources, constraints and requirements for growth are highly interconnected.

The microgrid (MG), as an operational paradigm for the exploitation of distributed energy resources (DER), has been thoroughly studied the past few years. However, applications are largely limited to test sites and demo installations, lacking the business argument in favor of the wider deployment of the MG concept. Planned communities (PC), a residential development concept aiming to channel the population growth away from the overcrowded and polluted city centers, can serve as a business model for the application of the MG control architectures and philosophies. This paper intends to link the core characteristics of the PC to existing MG sites and installations, providing evidence of their suitability for MG development.

In this article, a coupled finite element and boundary element approach for the acoustic radiation and scattering from submerged elastic bodies of arbitrary shape is presented. An alternative to the direct boundary element method for acoustics is proposed. By taking an auxiliary source surface inside the radiating boundary and following the usual discretization and integration procedures employed in the boundary element method, both the singularities of the integrands and the nonuniqueness problems do not arise. In addition, the difficulty of slope discontinuity also can be overcome. This procedure is formulated in a similar fashion of wave superposition method, except that the direct boundary integral equations are adopted. The proposed formulation employ the surface Helmholtz integral equation and its normal gradient like that adopted in the Burton–Miller approach, but do not employ any coupling constant. Typical examples are presented that demonstrate the efficiency of the proposed technique.

A coupled approach linking a direct boundary integral equation to the subdomain of elastic solid discretized by means of finite elements is presented. In the proposed method, the computational domain is split into two parts by an arbitrary artificial boundary. The finite region adjacent to the actual boundary is discretized with finite elements consisting of one or two rows only in the radial direction up to the artificial boundary. Then the constraint equations specified on the artificial boundary are formulated with boundary integral equation straightforwardly, in which the source points are laid on the actual boundary discretized with boundary elements. Due to the avoidance of singularity problems inherent in the boundary element formulation, this method is very efficient and easy to implement in an isoparametric element environment. Three example problems including bounded and unbounded media are presented to demonstrate the effectiveness of the method. By the help of such exact boundary constraints, the results are very accurate even with a small number of elements.

In the proposed approach, an acoustic domain is split into two parts by an arbitrary artificial boundary. The surrounding medium around the vibrating surface is discretized with finite elements up to the artificial boundary. The constraint equation specified on the artificial boundary is formulated with the Helmholtz integral equation straightforwardly, in which the source surface coincides with the vibrating surface discretized with boundary elements. To ensure the uniqueness of the numerical solution, the composite Helmholtz integral equation proposed by Burton and Miller was adopted. Due to the avoidance of singularity problems inherent in the boundary element formulation, this method is very efficient and easy to implement in an isoparametric element environment. It should be noted that the present method also can be applied to thin-body problems by using quarter-point elements.

In this paper, the growth and device fabrication of AIGaN/GaN HEMTs are investigated by using Metal-Organic Vapor Phase Epi taxy (MOVPE) system. The grown wafer consists of a 3-μm-thick unintentionally doped GaN buffer layer, an undoped AIGaN spacer layer, and a n-doped Al 0.28 Ga 0.72 N cap layer. The growth condition and the wafer structure are optimized for high performance devices. The devices exhibit a maximum saturation current density of 1000 mA/mm, good pinch off at -5V gate bias and a peak extrinsic transconductance of 180 mS/mm. Further efforts to improve the device performance are also discussed.

The generalised type II hybrid automatic repeat-request scheme based on rate-compatible convolutional codes is used to achieve adaptive error protection in wireless local access networks (LANS) with the CSMA/CA protocol. Simulation results show that this coding scheme is a suitable error control method for wireless LANs where the channel state is unpredictable.