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The process of the sabot discard of an electromagnetic integrated launched projectile (EMILP) has a great effect on the operational effectiveness of integrated launched projectile (ILP). Aiming at the characteristics of high-velocity discard, strong muzzle magnetic field of the EMILP, a coupled model of magnetic field and flow field for simulating the EMILP sabot discard has been established by using the harmonic analysis method, time–frequency analysis method and fitting interpolation method to gain the time-varying functions of electromagnetic force and torque, which serve as the external force and moment of six degrees of freedom (SDOF) movement, and meanwhile, by using the dynamic mesh technique to couple the fluid flow control equations and the SDOF movement equations. Taking for example, the EMILP named IAT-HVP designed by the Institute of Advanced Technology (IAT), University of Texas, Austin, TX, USA, this paper makes a simulation analysis of the sabot discard of ILP at a different angle of attack, and makes a comparison between it and test data. Simulation results show that the model proposed in this paper is high precision and effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Angular momentum division has emerged as a physically orthogonal multiplexing method in high-capacity optical information technologies. However, the typical bulky elements used for information retrieval from the overall diffracted field, based on the interference method, impose a fundamental limit toward realizing on-chip multiplexing.We demonstrate noninterference angular momentum multiplexing by using a mode-sorting nanoring aperture with a chip-scale footprint as small as 4.2 micrometers by 4.2 micrometers, where nanoring slits exhibit a distinctive outcoupling efficiency on tightly confined plasmonic modes. The nonresonant mode-sorting sensitivity and scalability of our approach enable on-chip parallel multiplexing over a bandwidth of 150 nanometers in the visible wavelength range. The results offer the possibility of ultrahigh-capacity and miniaturized nanophotonic devices harnessing angular momentum division. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cluster of differentiation 14 (CD14) functions as a co-receptor for Toll-like receptor (TLR)-4 and myeloid differentiation factor (MD)-2 in detecting bacterial lipopolysaccharide. Together, these complexes promote the phagocytosis and digestion of Gram-negative bacteria, and initiate immune responses. To date, much of our understanding of CD14 function during Gram-negative bacterial inflammation comes from studies on mouse knockout models and cell transfection. To identify the effect of CD14 knockdown in this process in large livestock animals, we established a mouse model expressing bovine CD14 short hairpin (sh) RNA. shRNA fragments targeting bovine CD14 were screened by co-transfection in HEK 293 cells, and the most effective CD14 shRNA fragment was cloned into the eukaryotic expression vector pSilencer 4.1-CD14 shRNA-IRES (internal ribosome entry site) and transferred into mouse zygotes by pronuclear microinjection to obtain transgenic mice. Expression of the enhanced green fluorescent protein (EGFP) reporter and genes related to the TLR4 signaling pathway was detected by immunohistochemistry (IHC) and quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), respectively. Results: One effective shRNA fragment (shRNA-674) targeting bovine CD14 was obtained, the sequence of which was shown to be conserved between cows, buffalos, sheep, and humans. Thirty-seven founder pups were obtained by pronuclear microinjection, of which three were positive for the transgene. In the F1 generation, 11 of 33 mice (33%) were positive for the transgene as detected by PCR. IHC analysis detected exogenous EGFP expression in the liver, kidney, and spleen of transgenic F1 mice, indicating that they were chimeric. The expression of endogenous CD14 mRNA in the heart, liver, spleen, lung, and kidney of transgenic F1 mice was decreased 8-, 3-, 19.5-, 6-, and 11-fold, respectively. The expression patterns of endogenous MD-2, TLR4, interleukin-6 and tumor necrosis factor-a genes in transgenic mice also varied. Conclusions: This study confirms that transgenic mice expressing bovine CD14 shRNA can be generated by pronuclear microinjection, and demonstrates inhibited endogenous mouse CD14 expression that alters gene expression related to the TLR4 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply an optical dual-beam approach to a metal-ion doped hybrid material to achieve nanofeatures beyond the optical diffraction limit. By spatially inhibiting the photoreduction and the photopolymerization, we realize a nano-line, consisting of polymer matrix and in-situ generated gold nanoparticles, with a lateral size of sub 100 nm, corresponding to a factor of 7 improvement compared to the diffraction limit. With the existence of gold nanoparticles, a plasmon enhanced superresolution fabrication mechanism in the hybrid material is observed, which benefits in a further reduction in size of the fabricated feature. The demonstrated nanofeature in hybrid materials paves the way for realizing functional nanostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We apply an optical dual-beam approach to a metal-ion doped hybrid material to achieve nanofeatures beyond the optical diffraction limit. By spatially inhibiting the photoreduction and the photopolymerization, we realize a nano-line, consisting of polymer matrix and in-situ generated gold nanoparticles, with a lateral size of sub 100 nm, corresponding to a factor of 7 improvement compared to the diffraction limit. With the existence of gold nanoparticles, a plasmon enhanced superresolution fabrication mechanism in the hybrid material is observed, which benefits in a further reduction in size of the fabricated feature. The demonstrated nanofeature in hybrid materials paves the way for realizing functional nanostructures [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene has been identified as an emerging horizon for a nanoscale photonic platform because the Fermi level of intrinsic graphene can be engineered to support surface plasmons (SPs). The current solid back electrical gating and chemical doping methods cannot facilitate the demonstration of graphene SPs at the near-infrared (NIR) window because of the limited shift of the Fermi level. Here, we present the evidence for the existence of graphene SPs on a tapered graphene-silicon waveguide tip at a NIR wavelength, employing a surface carrier transfer method with molybdenum trioxides. The coupling between the graphene surface plasmons and the guiding mode in silicon waveguides allows for the observation of the concentrated field of the SPs in the tip by near-field scanning optical microscopy. Thus the hot spot from the concentrated SPs in the graphene layer can be used as a key experimental signature of graphene SPs. The NIR graphene SPs opens a new perspective for optical communications, optical sensing and imaging, and optical data storage with extreme spatial confinement, broad bandwidth and high tunability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxides (GOs) have emerged as precursors offering the potential of a cost-effective and large-scale production of graphene-based materials. Despite that their intrinsic fluorescence property has already brought interest of researchers for optical applications, to date, refractive-index modulation as one of the fundamental aspects of optical properties of GOs has received less attention. Here we reported on a giant refractive-index modulation on the order of 10-2 to 10-1, accompanied by a fluorescence intensity change, through the two-photon reduction of GOs. These features enabled a mechanism for multimode optical recording with the fluorescence contrast and the hologram-encoded refractive-index modulation in GO-dispersed polymers for security-enhanced high-capacity information technologies. Our results show that GO-polymer composites may provide a new material platform enabling flexible micro-/nano-photonic information devices [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photorefractivity has attracted intense attention owing to its ability to spatially modulate the refractive index under non-uniform light illumination. In particular, photorefractive polymers are appealing materials as they enable the high non-linear performance that underpins many areas of photonics. The incorporation of nanoparticles into photorefractive polymers shows an enormous potential owing to the broad spectroscopic tuning range and the high photogeneration efficiency, which are inaccessible to traditional photorefractive materials. This article reviews the recent developments in the field of nanoparticle-doped photorefractive polymers. The merit and functionality of these hybrid materials are summarized and future challenges are discussed. The application of nanoparticle-doped photorefractive polymers under two-photon excitation is also described, which facilitates a promising new area of high-density optical data storage, the third-generation of optical data storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Trichostatin A (TSA) is the most potent histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor known. We previously reported that treatment of mouse somatic cell nuclear-transferred (SCNT) oocytes with TSA significantly increased the blastocyst rate, blastocyst cell number, and full-term development. How TSA enhances the epigenetic remodeling ability of somatic nuclei and the expression of development-related genes, however, is not known. In the present study, we compared the expression patterns of nine genes involved in chromatin structure and DNA methylation, and seven development-related genes in blastocysts developed from SCNT oocytes treated with and without TSA, and in blastocysts developed in vivoand in vitrousing real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction. In vivo-recovered blastocysts and blastocysts developed from TSA-treated SCNT oocytes exhibited similar expression patterns for Hdac1, 2, and 3, CBP, PCAF, and Dnmt3b genes compared with in vitro-developed blastocysts and blastocysts developed from SCNT oocytes without TSA treatment. There were significantly lower expression levels of Hdac1 and Hdac2 transcripts in TSA-treated and in vivo-recovered blastocysts than in TSA-untreated and in vitro-developed blastocysts. The finding that TSA treatment of SCNT oocytes significantly upregulated Sox2 and cMyc transcripts in blastocysts indicated that both transcripts are TSA-responsive genes. Thus, TSA treatment of mouse SCNT oocytes decreased the expression of chromatin structure- and DNA methylation-related genes, and increased the expression of Sox2 and cMyc genes in blastocysts. Such modifications might be a reason for the high developmental potential of mouse SCNT oocytes treated with TSA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Placental abnormalities are the main factor in the high incidence of somatic cell clone abnormalities. The expression of several trophoblast cell-specific molecules is enhanced during gestational days 7 to 14. To determine the possible genes whose expression patterns might reflect calf normality, we first compared the gene expression profiles on day 15 between in vitro-fertilized (IVF) embryos and two types of somatic cell nuclear-transferred embryos with either a high (FNT) or low (CNT) incidence of neonatal abnormalities using a cDNA microarray containing 16 of 21 placenta-specific genes developed from tissues collected across gestation. To identify significant genes from the screening of day 15 embryos, genes with a less than two-fold difference in expression between IVF and CNT embryos, and those with a greater than two-fold difference between IVF and FNT and between CNT and FNT were considered to contribute to clone abnormalities. These two comparisons revealed 18 down-regulated and 18 upregulated genes of the 1722 genes examined. We then examined the expression levels of 10 genes with known functions in eight-cell and blastocyst-stage embryos by real-time PCR. The mRNA expression pattern of interferon (IFN)-τ, a trophectoderm-related gene, differed between IVF, CNT, and FNT eight-cell embryos; few or none of the IVF or CNT eight-cell embryos expressed IFN-τ mRNA, but all eight-cell FNT embryos expressed IFN-τ. IFN-τ mRNA expression was significantly higher in IVF blastocysts, however, than in nuclear-transferred blastocysts. Average IFN-τ mRNA expression in FNT blastocysts was not different from that in CNT blastocysts, due to one CNT blastocyst with high expression. The precise relation between early expression of IFN-τ mRNA and inferior developmental potential in cloned embryos should be examined further. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To report a case of successful total auricle replantation 10 h after complete amputation. Material and Methods Replantation was achieved by means of microvascular anastomosis and other therapies, and assisted by careful nursing. The patient's auricle was completely cut off with a sharp blade by an assailant, who retained it for 5 h. Having been retrieved, it was then preserved in ice for 5 h. Using microscopy, an artery and vein were found at the confluences of the upper and middle and lower and middle parts of the amputated auricle and head wound, respectively. An end-to-end anastomosis was performed on these vessels. After operation, the following treatments were used: drainage; reopening of the drainage channels with a needle; flushing or soaking with heparin sodium solution; controlling infection and coagulation; increasing blood volume; dilating vessels; and special nursing. Results The replanted auricle survived with a normal contour and a very favorable esthetic appearance. Conclusions The neat, uncontaminated wound margins and the fact that the amputated auricle was preserved in ice, even though it had been amputated 10 h before the operation, were prerequisites for successful auricle replantation. The microvascular anastomosis technique played a very important role in the survival of the amputated auricle. The postoperative treatment, observation and nursing were difficult but vital aspects of the procedure. The establishment of an effective venous return was a sign of the survival of the amputated auricle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of Tb3+-doped Sr2YTaO6 double perovskite phosphors (SYT:Tb3+) were synthesized using a conventional solid-state reaction method. A strong green emission was observed in the SYT:Tb3+ phosphors, and the optimal doping concentration of Tb3+ was confirmed to be 5 mol%. The electric dipole-dipole interaction was ascribed to be the main mechanism for the luminescence concentration quenching. Analysis of the concentration-dependent fluorescence decay confirmed that the self-generated quenching model holds for the dynamic process of Tb3+ decays in SYT. Furthermore, the internal quantum efficiencies, non-radiative transition rates, and energy transfer rates of the 5D4 level for the SYT:Tb3+ samples were estimated, respectively. The luminescence thermal stability of the sample was also evaluated based on the Arrhenius model. The chromaticity shift of the SYT:5 mol% Tb3+ phosphor was examined to be 0.013 when the sample temperature was increased from 303 to 483 K, thus indicating excellent chromaticity shifting resistance under high temperature conditions. Moreover, the Judd-Ofelt parameters were calculated from the emission spectra of SYT:Tb3+ to be Ω2 = 0.29 × 10-20, Ω4 = 0.45 × 10-20, and &@937;6 = 0.72 × 10-20 cm², respectively. The fluorescence branching ratios and radiative transition rates for the 5D4 level were calculated based on the obtained Judd-Ofelt parameters. Finally, a white light-emitting diode (LED) prototype was assembled using a 310 nm LED chip combined with a prepared green SYT:Tb3+ phosphor and two other commercial blue and red phosphors. The obtained warm white light exhibits good chromaticity coordinates (0.32, 0.32) and a high color rendering index of 96.1. Based on the above results, it can be known that the prepared SYT:Tb3+ phosphors have a potential application as green emitting phosphors in white LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrate engineering the photocharge generation efficiency of nanoparticles on the nanometer scale by using a type-II band-gap structure. Compared to bare CdSe cores, the dispersion of type-II core/shell nanoparticles in photorefractive polymer led to an average 100% increase in photocurrents. An improvement to the refractive-index construction time, and a near 100% enhancement to the two beam coupling net-gain coefficients and four-wave mixing internal diffraction efficiencies have been achieved at moderate biases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper reports on the enhanced photorefractive behavior of a CdSe quantum-dot-dispersed less expensive polymer of poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile). The capability of CdSe quantum dots used as photosensitizers and the associated photorefractive performance are characterized through a photocurrent experiment and a two-beam coupling experiment, respectively. An enhanced two-beam coupling gain coefficient of 12.2 cm-1 at 46 V/μm was observed owning to the reduced potential barrier. The photorefractive performance per CdSe quantum dot is three orders of magnitude higher than that in the sample sensitized by trinitrofluorenone in poly(styrene-co-acrylonitrile), and almost ten times higher than that in the CdSe quantum-dot-sensitized poly(N-vinylcarbazole) polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this letter we report that CdS nanocrystals are reshaped into an elongated rod form for increasing two-photon absorption. CdS quantum rods with uniform rod dimensions have been synthesized and their two-photon absorption cross section in solution has been characterized using the z-scan method and the two-photon induced fluorescence study. The absorption cross section was found to be 20.9×10-46 cm4/s photon-1 under two-photon excitation at wavelength 800 nm, which is an order of magnitude larger than that of CdS quantum dots of similar diameters. The higher two-photon absorption coefficient establishes the potential of this class of quantum rods for various photonic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large area nano-duplex-imprint technique is presented in this contribution using natural cicada wings as stamps. The glassy wings of the cicada, which are abundant in nature, exhibit strikingly interesting nanopillar structures over their membrane. This technique, with excellent performance despite the nonplanar surface of the wings, combines both top-down and bottom-up nanofabrication techniques. It transitions micro-nanofabrication from a cleanroom environment to the bench. Two different materials, dicing tape with an acrylic layer and a UV optical adhesive, are used to make replications at the same time, thus achieving duplex imprinting. The promise of a large volume of commercial manufacturing of these nanostructure elements can be envisaged through this contribution to speeding up the fabrication process and achieving a higher throughput. The contact angle of the replicated nanowell arrays before and after oxygen plasma was measured. Gold nanoparticles (50 nm) were used to test how the nanoparticles behaved on the untreated and plasma-treated replica surface. The experiments show that promising nanoparticle self-assembly can be obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the light absorption in microcrystalline silicon bottom cell of a silicon-based tandem solar cell for photocurrent matching holds the key to achieving the overall solar cell performance breakthroughs. Here, we present a concept for significantly improving the absorption of both subcells simultaneously by simply applying tailored metallic nanoparticles both on the top and at the rear surfaces of the solar cells. Significant light absorption enhancement as large as 56% has been achieved in the bottom subcells. More importantly the thickness of the microcrystalline layer can be reduced by 57% without compromising the optical performance of the tandem solar cell, providing a cost-effective strategy for high performance tandem solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NaGdTiO4 phosphors with various Eu3+ concentrations were synthesized by a solid-state reaction. The crystal structure and fluorescence properties were characterized by means of x-ray diffraction and fluorospectroscopy, respectively. An effective energy transfer from the titanate matrix to the activator Eu3+ was observed. An intense red emission originating from 5D0 - 7F2 of Eu3+ was observed while excited at the {\rm TiO}_{4}^{4-} charge transfer bands or f-f absorption bands of Eu3+. The fluorescence quenching of 5DJ (J = 1, 2 and 3) levels were studied based on the Van Uitert model. Electric dipole-dipole interaction was confirmed to be the main mechanism of the fluorescence quenching of 5DJ levels, which is responsible for the cross-relaxation between Eu3+ ions. The full optical transition intensity parameters Ol (l = 2, 4, 6) of Eu3+ in the NaGdTiO4 phosphors were calculated in the framework of Judd-Ofelt theory to be 6.024 x 10[?]20, 1.512 x 10[?]20 and 0.374 x 10[?]20 cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We quantify the dynamic microscale temperature gradient in a gold nanorod solution using quantum-dot-based microscopic fluorescence nanothermometry. By incorporating CdSe quantum dots into the solution as a nanothermometer, precise temperature mapping with diffraction-limited spatial resolution and sub-degree temperature resolution is achieved. The acquired data on heat generation and dissipation show an excellent agreement with theoretical simulations. This work reveals an effective approach for noninvasive temperature regulation with localized nanoheaters in microfluidic environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report on the direct experimental determination of the temperature increment caused by laser irradiation in a optical recording media constituted by a polymeric film in which gold nanorods have been incorporated. The incorporation of CdSe quantum dots in the recording media allowed for single beam thermal reading of the on-focus temperature from a simple analysis of the two-photon excited fluorescence of quantum dots. Experimental results have been compared with numerical simulations revealing an excellent agreement and opening a promising avenue for further understanding and optimization of optical writing processes and media. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Platinum-based chemotherapy toxicity is always one of the serious problems from which lung cancer patients suffer. The genetic polymorphism of WISP1 was revealed to be associated with susceptibility and platinum-based chemotherapy response in our previous studies. In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship of WISP1 genetic polymorphisms with platinum-based chemotherapy toxicity in lung cancer patients. A total of 412 lung cancer patients were enrolled in this study, and 28 polymorphisms of the WISP1 gene were genotyped by SequenomMassARRAY. We found that WISP1 polymorphisms (rs2929965, rs2929969, rs2929970, rs2929973 and rs754958) were related to the overall chemotherapy toxicity of lung cancer in subgroup analyses. Rs16904853, rs2929970, rs2977549 and rs2977551 (p = 0.021, 0.028, 0.024, 0.048, respectively) polymorphisms were significantly associated with hematologic toxicity. Rs2929946, rs2929970, rs2977519, rs2977536, rs3739262 and rs754958 (p = 0.031, 0.046, 0.029, 0.016, 0.042, 0.035, respectively) polymorphisms were significantly associated with the gastrointestinal toxicity of lung cancer. Genotypes of WISP1 may be novel and useful biomarkers for predicting platinum-based chemotherapy toxicity in lung cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although fiber-optical two-photon endoscopy has been recognized as a potential high-resolution diagnostic and therapeutic procedure in vivo, its resolution is limited by the optical diffraction nature to a few micrometers due to the low numerical aperture of an endoscopic objective. On the other hand, stimulated emission depletion (STED) achieved by a circularly-polarized vortex beam has been used to break the diffraction-limited resolution barrier in a bulky microscope. It has been a challenge to apply the STED principle to a fiber-optical two-photon endoscope as a circular polarization state cannot be maintained due to the birefringence of a fiber. Here, we demonstrate the first fiber-optical STED two-photon endoscope using an azimuthally-polarized beam directly generated from a double-clad fiber. As such, the diffraction-limited resolution barrier of fiber-optical two-photon endoscopy can be broken by a factor of three. Our new accomplishment has paved a robust way for high-resolution in vivo biomedical studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vertically aligned ZnO films were deposited on n-InP by metalorganic chemical vapour deposition. X-ray diffraction, field emission scanning electron microscopy and photoluminescence measurements demonstrated that the ZnO films had good quality. By evaporating AuZn electrodes on both ZnO and InP surfaces, a ZnO-based light emitting device was fabricated. Under forward voltage, weak green emissions can be observed in darkness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

La2(MoO4)3 phosphors with various Eu3+ concentrations were prepared via a facile co-precipitation process. The crystal structure and morphology of the phosphors were characterized by means of XRD and field emission scanning electron microscope. The crystal unit cell parameters a, b, and c for the monoclinic phase La2(MoO4)3 were calculated to be 16.989, 11.927, and 16.086 Å, respectively. The average size of the phosphor particles was estimated to be around 88.5 nm. The Huang-Rhys factor was derived from the phonon sideband spectra to be 0.073. The self-generated quenching process of Eu3+ was explained based on Auzel's model, and the intrinsic radiative transition lifetime for 5D0 level was confirmed to be 0.99 ms. A new approach for calculating the Judd-Ofelt parameters was developed, meanwhile the Judd-Ofelt parameters Ωλ (λ = 2, 4, 6) of Eu3+ in La2(MoO4)3 phosphors were confirmed to be 10.70 × 10-20, 1.07 × 10-20, and 0.56 × 10-20 cm2, respectively. Finally, the optimal doping concentration for achieving maximum emission intensity was confirmed to be 17 mol. % by analyzing the concentration quenching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of the current study is to investigate the relationship between prohibitin (PHB), capping actin protein of muscle Z-line beta subunit (CAPZB), and tektin-2 (TEKT2) and sperm motility in Murrah buffalo. Methods: We collected the high-motility and low-motility semen samples, testis, ovary, muscle, kidney, liver, brain and pituitary from Murrah buffalo, and analysed the expression of PHB, CAPZB, and TEKT2 in mRNA (message RNA) and protein level. Results: Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) result showed that the expression of PHB was higher and CAPZB, TEKT2 were specifically expressed in testis as compared to the other 6 tissues, and that in testis, the expression of TEKT2 was higher than that of CAPZB and PHB. Immunohistochemistry test revealed that all three genes were located on the convoluted seminiferous tubule and enriched in spermatogenic cells. Both qRT-PCR and Western Blot results showed that the expression levels of PHB, CAPZB, and TEKT2 were significantly lower in the low-motility semen group compared to the high-motility semen group (p<0.05). Conclusion: The expression levels of PHB, CAPZB, and TEKT2 in Murrah buffalo sperm have a high positive correlation with sperm motility. And the three genes may be potential molecular markers for the decline of buffalo sperm motility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emerging metasurfaces with the exceptional capability of manipulating an arbitrary wavefront have revived the holography with unprecedented prospects. However, most of the reported metaholograms suffer from limited polarization controls for a restrained bandwidth in addition to their complicated meta-atom designs with spatially variant dimensions. Here, we demonstrate a new concept of vectorial holography based on diatomic metasurfaces consisting of metamolecules formed by two orthogonal meta-atoms. On the basis of a simply linear relationship between phase and polarization modulations with displacements and orientations of identical meta-atoms, active diffraction of multiple polarization states and reconstruction of holographic images are simultaneously achieved, which is robust against both incident angles and wavelengths. Leveraging this appealing feature, broadband vectorial holographic images with spatially varying polarization states and dual-way polarization switching functionalities have been demonstrated, suggesting a new route to achromatic diffractive elements, polarization optics, and ultrasecure anticounterfeiting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A modeling approach is used to investigate the shielding efficiency of ferromagnetic shields for the reduction of magnetic fields produced by industrial high electric power devices. Different ferromagnetic materials and their behavior in combination with pure conductive screens is analyzed and quantified. A comparison with experimental results performed in proximity to an actual device is finally reported to validate the modeling analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of death and it has been confirmed that increased low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Recently, the increasing evidence has showed that hypertriglyceridemia is associated with incremental ASCVD risk. But the proatherogenic mechanism of triglyceride (TG) remains unclear. Therefore, this article focuses on the clinical studies and proatherogenic mechanism related to hypertriglyceridemia, in order to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of ASCVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen production from biomass in particular bio-oils appears interesting as bio-oils is easy to transport and storage with high conversion towards hydrogen. Phenol as presentation of lignin-derived bio-oils was chosen in this paper and was studied under aqueous phase reforming (APR) reaction using Nickel-based catalysts with ZSM-5 as support. The catalysts were synthesized by incipient wetness impregnation, and their physical and chemical properties were characterized by XRD, NH3-TPD, H2-TPR, SEM, TEM and N2 adsorption–desorption. Ni/ZSM-5 was studied with different Si/Al molar ratio and different Ni content on APR of phenol. The reactant concentration, reaction pressure and temperature were also evaluated. Ni/ZSM-5 with Si/Al molar ratio of 25 and nickel content of 16% exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Hydrogen production were maximized over the temperature of 240 °C, reaction pressure of 4 MPa and the phenol concentration of 0.2 mol/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chronic hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection has been considered as the major cause of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Hepatitis B virus X protein (HBx) has been reported to be oncogenic. The underlying mechanisms of HBV-related HCC are not fully understood, and the role played by the HBx protein in HBV induced carcinogenesis remains controversial. CDC42, a member of the Rho GTPase family, has been reported to be overexpressed in several different cancers, including HBV-related HCC. However, the specific role of CDC42 in HCC development remains unclear. Here, we investigated the cellular mechanisms by which CDC42 was responsible for the higher proliferation of HuH-7 cells mediated by HBx. We found that the expression level of CDC42 and its activity were significantly increased in HuH-7-HBx cells. The deficiency of CDC42 using the CRISPR/Cas9 system and inhibition by specific inhibitor CASIN led to the reduction of HBx-mediated proliferation. Furthermore, we observed that IQ Motif Containing GTPase Activating Protein 1 (IQGAP1), the downstream mediator of the CDC42 pathway, might be involved in the carcinogenesis induced by HBx. Therefore, the HBx/CDC42/IQGAP1 signaling pathway may potentially play an important role in HBx-mediated carcinogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen receptors, including classic nuclear receptors ER α, ERβ, and membrane receptor GPR30, are expressed in vascular tissues and exert protective actions in vascular diseases. But the expression pattern and functional roles of GPR30 in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs) remain unclear. In this study, we found that ERα, ERβ, and GPR30 were decreased with VSMCs passaging in vitro or growing in vivo and activation of GPR30 promoted ERα expression. Then, we validated that activation of GPR30 significantly decreased migratory capability of VSMCs and suppressed ERα, whereas PDGF-BB (20 ng/mL) treatment caused increase of migration. And activation of GPR30 led to reduction of osteopontin and cellular retinol binding protein 1, enhancement of calponin and 3F8, and upregulation of total and phosphorylated ERK1/2 expression in VSMCs knocked down by GPR30, ERα, and ERβ or treated with PDGF-BB. These data suggest that GPR30 promotes VSMCs reducing migration and maintaining differentiated phenotype via activation of ERK1/2 pathway. Our findings provide novel mechanisms of GPR30 protection of VSMCs as well as a new target for prevention of vascular aging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dyslipidemia has been proven to play an important role in the occurrence and development of the ischemic stroke and lipid-lowering therapy could significantly decrease the risk of the ischemic stroke. However, the association between lipid levels, lipid-lowering therapy and the risk of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH) is not clear. Studies have shown that low serum levels of total cholesterol might be associated with increasing risk of ICH, whereas the SPARCL study, a large prospective, randomized, placebo-controlled trial, demonstrated an increased risk of hemorrhagic stroke during high-dose statin therapy among the patients with previous stroke. The relationship between lipid-lowering therapy and ICH has become a hot topic in the recent years. We searched PubMed for articles published in English to review the existing evidence on the association of lipid levels, statin therapy and risk of ICH as well as the underlying mechanisms in order to provide practical recommendations for clinical decision-making and a foundation for further researches. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have been shown to play a critical role in the development and progression of nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Although accumulating studies have been performed on the molecular mechanisms of NPC, the miRNA regulatory networks in cancer progression remain largely unknown. Laser capture microdissection (LCM) and deep sequencing are powerful tools that can help us to detect the integrated view of miRNA-target network. Methods: Illumina Hiseq2000 deep sequencing was used to screen differentially expressed miRNAs in laser-microdessected biopsies between 12 NPC and 8 chronic nasopharyngitis patients. The result was validated by real-time PCR on 201 NPC and 25 chronic nasopharyngitis patients. The potential candidate target genes of the miRNAs were predicted using published target prediction softwares (RNAhybrid, TargetScan, Miranda, PITA), and the overlay part was analyzed in Gene Ontology (GO) and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) biological process. The miRNA regulatory network analysis was performed using the Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) software. Results: Eight differentially expressed miRNAs were identified between NPC and chronic nasopharyngitis patients by deep sequencing. Further qRT-PCR assays confirmed 3 down-regulated miRNAs (miR-34c-5p, miR-375 and miR-449c-5p), 4 up-regulated miRNAs (miR-205-5p, miR-92a-3p, miR-193b-3p and miR-27a-5p). Additionally, the low level of miR-34c-5p (miR-34c) was significantly correlated with advanced TNM stage. GO and KEGG enrichment analyses showed that 914 target genes were involved in cell cycle, cytokine secretion and tumor immunology, and so on. IPA revealed that cancer was the top disease associated with those dysregulated miRNAs, and the genes regulated by miR-34c were in the center of miRNA-mRNA regulatory network, including TP53, CCND1, CDK6, MET and BCL2, and the PI3K/AKT/ mTOR signaling was regarded as a significant function pathway in this network. Conclusion: Our study presents the current knowledge of miRNA regulatory network in NPC with combination of bioinformatics analysis and literature research. The hypothesis of miR-34c regulatory pathway may be beneficial in guiding further studies on the molecular mechanism of NPC tumorigenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Foot-and-mouth disease virus (FMDV) causes a highly contagious disease of cloven-hoofed animals, which leads to serious economical losses. FMDV is not adequately controlled by vaccination or biosecurity measures. To generate genetically modified FMDV-resistant animals, a combinatorial expression cassette producing three short hairpin (sh) RNAs was constructed using the lentivirus (LV) vector, LV-3shRNA. The three shRNAs were expressed under the regulation of DNA polymerase III promoters from a buffalo and a bovine source, with one targeted to the non-structural protein 3B, and the other two targeted to the viral polymerase protein 3D of FMDV, respectively. The role of LV-3shRNA in the inhibition of the replication of FMDV was determined in BHK-21 cells and in suckling mice. The results revealed that LV-3shRNA reduced viral growth 3-fold (24 h post-infection) when the cells were challenged with 107-times the tissue culture infective dose (TCID50)/ml of O serotype FMDV. The suckling mice pretreated with LV-3shRNA were completely protected on administration of 5-times the dose of FMDV otherwise sufficient to kill 50% of the experimental animals (LD50). These results demonstrated that the LV-mediated dual expression of three FMDV-specific shRNAs provided a novel strategy towards combating FMDV, which facilitates the permanent introduction of novel disease-resistance traits into the buffalo and bovine genomes in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CaSnO3 phosphors doped with various Eu3+ concentrations are synthesized by a solid-state reaction. The crystal structure of the phosphors is identified by the XRD technique, and it is found that the pure phase CaSnO3 phosphor can be obtained when the Eu3+ doping concentration lower than 2mol%. The emission spectra consisting of a group of sharp lines from blue to red light originating from 5D3,2,1,0→7FJ transitions of Eu3+ are observed in phosphors with various Eu3+ doping concentrations. The radiative lifetimes of 5D0 level are measured for the samples with various Eu3+ concentrations, and for the sample with 2mol% Eu3+ at various temperatures. The oscillator strengths parameters (Judd-Ofelt parameters) Ωλ(λ=2, 4, 6) of Eu3+ in CaSnO3 phosphors are calculated to be 3.21 x 10-20, 0.88 x 10-20 and 0.35 x 10-20cm². The photoluminescence excitation and photoluminescence spectra are measured in the temperature range 300-750K. The thermo-dynamical behavior for 5D3, 5D2, 5D1 and 5D0 populations are analyzed based on the temperature-dependent emission spectra of 5DJ levels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces a compact optical information storage sensing system. Applications of this system include longitudinal surface plasmon resonance detection of gold nanorods with a single femtosecond laser in three-dimensional space as well as data storage. A diffractive optical element (DOE) is applied in the system to separate the recording-reading beam from the servo beam. This allows us to apply a single laser and one objective lens in a single optical path for the servo beam and the recording-reading beam. The optical system has a linear region of 8 λ, which is compatible with current DVD servo modules. The wavefront error of the optical system is below 0.03 λrms . The minimum grating period of the DOE is 13.4 µm, and the depth of the DOE is 1.2 µm, which makes fabrication of it possible. The DOE is also designed to conveniently control the layer-selection process, as there is a linear correlation between the displacement of the DOE and the layer-selection distance. The displacement of DOE is in the range of 0-6.045 mm when the thickness of the layer-selection is 0.3 mm. Experiments were performed and the results have been verified. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nd3+, Er3+ single-doped and Nd3+/Er3+ codoped tellurite glasses were prepared via a melt-quenching technique, and their optical transition properties were studied in the framework of Judd-Ofelt theory. The differential excited state absorption cross section from 4I13/2 to 4I11/2 was obtained based on the McCumber theory; furthermore, the optical gain coefficient spectrum for 4I11/2-4I13/2 transition was calculated. The energy transfers 4F3/2(Nd3+)14I15/2 (Er3+)-4I9/2(Nd3+)14I9/2(Er3+) and 4I13/2(Er3+)14I9/2(Nd3+)+4I15/2(Er3+)14I15/2(Nd3+) in the codoped sample were analyzed by using Föster-Dexter theory and Inokuti-Hirayama's model, respectively; meanwhile, the energy transfer rates for both the energy transfer processes were confirmed. The results indicated that Nd3+ may be a good sensitizer for Er3+ to obtain intense midinfrared emission, and that Nd3+/Er3+ codoped tellurite glass may be a good candidate media for mid-infrared lasers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Doppler effect is a fundamental frequency shift phenomenon that occurs whenever a wave source and an observer are moving with respect to one another. It has well-established applications in astrophotonics, biological diagnostics, weather and aircraft radar systems, velocimetry and vibrometry. The counterintuitive inverse Doppler effect was theoretically predicted in 1968 by Veselago in negative-index materials. However, because of the tremendous challenges of frequency shift measurements inside such materials, most investigations of the inverse Doppler effect have been limited to theoretical predictions and numerical simulations. Indirect experimental measurements have been conducted only in nonlinear transmission lines at ∼1-2 GHz (ref. 8) and in acoustic media at 1-3 kHz (ref. 9). Here, we report the first experimental observation of the inverse Doppler shift at an optical frequency (λ = 10.6 µm) by refracting a laser beam in a photonic-crystal prism that has the properties of a negative-index material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cortisol and the glucocorticoid receptor signaling pathway have been implicated in the development of diabetes and obesity. The reduction of cortisone to cortisol is catalyzed by 11β-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type I (11β-HSD1). 2,4-Disubsituted benzenesulfonamides were identified as potent inhibitors of both the human and mouse enzymes. The lead compounds displayed good pharmacokinetics and ex vivo inhibition of the target in mice. Cocrystal structures of compounds 1and 20bound to human 11β-HSD1 were obtained. Compound 20was found to achieve high concentrations in target tissues, resulting in 95% inhibition in the ex vivo assay when dosed with a food mix (0.5 mg of drug per g of food) after 4 days. Compound 20was efficacious in a mouse diet-induced obesity model and significantly reduced fed glucose and fasted insulin levels. Our findings suggest that 11β-HSD1 inhibition may be a valid target for the treatment of diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The feasibility of using nonintegrating lentiviral vectors has been demonstrated by recent studies showing their ability to maintain transgene expression both in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, human immunodeficiency virus-1 (HIV-1) vectors packaged with a mutated integrase were able to correct retinal disease in a mouse model. Interestingly, these results differ from earlier studies in which first-generation nonintegrating lentiviral vectors yielded insignificant levels of transduction. However, to date, a rigorous characterization of transgene expression from the currently used self-inactivating (SIN) nonintegrating lentiviral vectors has not been published. In this study, we characterize transgene expression from SIN nonintegrating lentiviral vectors. Overall, we found that nonintegrating vectors express transgenes at a significantly lower level than their integrating counterparts. Expression from nonintegrating vectors was improved upon introducing a longer deletion in the vector's U3 region. A unique shuttle-vector assay indicated that the relative abundance of the different episomal forms was not altered by the longer U3 deletion. Interestingly, the longer U3 deletion did not enhance expression in the corpus callosum of the rat brain, suggesting that the extent of silencing of episomal transcription is influenced by tissue-specific factors. Finally, and for the first time, episomal expression in the mouse liver was potent and sustained.Molecular Therapy (2008) 16 12, 1968–1976 doi:10.1038/mt.2008.199 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

11β-Hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase type 1 (11β-HSD1) is the enzyme that converts cortisone to cortisol. Evidence suggests that selective inhibition of 11β-HSD1 could treat diabetes and metabolic syndrome. Presented herein are the synthesis, structure−activity relationship, and in vivo evaluation of piperazine sulfonamides as 11β-HSD1 inhibitors. Through modification of our initial lead 5a, we have identified potent and selective 11β-HSD1 inhibitors such as 13qand 13uwith good pharmacokinetic properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional optical elements to realize spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion of light can only allow conversion of opposite spin angular momentum (SAM) states into opposite orbital angular momentum (OAM) states. This limitation was recently broken by a metasurface based J-plate with combined geometric and propagation phase design that can convert arbitrary SAM into angular momentum states with independent OAM. However, the intrinsic dispersive nature of the propagation phase restricts its bandwidth to a specific wavelength. Here, we demonstrate a J-plate that can realize arbitrary spin-to-orbital angular momentum conversion in a broad bandwidth from 650 nm to 900 nm. This is achieved through a novel diatomic metasurface design by combining the geometric phase and detour phase, both of which are completely decoupled from the spectral response of meta-atoms and thus intrinsic broadband. The demonstration of broadband arbitrary spin–orbit-conversion and vector vortex beams by such J-plate significantly opens new routes for high-performance spin-orbital interaction of light. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the potential of metformin, a hypoglycemic agent, to promote cholesterol efflux in macrophages. Topics mentioned include the role of metformin in the expression of fibroblast growth factor 21, a metabolic regulator, expression of ABCA1 and ABCG1 genes in macrophages which promotes cholesterol efflux, and the cardioprotective mechanism of metformin.

An Al/ZrO2/IL/n-Si (IL: interface layer) MOS capacitor has been fabricated by metal organic decomposition of ZrO2 and thermal deposition Al. We have measured parallel capacitance (Cm) and parallel resistance (Rm) versus bias voltage curves (Cm, Rm–V) at different AC signal frequency (f), and Cm, Rm–f curves at different bias voltage. The curves of Cm, Rm–f measurements show obvious frequency dispersion in the range of 100 kHz–2 MHz. The energy band profile shows that a large voltage is applied on the ZrO2 layer and IL at accumulation, which suggests possible dielectric polarization processes by some traps in ZrO2 and IL. Cm, Rm–f data are used for frequency dispersion analysis. To exclude external frequency dispersion, we have extracted the parameters of C (real MOS capacitance), Rp (parallel resistance), CIL (IL capacitance), RIL (IL resistance) and Rs (Si resistance) in a five-element model by using a three-frequency method. We have analyzed intrinsic frequency dispersion of C, Rp, CIL, RIL and Rs by studying the dielectric characteristics and Si surface layer characteristics. At accumulation, the dispersion of C and Rp is attributed to dielectric polarization such as dipolar orientation and oxide traps. The serious dispersion of CIL and RIL are relative to other dielectric polarization, such as border traps and fixed oxide traps. The dispersion of Rs is mainly attributed to contact capacitance (Cc) and contact resistance (Rc). At depletion and inversion, the frequency dispersion of C, Rp, CIL, RIL, and Rs are mainly attributed to the depletion layer capacitance (CD). The interface trap capacitance (Cit) and interface trap resistance (Rit) are not dominant for the dispersion of C, Rp, CIL, RIL, and Rs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]