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Infant-type hemispheric glioma is a newly defined entity in the updated 2021 WHO classification of tumors of the central nervous system. This lesion occurs in the cerebral hemispheres of newborns and infants and harbors molecular alterations in the NTRK family

Background: In recent years, the efficacy of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) drugs in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) has attracted extensive interest owing to the close associations between the two diseases. Objective: Here, we screened traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) and multi-target ingredients that may have potential therapeutic effects on both T2DM and AD from T2DM prescriptions. Methods: Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used. Results: Firstly, the top 10 frequently used herbs and corresponding 275 active ingredients were identified from 263 T2DM-related TCM prescriptions. Secondly, through the comparative analysis of 208 potential targets of ingredients, 1,740 T2DM-related targets, and 2,060 AD-related targets, 61 common targets were identified to be shared. Thirdly, by constructing pharmacological network, 26 key targets and 154 representative ingredients were identified. Further enrichment analysis showed that common targets were involved in regulating multiple pathways related to T2DM and AD, while network analysis also found that the combination of Danshen (Radix Salviae)-Gancao (Licorice)-Shanyao (Rhizoma Dioscoreae) contained the vast majority of the representative ingredients and might be potential for the cotreatment of the two diseases. Fourthly, MAPK1, PPARG, GSK3B, BACE1, and NR3C1 were selected as potential targets for virtual screening of multi-target ingredients. Further docking studies showed that multiple natural compounds, including salvianolic acid J, gancaonin H, gadelaidic acid, icos-5-enoic acid, and sigmoidin-B, exhibited high binding affinities with the five targets. Conclusion: To summarize, the present study provides a potential TCM combination that might possess the potential advantage of cotreatment of AD and T2DM.

Obesity is considered as a risk factor for chronic health diseases such as heart diseases, cancer, and diabetes 2. Reduced physical activities, lifestyle, poor nutritional diet, and genetics are among the risk factors associated with the development of obesity. In recent years, several studies have explored the link between the gut microbiome and the progression of diseases including obesity, with the shift in microbiome abundance and composition being the main focus. The alteration of gut microbiome composition affects both nutrients metabolism and specific gene expressions thereby disturbing body physiology. Specifically, the abundance of fiber-metabolizing microbes is associated with weight loss and that of protein and fat-metabolizing bacteria with weight gain. Various internal and external factors such as genetics, maternal obesity, mode of delivery, breastfeeding, nutrition, antibiotic use, and the chemical compounds present in the environment are known to interfere with the richness of the gut microbiota (GM), thereby influencing weight gain/loss and ultimately the development of obesity. However, the effectiveness of each factor in potentiating the shift in microbes' abundance to result in significant changes that can lead to obesity is not yet clear. In this review, we will highlight the factors involved in shaping gut microbiota, their influence on obesity and possible interventions. Understanding the influence of these factors on the diversity of the GM and how to improve their effectiveness on disease conditions could be key in the treatment of metabolic diseases.

Antibody therapeutics for the treatment of COVID-19 has been highly successful while faces a challenge of the recent emergence of the Omicron variant which escapes the majority of existing SARS-CoV-2 neutralizing antibodies (nAbs). Here, we successfully generated a panel of SARS-CoV-2/SARS-CoV cross-neutralizing antibodies by sequential immunization of the two pseudoviruses. Of which, nAbs X01, X10 and X17 showed broadly neutralizing breadths against most variants of concern (VOCs) and X17 was further identified as a Class 5 nAb with undiminished neutralization against the Omicron variant. Cryo-EM structures of three-antibody in complex with the spike proteins of prototyped SARS-CoV-2, Delta, Omicron and SARS-CoV defined three non-overlapping conserved epitopes on the receptor-binding domain (RBD). The triple antibody cocktail exhibited enhanced resistance to viral escape and effective protection against the infection of Beta variant in hamsters. Our finding will aid the development of both antibody therapeutics and broad vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 and emerging variants.

Oral diseases are among the most common human diseases yet less studied. These diseases affect both the physical, mental, and social health of the patients resulting in poor quality of life. They affect all ages, although severe stages are mostly observed in older individuals. Poor oral hygiene, genetics, and environmental factors contribute enormously to the development and progression of these diseases. Although there are available treatment options for these diseases, the recurrence of the diseases hinders their efficiency. Oral volatile sulfur compounds (VSCs) are highly produced in oral cavity as a result of bacteria activities. Together with bacteria components such as lipopolysaccharides, VSCs participate in the progression of oral diseases by regulating cellular activities and interfering with the immune response. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is a gaseous neurotransmitter primarily produced endogenously and is involved in the regulation of cellular activities. The gas is also among the VSCs produced by oral bacteria. In numerous diseases, H2S have been reported to have dual effects depending on the cell, concentration, and donor used. In oral diseases, high production and subsequent utilization of this gas have been reported. Also, this high production is associated with the progression of oral diseases. In this review, we will discuss the production of H2S in oral cavity, its interaction with cellular activities, and most importantly its role in oral diseases.

Diabetes is prevalent worldwide, but ideally intensive therapeutic strategy in clinical diabetes and diabetic nephropathy (DN) is still lack. Pyruvate is protective from glucometabolic disturbances and kidney dysfunction in various pathogenic insults. Present studies focused on oral pyruvate effects on diabetes status and DN with 0.35% pyruvate in pyruvate-enriched oral rehydration solution (Pyr-ORS) and 1% pyruvate as drinking water for 8 weeks, using the model of diabetic db/db mice. Both Pyr-ORS and 1% pyruvate showed comparable therapeutic effectiveness with controls of body weight and blood sugar, increases of blood insulin levels, and improvement of renal function and pathological changes. Aberrant key enzyme activities in glucometabolic pathways, AR, PK, and PDK/PDH, were also restored; indexes of oxidative stress and inflammation, NAD+/NADH ratio, and AGEs in the kidneys were mostly significantly preserved after pyruvate treatments. We concluded that oral pyruvate delayed DN progression in db/db mice and the modified Pyr-ORS formula might be an ideal novel therapeutic drink in clinical prevention and treatment of type 2 diabetes and DN.

Endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress plays a critical role in the development of diabetic nephropathy (DN). We previously demonstrated that pyruvate (Pyr)‐enriched oral rehydration solution improved glucometabolic disorders and ameliorated DN outcome in db/db mice. Here, we investigated the effects of Pyr on high glucose‐induced ER stress and apoptosis in HK‐2 cells. Our results suggest that high glucose can induce reactive oxygen species production, apoptosis and ER stress in HK‐2 cells, and that Pyr treatment can ameliorate these effects and restore the expression of key proteins involved in ER stress. Thus, Pyr may have potential for the development of novel strategies for the prevention and treatment of clinical DN., Pyruvate is a scavenger of reactive oxygen species in the presence of oxygen and during hyperglycemia, and it protects against tissue injuries of various insults. Here, we investigated the effects of pyruvate on the HK‐2 cell line under high glucose and concluded that pyruvate ameliorated endoplasmic reticulum stress and inhibited apoptosis under high glucose. Pyruvate may have potential for using in novel strategies for clinical intervention of diabetic nephropathy.

Respiratory diseases are leading causes of death and disability around the globe, with a diverse range of health problems. Treatment of respiratory diseases and infections has been verified to be thought-provoking because of the increasing incidence and mortality rate. Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) is one of the recognized gaseous transmitters involved in an extensive range of cellular functions, and physiological and pathological processes in a variety of diseases, including respiratory diseases. Recently, the therapeutic potential of H2S for respiratory diseases has been widely investigated. H2S plays a vital therapeutic role in obstructive respiratory disease, pulmonary fibrosis, emphysema, pancreatic inflammatory/respiratory lung injury, pulmonary inflammation, bronchial asthma and bronchiectasis. Although the therapeutic role of H2S has been extensively studied in various respiratory diseases, a concrete literature review will have an extraordinary impact on future therapeutics. This review provides a comprehensive overview of the effective role of H2S in respiratory diseases. Besides, we also summarized H2S production in the lung and its metabolism processes in respiratory diseases.

Hydrogen sulfide (H2S) has long been considered as a toxic gas, but as research progressed, the idea has been updated and it has now been shown to have potent protective effects at reasonable concentrations. H2S is an endogenous gas signaling molecule in mammals and is produced by specific enzymes in different cell types. An increasing number of studies indicate that H2S plays an important role in cardiovascular homeostasis, and in most cases, H2S has been reported to be downregulated in cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Similarly, in preclinical studies, H2S has been shown to prevent CVDs and improve heart function after heart failure. Recently, many H2S donors have been synthesized and tested in cellular and animal models. Moreover, numerous molecular mechanisms have been proposed to demonstrate the effects of these donors. In this review, we will provide an update on the role of H2S in cardiovascular activities and its involvement in pathological states, with a special focus on the roles of exogenous H2S in cardiac protection.

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) represents one of the most common chronic liver diseases in the world. It has been reported that epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG) plays important biological and pharmacological roles in mammalian cells. Nevertheless, the mechanism underlying the beneficial effect of EGCG on the progression of NAFLD has not been fully elucidated. In the present study, the mechanisms of action of EGCG on the growth, apoptosis, and autophagy were examined using oleic acid- (OA-) treated liver cells and the high-fat diet- (HFD-) induced NAFLD mouse model. Administration of EGCG promoted the growth of OA-treated liver cells. EGCG could reduce mitochondrial-dependent apoptosis and increase autophagy possibly via the reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) mediated mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) pathway in OA-treated liver cells. In line with in vitro findings, our in vivo study verified that treatment with EGCG attenuated HFD-induced NAFLD through reduction of apoptosis and promotion of autophagy. EGCG can alleviate HFD-induced NAFLD possibly by decreasing apoptosis and increasing autophagy via the ROS/MAPK pathway. EGCG may be a promising agent for the treatment of NAFLD.

Deterministic safety analysis (DSA) is essential for nuclear power plant licensing. The conservative method followed CFR50 Appendix K, which will lead to a large margin. As one of the DSA methodologies, best estimate plus uncertainty (BEPU) generates more realistic results that can be used in the license application of nuclear power plants (NPPs). However, uncertainty evaluation of parameters is needed in BEPU. In this article, the safety regulatory focuses on the large break loss of coolant accident (LBLOCA) of an advanced PWR. The BEPU analysis is mainly performed by TRACE V5.0 patch 4 code, and the uncertainty analysis is conducted based on DAKOTA code. For correlation coefficients analysis, the sample size is enlarged reasonably. According to the results, this NPP meets the acceptance criteria effectively in LBLOCA with enough margin. By statistic assessment, the set of PCTs calculated has typical normal distribution characters. Based on BEPU, the uncertainties of parameters are studied. Additionally, the influence of sample size on the correlation of parameters is considered too. It could be seen that more samples could permit a more accurate estimation for Spearman partial correlation coefficient (abbreviated as SPCC). The conclusions of this article can provide technical support for the subsequent review of the safety analysis report and the design changes of NPPs.

This study was conducted to examine the effects of Acrermonium terricola culture (ATC) on feed digestibility, rumen fermentation, and blood parameters in dairy cows. Six non-lactating ruminally and duodenally fistulated cows were evaluated in a replicated 3 × 3 Latin square design, with each period lasting 27 d. The cows were randomly assigned into three treatment groups: (1) basal diet (no additive); (2) basal diet plus 15 g/cow per day ATC; and (3) basal diet plus 30 g/cow per day ATC. Cows supplemented with ATC had a higher total-tract apparent digestibility of dry matter and crude protein, production of ammonia nitrogen and volatile fatty acids, and relative population size of proteolytic bacteria than did unsupplemented cows. ATC supplementation decreased ruminal pH, concentration of urea nitrogen, aspartate transaminase, non-esterified fatty acids, and beta-hydroxybutyric acid in plasma and improved ruminal disappearance of roughage and blood glucose content. Overall, ATC is an effective feed additive and regulates apparent digestibility, rumen fermentation, and blood metabolism for dairy cows.

In this study, we prepared metal oxide-metal-metal oxide (OMO) multilayer transparent electrodes based on indium tin oxide (ITO) and ZnO, viz., ITO/Ag/ITO (IAI) and ZnO/Ag/ZnO (ZAZ) by sputtering and investigated the influence of the thickness of the silver layer as well as the thickness and surface roughness of the metal oxide layers on the optoelectronic performance of the electrodes. The surface roughness of the metal oxide layers affect the critical thickness required to transform the low-conductivity semi-continuous silver films into high-conductivity continuous ones. The thicknesses of the metal oxide layers over and underneath the Ag layer can be modulated not only to enhance the transmittance of the electrodes but also to adjust the position of the maximum transmittance. Optimization of the thicknesses of the metal oxide and Ag layers allows the fabrication of high-quality transparent electrodes. The sheet resistance for the best ZAZ sample was 4.16 Ω/sq while the average transmittance (including glass) was 73.09% in the visible region. For IAI electrodes, the sheet resistance and the average transmittance in the visible region were 5.85 Ω/sq and 82.12%, respectively. The Haacke index indicated that for applications with high optical demands, the Ag film thickness should be 8.5 nm and 13.0 nm for ITO and ZnO systems, respectively. Moreover, semi-continuous Ag layers are bluish due to surface plasmon resonance. This study defines a criterion for determining the optimal thickness of Ag layers in OMO films.

Objective This trial was performed to examine the effects of ruminally degradable starch (RDS) levels in total mixed ration (TMR) with low corn-based starch on the milk production, whole-tract nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in dairy cows. Methods Eight multiparous Holstein cows (body weight [BW]: 717±63 kg; days in milk [DIM]: 169±29) were assigned to a crossover design with two dietary treatments: a diet containing 62.3% ruminally degradable starch (% of total starch, low RDS) or 72.1% ruminally degradable starch (% of total starch, high RDS). Changes to the ruminally degradable levels were conducted by using either finely ground corn or steam-flaked corn as the starch component. Results The results showed that dry matter intake, milk yield and composition in dairy cows were not affected by dietary treatments. The concentration of milk urea nitrogen was lower for cows fed high RDS TMR than low RDS TMR. The whole-tract apparent digestibility of neutral detergent fiber, acid detergent fiber and crude protein decreased, and that of starch increased for cows fed high RDS TMR over those fed low RDS TMR, with no dietary effect on the whole-tract apparent digestibility of dry matter and organic matter. The proportion of urinary N excretion in N intake was lower and that of fecal N excretion in N intake was higher for cows fed high RDS TMR than those fed low RDS TMR. The N secretion in milk and the retention of N were not influenced by the dietary treatments. Total purine derivative was similar in cows fed high RDS TMR and low RDS TMR. Consequently, estimated microbial N flow to the duodenum was similar in cows fed high RDS TMR and low RDS TMR. Conclusion Results of this study show that ruminally degradable starch levels can influence whole-tract nutrient digestibility and nitrogen balance in dairy cows fed low corn-based starch diets, with no influence on performance.

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the effects of Acremonium terricola culture (CAT) on growth performance, antioxidant status and immune responses of weaned calves. Twenty-four weaned female Holstein calves of the same age and with a similar genetic background were randomly assigned to one of two treatments for a 40 day feeding period. Treatments consisted of feed supplemented with (1) nothing (i.e., the control group) or (2) 50 mg CAT/kg of body weight (BW). Feed, fecal and blood samples were collected on days 0, 20 and 40. The seventh day after weaning was defined as Day 0. The results demonstrated that CAT supplementation increased body weight, feed efficiency and average daily weight gain compared to the control group. Supplementation with 50 mg of CAT/kg of BW significantly increased concentrations of immunoglobulins A, M, and G, interleukin-4, as well as the ratio of soluble CD 4 /soluble CD 8 , activities of total antioxidant capacity, glutathione peroxidase and total superoxide dismutase in plasma. In contrast, CAT supplementation resulted in a significant reduction in the concentrations of interleukin-1, interleukin-6, tumour necrosis factor – alpha, cortisol and malondialdehyde in plasma. These results suggested that supplementation with 50 mg of CAT/kg of BW may enhance growth performance and antioxidant and immune functions in weaned calves.

Background The molecular mechanisms through which high‐demand pacing induce myocardial dysfunction remain unclear. Methods and Results We created atrioventricular block in pigs using dependent right ventricular septal pacing for 6 months. Echocardiography was performed to evaluate dyssynchrony between pacing (n=6) and sham control (n=6) groups. Microarray and enrichment analyses were used to identify differentially expressed genes ( DEG s) in the left ventricular ( LV ) myocardium between pacing and sham control groups. Histopathological and protein changes were also analyzed and an A cell pacing model was also performed. Pacing significantly increased mechanical dyssynchrony. Enrichment analysis using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis and the activation z‐score analysis method demonstrated that there were 5 DEG s ( ABCA 1, APOD , CLU , LY 96, and SERPINF 1) in the LV septum (z‐score=−0.447) and 5 DEG s ( APOD , CLU , LY 96, MSR 1, and SERPINF 1) in the LV free wall (z‐score=−1.000) inhibited the liver X receptor/retinoid X receptor ( LXR / RXR ) pathway, and 4 DEG s ( ACTA 2, MYL 1, PPP 2R3A, and SNAI 2) activated the integrin‐linked kinase ( ILK ) pathway in the LV septum (z‐score=1.000). The pacing group had a larger cell size, higher degree of myolysis and fibrosis, and increased expression of intracellular lipid, inflammatory cytokines, and apoptotic markers than the sham control group. The causal relationships between pacing and DEG s related to LXR / RXR and ILK pathways, apoptosis, fibrosis, and lipid expression after pacing were confirmed in the cell pacing model. Luciferase reporter assay in the cell pacing model also supported inhibition of the LXR pathway by pacing. Conclusions Right ventricular septal‐dependent pacing was associated with persistent LV dyssynchrony–induced cardiomyopathy through inhibition of the LXR / RXR pathway.

Background: Lipid expression is increased in the atrial myocytes of mitral regurgitation (MR) patients. This study aimed to investigate key regulatory genes and mechanisms of atrial lipotoxic myopathy in MR. Methods: The HL-1 atrial myocytes were subjected to uniaxial cyclic stretching for eight hours. Fatty acid metabolism, lipoprotein signaling, and cholesterol metabolism were analyzed by PCR assay (168 genes). Results: The stretched myocytes had significantly larger cell size and higher lipid expression than non-stretched myocytes (all p &lt, 0.001). Fatty acid metabolism, lipoprotein signaling, and cholesterol metabolism in the myocytes were analyzed by PCR assay (168 genes). In comparison with their counterparts in non-stretched myocytes, seven genes in stretched monocytes (Idi1, Olr1, Nr1h4, Fabp2, Prkag3, Slc27a5, Fabp6) revealed differential upregulation with an altered fold change &gt, 1.5. Nine genes in stretched monocytes (Apoa4, Hmgcs2, Apol8, Srebf1, Acsm4, Fabp1, Acox2, Acsl6, Gk) revealed differential downregulation with an altered fold change &lt, 0.67. Canonical pathway analysis, using Ingenuity Pathway Analysis software, revealed that the only genes in the &ldquo, superpathway of cholesterol biosynthesis&rdquo, were Idi1 (upregulated) and Hmgcs2 (downregulated). The fraction of stretched myocytes expressing Nile red was significantly decreased by RNA interference of Idi1 (p &lt, 0.05) and was significantly decreased by plasmid transfection of Hmgcs2 (p = 0.004). Conclusions: The Idi1 and Hmgcs2 genes have regulatory roles in atrial lipotoxic myopathy associated with atrial enlargement.

The primary objective was to investigate the relationship between the physical parameters, nutrient components, and degradation characteristics of feedstuffs. Thirteen kinds of feedstuff were selected to analyze the physical properties (including water holding capacity (WHC), swelling, bulk density, and feed solubility), chemical compositions and degradation parameters. The results showed that these parameters were widely altered among the feedstuff varieties. Correlation analysis indicated that WHC was negatively correlated with the contents of starch, crude protein (CP) and ether extract (EE). However, WHC had a highly positive correlation with the cell wall content parameters. Swelling had a high negative correlation with starch and EE, and had a positive correlation with ash. Bulk density was negatively correlated with neutral detergent fiber (NDF), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and acid detergent lignin (ADL). DMSol (%DM) was negatively correlated with NDF, ADF and ADL, but highly positive correlated with CP content ( r Spearman = 0.77, P DM ) and bulk density ( P P = 0.001). Also, the effective degradability of CP (ED CP ) was negatively correlated with WHC ( r Spearman = −0.46; P = 0.003) and positively correlated with DMSol ( r Spearman = 0.503; P = 0.001). A stepwise linear regression analysis indicated that NDF, ADF and CP could be predictors of WHC, bulk density and DMSol, respectively. In conclusion, the physical properties can be taken as important evaluation indices, which might be potentially used to estimate the nutritive values of the feedstuffs and can also be applied in a ration formulation.

Occurrence of 17 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and 15 persistent organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) were analyzed by gas chromatography coupled to tandem mass spectrometry (GC/MS/MS) during the spring and summer of 2015 in surface water at 14 sampling sites in the mainstream of the Luanhe River to elucidate their seasonal distribution, composition, and potential sources. Results showed that total PAH concentrations in the surface water of the Luanhe River ranged from 33.33 ng·L

Neuroblastoma is a lethal tumor of the sympathetic nervous system. 8-Hydroxydeoxyguanine (8-OH-dG) formation is a common seen type of oxidative DNA damage, which could be repaired by human oxoguanine glycosylase 1 (hOGG1). To explore the contributing role of hOGG1 gene single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in neuroblastoma risk, we performed a case-control study by genotyping three SNPs (rs1052133 G>C, rs159153 T>C, rs293795 A>G) in hOGG1 gene. A total of 512 neuroblastoma cases and 1076 cancer-free controls were enrolled from three medical centers in China. The hOGG1 gene polymorphisms were determined using TaqMan real-time PCR. The results showed that only the rs1052133 G>C polymorphism was associated with neuroblastoma risk [GC vs. GG: adjusted odds ratio (OR)=0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI)=0.51-0.81, P=0.0002; dominant model: adjusted OR=0.71, 95% CI=0.57-0.88, P=0.002]. Moreover, subjects carrying 1, 2, or 1-3 protective genotypes have less opportunity to develop neuroblastoma, in comparison to those without protective genotypes. Stratified analysis revealed that rs1052133 GC/CC carriers were less likely to develop neuroblastoma in subgroups of age >18 months, males, tumor that develops from retroperitoneal, mediastinum and clinical stage I+II+4s. Our results indicate that hOGG1 rs1052133 G>C polymorphism is associated with decreased risk of neuroblastoma. However, the exact biological mechanism awaits further research.

The effects of supplementing transition dairy cows with Acremonium terricola culture (ATC) in the transition period were investigated. Ten dairy cows received a dietary supplement of 30 g/cow/d ATC from 14 d prior to their estimated calving date to 21 d postpartum, and 10 did not. The cows that receiving ATC showed greater milk production, energy-corrected milk yield, and feed efficiency, and had a lower somatic milk cell count and body mass change than the non-supplemented cows (P

In this work, ITO/silver nanowire (AgNW)/ITO (IAWI) and IZO/AgNW/IZO (ZAWZ) hybrid electrodes were prepared on polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates at low temperature. The physical properties of the flexible electrodes were studied using X-ray diffraction, spectrophotometer, field-emission scanning electron microscope, Hall, and four-point probe resistivity measurements. The Haacke index shows that an electrode has the best optoelectronic properties at an AgNW concentration of 2.0 mg/mL. At this concentration, the sheet resistances of the IAWI and ZAWZ electrodes are 18.6 [Formula: see text]/sq and 16.0 [Formula: see text]/sq, respectively. The bending test results show that the electrical properties of both ITO and IZO films became poor only after 100 bending tests. In contrast, the sheet resistances of the IAWI and ZAWZ electrodes show no obvious change after 1000 bending tests, confirming their excellent flexibility. A hyperspectral technique is developed to characterize the damages within the electrodes caused by the bending test.

In this paper, a resistance type gas sensor which consists of tungsten oxide (PEDOT:PSS), [Formula: see text] particles and silver finger electrodes was prepared on glass as well as (PET) substrates. The structural and surface morphological properties of the sensors were studied using (XRD), UV-visible, (FTIR), (FE-SEM) and 3D optical microscopy. The influence of fabrication parameters on the sensibility for nitrogen dioxide [Formula: see text] detection is discussed. Experimental results reveal that the sensor with [Formula: see text] content of 2 g/mL shows the highest response rate of 2.31 with increasing concentration up to 80 ppm of nitrogen dioxide gas. The response of the flexible gas sensor reveals improved sensing performance after 500 bending tests.

The effectiveness of the focusing electric area would make influence on resolutions of the device immediately, which made its parameters important. The purpose of simulation in this article was providing valuable reference for the future mechanical processing. Keys to the parameters of a focusing electric area were voltages and the inner diameters of the electrodes. Firstly we estimated the parameters relying on the fact that ions abided by the law of energy conservation through the electric area. Secondly we used the software simion to turn 3D figures of electrodes to an available model, then flied the ions. In the end a group of parameters were obtained. We simulated ions that shared the same mass number 30000Da and initial kinetic energies were an arithmetic progression with 5eV as common difference. The variance of flight time of the groups with delayed extraction was 0.0177,while the groups without delayed extraction was 0.0618.

A simple and cost-effective pre-treatment procedure was developed for six resorcylic acid lactones (RALs) in feed using dispersive solid phase extraction (dSPE) with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs). The sample was analysed after purification by ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-negative electrospray ionisation tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC-ESI-MS/MS). After extraction with acetonitrile/water (80:20, v/v) and dilution with water, a dSPE procedure was carried out with MWCNTs. The pH value of the extract, the extraction time for MWCNTs, the type and amount of MWCNTs and the type of eluent were optimised to increase the sample throughput and the sensitivity. The samples were quantified using the internal standard zearalenone-D6. The absolute recoveries of the target compounds from feed samples were most efficient when using 100mg of MWCNTs with an outer diameter of less than 8nm and a length of 10-30μm, and ethyl acetate was shown to be the most suitable solvent for desorbing the target compounds from the MWCNTs. The mean recoveries from fortified swine mixed feed samples ranged from 95.3% to 107.2% and had relative standard deviations lower than 10%; the limits of detection and quantification for RALs were in the ranges of 0.20-0.29μg/kg and 0.54-0.78μg/kg, respectively.

This paper describes a wind-thermal power system on the analysis of the frequency response characteristics of thermal generators and wind turbines (WTs) against the imbalanced power. The composite transfer function of the speed governing system is proposed on the basis of the speed governor’s model, and the time-domain expression of the frequency deviation against the perturbation of electrical power is given in this paper. This paper studies the maximum surplus power (Ps,m) and the maximum deficit power (Pd,m) in a thermal dominated power system to avoid the action of OPC and UPLS. Considering the wind farm (WF) power injected to the existing power system, the wind penetration level (LP) has great effects on the Ps,m and the Pd,m. Through theoretical calculation and the simulation of a power system that consists of a thermal unit and GE wind turbines, this paper draws this conclusion that with the increase of the wind penetration level, Ps,m will increase in a liner relation and Pd will decrease in a hyperbolic relation.

A time-resolved experimental study on the kinetics and relaxation of the structural formation process in gelling Agar-water solutions was carried out using our custom-built torsion resonator. The study was based on measurements of three naturally cooled solutions with agar concentrations of 0.75%, 1.0% and 2.0% w/w. It was found that the natural-cooling agar gelation process could be divided into three stages, sol stage (Stage I), gelation zone (Stage II) and gel stage (Stage III), based on the time/temperature evolutions of the structural development rate (SDR). An interesting fluctuant decaying behavior of SDR was observed in Stage II and III, indicative of a sum of multiple relaxation processes and well described by a multiple-order Gaussisn-like equation: . More interestingly, the temperature dependences of the fitted values of Wn in Stage II and Stage III were found to follow the different Arrhenius laws, with different activation energies of EaII= 39-74 KJ/mol and EaIII~7.0 KJ/mol. The two different Arrhenius-like behaviors respectively suggest that dispersions in Stage II be attributed to the relaxation of the self-assembly of agar molecules or the growth of junction zones en route to gelation, in which the formation or fission of hydrogen bonding interactions plays an important role; and that dispersions in Stage III be attributed to the relaxation dynamics of water released from various size domains close to the domain of the viscous flow of water during the syneresis process., 24 pages, 4 figures, 1 table

Setting of tolerances to meet a required specification of quality characteristic and keep low manufacturing cost is one of common problems in the process quality control. But generally traditional tolerance design only focus on cost of manufacturing, few consider product Life Cycle Cost. In these situations, to obtain a satisfactory six sigma quality level as well as keep lower life cycle total cost should be considered. This paper expands tolerance optimization based on the manufacturing cost to the product life cycle cost, which can improve product quality to the six sigma level and keep lower LCC simultaneously.

Traditional torsional resonators, often obtaining the viscoelastic moduli of complex fluids only at one or several given discrete frequencies, lack the continuously varying frequency capability. This is an obvious disadvantage of the traditional torsional resonator technique. This paper presents an improved strategy, based on our previous discrete-frequency-measuring method (Wang et al., J Rheol 52:999–1011, 2008), to overcome such restriction and thus accomplish the continuously varying frequency capability of the traditional torsional resonator for measuring the viscoelastic properties of complex fluids. The feasibility of this strategy is demonstrated with the Newtonian fluids (several water–glycerol solutions) of viscosities varying from 10 to 1,400 cp by using our homemade torsion resonator apparatus in the 10 ~ 2,500 rad/s frequency range (continuous frequencies). Some results for typical viscoelastic polymers (two polyethylene oxide (PEO) aqueous solutions) are also given. Additionally, a comparison of the PEO results is made with the common rheometer technique. It is demonstrated that this improved strategy could enable the traditional torsional resonators, with one oscillating resonance mode, to work as the microrheological technique and the common rheometer technique in the continuous frequency range.

BACKGROUND: An excessive accumulation of skatole in pigs is a major contributor to boar taint. Intestinal skatole concentrations may vary among different pig segments and breeds. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial variation of intestinal skatole production and the microbial community in local Jinhua and exotic Landrace pigs. RESULTS: For both breeds, skatole concentration increased towards the rectum and segment had a significant effect on skatole (P < 0.001). The caecal skatole concentration in Landrace was significantly lower than proximal, distal colonic and rectal skatole levels (P < 0.05). Compared with Jinhua pigs, the rectal skatole and proximal and distal colonic indole levels were significantly higher in Landrace pigs (P < 0.05). Volatile fatty acids were significantly affected by breed except for isobutyrate and isovalerate (P < 0.05), with higher butyrate level and lower pH in Landrace pigs (P < 0.05). There were no significant differences in mitosis and apoptosis for the two breeds. The denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis profile showed differences between breeds and segments within one breed, though some bands were common to all samples. CONCLUSION: The higher skatole levels in Landrace pigs may be not associated with higher intestinal apoptosis. The results suggested that pig genotype plays a role in the establishment of the host-specific microbiota and that the variations in fermentation patterns are more likely to explain differences in intestinal skatole production. Copyright © 2009 Society of Chemical Industry

Antrodia camphorata is a fungus native to Taiwan, and it is considered a precious medicinal agent. We analyzed triterpenoids, polysaccharides and 1,3-β-D-glucan, three major effective components in A. camphorata extracts (ACE). ACE exhibited a selective cytotoxic effect on BxPC-3 human pancreatic cancer cells. ACE markedly inhibited the migration ability of BxPC-3 cells. Treatment of BxPC-3 cells with ACE resulted in the increase of cells in the sub-G1 phase and G2/M phase arrest. Apoptosis was confirmed by validating phosphatidylserine externalization, the observation of characteristic chromatin condensation, and nuclear DNA fragmentation. ACE induced apoptosis in BxPC-3 cells through a mitochondria-dependent pathway by triggering an appropriate balance of bax/bcl-2, cytochrome c release, activation of caspase-9 and -3, and poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase cleavage. ACE shows great therapeutic potential due to its cytotoxic effects against BxPC-3 cells which include inhibiting cell migration and inducing mitochondria-mediated apoptosis.

A study of the induced activity in a medical linear accelerator (linac) room was carried out on several linac installations. Higher beam energy, higher dose rate, and larger field size generally result in higher activation levels at a given point of interest, while the use of multileaf collimators (MLC) can also increase the activation level at the isocenter. Both theoretical and experimental studies reveal that the activation level in the morning before any clinical work increases from Monday to Saturday and then decreases during the weekend. This weekly activation picture keeps stable from one week to another during standard clinical operation of the linac. An effective half-life for a given point in the treatment room can be determined from the measured or calculated activity decay curves. The effective half-life for points inside the treatment field is longer than that for points outside of the field in the patient plane, while a larger field and longer irradiation time can also make the effective half-life longer. The activation level reaches its practical saturation value after a 30 min continuous irradiation, corresponding to 12 000 MU at a "dose rate" of 400 MU/min. A "dose" of 300 MU was given 20 times in 15 min intervals to determine the trends in the activation level in a typical clinical mode. As well, a long-term (85 h over a long weekend) decay curve was measured to evaluate the long-term decay of room activation after a typical day of clinical linac use. A mathematical model for the activation level at the isocenter has been established and shown to be useful in explaining and predicting the induced activity levels for typical clinical and experimental conditions. The activation level for a 22 MeV electron beam was also measured and the result shows it is essentially negligible.

In order to achieve high throughput of microbial detection, this time of flight mass spectrometer (TOF-MS) is designed. A whole linear matrix assisted laser time-of-flight mass spectrometer (MALDI-TOF-MS) consists of six parts: vacuum system, sample inputting system, high voltage power supply system, laser system, detection system, mass analyzer system. In this paper, the functions, including devices, control process and the resulting effects of each part are introduced respectively. And aiming at the most influencing factor which means the focusing electrodes group of mass analyzer, simulations and analysis are done to optimize its structure parameters. Compared with other instruments, this MALDI-TOF-MS has faster analysis speed, smaller volume, lower cost and suitable for clinical testing. Finally the completed equipment is used for the detection of standard samples with mass number 1531 Daltons, the spectrogram shows this analysis system's resolution is about 2500 FWHM.