Search

1. This study investigated the effects of lysolecithins (LL) on performance, egg quality, blood profiles, relative organ weight and liver histopathology in laying hens. 2. A total of 480 healthy 65-week-old Lohmann laying hens were randomly allocated into four treatments in a 2 × 2 factorial arrangement design with two levels of energy (AMEn, 11.08 MJ/kg and 12.94 MJ/kg) and two levels of LL (0 and 0.05%). 3. Birds fed high energy diets had lower (P < 0.05) average daily intake and feed conversion rate during weeks 0–4, 5-8 and 0–8, but higher (P < 0.05) average egg weight (AEW) during trial weeks 0–4. There was an interaction in (P < 0.05) AEW during trial weeks 0–14 and 0–8 for energy and LL. The high energy diets increased yolk colour at the end of weeks 2 and 4, while addition of LL increased albumen height at the end of week 2. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) in yolk colour between energy and LL at the end of week 2. There was an interaction (P < 0.05) in serum superoxide dismutase and LDL-C throughout the experiment. 4. The high energy diets increased (P < 0.05) the relative weight of abdominal fat compared with low energy diets. The high energy diets increased (P < 0.05) liver ether extract content and liver pathological injury score compared with low energy diets at the end of week 8, while the addition of LL decreased (P < 0.05) liver pathological injury score. 5. The supplementation of LL in high energy diets could alleviate some negative effects on liver injury in late laying hens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The productivity of smallholder dairy farms is very low in developing countries. Important genetic gains could be realized using genomic selection, but genetic evaluations need to be tailored for lack of pedigree information and very small farm sizes. To accommodate this situation, we propose a flexible Bayesian model for the genetic evaluation of milk yield, which allows us to simultaneously account for nongenetic random effects for farms and varying SNP variance (BayesR model). First, we used simulations based on real genotype data from Indian crossbred dairy cattle to demonstrate that the proposed model can separate the true genetic and nongenetic parameters even for small farm sizes (2 cows on average) although with high standard errors in scenarios with low heritability. The accuracy of genomic genetic evaluation increased until farm size was approximately 5. We then applied the model to real data from 4,655 crossbred cows with 106,109 monthly test day milk records and 689,750 autosomal SNPs. We estimated a heritability of 0.16 (0.04) for milk yield and using cross-validation, a genomic estimated breeding value (GEBV) accuracy of 0.45 and bias (regression of phenotype on GEBV) of 1.04 (0.26). Estimated genetic parameters were very similar using BayesR, BayesC, and genomic BLUP approaches. Candidate genes near the top variants, IMMP2L and ARHGEF2 , have been previously associated with milk protein composition, mastitis resistance, and milk cholesterol content. The estimated heritability and GEBV accuracy for milk yield are much lower than those from intensive or pasture-based systems in many countries. Further increases in the number of phenotyped and genotyped animals in farms with at least 2 cows (preferably 3–5, to allow for dropout of cows) are needed to improve the estimation of genetic effects in these smallholder dairy farms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer cables are being applied increasingly in fields such as deep‐sea mooring and cage culture. How to improve their wear resistance and prevent microbial adhesion is an urgent problem to be solved. In this work, the surface of the cable was treated by the polyvinylpyrrolidone cross‐linking method and the anchoring effect of one‐dimensional linear nanomaterials, which improved the adhesion of the water‐based coating. Meanwhile, the protective effect of the coating was improved through the addition of antifouling agents and wear‐resistant agents. The microstructure and intermolecular forces of the coating were characterized by scanning electron microscopy and infrared spectroscopy. The net hanging test results show that the surface‐treated cable exhibits better abrasion resistance and antifouling effects, and the shedding phenomenon is significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoacidophilic pullulan hydrolase type III from Thermococcus kodakarensis (TK-PUL) completely hydrolyzes starch under liquefaction conditions. It has great application potential in the process of "one step liquefaction-saccharification" starch syrup production. We employed error-prone PCR to enable the directed evolution of TK-PUL in vitro. After two rounds of error-prone PCR and high-throughput screening, we obtained the L538D mutant TK-PUL with improved catalytic activity. Compared with TK-PUL, the specific activity of the L538D enzyme for soluble starch and pullulan increased by 50 and 21%, respectively. The kcat/KM value of the enzyme for soluble starch, pullulan, maltotriose, and isopanose increased by 44, 27, 84 and 37%, respectively. Overall, the hydrolytic activity of L538D TK-PUL for α-1,4-glycosidic and α-1,6-glycosidic bonds was significantly improved, to a greater extend for α-1,4-glycosidic bonds. Homology modeling showed that replacing Leu538 with Asp in TK-PUL might improve the flexibility of the loop structure including the Glu534 catalytic site by shortening the length of the side chain of amino acid residues and reducing their hydrophobicity, thus, improving the catalytic activity of the enzyme. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are no optimal diagnostic, treatment and post-infection surveillance strategies for parvovirus B19 infection in solid organ transplantation (SOT) recipients. We conducted a retrospective review of all PVB19 infected cases confirmed by qPCR among SOT recipients at our institution over a 3-year period and reviewed the literature from 1990 to 2021. Eight kidney and two heart transplant patients with refractory anemia had PVB19 infection. The viral DNA load in peripheral blood ranged from 2.62 × 102 to 8.31 × 106 copies/mL. Two patients with the lowest PVB19 DNA load only reduced the use of immunosuppressants and anemia was relieved. Eight received intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) (ranging from 0.25 to 0.5 g/kg/day). The median time to anemia improvement (hemoglobulin > 100 g/L) was 16 days (8–70 days) after treatment. One patient had a PVB19 relapse and viral DNA load > 1.00 × 108 copies/mL at diagnosis. A total of 86 studies involving 194 SOTs were screened from the literature, and the most common symptom was anemia and low reticulocyte count. PVB19 DNA was detected in all cases. Of that, 91.4% of cases received IVIG, 53.8% received IVIG and immunosuppression reduction, 6.5% of cases showed reduced immunosuppression without IVIG, and 2.1% did not receive any special treatment. The recurrence rate was 17.5%. PVB19 infection is a cause of anemia after SOT, and treatment mainly relies on IVIG and/or immunosuppression reduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to explore how the mitochondrial alternative oxidase (AOX) pathway alleviates photoinhibition in chilled tomato (Solanum lycopersicum) seedlings. Chilling induced photoinhibition in tomato seedlings despite the increases in thermal energy dissipation and cyclic electron flow around PSI (CEF-PSI). Chilling inhibited the function of PSII and blocked electron transport at the PSII acceptor side, however, it did not affect the oxygenevolving complex on the donor side of PSII. Upregulation of the AOX pathway protects against photoinhibition by improving PSII function and photosynthetic electron transport in tomato seedlings under chilling stress. The AOX pathway maintained the open state of PSII and the stability of the entire photosynthetic electron transport chain. Moreover, the protective role of the AOX pathway on PSII was more important than that on PSI. However, inhibition of the AOX pathway could be compensated by increasing CEF-PSI activity under chilling stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been decade-long and enduring efforts to decipher the structural mechanism of plasticity in metallic glasses; however, it still remains a challenge to directly reveal the structural change, if any, that precedes; and dominant plastics flow in them. Here, by using the dynamic atomic force microscope as an "imaging" as well as a "forcing" tool, we unfold a real-time sequence of structural evolution occurring on the surface of an Au-Si thin film metallic glass. In sharp contrast to the common notion that plasticity comes along with mechanical softening in bulk metallic glasses, our experimental results directly reveal three types of nano-sized surface regions, which undergo plasticity but exhibit different characters of structural evolution following the local plasticity events, including stochastic structural rearrangement, unusual local relaxation and rejuvenation. As such, yielding on the metallic-glass surface manifests as a dynamic equilibrium between local relaxation and rejuvenation as opposed to shear instability in bulk metallic-glasses. Our finding demonstrates that plasticity on the metallic glass surface of Au-Si metallic glass bears much resemblance to that of the colloidal gels, of which nonlinear rheology rather than shear instability governs the constitutive behavior of plasticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new method for improving the performance of novel two-dimensional material heterojunction optoelectronic devices is reported. • Swift heavy ions irradiation induced local annealing, interface coupling and excitation conversion can enhance the photocurrent and photoelectric responsivity of the MoS 2 /G FETs. • The MoS 2 /G FETs fabricated in this work have strong irradiation tolerance, and can operate under harsh irradiation conditions. Two-dimensional materials with exceptional electronic and photoelectric properties are expected to develop a new-generation of ultrathin, high efficiency, broadband, and flexible photodetectors. For the potential application towards outer space exploration, the harsh irradiation environment must be taken into consideration. In this work, irradiation effects of MoS 2 /Graphene heterostructure field effect transistors (MoS 2 /G FETs) induced by swift heavy ions (SHIs) were explored. After irradiation, a new Raman peak denoted as D peak emerged, which demonstrated that SHI irradiation induced damage in graphene. Photoluminescence investigation of MoS 2 indicated that SHI irradiation activated the excitation conversion of trion A− to excitation A0. Latent tracks were observed on MoS 2 /G/SiO 2 by using atomic force microscope. The decreased resistance and increased carrier mobilities were detected at fluence lower than 5 × 1010 ions/cm2, which could be ascribed to the localized annealing of graphene during irradiation. The increased photocurrent and responsivity at fluence lower than 1 × 1010 ions/cm2 could be interpreted as the enhanced photoinduced gate voltage resulting from the SHI irradiation induced defects in MoS 2 /G FET. The devices were deteriorated at fluence of 1 × 1011 ions/cm2. The optimized and degraded properties of the devices could be ascribed to competition among doping, local annealing and defect scattering. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To explore whether convalescent plasma therapy is beneficial to patients with severe acute respiratory infections and gave hints to the management of COVID-19. A comprehensive literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane library was conducted for all eligible studies range from inception to February 29, 2020. Studies with control group were included. Treatment group received convalescent plasma therapy, and control group may receive any therapy other than convalescent plasma therapy. Odds ratios (ORs), mean differences (MDs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were pooled for categorical and continuous outcomes. A total of 1997 patients from 13 studies were included, and seven studies were prospectively designed. Pooled analysis indicated convalescent plasma treatment significantly reduced the mortality by 51% (OR = 0.49, 95% CI: 0.36 to 0.67). Subgroup analyses by publication time, study design, and influenza A revealed similar results. Sensitivity analyses suggested that the results were stable. In addition, convalescent plasma therapy reduced mechanical ventilation requirement (OR: 0.35, 95% CI: 0.21 to 0.59), while it was not associated with less use of extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (OR: 2.0, 95% CI: 0.83 to 4.83) and shorter length of hospital stay (MD: −2.20, 95% CI: −4.98 to 0.57 days). Pooled estimates showed there was no difference in serious adverse effects between the convalescent plasma treatment and control groups (OR: 0.75, 95% CI: 0.50 to 1.13). Convalescent plasma therapy significantly reduced the mortality and mechanical ventilation requirements of patients with virus-induced severe acute respiratory infections, without serious adverse effects. More studies are needed to explore whether this treatment can be extrapolated into COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of liposome-paclitaxel and carboplatin combination chemoradiotherapy for patients with locally advanced esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). Seventy-nine consecutive patients treated with liposome-paclitaxel based concurrent chemoradiotherapy between January 2015 and December 2019 at Cancer hospital of the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Zhejiang cancer hospital) were enrolled in this study. The overall response, toxicities, progression-free survival and overall survival were analyzed with SPSS software. A total of 302 cycles of weekly chemotherapy were delivered, with a median 4 courses. After concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CCRT), the efficacy was classified as CR in 4 cases (5.1%), PR in 22 cases (28.2%) and SD in 51 cases (65.4%). The median PFS and OS time were 18.2 months and 23.4 months. The 3-year PFS and OS rates were 45.1% and 43.6%, respectively. Liposome-paclitaxel and carboplatin concurrent with radiotherapy is a safe and effective modality for locally advanced ESCC. Further clinical investigation are warranted to evaluate the efficacy of this regimen. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To provide basis for effective exercise intervention for young obese women through comparative study of three types of exercise intervention effects, namely, maximum fat oxidation intensity continuous aerobic training (FATmax AT), high intensity intermittent training (HIIT) and resistance training (RT), on body composition in different intervention durations. Fifty-four eligible young obese women (BF% > 30%) aged 22.14 ± 1.32 years old were randomized to FATmax AT, HIIT or RT group. They respectively completed continuous aerobic, high intensity intermittent or anti-resistance exercise 3 sessions per week (45 min per session) for 12 weeks. Body fat rate (BF%), body fat mass (FM), fat-free mass (FFM) and muscle mass (MM) were measured at pre-mid- and post-intervention. (1) Significant interactions of group × time on BF% (F = 18.35, P = 0.00), FM (F = 13.96, P = 0.00), FFM (F = 21.55, P = 0.00) and MM (F = 8.17, P = 0.00) were found, but there is no main effect in either group or time factors. (2) BF% and FM of the participants in FATmax AT, HIIT and RT group decreased significantly when compared to pre-exercise session (P < 0.05), with a greater decrease in HIIT group than those in FATmax AT group and RT group (HIIT: − 40.18% and − 44.97% vs. FATmax: − 24.59% and − 28.09% vs. RT: − 22.84% and − 29.32%, all P < 0.05). (3) FFM and MM of participants in FATmax AT group and HIIT group and MM of RT group increased continuously and significantly after 12-week exercise. FFM with a greater increase in HIIT group and FATmax AT group than that in RT group (HIIT: 8.49% and FATmax AT: 5.67% vs. RT: − 0.04 both P < 0.05), and MM with a greater increase in RT group than those in HIIT group and FATmax AT group (RT: 27.14% vs. HIIT:23.15% and FATmax AT: 24.26%, both P < 0.05). At the end of the 6th weeks, FFM of HIIT group increased significantly more than that of RT group (4.97% vs. 3.37%, P < 0.05), and MM of FATmax group and RT group increased significantly more than that of HIIT group (FATmax AT: 19.93% and RT: 19.57% vs. HIIT: 12.95%, both P < 0.05). Generally speaking, the change rate in duration of 7–12 week was less than that in 0-6 week. This study shows that 12 weeks of exercise training (3 × 45 min/wk) are an efficient weight-reducing procedure, either with FATmax AT, HIIT or RT. Not surprisingly, the heavier protocol (45 min HIIT) induces a slightly greater reduction in BF% and increases FFM, while RT is most helpful in the increase of MM. Therefore, HIIT can be selected for people who can endure high-intensity exercise and are in urgent need of fat loss. However, since the three protocols are not matched for energy expenditure, no general conclusion about the superiority of one protocol over another can be given. A further study investigating this comparison with matched levels of energy expenditure will help to elucidate this question. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mechanical soft reduction (MSR) is an effective method for elimination of the centerline segregation and porosity of the continuous casting steel slab, and the reduction amount is a key parameter that determines whether the MSR could be applied successfully. In the present work, a 2D heat transfer model was developed for predicting the non-uniform solidification of the wide-thick slab. The measured shell thickness by nail shooting experiment and the measured slab surface temperature by infrared camera were applied to validate the 2D heat transfer model. A new calculation method of theoretical reduction amount that could consider the influence of non-uniform solidification of the wide-thick slab was then derived. Based on the predicted temperature field by the 2D heat transfer model and the newly-proposed calculation method, the required theoretical reduction amount and reduction gradient/rate for the wide-thick slab were calculated and discussed. The difference between the newly-proposed method and the previous method, the influence of the casting speed and slab thickness on the required theoretical reduction amount and reduction gradient/rate were also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements of postseismic deformation following the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake, including previously unpublished data from 13 continuous GPS stations installed in southern Tibet shortly after the earthquake. We use variational Bayesian Independent Component Analysis (vbICA) to extract the signal of postseismic deformation from the GPS time series, revealing a broad displacement field extending >150 km northward from the rupture. Kinematic inversions and dynamic forward models show that these displacements could have been produced solely by afterslip on the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) but would require a broad distribution of afterslip extending similarly far north. This would require the constitutive parameter (a − b)σ to decrease northward on the MHT to ≤0.05 MPa (an extreme sensitivity of creep rate to stress change) and seems unlikely in light of the low interseismic coupling and high midcrustal temperatures beneath southern Tibet. We conclude that the northward reach of postseismic deformation more likely results from distributed viscoelastic relaxation, possibly in a midcrustal shear zone extending northward from the seismogenic MHT. Assuming a shear zone 5–20 km thick, we estimate an effective shear‐zone viscosity of ~3·1016–3·1017 Pa·s over the first 1.12 postseismic years. Near‐field deformation can be more plausibly explained by afterslip itself and implies (a − b)σ ~ 0.5–1 MPa, consistent with other afterslip studies. This near‐field afterslip by itself would have re‐increased the Coulomb stress by ≥0.05 MPa over >30% of the Gorkha rupture zone in the first postseismic year, and deformation further north would have compounded this reloading. Key Points: New GPS data show that postseismic deformation of the 2015 Mw7.8 Gorkha (Nepal) earthquake extended far northward into southern TibetKinematic and dynamic models suggest that the northward reach of deformation likely reflects the influence of viscoelastic relaxationAfterslip likely dominated postseismic deformation in the near field, transferring stress back to the (relocked) Gorkha rupture zone [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black shank, caused by the soilborne pathogen Phytophthora nicotianae, is one of the most devastating diseases affecting tobacco production in China. The most effective strategy for reducing economic loss from this pathogen is development and use of resistant tobacco varieties. Multiple sources and systems of resistance have been developed in the Western Hemisphere; however, populations of P. nicotianae are variable around the world, including the predominance of different races. Different P. nicotianae isolates may react differently on tobacco plants with different systems of resistance, a possibility that could complicate the breeding of cultivars with resistance that is effective in different tobacco production regions worldwide. The objective of this research was to evaluate an array of tobacco germplasm possessing different systems of genetic resistance to black shank disease in tobacco‐growing regions of Yunnan, China. Resistance types included simply inherited resistance mechanisms introgressed from wild Nicotiana relatives and polygenic partial resistance systems of N. tabacum origin. The loci of Wz exhibited high level resistance to black shank in the five diverse disease environments in Yunnan, China. K326 Php/−Wz/− genotype and Beinhart 1000 exhibited the greatest levels of resistance in both 2015 and 2016. Field observed results for 13 tobacco genotypes were highly correlated with those tested in growth chamber evaluation. These findings suggest that both Wz− and Beinhart 1000‐mediated resistance have important commercial value in flue‐cured tobacco breeding programmes in China. Cultivars developed for black shank resistance in China may also have utility in other tobacco‐growing areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the inappropriate path caused by traffic control, climatic conditions, and inconsistent regional economic development, etc., the transportation efficiency of emergency relief supplies is low in mining areas in China. To improve the transportation efficiency, a road impedance function model was proposed based on the uniqueness of emergency relief supplies' transportation after mine disasters. The model, which aimed to solve the optimal transport time conforming to practical traffic conditions, was designed in accordance with China's road design norms and actual traffic flows while considering random delays at road junctions. The weight of path was calculated from the road impedance function model and traffic allocation simulation data. The feasibility and universality of the model were proved by performing simulations under normal traffic, rainfall and traffic control conditions. Results indicate that the optimal path selection by the Dijkstra algorithm achieves a high accuracy. Time cost under rainfall and traffic control conditions increases by 3.3 % and 1 %, respectively, compared with the normal condition. This study provides new ideas to select transport path for emergency relief supplies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For field emission from wide-band-gap semiconductor nanostructures, nonlinear plots on Fowler-Nordheim (FN) coordinates and unacceptably large field enhancement factors (βFN) are often obtained by fitting based on FN equation. In the present work, the field-induced hot-electron emission model is developed and is found to give theoretical findings consistent with the experimental observation. The hot electrons are produced by heating effect of penetration field into the emitting tip of the nanostructure. This energy is expressed by effective electron temperature Te, which is much higher than the temperature of bulk structure. By combining the effective electron temperature with thermal emission function and Murphy and Good integration function, the relation between emission current density and external field is derived and the field enhancement factor (βTe) can be calculated quantitatively. For evaluation of the theoretical model, ZnO nanostructure is selected as a concrete example. The results are found to agree with experiment findings. Extremely large field enhancement factor is not needed in our model and nonlinear property of saturation region emerges in nature in our calculation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Intravenous thrombolysis is considered to be the standard reperfusion therapy for acute ischemic stroke, but its application is limited by high risk of hemorrhagic transformation (HT) after thrombolysis. Aim This study aimed to identify risk factors of HT after intravenous thrombolysis. Methods Patients with acute ischemic stroke receiving rt-PA thrombolysis from February 2013 to January 2018 were retrospectively reviewed. They were divided into HT group and non-HT group based on cranial computed tomography. Data of all patients were collected and analysed by univariate analysis and stepwise logistic regression analysis. Results A total of 403 patients were enrolled and their age ranged from 13 to 86 years, with an average age of 67.01 ± 31.88 years. 136 (33.7%) patients were females. The average time from disease onset to thrombolysis was 52.05 ± 20.12 min, and 46 patients (11.4%) had HT after thrombolysis. We found significant differences in activated partial thromboplastin time, fibrinogen value, platelet value and smoking before thrombolysis between HT and non-HT group (P  < 0.05). Conclusion Smoking, prolongation of activated partial thromboplastin time, low fibrinogen levels and low platelet counts are associated with the risk of HT and could help the selection of thrombolytic patients to avoid HT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper describes an effective cooling-design approach to the elimination of the RF-induced frequency-shift in the resonant cavity of the Radio Frequency Quadrupole with the high average-power operation. After the RF power is fed into the cavity, the frequency may shift due to the temperature change in the cavity. However, the RF-induced frequency shift can be diminished by the optimization of the cooling passage location and the water flow rate in the vane and wall during the design phase. The temperature of the cooling water has no effect on the RF-induced frequency shift. This approach is implemented by the coupled electromagnetic, thermal and mechanical analyses of the cavity, and has been performed on the cooling design of the CW/100 kW FRIB RFQ. The total designed flow rate is 18.2 kg/s and the RF-induced frequency shift is -0.4 kHz. During operation, the flow rate can be further adjusted within tolerance to diminish the RF-induced frequency shift as much as possible. Besides the RFQ cavity, this method is applicable to the cooling design of other room-temperature accelerators with similar structural characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Permanent magnet stirring (PMS) featuring low power dissipation and high-intensity magnetic field was investigated as a means of decreasing internal solidification defects. In this study, the magnetic Taylor number (Ta) was used to quantify the melt flow. Initial research of PMS involved a laboratory study of the solidification of Sn-20 wt-% Pb alloy. An industrial plant trial with continuously cast tire cord steel confirmed that PMS, in accord with the laboratory findings, produced an improvement in central cavities in the cast product. Moreover, it was established that PMS is an alternative method for reducing carbon macrosegregation in tire cord steel billets with different section sizes. It was also found that PMS (Ta = 8.97 × 107) was more effective for improving central carbon macrosegregation of tire cord steel than electromagnetic stirring (Ta = 6.33 × 107) due to the larger Ta related to the driven-flow intensity of the residual melt. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this series, our aim is to develop a new scheme based upon a perturbation expansion of the weak intermolecular interactions for the solvent (solvatochromatic) shift of the center of an electronic absorption band in a condensed phase. It is tested by calculation of the shift of the 1(n,π*) absorption and fluorescence spectra of pyrimidine in water. Herein, NPT-ensemble Monte Carlo simulations are performed to determine the structure of dilute pyrimidine in water at 25 °C and 1 atm. pressure. Six different intermolecular effective pair potentials are used to produce a wide range of hydrogen-bond structures ranging from 0 to 2 hydrogen bonds per pyrimidine molecule, suitable for subsequent investigations into the correlation of spectral shift with solvent structure. One potential obtained using Kollman’s Lennard-Jones parameters combined with ab initio electrostatic-potential charges produces the most accurate potential function; this correctly reproduces the observed enthalpy of hydration and partial specific volume of pyrimidine, and produces a chemically reasonable description of the hydrogen-bond structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen bonding between pyrimidine in its lowest (n,π*) singlet excited state and water in dilute solution is investigated using NPT-ensemble Monte Carlo simulations, and the properties of the pyrimidine–water complex are examined using molecular dynamics. The 1(n,π*) excitation, known experimentally to be delocalized in the gas phase, is shown to remain delocalized when pyrimidine undergoes hydrogen bonding. Assuming that the intermolecular interactions are electronic state independent, Kollman’s Lennard-Jones interactions are combined with molecular charges obtained in four different ways, generating a variety of intermolecular pair potentials. It is found that, in solution, both pyrimidine–water–hydrogen bonds are considerably weakened in the excited state; however, on average, one hydrogen bond per pyrimidine remains. The excited state hydrogen bonding gives rise to structures in the liquid more like those found in van der Waals bonded systems than in strongly hydrogen-bonded systems such as ground-state pyrimidine in water. A blue shift of the absorption band origin is correctly predicted and its magnitude and Franck–Condon contribution are in reasonable agreement with experiment. For pyrimidine–water clusters, minor changes in the intermolecular potential surfaces are shown to cause major qualitative differences in the excited state cluster dynamics, mimicking the observed spectral properties of several different hydrogen-bonded pyrimidine clusters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A model is developed for the solvent shift of the center of an electronic absorption or emission band and is applied to the interpretation of the spectra of dilute pyrimidine in water. It is based on the use of standard simulation techniques such as molecular dynamics and Monte Carlo to calculate the liquid structure around the chromophore in its initial electronic state; the solvent shift is then deduced by considering the changes in the electrostatic distribution of the chromophore on vertical Franck–Condon excitation. During the solvent-shift evaluation only, spherical boundary conditions are used and the sample, containing both the solute and a large number of explicitly polarizable solvent molecules, is placed inside a dielectric continuum. The results show that the solvent shifts of both the absorption and fluorescence spectra of pyrimidine in water are comprised of approximately equal contributions from specific hydrogen-bonding interactions and long-range–plus–nonspecific dipole solvation effects. The solvent shift is shown to be very sensitive to the structure of the liquid. A specific aim of our approach is to develop a method applicable to molecular electronic devices, and to inorganic complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exchange and migration of basin materials that are carried by pore fluids are the essence of diagenesis, which can alter physical properties of clastic rocks as well as control formation and distribution of favorable reservoirs of petroliferous basins. Diagenetic products and pore fluids, resulting from migration and exchange of basin materials, can be used to deduce those processes. In this study, 300 core samples from 46 wells were collected for preparation of casting thin sections, SEM, BSE, EDS, inclusion analysis, and isotope analysis in Dongying Sag, Bohai Bay Basin, East China. Combined with geochemical characteristics of pore fluids and geological background of the study area, the source and exchange mechanisms of materials in the pore fluids of rift basins were discussed. It was revealed that the material exchange of pore fluids could be divided into five stages. The first stage was the evaporation concentration stage during which mainly Ca2+, Mg2+, and CO32- precipitated as high-Mg calcites. Then came the shale compaction stage, when mainly Ca2+ and CO32- from shale compaction water precipitated as calcites. The third stage was the carboxylic acid dissolution stage featured by predominant dissolution of plagioclases, during which Ca2+ and Na+ entered pore fluids, and Si and Al also entered pore fluids and then migrated as clathrates, ultimately precipitating as kaolinites. The fourth stage was the organic CO2 stage, mainly characterized by the kaolinization of K-feldspar as well as dissolution of metamorphic lithic fragments and carbon cements. During this stage, K+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, HCO3-, and CO32- entered pore fluids. The fifth stage was the alkaline fluid stage, during which the cementation of ferro-carbonates and ankerites as well as illitization or chloritization of kaolinites prevailed, leading to the precipitation of K+, Fe2+, Mg2+, Ca2+, and CO32- from pore fluids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to control central cracks in continuous casting of microalloy 49MnVS3 steel, the formation mechanism of central cracks has been studied by analysing the element segregation, crack morphology, hot ductility, precipitates and centre macrosegregation. It was found that the centre macrosegregation of carbon and sulphur and the precipitation of (Mn, Fe)S in grain boundary at the later stage of solidification could decrease the solidus temperature and enlarge the high temperature brittle zone, meanwhile, the precipitations of MnS and Ti(C, N) in grain boundary could make cracks easier to propagate, both of which lead to the formation of central cracks. Based on the above analysis, the centre macrosegregation of carbon and sulphur and the inclusions including MnS and the total in the centre of bloom were decreased by using final electromagnetic stirring and machine soft reduction together, thus, the central cracks of bloom were controlled successfully. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Knowledge on the interaction of active structures is essential to understand mechanics of continental deformation and estimate the earthquake potential in complex tectonic settings. Here we use Sentinel-1A radar imagery to investigate coseismic deformation associated with the 2016 Menyuan (Qinghai) earthquake, which occurred in the vicinity of the left-lateral Haiyuan fault. The ascending and descending interferograms indicate thrust-dominated slip, with the maximum line-of-sight displacements of 58 and 68 mm, respectively. The InSAR observations fit well with the uniform-slip dislocation models except for a larger slip-to-width ratio than that predicted by the empirical scaling law. We suggest that geometric complexities near the Leng Long Ling restraining bend confine rupture propagation, resulting in high slip occurred within a small area and much higher stress drop than global estimates. Although InSAR observations cannot distinguish the primary plane, we prefer the west-dipping solution considering aftershocks distribution and the general tectonic context. Both InSAR modelling and aftershock locations indicate that the rupture plane linked to the Haiyuan fault at 10 km depth, a typical seismogenic depth in Tibet. We suggest that the earthquake more likely occurred on a secondary branch at a restraining bend of the Haiyuan fault, even though we cannot completely rule out the possibility of it being on a splay of the North Qilian Shan thrusts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A hybrid energy finite element method (Hybrid-EFEM) considering direct field is introduced and promoted to general coupling conditions. The equivalent stress amplitude based on energy density is derived. Then combined with zero order moment stress spectrum method, a high-frequency fatigue life prediction method based on Hybrid-EFEM is proposed. A fatigue life prediction example is carried out to verify the feasibility of the method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinocerebellar ataxia type 36 ( SCA36) is a new SCA subtype recently reported in Japanese and Spanish pedigrees. To assess the frequency and clinical characteristics of SCA36 in patients from Mainland China, we combined the repeat-primed polymerase chain reaction method and Southern blot analysis to detect the GGCCTG hexanucleotide repeats of NOP56 in 364 probands with SCA, 126 probands with hereditary spastic paraplegia and 99 probands with amyotrophic lateral sclerosis ( ALS). Systematic and targeted clinical evaluations and investigations were conducted in the SCA36 patients. As a result, eight autosomal dominant spinocerebellar ataxia ( ADCA) pedigrees (a total of 13 patients) and one sporadic SCA (S- SCA) patient were identified as SCA36 in the SCA cohort, accounting for approximately 1.60% of the cases in the ADCA group and 0.32% of those in the S- SCA group in Mainland China. The characteristics include late onset and slow progression accompanied by acoustic impairments and 'possible' ALS phenotype in patients from Mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hongmu is a general term for eight precious timbers in China. Pterocarpus is a significant component of Hongmu tree species, but its natural distribution has not been found in China. Species of Pterocarpus were introduced and cultivated in China in the 1950s. After more than half a century, Pterocarpus grows and develops well in southern subtropical and tropical regions of China. We reviewed the introduction and cultivation history of Pterocarpus species in China, their growth performances and ecological adaptabilities, and prospect of future development and cultivation of Pterocarpus Hongmu forest resources in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose/objective(s): We hypothesized that FDG PET imaging during chemoradiation for unresectable non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) is prognostic for survival, and that PET response is correlated with systemic immune response to treatment, as characterized by peripheral immunologic correlates and tumor PD-L1 status. A prognostic test that could predict patient outcome would help better select patients who need additional therapies, and spare toxicity in patients who do not.Materials/methods: A total of 45 patients with AJCCv7 stage IIB-IIIB NSCLC enrolled on the phase II FLARE-RT trial and received platinum-doublet chemotherapy concurrent with 6 weeks of radiation (NCT02773238). FDG PET imaging was performed prior to treatment start and after 24 Gy of radiation (week 3). PET response status was prospectively defined by multifactor radiomics. PET responders received 60 Gy in 30 fractions, while non-responders received concomitant boosts to 74 Gy in 30 fractions. 22/45 patients received durvalumab post-chemoradiation. Peripheral blood was drawn synchronously with PET imaging, from which germline DNA sequencing, T-cell receptor (TCR) sequencing, and plasma cytokines analysis were performed. Overall survival (OS), progression-free survival (PFS), and locoregional control (LRC) were estimated by Kaplan-Meier. Unsupervised learning of germline DNA sequencing SNP genotypes was performed with hierarchical clustering and summarized with cumulative frequency distributions of rank ordered SNPs. Genotype associations to OS, PFS, and PET response status were characterized by logistic regression with Firth penalization for estimating odds ratios (OR). TCR diversity metric trends were estimated by Spearman rank correlation and pairwise changes by Wilcoxon signed rank testing. TCR diversity metric associations to OS and PFS were assessed by Permutation testing of Harrell's c-index.Results: Median follow-up was 18.8 months, 1-year OS 82%, 1-year PFS 53%, and 1-year LRC 88%. Higher mid-treatment PET total lesion glycolysis was detrimental to OS (1-yr 87% vs. 63%, P < 0.001), PFS (1-yr 60% vs. 26%, P = 0.044) and LRC (1-yr 94% vs. 65%, P = 0.012), even after adjustment for clinical/treatment factors. Tumor PD-L1 expression was correlated with PET response (P = 0.017), with 6/6 patients with high PD-L1 TPS (> 50%) classified as PET responders and 4/5 patients with negative PD-L1 TPS (< 1%) classified as PET non-responders. Germline DNA alterations in immunologic pathways had an outsized effect on OS and PET response; of the top 30 SNPs ranked by association with PET response status (P < 0.016), a plurality (13/30) came from immunologic pathways. Higher TCR richness, higher clone distribution slope, and smaller decline in clone distribution slope was associated with improved OS (P = 0.018-0.05); clone distribution slope was correlated with PET response (P = 0.031).Conclusion: Mid-chemoradiation PET imaging is prognostic for survival; PET response may be linked to tumor and peripheral immunologic biomarkers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) and monolayer graphene were irradiated by swift heavy ions (SHI, 479 MeV 86 Kr and 250 MeV 112 Sn) and highly charged ions (HCI, 4 MeV 86 Kr 19+ ). The irradiation effects caused by different types of irradiation were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. It was found that the intensity ratio of D peak to G peak ( I D /I G ) in the case of HCI was higher than that of SHI for the same ion fluence in HOPG. The larger I D /I G indicates that synergistic effects of kinetic and potential energies of medium energy HCI has to be considered during the energy deposition process. A turning point was detected during the evolution process of I D / I G with fluence obtained from SHI and HCI impacted graphene, while such turning point was absent in the case of HOPG. The Lucchese's phenomenological model was modified and the experimental data of I D / I G vs. fluence for HOPG and graphene was completely following the modified model. According to this model, energetic ions induced both structurally disordered and activated regions in graphene. The competing mechanism of these two regions resulted in three different trends of the I D /I G variation in the case of graphene whereas in HOPG, such mechanism was not observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Protein functions that are mediated by interaction with other proteins (protein–protein interactions, PPI) are important for normal cell biology and also in disease. Molecules that can interfere with PPI are required as laboratory tools to dissect function, as lead drug surrogates for target validation and as templates for drug discovery. We describe enhanced developments to Intracellular Antibody Capture (IAC) technology that can select antibody fragments able to interact with targets in cells. This is illustrated by the isolation of single heavy chain variable region domains binding to the basic–helix–loop–helix and leucine zipper region of the CMYC oncogenic protein. The enhanced IAC (eIAC) methodology deploys screening in yeast cells of a single diverse library initially with randomization only of CDR3. Further sequential randomization of CDR2 and CDR1 of three independently selected anti-CMYC clones illustrates an in vivo affinity maturation process. This concise eIAC approach facilitates the rapid selection of antibody fragments to explore the proteome interaction spectrum of mammalian cells and disease targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Swift heavy ions irradiation induced deteriorated electrical properties of graphene field effect transistors. • Hillocks on graphene and SiO 2 surface was detected, and SiO 2 surface was "flattened" after thermal annealing. • Defected graphene was not repaired at 110 °C and the graphene structure was further damaged at higher temperature (500 °C) by the compressive strain induced by the thermal contraction of SiO 2 layer. • The irradiation damage in SiO 2 /Si interface cannot be repaired by annealing even at temperatures as high as 1100 °C. Irradiation effects in graphene-based devices are crucial for applications of carbon-based devices utilized in aerospace and other radiation harsh environments. In this work, the deteriorated electrical properties of graphene field effect transistors (GFETs) induced by swift heavy ions (SHIs, 1.8 GeV Ta) and evolution of the defects in device materials after irradiation and thermal annealing have been investigated. The SHIs induced defects in graphene result in the increase of resistance and decrease in carrier mobilities. Thermal annealing at 110 °C could improve the carrier mobility at smaller scale that can be ascribed to the degassing effect. The defects in graphene were unrepairable after annealing at 110 °C. At higher temperature (e.g., 500 °C), the graphene structure was further damaged as a result of the compressive strain induced by thermal contraction of the SiO 2 layer. The evolutions of graphene and SiO 2 surface morphologies with increasing annealing temperature were studied by Atomic Force Microscopy investigations. After irradiation, the weakened lattice structure order of the Si layer and change of the SiO 2 /Si interface morphology were confirmed. It was also shown that the damage in SiO 2 /Si interface did not recover even after the high temperature (e.g., 1100 °C) annealing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed a modified transpalatal arch (tongue anchorage pad, TAP) to help control the vertical dimension. This study aimed to evaluate its efficiency by measuring the tongue resting pressure at different anteroposterior positions of the TAP in the upright and supine positions and to investigate the effect of changes in body position. Our study recruited 17 volunteers with individual normal occlusion (4 males, 13 females, age 22-33 years). An individualised TAP was designed for each subject. With a miniature sensor ( FSS1500 NS) installed in the device, we measured the pressure at the level of the distal second premolar ( PM2), the first molar ( M1) and the second molar ( M2) in both the upright and supine positions. Nonparametric analysis was applied with the level of significance set at 0·05. In the upright position, tongue pressures obtained at PM2, M1 and M2 were 183·94, 130·81 and 113·07 Pa, respectively, with the maximum value detected at PM2 ( P = 0·001). While in the supine position, pressures of 187·03, 156·87 and 201·69 Pa were detected at the same sites, with significantly higher values for M1 ( P = 0·002) and M2 ( P = 0·004). Tongue resting pressure decreases from the anterior aspect to the posterior aspect in the upright position. In the supine position, the pressure is consistent across the midline with pressure enhancement at M1 and M2. As many questions remain about this appliance and appropriate intruding force, further clinical and basic studies are required prior to its clinical implementation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The population and charge state distribution of neon interacting with ultraintense x-ray pulses are investigated by solving a time-dependent rate equation in the detailed level-accounting (DLA) approximation. Due to the detailed description of neon atom and ions, our DLA result improves the agreement between predictions and experimental measurements for odd neon charge states. In the framework of the DLA formalism, we further studied the effects of direct double Auger decay (DDAD) on charge state distribution. After the 1 s photoionization of neon atom, the DDAD processes give accessible decay channels from the K-shell hole state of Ne+ to levels of Ne3+, resulting in an increase of the population fraction of Ne3+ and a decrease of that of Ne2+. Compared with the results without considering the DDAD effects, better agreement is obtained between theory and experiment. (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim) [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lithium–oxygen (Li–O 2 ) battery is considered as one of the most promising technologies among various electrochemical energy systems, since it can offer much higher theoretical energy density than the conventional lithium-ion battery. However, a high voltage gap between charge and discharge significantly limits the round-trip efficiency and cycle stability of Li–O 2 batteries. In the present work, mesoporous Co 3 O 4 is simply prepared and studied as a catalyst in Li–O 2 cells. The Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles possesses a high specific surface area and a spinel crystalline structure. Cyclic voltammetries demonstrate that mesoporous Co 3 O 4 catalyst enhances the kinetics for either oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) or oxygen evolution reaction (OER). Such excellent catalytic performance of Co 3 O 4 could be associated with its larger surface area and 3D ordered mesoporous structure. The electrode with mesoporous Co 3 O 4 exhibits a higher discharge capacity and lowers the over-potential for discharge process, compared with the pure carbon electrode. In Li–O 2 cells, the Co 3 O 4 cathodes show enhanced electrochemical performances, including a high round-trip efficiency and a prolonged cycle life. More than 65 stable cycles are observed with a Co 3 O 4 -catalyzed electrode, which could be attributed to the low recharge voltage, at which main side reactions due to decomposition of TEGDME-based electrolyte can be suppressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characteristics of scattering due to interface roughness are usually described by the backscattering matrix for reverberation modeling. The backscattering matrix based on the Bass perturbation theory has significant differences from that based on the empirical scattering rule (Lambert's rule), especially at low grazing angles. In a waveguide environment with a point source, it is very difficult to extract the quantitative characteristics of the backscattering matrix at low grazing angles from the experimental data because of the difficulties in acquiring low-grazing-angle scattering data and separating the scattering data between different modes (grazing angles). In contrast, the use of single-mode excitations as sources in shallow-water waveguides enables acquisition of good quality low-grazing-angle scattering data. In this paper, the characteristics of the backscattering matrix were obtained from different single-mode reverberation experiments in shallow-water. The experiments were carried out at different sites during different seasons off the coasts of China. Model-data comparisons were made and the results showed that at low grazing angles (2 °-5 °), the backscattering matrices based on the Bass perturbation theory were in good agreement with the experimental data, but the backscattering matrices based on Lambert's rule were not. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High performing Li–O2 cells are assembled using a commercially available gas diffusion layer (GDL) as catalyst free cathode and tetraglyme/LiClO4 as aprotic electrolyte, and their electrochemical performances are investigated. The potential/time bound electrochemical characterization at different discharge rates and depths is performed along with ex situ analyses using techniques such as X-ray diffraction and FESEM. Among the two different GDLs investigated, the one with standard microporous layer is promising as high capacity cathode. Cell charge/discharge capability was evaluated and the results strongly support a discharge mechanism which mainly involves Li2O2 formation/dissolution at the cathode. The studies by XRD confirmed the existence of Li2O2 particles as the only detected product on the discharged cathode which is deposited and grown up at the surface as well as inside the microporous layer. The cell with GDL cathode maintains a very good cyclability under potential/time controlled mode with minimum amount of electrolyte decomposed products. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A feed-forward neural network is used to create a monthly climatology of the sea surface fugacity of CO2 ( fCO2) on a 1° × 1° spatial resolution. Using 127 880 data points from 1990 to 2011 in the track-gridded database of the Surface Ocean CO2 Atlas version 2.0 (Bakker et al.), the model yields a global mean fCO2 increase rate of 1.50 μatm yr−1. The rate was used to normalize multiple years' fCO2 observations to the reference year of 2000. A total of 73 265 data points from the normalized data were used to model the global fCO2 climatology. The model simulates monthly fCO2 distributions that agree well with observations and yields an anthropogenic CO2 update of −1.9 to −2.3 PgC yr−1. The range reflects the uncertainty related to using different wind products for the flux calculation. This estimate is in good agreement with the recently derived best estimate by Wanninkhof et al. The model product benefits from a finer spatial resolution compared to the product of Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory (Takahashi et al.), which is currently the most frequently used product. It therefore has the potential to improve estimates of the global ocean CO2 uptake. The method's benefits include but are not limited to the following: (i) a fixed structure is not required to model fCO2 as a nonlinear function of biogeochemical variables, (ii) only one neural network configuration is sufficient to model global fCO2 in all seasons, and (iii) the model can be extended to produce global fCO2 maps at a higher resolution in time and space as long as the required data for input variables are available. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of Ti/Ni ratio on the microstructure, phase transformation characteristics and damping capacity of TiNiNbMo quaternary alloys was investigated by scanning electron microscope, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and dynamic mechanical analyser. The microstructure observation showed that eutectic is weakened by the increase in the Ti/Ni ratio. The DSC test indicated that TiNiNbMo alloys with different Ti/Ni ratios exhibit multistage transformations including R transformation and B19′ martensite transformation, and the phase transformation temperature range was increased during cooling or heating. Meanwhile, when the Ti/Ni ratio is equal to 1·08, the alloy in martensite phase exhibited much higher damping than that of Ti50·1Ni49·9 binary alloy, which is mainly attributed to the precipitation of fine and dispersed β-Nb particles in the prime NiTi phases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Monolayer graphene and highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) were irradiated by swift heavy ions (209Bi and 112Sn) with the fluence between 1011 and 1014 ions/cm2. Both pristine and irradiated samples were investigated by Raman spectroscopy. It was found that D and D′ peaks appear after irradiation, which indicated the ion irradiation introduced damage both in the graphene and graphite lattice. Due to the special single atomic layer structure of graphene, the irradiation fluence threshold Φ th of the D band of graphene is significantly lower (<1×1011 ions/cm2) than that (2.5×1012 ions/cm2) of HOPG. The larger defect density in graphene than in HOPG indicates that the monolayer graphene is much easier to be damaged than bulk graphite by swift heavy ions. Moreover, different defect types in graphene and HOPG were detected by the different values of I D/I D′. For the irradiation with the same electronic energy loss, the velocity effect was found in HOPG. However, in this experiment, the velocity effect was not observed in graphene samples irradiated by swift heavy ions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) have attracted immense interest of the scientistific community due to their unique physico-chemical characteristics and applications in optoelectronic devices. Interface between TMDCs and the substrate plays a leading role in the performance and reliability of the devices. Swift heavy ion (SHI) irradiation is used as a most valuable tool for altering material's physical, chemical, structural, surface and interface properties in a controlled manner. In this work, characteristics of SHI irradiation caused defects in MoSe 2 sheets on different substrates were presented to study the role of the substrate on defect engineering of MoSe 2. Morphologies of the SHI induced latent tracks on MoSe 2 were detected by atomic force microscopy (AFM), which suggest that substrate plays a dominate role on determining the shape of the latent tracks on 2D TMDCs. Cross-section morphology of SHI irradiated MoSe 2 on different substrates was examined by high resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The lattice mismatch between MoSe 2 sheets and the substrate leads to different depths of the atomic mixing at their interface. Dependence of vibrational modes of MoSe 2 nanosheets on the substrates was studied by Raman spectroscopy and a counterbalance effect among the electron doping, charge localization and decoupling effect is expected to determining the shift of A 1g mode in SHI irradiated MoSe 2 sheets. Electrical properties degradation of the MoSe 2 field effect transistor (FET) confirms the SHI irradiation that cause charge localization. This study provides fundamental insights in understanding the influence of the substrate on defect engineering in TMDC materials and a practical guide on choosing the conditions to obtain certain parameters of irradiated TMDC materials. • Shape of latent tracks on MoSe 2 with a small thickness depends on the substrate. • Interface profile depends on the lattice mismatch between MoSe 2 and substrates. • Dependence of vibrational modes of MoSe 2 on the substrates is studied in detail. • Electrical property degradation confirms irradiation caused charge localization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite improvement, dental caries is still the main public oral health problem worldwide and the major cause of pain, tooth loss and chewing difficulties in children and adolescents; and it impacts negatively on oral health-related quality of life. A cross-sectional study of a multistage representative sample of 8-12-year-old Brazilian school children was carried out in order to investigate the association between enamel defects and dental caries. Children's mothers completed a questionnaire about socio-demographic and behavioural character- istics at home. Firth's bias reduced logistic regression models were undertaken to assess the association between the main exposure (enamel defects) and caries experience. The prevalence of any enamel defect was 64.0%; the prevalence of diffuse opacities, demarcated opacities and enamel hypoplasia was 35.0%, 29.5% and 3.7%, respectively. The prevalence of dental caries was 32.4%, with mean DMFT of 0.6 (SD, 1.2). Dental caries experience was more common among children who had enamel hypoplasia in their posterior teeth (OR = 2.79; 95% CI: 1.05, 6.51) than among those with none. In anterior teeth, there was no association. Enamel hypoplasia appears to be an important risk factor for dental caries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Subcriticai and supercritical bifurcations are two typical behaviors that exist in high speed railway vehicles. In the presence of instability, the former and the latter behaviors may lead to large amplitude oscillation and small amplitude swaying, respectively. The normal form (NF) method of Hopf bifurcation provides a way to study the supercritical and subcriticai bifurcation. The wheelset is a key component in the vehicle system and it plays an important role in vehicle lateral stability. To study the lateral stability problems, three wheelset models are considered, which involve the NF theory. This method is an algebraic approach as opposed to the inte-gration approach. Like the sign of Re(λ) that determines the stability of linear system, the sign of Rec1(0) determines the two bifurcation modes, meaning that Rec1 (0) > 0 for supercritical bifurcation and Rec1(0) < 0 for subcriticai bifurcation. Furthermore, if the ordinary differential equation (ODE) is local linear near the equilibrium position, it leads to the condition of Rec1(0) = 0, resulting in the jumping phenomenon. Besides, the expression of the 1/2-order approximation of ümit cycle can be further obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Oral lichen planus (OLP) is a prevalent cell-mediated autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. Disruption in the Th1/Th2 equilibrium has been suspected to contribute to the pathogenesis of OLP. In this study, we aimed at exploring, in OLP, the interactions between Th1/Th2 cytokines and Golli-MBP, a regulator of autogenic T cells. Subjects and Methods Thirty-six OLP patients aged 18-79 and nineteen control subjects aged 20-69 were enrolled in the dental clinics of Nanjing Medical University. OLP was diagnosed clinically and verified by histopathological examination. All subjects were free of other autoimmune diseases. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and serum were collected from all subjects. Gene expression and protein levels of Golli-MBP, IFN-γ and IL-4 were measured, respectively, by semiquantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Result When compared with control, PBMC and serum from OLP patients exhibited a significantly higher expression and concentration of Golli-MBP and IL-4 and lower levels of IFN-γ. A strong negative correlation ( r = −0.838, P < 0.000) was detected between the ratio of IFN-γ/IL-4 and Golli-MBP gene expression in PBMCs of OLP patients. Conclusion These data support a potential link between Golli-MBP and the dysregulation of the Th1/Th2 equilibrium in OLP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The detailed level-to-level single and double Auger decay rates of Kr 3d−1 hole states are investigated in the framework of the first and second perturbation theory implemented by distorted wave approximation with the balanced large-scale configuration interaction of the successive ions being taken into account. The branching ratios of cascade and direct double Auger decay to the total probability are predicted to be 16.5% and 16.1%, respectively, for Kr and 16.8% and 17.2% for Kr , resulting in total double branching ratios of 32.6% and 34.0% for the two levels of Kr 3d−1 hole. A comparison is made with the available experimental results on the branching ratio into triply charged ions and good agreement was found with the most recent published work. This work represents the first theoretical study to correctly explain the experimental measurements. The complete pathways were depicted by including the direct double Auger decay process. Compared with the Auger decay of Ar 2p−1, the fraction of the cascade double of Kr 3d−1 is dramatically enhanced yet that of direct double Auger processes is only slightly increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Highly oriented pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) samples were irradiated by swift heavy ions (86Kr, 209Bi and 238U) with the fluence of 1011–1013 ions/cm2 at room temperature. The production of sp3 hybridization by the irradiation process has been confirmed directly by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). In this work, both irradiated and pristine HOPG samples were investigated by XPS and Raman spectroscopy. The existence of sp3 component is confirmed on the surface of the irradiated HOPG samples. XPS result shows that the acreage ratio I sp3/I sp2 increases with the ion fluence and saturates at a higher value of irradiation. It is found that the amount of hybridization (I sp3/I sp2) strongly depends on the electronic energy loss in the sample. Raman spectra of the irradiated samples show the increasing of acreage ratio I D /I G with the ion fluence, which indicates the change of the atomic structure and the phase transition from sp2 to sp3. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Diabetes was an increasing public health problem nowadays. Accumulating evidences had shed a light on the involvement of endothelial cell dysfunction in the pathogenesis of diabetes-associated vascular diseases. MiR-21, a multiple-functional miRNA, was evidenced to be involved in endothelial dysfunction, however, the underlying molecular mechanisms were still unknown. In current study, we investigated the intrinsic link between miR-21 and high glucose-induced endothelial dysfunction. We demonstrated that expression of miR-21 was elevated in circulating endothelial progenitor cells from diabetes patients. Further, inhibition of miR-21 markedly enhanced high glucose-induced endothelial cytotoxicity. Furthermore, proteomic profiling was applied to analyze the downstream effectors involved in miR-21-meidated protection of endothelial cells. A total of 31 proteins were positively identified, including Annexin A2, S100A4, SOD2, Thioredoxin and DAXX. Altered expression of these proteins was validated by immunoblot. Finally, mechanistic study showed that miR-21 protected endothelial cell against high glucose-induced endothelial cytotoxicity probably by inhibiting the expression of DAXX. Our findings were considered as a signifi cant step toward a better understanding of diabetes-associated vascular diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]