Epidermal growth factor receptor antibody plus recombinant human endostatin in treatment of hepatic metastases after remnant gastric cancer resection

We report a 55-year-old male who developed advanced hepatic metastasis and peritoneal carcinomatosis after resection of remnant gastric cancer resection 3 mo ago. The patient only received epidermal growth factor (EGF) receptor antibody (Cetuximab) plus recombinant human endostatin (Endostar). Anti-tumor activity was assessed by 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography/computer tomography (PET/CT) at baseline and then every 4 wk. The case illustrates that 18FDG-PET/CT could make an early prediction of the response to Cetuximab plus Endostar in such clinical situations. 18FDG-PET/CT is a useful molecular imaging modality to evaluate the biological response advanced hepatic metastasis and peritoneal carcinomatosis to Cetuximab plus Endostar in patients after remnant gastric cancer resection.

Effect of Cryogenic Treatment on Property of 14Cr2Mn2V High Chromium Cast Iron Subjected to Subcritical Treatment

Effect of cryogenic treatment on the microstructure, hardening behavior and abrasion resistance of 14Cr2Mn2V high chromium cast iron （HCCI） subjected to subcritical treatment was investigated. The results show that cryogenic treatment after subcritical treatment can obviously improve the hardness and abrasion resistance of HCCI because abundant retained austenite is transformed into martensite and fine secondary carbides E（Fe, Cr）23 C6 ] precipitate. The amount of martensite and precipitated secondary carbide in HCCI experiencing subcritical treatment followed by cryogenic treatment was more than that experiencing the subcritical treatment followed by air cooling. When the abrasion resistance of HCCI reaches the maximum, its microstructure contains about 15 % retained austenite. Cryogenic treatment can further reduce the austenite content but the retained austenite cannot be transformed in to martensite completely.

Human RING finger protein ZNF645 is a novel testis-specific E3 ubiquitin ligase

A large number of testis-specific genes are involved in the complex process of mammalian spermatogenesis. Identification of these genes and their roles is important for understanding the mechanisms underlying spermatogenesis. Here we report on a novel human RING finger protein, ZNF645, which contains a C3HC4 RING finger domain, a C2H2 zinc-finger domain, and a proline-rich region, indicating that it has a structure similar to that of the c-Cbl-like protein Hakai. ZNF645 was exclusively expressed in normal human testicular tissue. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed that ZNF645 protein was present in spermatocytes, round and elongated spermatids, and Leydig cells. Immunofluorescence staining of mature sperms further showed that the ZNF645 protein was localized over the postacrosomal perinuclear theca region and the entire length of sperm tail. An in vitro ubiquitination assay indicated that the RING finger domain of the ZNF645 protein had E3 ubiquitin ligase activity. Therefore, we suggest that ZNF645 might act as an E3 ubiquitin-protein ligase and play a role in human sperm production and quality control.

Density functional study of uranyl （VI） amidoxime complexes

Uranyl （VI） amidoxime complexes are investigated using relativistic density functional theory. The equilibrium structures, bond orders, and Mulliken populations of the complexes have been systematically investigated under a generalized gradient approximation （GGA）. Comparison of （acet） uranyl amidoxime complexes （[UO2（AO）n]2-n, 1≤ n≤4） with available experimental data shows an excellent agreement. In addition, the U-O（1）, U-O（3）, C（1）-N（2）, and C（3） N（4） bond lengths of [UO2（CH3AO）4]2- are longer than experimental data by about 0.088, 0.05, 0.1, and 0.056 A. The angles of N（3） O（3）-U, O（2）-N（1）-C（1）, N（3）-C（3）-N（4）, N（4）-C（3） C（4）, and C（4）-C（3）-N（3） are different from each other, which is due to existing interaction between oxygen in uranyl and hydrogen in amino group. This interaction is found to be intra-molecular hydrogen bond. Studies on the bond orders, Mulliken charges, and Mulliken populations demonstrate that uranyl oxo group functions as hydrogen-bond acceptors and H atoms in ligands act as hydrogen-bond donors forming hydrogen bonds within the complex.

Synthesis of potassium hexatitanate whiskers using hydrothermal method

High quality potassium hexatitanate whiskers were hydrothermally synthesized in one step under moderate temperature and pressure conditions. Effects of the titanium source and reaction conditions on the hydrothermal reaction rate, product phase component, and morphology of whiskers were investigated. The results show that the reactivity of hydrated titania, anatase TiO2, and rutile TiO2 with KOH decreases in turn, and with hydrated titania as titanium source, it is difficult to obtain potassium hexatitanate whiskers with good morphology. In contrast, uniform potassium hexatitanate whiskers with a length of 10-20 μm and a diameter of 200-700 nm were obtained using anatase TiO2 as titanium source. The investigation demonstrates that the initial KOH concentration, annealing temperature and time, molar ratio of K2O/TiO2, etc. significantly affect the morphology of the as-synthesized whiskers. The optimized synthesis condition is as follows： anatase as a titanium source 10 wt.% KOH solution; annealing temperature and time of 300℃ and 5 h, respectively; K2O/TiO2 molar ratio of 5, etc. A rhombic potassium hexatitanate was prepared under the optimum condition and the whisker grew along the [110] direction. The reaction mechanism was discussed.

Soil Microbial Population Dynamics along a Chronosequence of Moist Evergreen Broad-leaved Forest Succession in Southwestern China

Little is known about whether soil microbial population dynamics are correlated with forest succession.To test the hypotheses that(1) soil microbial composition changes over successional stages,and(2) soil microbial diversity is positively correlated with plant species diversity,we determined the soil microbial populations,community composition,and microflora diversity in evergreen broad-leaved forests along a chronosequence of vegetation succession from 5 to 300 years in southwestern China.The soil microbial community was mainly composed of bacteria(87.1-98.7% of the total microorganisms and 10 genera identified),fungi(0.3-4.0%,7 genera),and actinomycetes(2.1-9.1%,8 species and 1 genus).There were significant differences in soil microbial populations among different successional stages and within the four seasons.The seasonal variations of the soil microbial community may be associated with the seasonal changes in environmental conditions.The changes in soil microbial diversity(Shannon-Wiener index) with successional time followed one-humped,convex curves peaked at-100 years since restoration,which is identical with the trends of the aboveground plant diversity.Higher plant diversity resulting in enhanced nutrient flow and root exudation may contribute to positive relationships between the soil microbial diversity and plant diversity.Hence,decreases in soil microbial diversity in the late-successional stages appear to be related to the net loss in species richness that occurs after 100 years since restoration.Our findings confirm the intermediate disturbance hypothesis that suggests diversity peaks at midsuccessional stages.

An in vitro study on the efficacy of removing calcium hydroxide from curved root canal systems in root canal therapy

To compare the efficacy of various irrigants(citric acid, ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid(EDTA) and Na OCl) and techniques in removing Ca(OH)2in two types of curved root canal systems, simulated root canals with specific curvatures were used to investigate the effects of different irrigants and instruments on Ca(OH)2removal. The optimal methods were verified on extracted human teeth. Simulated root canals were assigned to one of two groups based on the irrigation solution: 10% citric acid or2.5% Na OCl. Each group was divided into four subgroups according to the technique used to remove Ca(OH)2. The percentage of Ca(OH)2removal in different sections of root canals was calculated. On the basis of the results obtained for the simulated canals, 10% citric acid and 17% EDTA were applied to remove Ca(OH)2from the extracted human teeth with curved root canal systems. The teeth were scanned by micro computed tomography to calculate the percentage of Ca(OH)2removal in the canals.In simulated root canals, we found that 10% citric acid removed more Ca(OH)2than 2.5% NaOCl in the 0–1 mm group from the apex level(Po0.05). Ultrasonic and Endo Activator activation significantly removed more Ca(OH)2than a size 30 K file in the apical third(Po0.05). However, there were no significant differences in any sections of the canals for 10% citric acid or 17%EDTA in removing Ca(OH)2in extracted human teeth. We concluded that it was effective to remove residual Ca(OH)2using the decalcifying solution with Endo Activator or Passive Ultrasonic Irrigation in a curved root canal system. A protocol for Ca(OH)2removal was provided based on the conclusions of this study and the methods recommended in previous studies.

Curing Kinetics, Mechanical Properties and Thermal Stability of Epoxy/Graphene Nanoplatelets(GNPs) Powder Coatings

Epoxy/graphene nanoplatelets（GNPs） powder coatings were fabricated using ultrasonic predispersion of GNPs and melt-blend extrusion method. The isothermal curing kinetics of epoxy/GNPs powder coating were monitored by means of real-time Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy（FT-IR） with a heating cell. The mechanical properties of the epoxy/GNPs cured coatings had been investigated, by evaluating their fracture surfaces with field-emission scanning electron microscopy（FE-SEM） after three-point-bending tests. The thermal stability of the epoxy/GNPs cured coatings was studied by thermo-gravimetric analysis（TGA）. The isothermal curing kinetics result showed that the GNPs would not affect the autocatalytic reaction mechanism, but the loading of GNPs below 1.0 wt % additive played a prompting role in the curing of the epoxy/GNPs powder coatings. The fracture strain, fracture toughness and impact resistance of the epoxy/GNPs cured coatings increased dramatically at low levels of GNPs loading（1 wt %）, indicating that the GNPs could improve the toughness of the epoxy/GNPs powder coatings. Furthermore, from FE-SEM studies of the fracture surfaces, the possible toughening mechanisms of the epoxy/GNPs cured coatings were proposed. TGA result showed that the incorporation of GNPs improved the thermal stability of the cured coatings. Hence, the GNPs modified epoxy can be an efficient approach to toughen epoxy powder coating along with improving their thermal stability.

Inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus and Enterococcus faecalis by a direct-current,cold atmospheric-pressure air plasma microjet

Objective： A direct-current, cold atmospheric-pressure air plasma microjet （PMJ） was performed to inactivate Staphylococcus aureus （S. aureus） and Enterococcusfaecalis （E. faecalis） in air. The process of sterilization and morphology of bacteria was observed. We wish to know the possible inactivation mechanisms of PMJ and explore a potential application in dental and other temperature sensitive treatment. Methods： In this study, we employed a direct current, atmospheric pressure, cold air PMJ to inactivate bacterias. Scanning electron microscopy was employed to evaluate the morphology of S. aureus and showed rupture of cell walls after the plasma treatment and Optical emission spectrum （OES） were used to understand the possible inactivation mechanisms of PMJ. Re- suits＂ The inactivation rates could reach 100% in 5 min. When the distance between the exit nozzle of the PMJ device and Petri dish was extended from 1 cm to 3 cm, effective inactivation was also observed with a similar inactivation curve. Conclusion： The inactivation of bacteria is attributed to the abundant reactive oxygen and nitrogen species, as well as ultroviolet radiation in the plasma. Different life spans and defensibilities of these killing agents may hold the key to understanding the different inactivation curves at different treatment distances.

The impact of optimal medical therapy at discharge on mortality in patients with coronary artery disease

Objective To analyze the current usage of optimal medical therapy （OMT）, influencing factors, and the predictive value of OMT for all-cause mortality in coronary artery disease （CAD） patients with different subgroups. Methods A total of 3176 CAD patients confirmed by coronary angiography were included. OMT was defined as the combination of anti-platelet drugs, statins, beta blockers, and angiotensin converting enzyme inhibitors or angiotensin receptor blockers. Factors for OMT and its prognostic value were analyzed in CAD patients across different subgroups. Results Out of 3176 patients, only 39.8% （n = 1265） were on OMT at discharge. Factors associated with OMT at discharge were pre-admission OMT and discharge department. All-cause mortality occurred in 6.8% （n = 217） of patients. Multivariate analyses indicated that OMT was significantly associated with reduced all-cause mortality （HR： 0.65, 95% CI： 0.45~0.95; P = 0.025）. Sub-group analyses indicate that male acute coronary syndrome （ACS） patients were more likely to receive survival benefits with OMT at discharge. The positive impact of OMT at discharge was more apparent after 24 months, regardless of revascularization therapy. Four-drug combination of OMT was superior to 3-drug combination therapy in ACS patients but not in stable patients. Conclusions OMT was asso- ciated with significant improvement in survival in patients with CAD. The positive impact of OMT was distinct in the CAD patients with different characteristics.

Effects of a flexible net barrier on the dynamic behaviours and interception of debris flows in mountainous areas

Flexible net barriers are a new type of effective mitigation measure against debris flows in valleys and can affect the kinematic energy and mass of debris flows. Here, ten flume tests were performed to study the dynamic behaviours of debris flows with differences in volumes, concentrations(solid volume fraction), and travel distances after interception by a uniform flexible net barrier. A high-speed camera was used to monitor the whole test process, and their dynamic behaviours were recorded. A preliminary computational framework on energy conversion is proposed according to the deposition mechanisms and outflow of debris flow under the effects of the flexible net barrier. The experimental results show that the dynamic interaction process between a debris flow and the flexible net barrier can be divided into two stages:(a) the two-phase impact of the leading edge of the debris flow with the net and(b) collision and friction between the body of the debris flow and intercepted debris material. The approach velocity of a debris flow decreases sharply(a maximum of 63%) after the interception by the net barrier, and the mass ratio of the debris material being intercepted and the kinetic energy ratio of the debris material being absorbed by the net barrier are close due to the limited interception efficiency of the flexible net barrier, which is believed to be related to the flexibility. The energy ratio of outflow is relative small despite the large permeability of the flexible net barrier.

Autoimmune pancreatitis characterized by predominant CD8+ Tlymphocyte infiltration

Autoimmune pancreatitis(AIP)is a rare form of pan-creatitis characterized by prominent lymphocyte inf iltration and pancreatic f ibrosis resulting in organ dysfunc-tion.The pathogenesis and pathology of AIP remain unknown.A 64-year-old Chinese man presented with symptoms and signs of bile duct obstruction diffuse enlargement of the head of pancreas,elevated IgG levels,and negative autoimmune antibody responses.A pylorus-preserving pancreatoduodenectomy was per-formed and a pancreatic tumor was suspected.Howev-er,periductal lymphoplasmacytic inf iltration and f ibrosis were found in the head of pancreas and nearby organs instead of tumor cells.Four months after surgery,the patient was readmitted because of reoccurrence ofsevere jaundice and sustained abdominal distension.Prednisone 30 mg/d was administered orally as an AIP was suspected.One and a half months later,the symp-toms of the patient disappeared,and globulin,amino-transferase and bilirubin levels decreased signif icantly.Over a 9-mo follow-up period,the dose of prednisone was gradually decreased to 10 mg/d and the patient remained in good condition.We further demonstrated dominant CD3+/CD8+ populations,CD20+ cells and a few CD4+ cells in the pancreatic parenchyma,duo-denum and gallbladder wall by immunohistochemical assay.This AIP case presented with signif icant CD8+ T lymphocyte inf iltration in the pancreas and extra-pan-creatic lesions,indicating that this cell population may be more important in mediating AIP pathogenesis than previously known and that AIP might be a poorly defined autoimmune disease with heterogeneous pathogenesis.

Preparation and characterization of chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite composite used as bone substitute materials

Chitosan/nano-hydroxyapatite composites with different weight ratios were prepared through a co-precipitation method using Ca（OH）2, H3PO4 and chitosan as starting materials. The properties of these composites were characterized by means of TEM, IR, XRD, TGA, burn-out tests and universal matertial testing machine. The results showed that the HA synthesized here was poorly crystalline carbonated nanometer crystals and dispersed uniformly in chitosan phase and there was no phase-separation between the two phases. The addition of n-HA resulted in a decrease of decomposing temperature of chitosan. Because of the interactions between chitosan and n-HA, the mechanical properties of these composites were improved, and the maximum value of the compressive strength was measured to be about 120MPa corresponding to the chitosan/n-HA composite with a weight ratio of 30/70.

An estimation model for the fragmentation properties of brittle rock block due to the impacts against an obstruction

Mountain hazards with large masses of rock blocks in motion – such as rock falls, avalanches and landslides – threaten human lives and structures. Dynamic fragmentation is a common phenomenon during the movement process of rock blocks in rock avalanche, due to the high velocity and impacts against obstructions. In view of the energy consumption theory for brittle rock fragmentation proposed by Bond, which relates energy to size reduction, a theoretical model is proposed to estimate the average fragment size for a moving rock block when it impacts against an obstruction. Then, different forms of motion are studied, with various drop heights and slope angles for the moving rock block. The calculated results reveal that the average fragment size decreases as the drop height increases, whether for free-fall or for a sliding or rolling rock block, and the decline in size is rapid for low heights and slow for increasing heights in the corresponding curves. Moreover, the average fragment size also decreases as the slope angle increases for a slidingrock block. In addition, a rolling rock block has a higher degree of fragmentation than a sliding rock block, even for the same slope angle and block volume. Finally, to compare with others' results, the approximate number of fragments is estimated for each calculated example, and the results show that the proposed model is applicable to a relatively isotropic moving rock block.

A Review of Molecular Makers Applied in Cowpea （Vigna unguiculata L. Walp.） Breeding

In recent years, with the rapid development of molecular biology, molecular markers have been widely used in genetic breeding of various crops including cowpea. However, molecular researches in cowpea are lack of systematic summary. This review presents an overview of accomplishments on different aspects of molecular markers in cowpea genetic breeding, such as genetic diversity analysis, genetic linkage map construction, QTL mapping, etc. Furthermore, it provides the discussion of some existing problems about molecular markers applied in cowpea breeding and the prospect of the future development. The authors find that SSR is the most frequently used molecular marker, while SNP has not been used in the genetic diversity analysis of cowpea. And the authors also conclude that more QTL of cowpea should be located and more molecular markers linked to resistance gene should be found. This will be useful for scientists and breeders to research cowpea with the aid of molecular markers, thus accelerating improvement of cowpea varieties.

Acaricidal Activity of Boenninghausenia sessilicarpa Against Panonychus citri

Acaricidal activity of Boenninghausenia sessilicarpa against Panonychus cirri was tested in the laboratory. Four solvents were used to prepare crude extracts, petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, and ethanol, among which ethanol was the most effective one. The results suggested that ethanol extracts of B. sessilicarpa had eminent acaricidal and ovicidal activities. Concentrated extracts were prepared using petroleum ether, chloroform, ethyl acetate, or distilled water as solvent. Mite mortality rates in the concentrated extracts by petroleum ether, chloroform, or distilled water were significantly lower than those by ethyl acetate. The LC50 values of eggs and female mites were 0.7639 and 1.1033 mg mL^-1, respectively. After liquid chromatography and thin layer chromatography, the concentrated extracts were separated into 14 groups of fractions and further tests for their acaricidal and ovicidal activities were conducted. Fraction 2 was found to possess higher acaricidal and ovicidal activities. The mortality of eggs and adult mites were 85.83 and 63.07%, respectively. Moreover, fraction 2 showed moderate oviposition inhibition effect （0.8795） against P. citri when the used dose was higher than 2.5 mg mL^-1

Feasibility Study of the Natural Derived Chitosan Dialdehyde for Chemical Modification of Collagen

The aim of the study is to evaluate the chemical crosslinking effects of the natural derived chitosan dialdehyde(OCS)on collagen.Fourier transform infrared(FTIR)spectroscopy,differential scanning calorimetry(DSC)and circular dichroism(CD)measurements suggest that introducing OCS might not destroy the natural triple helix conformation of collagen but enhance the thermal-stability of collagen.

Determination and pharmacokinetic study of catechin in rat plasma by HPLC

A high performance liquid chromatographic method was developed and validated for the quantitative determination of catechin in rat plasma and its pharmacokinetic study after intragastric administration of Catechu and Xiongdanjiangre Wan into SD rats. Plasma samples were prepared by protein precipitation using methanol-5% aqueous zinc sulfate （70：30, v/v） as precipitant. Chromatographic separation was achieved on Hypersil Cl8 column （250 mm~ 4.6 mm, 10 pm） with acetonitrile-water-triethylamine （6：94：0.3, v/v/v, pH 4.0＋0.1, adjusted with phos- phoric acid） as mobile phase, followed by a UV detection at 207 nm. Good linearity was obtained over the range of 0.143-7.15 mg/L of catechin, with correlation coefficient of 0.9992. The method was simple, sensitive, accurate and reproducible and＇ has been successfully applied to the pharmacokinetic study of catechin in rat plasma.

Facile Synthetic Method and Crystal Structure of 2,3,3',4'-Biphenyltetracarboxylic Dianhydride

A facile method for the synthesis of 2,3,3＇,4＇-biphenyltetracarboxylic dianhydride（a-BPDA） was reported,which comprises the steps of the dehalogenative coupling of dimethyl 4-chlorophthalate（4-DMCP） and dimethyl 3-chlorophthalate（3-DMCP） catalyzed by low-cost（Ph 3 P） 2 NiCl 2,the hydrolysis of tetra-ester and the dehydration of tetra-acid.In contrast to the conventional methods,this method has the advantage of low cost,convenient manipulation,available condition,high purity and good overall yield.Moreover,the single crystal structure of a-BPDA was analyzed by X-ray diffraction method.The X-ray data suggest that a-BPDA is a rigid,non-coplanar and non-linear structure.It contains three crystallographically independent molecules,in which the dihedral angles of the two linked phenyl rings are 44.75（4）°,46.37（3）° and 42.32（3）°,respectively.The title molecule is governed by a stronger intermolecular interaction in contrast to van der Waals interaction because of the special positions of anhydride groups.

Two-stage evolutionary algorithm for dynamic multicast routing in mesh network

In order to share multimedia transmissions in mesh networks and optimize the utilization of network resources, this paper presents a Two-stage Evolutionary Algorithm (TEA), i.e., unicast routing evolution and multicast path composition, for dynamic multicast routing. The TEA uses a novel link-duplicate-degree encoding, which can encode a multicast path in the link-duplicate-degree and decode the path as a link vector easily. A dynamic algorithm for adding nodes to or removing nodes from a multicast group and a repairing algorithm are also covered in this paper. As the TEA is based on global evaluation, the quality of the multicast path remains stabilized without degradation when multicast members change over time. Therefore, it is not necessary to rearrange the multicast path during the life cycle of the multicast sessions. Simulation results show that the TEA is efficient and convergent.