Cracking to curling transition in drying colloidal films.

Drying-induced cracking is widely encountered in nature and is of fundamental interest in industrial applications. During desiccation, the evolution of water content is nonlinear. Considering the inhomogeneous procedure of desiccation, it is worth considering whether water content will affect the crack pattern formation. To address this concern, in this paper, we report an experimental investigation on the effect of water content on the failure mode in drying colloidal films. A distinct failure transition from random cracking to curling is found when the initial water content increases gradually. When the water content is below a critical value for given film thickness, random desiccation cracking driven by shrinkage is observed. Beyond this critical water content, the film curls with the advent of several main cracks. It is also found that the critical water content corresponding to the transition point depends on the film thickness. In order to qualitatively interpret the experimental observation, a theoretical model is established by adopting the fracture mechanics based on the energy method. The model is found to agree well with the experimental results, elucidating the effects of initial water content on the crack patterns and the transition of failure modes.

[Exploration and application of occupational disease risk assessment model based on information diffusion theory].

Objective: To research build a kind of occupational disease risk assessment model which provides scientific basis for prevention and control of occupational diseases. Methods: Based on the principle of information diffusion, this paper uses spread function to extend the incomplete gathered information, establishes the mapping relationship between observation samples and risk probability distributions, and constructs the occupational disease risk assessment model, to analyzes the risk data of occupational disease reported cases in Guangdong Province in the past five years. Results: Through evaluation analysis, every year, 200-300 cases of pneumoconiosis probability is 67.77%, 100-200 cases of occupational poisoning probability is 68.52%, 20-40 cases of occupational cancers probability is 71.62%, each year, the incidence of occupation otorhinolaryngology and oral diseases in 200 cases was 62.23%. Conclusion: A model of occupational disease risk assessment based on information diffusion theory is constructed, the evaluation result is basically consistent with the actual situation of occupational disease, which can provide reference for occupational disease prevention and control.

Evaporation Limited Radial Capillary Penetration in Porous Media.

The capillary penetration of fluids in thin porous layers is of fundamental interest in nature and various industrial applications. When capillary flows occur in porous media, the extent of penetration is known to increase with the square root of time following the Lucas-Washburn law. In practice, volatile liquid evaporates at the surface of porous media, which restricts penetration to a limited region. In this work, on the basis of Darcy's law and mass conservation, a general theoretical model is developed for the evaporation-limited radial capillary penetration in porous media. The presented model predicts that evaporation decreases the rate of fluid penetration and limits it to a critical radius. Furthermore, we construct a unified phase diagram that describes the limited penetration in an annular porous medium, in which the boundaries of outward and inward liquid are predicted quantitatively. It is expected that the proposed theoretical model will advance the understanding of penetration dynamics in porous media and facilitate the design of engineered porous architectures.

Expression of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells and Foxp3 in peripheral blood of patients with gastric carcinoma.

The aim of this research was to study the clinical significance and expression of CD4+CD25+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) and p3Forkhead transcription factor-3 (Foxp3) in peripheral blood of patients with gastric carcinoma (GC) and to investigate the effects in the occurrence and development process of GC, to further comprehend their clinical values and provide a theoretical basis for the early diagnosis and immunotherapy of GC. The expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in GC patients, at TNM staging, differentiated degree, lymphatic metastasis, cancer sites and cancer diameter of GC, were analyzed within the groups. The comparison of the expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs in peripheral blood between the GC group and the healthy control group showed a statistically significant difference. At TNM staging within the groups, pairwise comparisons of the expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs indicated that differences among the stage I+II group, stage III group and stage IV group were statistically significant. The expression levels of CD4+CD25+Foxp3+Tregs are closely relative to the occurrence and development of GC, providing theoretical bases and evidence for the early diagnosis, prognosis evaluation and immunotherapy of GC.

Efficient optical coupling in AlGaN/GaN quantum well infrared photodetector via quasi-one-dimensional gold grating.

In this letter, a new kind of grating, quasi-one-dimensional gold grating, has been proposed to enhance the optical coupling in AlGaN/GaN quantum well infrared photodetector (QWIP). The electric field distribution, current density and energy flow are analyzed by an algorithm of finite element method (FEM). Significantly enhanced electric field component E(z) perpendicular to multiple quantum wells (MQWs) is explained by introducing the resonant coupling of surface plasmon polariton (SPP) and localized surface plasmon (LSP). The |E(z)|(2) in MQWs reaches 0.85 (V/m(2) when the electric field intensity (|E(0)|(2)) of normal incidence is 1 (V/m(2) at 4.65 µm, showing 2 times and 1.3 times increase compared with that obtained via a one-dimensional gold grating and a two-dimensional gold grating, respectively. The results confirm that the quasi-one-dimensional gold grating provides more plasma excitation source and higher charge density with structure optimization, resulting in a high optical coupling efficiency of 85% in quantum well region.

Bortezomib-based treatment of acute antibody-mediated rejection: a case report.

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) is an important factor affecting survival after renal transplantation. A highly selective proteasome inhibitor, bortezomib, clears activated plasma cells from the body and has important therapeutic effect on AMR. We investigated the effects of bortezomib on AMR in a patient after a second renal transplant. Biopsy confirmed the diagnosis of mixed cellular rejection and AMR. Bortezomib was administered on day 1 (1.3 mg/m(2)), day 4 (1.0 mg/m(2)), and day 8 (1.0 mg/m(2)). On the same days, 250 mg methylprednisolone was administered once, and cyclosporine dose (5 mg·kg(-1)·day(-1)) was reduced by 50%. Oral mycophenolate mofetil and steroid were withdrawn on day 1 of bortezomib treatment. Intermittent double-filtration plasmapheresis was also performed. We monitored parameters, including T lymphocyte subsets, CD139 and CD19 expression, panel reactive antibody (PRA), and serum creatinine concentration. At follow-up 6 months after bortezomib treatment, we observed: 1) serum creatinine stabilized at 130 µM from a peak level of 337 µM; 2) PRA decreased from a maximum of 66.7 to 0%; 3) blood plasma cell percentage rebounded after significantly decreasing following the first dose of bortezomib; 4) in renal allograft biopsy, immunohistochemical staining for C4d shifted from strongly positive to negative, and cellular rejection shifted from type IIA to borderline; and 5) adverse effects such as platelet suppression, hypotension, and grade 3 peripheral neuropathy emerged. Bortezomib effectively treated antibody-mediated renal transplantation rejection in this case study, but clinical trials with large sample sizes are still needed to explore clinical safety and tolerability.

Spontaneous emission modulation of colloidal quantum dots via efficient coupling with hybrid plasmonic photonic crystal.

The spontaneous emission of colloidal CdSe/ZnS quantum dots (CQDs) modified by the hybrid plasmonic-photonic crystal is reported in this paper. By using a spin coater, the spatial overlap between CQDs and the surface resonance modes in this quasi-2D crystal slab is achieved. In this case, the coupling efficiency of them is enhanced greatly and most excited CQDs radiate through the surface modes. Consequently, despite the low refractive index contrast of our hybrid structure, the directionality of spontaneous emission, increased radiative probability and narrowed full width at half maximum of emission peak are all clearly observed by our home-made microscopic angle-resolved spectroscopy and time-resolved photoluminescence system. Our results manifest that the quasi-2D hybrid plasmonic-photonic crystal is an ideal candidate to tailor the radiative properties of CdSe/ZnS CQDs, which might be significant for the applications of light emitting devices.

Double-resonance enhanced intersubband second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities in GaN/AlGaN step quantum wells.

Second-order nonlinear optical susceptibilities for second harmonic generation (SHG) associated with intersubband transitions in GaN/AlGaN single quantum well and step quantum well have been studied theoretically by solving Schrödinger and Poisson equations self-consistently. The calculated results suggest that due to the very large polarization-induced field in the quantum well, the potential profile becomes asymmetrical, leading to large second-order susceptibilities. A high value about 4 × 10-7 m/V can be obtained in single quantum well structure. Furthermore, by adopting step quantum well structure to increase the asymmetry degree of the potential profile and manipulate the energy levels for double-resonance, a significant enhancement of second-order susceptibility can occur in step quantum well. Specifically, the susceptibility can be as large as 4 × 10-6 m/V with structure optimization, about an order of magnitude greater than that in single quantum well. The results indicate that nonlinear optical elements based on GaN/AlGaN step quantum wells are very promising for SHG in a wide range of wavelengths from telecommunication to mid-infrared, especially effective in longer wavelength.

Fusarium cerealis, A New Pathogen Causing Ginseng (Panax ginseng) Root Rot in China.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng) is a perennial plant belonging to the genus Panax of the family Araliaceae, and it is a precious traditional Chinese medicine with immunity-enhancing, anti-tumor, anti-atherosclerosis, and other functions. Jilin Province, China, is the world's largest ginseng cultivation area, accounting for about 70% of global production. The root rots of ginseng caused by Fusarium spp. are one of the most serious threats to ginseng production. Seriously infected ginseng roots are not marketable, leading to enormous losses. The canopy of infected ginseng plants exhibit symptoms of red or yellow leaves from lower to upper during early plant development and growth, wither and wilt in the later stages, and lastly die. All parts of the root can be infected; brown or black lesions were mainly formed on surface and expanded gradually, and mature lesions are gray-brown. Samples of 208 Fusarium rotted roots (cv. landrace damaya) from Ji'an city (126°18' E, 41°12' N) and Dunhua city (128°23' E, 43°36' N) of Jilin Province were collected from April to September, 2012. Small tissue pieces were placed on potato dextrose agar (PDA), and all isolates were purified from single spore cultured at the condition of 25°C, 12-h/12-h light-dark cycle. Among the obtained purified 518 isolates, 10 isolates were different from the others. Colonies of the 10 isolates grew rapidly and produced profuse aerial mycelium with carmine red undersurface. When cultured on carnation leaf-piece agar (CLA), macroconidia were stout, thick-walled, apical and basal cells curved, usually 4 to 5 septa, 23.9 to 41.2 × 5.2 to 7.3 µm, but did not produce microconidia. Abundant chlamydospores were produced from mycelium or spores, singly or in chains. According to the morphological characteristics, all 10 isolates were consistent with the descriptions of F. cerealis (1). Further, identity of all isolates was confirmed by sequencing the partial rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS), translation elongation factor (TEF-1α) gene (3) and putative reductase (RED) gene (2). The sequences of all 10 isolates were homologous and BLAST analysis of the submitted sequences (KF530831, KF530830, and KF530829) showed 100% identity to the sequences (DQ459869, AF212464, and EF428900) of F. cerealis in the NCBI and the FUSARIUM-ID databases. As a result, 10 isolates of Fusarium spp. were identified as F. cerealis. Pathogenicity was tested by inoculating ginseng root in vitro and healthy plants in a greenhouse. The surface of healthy ginseng roots were washed with water and disinfested in 70% alcohol for 3 min and planted in flowerpots with sterilized soil and sorghum grain infested with each isolate and incubated in greenhouse (20 to 25°C). Five ginseng roots and five healthy plants were inoculated with agar cake and sterilized sorghum seed as controls. Root rots similar to the naturally symptoms were observed on inoculated ginseng roots in vitro and healthy plants after 3 days and 21 days, respectively, but no root rots developed on the controls. The pathogens were successfully re-isolated and were are identical to those of the originals. To our knowledge, this is the first report of F. cerealis causing root rot on ginseng in China. References: (1) J. F. Leslie and B. A. Summerell. The Fusarium Laboratory Manual. Blackwell Publishing, Ames, IA, 2006. (2) K. O'Donnell et al. Proc. Nat. Acad. Sci. 97:7905, 2000. (3) K. O'Donnell et al. Mycologia 92:919, 2000.

Botulinum toxin injection versus lateral internal sphincterotomy for chronic anal fissure: a meta-analysis of randomized control trials.

BACKGROUND: Although surgery is the gold standard treatment for anal fissure, the main concern remains its side effects and complications. Botulinum toxin injection and lateral internal sphincterotomy are technical options for patients suffering from chronic anal fissure. However, little is known about the efficacy of these two techniques. The aim of this meta-analysis was to compare the outcomes of botulinum toxin injection versus lateral internal sphincterotomy for chronic anal fissure. METHODS: Original studies in English were searched from the MEDLINE database, PubMed, Web of Science, and the Cochrane Library database. Randomized control trials that compared botulinum toxin injection with lateral internal sphincterotomy were identified. Data were independently extracted for each study, and a meta-analysis was performed using fixed and random effects models. RESULTS: Four hundred and eighty-nine patients from seven trials met the inclusion criteria. Patients undergoing lateral internal sphincterotomy had a higher-healing and incontinence rate. No statistically significant differences were noted in total complications between botulinum toxin injection and lateral internal sphincterotomy. Patients treated with lateral internal sphincterotomy had a significantly lower recurrence rate than the patients treated with botulinum toxin injection. CONCLUSIONS: Our meta-analysis shows that lateral internal sphincterotomy was superior to botulinum toxin injection in terms of healing rate and lower recurrence rate. Botox, however, is safe associated with a lower rate of incontinence and could be used in certain situations. Further studies with a long-term follow-up are required to confirm our observations.

First Report of Fruit Rot on Schisandra chinensis Caused by Penicillium glabrum and P. adametzii in China.

Schisandra (Schisandra chinensis (Turcz.) Baill) is an important medicinal herb in China, which is mainly used for treatment of insomnia and memory decay. In September 2010, rot was observed on approximately 5% of the fruits during ripening of schisandra in several orchards at Linjiang City and Ji'an City, Jilin Province. Watery spots on infected fruits of schisandra appeared at the end of ripening, and then the fruits darkened in color, shrunk, and turned soft. The surface of the lesions became covered with masses of blue-green mycelium, conidiophores, and conidia under high humidity. To isolate the causal agent, conidia and conidiophores were suspended in sterile water and streaked onto the surface of potato dextrose agar (PDA). Single hyphal tips were then transferred to new PDA plates to be purified. The isolates were then cultured on CYA (Czapek yeast extract agar) and two kinds of strains (wwzqm1 and wwzqm2) were established based on differential growth rate, microscopic features, and colony color. Pathogenicity of each strain was tested on 25 healthy mature fruits of schisandra cv. Red Pearl by inoculating the fruit surface with a 15 µl conidial suspension (106 conidia/ml). Control fruits were treated with sterile water. Fruits were kept at 25°C and 90% relative humidity. After a 5-day incubation, symptoms described above were observed on all inoculated fruits, whereas all control fruits were symptomless. The causal agent was reisolated, confirming Koch's postulates. Strain wwzqm1 was identified as Penicillium glabrum (Wehmer) Westling on the basis of its morphology. Conidiophores arose from basal hyphae, with stipes smooth or finely roughened, 50.5 to 300.0 × 2.5 to 3.5 µm, penicillus monoverticillate, and bearing verticils of 8 to 12 phialides. Conidia were globose to subglobose, approximately 2.9 to 3.5 µm in diameter, with smooth or nearly smooth walls, and conidial chains in compact columns. Colonies grown for 7 days on CYA at 25°C attained a diameter of 32.4 to 39.1 mm, with the center of a deep bluish green, plane, velutinous, and heavily sporulated. Margin mycelium of the colony was white, with a yellowish brown under surface. Strain wwzqm2 was identified as P. adametzii K. M. Zalessky according to its morphological features with conidiophores born from funicolose hyphae, stipes smooth, 10.2 to 20.1 × 1.5 to 2.5 µm, penicillus monoverticillate, and bearing verticils of 4 to 6 phialides. Conidia were nearly globose to glubose, 2.0 to 2.7 µm in diameter, with smooth or finely roughened walls, and conidial chains loose and irregular. Colonies on CYA at 25°C for 7 days grew rather fast and reached a diameter of 50.3 to 60.2 mm, and were deep grayish green, near plane, floccose or funicolose, and heavily sporulated. Margin mycelium of the colony was white with a yellowish brown under surface (1). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of ribosomal DNA (rDNA) was amplified for wwzqm1 and wwzqm2 using primers ITS4/ITS5 and sequenced. BLASTn analysis of the 595 bp wwzqm1 (GenBank Accession No. JN887323) amplicon had 99% sequence identity with P. glabrum (DQ681321) and the 568 bp wwzqm2 amplicon (JN887322) had 99% sequence identity with P. adametzii (AF033401). To our knowledge, this is the first report of fruit rot on S. chinensis caused by P. glabrum and P. adametzii in China. Reference: (1). H. Z. Kong. Penicillium et Teleomorphi Cognati. Flora Fungorum Sinicorum. Science Press, Beijing, 35:43, 2007.

First Report of Ginseng (Panax ginseng) as a Natural Host of Dodder (Cuscuta japonica) in China.

Ginseng (Panax ginseng C.A. Meyer) belongs to the Araliaceae family and is a high-value medicinal herb grown mainly in Jilin Province, China. China is the world's oldest and largest producer of ginseng. Annual yield and exports account for more than 78 and 60% for the world, respectively. In July 2009 and August 2010, dodder (Cuscuta sp.), a parasitic seed plant, was observed on 4- and 5-year-old plants that were being cultivated on raised beds under artificial shading in three separate locations approximately 200 kilometers apart in Jilin Province. The infested area was approximately one-third of the field (300 m2 of 10,000 m2), which was previously planted with pine trees and herbaceous plants. Initially, there were no obvious symptoms on ginseng plants, but later, symptoms consisted of poor growth, chlorosis, and wilting, eventually followed by death in large areas throughout the field. One typical representative of 10 samples collected was identified as Cuscuta japonica based on several morphological characteristics, including yellow stems with purplish spots with branches 1.2 to 2.5 mm in diameter. Inflorescences were spicate and measured 3 cm with broadly ovate, scale-like bracts. Flowers were sessile with deeply divided calyxes. The parasite had purplish, ovate sepals with pink or greenish white corollas. The plant had five stamens with yellow, ovate-circular anther. Ovaries were globose and smooth. Capsules contained three to four pale yellow or brown ovate seeds measuring 1.9 to 2.7 mm (3,4). The internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region of rDNA of the representative samples was amplified using primers ITS4/ITS5 (2) and sequenced. BLASTn analysis of the 650-bp amplicon (GenBank Accession No. JF431541) showed 99% sequence identity with C. japonica (Accession Nos. DQ924571 and EU330320). Phylogenetic trees constructed by utilizing the neighbor-joining method with software MEGA 4.0 (1) placed the dodder specimens and C. japonica (DQ924571 and EU330320) into one group. The reported hosts of C. japonica include plants belonging to the Leguminosae, Salicaceae, Polygonaceae, and Compositae. Therefore, to our knowledge, this is the first report of C. japonica naturally infecting P. ginseng in the world. Reference: (1) K. Tamura et al. Mol. Biol. Evol. 24:1596, 2007. (2) T. J. White et al. Page 315 in: PCR Protocols: A Guide to Methods and Applications. Academic Press, San Diego, 1990. (3) Z. Y. Wu. Flora Reipublicae Popularis Sinicae 64:147, 1979. (4) L. P. Yin. Plant Quarantine (in Chinese) 9:292, 1995.

A Hemodynamic Mechanism Correlating with the Initiation of MCA Bifurcation Aneurysms.

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: Previous studies have reported that MCA bifurcation aneurysms usually emerge on inclined bifurcations; however, the reason is unclear. We designed this study to explore hemodynamic mechanisms that correlate with the initiation of MCA bifurcation aneurysms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Fifty-four patients with unilateral MCA bifurcation aneurysms and 54 control patients were enrolled in this study after propensity score matching, and their clinical and CTA data were collected. We extracted the morphologic features of aneurysmal MCA bifurcations to build a simplified MCA bifurcation model and performed a computational fluid dynamics analysis. RESULTS: The presence of MCA aneurysms correlated with smaller parent-daughter angles of MCA bifurcations (P < .001). Aneurysmal MCA bifurcations usually presented with inclined shapes. The computational fluid dynamics analysis demonstrated that when arterial bifurcations became inclined, the high-pressure regions and low wall shear stress regions shifted from the apexes of the arterial bifurcations to the inclined daughter arteries, while the initial sites of MCA bifurcation aneurysms often overlapped with the shifted high-pressure regions and low wall shear stress regions. CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that the initiation of MCA bifurcation aneurysms may correlate with shifts of high-pressure regions and low wall shear stress regions that occur on inclined MCA bifurcations.

[Molecular identification of Tricula spp. and the parasitized trematode cercariae in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province].

OBJECTIVE: To characterize a species of the genus Tricula and parasitized trematodes in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province using a molecular analysis, so as to understand their taxonomic positions. METHODS: Tricula spp. and Oncomelania snails were collected from Xiangyun County, Yunnan Province, and cercaria parasitizing snails were observed using crushing followed by microscopy. Cercaria parasitizing Tricula snails at various morphologies were sampled using a shedding method. Genomic DNA was extracted from snail soft tissues and cercariae, and the 16S rRNA, COI, 28S rDNA genes in snails and the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes in cercariae were amplified using a PCR assay and sequenced. The species of Tricula snails and their parasitized trematodes was characterized using sequence alignment and phylogenetic analysis. RESULTS: Among 382 Tricula snails detected, there were three types of trematode cercariae found, including the non-forked (20.94%, 80/382), double-forked (3.40%, 13/382) and swallow shapes (7.07%, 27/382). Sequence and phylogenetic analyses showed that the 16S rRNA, COI and 28S rDNA gene sequences of this species of Tricula had high homology to those in Delavaya dianchiensis, and were clustered in a branch. Sequencing analysis of the ND1 and 28S rDNA genes revealed that the non-forked cercariae belonged to the family Pleu- rogenidae, the swallow-shaped cercariae belonged to the family Opecoelidae, and the double-forked cercariae belonged to another species of the genus Schistosoma that was different from S. sinensium and S. ovuncatum. CONCLUSIONS: The species and taxonomy of Triculla spp. and their parasitized trematodes are preliminarily determined in schistosomiasis-endemic areas of Yunnan Province; however, further studies are required to investigate the more definite taxonomy and pathogenicity.

[Effect of adenosine triphosphate on type â collagen mineralization in hard tissue].

Objective: To observe the effect of adenosine triphosphate (ATP) phosphorylation on type Ⅰ collagen mineralization and explore the role of small molecule compound ATP in biomimetic mineralization. Methods: Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) was used to analyze the phosphorylation of collagen molecules by different concentrations (0, 25, 50, 100 mmol/L) of ATP. The concentration of 50 mmol/L ATP was chosen to construct the phosphorylated collagen mineralization model. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) was used to observed the ultrastructure of mineralized collagen and the collagen mineralization rate was further calculated by ImageJ software. The surface morphology of the collagen gel ATP group and the control group was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the elemental analysis was performed by using an X-ray energy spectrometer. The artificial demineralized dentin samples were mineralized for 2 days and 4 days to compare the effect of ATP on dentin remineralization by SEM. Results: FT-IR analysis showed that the formation of new peaks at wavenumbers of 642, 818, and 902 cm(-1) indicated that ATP can phosphorylate type Ⅰ collagen. Through TEM and SEM observation, the mineralization degree of type Ⅰ collagen and demineralized dentin pretreated with 50 mmol/L ATP were significantly higher than that of the control group. Compared with the control group [(31.65±1.62)%], the mineralization rate of collagen in the ATP group [(100±0)%] was significantly increased after 2 days of mineralization (P<0.05). Conclusions: ATP phosphorylation can effectively promote the mineralization process of type Ⅰ collagen.

Programmable and robust static topological solitons in mechanical metamaterials.

Solitary, persistent wave packets called solitons hold potential to transfer information and energy across a wide range of spatial and temporal scales in physical, chemical, and biological systems. Mechanical solitons characteristically emerge either as a single wave packet or uncorrelated propagating topological entities through space and/or time, but these are notoriously difficult to control. Here, we report a theoretical framework for programming static periodic topological solitons into a metamaterial, and demonstrate its implementation in real metamaterials computationally and experimentally. The solitons are excited by deformation localizations under quasi-static compression, and arise from buckling-induced kink-antikink bands that provide domain separation barriers. The soliton number and wavelength demonstrate a previously unreported size-dependence, due to intrinsic length scales. We identify that these unanticipated solitons stem from displacive phase transitions with periodic topological excitations captured by the well-known [Formula: see text] theory. Results reveal pathways for robust regularizations of stochastic responses of metamaterials.

Tailoring porous media for controllable capillary flow.

HYPOTHESIS: Control of capillary flow through porous media has broad practical implications. However, achieving accurate and reliable control of such processes by tuning the pore size or by modification of interface wettability remains challenging. Here we propose that the liquid flow by capillary penetration can be accurately adjusted by tuning the geometry of porous media. METHODOLOGIES: On the basis of Darcy's law, a general framework is proposed to facilitate the control of capillary flow in porous systems by tailoring the geometric shape of porous structures. A numerical simulation approach based on finite element method is also employed to validate the theoretical prediction. FINDINGS: A basic capillary component with a tunable velocity gradient is designed according to the proposed framework. By using the basic component, two functional capillary elements, namely, (i) flow accelerator and (ii) flow resistor, are demonstrated. Then, multi-functional fluidic devices with controllable capillary flow are realized by assembling the designed capillary elements. All the theoretical designs are validated by numerical simulations. Finally, it is shown that the proposed concept can be extended to three-dimensional design of porous media.

Vibroacoustic behavior of clamp mounted double-panel partition with enclosure air cavity.

A theoretical study on the vibroacoustic performance of a rectangular double-panel partition clamp mounted in an infinite acoustic rigid baffle is presented. With the clamped boundary condition taken into account by the method of modal function, a double Fourier series solution to the dynamic response of the structure is obtained by employing the weighted residual method (i.e., the Galerkin method). The double series solution can be considered as the exact solution of the problem, as the structural and acoustic-structural coupling effects are fully accounted for and the solution converges numerically. The accuracy of the theoretical predictions is checked against existing experimental data, with good agreement achieved. The influence of several key parameters on the sound isolation capability of the double-panel configuration is then systematically studied, including panel dimensions, thickness of air cavity, elevation angle, and azimuth angle of incidence sound. The present method is suitable for double-panel systems of finite or infinite extent and is applicable for both low- and high-frequency ranges. With these merits, the proposed method compares favorably with a number of other approaches, e.g., finite element method, boundary element method, and statistical energy analysis method.

A PCR-Based Assay for Detection of Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici in Wheat.

Monitoring the pathogenic fungus of wheat stripe rust, Puccinia striiformis f. sp. tritici, plays a key role in effective control of the disease. In the present study, we developed a specific and sensitive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) assay for detecting the pathogen in wheat (Triticum aestivum) leaves. A pair of primers (PSF and PSR) was designed based on the internal transcribed spacer (ITS) region sequence of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici. PCR products that were amplified with universal primers ITS1 and ITS4 were cloned into pGEM-T Easy vectors and sequenced. The ITS sequence was compared with those of P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, P. triticina, P. graminis f. sp. tritici, Blumeria graminis f. sp. tritici, Fusarium graminearum, Rhizoctonia cerealis, and Bipolaris sorokiniana, which are associated with early symptoms of foliar diseases on wheat. Specificity of the primers was tested in the PCR assays using DNA extracted from all tested P. striiformis f. sp. tritici isolates, other fungal species, and healthy and infected wheat leaves sampled around stripe rust foci in wheat fields, different days after inoculation with P. striiformis f. sp. tritici, as well as asymptomatic wheat leaves sampled around stripe rust foci in the fields. A PCR product of 169 bp was amplified from DNA of all P. striiformis f. sp. tritici isolates. The primers did not amplify DNA from the other tested fungal species. The pathogen was detected from asymptomatic wheat leaves inoculated with P. striiformis f. sp. tritici under greenhouse conditions, as well as leaves sampled around stripe rust foci in wheat fields. Under optimum conditions, the PCR assay was highly sensitive and required only 0.1 pg of the target DNA for a detectable and reliable amplification with the PSF and PSR primers.

Primary small-bowel non-Hodgkin's lymphoma: a study of clinical features, pathology, management and prognosis.

The records of 34 patients diagnosed with primary small bowel non-Hodgkin's lymphoma during a 10-year period between January 1996 and December 2005, including 27 cases for which complete follow-up records were available, were studied. Abdominal pain (70.6% of patients) was the main presenting symptom, followed by intestinal obstruction (38.2%). The most common primary site was the ileum (58.8%), followed by the jejunum (26.5%) and duodenum (17.6%); one case had tumours at two sites in the small bowel. Twenty-seven patients had small bowel B-cell lymphoma (24 diffuse large B-cell lymphoma; three mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue B-cell lymphoma) and seven patients had small bowel T-cell lymphoma. Cumulative survival in patients with small bowel B-cell lymphoma was higher than that in patients with small bowel T-cell lymphoma. Data on 16 male and eight female patients with diffuse large B-cell lymphoma showed that 62.5% of these patients presented with disease stages I or II and 37.5% with stages III or IV. Cumulative survival in patients at stages IE or IIE was significantly higher than that of patients at stages IIIE or IVE. Four of five patients who died from diffuse large B-cell lymphoma had abnormal levels of lactate dehydrogenase and serum albumin.