Apoptotic Effects of Anthocyanins from Vitis coignetiae Pulliat Are Enhanced by Augmented Enhancer of the Rudimentary Homolog (ERH) in Human Gastric Carcinoma MKN28 Cells

Evidence suggests that augmented expression of a certain gene can influence the efficacy of targeted and conventional chemotherapies. Here, we tested whether the high expression of enhancer of the rudimentary homolog (ERH), which serves as a prognostic factor in some cancers, can influence the efficacy of anthocyanins isolated from fruits of Vitis coignetiae Pulliat, Meoru in Korea (AIMs) on human gastric cancer cells. The anticancer efficacy of AIMs was augmented in ERH-transfected MKN28 cells (E-MKN28 cells). Molecularly, ERH augmented AIM-induced caspase-dependent apoptosis by activating caspase-3 and -9. The ERH-augmented apoptotic effect was related to mitochondrial depolarization and inhibition of antiapoptotic proteins, XIAP, and Bcl-2. In addition, reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation was augmented in AIMs-treated E-MKN28 cells compared to AIMs-treated naïve MKN28 cells. In conclusion, ERH augmented AIM-induced caspase-dependent mitochondrial-related apoptosis in MKN28 cells. A decrease in expression of Bcl-2 and subsequent excessive ROS generation would be the mechanism for ERH-augmented mitochondrial-related apoptosis in AIMs-treated MKN28 cells. A decrease in expression of XIAP would be another mechanism for ERH-augmented caspase-dependent apoptosis in AIMs-treated MKN28 cells.     

Effect of Ca2+ and Mg2+ ions on the sintering and spectroscopic properties of cr-doped yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics

In this work, we investigated the effects of Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ ions and annealing temperature on the spectroscopic parameters of chromium-doped yttrium aluminum garnet ceramics (Cr:YAG). Samples were obtained with either a separate or a simultaneous addition of calcium and magnesium oxides. To achieve this, aqueous suspensions were prepared using Y₂O₃, Al₂O₃, Cr₂O₃, MgO, and CaO high-purity powders as raw materials. The obtained suspensions were freeze-granulated, pressed into pellets, debinded, and subjected to reactive sintering in vacuum at 1715°C for 6 h. Each material was annealed in air with temperatures between 1300 and 1700°C. Samples were also compared to Cr:YAG ceramics with the addition of silica as a sintering aid. All the materials obtained were then exposed to 445 nm excitation, and emission spectra in the visible and infrared wavelengths were recorded. The results showed that the emission spectra of Cr:YAG ceramics varied according to the annealing conditions: as-sintered samples exhibited strong emissions of around 680 nm and, after air annealing, of around 1400 nm. This phenomenon is attributed to the Cr³⁺→Cr⁴⁺ transition. Samples doped solely with MgO exhibited the highest emission intensity in the infrared region. Thus, Mg²⁺ ions provided the best conversion efficiency of chromium ions.     

Predicting viewer-perceived activity/dominance in soccer games with stick-breaking HMM using data from a fixed set of cameras

We attempted to predict activity/dominance for soccer games, where activity is defined as the degree of activity of the game as perceived by the viewer, whereas dominance is the degree at which the viewer perceives a particular team to dominate over the other team. Such activity/dominance information would help a layman viewer understand the game. It would also enable construction of an automatic digest creation system that extracts scenes having high activity/dominance. There are two facets of this study: 1. The main part of the underlying prediction model consists of a Stick-Breaking Hidden Markov Model, where the data automatically estimates the number of states of the Markov process behind the data. 2. The data used in this paper is vector time-series data consisting of player, referee, and ball positions, together with team information, acquired by a set of fixed cameras. The problem was approached with a Bayesian framework where learning and prediction were implemented by three different methods: Markov Chain Monte Carlo, Expectation Maximization, and Variational Bayes. The proposed method was tested using a dataset consisting of 10 professional soccer games and was compared against standard regression methods.     

Raman-amplification and polarization-dependence measurement in a methane Raman shifter seeded by a liquid Raman oscillator

We perform Raman amplification in a high-pressure methane cell seeded by a low-threshold liquid Raman oscillator. The Raman frequency of the oscillator medium, dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), is tuned when it is mixed with water to fit the Raman frequency of methane. The Raman gain in this configuration is not so sensitive to the methane pressure, and the conversion efficiency is high. Using this configuration, we measure the polarization dependence of the Raman amplifier. An experiment is performed for three typical polarization states. Complete gain suppression is expected in some polarization states, but there is a little gain because of the incompleteness of the polarization state. Theoretically the results are analyzed when the x and the y components of the scattered waves are coupled.     

Displaced fractures of the middle third of the forearm in children. The therapeutic considerations]

There been studied 100 cases of fractures of the middle third of both bones of forearm in child for to assess the correctitude of the therapy, based on the analysis of results. The most correct surgical techniques consist of osteosynthesis with Kirschner wire of the both bones, knowing the particularities of the fracture linea in child and the minimal tissues' damages. In the child younger then 10 years old, the open reduction is rarely necessary. Any displaced fracture of middle third of both bones of forearm, whatever the age of the child would be orthopedically reduced, before performing the surgical therapy. The unstable osteosynthesis such as simple screw "osteosynthesis" with wire or thread are contraindicated.     

分子动力学模拟中基于GPU的范德华非键作用计算

GPU最初是专为图形渲染而设计的.近年来已经演化为高并行度、多线程、具有强大计算能力和极高存储器带宽的通用多核处理器,目前主流GPLJ的峰值计算能力通常可达CPU的数10倍.这提供了1种解决大计算量难题的新的可能.分子动力学模拟需要极强的计算能力.故使用GPU来进行分子动力学模拟的尝试是很自然的选择.本文基于NVIDIA的GeForceGTX295 GPU和CUDA2.3开发环境实现了范德华力计算、范德华势能计算和基于网格的邻居搜索.在邻居搜索算法实现中,对于不同计算能力的GPU给出了不同的实现策略.对36万粒子规模的高分子聚乙烯体系算例的测试表明:1个时间步的计算结果与计算性能突出的分子动力学软件GROMACS相应的计算结果一致(运行在工作站Intel Xeon E 5405上),相对于CPU单核计算性能有大幅提高,其中邻居搜索加速了17倍,范德华力计算加速了47倍;并且解决了邻居搜索时的边界问题.虽然本文是针对范德华力的计算,但是策略是通用的,其他方向的研究人员也可以参考.测试结果表明,使用 GPU来加速较大规模计算量的计算是可取的.     

Individual,social, and organizational contexts for active knowledge sharing in communities of practice

Firms that have implemented knowledge management initiatives are now interested in nurturing voluntary knowledge sharing organizations, called communities of practice (CoPs). Adopting the Triandis model on attitude formation, we identified and validated a set of organizational factors that was anticipated to have effects on knowledge sharing by CoP members such as perceived consequences, affect, social factors and facilitating conditions. One hundred and seventy-nine members from 70 CoPs of a large multinational electronics firm participated in this survey. Based on the PLS analysis, perceived consequences, affect, social factors, and facilitating conditions were found to significantly affect knowledge sharing in CoPs.     

Nonstoichiometry and Defect Chemistry of Ceria Solid Solutions

Ceria solid solutions are potential electrolytes for solid oxidefuel cells (SOFC). At the anode side of SOFCs at low oxygen partialpressures ceria is partially reduced. The nonstoichiometry ofCeO_2-x solid solutions with 20 mol%SmO_1.5, 20 mol% GdO_1.5 and 10 mol%CaO were investigated by isothermal coulometric titration in a zirconia cellin the temperature range from 700 to 900°C and in the oxygen partialpressure range from 10^-12 to 10^-25 atm. Theresults of the 3 different compositions at 900°C are comparable to thosefor pure ceria. At lower temperatures, pure ceria is more stable againstreduction than ceria solid solutions. The dependence of nonstoichiometry onoxygen partial pressure suggests a defect model with oxygen vacancies andtheir associates with reduced cerium cations and dopant cations. Low oxygennonstoichiometries of x = 0.005 to 0.008 can be expected for ceria solidsolutions at 700° under SOFC operating conditions.     

Physical and Sexual Intimate Partner Violence Among Women in Methadone Maintenance Treatment.

Although several studies have examined the relationship between intimate partner violence (IPV) and drug use among women in drug treatment programs, more information is needed to delineate differences, as a function of the specific drug used. Data from a random sample of 416 women attending methadone programs were analyzed to elucidate the differential associations between IPV and use of the following: marijuana only, cocaine only, heroin only, or cocaine and heroin. Prevalence of IPV among this sample far exceeded estimates from the general population. After adjusting for sociodemographic variables, use of cocaine only was significantly associated with an increased likelihood of experiencing IPV compared with no drug use. Similar results were found for women using both cocaine and heroin. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Research on seismic resistance and mechanic behavior of reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete walls after high temperature

This study focused on the mechanical behavior of reinforced lightweight aggregate concrete (RLAC) walls under repeated horizontal loads after a standard temperature‐rising fire‐resistance test and compared the specimen walls' ultimate loads, yielding loads, cracked loads, stiffness, and ductility with those of reinforced normal‐weight aggregate concrete (RNAC) walls. Steel reinforcing bar spacing, aggregate types, wall widths, and high temperatures were variables in this study. The experimental results showed that, after the fire‐resistance test, the smaller the steel reinforcing bar spacing of RLAC walls, the higher the yield and ultimate loads, yet the worse the ductility and the hysteresis loop's energy, whereas the greater the width of the wall, the greater the stiffness and the higher the hysteresis loop's energy. The differences in terms of stiffness, ductility, and hysteresis between RLAC walls with and without the fire‐resistance test were insignificant, indicating that RLAC walls do not lose their basic mechanical behavior during a high‐temperature fire. RNAC walls showed, indeed, a significant downward trend for strength and hysteresis after the fire‐resistance test, but the decrease was much less clear for stiffness. Therefore, RLAC walls did show better seismic resistance than RNAC walls under the same testing conditions. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.