Dysregulated Immunological Functionome and Dysfunctional Metabolic Pathway Recognized for the Pathogenesis of Borderline Ovarian Tumors by Integrative Polygenic Analytics

The pathogenesis and molecular mechanisms of ovarian low malignant potential (LMP) tumors or borderline ovarian tumors (BOTs) have not been fully elucidated to date. Surgery remains the cornerstone of treatment for this disease, and diagnosis is mainly made by histopathology to date. However, there is no integrated analysis investigating the tumorigenesis of BOTs with open experimental data. Therefore, we first utilized a functionome-based speculative model from the aggregated obtainable datasets to explore the expression profiling data among all BOTs and two major subtypes of BOTs, serous BOTs (SBOTs) and mucinous BOTs (MBOTs), by analyzing the functional regularity patterns and clustering the separate gene sets. We next prospected and assembled the association between these targeted biomolecular functions and their related genes. Our research found that BOTs can be accurately recognized by gene expression profiles by means of integrative polygenic analytics among all BOTs, SBOTs, and MBOTs; the results exhibited the top 41 common dysregulated biomolecular functions, which were sorted into four major categories: immune and inflammatory response-related functions, cell membrane- and transporter-related functions, cell cycle- and signaling-related functions, and cell metabolism-related functions, which were the key elements involved in its pathogenesis. In contrast to previous research, we identified 19 representative genes from the above classified categories (IL6, CCR2 for immune and inflammatory response-related functions; IFNG, ATP1B1, GAS6, and PSEN1 for cell membrane- and transporter-related functions; CTNNB1, GATA3, and IL1B for cell cycle- and signaling-related functions; and AKT1, SIRT1, IL4, PDGFB, MAPK3, SRC, TWIST1, TGFB1, ADIPOQ, and PPARGC1A for cell metabolism-related functions) that were relevant in the cause and development of BOTs. We also noticed that a dysfunctional pathway of galactose catabolism had taken place among all BOTs, SBOTs, and MBOTs from the analyzed gene set databases of canonical pathways. With the help of immunostaining, we verified significantly higher performance of interleukin 6 (IL6) and galactose-1-phosphate uridylyltransferase (GALT) among BOTs than the controls. In conclusion, a bioinformatic platform of gene-set integrative molecular functionomes and biophysiological pathways was constructed in this study to interpret the complicated pathogenic pathways of BOTs, and these important findings demonstrated the dysregulated immunological functionome and dysfunctional metabolic pathway as potential roles during the tumorigenesis of BOTs and may be helpful for the diagnosis and therapy of BOTs in the future.     

Immobilization of enzyme and antibody on ALD-HfO2-EIS structure by NH3 plasma treatment

Thin hafnium oxide layers deposited by an atomic layer deposition system were investigated as the sensing membrane of the electrolyte-insulator-semiconductor structure. Moreover, a post-remote NH₃ plasma treatment was proposed to replace the complicated silanization procedure for enzyme immobilization. Compared to conventional methods using chemical procedures, remote NH₃ plasma treatment reduces the processing steps and time. The results exhibited that urea and antigen can be successfully detected, which indicated that the immobilization process is correct.     

An amperometric biosensor array for precise determination of homocysteine

Homocysteine is a risk factor for coronary heart disease (CHD). This study aimed to develop a novel, simple and reliable homocysteine biosensor array (HBA) for precise determination of homocysteine. A low-cost and tiny amperometric HBA was fabricated with a D-amino acid oxidase immobilized on screen-printed carbon electrodes, with silver-silver chloride (Ag/AgCl) as reference electrode. The effects of the number of working electrodes (1, 2, 4 and 8) of the HBA, and the life-span on the response of the HBA were investigated. The HBA on the detection of homocysteine at +300 mV (versus Ag/AgCl) showed an excellent linear response range (6.4-100 μM) and fast response time (<10 s). Moreover, the detection sensitivity of the HBA with 8 working electrodes could be significantly increased (about 12-fold; p < 0.001) as compared to that of the HBA with 1 working electrode because of the increase of signal to noise ratio. Finally, the HBA showed good repeatability (maximal relative standard deviation = 3.8%) and long-term stability (84% of its initial value of current response after 2 months of storage). In conclusion, a simple, low-cost, reliable and tiny HBA was developed being able to precisely determine plasma homocysteine concentrations in both the normal physiological and pathological ranges.     

表面活性剂对蔗糖结晶MA、CV及CRI影响的研究

本文对制糖工业常用的几种表面活性剂在影响蔗糖结晶平均孔径(MA),变异系数(CV)及晶体规一性指数(CRI)方面作了系统的研究。参考国内外资料,我们自行设计按装了一套性能良好的实验室模拟煮糖装置,它充分满足试验要求。试验结果表明:在糖膏煮炼过程中,应该选用降粘和降表面张力作用强,受糖液性质影响小的非离子型表面活性剂,这不仅可降低废蜜纯度,缩短煮糖时间,而且可改善蔗糖晶体外形和均匀度,提高成品白砂糖的感观质量。     

Product quality prognosis in plastic injection moulding

Plastic injection moulding is a typical complex manufacturing process. Its product quality is difficult to assure because of the nonuniform material shrinkage. This research introduces a prognostic concept for predicting the product quality (four edge shrinkages). The prognostic model is developed by path analysis through LISREL which can define the model’s reliability when only few sensory data are retrieved from the smoothly running system. The prognostic model is validated by 25 test runs. In each run, each of the nine manufacturing conditions is randomly set at the extreme limit, i.e., either the lower limit or the upper limit. By comparing the actual edge shrinkages defined by the finite element software Moldflow with the results predicted by the prognostic model, this research concludes the prognostic model can successfully predict the quality of products and prevent the production of defective products.     

High-performance two-wavelength asymmetric Fabry-Perot modulatorwith a decoupled cavity design

We have demonstrated a high-performance two-wavelength asymmetric Fabry-Perot modulator (AFPM) by using a novel decoupled cavity design. In this new design, the middle mirror supplies a back-mirror reflectivity for the short-wavelength modulator and, at the same time, a front-mirror reflectivity for the long-wavelength modulator. The front mirror is designed to be transparent at the long wavelength and reflective at the short wavelength to eliminate the interference between the two modulators. With this decoupled cavity design, we greatly simplified the matching requirement for the two cavities and obtain much more flexibility in the device design. Experimentally, we have demonstrated a two-wavelength modulator operated at 860 and 890 nm with operating voltages of 3.4 and 6.2 V and reflectivity changes of 62% and 44%, respectively     

Seismic design procedure development for cold-formed steel-special bolted moment frames

Seismic design provisions of Cold-Formed Steel-Special Bolted Moment Frames in the proposed AISI Seismic Standard were developed on the basis that ductility capacity is provided through bolt slippage and bearing in bolted beam-to-column moment connections, and that beams and columns are to remain elastic at the design story drift to resist the maximum force that can be developed in the connections. Based on the instantaneous centre of rotation analysis procedure, both the slip and bearing components of the connection resistance, expressed in the form of column shear and story drift, are presented and design values tabulated.     

A new Pd-InP Schottky hydrogen sensor fabricated by electrophoretic deposition with Pd nanoparticles

In this letter, a new Pd-InP Schottky diode hydrogen sensor fabricated by electrophoretic deposition (EPD) combined with nanosized Pd particles is first proposed and demonstrated. Experimentally, the studied device exhibited excellent current-voltage rectifying characteristics with a large Schottky barrier height (SBH) of 829 meV. At 303 K, a high saturation sensitivity ratio of 38 was found under a very low hydrogen concentration of 15 ppm H/sub 2//air. As raising the hydrogen concentration to 1.0% H/sub 2//air, the SBH lowering of the studied devic"dq"e reached to 307 meV and the sensitivity ratio was high as 1.29/spl times/10/sup 5/ with a very rapid response, which far prevailed over those fabricated by the conventional thermal evaporation and electroless plating techniques. Consequentially, the EPD Pd-InP Schottky diode with extremely effective Pd gate is promising for the fabrication of high-performance hydrogen sensors.     

Experimental investigation of link-to-column connections in eccentrically braced frames

The design of link-to-column connections in seismic-resistant eccentrically braced frames remains a largely unresolved problem. In order to address this problem, twenty-four large-scale specimens were tested under cyclic loading. The test parameters included the connection detail, link length, link section, and cyclic loading protocol. The test results suggest that link-to-column connections are susceptible to fracture at the link flange welds, regardless of the link length. A large number of specimens failed prematurely, before meeting the plastic link rotation requirement in US code provisions. However, two promising link-to-column connection details were developed as an outcome of this research. The new connection details include a detail using all-around fillet welds between the link and the column flange, and a reinforced connection detail that welds a pair of stiffeners in the first link web panel next to the column, parallel to the link web. Test specimens using either of these two details were able to exceed the plastic link rotation requirement.     

MUSCLE FORCE MEASUREMENT SYSTEM FOR LONG-TERM MONITORING DURING DISTRACTION OSTEOGENESIS

Distraction osteogenesis is a procedure in orthopedics for skeletal lengthening. This operation sometimes causes clinical complications such as paralysis and pain related to the rate and extent of distraction. Therefore, a tension-force monitoring system is mandatory to control optimal lengthening. We developed a portable, low-power consumption system to continuously monitor the distracted tensions during the distraction osteogenesis period on the tibias of four male New Zealand white rabbits. The lengthening rate was 1mm per day at frequencies of once a day in one rabbit, and of three successive steps in the others. The system indicates the distraction measured by force, which is considered to be more physiological in nature rather than by distance. Radiographs were also taken for comparison. The results showed that the system was stable and approximate to being ideal. The measured distract-tension recovered to a steady state faster at the frequency of 1mm a day in three steps, rather than once per day. During the duration of the entire operation, each single lengthening induced more extensive force than that of one-day totals. The integer tension gradually increased until 15 days and tended to be stable. The radiographic examinations also revealed that the tibias healed well after the lengthening; consequently, a dispensable X-ray might be mostly replaced by the system monitoring. This system might be helpful to monitor force measurement for the improvement of distraction osteogenesis.