Thidiazuron: A multi-dimensional plant growth regulator

Thidiazuron (TDZ) has gained a considerable attention during past decades due to its efficient role in plant cell and tissue culture. Wide array of physiological responses were observed in response to TDZapplication in different plant species. TDZ has shown both auxin and cytokinin like effects, although, chemically, it is totally different from commonly used auxins and cytokinins. A number of biological (physiological and biochemical) events in cells are induced or enhanced by TDZ, but the mode of action of TDZ is yet unknown. However, varieties of underlying mechanisms were revealed by reports showing how morphogenic events were induced by application of TDZ. Other reports showed that TDZ may modify endogenous plant growth regulators, either directly or indirectly and produce reactions in cell/tissue, necessary for its division/regeneration. Other possibilities include modification in cell membrane, energy levels, nutrient absorption, transport and assimilation, etc. In this review, recent advancements in TDZ application in plant sciences are discussed.Key words: Thidiazuron, plant growth regulators, somatic embryogenesis, regeneration, cell cultures, metabolism

Computational model of 18650 lithium-ion battery with coupled strain rate and SOC dependencies

Highly nonlinear structures and constituent materials and hazardous experiment situations have resulted in a pressing need for a numerical mechanical model for lithium-ion battery (LIB). However, such a model is still not well established. In this paper, an anisotropic homogeneous model describing the jellyroll and the battery shell is established and validated through compression, indentation, and bending tests at quasi-static loadings. In this model, state-of-charge (SOC) dependency of the LIB is further included through an analogy with the strain-rate effect. Moreover, with consideration of the inertia and strain rate effects, the anisotropic homogeneous model is extended into the dynamic regime and proven capable of predicting the dynamic response of the LIB using the drop-weight test. The established model may help to predict extreme cases with high SOCs and crashing speeds with an over 135% improved accuracy compared to traditional models. The established coupled strain rate and SOC dependencies of the numerical mechanical model for the LIB aims to provide a solid step toward unraveling and quantifying the complicated problems for research on LIB mechanical integrity. (C) 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved

Impacts of subsidy policies on vaccination decisions in contact networks

Author name used in this publication: Hai-Feng ZhangVersion of RecordPublishe

Oral microbiota and vitamin D impact on oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinogenesis: a narrative literature review

An emerging body of research is revealing the microbiota pivotal involvement in determining the health or disease state of several human niches, and that of vitamin D also in extra-skeletal regions. Nevertheless, much of the oral microbiota and vitamin D reciprocal impact in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinogenesis (OPSCC) is still mostly unknown. On this premise, starting from an in-depth scientific bibliographic analysis, this narrative literature review aims to show a detailed view of the state of the art on their contribution in the pathogenesis of this cancer type. Significant differences in the oral microbiota species quantity and quality have been detected in OPSCC affected patients; in particular, mainly high-risk human papillomaviruses (HR-HPVs), Fusobacterium nucleatum, Porphyromonas gingivalis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa and Candida spp. seem to be highly represented. Vitamin D prevents and fights infections promoted by the above identified pathogens, thus confirming its homeostatic function on the microbiota balance. However, its antimicrobial and antitumoral actions, well-described for the gut, have not been fully documented for the oropharynx yet. Deeper investigations of the mechanisms that link vitamin D levels, oral microbial diversity and inflammatory processes will lead to a better definition of OPSCC risk factors for the optimization of specific prevention and treatment strategies

Acute rejection is associated with antibodies to non-Gal antigens in baboons using Gal-knockout pig kidneys

We transplanted kidneys from α1,3-galactosyltransferase knockout (GalT-KO) pigs into six baboons using two different immunosuppressive regimens, but most of the baboons died from severe acute humoral xenograft rejection. Circulating induced antibodies to non-Gal antigens were markedly elevated at rejection, which mediated strong complement-dependent cytotoxicity against GalT-KO porcine target cells. These data suggest that antibodies to non-Gal antigens will present an additional barrier to transplantation of organs from GalT-KO pigs to humans. © 2005 Nature Publishing Group

Feigenbaum graphs: a complex network perspective of chaos

The recently formulated theory of horizontal visibility graphs transforms time series into graphs and allows the possibility of studying dynamical systems through the characterization of their associated networks. This method leads to a natural graph-theoretical description of nonlinear systems with qualities in the spirit of symbolic dynamics. We support our claim via the case study of the period-doubling and band-splitting attractor cascades that characterize unimodal maps. We provide a universal analytical description of this classic scenario in terms of the horizontal visibility graphs associated with the dynamics within the attractors, that we call Feigenbaum graphs, independent of map nonlinearity or other particulars. We derive exact results for their degree distribution and related quantities, recast them in the context of the renormalization group and find that its fixed points coincide with those of network entropy optimization. Furthermore, we show that the network entropy mimics the Lyapunov exponent of the map independently of its sign, hinting at a Pesin-like relation equally valid out of chaos.Comment: Published in PLoS ONE (Sep 2011

Shape controlled synthesis of PbS nanocrystals by a solvothermal-microemulsion approach

Shape controlled synthesis of PbS nanoparticles, cubes, and nanowires has been realized by a so-called solvothermal-microemulsion technique in a sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS)/hexane/hexanol/water microemulsion system using different sulfur source. The effect of different sulfur source and temperature on the shape of PbS nanocrystallites was investigated. The results demonstrated that the combination of solvothermal process and microemulsion technique could provide a useful tool for the synthesis of other nanocrysals with unusual shape and structures. (C) 2004 Published by Elsevier B.V