Galaxy interaction is considered a key driver of galaxy evolution and star formation (SF) history. In this paper, we present an empirical picture of the radial extent of interaction-triggered SF ...along the merger sequence. The samples under study are drawn from the integral field spectroscopy survey SDSS-IV MaNGA, including 205 star-forming galaxies in pairs/mergers and ∼1350 control galaxies. For each galaxy in pairs, the merger stage is identified according to its morphological signatures: incoming phase, at first pericenter passage, at apocenter, in merging phase, and in final coalescence. The effect of interactions is quantified by the global and spatially resolved SF rate (SFR) relative to the SFR of a control sample selected for each individual galaxy (Δlog SFR and Δlog sSFR(r), respectively). Analysis of the radial Δlog sSFR(r) distributions shows that galaxy interactions have no significant impact on Δlog sSFR(r) during the incoming phase. Right after the first pericenter passage, the radial Δlog sSFR(r) profile decreases steeply from enhanced to suppressed activity for increasing galactocentric radius. Later on, SF is enhanced on a broad spatial scale out to the maximum radius we explore (∼6.7 kpc) and the enhancement is in general centrally peaked. The extended SF enhancement is also observed for systems at their apocenters and in the coalescence phase, suggesting that interaction-triggered SF is not restricted to the central region of a galaxy. Further explorations of a wide range in parameter space of merger configurations (e.g., mass ratio) are required to constrain the whole picture of interaction-triggered SF.
Carbon@titania yolk–shell nanostructures are successfully synthesized at different calcination conditions. These unique structure nanomaterials can be used as a photocatalyst to degrade the emerging ...water pollutant, acetaminophen (paracetamol). The photodegradation analysis studies have shown that the samples with residual carbon nanospheres have improved the photocatalytic efficiency. The local electronic and atomic structure of the nanostructures are analyzed by X‐ray absorption spectroscopy (XAS) measurements. The spectra confirm that the hollow shell has an anatase phase structure, slight lattice distortion, and variation in Ti 3d orbital orientation. In situ XAS measurements reveal that the existence of amorphous carbon nanospheres inside the nano spherical shell inhibit the recombination of electron–hole pairs; more mobile holes are formed in the p–d hybridized bands near the Fermi surface and enables the acceleration of the carries that significantly enhance the photodegradation of paracetamol under UV–visible irradiation. The observed charge transfer process from TiO2 hybridized orbital to the carbon nanospheres reduces the recombination rate of electrons and holes, thus increasing the photocatalytic efficiency.
A change in the unoccupied states and a charge transfer under UV–visible illumination for the carbon@titania yolk–shell nanostructures enhance the photocatalytic activity.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
We utilize the Hyper Suprime-Cam (HSC) Wide Survey to explore the properties of galaxies located in the voids identified from the Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey up to
z
∼ 0.7. The ...HSC reaches
i
∼ 25, allowing us to characterize the void galaxies down to 10
9.2
solar mass. We find that the revised void galaxy densities, when including faint galaxies in voids defined by bright galaxies, are still underdense compared to the mean density from the entire field. In addition, we classify galaxies into star-forming, quiescent, and green valley populations, and find that void galaxies tend to have slightly higher fractions of star-forming galaxies under the mass and redshift control, although the significance of this result is only moderate (2
σ
). However, when we focus on the star-forming population, the distribution of the specific star formation rate (sSFR) of void galaxies shows little difference from that of the control galaxies. Similarly, the median sSFR of star-forming void galaxies is also in good agreement with that of the star-forming control galaxies. Moreover, the effective green valley fraction of void galaxies, defined as the number of green valley galaxies over the number of nonquiescent galaxies, is comparable to that of the control ones, supporting the suggestion that void and control galaxies evolve under similar physical processes and quenching frequencies. Our results thus favor a scenario of galaxy assembly bias.
Gemcitabine (GEM) drug resistance remains a difficult challenge in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) treatment. Therefore, identifying a safe and effective treatment strategy for PDAC is ...urgent. Lucidone is a natural compound extracted from the fruits of Lindera erythrocarpa Makino. However, the role of lucidone in PDAC inhibition remains unclear. In addition, high‐mobility group box 1 (HMGB1) and receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGE) are involved in multidrug resistance protein 1 (MDR1) regulation and GEM resistance. Thus, this study aimed to explore the function of lucidone in tumor cytotoxicity and chemosensitivity through the suppression of RAGE‐initiated signaling in PDAC cells. The data showed that lucidone significantly promoted apoptotic cell death and inhibited the expression of autophagic proteins (Atg5, Beclin‐1, LC3‐II, and Vps34) and MDR1 by inhibiting the HMGB1/RAGE/PI3K/Akt axis in both MIA Paca‐2 cells and MIA Paca‐2GEMR cells (GEM‐resistant cells). Notably, convincing data were also obtained in experiments involving RAGE‐specific siRNA transfection. In addition, remarkable cell proliferation was observed after treatment with lucidone combined with GEM, particularly in MIA Paca‐2GEMR cells, indicating that lucidone treatment enhanced chemosensitivity. Collectively, this study provided the underlying mechanism by which lucidone treatment inhibited HMGB1/RAGE‐initiated PI3K/Akt/MDR1 signaling and consequently enhanced chemosensitivity in PDAC.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
We study the role of cold gas in quenching star formation in the green valley by analyzing ALMA 12CO (1-0) observations of three galaxies with resolved optical spectroscopy from the MaNGA survey. We ...present resolution-matched maps of the star formation rate and molecular gas mass. These data are used to calculate the star formation efficiency (SFE) and gas fraction ( ) for these galaxies separately in the central "bulge" regions and outer disks. We find that, for the two galaxies whose global specific star formation rate (sSFR) deviates most from the star formation main sequence, the gas fraction in the bulges is significantly lower than that in their disks, supporting an "inside-out" model of galaxy quenching. For the two galaxies where SFE can be reliably determined in the central regions, the bulges and disks share similar SFEs. This suggests that a decline in is the main driver of lowered sSFR in bulges compared to disks in green valley galaxies. Within the disks, there exist common correlations between the sSFR and SFE and between sSFR and on kiloparsec scales-the local SFE or in the disks declines with local sSFR. Our results support a picture in which the sSFR in bulges is primarily controlled by , whereas both SFE and play a role in lowering the sSFR in disks. A larger sample is required to confirm if the trend established in this work is representative of the green valley as a whole.
Aim
To analyse the contents and thermal behaviour of several brands of contemporary gutta‐percha points due to the variable nature of the components of gutta‐percha, and the impact they can have on ...the physical properties of this unique material during canal filling.
Methodology
Six brands of gutta‐percha were investigated: Conform Fit TM Gutta‐Percha Points for ProTaper Gold® (PTG) (Dentsply Sirona), ProTaper® Universal Gutta‐Percha Points (PTU) (Dentsply Sirona), Autofit TM Feathered Tip Gutta Percha (Kerr), Mtwo® Gutta‐Percha (VDW), Gutta Percha Root Canal Points (GC, GC Corporation) and Gutta‐Percha Points ISO Color‐Coded (ISO; Dentsply Sirona). The organic and inorganic fractions of gutta‐percha points were separated by quantitative chemical analysis. Thermal conductivity was detected using a laser flash method. In addition, the thermal behaviour of gutta‐percha in response to temperature variations was analysed using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Kruskal–Wallis and Dunn tests were applied for comparisons amongst groups for chemical compositions and temperature obtained from DSC. The associations between compositions and thermal conductivity were determined using simple linear regression. A p value <.05 was considered to be statistically significant.
Results
There were significant difference in the inorganic fractions of the gutta‐percha points in percentage by weight amongst the groups (p < .05). PTG had the lowest thermal conductivity (0.42 W/m K). A positive correlation was observed between the percentage of inorganic fraction and thermal conductivity (r = 0.95). The initial phase changing temperature and peak temperature measured by DSC were significantly different when the β‐form transformed to α‐form (p < .05), whereas no significant difference was found during the α‐form to the amorphous‐phase transition (p > .05).
Conclusions
Chemical compositions and initial phase changing temperature by DSC varied according to the various brands of gutta‐percha points. Conform Fit TM gutta‐percha had the lowest percentage of inorganic fraction and thermal conductivity amongst these six brands of gutta‐percha. Thermal conductivity had the strongest positive correlation with the percentage of inorganic components and zinc, whilst there was a negative correlation to the amount (ratio) of gutta‐percha.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, CMK, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
A 2D SnSe2 layered film‐based gas detector incorporating a floating‐gate device coupled with metal interconnect wiring structures is proposed and demonstrated for the first time. Linear amplification ...can be readily implemented using a coupling ratio design, which refers to the capacitance ratio between the gate and device in the sense amplifier circuits. A sensitivity of 102 mV ppm−1 can be obtained using the 2D SnSe2 layered film with a thickness of 10 nm. The 2D SnSe2 layered film‐based complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) gas detector features highly sensitive, wide, and adjustable dynamic ranges with a real‐time response of the sub‐ppm detection limit on NO2 gas. In addition, the synthesis process of the SnSe2 layered film can occur at a low temperature and be operated at room temperature. Furthermore, 3 × 3 gas detector arrays with peripheral circuits demonstrate the functionality of multiple gas detection simultaneously and 16 × 16 arrays with a decoder and other peripheral circuits are constructed and simulated, providing the spatial distribution of the gas concentration in a specific region. The performance of the proposed detector is comparable to that of the other state‐of‐the‐art gas sensors.
A novel embedded sensing amplifier and readout scheme is developed for a 2D‐layered SnSe2 CMOS‐compatible gas sensor featuring high and adjustable sensitivity. This proposed sensor possesses the ability to operate at room temperature and suitable for low‐power applications. Moreover, the calibration method and peripheral circuits proposed in this research endow low error, high density, and high sensitivity responses.
Full text
Available for:
BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Today, with the arrival of an aging society, the average age of the population is rising. It is known that the physiology of a person degrades with age. There are approximately 285 million visually ...impaired people in the world, of whom 140 million are elderly people over the age of 50, and 110 million of these visually impaired elderly people suffer from multiple chronic diseases. In the case of multiple medication usage, these 110 million vulnerable people will be more likely to take the wrong medicines or forget to take their medication. To solve this problem, this paper proposes a wearable smart-glasses-based drug pill recognition system using deep learning, named MedGlasses, for visually impaired people to improve their medication-use safety. The proposed MedGlasses system consists of a pair of wearable smart glasses, an artificial intelligence (AI)-based intelligent drug pill recognition box, a mobile device app, and a cloud-based information management platform. Experimental results show that a recognition accuracy of up to 95.1% can be achieved. Therefore, the proposed MedGlasses system can effectively mitigate the problem of drug interactions caused by taking incorrect drugs, thereby reducing the cost of medical treatment and providing visually impaired chronic patients with a safe medication environment.
Membranous nephropathy (MN) is the most common cause of nephrotic syndrome in adults without diabetes. Primary MN has been associated with circulating antibodies against native podocyte antigens, ...including phospholipase A2 receptor (PLA2R); however, precision therapy targeting the signaling cascade of PLA2R activation is lacking. Both PLA2R and the mammalian target of rapamycin (mTOR) exist in podocytes, but the interplay between these two proteins and their roles in MN warrants further exploration. This study aimed to investigate the crosstalk between PLA2R activation and mTOR signaling in a human podocyte cell line. We demonstrated that podocyte apoptosis was induced by Group IB secretory phospholipase A2 (sPLA2IB) in a concentration- and time-dependent manner via upregulation of phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K), protein kinase B (AKT), and mTOR, and inhibited by rapamycin or LY294002. Furthermore, aberrant activation of the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway triggers both extrinsic (caspase-8 and caspase-3) and intrinsic (Bcl-2-associated X protein BAX, B-cell lymphoma 2 BCL-2, cytochrome c, caspase-9, and caspase-3) apoptotic cascades in podocytes. The therapeutic implications of our findings are that strategies to reduce PLA2R activation and PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway inhibition in PLA2R-activated podocytes help protect podocytes from apoptosis. The therapeutic potential of rapamycin shown in this study provides cellular evidence supporting the repurposing of rapamycin for MN treatment.
•Group IB secretory phospholipase A2 induces podocyte apoptosis.•PLA2R activation upregulates the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway.•Activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway triggers apoptotic signaling cascades.•Rapamycin attenuate PLA2R activation-mediated podocyte apoptosis.
Full text
Available for:
GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Symptoms and treatment of venous leg ulcers (VLUs) adversely impact patients' quality of life (QoL). There is no QoL tool that considers the linguistic and cultural specificities of patients with VLU ...in Taiwan. This study aimed to evaluate the psychometric properties of the traditional Chinese version of the Venous Leg Ulcer Quality of Life Questionnaire (VLU-QoL).
The processes of translation and cultural adaptation of the VLU-QoL from English to traditional Chinese included forward translation, back translation, linguistic modification, and expert review. Using a sample of 167 patients with VLU from a hospital in southern Taiwan, the psychometric properties analyzed were internal consistency, test-retest reliability, content validity, convergent validity, and criterion-related.
The traditional Chinese version of the VLU-QoL demonstrated good overall internal consistency (Cronbach α = .95) and overall test-retest reliability coefficient (r = 0.98). Confirmatory factor analysis was used to assess the convergent validity of the scale; results showed that the Activity, Psychology, and Symptom Distress constructs had acceptable fit and a structure similar to that of the original scale. The scale had its criterion-related validity verified using the Taiwanese version of the 36-item Short-Form Health Survey, demonstrating a good correlation coefficient r that ranged from -0.7 to -0.2 (P < .001).
The Chinese version of the VLU-QoL is valid and reliable for assessing the QoL in patients with VLU, delivering a tool that nurses can use to deliver timely and appropriate care to improve patients' QoL.
PDF
