By drawing on the tensions-based view to depict the components of the dark side of relationships, this study presents a conceptual model explaining how the dark side of relationships can moderate the ...positive relationship between relationship quality and relationship function. The authors test the hypotheses via a mail survey involving 136 manufacturing firms. The results support the hypotheses, which posit that relationship quality is positively associated with relationship function. Moreover, the empirical results partially support the argument of the author that the influence of relationship quality on relationship function is strengthened or weakened when three relationship tensions (namely, behavioral, structural, and psychological tension) are balanced or imbalanced. Theoretical and managerial implications are extracted from this study, and potential future research directions.
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► Relationship quality is positively associated with relationship function. ► Behavioral tension strengthens/weakens the light side of relationships. ► Structural tension strengthens/weakens the light side of relationships. ► Psychological tension strengthens the light side of relationships.
Phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage have been intensively studied because it contributes to energy conservation and emission reduction for sustainable energy use. Recently, the ...issues on shape stability, thermal conductivity, and mechanical properties have been addressed and effective measures have been proposed to deal with the current dilemmas in various applications of PCMs. In this review, research progress on improved integrated performance and other aspects in microencapsulation of PCMs (MEPCMs) and form-stable PCMs (FSPCMs) is introduced. In addition, diverse applications of PCMs, such as thermal management devices, smart textiles and intelligent buildings, are also discussed. Finally, the challenges and prospects of PCMs are summarized.
Phase change materials (PCMs) for thermal energy storage have been intensively studied because it contributes to energy conservation and emission reduction for sustainable energy use.
Two novel viologen-functionalized Zn(II) complexes {Zn(cbbpy)(PTA)0.5Cl·2H2O} n (1) and Zn3(cbbpy)2(PTA)2(H2O)6·(PTA)·4H2O} n (2) with a one-dimensional chain of quadrilateral rings and three-fold ...interpenetrating two-dimensional networks, respectively, have been synthesized and characterized. Both 1 and 2 display high contrast reversible photochromic properties under UV and X-rays. In particular, 1 exhibits an ultrafast response to UV, and the photoresponse time is only 0.5 s, which is faster than that of most currently reported photochromic complexes, and thus this compound shows potential applications in monitoring the UV light. Importantly, this is the first time that the colored photoproducts can be quickly decolored by HCl vapor, and the circulation can be realized after fumigation with NH3 vapor. Moreover, 1 also shows potential applications in inkless printing and anticounterfeiting.
Conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has certain limitations in distinguishing between malignant and benign urinary bladder (UB) lesions. Amide proton transfer (APT) imaging may provide more ...diagnostic information than diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) to distinguish between malignant and benign UB.
To investigate the potential of APT imaging in the diagnosis of malignant and benign UB lesions and to compare its diagnostic efficacy with that of conventional DWI.
Prospective.
Eighty patients with UB lesions.
A 3.0 T/turbo spin echo (TSE) T1-weighted and T2-weighted imaging, single-shot echo planar DWI, and three-dimensional TSE APT imaging.
Patients underwent radical cystectomy or transurethral resection of the bladder lesions within 2 weeks after CT urography and MRI examination. APT signal intensity in UB lesions was quantified by the asymmetric magnetization transfer ratio (MTR
). MTR
and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) values were measured and compared between malignant and benign UB lesions.
Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, Student's t test or Mann-Whitney U test, Spearman rank correlation coefficient, area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve (AUC), Delong test, and intraclass correlation coefficient (ICC). The significance threshold was set at P < 0.05.
Thirty-two patients had pathologically confirmed benign UB lesions, including 2 bladder leiomyomas, 1 submucosal amyloidosis, 1 inflammatory myofibroblastic tumor, and 28 inflammatory lesions, and 48 patients had pathologically confirmed urothelial carcinoma. Urothelial carcinomas showed significantly higher MTR
values (1.53% 0.74% vs. 0.85% 0.23%) and significantly lower ADC values (1.24 ± 0.34 × 10
mm
/s vs. 1.43 ± 0.22 × 10
mm
/s) than benign UB lesions. The MTR
value (AUC = 0.928) was significantly better in differentiating urothelial carcinoma from benign UB lesions than the ADC value (AUC = 0.722).
APT imaging may have value in discriminating malignant from benign UB lesions and has better diagnostic performance than DWI.
3 TECHNICAL EFFICACY: Stage 2.
To investigate the formation of laterites and Fe cycling during tropical weathering, this study presents Fe isotope and major trace-element compositions of a laterite profile obtained from an ...equatorial rainforest, Southern Philippines. The lateritic profile is 7m deep from top soil to less-weathered peridotites. X-ray diffraction analyses reveal that the major Fe-bearing minerals are hematite and goethite. The profile shows a large variation in Fe2O3 concentrations (32.1–73.3wt%) and dramatic Fe loss based on τTi,Fe factors (τTi,Fe≈−50% to −90%) calculated from the open-system mass fraction transport function. Notably, δ56Fe depicts a small range from −0.03‰ in the peridotite to +0.10‰ in the extremely weathered saprolites.
The small Fe isotopic fractionation and significant Fe loss provide important insights into Fe cycling during extreme weathering of peridotites in a tropical climate. Variations in Fe content and δ56Fe can be modeled by a Rayleigh distillation process with apparently small fractionation factors of 56Fe/54Fe between the saprolite and fluid (103lnαsaprolite–fluid) of 0.01 to 0.20, much smaller than those experimentally determined for reductive dissolution of goethite (103lnαgoethite-Fe(II)≈1.2; Icopini et al., 2004) and hematite (103lnαhematite-Fe(II)≈1.3; Beard et al., 2003). These observations suggest that Fe should have experienced a complete and in situ oxidation prior to Fe migration and Fe was probably transferred in the form of colloidal substances. Fe transport over the history of the laterite formation and evolution may not have had a discernible effect on the Fe isotopic composition of the ecosystem.
•Fe isotope composition of laterites from Surigao, South Philippines was studied.•The laterite profile depicts limited Fe isotope fractionation, reflecting a complete and in situ oxidation before Fe migration.•Significant loss of Fe in laterites suggests that Fe was likely lost via ferric Fe colloids.•Fe isotope variations in soils help identify soil evolution processes under different climates.
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To identify effective and low toxicity synergistic antifungal compounds, 24 derivatives of chalcone were synthesized to restore the effectiveness of fluconazole against ...fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans. The minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC80) and the fractional inhibitory concentration index (FICI) of the antifungal synergist fluconazole were measured against fluconazole-resistant Candida albicans. This was done via methods established by the clinical and laboratory standards institute (CLSI). Of the synthesized compounds, 2′-hydroxy-4′-methoxychalcone (8) exhibited the most potent in vitro (FICI=0.007) effects. The structure activity relationship of the compounds are then discussed.
A novel procedure about electrochemical catalysis degradation of aspen lignin with Pb/PbO2 anode in the three-dimensional electrode (TDE) reactor was investigated. SEM, XRD and cyclic voltammogram ...tests were employed to study the surface morphology, composition and the electrochemical redox performance of the fabricated Pb/PbO2 electrode. The lignin was cracked by OH and hydrogenated by H atom generated from alkaline water electrolysis, leading to the production of 4-methylanisole and other products. Raw material lignin concentration, current density, temperature and time were optimized. The pathway of electrocatalytic degradation and hydrogenation process of lignin in alkaline solution was also discussed.
•Electrochemical catalysis degradation of aspen lignin in the TDE reactor•The lignin was cracked by OH and hydrogenated by H atom.•Products 4-methylanisole, acetovanillone, 2,6-dimethoxyphenol and so on
Single-crystal organic nanowires were fabricated with a soft-template-assisted self-assembly method in liquid phase. These nanowires with rectangular cross section can serve as resonators for ...exciton–photon coupling, leading to a microcavity effect and a relatively low threshold of laser actions. Two-photon-pumped blue lasing was observed in these organic waveguiding nanostructures above a threshold of 60 nJ, excited with a 750 nm near-infrared femtosecond pulse laser at 77 K.
Mast cells are prominent components of solid tumors and exhibit distinct phenotypes in different tumor microenvironments. However, their precise mechanism of communication in gastric cancer remains ...largely unclear. Here, we found that patients with GC showed a significantly higher mast cell infiltration in tumors. Mast cell levels increased with tumor progression and independently predicted reduced overall survival. Tumor-derived adrenomedullin (ADM) induced mast cell degranulation via PI3K-AKT signaling pathway, which effectively promoted the proliferation and inhibited the apoptosis of GC cells in vitro and contributed to the growth and progression of GC tumors in vivo, and the effect could be reversed by blocking interleukin (IL)-17A production from these mast cells. Our results illuminate a novel protumorigenic role and associated mechanism of mast cells in GC, and also provide functional evidence for these mast cells to prevent, and to treat this immunopathogenesis feature of GC.
Rationale
Neutrophils constitute massive cellular constituents in inflammatory human gastric cancer (GC) tissues, but their roles in pathogenesis of inflammatory T helper (Th) subsets are still ...unknown.
Methods
Flow cytometry analysis and immunohistochemistry were used to analyze the responses and phenotypes of neutrophils in different samples from 51 patients with GC. Kaplan‐Meier plots and Multivariate analysis for the survival of patients were used by log‐rank tests and Cox proportional hazards models. Neutrophils and CD4+ T cells were purified and cultured for ex vivo, in vitro and in vivo regulation and function assays.
Results
GC patients exhibited increased tumoral neutrophil infiltration with GC progression and poor patient prognosis. Intratumoral neutrophils accumulated in GC tumors via CXCL6/CXCL8‐CXCR1‐mediated chemotaxis, and expressed activated molecule CD54 and co‐signaling molecule B7‐H2. Neutrophils induced by tumors strongly expressed CD54 and B7‐H2 in both dose‐ and time‐dependent manners, and a close correlation was obtained between the expressions of CD54 and B7‐H2 on intratumoral neutrophils. Tumor‐derived tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α) promoted neutrophil activation and neutrophil B7‐H2 expression through ERK‐NF‐κB pathway, and a significant correlation was found between the levels of TNF‐α and CD54+ or B7‐H2+ neutrophils in tumor tissues. Tumor‐infiltrating and tumor‐conditioned neutrophils effectively induced IL‐17A‐producing Th subset polarization through a B7‐H2‐dependent manner ex vivo and these polarized IL‐17A‐producing Th cells exerted protumorigenic roles by promoting GC tumor cell proliferation via inflammatory molecule IL‐17A in vitro, which promoted the progression of human GC in vivo; these effects could be reversed when IL‐17A is blocked. Moreover, increased B7‐H2+ neutrophils and IL‐17A in tumors were closely related to advanced GC progression and predicted poor patient survival.
Conclusion
We illuminate novel underlying mechanisms that TNF‐α‐activated neutrophils link B7‐H2 to protumorigenic IL‐17A‐producing Th subset polarization in human GC. Blocking this pathological TNF‐α‐B7‐H2‐IL‐17A pathway may be useful therapeutic strategies for treating GC.
Our results illuminate a novel mechanism that TNF‐α‐activated neutrophils link B7‐H2 to protumorigenic IL‐17A‐producing Th subset polarization in human GC. Blocking this pathological TNF‐α‐B7‐H2‐IL‐17A pathway may be useful therapeutic strategies for treating GC.
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