Learner individual differences can play differential roles in learners’ performance on different task types of different complexity levels. This study investigates the differential role of ...domain-specific anxiety in second language (L2) learners’ performances on narrative and argumentative writing tasks. For this purpose, a group of 102 upper-intermediate L2 learners in Iran were asked to perform either a narrative or an argumentative writing task. The study also involved the measurement of learners’ L2 writing anxiety using the Second Language Writing Anxiety Inventory (SLWAI) that represents somatic anxiety (negative feelings such as tension), cognitive anxiety (negative expectations, preoccupation with performance) and avoidance behavior (avoidance in writing). Moreover, the quality of learners’ writings was assessed by eliciting three measures of task performance, i.e. Complexity (clauses per T-unit and dependent clauses percentage), Accuracy (error-free clauses and T-units percentage) and Fluency (average number of words, T-units and clauses per text). Regarding the narrative task, negative relationships were found between cognitive anxiety and both accuracy measures; further, a significant negative correlation was found between somatic anxiety and an accuracy measure of narrations. On the contrary, the effect of writing anxiety on argumentative task performance was more extensive: negative correlations were observed between cognitive anxiety and all three measures of fluency, one complexity measure and one accuracy measure; avoidance behavior was also negatively associated with two fluency measures and one complexity measure. The implications of the study are discussed.
CaF
2
translucent ceramics with different concentrations of Tb were synthesized by the spark plasma sintering (SPS) method, and their photoluminescence, scintillation and dosimetric properties were ...characterized. The Tb-doped samples exhibited scintillation with several sharp peaks across the range from 365-630 nm due to 4 f-4 f transitions of Tb
3+
and with a broad peak at approximately 300 nm due to self-trapped excitons. Among the sample investigated, the scintillation intensity in the 365-630 nm range was highest for the 0.5% Tb-doped sample. As a dosimetric property, the Tb-doped samples exhibited thermally-stimulated luminescence (TSL) with a glow peak at approximately 90°C, and with a TSL response in a linear relationship to the X-ray dose over the dose range from 0.001 to 1 mGy. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) due to the 4 f-4 f transitions of Tb
3+
was detected in the Tb-doped samples, moreover and the lowest detectable limit of OSL was at most 100 mGy.
Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts are fibroblasts activated by surrounding cancer cells. Carcinoma-associated fibroblasts exhibit enhanced cell migration, which plays an important role in cancer ...metastasis. Previously, we demonstrated enhanced migration of NIH3T3 fibroblasts when they were cultured in the presence of MCF7 breast cancer cells. Human fibroblasts displayed a similar phenomenon even when they were co-cultured with cancer cells other than MCF7 cells. In this study, we screened ∼16,000 compounds from the RIKEN Natural Products Depository chemical library for inhibitors of enhanced NIH3T3 cell migration in the presence of MCF7. We identified NPD8733 as an inhibitor of cancer cell–enhanced fibroblast migration. This inhibition was observed not only in a wound-healing co-culture assay but also in a Transwell migration assay. Using NPD8733 and a structurally similar but inactive derivative, NPD8126, on immobilized beads, we found that NPD8733, but not NPD8126, specifically binds to valosin-containing protein (VCP)/p97, a member of the ATPase-associated with diverse cellular activities (AAA+) protein family. Using VCP truncation variants, we found that NPD8733 binds to the D1 domain of VCP. Because VCP’s D1 domain is important for its function, we concluded that NPD8733 may act on VCP by binding to this domain. siRNA-mediated silencing of VCP in NIH3T3 fibroblasts, but not in MCF7 cells, reduced the migration of the co-cultured NIH3T3 fibroblasts. These results indicate that MCF7 activates the migration of NIH3T3 cells through VCP and that NPD8733 binds VCP and thereby inhibits its activity.
Angiopoietin-like proteins (ANGPTLs) have emerged as both important regulator of lipid and glucose metabolism as well as insulin sensitivity. In particular, ANGPTL3 activity is one of the most ...important factors in cancer growth and invasion. Although ANGPTL3 have been studied in OSCC, but the role of ANGPTL3 between OSCC and CAFs has yet to be clearly defined. Thus, this study aimed to investigate the roles of ANGPTL3 in the differentiation of CAFs.
For our study, we used hTERT-hNOFs to replace CAFs by coculturing them with oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) cells. We did a microarray dataset analysis to investigate what factors secreted from OSCC cells can induce cancer associated fibroblastic phenotype in surrounding fibroblasts. The secreted factors were confirmed by RT-PCR, real-time PCR, and Western blot.
ANGPTL3 has the most secreted factor derived from various oral cancer cells. To investigate the role of ANGPTL3 in CAFs, we treated rhANGPTL3 in hTERT-hNOFs. The fibroblasts showed an increase of tumor-promoting cytokines (IL-6 and IL-8) and myofibroblastic markers, such as α-SMA and FAP.
In conclusion, our study reports the first evidence that ANGPTL3 plays a crucial role in tumor microenvironments by inducing CAF. Therefore, targeting ANGPTL3 may be promising treatment strategy for CAF-targeted therapy in CAF-rich tumors.
The escalation of life expectancy is accompanied by an increase in the prevalence of age-related conditions, such as sarcopenia. Sarcopenia, a muscle condition defined by low muscle strength, muscle ...quality or quantity, and physical performance, has a high prevalence among the elderly and is associated to increased mortality. The neuromuscular system has been emerging as a key contributor to sarcopenia pathogenesis. Indeed, the age-related degeneration of the neuromuscular junction (NMJ) function and structure may contribute to the loss of muscle strength and ultimately to the loss of muscle mass that characterize sarcopenia. The present mini-review discusses important signaling pathways involved in the function and maintenance of the NMJ, giving emphasis to the ones that might contribute to sarcopenia pathogenesis. Some conceivable biomarkers, such as C-terminal agrin fragment (CAF) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and therapeutic targets, namely acetylcholine and calcitonin gene–related peptide (CGRP), can be retrieved, making way to future studies to validate their clinical use.
The present work attempts to study tentative gamma dose rate effects for the stable TL and OSL signals of specific, well established artficial luminescence dosimeters. Two different dose rates of ...gamma radiation (2 and 31 Gy/h) were used. The study has been performed to the stable TL peaks of 5 different TL phosphors (LiB4O7:Cu,In; MgB4O7:Dy,Na; LiF:Mg,Ti; CaF2:Dy; BeO) as well as to both OSL components of BeO. Tentative dose rate effects were studied for both dosimetric dose response features as well as kinetic parameters after deconvolution for both signals. Two different groups of materials were revealed. The first one includes materials such as LiF: Mg,Ti, BeO and MgB4O7: Dy,Na; for these, both TL dose response features and TL kinetic parameters are independent on the dose rate. This is also the case for both OSL components of BeO besides the linearity index of the dose response of the fast OSL component; the latter seems to mildly depend on the dose rate. At the same time, experimental arguments based on both dosimetric as well as deconvolution features suggest the presence of tentative dose rate effects for the cases of LiB4O7:Cu, In and CaF2:Dy. Moreover, the effective use of these aforementioned features as probes for identification of dose rate effects is also discussed. The results of the present study suggest that the basic postulate of most phenomenological TL models that traps pre-exist and they are simply filled during irradiation has to be reconsidered.
•TL of 4O7: Dy,Na, as well as the medium OSL component of BeO do not yield dose rate dependence.•Dose rate dependence was monitored for the stable TL peaks of Li2B4O7:Cu, In and CaF2: Dy dosimeters.•The most sensitive parameters are signal intensity and ΔTL, linearity index B and activation energy E in decreasing order.•The dependence of a TL trap’s activation energy on the dose rate provides hints that irradiation creates trapping states.
It is considered that alkaline elements (such as Na, K, Rb) introduced through post-deposition treatment are able to modify the near-surface region of Cu(InGa)Se2 thin films. However, research on the ...effects of Ca element on properties of Cu(InGa)Se2 thin films is hardly reported. In this paper, Cu(InGa)Se2 thin films were prepared on quartz glass by e-beam evaporation via two-step process. Study of structural property showed that a certain amount of CaF2 through post-deposition treatment was beneficial to the uniform composition distribution of Cu(InGa)Se2 thin films. Near-surface region of Cu(InGa)Se2 thin films was more Cu-depleted by increasing introduced amount of Ca element. It was inferred that Ca diffused into the Cu(InGa)Se2 thin films substituted the In sites as CaIn so as to increase the carrier concentration. By calculation, the spike barrier of CdS/Cu(InGa)Se2 heterojunction was shown to decrease with increased thickness of CaF2 layers. As a result, Cu(InGa)Se2 solar cell subjected to 20 nm CaF2 post-deposition treatment, which possessed higher fill factor, open circuit voltage and short circuit current density, achieved the optimal power conversion efficiency. An efficiency of Cu(InGa)Se2 solar cell was enhanced by 2.9% after 20 nm CaF2 post-deposition treatment.
•Well crystallized CIGS thin films were prepared on quartz glass via two-step process.•Ga graded distribution in the films was alleviated after CaF2 PDT.•Near-surface region of CIGS thin films was more Cu-poor by increasing amount of Ca.•An efficiency of CIGS solar cell was enhanced by 2.9% through 20 nm CaF2 PDT.
We investigated cytokines and angiogenic factors (CAFs) in patients with metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treated in a randomized phase II clinical trial of sorafenib versus sorafenib+ ...interferon-α (IFN-α) that yielded no differences in progression-free survival (PFS). We aimed to link the CAF profile to PFS and select candidate predictive and prognostic markers for further study.
The concentrations of 52 plasma CAFs were measured pretreatment (n = 69), day 28, and day 56 using multiplex bead arrays and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We investigated the association between baseline levels of CAFs with PFS and posttreatment changes.
Unsupervised CAF clustering analysis revealed two distinct mRCC patient groups with elevated proangiogenic or proinflammatory mediators. A six-marker baseline CAF signature osteopontin, vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF), carbonic anhydrase 9, collagen IV, VEGF receptor-2, and tumor necrosis factor-related apoptosis-inducing ligand correlated with PFS benefit (hazard ratio 0.20 versus 2.25, signature negative versus positive, respectively; P = 0.0002). While changes in angiogenic factors were frequently attenuated by the sorafenib+ IFN combination, most key immunomodulatory mediators increased.
Using CAF profiling, we identified two mRCC patient groups, a candidate plasma signature for predicting PFS benefit, and distinct marker changes occurring with each treatment. This platform may provide valuable insights into renal cell carcinoma biology and the molecular consequences of targeted therapies.
In analyzing signals from a wind turbine gearbox this paper suggests a new signal processing procedure named as CMF-EEMD method which is formed by applying conventional EEMD to a new type of combined ...mode function (CMF). This CMF consists of a low frequency CMF, denoted as CL, and a high frequency CMF, denoted as Ch. Then it optimizes the amplitude of the added noise in decomposing Ch and CL using EEMD. Finally, it calculates cyclic autocorrelation function (CAF) for every characteristic IMF from EEMD. The proposed procedure is applied to analyze the multi-faults of a wind turbine gearbox and the results confirm better performances in resolving different signal components by the proposed method than that from the cyclic autocorrelation function (CAF) of a direct EEMD analysis.
•A new signal processing procedure named as CMF-EEMD method has been proposed.•CMF-EEMD optimizes the amplitude of added noise in decomposing Ch and CL using EEMD.•It calculates cyclic autocorrelation function (CAF) for every characteristic IMF from EEMD.•The method is compared with the CAF of a direct EEMD, showing its superiority.•CMF-EEMD is applied to analyze the multi-fault of a wind turbine gearbox. The results provide references for improving the layout of the wind turbine gearbox test system.
Nano-coated particles and whiskers were used as reinforcing additives for ceramic tool materials to take advantage of synergistic toughening and enhancement mechanisms. An Al2O3/TiC/CaF2@SiO2/SiCw ...ceramic tool material was fabricated by hot-pressing. Self-lubricating ceramic tool materials toughened by nano CaF2@SiO2 coated particles and SiC whiskers were studied. When the addition content of nano CaF2@SiO2 coated particles was 10 vol% and the content of SiC whiskers was 20 vol%, ceramic tool materials with the best comprehensive properties were obtained. The results showed that the hardness of the ceramic tool material was 16.52 GPa, the flexural strength was 698 MPa, and the fracture toughness was 6.89 MPa m1/2. Compared with the ceramic tool material with 10 vol% nano CaF2 particles and 20 vol% SiC whiskers, the above properties were improved by 7.06%, 31.74% and 19.06%, respectively. The SiC whiskers played a toughening role, while nano CaF2@SiO2 coated particles reduced the porosity, the compactness and also filled between the grain boundaries of the ceramic tool materials during sintering. This improved the interfacial bonding between ceramic grains, which increased the incidence of transgranular fracture in the ceramic tool materials.
•Nano-coated particles and whiskers were used as reinforcing additives for ceramic tool materials.•An Al2O3/TiC/CaF2@SiO2/SiCw ceramic tool material was fabricated by hot-pressing.•The synergistic toughening mechanism of Al2O3/TiC/CaF2@SiO2/SiCw was also explored.
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