Impact of Morphological Characteristics of Green Roofs on Pedestrian Cooling in Subtropical Climates.

Growing and densifying cities set a challenge for preserving and enhancing green spaces to cool urban spaces. Green roofs, involving the planting of vegetation on rooftops, are regarded as an alternative approach to enhancing urban greenery and urban cooling. For better cooling performances, it is essential to reasonably configure green roofs, especially in real and complex neighborhoods.

Highly Ordered Polypeptide with UCST Phase Separation Behavior.

Manipulating phase separation structures of thermoresponsive polymers will enhance the usefulness of structure-controllable materials in fields such as drug delivery and tissue engineering. However, behaviors of upper critical solution temperature (UCST) have been less investigated so far, despite the importance of UCST. Here, we examined two citrulline-based polypeptides, poly(d-ornithine- co-d-citrulline) (PdOC) and poly(dl-ornithine- co-dl-citrulline) (PdlOC), to investigate how stereoregularity of the polypeptides influences UCST behavior, in addition to poly(l-ornithine- co-l-citrulline) (PlOC) previously studied.

Target screening analysis of 970 semi-volatile organic compounds adsorbed on atmospheric particulate matter in Hanoi, Vietnam.

Vietnam's rapid economic development has resulted in dramatic increases in construction and the number of transportation vehicles. There is now growing public concern regarding increasing air pollution, especially in big cities; however, little information is available on air quality, particularly regarding semi-volatile organic compounds (SVOCs) adsorbed on atmospheric particulate matter. Here, we determined the frequency and concentrations of 970 SVOCs in 48 air particle samples collected by means of high-volume air sampling in Hanoi, Vietnam, by using a target screening method and a gas chromatography-mass spectrometry database.

Photoelectrochemical Gas-Electrolyte-Solid Phase Boundary for Hydrogen Production From Water Vapor.

Hydrogen production from humidity in the ambient air reduces the maintenance costs for sustainable solar-driven water splitting. We report a gas-diffusion porous photoelectrode consisting of tungsten trioxide (WO) nanoparticles coated with a proton-conducting polymer electrolyte thin film for visible-light-driven photoelectrochemical water vapor splitting. The gas-electrolyte-solid triple phase boundary enhanced not only the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) of the WO photoanode but also the Faraday efficiency (FE) of oxygen evolution in the gas-phase water oxidation process.

Quorum sensing between Gram-negative bacteria responsible for methane production in a complex waste sewage sludge consortium.

Quorum sensing (QS) plays a key role in activating bacterial functions through small molecules called autoinducers. In this study, the QS of Gram-negative bacteria in waste sewage sludge (WSS) was downregulated by adding the quorum quenching enzyme, AiiM lactonase, which cleaved the acyl-homoserine lactone (AHL) autoinducer signals from Gram-negative bacteria, and subsequently methane production was inhibited by over 400%. The pH was lowered after 2 days in the anaerobic fermentation whereas protease activity at the hydrolysis step was almost the same with or without AiiM.

Identification of volatile metabolites in human saliva from patients with oral squamous cell carcinoma via zeolite-based thin-film microextraction coupled with GC-MS.

In recent years, volatile organic compounds (VOCs) discharged from the human body, of which some compounds exhibit strong correlations with pathological conditions, have attracted attention as a new means of disease diagnosis technology. The aim of this study was to establish the salivary metabolomic profiles of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) patients and healthy volunteers (control group) and to investigate VOCs as potential biomarkers in the diagnosis of oral cancer. We have demonstrated a method combining thin-film microextraction based on a ZSM-5/polydimethylsiloxane hybrid film coupled with gas chromatography-mass spectrometry and carried out a comparative analysis of salivary VOC profiles between OSCC patients and healthy controls.

In Vitro Evaluation of a Novel Root Canal Endoscope for Visualizing the Apex of Curved Root Canal Models and an Extracted Tooth.

Introduction: In straight root canals, intraradicular structures around the root canal orifice and apical foramen can be visualized with a dental operating microscope and commercially available root canal endoscopes. However, the root apex area, including the apical foramen, in a curved root canal cannot be visualized using these devices. In the present study, the potential of a newly developed root canal endoscope implementing an image fiber was examined in 3 types of root canal models and extracted teeth.

Author Correction: Biologically driven DOC release from peatlands during recovery from acidification.

The original version of this Article contained an error in the Acknowledgements, which incorrectly omitted from the end the following: 'In particular, we thank the staff of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (including A. Burden, N. Ostle and C.

Enhanced elevations of hypo-osmotic shock-induced cytosolic and nucleic calcium concentrations in tobacco cells by pretreatment with dimethyl sulfoxide.

Dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) is a dipolar aprotic solvent widely used in biological assays. Here, we observed that DMSO enhanced the hypo-osmotically induced increases in the concentration of Ca in cytosolic and nucleic compartments in the transgenic cell-lines of tobacco (BY-2) expressing aequorin.

Solid Polymer Electrolyte-Coated Macroporous Titania Nanotube Photoelectrode for Gas-Phase Water Splitting.

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water vapor splitting by using n-type semiconductor electrodes with a proton exchange membrane (PEM) enabled pure hydrogen production from humidity in ambient air. We proved a design concept that the gas-electrolyte-semiconductor triple-phase boundary on a nanostructured photoanode is important for the photoinduced gas-phase reaction. A surface coating of solid-polymer electrolyte on a macroporous titania-nanotube array (TNTA) electrode markedly enhanced the incident photon-to-current conversion efficiency (IPCE) at the gas-solid interface.

Biofouling Mitigation by Chloramination during Forward Osmosis Filtration of Wastewater.

Pre-concentration is essential for energy and resource recovery from municipal wastewater. The potential of forward osmosis (FO) membranes to pre-concentrate wastewater for subsequent biogas production has been demonstrated, although biofouling has also emerged as a prominent challenge. This study, using a cellulose triacetate FO membrane, shows that chloramination of wastewater in the feed solution at 3⁻8 mg/L residual monochloramine significantly reduces membrane biofouling.

Inactivation of human and avian influenza viruses by potassium oleate of natural soap component through exothermic interaction.

An influenza epidemic is still a problem despite the development of vaccines and anti-influenza drugs. Preventive measures such as handwashing are fundamental and important for counteracting influenza virus infection. In this study, we clarified the anti-influenza virus effects of surfactants, which are the main components of hand soaps for hand washing: potassium oleate (C18:1), sodium laureth sulfate (LES) and sodium lauryl sulfate (SDS).

Biologically driven DOC release from peatlands during recovery from acidification.

Peatlands store 1/3 of global soil carbon, destabilisation of which contributes much to the recent increase in DOC (dissolved organic carbon) in freshwater ecosystems. One suggested mechanism for the enhanced decomposition of peat and the releases of DOC is recovery from acidification. However, no biological role in the process has yet been identified.

The involvement of calmodulin and protein kinases in the upstream of cytosolic and nucleic calcium signaling induced by hypoosmotic shock in tobacco cells.

Changes in Ca concentrations in cytosol ([Ca]) or nucleus ([Ca]) may play some vital roles in plants under hypoosmotic shock (Hypo-OS). Here, we observed that Hypo-OS induces biphasic increases in [Ca] and [Ca] in two tobacco cell lines (BY-2) expressing apoaequorin either in the cytosol or in the nucleus. Both [Ca] and [Ca] were sensitively modulated by the inhibitors of calmodulin and protein kinases, supporting the view that calmodulin suppresses the 1 peaks and and protein kinases enhance 2 peaks in [Ca] and [Ca].

Determination of optimal dose of allylthiourea (ATU) for the batch respirometric test of activated sludge.

Allylthiourea is a known specific inhibitor for ammonium oxidiser to suppress its oxygen uptake, and is commonly used for various kinds of batch respirometric tests to detect heterotrophic respiration in activated sludge. However, when high heterotrophs were present in the sample, it appeared the inhibitor was noticeably degraded and reached below the inhibition threshold after a couple of days, which resulted in overestimation of the heterotrophic respiration. The biological decomposition of the inhibitor was expressed with a Monod-type rate expression having a half-saturation coefficient of 980 mg-COD/L and maximum specific growth rate of 1.

High nitrite concentration accelerates nitrite oxidising organism's death.

High nitrite is a known operation parameter to inhibit the biological oxidation of nitrite to nitrate. The phenomenon is traditionally expressed using a Monod-type equation with non-competitive inhibition, in which the reaction associated with the biomass growth is reduced when high nitrite is present. On the other hand, very high nitrite is also known to slay nitrifiers.

Orientation-specific learning of the prior assumption for 3D slant perception.

We usually interpret a trapezoidal image on our retina as a slanted rectangle rather than a frontoparallel trapezoid, because we use a statistical assumption (i.e. rectangles are more common than trapezoids), called a 'prior', for recovering the 3D world from ambiguous 2D images.

Wastewater recycling in Antarctica: Performance assessment of an advanced water treatment plant in removing trace organic chemicals.

The Australian Antarctic Division (AAD) operates Australia's Davis Station in the Antarctic. In 2005, Davis Station's wastewater treatment plant failed and since then untreated, macerated effluent has been discharged to the ocean. The objectives of this study were to determine whether an advanced water treatment plant (AWTP) commissioned by the AAD and featuring a multi-barrier process involving ozonation, ceramic microfiltration, biologically activated carbon filtration, reverse osmosis, ultraviolet disinfection and chlorination was capable of producing potable water and a non-toxic brine concentrate that can be discharged with minimal environmental impact.

Complex consisting of antisense DNA and β-glucan promotes internalization into cell through Dectin-1 and hybridizes with target mRNA in cytosol.

Antisense oligonucleotides (AS-ODNs) hybridize with specific mRNAs, resulting in interference with the splicing mechanism or the regulation of protein translation. We previously demonstrated that the β-glucan schizophyllan (SPG) can form a complex with AS-ODNs with attached dA (AS-ODNs/SPG), and this complex can be incorporated into cells, such as macrophages and dendritic cells, expressing the β-glucan receptor Dectin-1. We have achieved efficient gene silencing in animal models, but the uptake mechanism and intracellular distribution are unclear.

Alpha-mangostin inhibits the migration and invasion of A549 lung cancer cells.

Several studies have indicated that -mangostin exerts anti-metastasis and anti-subsistence effects on several types of cancer cells. Especially, the anti-metastatic effect of -mangostin on cancer cells is a prospective function in cancer treatment. However, the metastasis process is complicated, and includes migration, invasion, intravasation, and extravasation; thus, the main target of anti-metastatic effect of -mangostin is not known.

Spheroid culture enhances osteogenic potential of periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells.

Objective And Background: Human periodontal ligament mesenchymal stem cells (hPDLMSCs) are reported to be responsible for homeostasis and regeneration of periodontal tissue. Although hPDLMSCs are commonly cultured in monolayers, monolayer cultures have been reported as inferior to 3-dimensional cultures such as spheroids, which are spherical clusters of cells formed by self-assembly. The aim of this study was to examine the osteogenic phenotype of spheroids of hPDLMSCs, compared with monolayer cultures of hPDLMSC, in vitro and in vivo.

Elucidation of Spatial Distribution of Hydrophobic Aromatic Compounds Encapsulated in Polymer Micelles by Anomalous Small-Angle X-ray Scattering.

Spatial distribution of bromobenzene (BrBz) and 4-bromophenol (BrPh) as hydrophobic aromatic compounds incorporated in polymer micelles with vesicular structure consisting of poly(ethylene glycol)--poly(-butyl methacrylate) (PEG--PtBMA) in aqueous solution is investigated by anomalous small-angle X-ray scattering (ASAXS) analyses near Br K edge. Small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) intensities from PEG--PtBMA micelles containing BrBz and BrPh were decreased as the energy of incident X-ray approached to Br K edge corresponding to the energy dependence of anomalous scattering factor of Br. The analysis for the energy dependence of SAXS profiles from the PEG--PtBMA micelles containing BrBz revealed that BrBz molecules were located in hydrophobic layer of PEG--PtBMA micelles.

Community and Proteomic Analysis of Anaerobic Consortia Converting Tetramethylammonium to Methane.

Tetramethylammonium-degrading methanogenic consortia from a complete-mixing suspended sludge (CMSS) and an upflow anaerobic sludge blanket (UASB) reactors were studied using multiple PCR-based molecular techniques and shotgun proteomic approach. The prokaryotic 16S rRNA genes of the consortia were analyzed by quantitative PCR, high-throughput sequencing, and DGGE-cloning methods. The results showed that methanogenic were highly predominant in both reactors but differed markedly according to community structure.

Changes in HepG2 spheroid behavior induced by differences in the gap distance between spheroids in a micropatterned culture system.

Micropatterning is a promising technique for modulating culture environments. In this study, we investigated the effect of spheroid separation distance on their properties in a micropatterned chip of HepG2 spheroids. The basic chip design consisted of 37 collagen spots (300 μm in diameter) in a hexagonal arrangement on a glass substrate; the region without collagen-spots was modified by polyethylene glycol to create the non-adhesive surface.

Integrated assessment and scenarios simulation of urban water security system in the southwest of China with system dynamics analysis.

The demand for global freshwater is growing, while global freshwater available for human use is limited within a certain time and space. Its security has significant impacts on both the socio-economic system and ecological system. Recently, studies have focused on the urban water security system (UWSS) in terms of either water quantity or water quality.