Cloud computing is the development of parallel computing, distributed computing and grid computing. It has been one of the most hot research topics. Now many corporations have involved in the cloud computing related techniques and many cloud computing platforms have been put forward. This is a favorable situation to study and application of cloud computing related techniques. Though interesting, there are also some problems for so many flatforms. For to a novice or user with little knowledge about cloud computing, it is still very hard to make a reasonable choice. What differences are there for different cloud computing platforms and what characteristics and advantages each has? To answer these problems, the characteristics, architectures and applications of several popular cloud computing platforms are analyzed and discussed in detail. From the comparison of these platforms, users can better understand the different cloud platforms and more reasonablely choose what they want.

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Tissue engineering requires the development of three-dimensional water-stable scaffolds. In this study, silk fibroin/chitosan (SFCS) scaffold was successfully prepared by freeze-drying method. The scaffold is water-stable, only swelling to a limited extent depending on its composition. Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) spectra and X-Ray diffraction curves confirmed the different structure of SFCS scaffolds from both chitosan and silk fibroin. The homogeneous porous structure, together with nano-scale compatibility of the two naturally derived polymers, gives rise to the controllable mechanical properties of SFCS scaffolds. By varying the composition, both the compressive modulus and compressive strength of SFCS scaffolds can be controlled. The porosity of SFCS scaffolds is above 95% when the total concentration of silk fibroin and chitosan is below 6 wt%. The pore sizes of the SFCS scaffolds range from 100 microm to 150 microm, which can be regulated by changing the total concentration. MTT assay showed that SFCS scaffolds can promote the proliferation of HepG2 cells (human hepatoma cell line) significantly. All these results make SFCS scaffold a suitable candidate for tissue engineering.

A Ce-Mo-O catalyst prepared by a simple sol-gel method was proved to be highly active for aerobic oxidative desulfurization. Almost complete conversions of dibenzothiophene and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene were achieved without any additional sacrificial agent at 100°C and atmospheric pressure, and the conversion of benzothiophene could reach 97%. Reusability of the catalyst was also conducted, and >99% conversions could be achieved in three consecutive runs. As supported by carefully-designed control experiments, oxygen was activated by Ce species in the catalyst first, forming some reactive oxygen species, which oxidized DBT into DBTO 2 with the assistance of Mo species. Furthermore, selective quenching experiments indicated the generation of superoxide species during the reaction.

A synbio strategy for efficient sugar-to-electricity conversion.

BackgroundBone marrow adipose tissue (MAT) contributes to increased circulating adiponectin, an insulin-sensitizing hormone, during caloric restriction (CR), but whether this occurs in other contexts remains unknown. The antidiabetic thiazolidinediones (TZDs) also promote MAT expansion and hyperadiponectinemia, even without increasing adiponectin expression in white adipose tissue (WAT).ObjectivesTo test the hypothesis that MAT expansion contributes to TZD-associated hyperadiponectinemia, we investigated the effects of rosiglitazone, a prototypical TZD, in wild-type (WT) or Ocn-Wnt10b mice. The latter resist MAT expansion during CR, leading us to postulate that they would also resist this effect of rosiglitazone.DesignMale and female WT or Ocn-Wnt10b mice (C57BL/6J) were treated with or without rosiglitazone for 2, 4, or 8 weeks, up to 30 weeks of age. MAT content was assessed by osmium tetroxide staining and adipocyte marker expression. Circulating adiponectin was determined by ELISA.ResultsIn WT mice, rosiglitazone caused hyperadiponectinemia and MAT expansion. Compared to WT mice, Ocn-Wnt10b mice had significantly less MAT in distal tibiae and sometimes in proximal tibiae; however, interpretation was complicated by the leakage of osmium tetroxide from ruptures in some tibiae, highlighting an important technical consideration for osmium-based MAT analysis. Despite decreased MAT in Ocn-Wnt10b mice, circulating adiponectin was generally similar between WT and Ocn-Wnt10b mice; however, in females receiving rosiglitazone for 4 weeks, hyperadiponectinemia was significantly blunted in Ocn-Wnt10b compared to WT mice. Notably, this was also the only group in which tibial adiponectin expression was lower than in WT mice, suggesting a close association between MAT adiponectin production and circulating adiponectin. However, rosiglitazone significantly increased adiponectin protein expression in WAT, suggesting that WAT contributes to hyperadiponectinemia in this context. Finally, rosiglitazone upregulated uncoupling protein 1 in brown adipose tissue (BAT), but this protein was undetectable in tibiae, suggesting that MAT is unlikely to share thermogenic properties of BAT.ConclusionTZD-induced hyperadiponectinemia is closely associated with increased adiponectin production in MAT but is not prevented by the partial loss of MAT that occurs in Ocn-Wnt10b mice. Thus, more robust loss-of-MAT models are required for future studies to better establish MAT’s elusive functions, both on an endocrine level and beyond.

Catalytic non-oxidative dehydrogenation of light alkanes is one of the most promising routes for the production of value-added olefins because of high selectivity to the target alkenes and increased supply...

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