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The number of internet users has increased substantially in the last decade and these increasing rates of internet use also apply to children. Children usually have poorer self-control and poorer cognition than college-age populations or adults, the impact of Internet addiction on the health of this group has important implications not only for their individual economic and social outcomes but also the future human capital development in China.We use data from the 2016 and 2018 China Family Panel Survey, a survey that collected data from a large and nationally representative sample of the Chinese population, to construct a sample of children from 25 provinces, and then use DID and PSM-DID methods to investigate whether Internet addiction (increased screen time in this article) impacts the physical and mental health of children (ages 10-15) in China.Internet addiction has a significant negative impact on child physical and mental health. The mediating effect model shows that Internet addiction impairs child physical and mental health by reducing their sleep and exercise time. The heterogeneity analysis shows that, Internet addiction has a stronger negative effect on urban children than rural children. Additionally, Internet addiction has a significant correlation with the mental health of left-behind children (LBC), but not children living with both parents (CLP).Our research has several weaknesses. First, this article uses time spent online to measure Internet addiction and this measurement method is not perfect. Also, given that the sample is made up of only Chinese children, conclusions about generalizability remain tentative. Future studies should be conducted in other countries.This study systematically studied the effects of Internet addiction on the physical and mental health of Chinese children. This study can help government leaders make targeted programs to prevent children from Internet addiction in the future, especially to reduce internet dependence among students.

(±)-Pyriindolin (1) with a rare molecular backbone formed by fusing a 2,2′-bipyridine nucleus into a spiro[furan-3,3′-indoline] skeleton, was isolated from the Streptomyces albolongus EA12432. The constitution and the relative configuration of (±)-1 were determined by extensive spectroscopic analyses, 13C calculation and DP4+ probability analysis. The absolute configurations of optically pure (+)-1 and (−)-1 which were obtained after a chiral high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) separation were further identified by electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. (+)- and (−)-Pyriindolins displayed moderate cytotoxicity against HCT-116 cell line with the half-maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) values of 2.89 ± 0.17 μmol/L and 4.47 ± 0.26 μmol/L, respectively.

Recent studies have shown that microRNAs (miRNAs) are aberrantly expressed in patients with Crohn's disease (CD). This suggests that the aberrant expression of miRNAs may contribute to the development of CD. Currently, the specific miRNAs involved in CD development have not been clearly identified. Therefore, we aimed to identify CD-associated miRNAs and explore their functions.miRNA microarray analysis was performed to screen for differentially expressed miRNAs in colon tissues from normal controls (NC) and CD patients. The identified miRNAs were validated using quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR). The therapeutic roles of miR-20a-5p mimics via the delivery of poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid) microspheres (PLGA MSs) were further investigated in IL-10The analysis showed that miR-20a-5p was the most significantly downregulated miRNA in patients with CD. Treatment with PLGA MSs carrying miR-20a-5p significantly ameliorated the colitis, decreased mucosal inflammation, and improved epithelial barrier function. Bioinformatic analysis and experimental studies showed that miR-20a-5p inhibition enhanced Th17 differentiation and improved intestinal epithelial barrier function by targeting STAT3.Downregulation of miR-20a-5p improved the intestinal epithelial barrier function and prevented CD development through the STAT3/IL-17 signaling pathway. Therefore, the delivery of miR-20a-5p by PLGA MSs may serve as a potential therapeutic strategy for CD treatment.

Summary Background & aims Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) as a primary therapy is safe and effective for inducing the clinical remission of active luminal Crohn's disease (CD). Whether isolated colonic involvement affects the efficacy of EEN is controversial. We aimed to identify the influence of isolated colonic CD on the efficacy of EEN and to determine other potential predictors of the response to induction therapy with EEN in adult patients with CD. Methods Data for adult CD patients treated with EEN as an induction therapy at our centre from January 1, 2014, to May 31, 2017, were reviewed. Eligible patients were divided into an isolated colonic Crohn's disease (cCD) group and a non-isolated colonic Crohn's disease (non-cCD) group according to the disease location. The rates of clinical remission and inflammatory and nutritional serum markers were compared between the groups. Possible relationships between isolated colonic involvement or other potential factors and the efficacy of EEN were assessed by univariate and multivariate analyses. The propensity score matching method was used to confirm the results. Results Overall, 241 patients were included in the analysis: 52 patients in the cCD group and 189 patients in the non-cCD group. The rates of clinical remission differed between the two groups (cCD group: 51.9% versus non-cCD group: 68.3%, P = 0.029). Multivariate analyses indicated that isolated colonic involvement was associated with a reduced response to EEN (OR = 2.74; [CI] 95% = [1.2–6.23], P = 0.016). Additionally, the lean body mass index (LBMI) before treatment was associated with the efficacy of EEN (OR = 0.636; [CI] 95% = [0.444–0.912], P = 0.014). These associations were confirmed using the propensity score model. For patients with isolated colonic CD, multivariate analysis showed that pancolitis (OR = 16.7; [CI] 95% = [1.074–260.5], P = 0.044) was another independent factor for the efficacy of EEN. Further analysis showed that even in patients who achieved clinical remission after EEN, inflammatory serum markers declined more slowly in the cCD group than in the non-cCD group, and the time to remission was longer in the cCD group. Conclusions Isolated colonic CD showed a reduced response to induction therapy with EEN compared with ileal or ileocolonic disease in adult patients. Patients with isolated colonic CD required more time to benefit from EEN therapy compared with patients with non-colonic CD. Additionally, LBMI before treatment was associated with the efficacy of EEN.

To understand what and how structural properties affect battery performance, and to optimize the structural properties accordingly are of crucial importance to improve the performance of cathode materials for advanced Li-ion batteries. Herein, we investigated the influence of Li-enrichment in Li1+x(Ni0.8Co0.2)1-xO2 transition metal (TM) oxide cathodes, obtained by sintering Ni0.8Co0.2(OH)2 precursor with different amount of Li sources. Compared with stoichiometric Li1+x(Ni0.8Co0.2)1-xO2 (i.e. x = 0, Li:TM = 1:1), the improvements of cycling stability and rate performance were observed in material with moderate degree of Li-enrichment with respect to TMs (i.e. x = 0.019, Li:TM = 1.04:1). Further increase in Li:TM ratio up to 1.07 diminishes the electrochemical performance. Multi-scale structural characterizations including neutron diffraction and aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy measurements show that the Li-enrichment leads to a monotonical increase in both Li/Ni exchange ratio and Li slab space. Based on the results, we argue that, in material with moderate Li-enrichment, larger Li slab space can facilitate the diffusion of Li ions and a certain amount of Li/Ni disordering can also mitigate the contraction of layered structure, therefore resulting in an optimized electrochemical performance; while in material with excessive Li:TM ratio, the diffusion path can be partially blocked due to the presence of redundant Ni ions in Li layers.

Pafuranones A (1) and B (2), a pair of new epimeric polyketide dimers, were isolated from the fungus Paraconiothyrium sp. OUCMDZ-3316 associated with the marine algae Enteromorpha prolifera. Their structures, including absolute configurations, were fully elucidated based on spectroscopic analysis, calculated ECD, and chemical methods. Pafuranones A (1) and B (2) possess a rare dimeric furanone skeleton, which might be formed through a conjugate addition of the monomeric units followed by an intramolecular cyclization.

Citridones E–G (1–3), three new phenylpyridone derivatives together with two known curvularins (4 and 5) were isolated from the solid culture of the endophytic fungus Penicillium sumatrense GZWMJZ-313 in Garcinia multiflora. The structures of new compounds were determined in the light of spectroscopic data, X-ray and ECD calculation. Compounds 1 and 3 are racemates, while compound 2 is optically pure. Compounds 1 and 4 showed antibacterial and antifungal activities against Staphylococcus aureus, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Clostridium perfringens, Escherichia coli and Candida albicans with MIC values ranging from 8 μg/mL to 64 μg/mL.

Online platforms have been expanding the seller base to widen their product assortment to match the individual preferences of consumers. Nevertheless, the increasing number of sellers leads to intensified competition and results in sellers setting lower prices for the products. Thus, it is unclear whether the current practice employed by most platforms, i.e., displaying all the sellers to the entire customer base, maximizes platform revenue. Motivated by the unique setting of Airbnb, we consider a game theoretical setup in which each seller on the platform provides a single-unit product and competes with one another on price. We investigate sellers' optimal pricing decisions and the platform's optimal assortment display policy, which is characterized by the partitioning of products and traffic assigned to each partition. We find that the platform should display the entire assortment to all the customers when demand is sufficiently high. Moreover, we propose a tabularization algorithm and a mixed-integer programming formulation to effectively solve for the sellers' and the platform's optimal decisions. Additionally, we introduce two fairness definitions for the display policy, namely (alpha,delta)-fairness and envy level, to gauge how the requirements on the closeness of the attractiveness of each partition and the traffic allocated to each partition affect total platform revenue. Using data from Airbnb, we present a case study to illustrate how our model framework can be applied in practice. Finally, we extend the case in which each seller supplies a distinct product with inventory size of one by considering scenarios in which each product has more than one unit.

Background: Prox1 is a transcription factor necessary for lymphatic function. The main aim of the current study was to investigate the potential role of Prox1 in lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic function, and analyze Prox1-dependent stimulation of lymphatic function on mesenteric lesions and the composition of microbiota in Crohn’s disease. Methods: Prox1flox/+, Tie2-CreERT2 and IL-10 KO mice were included. Disease activity and enterocolitis inflammation were assessed using a grading system. Lymphatic vessel density and lymphatic function were analyzed using immunohistochemistry and lymphangiography. The potential mechanism of Prox1 was analyzed. The effects of lymphatic function on mesenteric adipose tissue (MAT) and the composition of microbiota were evaluated. Results: Systemic delivery of AAV-Prox1 reduced disease activity index and the severity of chronic inflammation in IL-10 KO mice. Without compensatory response of Prox1, IL-10 KO+Prox1 KO mice developed serious inflammation in the colon. For lymphatic vessel, IL-10 KO+Prox1 KO mice showed lower lymphatic vessel density and less functional lymphatic vessels. IL-10 KO+AAV-Prox1 mice showed significantly increased lymphatic vessel density. Delivery of AAV-Prox1 also promoted lymphatic drainage function. The Prox1/VEGFC/VEGFR3 pathway played an important role in lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic function. Additionally, Prox1-dependent stimulation of lymphatic function ameliorated hypertrophy of MAT in IL-10 KO mice. Delivery of AAV-Prox1 also modified the composition of microbiota, the proportion of Firmicutes increased and Bacteroidetes decreased in IL-10 KO+AAV-Prox1 mice compared with IL-10 KO mice. An increase in the diversity of gut microbiota in IL-10 KO+ AAV-Prox1 mice was observed. Conclusions: Our findings demonstrated that Prox1 played the critical role in the lymphangiogenesis and lymphatic function. Additionally, Prox1-dependent stimulation of lymphatic function could ameliorate hypertrophy of MAT and modify the composition of microbiota in experimental Crohn’s disease. Funding Statement: This work was partly supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant 81670471, 81770556 and 81570500). Declaration of Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interests. Ethics Approval Statement: All animal protocols were approved by the Institutional Ethics Committee of the Jinling Hospital, Medical School of Nanjing University, Nanjing, China.

Background: The outbreak of COVID-19 overlaps with the usual flu season, and the main signs, symptoms and imaging manifestations in COVID-19 and flu infections share similarity. This study is aimed to constructed an accurate and robust model for initial screening and differential diagnosis of COVID-19 and influenza A, so as to provide an effective tool for global prevention and control of COVID-19 outbreak. Methods: The 151 COVID-19 infections patients and 155 influenza A patients in Fuyang No.2 People's Hospital were included and randomly assigned in a 4:1 ratio to train set and test set. Univariate logistic regression analysis was conducted between two diseases. The predictor variables were selected by variables importance assessed by random forest algorithms and were analyzed in train set to develop classification and regression tree models. The validity of the model was tested using data from test set. Findings: Recursive partitioning of the train set indicated that the optimal model for prediction was model A (signs and symptoms+ serum biochemistry), in which the best single predictor for COVID-19 patients was normal or high level of LDL-c, followed by low level of CK, then by frequency of respiratory symptom less than 3 times, and last by highest temperature on the first day of admission less than 38℃. The AUC, sensitivity, specificity was 93%, 100%, 87% respectively. The Suboptimal model was model B (signs and symptoms+ routine blood), in which the best single predictor for COVID-19 patients was low level of EO#, followed by normal level of MONO%, then by normal level of HCT, next by highest temperature on the first day of admission less than 37℃, and last by frequency of respiratory symptom less than 1 times. The AUC, sensitivity, specificity was 87%, 73%, 100% respectively. Interpretation: The two models that we created provides clinicians with a rapid triage tool and identification means for quickly identifying and screening pneumonia caused by COVID-19 and seasonal influenza. The optimal model can be applied to developed countries/regions and major hospitals, and the suboptimal one can be used in grass-roots areas, underdeveloped regions and small hospitals. Funding Statement: This work is supported by Shanghai Municipal Science and Technology Major Project (No.2018SHZDZX01) and ZJ Lab; the Shanghai Municipal Commission of Health and the Family Foundation for Young Talents (2017YQ023). Declaration of Interests: All authors declare no competing interests. Ethics Approval Statement: This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of the Fuyang No.2 People's Hospital, Anhui Province.

Crohn's disease (CD)-associated adherent invasive Escherichia coli (AIEC) has been implicated as a causative or contributory factor in CD pathology. MicroRNA let-7b/Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) signaling pathways may play an important role in microbiota-mucosa interactions. We aimed to investigate whether AIEC influences IECs' function of expressing TLR4, and the potential role of let-7b in regulating AIEC induced gut inflammation. Wild type (WT) and interleukin-10 knockout (IL-10 KO) mice in specific pathogen free (SPF) housing were infected by AIEC LF82, and IL-10 KO mice were treated with pre-let7b or anti-let-7b. Besides, T84 cells were infected by AIEC LF82 or E. coli K-12, and treated with let-7b mimics or inhibitor. let-7b/TLR4 signaling pathway was investigated and the therapeutic effects of let-7b treatment on colitis in IL-10-mice and on cytokines release in T84 were assessed. We found AIEC elicited/exacerbated colitis in WT/IL-10 KO mice, and promoted proinflammatory cytokines release in T84 cells that correlated with increased TLR4 expression and decreased let-7b. Overexpression of let-7b significantly ameliorated the severity of colitis in AIEC infected IL-10 KO mice, and reduced secretion of cytokines in AIEC-infected T84 cells via regulating TLR4 expression. Besides, overexpression of TLR4 caused by inhibition of let-7b led to increased proinflammatory cytokines release in K-12 infected T84 cells. These results suggest AIEC instigates excessive mucosal immune response against gut microbiota via let-7b/TLR4 signaling pathway. Let-7b may be a potential therapeutic target of CD, especially for CD with AIEC infection.

Effects of annealing temperature (600–750 °C) on crystalline structure, the morphology and piezoresponse hysteresis loops of BaTiO3 nanofibers prepared by electrospinning are characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electronic microscopy, transmission electron microscope and piezoresponse force microscope. When the annealing temperature is 700 °C, the nanofibers become smoother and have a diameter of 100–300 nm. Meanwhile the typical butterfly-shaped amplitude loop and 180°phase change represents the best ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties at 700 °C. So the 700 °C was found to be optimum for good piezoelectric characteristics at annealing temperature of 600 °C–750 °C. In order to give more clear evolution of domain states at different external fields, the three dimensional topographic and phase images of the nanofiber at different temperatures are observed by piezoresponse force microscope. The 90° domain switching is observed during heating from room temperature to 125 °C and the domain switching tends to be stable when the temperature exceeds a critical value. The thermal stress due to the high temperatures is responsible for switching mechanism from the perspective of equilibrium state free energy. This work suggests that the temperature variation should be considered while designing the ferroelectric devices based on one dimensional material.

In layered LiNixMnyCozO2 cathode material for lithium-ion batteries, the spins of transition metal (TM) ions construct a two-dimensional triangular networks, which can be considered as a simple case of geometrical frustration. By performing neutron powder diffraction experiments and magnetization measurements, we find that long-range magnetic order cannot be established in LiNixMnyCozO2 even at low temperature of 3 K. Remarkably, the frustration parameters of these compounds are estimated to be larger than 30, indicating the existence of strongly frustrated magnetic interactions between spins of TM ions. As frustration will inevitably give rise to lattice instability, the formation of Li/Ni exchange in LiNixMnyCozO2 will help to partially relieve the degeneracy of the frustrated magnetic lattice by forming a stable antiferromagnetic state in hexagonal sublattice with nonmagnetic ions located in centers of the hexagons. Moreover, Li/Ni exchange will introduce 180{\deg} superexchange interaction, which further relieves the magnetic frustration through bringing in new exchange paths. Thus, the variation of Li/Ni exchange ratio vs. TM mole fraction in LiNixMnyCozO2 with different compositions can be well understood and predicted in terms of magnetic frustration and superexchange interactions. This provides a unique viewpoint to study the Li/Ni ions exchange in layered Li(NixMnyCoz)O2 cathode materials., Comment: 22 pages, 4 figures

Hyperactivation of Wnt/β-catenin signaling implicated in oncogenesis of colorectal cancer (CRC) is a potential molecular target for chemotherapy. An andrographolide analogue, 3A.1 (19-tert-butyldiphenylsilyl-8, 17-epoxy andrographolide) has previously been reported to be potently cytotoxic toward cancer cells by unknown molecular mechanisms. The present study explored the anti-cancer activity of analogue 3A.1 on Wnt/β-catenin signaling in colon cancer cells (HT29 cells) which were more sensitive to the others (HCT116 and SW480 cells). Analogue 3A.1 inhibited viability of HT29 cells with IC50 value of 11.1 ± 1.4 μM at 24 h, which was more potent than that of the parent andrographolide. Analogue 3A.1 also suppressed the proliferation of HT29 cells and induced cell apoptosis in a dose-dependent manner. Its apoptotic activity was accompanied with increased expressions of proteins related to DNA damages; PARP-1 and γ-H2AX. In addition, analogue 3A.1 significantly inhibited T-cell factor and lymphoid enhancer factor (TCF/LEF) promoter activity of Wnt/β-catenin signaling. Accordingly, the expressions of Wnt target genes and β-catenin protein were suppressed. Moreover, analogue 3A.1 increased the activity of GSK-3β kinase, which is a negative regulator responsible for degradation of intracellular β-catenin. This mode of action was further supported by the absence of the effects after treatment with a GSK-3β inhibitor, and over-expression of a mutant β-catenin (S33Y). Our findings reveal, for the first time, an insight into the molecular mechanism of the anti-cancer activity of analogue 3A.1 through the inhibition of Wnt/β-catenin/GSK-3β pathway and provide a therapeutic potential of the andrographolide analogue 3A.1 in CRC treatment.

Four new meroterpenoids identified as (R)-4-((2,2-dimethylchroman-6-yl)methyl)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-5-methoxyfuran-2(5H)-one (1), 1-(2,2-dimethylchroman-6-yl)-3-(4-hydroxyphenyl)propan-2-one (2), (R,E)-3-(2,2-dimethylchroman-6-yl)-4-hydroxy-5-((2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-yl)methylene)furan-2(5H)-one (3), methyl (R)-2-(2-(2-hydroxypropan-2-yl)-2,3-dihydrobenzofuran-5-yl) acetate (4), along with nine known compounds (5–13) were isolated from a chemical-epigenetic culture of Aspergillus terreus OUCMDZ-2739 with 10 μM trichostatin A (TSA). Under the same condition without TSA, A. terreus OUCMDZ-2739 produced different compounds (14–20), supporting that the chemical-epigenetic modification of fungi could enrich the chemodiversity of the fungal products. The cytotoxicity was observed for compound 8 against K562 cell, 9 against MCF-7 and K562 cells and 12 against MCF-7 cell with IC50 values of 9.5, 10.1, 13.0 and 8.5 μM, respectively. Compounds 3, 8 and 17 exhibited stronger α-glucosidase inhibition than 1-deoxynojirimycin and acarbose (positive controls) with IC50 values of 24.8, 1.2, 61.6, 191.7 and 555.1 μM, respectively. The enzyme kinetics study further indicated that compound 8 was an anticompetitive inhibitor with Ki value of 1.42 μM.

The p-type high insulating thin films were obtained by doping Mg into β-Ga2O3. Thin films with various Mg concentrations were deposited on (0 0 0 1) c-plane Al2O3 substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering followed by post-annealing treatment. The crystal structure expanded due to the substitution of the trivalent Ga3+ with the divalent Mg2+ in a larger ion radius. The Fermi level (EF) of the Mg doped film is closer to the valence band, exhibiting a characteristic of weak p-type. The Mg doped Ga2O3 thin films were used to construct the metal/semiconductor/metal (MSM) structure, and the devices showed a high resistance (4.1 pA at 10 V), a high sensitivity (8.7 × 105%), a high responsivity (23.8 mA/W) and a short decay time (0.02 s) under 254 nm UV light irradiation, suggesting a potential application in solar-blind photodetector.

Fecal calprotectin (FC) might be an alternative to ulcerative colitis endoscopic index of severity (UCEIS) to predict the response to corticosteroids (CS) in acute severe colitis (ASC).One hundred and seventeen ASC patients were prospectively enrolled. Demographic, clinical, laboratory and sigmoidoscopic data were documented. Multivariate and ROC analyses were performed to identify risk factors for non-response to CS, and the predictive accuracy of possible predictors was assessed.Totally, 39 (33.33%) patients failed intravenous CS therapy. CS responders among mild (UCEIS 3-4), moderate (UCEIS 5-6) and severe (UCEIS 7-8) groups were 40/44 (90.91%) vs. 36/55 (65.45%) vs. 2/18 (11.11%) (p0.001). UCEIS (OR=5.08; 95% CI, 1.93-8.66; p0.001) and FC (OR=2.56; 95% CI, 1.17-3.55; p=0.022) were found to be independent risk factors for CS non-responders. Compared with C-reactive protein, platelet, hemoglobin and albumin, baseline FC had the strongest correlation with UCEIS (r=0.701, p0.001). ROC analysis of UCEIS and baseline FC in predicting CS non-response showed an AUC of 0.85 and 0.76 respectively.Baseline FC levels correlated significantly with UCEIS in ASC, and both were useful in predicting short-term outcome of CS treatment. Baseline FC levels could be used as an alternative of UCEIS to guide the decision of early salvage therapy or colectomy and reduce the adverse effects of long-term futile CS usage.

Five new phenolic polyketides, namely 3-O-methylwailupemycin G (1), wailupemycin J (2), R- and S-wailupemycin K (3 and 4) and wailupemycin L (5), as well as the known enterocin (6) and 5-deoxyenterocin (7) were isolated and identified from the fermentation broth of Streptomyces sp. OUCMDZ-3434 associated with the marine green algae, Enteromorpha prolifera. Their structures including absolute configurations were elucidated according to the spectroscopic analysis, X-ray single crystal diffraction and the Mosher's experiments. Compound 1 showed comparable α-glucosidase inhibition with an IC50 value of 0.86 mM to acarbose (IC50 1.12 mM), and compound 4 was cytotoxic on the HeLa cell with an IC50 value of 8.2 μM. Compounds 2, 3 and 7 showed anti-H1N1 virus activity with 47.8%, 42.5% and 60.6% inhibitions, respectively at 50 μg/mL (ribavirin, 45.3% inhibition).

Postoperative ileus is a common problem after colorectal surgery. The aim of the study was to investigate the incidence and risk factors for prolonged postoperative ileus (POI) after colectomy for inflammatory bowel diseases (IBDs).Consecutive patients who underwent colorectal resection for IBD versus colorectal cancer (CRC) patients under enhanced recovery after surgery protocol were retrospectively analyzed. Primary assessment end point is the incidence of prolonged POI (4 days); secondary end points were GI-2 recovery (time to first toleration of solid food and first bowel movement), nasogastric tube reinsertion, and postoperative length of stay. Risk factors for prolonged POI in IBD patients were assessed by multiple logistic regression analysis with P score matching.The incidence of prolonged POI was higher in IBD versus CRC group (28.8% versus 14.8%, P 0.001). Patients with IBD had a longer time to GI-2 recovery (4.8 ± 2.1 versus 3.7 ± 1.4 d, P 0.001), postoperative length of stay (10.7 ± 6.2 versus 7.9 ± 5.3 d, P 0.001), higher incidence of nasogastric tube reinsertion (9.8% versus 4.0%, P = 0.02). After propensity-score matching analysis, the differences were still significant. Preoperative steroid use20 mg/d (odds ratio, [OR] = 2.19, P = 0.048), hypoalbuminemia (35 g/L; OR 2.72, P = 0.03), systemic inflammatory response syndrome status (OR 4.91, P = 0.03), and postoperative intraabdominal sepsis (OR 9.31, P = 0.001) were independent risk factors for prolonged POI in IBD patients.In the setting of enhanced recovery after surgery, colectomy for IBD is associated with delayed gastrointestinal function recovery and higher incidence of prolonged POI compared to CRC patients. Normalizing preoperative albumin level, weaning off steroids, reducing preoperative systemic inflammatory response syndrome, and early management of postoperative intraabdominal sepsis may reduce POI in IBD population.

We empirically study the two-sided market for ride-hailing services and the effects of pricing policies and regulation on the value generated by these platforms. We first develop a discrete choice model for the formation of mutually dependent demand (consumer side) and supply (driver side) that jointly and endogenously determine pricing. Using this model and a comprehensive data set obtained from the largest mobile ride platform in China, we estimate consumer and driver price elasticities as well as other factors that affect market participation for the two main markets the company hosts, namely basic ride-hailing and taxi services, with a high level of model fit. Based on these estimation results and counterfactual analysis, we demonstrate that surge pricing improves consumer and driver welfare as well as platform revenues, while reducing taxi revenues on the platform. However, our analysis suggests that surge pricing can hurt consumer surplus and platform revenues during non-peak hours, and hence should be used selectively during the day. We show that platform revenues can be maximized by increasing drivers' revenue share from the current levels. We measure the effects of proposed regulations such as imposing ride-hail price hikes, and demonstrate that they would decrease consumer and driver surplus significantly. Finally, we estimate that the platform's basic ride-hailing services generated consumer value equivalent to more than 32 Billion USD in China in 2017.

Background and Aims: Mesenteric fat accumulation as observed in Crohn's disease (CD) is linked to chronic gut inflammation. The aim of this study is to investigate the metabolic profile of mesenteric adipocytes and the interactions between key metabolic alterations and local inflammation in the context of CD. Methods: Metabolic dysfunction regulated by Fatty Acid Desaturase-2 (FADS2) was identified by performing metabolomics and functional analyses in mesenteric adipose tissue biopsies and primary mesenteric adipocytes isolated from surgical specimens from patients with CD and control subjects. FADS2 was overexpressed in vitro with a lentiviral vector and an adeno-associated virus (AAV) in vivo. The interaction of mesenteric adipocytes and inflammation response was evaluated by establishing a cell coculture system and a FADS2-AAV treated animal model. 3T3-L1 cell was used to determine the mechanism underlying FADS2 deregulation. Results: We identified significantly changed metabolites involved in the multi-step synthesis of long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFAs). Gas chromatography analysis revealed impaired desaturation fluxes toward the n-6 and n-3 pathways linking with reduced FADS2 activity in human mesentery. Decreased expression of FADS2 at both mRNA and protein level were confirmed in surgical specimens. Restoration of FADS2, which allows the endogenous conversion of n-3 fatty acids into pro-resolving lipid mediators, produced a significant reduction in pro-inflammation macrophage infiltration and attenuated expression of inflammatory cytokines or adipokines. Conclusions: These findings indicate that impaired fatty acid desaturation and unbalanced lipid mediators within mesenteric adipose contribute to chronic inflammation of CD. The therapeutic role of FADS2 may lead to improved treatment. Funding: This study was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China [81770556]. Declaration of Interest: Authors confirm that there is no conflict of interest to declare. Ethical Approval: This study has been approved by the Ethics Committee of Jinling Hospital (Control ID: NZGKJ-063). All enrolled patients were consented.

Improving electrochemical performance of cathode materials for lithium-ion batteries requires comprehensive understanding of their structural properties which could facilitate or impede the diffusion of lithium during charge-discharge. In order to optimize the structure and improve the electrochemical performance of layered cathode material, the detailed structural evolution as a function of heat treatment temperature in LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 was investigated by in-situ and ex-situ neutron powder diffraction methods. We show that both cycling stability and rate performance of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 can be improved by performing heat treatment at 400 °C, which is attributed to the optimization of surface structure and the enlargement of c/a ratio. Heat treatment of LiNi0.8Co0.1Mn0.1O2 at higher temperature induces a layered-to-rock-salt structure phase transition accompanied with the precipitation of lithium oxide. A 3D phase diagram, which correlates the high temperature phases and room temperature phases, is constructed. The presentation of comprehensive phase diagrams up to 1000 °C could provide the basis for further research on not only synthesis strategy but also thermal stability in Ni-rich layered cathode materials.

Background The traditional Chinese medicine, Tripterygium wilfordii Hook F (TwHF) is widely used to treat Crohn's disease (CD) in China. Methods The authors compared different doses of TwHF with mesalazine in 198 patients with CD over a 52-week period. Subjects were randomized to receive mesalazine (3 g/d), low-dose TwHF (1.5 mg·kg −1 ·d −1 ), or high-dose TwHF (2.0 mg·kg −1 ·d −1 ). Results A total of 137 patients completed the study. At week 52, a significant lower proportion of patients in the high-dose TwHF group (7/71) had clinical recurrence compared with patients in the low-dose TwHF (15/68, P = 0.047) or mesalazine group (17/59, P = 0.006), whereas the difference between the low-dose TwHF group and the mesalazine group was not significant ( P = 0.503). Patients receiving mesalazine experienced less adverse events than those receiving high-dose TwHF ( P = 0.029) and those receiving low-dose TwHF ( P = 0.048), but no significant difference was found about drug adverse events resulted withdrawal in the 3 groups ( P > 0.05). In addition, compared with low-dose TwHF and mesalazine, the authors also detected significant superiority of high-dose TwHF arm in the decrease of CDAI and SESCD ( P Conclusion A 2.0 mg/kg daily TwHF was well tolerated and prolonged remission in patients with CD.

Defects engineering is an effective approach to improve thermoelectric performance of thermoelectric materials. In this work, a simple strategy has been developed to introduce large scale defects of Se2− enrichment in the Te2−-based anionic framework of AgCuTe-based thermoelectric materials. As a consequence, the structure of anionic Se2−/Te2−-based framework is modified and its electrical transport properties are largely affected. It is observed that the carrier concentration is reduced because the Se2− enrichment hinders the formation of cation vacancies, leading to the decreasing of electric conductivity and the increasing of Seebeck coefficient in high temperature range. Significantly, the electron thermal conductivity decreases to an extremely low level due to the further reduction in carrier concentration. As a result, the Se-rich AgCuTe sample achieves a maximum ZT value of 1.2 at 723 K, which is about 20% higher than that of the pristine AgCuTe sample. The results evidence that optimizing the anionic framework is an effective approach to improve the thermoelectric properties of AgCuTe and is expected to be a universal modification strategy to enhance the thermoelectric performance of other Ag/Cu-based superionic conductor materials.

Fabrication of multifunctional hydrogel with excellent mechanical property, self-healing and shape memory ability is still a challenging issue. In this study, a mechanical robust multifunctional hydrogel based on PVA reinforced by cellulose nanocrystal using nanofiller reinforcement strategy was reported. Owing to the hydrogen bonding and supramolecular interaction between PVA and CNC, the prepared hydrogel exhibited satisfying mechanical property. The obtained multifunctional PVA hydrogel could be potentially applied in biomedical or artificial skins fields.

The first synthesis of fradcarbazole A ( 1 ) has been accomplished by using a biomimetic intramolecular cyclization/dehydration to construct the staurosporine-thiazole-indole skeleton. The phenyl and oxazole analogues of fradcarbazole A ( 2 – 4 ) were also synthesized using the same strategy. Compounds 1 – 4 displayed cytotoxicity against A549 cell line with IC 50 values of 0.4–3.6 μM, induction of G 0 /G 1 arrest of A549 cell cycle at 10 μM, and inhibition of PKC-β kinase with IC 50 values of 0.5–0.9 μM.

Background The aim of this study was to identify if long intestinal tube splinting could really decrease recurrent adhesive small bowel obstruction (ASBO) by survival analysis. Methods A retrospective analysis was performed on 1,071 patients who underwent operation for postoperative ASBO between December 2001 and 2008 at our unit. According to the risk factors of recurrent ASBO, all patients were divided into high-risk recurrence group and low-risk recurrence group regardless of whether they received tube splinting. The efficiency of tube splinting for reducing recurrence in each group was investigated, respectively. Results The risk of recurrent ASBO increased in the patients with perioperative blood loss of 300 mL or more. In the high-risk recurrence group, tube splinting can reduce recurrence ( P = .045). In the low-risk recurrence group, tube splinting had no influence on recurrence ( P = .91). Conclusions Long intestinal tube splinting can prevent recurrence of ASBO only in the patients with high risk of recurrence.

Mesenteric adipose tissue hypertrophy is unique to Crohn's disease while the molecular basis of the crosstalk between MAT and the intestinal inflammation is largely unknown. Telmisartan is an angiotensin II type 1 receptor blocker and a peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-receptor-γ agonist which has beneficial effects on fat distribution and pro-inflammatory adipokine expression. We evaluated the effect of telmisartan upon mesenteric adipose tissue alterations and inflammatory features in IL-10(-)/(-) mice. We found that treatment with telmisartan significantly ameliorated the severity of colitis in IL-10(-)/(-) mice. Additionally, administration of telmisartan was associated with restoration of mesenteric adipose tissue adipocyte morphology and the expression of adipokines. Furthermore, telmisartan treatment suppressed the neurotensin/microRNA-155 pathway in mesenteric adipose tissue from spontaneous colitis which was confirmed by an in vitro study using cultured mesenteric adipose tissue from Crohn's disease patients. Administration of telmisartan showed promising results in spontaneous colitis which was associated with the attenuated mesenteric adipose tissue alteration which at least in part, was associated with its activity in the regulation of the neurotensin/microRNA-155 pathway. These results support the hypothesis that regulating the abnormal immune response in adipose tissue is an important target for the treatment of Crohn's disease.

Background Tripterygium wilfordii Hook. f. (TwHF) has been used for many years to induce the remission of Crohn's disease in China. Aims To compare TwHF versus azathioprine for the prevention of postoperative recurrence in Crohn's disease. Methods 90 Crohn's disease patients who had undergone resection were treated with TwHF 1.5 mg/kg/day or azathioprine 2.0 mg/kg/day. The primary endpoint was clinical recurrence, and the secondary endpoint was endoscopic recurrence. Results 47 patients completed the trial. Clinical recurrence was observed in 6/45 patients in the TwHF group and 4/45 patients in the azathioprine group at week 26 ( P = 0.74). At week 52, 8/45 azathioprine patients and 12/45 TwHF patients had clinical recurrence ( P = 0.45). During the first 26 weeks, 56.8% of the patients in the TwHF group versus 47.7% in the azathioprine group experienced endoscopic recurrence ( P = 0.52). However, at week 52, 74.4% of patients in the TwHF group and 50% in the azathioprine group had endoscopic recurrence ( P = 0.03). Conclusions TwHF was less effective in maintaining endoscopic remission at week 52, even though TwHF was comparable to azathioprine for preventing postoperative clinical recurrence.

Online platforms have the unique ability of offering virtually unlimited assortments. However, they often assume frictionless conditions in the purchase process which may not always hold in practice. We study the impact of heterogeneous search costs on the formation of consideration sets, and how consumers' purchase behavior responds to changes in the online assortment size. We first build a consider-then-choose framework to study how customers who have different familiarity with the options form their consideration sets and make subsequent purchase decisions. We then leverage a field experiment and detailed clickstream datasets to support our theoretical results. We further conduct counterfactual analyses to emulate customers' decision making process under different assortment reductions.

Summary Background & aims Mesenteric adipose tissue hypertrophy is a hallmark of Crohn's disease and can express various adipokines. Exclusive enteral nutrition could effectively induce remission in Crohn's disease with mechanisms largely unknown. We investigated whether exclusive enteral nutrition could modify mesenteric fat in patients with active Crohn's disease. Methods Sixteen patients who underwent resection for ileum Crohn's disease were studied. As a control group, eight patients without inflammatory bowel disease were enrolled. Before operation, eight Crohn's disease patients received exclusive enteral nutrition for four weeks, and the other patients had no nutritional therapy. The mesenteric fat samples were obtained during operation. Adipocyte size, adipokine production and topical C-reactive protein level were assessed. Results The adipocyte size from patients treated with exclusive enteral nutrition was much larger than that from Crohn's disease patients without nutritional therapy. Furthermore, protein levels of proinflammatory adipokines such as TNF-alpha and leptin were lower while protein level of adiponectin was higher in these patients. As to mRNA level, the expression of adiponctin was up-regulated and leptin was down-regulated in the patients received enteral nutrition. Conclusions Exclusive enteral nutrition could ameliorate mesenteric fat alterations which are associated with intestinal injury in patients with Crohn's disease by restoring adipocyte morphology and diminishing the inflammatory environment of mesenteric fat.

A new cytotoxic pyrrolidinoindoline diketopiperazine dimer, cristatumin E (1), was isolated from the fermentation broth of the algal fungus Eurotium herbariorum HT-2 associated with the marine algae, Enteromorpha prolifera. The structure was determined by spectroscopic analyses and Marfey's amino acid analysis. Cristatumin E (1) showed cytotoxicity against K562 tumor cell line and antibacterial activity against Enterobacter aerogenes and Escherichia coli with IC50 and MIC values of 8.3, 44.0 and 44.0 μmol/L, respectively.

The marine fungus Aspergillus terreus produces an extracellular polysaccharide, YSS, when grown in potato dextrose-agar medium. YSS was isolated from the fermented liquids using ethanol precipitation, anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography. YSS was mainly composed of mannose and galactose in a molar ratio of 7.68:1.00, its average molecular weight was estimated to be about 18.6 kDa. On the basis of chemical and spectroscopic analyses, including one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR) spectroscopy, structure of YSS may be represented, at an average, as a backbone of mannan with two types of branches. The mannan backbone is mainly composed of (1→2)-linked α-mannopyranose with small amounts of (1→6)-linked α-mannopyranose residues. The branches consist of terminal β-galactofuranose residues, and disaccharide units of (1→6)-linked α-mannopyranose. The branches are linked to C-6 of (1→2)-linked α-mannopyranose residues of backbone. The antioxidant activity of YSS was evaluated with the scavenging abilities on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide and hydroxyl radicals in vitro, and the results indicated that YSS had good antioxidant activity, especially scavenging ability on DPPH radicals. The investigation demonstrated that YSS is a novel branched galactomannan with antioxidant activity, and differs from previously described extracellular polysaccharides.

The coral-associated fungus Penicillium commune produces an extracellular polysaccharide, FP2-1, when grown in potato dextrose-agar medium. FP2-1 was isolated from the fermented broth using anion-exchange and size-exclusion chromatography, and its structure was elucidated by chemical and spectroscopic analyses, including detailed nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy. The results showed that FP2-1 was a glucomannogalactan with a molar ratio of galactose, mannose and glucose of 3.9:1.9:1.0. Structure of FP2-1 may be represented, at an average, as a backbone of (1→2)-linked α-mannopyranose with the every second residue substituted at position 6 by a pentasaccharide branch. The branches consist of four (1→6)-linked β-galactofuranose residues with terminal α-glucopyranose residue attached to the last galactofuranose residue at position 2. FP2-1 was a novel galactofuranose-containing extracellular polysaccharide differing from previously described extracellular polysaccharides.

Background IL-6/STAT3/SOCS3 signaling pathway plays an important role in the pathogenesis of Crohn's disease by induction of the antiapoptotic factors Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl in lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs). We previously reported that triptolide showed therapeutic activity in mouse colitis by mechanisms involving suppression of IL-6 trans-signaling. IL-10 gene-deficient mice with established colitis were used for the experiments with triptolide administration. Methods This study further investigates the mechanism by which triptolide attenuates Crohn's colitis. IL-10 gene-deficient mice (IL-10−/−) of 10–12 weeks with established colitis were used for the experiments with chronic triptolide administration. Apoptosis of lamina propria mononuclear cells (LPMCs) were measured by flow cytometry. SOCS, Bcl-2, Bcl-xl and Bax were determined by Western blot. Furthermore, an in vitro study was performed by using cultured intestine from CD patients to observe the direct effects of triptolide. Results Our data indicated triptolide promoted apoptosis in LPMCs in vivo. Interestingly, triptolide significantly induced the apoptosis of LP-CD4-positive but not LP-CD4-negative cells. Triptolide significantly induced SOCS3 protein and reduced STAT3 target anti-apoptotic genes Bcl-2 and Bcl-xl in LPMCs. The results were confirmed by an in vitro study using colonic explants cultured with triptolide. Conclusions Our results indicated that triptolide therapy may restore the homeostatic balance of LP-T cell apoptosis within the gut, and demonstrate a novel mechanism of action of triptolide therapy mediated through regulation IL-6/STAT3/SOCS3 signaling pathway.

Tungstovanadophosphoric heteropoly acid H 4 PW 11 VO 40 ·8H 2 O with Keggin structure has been synthesized by the stepwise acidification and the stepwise addition of element solutions. The optimal proportion of component compounds and pH value in the synthesis reaction were given. The crystal structure was determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction. The complex crystallises in the space group I-4, with a = 18.7648(9) A, b = 18.7648(9) A, c = 14.5762(9) A, α = 90°, β = 90°, γ = 90°, V = 5132.5(6) A, Z = 2. The product possesses Keggin structure and its conductivity was 1.50 × 10 −2 S cm −1 at 26 °C and 75% relative humidity by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) measurement, with an activation energy of 25.66 kJ mol −1 for proton conduction. The mechanism of proton conduction for this compound is vehicle mechanism.

Penispirolloid A (1), a novel alkaloid possessing a unique Spiro imidazolidinyl skeleton, was isolated from a halotolerant fungal strain. Penicillium sp. OUCMDZ-776. Its structure was elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic methods and quantum chemical CD calculation. Compound 1 showed significant antifouling activity toward Bugula neritina larvae with EC50 of 2.40 mu g/ml. Plausible biogenesis of compound 1 was also proposed. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

An extracellular polysaccharide AVP was isolated from the fermented broth of coral-associated fungus Aspergillus versicolor LCJ-5-4. AVP was a mannoglucan with molecular weight of about 7 kDa, and the molar ratio of glucose and mannose was 1.7:1.0. On the basis of detailed one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR) spectroscopic analyses, the backbone of AVP was characterized to be composed of (1 → 6)-linked α- d -glucopyranose and (1 → 2)-linked α- d -mannopyranose units. The mannopyranose residues in the backbone were substituted mainly at C-6 by the side chain of (1 → 2)-linked α- d -mannopyranose trisaccharides units. The antioxidant activity of AVP was evaluated with the scavenging abilities on 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), superoxide and hydroxyl radicals in vitro, and the results indicated that AVP had good antioxidant activity, especially scavenging ability on superoxide radicals. AVP was a novel extracellular polysaccharide with different structural characteristics from other extracellular polysaccharides and could be a potential source of antioxidant.

This paper reports the design and analysis of a liquid refractive index (RI) fiber sensor based on resonant optical tunneling effect (ROTE). The device utilizes an optical cavity formed between two angled silver-coated optical fibers to detect the RI changes by measuring the intensity variation of transmission intensity or the wavelength shift of transmission peak. The simulation results show that the intensity-based method could reach a sensitivity of 10 −7 RIU (refractive index unit) and the spectrum-based method promises a sensitivity of 81,000 nm/RIU, which are much larger than those of Fabry–Perot etalons and surface plasmon resonance sensors. With ultrahigh sensitivity, pico-litre sample volume and fiber integration, this sensor may find potential applications in biochemical analysis.

A homogeneous exopolysaccharide, designated As1-1, was obtained from the culture medium of the mangrove endophytic fungus Aspergillus sp. Y16 and purified by anion-exchange and gel-permeation chromatography. Results of chemical and spectroscopic analyses, including one- and two-dimensional nuclear magnetic resonance (1D and 2D NMR) spectroscopy showed that As1-1 was mainly composed of mannose with small amounts of galactose, and that its molecular weight was about 15 kDa. The backbone of As1-1 mainly consists of (1→2)-linked α-d-mannopyranose units, substituted at C-6 by the (1→6)-linked α-d-mannopyranose, (1→)-linked β-d-galactofuranose and (1→)-linked β-d-mannopyranose units. As1-1 possessed good in vitro antioxidant activity as evaluated by scavenging assays involving 1,1-diphenyl-2-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) and superoxide radicals. The investigation demonstrated that As1-1 is an exopolysaccharide different from those of other marine microorganisms, and could be a potential antioxidant and food supplement.