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Abstract: High-speed counter-current chromatography (HSCCC) is applied to the purification of coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10) for the first time. CoQ10 was obtained from a fermentation broth extract. A non-aqueous two-phase solvent system composed of heptane–acetonitrile–dichloromethane (12:7:3.5, v/v/v) was selected by analytical HSCCC and used for purification of CoQ10 from 500mg of the crude extract. The separation yielded 130mg of CoQ10 at an HPLC purity of over 99%. The overall results of the present studies show the advantages of HSCCC over an alternative of silica gel chromatography followed by recrystallization. These advantages extend to higher purity (97.8% versus 93.3%), recovery (88% versus 74.3%) and yield (26.4% versus 23.4%). An effort to avoid the toxic, expensive solvent CH2Cl2 was unsuccessful, but at least its percentage is low in the solvent system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The conventional calibration methods based on a perspective camera model are not suitable for the underground camera with two-layer glasses, which is specially designed for explosion proof and dust removal in a coal mine. Underground camera modeling and calibration algorithms are urgently needed to improve the precision and reliability of underground visual measurement systems. This article presents a novel geometrically driven underground camera calibration algorithm for a boom-type roadheader. The underground camera model is established under coplanarity constraints, considering explicitly the impact of refraction triggered by the two-layer glasses and deriving the geometrical relationship of equivalent collinearity equations. On this basis, we perform parameters calibration based on a geometrically driven calibration model, which are 2D–2D correspondences between the image points and object coordinates of the planar target. A hybrid Levenberg–Marqurdt (LM) and particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm is further proposed in terms of the dynamic combination of the LM and PSO, which optimizes the underground camera calibration results by minimizing the error of the nonlinear underground camera model. The experimental results demonstrate that the pose errors caused by the two-layer glass refraction are well corrected by the proposed method. The accuracy of the cutting-head pose estimation has increased by 55.73%, meeting the requirements of underground excavations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Recent advances in high-pressure membrane fouling during wastewater reuse were reported. • Combined fouling behaviors and mechanisms caused by secondary effluent were reviewed. • Coexisting foulants' effects on pretreatment mitigation performances were emphasized. • Knowledge gaps were identified and future research directions were proposed. High-pressure membrane technology has demonstrated remarkable efficacy in municipal wastewater reuse. However, membrane fouling remains a bottleneck hampering its development and widespread implementation. Given the coexistence of various organic, inorganic, and biological foulants in wastewater, their individual and combined fouling behaviors are complicated and could influence the fouling mitigation performance of pretreatment strategies. Herein, we provided a comprehensive review of the combined fouling behaviors on high-pressure membranes and the fouling mitigation performances of various pretreatment strategies. Initially, the membrane fouling behaviors and mechanisms of single types of foulants and their combination were discussed in-depth, along with a detailed examination of the complex fouling resulting from actual secondary effluent. Subsequently, the impact of the conventional pretreatment techniques on high-pressure membrane fouling was carefully evaluated, from both the positive and negative aspects. The influence of the coexistence and interaction of various types of foulants was particularly emphasized. Finally, the challenges that high-pressure membrane processes still confront and the future research directions in this field were highlighted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mott transition is one of the fundamental issues in condensed matter physics, especially in the system with antiferromagnetic long-range order. However, such a transition is rare in quantum spin liquid (QSL) systems without long-range order. Here we report the experimental pressure-induced insulator to metal transition followed by the emergence of superconductivity in the QSL candidate NaYbSe2 with a triangular lattice of 4f Yb3+ ions. Detail analysis of transport properties in metallic state shows an evolution from non-Fermi liquid to Fermi liquid behavior when approaching the vicinity of superconductivity. An irreversible structure phase transition occurs around 11 GPa, which is revealed by the x-ray diffraction. These results shed light on the Mott transition in the QSL systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unfortunately, the panels of (f) in Figures 1, 2, and 4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Increasing availability of reactive nitrogen (N) threatens plant diversity in diverse ecosystems. While there is mounting evidence for the negative impacts of N deposition on one component of diversity, species richness, we know little about its effects on another one, species evenness. It is suspected that ecosystem management practice that removes nitrogen from the ecosystem, such as hay-harvesting by mowing in grasslands, would mitigate the negative impacts of N deposition on plant diversity. However, empirical evidence is scarce. Here, we reported the main and interactive effects of N deposition and mowing on plant diversity in a temperate meadow steppe with 4-year data from a field experiment within which multi-level N addition rates and multiple N compounds are considered. Across all the types of N compounds, species richness and evenness significantly decreased with the increases of N addition rate, which was mainly caused by the growth of a tall rhizomatous grass, Leymus chinensis. Such negative impacts of N addition were accumulating with time. Mowing significantly reduced the dominance of L. chinensis, and mitigated the negative impacts of N deposition on species evenness. We present robust evidence that N deposition threatened biodiversity by reducing both species richness and evenness, a process which could be alleviated by mowing. Our results highlight the changes of species evenness in driving the negative impacts of N deposition on plant diversity and the role of mowing in mediating such negative impacts of N deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As two emerging pollutants of great concern, microplastics (MPs) and antibiotics inevitably cooccur in various aquatic environments and interact with each other, impacting the fate and ecological risks. Aging obviously complicates their interaction and deserves further study. Therefore, the adsorption-desorption behaviors of ciprofloxacin (CIP) onto polystyrene (PS) fragments with various aging extent were investigated, and the key physiochemical properties influencing the interaction and the interaction mechanisms were clarified by redundancy analysis, FTIR and XPS spectra. The physicochemical properties of PS MPs were significantly changed with aging time, and the morphological and chemical changes seemed to occur asynchronously. The adsorption of CIP onto the pristine PS MPs relied on physisorption, especially the ion-involving electrostatic and cation-π interaction. Due to the hydrogen bonding formed by the C–OH, C O, and O–C O groups of PS and CIP, the adsorption capacities of the aged PS MPs were greatly increased. The desorption efficiency of CIP from MPs in the gastric fluid was closely related to the solution ionic strengths, C–OH and C O groups of MPs, while that in the intestinal fluid was associated with O–C O groups of MPs. The different impact factors could be well described by the differences in the chemical components and pHs of the simulated gastric and intestinal fluids. This study gives a comprehensive understanding of the adsorption-desorption behaviors of antibiotics onto MPs at a molecular level and indicates that MPs could act as Trojan horses to transport antibiotics into aquatic organisms. [Display omitted] • Redundancy analysis identified MPs' key properties affecting adsorption/desorption. • Hydrogen bonding, electrostatic and cation-π interaction were crucial for CIP adsorption. • The C–OH, C O, and O–C O groups of aged MPs were involved in the hydrogen bonding with CIP. • Desorption of CIP in the gastric fluid relied on the C–OH and C O groups of MPs. • Desorption of CIP in the intestinal fluid was related to the O–C O groups of MPs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compare the effects of heroin and methamphetamine (METH) addiction on dopamine transporters (DATs) in the same dose and duration, we assessed DAT levels in the striatum by 99m Tc-TRODAT-1 single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) brain images in people with heroin and METH dependence. We recruited 21 healthy human controls, 23 heroin-dependent subjects and 25 METH abusers. The heroin- and METH-dependent subjects exhibited negative urine toxicology after undergoing physiological detoxification. All subjects underwent SPECT brain imaging, and specific tracer uptake ratios (SURs) were assessed bilaterally in the regions of interest. A significant SUR reduction in heroin-dependent subjects and METH-dependent subjects compared with healthy controls was found in the left striatum, right striatum, left caudate nucleus, right caudate nucleus, left putamen and right putamen. There were no significant differences in the heroin group and METH group for the left striatum, right striatum, left caudate nucleus, right caudate nucleus, left putamen and right putamen. The scores of craving, HAMA (Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale), in heroin abusers were lower than in the METH abusers. Our results show that people with heroin and METH dependence who are currently abstinent had lower DAT levels in the striatum than healthy controls. There were no differences in striatal DAT in heroin and METH users. These results suggest that chronic heroin and METH abuse appears to produce similar effects in striatal DAT in humans. METH users may have more serious craving and anxiety symptoms than heroin users with prolonged abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The bowel preparation process prior to colonoscopy determines the quality of the bowel preparation, which in turn affects the quality of the colonoscopy. Colonoscopy is an essential procedure for postoperative follow-up monitoring of colorectal cancer (CRC) patients. Previous studies have shown that advanced age and a history of colorectal resection are both risk factors for inadequate bowel preparation. However, little attention has been paid to the bowel preparation experiences and needs of predominantly older adult postoperative CRC patients., Aim: To explore the experiences and needs of older adult postoperative CRC patients during bowel preparation for follow-up colonoscopy., Methods: Fifteen older adult postoperative CRC patients who underwent follow-up colonoscopy at a tertiary hospital in Shanghai were selected using purposive sampling from August 2023 to November 2023. The phenomenological method in qualitative research was employed to construct an interview outline and conduct semi-structured interviews with the patients. Colaizzi's seven-step analysis was utilized to organize, code, categorize, summarize, and verify the interview data., Results: The results of this study were summarized into four themes and eight sub-themes: (1) Inadequate knowledge about bowel preparation; (2) Decreased physiological comfort during bowel preparation (gastrointestinal discomfort and sleep deprivation caused by bowel cleansing agents, and hunger caused by dietary restrictions; (3) Psychological changes during different stages of bowel preparation (pre-preparation: Fear and resistance due to previous experiences; during preparation: Irritation and helplessness caused by taking bowel cleansing agents, and post-preparation: Anxiety and worry while waiting for the colonoscopy); and (4) Needs related to bowel preparation (detailed instructions from healthcare professionals; more ideal bowel cleansing agents; and shortened waiting times for colonoscopy)., Conclusion: Older adult postoperative CRC patients' knowledge of bowel preparation is not adequate, and they may encounter numerous difficulties and challenges during the process. Healthcare professionals should place great emphasis on providing instruction for their bowel preparation., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: There are no conflicts of interest to report., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: This study employs a descriptive phenomenological approach to investigate the challenges anesthesia nurses face in managing emergence delirium (ED), a common and complex postoperative complication in the post-anesthesia care unit. The role of nurses in managing ED is critical, yet research on their understanding and management strategies for ED is lacking., Aim: To investigate anesthetic nurses' cognition and management experiences of ED in hopes of developing a standardized management protocol., Methods: This study employed a descriptive phenomenological approach from qualitative research methodologies. Purposeful sampling was utilized to select 12 anesthetic nurses from a tertiary hospital in Shanghai as research subjects. Semi-structured interviews were conducted, and the data were organized and analyzed using Colaizzi's seven-step analysis method, from which the final themes were extracted., Results: After analyzing the interview content, four main themes and eight subthemes were distilled: Inefficient cognition hinders the identification of ED (conceptual ambiguity, empirical identification), managing diversity and challenges (patient-centered safe care, low level of medical-nursing collaboration), work responsibilities and pressure coexist (heavy work responsibilities, occupational risks and stress), demand for high-quality management (expecting the construction of predictive assessment tools and prevention strategies, and pursuing standardized management processes to enhance management effectiveness)., Conclusion: Nursing managers should prioritize the needs and suggestions of nurses in order to enhance their nursing capabilities and provide guidance for standardized management processes., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: There are no conflicts of interest to report., (©The Author(s) 2024. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Purpose: To evaluate the dynamic changes in anterior segment parameters during accommodation following Implantable Collamer Lens (ICL) implantation with swept-source optical coherence tomography (SS-OCT)., Methods: Under the accommodation of 0.00 diopters (D), 3.00 D, and maximum amplitude, SS-OCT was used to examine the anterior segment parameters, including ICL vault, ICL depth (the distance between the corneal endothelium and the posterior surface of ICL), crystalline lens thickness, anterior chamber depth, and various parameters of the anterior chamber angle, comprising angle opening distance, angle recess area, trabecular iris space area, and trabecular iris angle., Results: During accommodation, the ICL vault showed a significant decrease from baseline (536 ± 278 μm) to 3.00 D (522 ± 281 μm), followed by an increase from 3.00 D to maximum amplitude (548 ± 306 μm) (analysis of variance [ANOVA], P < .001). Four eyes (2.61%) exhibited a decrease in ICL vault to less than 100 μm (47 ± 32 μm) at maximum accommodation. The ICL depth decreased significantly as accommodation increased (ANOVA, P < .001). Crystalline lens thickness increased, whereas anterior chamber depth decreased during accommodation (ANOVA, P < .001). The anterior chamber angle widened during 3.00 D of accommodation but narrowed at maximum accommodation, leading to significant changes in the angle opening distance, angle recess area, trabecular iris space area, and trabecular iris angle during accommodation (ANOVA, P < .001 for all)., Conclusions: The anterior segment, including ICL vault and anterior chamber angle, undergo significant dynamic changes during accommodation. These accommodative changes may require careful monitoring for the surgery design of ICL implantation. [ J Refract Surg . 2024;40(3):e164-e172.] .

The infinite-layer nickelates, isostructural to the high-T c cuprate superconductors, have emerged as a promising platform to host unconventional superconductivity and stimulated growing interest in the condensed matter community. Despite considerable attention, the superconducting pairing symmetry of the nickelate superconductors, the fundamental characteristic of a superconducting state, is still under debate. Moreover, the strong electronic correlation in the nickelates may give rise to a rich phase diagram, where the underlying interplay between the superconductivity and other emerging quantum states with broken symmetry is awaiting exploration. Here, we study the angular dependence of the transport properties of the infinite-layer nickelate Nd 0.8 Sr 0.2 NiO 2 superconducting films with Corbino-disk configuration. The azimuthal angular dependence of the magnetoresistance (R(φ)) manifests the rotational symmetry breaking from isotropy to four-fold (C 4 ) anisotropy with increasing magnetic field, revealing a symmetry-breaking phase transition. Approaching the low-temperature and large-magnetic-field regime, an additional two-fold (C 2 ) symmetric component in the R(φ) curves and an anomalous upturn of the temperature-dependent critical field are observed simultaneously, suggesting the emergence of an exotic electronic phase. Our work uncovers the evolution of the quantum states with different rotational symmetries in nickelate superconductors and provides deep insight into their global phase diagram., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

A charge order (CO) with a wavevector [Formula: see text] is observed in infinite-layer nickelates. Here we use first-principles calculations to demonstrate a charge-transfer-driven CO mechanism in infinite-layer nickelates, which leads to a characteristic Ni 1+ -Ni 2+ -Ni 1+ stripe state. For every three Ni atoms, due to the presence of near-Fermi-level conduction bands, Hubbard interaction on Ni-d orbitals transfers electrons on one Ni atom to conduction bands and leaves electrons on the other two Ni atoms to become more localized. We further derive a low-energy effective model to elucidate that the CO state arises from a delicate competition between Hubbard interaction on Ni-d orbitals and charge transfer energy between Ni-d orbitals and conduction bands. With physically reasonable parameters, [Formula: see text] CO state is more stable than uniform paramagnetic state and usual checkerboard antiferromagnetic state. Our work highlights the multi-band nature of infinite-layer nickelates, which leads to some distinctive correlated properties that are not found in cuprates., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Although high-transition-temperature (high-T c ) superconductivity in cuprates has been known for more than three decades, the underlying mechanism remains unknown 1-4 . Cuprates are the only unconventional superconductors that exhibit bulk superconductivity with T c above the liquid-nitrogen boiling temperature of 77 K. Here we observe that high-pressure resistance and mutual inductive magnetic susceptibility measurements showed signatures of superconductivity in single crystals of La 3 Ni 2 O 7 with maximum T c of 80 K at pressures between 14.0 GPa and 43.5 GPa. The superconducting phase under high pressure has an orthorhombic structure of Fmmm space group with the [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] orbitals of Ni cations strongly mixing with oxygen 2p orbitals. Our density functional theory calculations indicate that the superconductivity emerges coincidently with the metallization of the σ-bonding bands under the Fermi level, consisting of the [Formula: see text] orbitals with the apical oxygen ions connecting the Ni-O bilayers. Thus, our discoveries provide not only important clues for the high-T c superconductivity in this Ruddlesden-Popper double-layered perovskite nickelates but also a previously unknown family of compounds to investigate the high-T c superconductivity mechanism., (© 2023. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Despite extensive research in recent decades, knowledge of the pathophysiology of depression in neural circuits remains limited. Recently, the lateral habenula (LHb) has been extensively reported to undergo a series of adaptive changes at multiple levels during the depression state. As a crucial relay in brain networks associated with emotion regulation, LHb receives excitatory or inhibitory projections from upstream brain regions related to stress and cognition and interacts with brain regions involved in emotion regulation. A series of pathological alterations induced by aberrant inputs cause abnormal function of the LHb, resulting in dysregulation of mood and motivation, which present with depressive-like phenotypes in rodents. Herein, we systematically combed advances from rodents, summarized changes in the LHb and related neural circuits in depression, and attempted to analyze the intrinsic logical relationship among these pathological alterations. We expect that this summary will greatly enhance our understanding of the pathological processes of depression. This is advantageous for fostering the understanding and screening of potential antidepressant targets against LHb., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Zhang, Wu, Cui and Peng.)

Objective: Trigeminal neuralgia (TN), one of the most severe and debilitating chronic pain conditions, is often accompanied by mood disorders, such as anxiety and depression. Electroacupuncture (EA) is a characteristic therapy of Traditional Chinese Medicine with analgesic and anxiolytic effects. This study aimed to investigate whether EA ameliorates abnormal TN orofacial pain and anxiety-like behavior by altering synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus CA1., Materials and Methods: A mouse infraorbital nerve transection model (pT-ION) of neuropathic pain was established, and EA or sham EA was used to treat ipsilateral acupuncture points (GV20-Baihui and ST7-Xiaguan). Golgi-Cox staining and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) were administrated to observe the changes of synaptic plasticity in the hippocampus CA1., Results: Stable and persistent orofacial allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors induced by pT-ION were related to changes in hippocampal synaptic plasticity. Golgi stainings showed a decrease in the density of dendritic spines, especially mushroom-type dendritic spines, in hippocampal CA1 neurons of pT-ION mice. TEM results showed that the density of synapses, membrane thickness of the postsynaptic density, and length of the synaptic active zone were decreased, whereas the width of the synaptic cleft was increased in pT-ION mice. EA attenuated pT-ION-induced orofacial allodynia and anxiety-like behaviors and effectively reversed the abnormal changes in dendritic spines and synapse of the hippocampal CA1 region., Conclusion: EA modulates synaptic plasticity of hippocampal CA1 neurons, thereby reducing abnormal orofacial pain and anxiety-like behavior. This provides evidence for a TN treatment strategy., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Jia, Li, Zhang, Wu, Zhang, Zhi, Wang, Zhu, Wang, Xu, Tian and Cui.)

It is known that the loss of phase coherence of Cooper pairs in two-dimensional superconductivity corresponds to the unbinding of vortex-antivortex pairs with the quasi-long-range order in the order-parameter phase field, described by the Berezinskii-Kosterlizt-Thouless (BKT) transition of a 2D XY model. Here we show that the second-order Josephson coupling can induce an exotic superconducting phase in a bilayer system. By using tensor-network methods, the partition function of the 2D classical model is expressed as a product of 1D quantum transfer operator, whose eigenequation can be solved by an algorithm of matrix product states rigorously. From the singularity shown by the entanglement entropy of the 1D quantum analog, various phase transitions can be accurately determined. Below the BKT phase transition, an interlayer Ising long-range order is established at T&#95;{Ising}, and the phase coherence of both intralayers and interlayers is locked together. For two identical layers, the Ising transition coincides with the BKT transition at a multicritical point. For two inequivalent layers, however, there emerges an intermediate quasi-long-range order phase (T&#95;{Ising}

Aim: Renal fibrosis (RF) is a common clinical condition leading to irreversible renal function loss. Tyrosine kinase proteins and microRNAs (miRs) are associated with pathogenesis and we aim to investigate the role of Fer and its partner miR(s) in RF., Method: In silico reproduction of Mouse Kidney FibrOmics browser was performed to identify potential miR(s) and target gene(s). In vivo validation was performed in C57BL/6 mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). In vitro validation was performed in rat kidney fibroblast NRK-49F cells. Mimics and inhibitors of miR-29c-3p were constructed. The target gene Fer was monitored by RT-PCR and western blotting. The levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum and media were measured by ELISA., Results: The Fer expression and protein level were gradually increased during 14 days of UUO modeling. miR-29c-3p expression was strongly correlated with that of Fer. In vivo validation showed increased expressions of fibrosis-associated genes and increased phospoho-Smad3 level in the UUO model. Fer-knockdown (KD) significantly decreased expressions of fibrosis-associated genes. Pharmaceutical inhibition of Fer showed similar effects to miR-29c-3p, and miR inhibition showed a significant decrease of excretion of inflammatory factors., Conclusion: Dysregulation of miR-29c-3p and Fer plays a role in RF. Pharmaceutical or genetic inhibition of Fer may serve as the potential treatment for RF., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: Authors state no conflict of interest., (© 2021 Chen-Min Sun et al., published by De Gruyter.)

Renal fibrosis poses critical health problem. We aimed to investigate role of let-7i-5p in renal fibrosis. In silico reproduction of Mouse Kidney FibrOmics browser was used to identify potential target of let-7i-5p. In vivo validation was conducted in C57BL/6 mice with unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO) and folic acid (FA) induction. In vitro validation was performed in transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1-treated HK-2 cells. Mimics and inhibitors of let-7i-5p, and target gene polypeptide N-acetylgalactosaminyltransferase 1 (GALNT1) were monitored by RT-PCR and Western blotting. Fibrosis markers, injury markers, and house-keeping genes were evaluated. Levels of interleukin (IL)-6, IL-1β, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α in serum and media were measured by ELISA. In silico analysis showed gradual increase of let-7i-5p and decrease of GALNT1 over time and the combination was validated both in mouse and human miR-gene target prediction databases. Expression of GALNT1 decreased while expression of let-7i-5p increased in renal tissues of both UUO and FA mice. Serum IL-6, IL-1β, and TNF-α levels were elevated in vivo. In vitro models revealed negative correlation between expression levels of let-7i-5p and GALNT1. Overexpression of let-7i-5p inhibited GALNT1 expression and reduced release of inflammatory factors. In conclusion, overexpression of GALNT1 may combat the inflammation induced by let-7i-5p.

Nitrogen oxide (NO x ) is an important precursor for many air pollution problems such as fine particulate matter and ground-level ozone. Because air pollution levels increase daily, it is important to control NO x emissions from industrial boiler flue gas. A series of different Co 3 O 4 catalysts was prepared in this study by different methods. The effects of the preparation methods on selective catalytic reduction of NO by CO (CO-SCR) were investigated. The catalysts were characterized by BET, XRD, HR-TEM, and Raman. The results show that the Co 3 O 4 -S catalyst, prepared by solid grinding with cobalt sulfate as the precursor, had better CO-SCR activity and H 2 O resistance and that Co 3 O 4 -C, prepared by solid grinding with cobalt acetate as the precursor, showed excellent H 2 O resistance. The NO oxidation results showed that better NO oxidation activity over the catalysts is an important reason for the improved CO-SCR activity. The Raman results indicate that more Co 2+ ions appeared on the surface of Co 3 O 4 -S, which benefited the formation of oxygen vacancies. The H 2 -TPR results showed better redox property of the Co 3 O 4 -S catalyst. The HR-TEM results shoes that the (111) and (220) crystal planes were exposed mainly on Co 3 O 4 -S and Co 3 O 4 -O and that more (220) crystal planes are conducive to improved reaction.

Ultrasonic echo estimation is important in ultrasonic non-destructive evaluation and material characterization. Matching pursuit is one of the most popular methods for the purpose of estimating ultrasonic echoes. In this paper, an artificial bee colony optimization based matching pursuit approach (ABC-MP) is proposed specifically for ultrasonic signal decomposition by integrating the artificial bee colony algorithm into the matching pursuit method. The optimal atoms are searched from a continuous parameter space over a tailored Gabor dictionary in ABC-MP instead of a discrete parameter space in matching pursuit. As a result, echoes characterized by a set of physical parameters can be estimated accurately and efficiently. The performance of ABC-MP is tested using both simulated signals and real ultrasonic signals, and compared with matching pursuit. Results clearly demonstrate the superior performance of the proposed ABC-MP approach over matching pursuit in ultrasonic echo estimation in terms of the shape and amplitude of the recovered echoes and the reconstructed signal, and the residue signal., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Taking into consideration of the large size of near-infrared spectral data, the spectral data has to be compressed to reduce the computational complexity of the established spectral calibration model and improve accuracy and robustness of the model. Near Infrared Spectroscopy wavelength variable selection method based on discrete firefly algorithm is presented. First, the Monte Carlo method was used to exclude outliers, and Kennard-Stone method was chosen for the selection of calibration set and prediction set. General firefly algorithm was discretized, by improving the attractiveness of adaptive formula, increasing traction weights in mobile formula and so on. In order to adapt to the effects of discretization and optimize algorithm, elitist strategy was added in the discrete firefly algorithm, to accelerate the convergence rate. The optimum value of the DFA algorithm parameters was found in the experiment. With wavelength variables selection based on discrete firefly algorithm, succinic acid concentration of the fermentation broth partial least squares NIR calibration model was built, which was compared with genetic algorithm method. The results showed that the correlation coefficient of calibration set (R2c) of PLS calibration model based on discrete wavelengths firefly algorithm is 0.986, RMSEC of which is 0.409. Correlation coefficient of prediction set (R2p) is 0.969 while RMSEP is 0.458. It is superior to full spectrum modeling and calibration model using genetic algorithm method. DFA shows superiority of the near-infrared spectral data filtering.

We use scanning tunneling microscopy to investigate the (001) surface of a cleaved SmB6 Kondo insulator. Variable temperature dI/dV spectroscopy up to 60 K reveals a gaplike density of state suppression around the Fermi level, which is due to the hybridization between the itinerant Sm 5d band and localized Sm 4f band. At temperatures below 40 K, a sharp coherence peak emerges within the hybridization gap near the lower gap edge. We propose that the in-gap resonance state is due to a collective excitation in magnetic origin with the presence of spin-orbital coupling and mixed valence fluctuations. These results shed new light on the electronic structure evolution and transport anomaly in SmB6.

Posttraumatic infected massive bone defects in lower extremities are difficult to repair because they frequently exhibit massive bone and/or soft tissue defects, serious bone infection, and excessive scar proliferation. This study aimed to determine whether these defects could be classified and repaired at a single stage. A total of 51 cases of posttraumatic infected massive bone defect in lower extremity were included in this study. They were classified into four types on the basis of the conditions of the bone defects, soft tissue defects, and injured limb length, including Type A (without soft tissue defects), Type B (with soft tissue defects of 10 × 20 cm or less), Type C (with soft tissue defects of 10 × 20 cm or more), and Type D (with the limb shortening of 3 cm or more). Four types of single-stage microsurgical repair protocols were planned accordingly and implemented respectively. These protocols included the following: Protocol A, where vascularized fibular graft was implemented for Type A; Protocol B, where vascularized fibular osteoseptocutaneous graft was implemented for Type B; Protocol C, where vascularized fibular graft and anterior lateral thigh flap were used for Type C; and Protocol D, where limb lengthening and Protocols A, B, or C were used for Type D. There were 12, 33, 4, and 2 cases of Types A, B, C, and D, respectively, according to this classification. During the surgery, three cases of planned Protocol B had to be shifted into Protocol C; however, all microsurgical repairs were completed. With reference to Johner-Wruhs evaluation method, the total percentage of excellent and good results was 82.35% after 6 to 41 months of follow-up. It was concluded that posttraumatic massive bone defects could be accurately classified into four types on the basis of the conditions of bone defects, soft tissue coverage, and injured limb length, and successfully repaired with the single-stage repair protocols after thorough debridement., (Thieme Medical Publishers 333 Seventh Avenue, New York, NY 10001, USA.)

Objective: To investigate the clinicopathologic features of the brain tissue diagnosed as ulegyria from modified anatomic hemispherectomy for refractory epilepsy., Methods: The clinical and pathologic findings were reviewed in 39 patients who underwent modified anatomic hemispherectomy and diagnosed as ulegyria in the Epilepsy Center of Tsinghua University Yuquan Hospital from 2007 to 2011., Results: All patients including 30 males and 9 females had medically intractable seizures, and the mean age of seizure onset and disease duration were 4.0 years and 7.3 years respectively. Significant history included febrile seizure in 14 patients (35.9%), cerebral hemorrhage in 8 patients (20.5%), fetal distress and surgical trauma each in 6 patients (15.4%), vascular malformation and cerebral hemorrhage in 1 patient (2.6%), and unclear history in 4 patients (10.2%). Histologically, all cases were characterized by cortical destruction, with neuronal loss and gliosis. All cases were accompanied by varying degree of cortical dysplasia, which were diagnosed as focal cortical dysplasia IIId. Hippocampus sclerosis was identified in 2 cases. Seizure outcome after surgery revealed 37 patients (94.9%) had an Engel grade I, two patients (5.1%) had an Engel grade II., Conclusions: Febrile seizure, cerebral hemorrhage, fetal distress and surgical trauma in childhood can lead to refractory epilepsy. Histopathological change in the brain is ulegyria accompanied by focal cortical dysplasia IIId. Modified anatomic hemispherectomy is an effective therapy to treat those patients with extensive changes of one hemisphere.

In order to understand the genetic difference and phylogenic relationship within and among the Fusarium species in Section Martiella, the genetic diversity of 21 Fusarium strains in the section was examined by inter-simple sequence repeats (ISSR). Fifteen selected ISSR primers were adopted to do amplification, and a total of 239 bands were amplified, among which, 230 (96.2%) were polymorphic, with an average of 15.3 polymorphic bands per primer. The genetic similarity ranged from 0.494 to 0.933, with an average of 0.640. All the test strains were clustered into two groups at genetic similarity of 0.593. The strains 1-17 were grouped into IG-I, belonging to Fusarium solani and F. solani var. coeruleum, while the strains 18-21 were grouped into IG-II, belonging to F. ventricosum. All the 21 strains could be entirely distinguished at genetic similarity of 0. 933. The SSR loci in the Fusarium genomes were rich in polymorphism. The ISSR grouping had definite correlation with the species classification, but less correlation with the geographic origin of the strains. Within the same ISSR groups, there existed definite correlation between the genetic similarity and the geographic origin of the strains. Within the same species collected from the same regions and same host plants, there existed definite genetic difference among the strains of the same species.

Objective: To construct a recombinant adenovirus for carry tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) gene and expressing bioactive TH protein in the animal model of Parkinson disease., Methods: The TH gene was inserted into the shuttle plasmid, which was transformed into E.coli BJ-5183 for homologous recombination with the adenovirus genome. 293 cells were transfected with the recombinant adenovirus genome to obtain the recombinant virus, and the transcription and expression of TH were determined by RT-PCR and immunofluorescence assay, respectively. The production of L-DOPA in the in vitro reaction system was determined using capillary electrophoresis., Results: We have successfully constructed the recombinant adenovirus. The TH mRNA and the corresponding protein were detected by RT-PCR and immunofluoresence assay in 293 cells. L-DOPA was also detected in the reaction system., Conclusion: The adenovirus constructed allows efficient expression of bioactive TH protein in vitro, which provides a basis for future study of gene therapy of Parkinson disease in animal models.

To study the effect of simian vacuolating virus 40 (SV40) on development and differentiation of dendritic cells (DC) from rhesus macaque, the peripheral blood-derived dendritic cells from rhesus monkey were pulsed with inactivated SV40 and infective SV40, respectively at the 5th day post DC cultivation. Expressions of CD1a, HLA-DR, CD86 and CD83 on the cell surface at the 7th, 9th day post DC cultivation were analyzed by flow cytometry (FCM). The results showed that expressions of CD1a, HLA-DR, CD86 and CD83 on the cell surface in the inactivated SV40-pulsed experimental group were higher than those in the infective SV40-pulsed experimental group (P < 0.05). These cell surface molecules represented characteristic development and differentiation phase of DC. Down-regulation of expressions of these cell surface molecules indicated that infective SV40 might hamper differentiation and maturation of dendritic cells from rhesus monkey.

A develop of medical discharger of oxygen is presented in the paper. The medical discharge can control, display and print the output data including the time, oxygen discharge the total time and the total oxygen discharge of two channels oxygen synchronously or respectively, Results show that the device is of reasonable design, accurate, measurement simple operation, low cost, real-time display, alarm and controlling the channels oxygen automatically and can print data if necessary. It will be widely used in clinic.

Sonochemical degradation of microcystins (MC) produced by microcystis in water and the influence of various ultrasonic parameters were studied. The results show that microcystins could be effectively degraded in ultrasonic fields. 150 kHz is the best ultrasound frequency for microcystins degradation, and the removal ratio of microcystins reached 70% after 20 min ultrasonic irradiation at 150 kHz and 40 W. Furthermore, ultraviolet irradiation strengthened the ultrasonic degradation of microcystins.

The applicability of streaming current in waterworks sludge treatment as indicator of coagulant dosage and pH control was investigated in this study. Experiments were conducted on sludge settling behaviors and dewatering processes. At the aspect of sludge settleability research showed the theoretical optimal dosage, pH was 8.9mg/L, 7.25, and the practical optimal dosage, pH was 9.0mg/L, 6.90. On the side of sludge dewaterability, the theoretical optimal dosage, pH was 25.0mg/L, 9.25, and the practical optimal dosage, pH was 26.0mg/L, 9.0. Results indicated that slightly positive streaming current coincided with the optimal dosage and pH. Thus streaming current can be used for continuous dosage feedback control as the single indicator.

Objective: To select high Lovastatin-producing microbial breed by space flight., Method: Monascus purpureus species was carried into space by the recoverable spaceship, "Shenzhou 3". After flight, the strain was rejuvenized, segregated and selected. The content of Lovastatin produced in the solid fermentation was examined., Result: Mutants with high productivity of Lovastatin were obtained. A series of tests showed that the acquired character of the mutants was stable., Conclusion: Space flight is an effective method for the selection of fine strains.

Fermionic valence-bond approach in terms of SU(4) representation is proposed to describe the J1-J2 frustrated Heisenberg antiferromagnetic (AF) model on a bipartite square lattice. A uniform mean field solution without breaking the translational and rotational symmetries describes a valence-bond spin-liquid state, interpolating the two different AF ordered states in the large J1 and large J2 limits, respectively. This novel spin-liquid state is gapless with the vanishing density of states at the Fermi nodal points. Moreover, a sharp resonance peak in the dynamic structure factor is predicted for momenta q=(0,0) and (pi,pi) in the strongly frustrated limit J(2)/J(1) approximately 1/2, which can be checked by neutron scattering experiments.

Objective: To observe anti-HEV IgG response to vaccination of recombinant antigen fragments and evaluate its protection from Hepatitis E Virus infection in rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta)., Methods: Twelve monkeys were divided into three groups and immunized respectively with three different recombinant antigens: namely Ag1 (carboxyl terminal 431 amino acids of ORF2), Ag2 (128aa fragment at the carboxyl terminal of ORF2), and Ag3 (full length ORF3 ligated with two ORF2 fragments encoded by 6743-7126nt and 6287-6404nt). The monkeys were challenged intravenously with fecal suspension from experimentally infected rhesus monkeys, and the other three monkeys served as the placebo group for challenge with HEV. The dynamic changes of the levels of ALT and anti-HEV IgG were examined. Pathological changes of liver tissue were observed by light microscope. Excretion of virus was detected by RT-nPCR., Results: Hepatic histopathology of two monkeys in the placebo group was consistent with acute viral hepatitis, and ALT was elevated 3-4 weeks after inoculated with virus, up to 10-20 times higher than normal level. The liver tissue of monkeys immunized with antigen kept normal, ALT in several monkeys elevated mildly, and anti-HEV IgG conversation occurred at 1-2 weeks after vaccination, with the titer reaching 1:12,800. The virus RNA could be detected by RT-nPCR from days 7 to 50 in monkeys of control group, and from days 7 to 21 in vaccinated monkeys after challenged with virus., Conclusions: The recombinant antigens could induce the production of anti-HEV IgG, which protected rhesus monkeys from acute Hepatitis symptoms related to HEV infection.

Objective: To investigate the effects of sodium hyaluronate in supplementary treatment of comminuted fracture of ankle., Methods: Thirty-seven patients suffered from comminuted fracture of ankle were operated for restoration by routing methods, and received 2 ml of sodium hyaluronate injection intra-articularly before the closure of incision. The ankle was fixed and given the second intra-articular injection on the 3rd day after operation. Then, the patients were given sodium hyaluronate injection intra-articularly at a week intervals till the paste was removed after 4 weeks. All patients were followed up. The clinical results were evaluated by measuring the symptoms of pain, and the function of walking and other daily living activities., Results: All the patients were followed up for 6 to 27 months, among them, 30 patients were cured completely without any symptoms, the ankle function for walking and daily living activities was normal, 6 patients felt pain with violent activity or walking exceeding 1 km, one patient suffered from comminuted fracture with compressed depression was not improved due to his ankle being not restored properly., Conclusion: Intra-articular injection of sodium hyaluronate is an effective supplementary treatment for comminuted fracture of ankle.

AIM:To study the pathogenesis of hepatotoxicity of halothane.METHODS:The effect of different concentration of halothane and sevoflurane on mitochondrial membrane phospholipids composition of rat liver were analyzed using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) technology.RESULTS:Halothane at low concentration could degrade mitochondrial membrane major phospholipids and increase lysophosph-atidylcholine.CONCLUSION:The pathogenesis of halothane hepatotoxicity was the phospholipids variation on liver mitochondria.