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[Display omitted] • 3D hierarchically porous zero-valent iron (3D-ZVI) was fabricated via 3D printing. • 3D-ZVI showed a catalytic activity comparable to Fe powder with less Fe leaching. • 3D-ZVI retained its excellent catalytic efficiency even after 45 cycles. • The role of high-valent iron-oxo in the 3D-ZVI/PMS system was investigated. Zero-valent iron (ZVI) has emerged as an efficient catalyst for facilitating the decomposition of organic pollutants. However, practical applications of ZVI remain limited owing to its susceptibility towards oxidation and agglomeration. Herein, we utilize 3D printing to fabricate hierarchically porous ZVI (3D-ZVI), which displays a high level of printing precision and superb compression resistance. The 3D-ZVI catalyst can effectively activate peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to degrade a diverse selection of organic contaminants. Notably, while the catalytic activity of 3D-ZVI is comparable to that of Fe powder under similar conditions, the concentration of leached Fe ions of the former is 6.3 times lower than that of the latter. Moreover, 3D-ZVI is capable of maintaining an efficient catalytic performance throughout 45 continuous reactions, which is significantly superior to most previously reported powder catalysts. The high-valent iron-oxo species generated in the 3D-ZVI/PMS system are primarily responsible for contaminant removal, while hydroxyl and sulfate radicals play a lesser role. Additionally, the degradation intermediates and their toxicity levels are investigated. This work provides insight into the practical applications of the ZVI/PMS system, and it also serves as a guide for the rational design of efficient and stable catalysts that can be conveniently recovered from aqueous environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Stable isotope and multielement were first used for origin tracing of ginger. • Untargeted metabolomics was analyzed for ginger origin traceability. • Chemometric models showed good discrimination of gingers from different regions. • The KNN, SVM and RF models achieved better discriminant performance. • The mid-level fused dataset improved the discriminant efficiency. Ginger (Zingiber officinale Roscoe) is a high-value food and herb worldwide. The quality of ginger is often related to its production regions. In this study, stable isotopes, multiple elements, and metabolites were investigated together to realize ginger origin traceability. Chemometrics showed that ginger samples could be preliminarily separated, and 4 isotopes (δ 13C, δ 2H, δ 18O, and δ 34S), 12 mineral elements (Rb, Mn, V, Na, Sm, K, Ga, Cd, Al, Ti, Mg, and Li), 1 bioelement (%C), and 143 metabolites were the most important variables for discrimination. Furthermore, three algorithms were introduced, and the fused dataset based on VIP features led to the highest accuracies for origin classification, with predictive rates of 98% for K-nearest neighbor and 100% for support vector machine and random forest. The results demonstrated that isotopic, elemental, and metabolic fingerprints were useful indicators for the geographical origins of Chinese ginger. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The combined application of EZH2 inhibitors and Salmonella -delivered PD-1 siRNA can further inhibit the growth of colorectal cancer cell. • EZH2 inhibitors could not only significantly inhibit the survival of colon cancer cells and induce apoptosis, but also effectively inhibit cell invasion and migration in vitro and vivo. • This study suggests an emerging strategy based on a combination of immunomodulatory and immune response-promoting therapies. Immunotherapy has made significant progress in the treatment of malignant tumors. However, strategies to combine immunotherapy with anticancer drugs have attracted great attention due to the low response rate and unique toxicity profile of immunotherapies and the subsequent development of acquired resistance in some initial responders. EZH2, a histone methyl transferase subunit of a Polycomb repressor complex, is highly expressed in a variety of tumors, and targeting EZH2 has become a new strategy for tumor therapy and drug combination. Here，we studied the effect of EZH2 inhibitors on colorectal cancer cells and their combination with immunotherapy. Our results demonstrated that EZH2 inhibitors can not only significantly inhibit the survival of colorectal cancer (CRC) cells and induce apoptosis, effectively inhibit cell invasion and migration, but also cause an increase in the expression of PD-L1 receptors on the cell surface. To determine the effect of EZH2 in combination with immunotherapy, we combine EZH2 inhibitors with PD-1 siRNA delivered by attenuated Salmonella. The vivo experiments have shown that the combination of EZH2 inhibitors and Salmonella-delivered PD-1 siRNA can further inhibit the development of CRC, trigger effective anti-tumor immunity, and improve therapeutic efficacy. Its underlying mechanisms mainly involve synergistic immunomodulation and apoptosis. This study suggests an emerging strategy based on a combination of EZH2 inhibitor and immunotherapy based on PD-1 inhibition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: Adrenergic regulation of cell volume-regulated chloride current (ICl.vol ) is species-dependent. The present study investigates the mechanism underlying adrenergic regulation of ICl.vol in human atrial myocytes.Experimental Approach: Conventional whole-cell patch voltage-clamp techniques were used to record membrane current in human atrial myocytes. ICl.vol was evoked by hyposmotic bath solution (0.6 times isosmotic, 0.6 T).Key Results: ICl.vol was augmented by noradrenaline (1 μM) during cell swelling in 0.6 T but not under isosmotic (1 T) conditions. Up-regulation of ICl.vol in 0.6 T was blocked by the β-adrenoceptor antagonist propranolol (2 μM), but not by the α1 -adrenoceptor antagonist prazosin (2 μM). This β-adrenergic response involved cAMP but was independent of PKA; the protein kinase inhibitor H-89 (2 μM) or PKI (10 μM in pipette solution) failed to prevent ICl.vol up-regulation by noradrenaline. Moreover, the PI3K/PKB inhibitor LY294002 (50 μM) and the PKG inhibitor KT5823 (10 μM) did not affect noradrenaline-induced increases in ICl.vol . Interestingly, the exchange protein directly activated by cAMP (Epac) agonist 8-pCPT-2'-O-Me-cAMP (50 μM) also up-regulated ICl.vol , and the noradrenaline-induced increase of ICl.vol in 0.6 T was reversed or prevented by the Epac inhibitor ESI-09 (10 μM).Conclusion and Implications: These data show that ICl.vol evoked by cell swelling of human atrial myocytes is up-regulated by noradrenaline via a PKA-independent cAMP/Epac pathway in human atrial myocytes. cAMP/Epac-induced ICl.vol is expected to shorten action potential duration during human atrial myocytes swelling and may be involved in abnormal cardiac electrical activity during cardiac pathologies that evoke β-adrenoceptor signalling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cu‐catalyzed enantioselective hydroamination of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds for the synthesis of β‐amino acid derivatives was achieved through ligand‐controlled reversal of the hydrocupration regioselectivity. While the hydrocupration of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds to form α‐cuprated species has been extensively investigated, we report herein that, in the presence of an appropriate ancillary chiral ligand, the opposite regiochemistry can be observed for cinnamic acid derivatives, leading to the delivery of the copper to the β‐position. This copper can react with an electrophilic aminating reagent, 1,2‐benzisoxazole, to provide enantioenriched β‐amino acid derivatives, which are important building blocks for the synthesis of natural products and bioactive small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cu‐catalyzed enantioselective hydroamination of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds for the synthesis of β‐amino acid derivatives was achieved through ligand‐controlled reversal of the hydrocupration regioselectivity. While the hydrocupration of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds to form α‐cuprated species has been extensively investigated, we report herein that, in the presence of an appropriate ancillary chiral ligand, the opposite regiochemistry can be observed for cinnamic acid derivatives, leading to the delivery of the copper to the β‐position. This copper can react with an electrophilic aminating reagent, 1,2‐benzisoxazole, to provide enantioenriched β‐amino acid derivatives, which are important building blocks for the synthesis of natural products and bioactive small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spring viremia of carp virus (SVCV) causes devastating disease in aquaculture, resulting in significant economic impact. To develop an effective means against SVCV infection, a Lactococcus lactis (L.lactis) based subunit vaccine (pNZ-UGA) was developed based on surface displaying of SVCV glycoprotein using anchoring motif of the cA (C terminus of the peptidoglyvsn-binding) domains of AcmA, a major autolysin from L.lactis. The surface expression of SVCV glycoprotein was verified by indirect immunofluorescence assay. The efficacy of the constructed vaccine was further evaluated in common carp. The results showed that the higher levels of specific IgM could be detected in fish vaccinated with pNZ-UGA, compared with that in PBS and L.lactis groups. Immune-related genes including TNF-α , IL-6b , IL-1β , Cxcr 1 , Cxca , IFNg2b , I-IFN , and IgM expression in pNZ-UGA group were strongly up-regulated, revealing that robust innate immune response was induced. Notably, the lowest cumulative mortality (13.46%) was observed in fish vaccinated with pNZ-UGA vaccine after SVCV challenge, whereas the cumulative mortality were 100.00% and 92.31% in PBS and L.lactis groups, respectively. This study suggests the potential use of the recombinant L.lactis with surface displaying antigen proteins as effective vaccines against SVCV and other fish virus infection. • SVCV glycoprotein was displayed on the surface of Lactobacillus lactis. • Immunization by injection with pNZ-UGA strongly induced immune response in common carp. • Immunization with pNZ-UGA enhance disease resistance against SVCV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate fault information is critical for optimal scheduling of production activities, improving system reliability, and reducing operation and maintenance costs. In recent years, many fault diagnosis methods for rolling element bearings have been developed based on deep learning. Most of them are totally data-driven and do not consider the domain knowledge that has been used in fault diagnosis for years. Meanwhile, operating conditions such as rotating speed and load that have great influence on vibration signals are also ignored. It may cause a decrease in accuracy when the bearing type or operating condition changes. To address these problems, this article proposes a rolling element bearing fault diagnosis and localization approach based on multitask convolutional neural network (CNN) with information fusion. In the proposed approach, domain knowledge, operating conditions, and vibration signals are fused into a three-dimensional input that can be processed well by CNN. Then, a multitask CNN with dynamic training rates is constructed to simultaneously accomplish two tasks, fault diagnosis and localization. Experimental results on two rolling element bearing test beds with different bearing types and operating conditions are presented and compared with existing state-of-the-art approaches to demonstrate the effectiveness and accuracy of the proposed approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Minichromosome maintenance complex component 8 (MCM8) is responsible for homologous recombination and DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs) repair and is the cause of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI), which is seldom diagnosed in adolescents and children. Methods: Whole‐exome sequencing was performed in a 13‐year‐old girl, and Sanger sequencing was used to identify potentially pathogenic variants in her sister (aged 6 years and 7 months) and parents. To identify potential pathogenic mutations, DSBs were induced by mitomycin C (MMC), and the DNA repair capacity was evaluated by the histone H2AX phosphorylation level. Results: Two novel mutations of MCM8, i.e., c.724T>C (p.C242R) and c.1334C>A (p.S445*), were identified in a 13‐year‐old girl with POI who exhibited disappeared bilateral ovaries and short stature (height standard difference score [HtSDS] = −3.05), and her sister (aged 6 years and 7 months) with progressive POI whose ovary size decreased from normal to unclear and height growth gradually slowed. In the functional experiments, compared with the wild‐type, HeLa cells overexpressing mutant p.C242R and p.S445* showed a higher sensitivity to MMC. Furthermore, the mutant p.S445* has a more deleterious effect on DNA damage repair. Conclusion: Our results reveal that affected children with the novel pathogenetic mutations p.C242R and p.S445* in the MCM8 gene are characterized by POI, short stature, cancer susceptibility, and genomic instability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metastasis is the primary cause of high mortality in patients with osteosarcoma (OS). However, the molecular mechanisms underlying the regulation of metastatic disease are yet to be determined. Differentially expressed in FDCP 6 homolog (DEF6) has been demonstrated to be correlated with the metastatic behavior of several cancers, such as breast, ovarian and colorectal cancers. However, the role of DEF6 in OS remains unknown. Accordingly, the current study aimed to investigate the relationship between DEF6 expression and the malignant behavior of OS. The results revealed that high levels of DEF6 in OS tissues were associated with advanced clinical stage and metastases. Furthermore, immunohistochemistry results predicted a poor prognosis in 58 human OS specimens. Additionally, DEF6 expression was reported to be upregulated in human OS cell lines compared with a normal osteoblast cell line. small interfering RNA transfection, cell proliferation and colony formation assays, wound healing assays and Transwell assays were performed. DEF6 was not identified to be a major driver of OS cell proliferation, but it significantly contributed to metastatic potential in vitro. In addition, bioinformatics, western blotting and immunohistochemistry results indicated that MMP9 expression was positively correlated with DEF6 expression in human OS. To summarize, the results revealed that increased levels of DEF6 were associated with metastasis and poor prognosis in human OS and that DEF6 expression is positively correlated with MMP9 expression. The results indicated that DEF6 may serve as a potential antimetastatic target for OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In total radiated power (TRP) measurements, it is essential to eliminate the effects of electromagnetic interference caused by the ambient noise. The elimination is usually achieved by shielding. However, shielding may be insufficient, especially in reverberation tents. Under this condition, additional methods are needed to suppress the noise. Practical methods are proposed to suppress the effect of uncorrelated noise signals during the TRP measurement in the reverberation tents. The methods are validated for the cancelation of communication noise, including Wi-Fi, global system for mobile (GSM), and FM signals. If the noise reference signal is available, the noise contribution can be suppressed by ratio averaging. When the reference signal is hard to obtain, blind source separation allows separating the uncorrelated signals from the combination of the intended signal and noise. For intermittent signals, threshold cancelation is proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The genus Laccaria (Hydnangiaceae, Agaricales) is an important ectomycorrhizal symbiont of a broad range of host plants. Laccaria guizhouensis was collected from a subtropical mixed forest dominated by Fagaceae in Southwest China and described based on morphological characteristics and molecular data. Laccaria guizhouensis is characterised by its medium-sized basidiocarps and strong striate or sulcatus, flesh-coloured to brown pileus, flesh-coloured to brown lamellae, 2- to 4-spored basidia, globose to obellipsoid, hyaline, moderately echinulate basidiospores, and 1–1.5 μm-long echinulate. Phylogenetic analyses based on ITS sequences (HMAS352265 and HMAS352266) indicated that L. guizhouensis represented a new species separated from all other Laccaria species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Bone metastasis is a significant contributor to morbidity and mortality in advanced prostate cancer, and early diagnosis is challenging due to its insidious onset. The use of machine learning to obtain prognostic information from pathological images has been highlighted. However, there is a limited understanding of the potential of early prediction of bone metastasis through the feature combination method from various sources. This study presents a method of integrating multimodal data to enhance the feasibility of early diagnosis of bone metastasis in prostate cancer. Methods and materials: Overall, 211 patients diagnosed with prostate cancer (PCa) at Gansu Provincial Hospital between January 2017 and February 2023 were included in this study. The patients were randomized (8:2) into a training group (n = 169) and a validation group (n = 42). The region of interest (ROI) were segmented from the three magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) sequences (T2WI, DWI, and ADC), and pathological features were extracted from tissue sections (hematoxylin and eosin [H&E] staining, 10 × 20). A deep learning (DL) model using ResNet 50 was employed to extract deep transfer learning (DTL) features. The least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regression method was utilized for feature selection, feature construction, and reducing feature dimensions. Different machine learning classifiers were used to build predictive models. The performance of the models was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic curves. The net clinical benefit was assessed using decision curve analysis (DCA). The goodness of fit was evaluated using calibration curves. A joint model nomogram was eventually developed by combining clinically independent risk factors. Results: The best prediction models based on DTL and pathomics features showed area under the curve (AUC) values of 0.89 (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.799–0.989) and 0.85 (95% CI, 0.714–0.989), respectively. The AUC for the best prediction model based on radiomics features and combining radiomics features, DTL features, and pathomics features were 0.86 (95% CI, 0.735–0.979) and 0.93 (95% CI, 0.854–1.000), respectively. Based on DCA and calibration curves, the model demonstrated good net clinical benefit and fit. Conclusion: Multimodal radiomics and pathomics serve as valuable predictors of the risk of bone metastases in patients with primary PCa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Cu‐catalyzed enantioselective hydroamination of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds for the synthesis of β‐amino acid derivatives was achieved through ligand‐controlled reversal of the hydrocupration regioselectivity. While the hydrocupration of α,β‐unsaturated carbonyl compounds to form α‐cuprated species has been extensively investigated, we report herein that, in the presence of an appropriate ancillary chiral ligand, the opposite regiochemistry can be observed for cinnamic acid derivatives, leading to the delivery of the copper to the β‐position. This copper can react with an electrophilic aminating reagent, 1,2‐benzisoxazole, to provide enantioenriched β‐amino acid derivatives, which are important building blocks for the synthesis of natural products and bioactive small molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gastric cancer (GC) remains one of the most common digestive malignancies worldwide and ranked third causes of cancer-related death. Mounting evidence has revealed that miRNAs exert critical regulatory roles in GC development. Methods: Immunohistochemistry (IHC) and western blot assay were performed to determine the protein expression levels of neuropilin-1 (NRP1) and mRNA levels were confirmed by quantitative RT-PCR (qRT-PCR) in GC tissues. Kaplan–Meier analysis was performed to evaluate the prognostic value of NRP1 in GC. Knockdown of NRP1 was conducted to analyse its function in vitro and vivo. Luciferase reporter assay, western blot and qRT-qPCR were employed to identify the miRNAs which directly targeted NRP1. Furthermore, Bioinformatics analysis and experimental verification were used to explore the potential molecular mechanism and signalling pathway. Results: In the current study, we revealed that NRP1 was highly expressed in GC tumor tissues and was associated with poor prognosis in GC patients. NRP1 knockdown inhibited GC cell growth, migration and invasion in vitro, while suppressed GC xenograft tumor development in vivo. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that miR-19b-3p down-regulated NRP1 expression by targeting its 3′-UTR. Functional assay demonstrated that miR-19b-3p inhibited GC cell growth, migration and invasion via negatively regulating NRP1. Overexpression NRP1 partially reversed the regulatory effect of miR-19b-3p. Moreover, we showed that miR-19b-3p/NRP1 axis regulated the epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition and focal adhesion in GC, which might contribute the GC development and progression. Conclusions: Taken together, our findings suggest a regulatory network of miR-19b-3p/NRP1 in GC development. The miR-19b-3p/NRP1 axis might be further explored as a potential diagnostic and therapeutic target in GC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the research, bovine serum albumin/astragalus membranaceus oil (BSA/AM) core‐shell microcapsules were prepared using the sonochemical method. The energy provided by ultrasound was used to initiate the cross‐linking reaction of the sulfhydryl groups of cysteine residue in BSA to form a disulfide bond, thereby encapsulating the core material‐AM. The core‐shell structure and morphology of the BSA/AM microcapsules were confirmed by transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), respectively. The microcapsule size was determined by dynamic light scattering (DLS). The composition and loading rate of AM were characterized through Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT‐IR) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The hardness and Young's modulus were measured using nanoindentation. And the release performance of BSA/AM microcapsules was investigated by ultraviolet‐visible spectrophotometer (UV‐Vis). The TEM and SEM results show that the BSA/AM microcapsules are spherical with a narrow size distribution. A core‐shell structure and a smooth microcapsule surface were clearly observed. The DLS results show that the microcapsules size and shell thickness are ca. 300 nm and 40 nm, respectively. The FT‐IR results indicate that the shell was formed by denaturing the cross‐linking of BSA under ultrasonic irradiation conditions. The loading rate of AM, approximately 67.6 %, was calculated by TGA. Based on nanoindentation, the hardness and Young's modulus are 0.0107 GPa and 0.1477 GPa, respectively. In terms of the release performance, all astragalus membranaceus oil can be almost released during the time period of four hours. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the solid–liquid equilibria phase diagrams of two ternary systems KCl–ZnCl2–H2O and MgCl2–ZnCl2–H2O at 278 K using the method of isothermal dissolution equilibrium. Integrated with the determined equilibrated liquid phase and humid residue composition, the phase diagrams of the two systems were generated. At the same time, the invariant points, the univariant solubility curves and the solid crystalline phase regions are displayed and discussed. The results of the experiment show that the two ternary systems are classified as complex owing to the formation of double salt. The phase diagram of the ternary system KCl–ZnCl2–H2O at 278 K is comprised of two invariant points, three univariant solubility curves and three solid crystalline phase regions corresponding to KCl, ZnCl2·2H2O and 2KCl·ZnCl2·2H2O. The phase diagram of the ternary system MgCl2–ZnCl2–H2O at 278 K includes two invariant points, three univariant solubility curves and three solid crystalline phase regions corresponding to MgCl2·6H2O, MgCl2·ZnCl2·6H2O and ZnCl2·2H2O. The densities of ternary mixtures at 278 K were measured. The possibility of Laliberte model to predict densities of investigated ternary saturated solution was checked. The results show that this model is allowed to offer fundamental description for densities of ternary mixtures and calculated results are in good agreement with the experimental values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Base-mediated [3 + 3] cycloaddition reaction of in-situ formed aza-oxyallyl cations and 1,4-dithiane-2,5-diols has been achieved under mild reaction conditions. This strategy provides direct and efficient access to prepare desired thiomorpholin-3-one derivatives in moderate-to-high yields. The approach features broad substrates scope and short reaction time. Moreover, the resulting products can be readily converted into other useful heterocyclic compounds including 2H-1,4-thiazin-3(4H)-ones and thiomorpholine-3,5-diones. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The study was performed to estimate the diagnostic blood loss (DBL) volume during hospitalization and investigate its relationship with the development of moderate to severe hospital acquired anemia (HAA) and increased number of red blood cell (RBC) transfusion following extensive burns.Materials and Methods: This was a retrospective study of adult burned patients with total body surface area (TBSA) burn larger than 40%, who were admitted to burn center of Changhai hospital between January 2005 and December 2017.Results: We included a final number of 157 patients in the present study. Moderate to severe HAA within the fourth week postburn was developed in 46 of 121 patients who stayed over 28-day hospitalization. Patients with moderate to severe HAA had both significantly higher total DBL volume [245 (IQR: 183.75, 325.25) mL vs 168 (119, 163) mL ; P = 0.001] and DBL volume per day [10.22 (IQR: 8.57, 12.38) mL vs 6.63 (5.22, 10.42) mL/day; P = 0.005]. Logistic regression analysis revealed that both DBL volume per day and TBSA burn were independent risk factors for the development of moderate to severe HAA.Conclusions: Severely burned patients appear to be prone to develop HAA during hospitalization. The DBL volume contribute to the occurrence of moderate to severe HAA, which might be a modifiable target for preventing HAA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the explosive growth of micro-learning resources, a large number of unprocessed fragmented text resources bring great inconvenience to learners. In order to help learners to find suitable contents from fragmented resources for personalized learning, it is necessary to cluster micro-learning resources in the form of text. Therefore, this paper attempts to apply an improved density peak algorithm to micro-learning unit text clustering. Aiming at the problems of high dimensional sparse vector space, insufficient global consistency, cutoff distance sensitivity, and supervised selection of density peak centers when the density peak algorithm perform clustering in its field, this paper proposes two ap-proaches based on Latent Semantic Analysis (LSA) model. Firstly, a new definition of local density is proposed according to clustering requirements, density sensitive distance is used as the clustering criteria, and the global consistency problem of clustering is solved by solving the problem of cutoff distance sensitivity. Secondly, outliers are found by linear fitting to automatically find the density peak centers in order to realize unsupervised selection problem of peak centers. Experimental results on real data sets of micro-learning units show that the proposal is more suitable for text clustering of micro-learning units than the original algorithm and other classical clustering algorithms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine whether the rates of postoperative complications, rate of readmission, cumulative transfusion volume, and length of stay (LOS) differ between simultaneous total hip arthroplasty (THA) and staged bilateral THA and to assess whether the length of the interval between staged procedures influences surgery outcome. Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study comparing the rate of postoperative complications, readmission, cumulative transfusion volume, and LOS between simultaneous THA and staged bilateral THA in our hospital's registration database. The inclusion criteria is listed as follows: patients who underwent bilateral primary THA between January 2011 and January 2015 with minimum 3‐month follow‐up; simultaneous bilateral THA; staged bilateral THA; postoperative complications, readmission, cumulative transfusion volume, length of stay of the patients and the influence of the interval between stages of bilateral THA on the outcome above; and retrospective cohort study. Finally, a total of 1145 patients, including simultaneous bilateral THA in 863 patients (1726 hips) and staged bilateral THA in 282 patients (564 hips), were eligible for the present study. The patients were divided into three groups according to the interval time (≤30 days, 30–90 days, >90 days) between the two stages of bilateral THA and we compared postoperative complications, readmission rates, cumulative transfusion volume, and LOS for the three groups. All patients' medical records and outpatient notes were reviewed to extract preoperative data, perioperative complications, readmission, cumulative transfusion, and LOS. Preoperative information included patients' age, sex, diagnosis, body mass index, and American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) classification. Perioperative complications were sorted into two groups: (i) medical complications included cardiovascular, pulmonary, neurological, digestive, and urologic system complications, along with other miscellaneous issues; and (ii) surgical complications included dislocation, superficial wound infection, hematoma, deep periprosthetic joint infection, and nerve palsy. Patients who failed to come back to visit our hospital in the postoperative 3 months were followed up by telephone, at which point we inquired about any postoperative complications and readmission. Results: Simultaneous THA was performed more often in younger men, and patients in the simultaneous group had fewer major medical complications (excluding venous thromboembolism), fewer surgical complications, and shorter hospital stays; however, patients in the simultaneous group were likelier to have a higher transfusion rate than patients in the staged group. Among patients in the staged group, there were no differences for differing time intervals, except that patients with a between‐stage interval of ≤30 days required more blood transfusions. Conclusion: With careful patient assessment and selection, simultaneous bilateral THA is a safe procedure, and has lower rates of surgical and major medical complications than staged bilateral THA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a high-level radioactive waste repository, bentonite may react with the alkaline solution produced by cement degradation. In this study, bentonite was mixed with alkaline solution in a closed system and reacted for 3-24 months. Furthermore, swelling tests were conducted on the alkaline-dissolved bentonite immersed in distilled water. The swelling deformation decreased significantly with increases in the concentration of NaOH solution and reaction time, and this was mainly due to montmorillonite dissolution. The fractal e-p relationship (e is the void ratio and p is the vertical pressure) with two calculation coefficients (the swelling coefficient and the fractal dimension) was employed to determine the swelling of alkaline-dissolved bentonite. The fractal dimension increased slightly with increasing reaction time or concentration of NaOH solution, as the dissolution traces caused by the alkaline solution favoured an increase in the irregularity and fractality of the bentonite surface. The swelling coefficient decreased linearly with decreasing montmorillonite content. In addition, the swelling coefficient and the fractal dimension were related exponentially to the reaction time in alkaline solution. A relationship between the swelling of alkaline-dissolved samples and the reaction time was proposed, which might be used to assess the swelling properties of bentonite barriers that would be affected by long-term dissolution of the alkaline solution in a closed repository. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multistage hydraulic fracturing in horizontal wells is a critical technique for developing unconventional oil and gas resources. Stress interactions among neighboring fractures cause immature fracture development. The Texas two-step fracturing (TTSF) method is a new technique that aims to enhance fracture complexity and conductivity. This paper compares the fracture development of consecutive fracturing and the TTSF. The fracturing sequence in the multistage fracturing method has a significant effect on the fracture length, fracture width and injection pressure. The consecutive fracturing results in relatively uneven fracture length and width. Certain fractures in consecutive fracturing are restrained to be closed due to the strong stress shadowing effect. In contrast, TTSF has considerable potential for alleviating the negative effects of stress interactions and producing a larger stimulated reservoir volume. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase stability is an important topic for high entropy alloys (HEAs), but the understanding to it is very limited. The capability to predict phase stability from fundamental properties of constituent elements would benefit the alloy design greatly. The relationship between phase stability and physicochemical/thermodynamic properties of alloying components in HEAs was studied systematically. The mixing enthalpy is found to be the key factor controlling the formation of solid solutions or compounds. The stability of fcc and bcc solid solutions is well delineated by the valance electron concentration (VEC). The revealing of the effect of the VEC on the phase stability is vitally important for alloy design and for controlling the mechanical behavior of HEAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aimed at the problems of complex industrial site environment, difficult identification of assembly features and low positioning accuracy, a new visual identification and positioning method is proposed, which can well identify and locate parts and products with different characteristics. First, combined filtering is used in preprocessing to repair low-quality images. Then, edge detection and contour finding are performed on the preprocessed image. Finally, the internal and external parameters of the camera are calculated through the camera calibration, and the acquired pixel coordinates are converted into world coordinates. The results show that the combined filtering algorithm has good noise reduction effect and can remove image surface noise, which improves the recognition accuracy for the identification and positioning of different feature parts by the subsequent contour search method, and the algorithm can meet the requirements of the actual positioning accuracy of the assembly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Fengyun-3E (FY-3E) satellite carrying the advanced Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) Radio Occultation Sounder-II (GNOS-II) is already in operation for radio occultation (RO) observation, with the BeiDou Navigation Satellite System (BDS-2 and BDS-3) and Global Positioning System (GPS) signals tracking capability. FY-3E BDS and GPS RO signals tracking capability were first evaluated by comparing their penetration depths, and then the quality of the refractivity, temperature, and specific humidity profiles was analyzed with the fifth-generation European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts reanalysis (ERA5) data. Results show the mean penetration depth of BDS occultations was 1.65 km compared to 1.09 km of GPS occultations. Between 5 and 25 km, the mean refractivity bias of the BDS (GPS) was −0.14% (0.01%) with the mean standard deviation (SD) being 1.11% (1.52%); the mean temperature biases of both were within ±0.1 K, and the mean SD of BDS was 1.1 K compared to 1.2 K for the GPS; BDS/GPS specific humidity bias was within ±0.3 g/kg with corresponding SD being less than 1.3 g/kg. Seasonal deviations of specific humidities were largest in summer and smallest in winter. Latitudinal deviations over the tropics were generally higher than in other areas. Enriched quantity and high accuracy and precision after careful calibration will promote the FY-3E RO profiles as a reliable data source for the RO community. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Purpose: The ultra-rapidly activating delayed rectifier K+ current IKur (encoded by Kv 1.5 or KCNA5) plays an important role in human atrial repolarization. The present study investigates the regulation of this current by protein tyrosine kinases (PTKs).Experimental Approach: Whole-cell patch voltage clamp technique and immunoprecipitation and Western blotting analysis were used to investigate whether the PTK inhibitors genistein, tyrphostin AG556 (AG556) and PP2 regulate human atrial IKur and hKv1.5 channels stably expressed in HEK 293 cells.Key Results: Human atrial IKur was decreased by genistein (a broad-spectrum PTK inhibitor) and AG556 (a highly selective EGFR TK inhibitor) in a concentration-dependent manner. Inhibition of IKur induced by 30 μM genistein or 10 μM AG556 was significantly reversed by 1 mM orthovanadate (a protein tyrosine phosphatase inhibitor). Similar results were observed in HEK 293 cells stably expressing hKv 1.5 channels. On the other hand, the Src family kinase inhibitor PP2 (1 μM) slightly enhanced IKur and hKv 1.5 current, and the current increase was also reversed by orthovanadate. Immunoprecipitation and Western blotting analysis showed that genistein, AG556, and PP2 decreased tyrosine phosphorylation of hKv 1.5 channels and that the decrease was countered by orthovanadate.Conclusion and Implications: The PTK inhibitors genistein and AG556 decrease human atrial IKur and cloned hKv 1.5 channels by inhibiting EGFR TK, whereas the Src kinase inhibitor PP2 increases IKur and hKv 1.5 current. These results imply that EGFR TK and the soluble Src kinases may have opposite effects on human atrial IKur . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A big challenge for nonlinear optical (NLO) materials is the application in high power lasers, which needs the simultaneous occurrence of large second harmonic generation (SHG) and high laser induced damage threshold (LIDT). Herein we report the preparation of a new Ga2Se3 phase, which shows the SHG intensities of around 2.3 times and the LIDT of around 16.7 times those of AgGaS2 (AGS), respectively. In addition, its IR transparent window ca. 0.59–25 μm is also significantly wider than that of AGS (ca. 0.48–≈11.4 μm). The occurrence of the strong SHG responses and good phase‐matching indicate that the structure of the new Ga2Se3 phase can only be non‐centrosymmetric and have a lower symmetry than the cubic γ‐phase. The observed excellent SHG and phase‐matching properties are consistent with our diffraction experiments and can be well explained by using the orthorhombic models obtained through our high throughput simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A big challenge for nonlinear optical (NLO) materials is the application in high power lasers, which needs the simultaneous occurrence of large second harmonic generation (SHG) and high laser induced damage threshold (LIDT). Herein we report the preparation of a new Ga2Se3 phase, which shows the SHG intensities of around 2.3 times and the LIDT of around 16.7 times those of AgGaS2 (AGS), respectively. In addition, its IR transparent window ca. 0.59–25 μm is also significantly wider than that of AGS (ca. 0.48–≈11.4 μm). The occurrence of the strong SHG responses and good phase‐matching indicate that the structure of the new Ga2Se3 phase can only be non‐centrosymmetric and have a lower symmetry than the cubic γ‐phase. The observed excellent SHG and phase‐matching properties are consistent with our diffraction experiments and can be well explained by using the orthorhombic models obtained through our high throughput simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evolutionary algorithms (EAs) are usually required to solve problems based on domination relationship among solutions. Often, the domination relationship is almost the sole source of knowledge that EAs can utilize, especially when the problem solving engine concerned is taken as a black box. In this paper, the domination landscape (DL), onto which an optimization problem (OP) can be mapped, is introduced. A DL may correspond to a cluster of OPs, implying that a class of OPs may have the same DL. To illustrate DL, we consider its representation as a directed graph, with its corresponding matrix and function. Of the various properties of DL, the domination-preserving property is used for the analysis of DL-equivalent OPs, and for the basis for classification of OPs. Taking DL as a tool for theoretical analysis, parameters determination for fitness scaling, the convergence property of EAs and the analysis of robustness in light of fitness noise are presented. The study of DL in this paper establishes the necessary theoretical foundation for future applications of DL equality and similarity based optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Swelling deformation tests of Kunigel bentonite and its sand mixtures were performed in distilled water and NaCl solution. The salinity of NaCl solution has a significant impact on the swelling properties of bentonite, but not on its surface structure. The surface structure was characterized using the fractal dimension Ds. Based on the fractal dimension, a unique curve of the em-pe relationship (em is the void ratio of montmorillonite and pe is the effective stress) at full saturation was introduced to express the swelling deformation of bentonite- sand mixtures. In mixtures with a large bentonite content, the swelling deformation always followed the em-pe relationship. In mixtures with a small bentonite content, when the effective stress reached a threshold, the void ratio of montmorillonite em deviated from the unique em-pe curve due to the appearance of a sand skeleton. The threshold of vertical pressure for mixtures in different solutions and the maximum swelling strains were estimated using the em-pe relationship. The good agreement between estimates and experimental data suggest that the em-pe relationship might be an alternative method for predicting the swelling deformation of bentonite-sand mixtures in salt solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CZ48 was incorporated into PLA microbubbles via a double emulsion technique. • The encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading content were ˜85.73% and 26.07%. • The half-life time of CZ48 and CPT of CZ48-loaded microbubbles was enhanced. • Controlled release of CZ48–loaded microbubbles was achieved in vitro and in vivo. CZ48, a prodrug of camptothecin (CPT) with derivative resistant to lactone hydrolysis, suffers from limited application for cancer treatment due to poor water-solubility, thus causing its low bioavailability and absorption in vivo. To echo this problem, CZ48 was incorporated into poly (lactic acid) (PLA) microbubbles via a double emulsion technique (W/O/W), and the successful loading was confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) patterns and confocal laser scanning microscope (CLSM). The obtained CZ48-loaded microbubbles had a diameter ranging from 0.5 to 6.7 μm, and the encapsulation efficiency and drug-loading content were as high as 85.73 ± 2.41% and 26.07 ± 0.76%, respectively. The in vitro drug release demonstrated that only about 55% of CZ48 was released for CZ48-loaded PLA microbubbles in 48 h. In contrast, over 90% of CZ48 was released for free CZ48 crystals sample in only 5 h. Besides, in vivo pharmacokinetic studies further revealed that the availability of both CZ48 and its metabolite CPT were obviously enhanced after the incorporation of CZ48 into PLA microbubbles. To be noted, the value of AUC 0-∞ of the CZ48-loaded microbubbles was about 5-fold higher than that of free CZ48 suspension, implying a much higher anticancer effect of the CZ48-loaded microbubbles. The half-life time (T 1/2) of both CZ48 and CPT of the CZ48-loaded microbubbles were also significantly longer than that of the free CZ48, indicating a delayed release time for the microbubbles. Hence, this work promotes a promising drug carrier system for the controlled release of CZ48 as well as other drugs with poor water-solubility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasonically initiated graft polymerization is employed to prepare poly (methyl methacrylate)/silicon dioxide (PMMA/SiO2) core‐shell particles and PMMA microcapsules. Monodisperse SiO2 particles are obtained by the Stöber method. Its surface is modified with γ‐methacryloxypropyl trimethoxy silane (MPS) to introduce unsaturated double bonds. And then MMA and MPS are copolymerized under ultrasonic initiation to prepare PMMA/SiO2 core‐shell particles. PMMA microcapsules are obtained by etching SiO2 with the HF aqueous solution. The morphology and size of the core‐shell particles and polymer microcapsules are analysed using transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and dynamic light scattering (DLS). The encapsulation state is determined using a Fourier transform infrared spectrometer (FTIR) and X‐ray photoelectron spectrometer (XPS). The results show that both the core‐shell particles and the polymer microcapsules have perfect core‐shell or hollow structures. The control of shell thickness can be easily realized by adjusting the amount of monomer, e. g. 30 nm, 50 nm and 80 nm, respectively. And in the inner of the shell, PMMA is anchored onto the surface of SiO2 core with covalent bonds. As the monomer amount increases, the contents of Si, O, and C change accordingly. And the polymer shell would become denser and thicker. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Closing the resource loop by transforming plastic waste into higher value products is an important step for changing from a linear to circular economy. Using a sequential pyrolysis and catalytic chemical vapour deposition process, plastics have been successfully converted into carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Pure low density polyethylene (LDPE), polypropylene (PP) and mixed plastics (MP) were used as raw materials in the two-stage process. In the first stage, the plastics were pyrolysed at 600 °C. In the second stage, the non-condensable gases were converted into multi-walled CNTs over a Ni-based catalyst at two different temperatures, 500 and 800 °C. The influence of plastic feedstock and synthesis temperature on the performance of plastic-derived CNTs as electrode materials in electrocatalysis was investigated. The CNTs were evaluated as electrode materials for their heterogeneous electron transfer rate using a redox probe, which showed improved electrochemical behaviour. For oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), CNTs produced at 500 °C demonstrated superior performance compared to those produced at 800 °C. Influence of feedstock on electrocatalytic ORR activity of the as synthesised CNTs was marginal. Temperature was the governing factor influencing the properties of CNTs due to annealing and oxidation of edge defects generated during synthesis at higher temperatures. • Plastics were converted to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and used as electrode material. • Electrocatalytic oxygen reduction was observed using plastic derived CNTs electrodes. • CNTs synthesised at 500 °C performed better than those synthetized at 800 °C. • Higher defect density and lower amount of oxidised sites enhanced electrocatalysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Plastic increased total plant 15N uptake rather than Open. • More residual 15N was recovered in 0–120 cm soil under Plastic than under Open. • The ridge was the main N fertilizer source for plant uptake. • Lateral N movements from furrow to ridge and from ridge to furrow were observed. Abstract A better understanding of the fate and transport of fertilizer nitrogen (N) is critical to maximize crop yields and minimize negative environmental impacts. Plastic film mulching is widely used in drylands to increase soil water use efficiency and crop yields, but the effects on fertilizer N use efficiency need to be evaluated. A field experiment with 15N-urea (260 kg N ha−1) was conducted to determine the fate and transport of fertilizer N in a ridge-furrow system with plastic film mulched ridge (Plastic), compared with a flat system without mulching (Open). In the Plastic, the 15N-urea was applied to the ridge only (Plastic-Ridge), or to the furrow only (Plastic-Furrow). Maize grain yield and net economic benefit for Plastic were significantly higher (by 9.7 and 8.5%, respectively) than those for Open. Total plant 15N uptake was 72.5% greater in Plastic compared with Open, and 15N was allocated mostly to the grain. Losses of the applied urea-N were 54.5% lower in Plastic and much more residual 15N was recovered in 0–120 cm soil compared with Open (42.7 and 26.8% of applied 15N, respectively). Lateral N movements from furrow to ridge and from ridge to furrow were observed and attributed to lateral movement of soil water due to microtopography of ridges and furrows and uneven soil water and heat conditions under mulching and plant water uptake. The ridges were the main N fertilizer source for plant uptake (96.5 and 3.5% of total N uptake in Plastic from ridge and furrow, respectively) and the furrow was the main source of N losses (78.6 and 21.4% of total N losses in Plastic from furrow and ridge, respectively). Gas emissions, especially ammonia volatilization was probably the main N loss in furrow. Thus, appropriately localized N application – into the ridges, and management strategies should be designed for Plastic to maximize N use efficiency by crops, decrease N gas losses and maintain sustainable agricultural systems in drylands. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using monomer-functionalized nanofiller to prepare polymeric nanocomposites is a promising strategy toward achieving enhanced performance. In this study toluene-2,4-diisocyanate (TDI), one of the monomers used for synthesizing polyurethane, was covalently functionalized on graphene oxide (GO) and then the functionalized GO (TDI-GO) was polymerized with polycaprolactone diol (PCL) via in-situ polymerization, leading to chemically linked polyurethane nanocomposites through the covalent bonds between the isocyanate groups on GO and the hydroxyl-terminated PCL. Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and dispersion experiments of the nanofillers demonstrated that the TDI was successfully grafted onto the GO. The rheological properties were investigated to establish the structure-property relationships of the nanocomposites. The storage moduli (G'), loss moduli (G") and complex viscosity (η*) of the samples increased monotonically with TDI-GO content, which is attributed to the strong polymer-filler interactions and the effective dispersion of the nanofillers. Additionally, the tan δ variation with frequency, the intersection of G' and G", Han plots, van Gurp-Palmen plots and Cole-Cole plots all showed that the incorporation of TDI-GO decreased the degree of microphase separation and improved the elastic properties of the nanocomposites. We suggest this is related to the enhanced interactions between the polymer and nanofillers, which strongly restricted the mobility and relaxation of the polymer chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Abstract Fenton process has gained considerable interest for its application in water treatment. However, the removal of iron sludge which generated during the process makes this method complex and uneconomical. In this study, we report a novel way of modifying iron sludge and use it as heterogeneous Fenton catalyst for the degradation of dye wastewater. It was found that after calcination at 600 °C, the iron sludge (Fe-600) exhibited much enhanced catalytic performance (99%) toward rhodamine B (RhB) in comparison with iron sludge without calcination (10%) in the presence of H 2 O 2. The mesoporous structure of Fe-600 could facilitate its adsorption and immobilization of RhB, and the self-doped lattice sulfide played an important role during the Fenton degradation process. Moreover, the Fe-600 exhibited excellent heterogeneous Fenton degradation efficiency of acid red G and methylene blue as well. Our results may shed new light on the scalable preparation of novel heterogeneous Fenton catalysts and make contribution to the application of homogeneous Fenton degradation of wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystals with mixed anions refer to inorganic salts containing at least two types of anions or anionic groups, and these anions can be Q 2− (Q = O, S, Se, Te) and X − (X = F, Cl, Br, I), and anionic groups include various B–O groups, (OH) − , (IO 3 ) − , (CO 3 ) 2− , (SiO 4 ) 4− , (NO 3 ) 3− and (PO 4 ) 3− . Recently, in view of the insufficiency and strong requirements of second-order nonlinear optical (NLO) crystals, especially ones in the deep ultraviolet (DUV) and middle and far-infrared (MFIR) regions, the study of NLO crystals have received intensive interest from researchers. For a NLO crystal candidate, desirable properties include large NLO coefficients, high laser-induced damage threshold values, phase matchabilities and wide transparent windows. The availability of the former two properties is especially problematic since the structural factor influences them in reverse order. To balance them, it is necessary to introduce different anions into the structure to induce them to function differently. Under the guidance of anionic group theory and the functional moiety concept, many NLO crystals with mixed anions have been obtained. However, to date, a systematic survey of this topic has not been carried out. In this review, recently reported NLO crystals with mixed anions are summarized, the contents of which are mainly focused on their crystal structures and NLO behaviors, together with the relationship between these two aspects. It is hoped that this work will provide a useful perspective on the most promising NLO candidates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the modifications and feasibility of radical videoscopic inguinal lymphadenectomy (VIL). Patients and Methods: From January 2010 to December 2017, more than 200 patients who have underwent bilateral radical inguinal lymphadenectomy for penile cancer in Sun Yat-Sen University Cancer Center. And there were 33 patients who received radical VIL and 174 patients who received open inguinal lymphadenectomy (OIL). According to similar factors of age, body mass index, T stage, and N stage, two matched groups were created with a rate of 1:2, one group received VIL, and another group received OIL. The numbers of harvested lymph nodes, operating times, and complications were compared between the two groups. Descriptive statistical analyses, t tests, chi-square tests, and rank sum tests were performed. Results: In total, 93 patients were selected, including 31 patients who underwent bilateral VIL and 62 who underwent OIL. The numbers of harvested lymph nodes did not differ significantly (p = 0.983), the operating time was longer for the VIL than the open lymphadenectomy (p < 0.01), and the morbidity was lower among the VIL than the open lymphadenectomy. Conclusions: Modified radical VIL is feasible, practical, and results in reduced morbidity. The dissecting field and the defined plane were critical to these modifications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A simple adduct from tin tetraiodide SnI4 and octasulfur S8, SnI4⋅(S8)2 (1), is obtained employing a facile reaction. The combination of Sn4+ ions with d10 electron configuration, acentric SnI4 tetrahedra, and lone‐pair effects of S8, makes 1 a phase‐matchable infrared NLO crystal with a moderate second‐harmonic generation (SHG) response and a very high laser‐induced damage threshold (LIDT), which is well confirmed by the DFT calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A simple adduct from tin tetraiodide SnI4 and octasulfur S8, SnI4⋅(S8)2 (1), is obtained employing a facile reaction. The combination of Sn4+ ions with d10 electron configuration, acentric SnI4 tetrahedra, and lone‐pair effects of S8, makes 1 a phase‐matchable infrared NLO crystal with a moderate second‐harmonic generation (SHG) response and a very high laser‐induced damage threshold (LIDT), which is well confirmed by the DFT calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale: Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) is a routine and basic instrumental method for the analysis of complex coal conversion products in the chemical industry. To further enhance the practical potential of GC/MS in chemical industry, a tandem MS method for the selection of ion pairs applied in monitoring coal conversions was established using GC/quadrupole time‐of‐flight MS (GC/Q‐TOF MS). The corresponding fragmentation pathways were explored and suitable ion pairs were screened. Methods: Fourteen coal‐related model compounds (CRMCs) were analyzed using GC/Q‐TOF MS with different collision‐induced dissociation (CID) energies (5–20 eV). The fragmentation pathways can offer a better understanding of chemical bond breaking, hydrogen transfer, rearrangement reactions and elimination of neutral fragments for CRMCs during the CID process. Results: The precursor ions of aromatic hydrocarbons without alkyl chains were difficult to fragment with a CID energy of 20 eV. But aromatic hydrocarbons with branched chains were prone to fragment via the loss of alkyl chains and further fragmented through ring‐opening reactions. Compared with the CalkCar bond, the CarCar bond was difficult to fragment due to its high bond dissociation energy. The existence of heteroatoms facilitated fragmentation that was conducive to the screening of ion pairs. Conclusions: The CID technique of GC/Q‐TOF MS will contribute to studies on the organic composition of coals and to building monitoring methods for coal conversions via fragmentation and ion pair selection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic deoxygenation of coal enhances the stability and combustion performance of coal-derived liquid fuels. However, determination of the selectivity of removal of oxygen atoms incorporated in or residing outside of aromatic rings is challenging. This limits the ability to evaluate the success of catalytic deoxygenation processes. A mass spectrometric method, in-source collision-activated dissociation (ISCAD), combined with high resolution product ion detection, is demonstrated to allow the determination of whether the oxygen atoms are in aromatic compounds reside outside of aromatic rings or part of the aromatic system, because alkyl chains can be removed from aromatic cores via ISCAD. Application of this method for the analysis of a subbituminous coal treated using a supported catalyst revealed that the catalytic treatment reduced the number of oxygen-containing heteroaromatic rings but not the number of oxygen atoms residing outside the aromatic rings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Manipulation of a micromotor's locomotion has been the ultimate aim of scientists and engineers alike. While numerous roadmaps have been cast, the interswitching of the locomotion and directionality of these miniaturized machines remains elusive. In this report, ultrasound is utilized to produce stop/go motion on bubble-propelled micromotors via Bjerknes forces. An intricate study using high-speed camera on the interactions between the bubbles and micromotor is undertaken. The reciprocal action between oscillating bubbles aggregates and ejected microbubbles in an acoustic field demonstrate influence on the motion of the micromotor. Long-range translational motion can be induced into the micromotor, when repulsive forces between bubble aggregates and ejected microbubbles are manifested in an acoustic field by Bjerknes forces. Additionally, such ultrasonic pulses demonstrate capability to change the directionality of the micromotor, where chirality of the locomotion can be switched. Here, introduction of pulses of ultrasonic irradiation demonstrates new capabilities to switch the motion of bubblepropelled micromotors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An understanding of the species of chlorine is crucial in the metropolis-Beijing, which is suffering serious haze pollution with high frequency. Particulate Matters (PMs) with five different sizes were collected in Beijing from July 2009 to March 2016, and characterized non-destructively by X-ray absorption near edge structure spectroscopy. PM <0.2 , PM 0.2-0.5 and PM >2.5 contributed for the major PMs mass in spring and summer, PM 0.5-1.0 and PM 1.0-2.5 contributed for the major PMs mass in autumn and winter. The concentrations of the three chlorine species were in the order of inorganic chlorine (Cl inorg ) > aliphatic chlorine (Cl ali ) > aromatic chlorine (Cl aro ), indicating that Cl inorg constituted the primary chlorine fraction and less toxic Cl ali constituted the primary total organic chlorine (Cl ali + Cl aro , abbreviated as Cl org ) in the PMs in Beijing. In addition, these three chlorine species exhibited identical seasonal variation in PM 2.5 : winter > autumn > spring > summer. Wet precipitation is an important factor to result in the lower mass concentrations of these three chlorine species in summer. The temporal variations of both size resolved PM mass concentrations and chlorine species concentrations suggested that the air pollution prevention and control in Beijing has just won initial success. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fruit of Ziziphus jujuba ( Jujubae Fructus ) has been used as food and crude drug for thousands of years. Although several chemical and biological studies have revealed triterpenic acid as the main bioactive constituent of Jujubae Fructus responsible for immune-regulatory activity, only few pharmacokinetic studies have been conducted. To comprehend the kinetics of triterpenic acids and promote their curative application, a sensitive and efficient ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrometry method (UPLC-MS/MS) was established. UPLC-MS/MS was applied for the simultaneous determination of ceanothic acid, epiceanothic acid, pomonic acid, alphitolic acid, maslinic acid, betulinic acid, and betulonic acid in normal and immunosuppressed rat plasma samples. After sample preparation, chromatographic separation was performed on an Acquity UPLC BEH C 18 column (2.1 × 100 mm, 1.7 μm) with acetonitrile: methanol (1:1, v/v) and 0.5% ammonium acetate in water as mobile phase. The established method was validated and found to be specific, accurate, and precise for the seven triterpenic acids, and was successfully applied for the pharmacokinetic study of rat plasma samples. The results showed that the pharmacokinetic parameters (C max , T max , AUC 0–t , AUC 0–∞, and CLz/F) in the plasma samples of immunosuppressed rats were significantly different from those in normal rats, and might provide an insight for the clinical usage of triterpenic acids from Jujubae Fructus . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The mechanisms of methanol (CH3OH) oxidation on the PtPd(111) alloy surface were systematically investigated by using density functional theory calculations. The energies of all the involved species were analyzed. The results indicated that with the removal of H atoms from adsorbates on PtPd(111) surface, the adsorption energies of (i) CH3OH, CH2OH, CHOH, and COH increased linearly, while those of (ii) CH3OH, CH3O, CH2O, CHO, and CO exhibited odd-even oscillation. On PtPd(111) surface, CH3OH underwent the preferred initial CH bond scission followed by successive dehydrogenation and then CHO oxidation, that is, CH3OH → CH2OH → CHOH → CHO → CHOOH → COOH → CO2. Importantly, the rate-determining step of CH3OH oxidation was found to switch from CO → CO2 on Pt(111) to COOH → CO2 + H on PtPd(111) with a lower energy barrier of 0.96 eV. Moreover, water also decomposed into OH more easily on PtPd(111) than on Pt(111). The calculated results indicate that alloying Pt with Pd could efficiently improve its catalytic performance for CH3OH oxidation through altering the primary pathways from the CO path on pure Pt to the non-CO path on PtPd(111). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a novel reconfigurable parallel mechanism, which can serve as a machine tool. The proposed parallel mechanism can change its structure parameters by driving a bevel gear system fixed in the base platform. First, the forward and inverse kinematics of the proposed mechanism are investigated. Second, the reachable workspace and Jacobian matrix are conducted. Based on the Jacobian matrix, the stiffness model and dexterity of the end effector are developed in detail. Finally, a multi-objective optimization is performed by using the Genetic Algorithm, and the workspace and global performance indexes of stiffness as well as the dexterity are considered as the performance indices to improve the performance of the reconfigurable parallel mechanism. Finally, Pareto frontier figure and several tables are provided to illustrate the results of the optimization. The results showed the proposed method has improved the performance of the reconfigurable machine tool in terms of its stiffness and dexterity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clinical studies have demonstrated that decreased adiponectin is associated with the development of Type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and Alzheimer’s disease (AD). We focused on determining the neuroprotective effect offered by adiponectin against streptozotocin-induced brain damage in ICV-STZ rat model. We found that adiponectin supplements significantly restored the cognitive deficits in ICV-STZ rat model including shorter escape latency, more crossing times and increased time spent in the target quadrant. Adiponectin supplements also increased number of dendritic branches and mushroom percentage. In addition, adiponectin supplements attenuated tau hyperphosphorylation at multiple AD-related sites through activation of protein Ser9-phosphorylated glycogen synthase kinase-3β (Ser9-GSK-3β) with increased the Akt and PI3K activity. Our data suggest that adiponectin supplements have neuroprotective effects on the ICV-STZ rat model, which may be mediated by the activation of the PI3K/Akt/GSK-3β signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional Chinese medicine Kushen ( Radix Sophorae flavescentis ) is medicinally used for the subterraneous root leaving the stems, leaves and seeds as a major industrial waste. The application value of the Sophora flavescens seed is worth of attention. Herein, it was intended to characterize the mature S. flavescens seed for their phytochemicals composition in alkaloids, fatty acids, polysaccharide, protein, nucleosides and nucleobases. In addition, their bioactivities such as antioxidant and antimicrobial activity were also evaluated through different in vitro biochemical assays. The mature S. flavescens seed is rich in alkaloids, linoleic acid and crude protein, which exhibit excellent antibacterial, antioxidant activity and nutritional value. The phytochemical profiles and the bioactivities of S. flavescens seed endorse it a promising resource, which could be utilized in pharmaceutical, cosmetics and food industry as the raw material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]