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Background. Combined atrial fibrillation (AF) ablation and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) has been practiced for management of both the symptoms and the high stroke risk of AF. Data of the combined procedure in selected patients with prior stroke are limited. The aim of this study is to compare the safety and efficacy of combined catheter ablation and LAAC between AF patients with and without prior stroke. Methods and Results. This retrospective study enrolled 296 patients who underwent combined procedures of AF ablation and LAAC. Patients were divided into two groups: 81 patients with prior stroke (Stroke group) and 215 patients without prior stroke (Control group). Combined procedures were successfully performed in all the patients. Patients in the Stroke group had higher CHA2DS2-VASc scores (4.9 ± 1.2 vs. 3.2 ± 1.0, P < 0.001) and higher HAS-BLED scores (3.5 ± 1.1 vs. 3.0 ± 1.0, P < 0.001) compared with those in the Control group. Procedure-related complications in the Stroke group included two pericardial effusions and two groin hematomas, which did not differ significantly fromthe Control group (4.9% vs. 4.2%, P = 0.778). After a mean follow-up of 20 months, the AF-free rate of the Stroke group was comparable with that of the Control group (64.2% vs. 68.4%, P = 0.495). The relative risk reductions in stroke and bleeding (observed rate compared to that predicted from the CHA2DS2-VASc and HAS-BLED scores) were 80% and 79%, respectively, in the Stroke group, and 62% and 62%, respectively, in the Control group. Conclusions. The combination of catheter ablation and LAAC is safe and efficient in selected AF patients with prior stroke. It was observed that patients with prior stroke may benefit more from risk reductions of stroke and bleeding following the combined procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Simvastatin has been shown to enhance the survival of retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) following ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury by mediating the expression of stress proteins. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of simvastatin on retinal neurons and the expression of apoptotic proteins in a rat IR model. Wistar rats received intravitreal injection of simvastatin immediately after retinal reperfusion. Retinal ischemia was induced by increasing intraocular pressure to 150mmHg for 60min. The number of viable RGCs was measured after retrograde labeling with Fluoro-Gold. Ischemia-induced apoptotic cell death was studied using terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase-mediated dUTP nick end labeling (TUNEL). We found that simvastatin treatment enhanced RGC survival after retinal ischemia by approximately 40% and decreased retinal neuronal apoptosis. Using western blot analysis, we found that simvastatin upregulated the expression of Bcl-2 in the retina. In contrast, the level of the protein Bax was unaffected by simvastatin treatment. Our results suggest that RGC loss induced by retinal IR may be prevented by simvastatin and that the mechanism underlying this process possibly involves an alteration in the apoptotic pathway. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Caragana korshinskii hemicelluloses were isolated with 10% KOH at 25°C for 10h from the delignified materials. The alkali-extractable hemicelluloses were then successively sub-fractionated by graded precipitation at final ethanol concentrations of 10%, 20%, 30%, 45%, 60%, and 80%, respectively. Neutral sugars and molecular weight analyses of the six hemicellulosic subfractions revealed that the molecular weights and the distribution of branches along the xylan backbone are different among the hemicellulosic fractions obtained in various ethanol concentrations. The less branched hemicelluloses with large molecules were precipitated in lower ethanol percentages, while with the increasing ethanol concentrations, more branched hemicelluloses with low molecular weights were obtained. 1H and 13C NMR studies revealed that the hemicellulosic subfraction precipitated at an ethanol concentration of 45% had a backbone of d-xylose residues and were branched mainly through 4-O-methyl-α-d-glucopyranosyl units. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objectives: To explore the value of detecting the peri‐device leak (PDL) and device endothelialization after left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) by cardiac computed tomography (CT) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF), who underwent Watchman LAAC combined with radiofrequency ablation of atrial fibrillation (AFCA). Methods: Patients with symptomatic drug‐refractory atrial fibrillation at high risk of stroke (CHA2DS2‐VASc Score ≥ 2), who underwent Watchman LAAC combined with AFCA in our center from March 2017 to December 2018 were enrolled. Maximum diameter of LAA orifice was determined by preoperative CCTA. A standardized view of Watchman device was obtained by postoperative CCTA multiplannar reconstruction to evaluate the PDL and device endothelialization. Results: Approximately 84 patients post successful LAAC and AFCA were enrolled in this study. The satisfactory LAA occlusion rate was 100%. There was no death, bleeding, stroke, and device‐related thrombus (DRT) events. At 6‐month postprocedure, CCTA images evidenced complete endothelialization in 44 patients (no contrast enhancement in LAA); contrast enhancement in LAA and visible PDL in 33 patients; contrast enhancement in LAA but without PDL in seven patients (incomplete device endothelialization). Maximum diameter of LAA orifice could independently predict the occurrence of PDL (odds ratio, 1.31; 95% confidence interval, 1.11–1.55; p =.002), sensitivity was 69.7% and specificity was 80.4% with the cutoff value of maximum diameter of LAA orifice more than 28.2 mm on predicting PDL. Conclusions: CCTA is feasible to evaluate PDL and device endothelialization after LAAC. The maximum diameter of LAA orifice derived from CT can independently predict the occurrence of post‐LAAC PDL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nature, intact apoptotic cells release ATP as a signaling molecule to trigger prompt phagocytic clearance, even at the earliest stage of apoptosis. Inspired by this, here we introduce a straightforward strategy for real‐time monitoring ATP exocytosis and drug‐stimulated apoptosis in the cancer cell surroundings. Triplex‐boosted G‐quadruplexes (tb‐G4s) responding to cell environmental factors (H+ and K+) are engineered to construct a DNA logic‐gated nanoplatform for proximity ATP aptasensing on the cell surface. It enables the real‐time monitoring of cell apoptosis by capturing released endogenous ATP during chemotherapy drug stimulation, providing a sensitive approach for dynamically evaluating drug‐induced apoptosis and therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In nature, intact apoptotic cells release ATP as a signaling molecule to trigger prompt phagocytic clearance, even at the earliest stage of apoptosis. Inspired by this, here we introduce a straightforward strategy for real‐time monitoring ATP exocytosis and drug‐stimulated apoptosis in the cancer cell surroundings. Triplex‐boosted G‐quadruplexes (tb‐G4s) responding to cell environmental factors (H+ and K+) are engineered to construct a DNA logic‐gated nanoplatform for proximity ATP aptasensing on the cell surface. It enables the real‐time monitoring of cell apoptosis by capturing released endogenous ATP during chemotherapy drug stimulation, providing a sensitive approach for dynamically evaluating drug‐induced apoptosis and therapeutic efficacy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tea polysaccharides (TPS) were analyzed and characterized by HPAEC, GPC, FT-IR, AFM, HSQC, and HMBC NMR as well as methylation. The TPS mainly consisted of neutral (F0, F0.2, and F0.3) and acidic polysaccharides (F0.1) rich in glucuronic acid. Moreover, anti-proliferative activity of the TPS on HeLa cells was investigated. It was found that F0 exhibited the highest inhibition rate (36.7%) with 200 µg/ml treatment for 48 h. Structural characterization revealed that F0 had a backbone chain of (1→4)-β-d-Glcp, (1→6)-α-d-Galp, (1→2)-α-l-Rhap and (1→2,4)-α-l-Rhap residues with (1→6)-α-d-Galp and acetyl group side chains. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the evolution characteristics of a type-a ISW packet propagating over a gentle slope. The elevation type-a ISW packet was generated by the gravity collapse of stratified density fluid, and its transformation process over the gentle slope was measured by use of the multichannel conductivity-probe arrays. The energy transmission and loss of the ISW packets during its evolution over the gentle slope were further analyzed. The experimental results showed that the evolution and energy transmission of the type-a ISW packet over the gentle slope is closely related to the amplitude of the leading wave in the wave packet. The conversion of the wave packet type is caused by the variations in amplitudes of the leading and tailing waves in the type-a ISW packet due to the topography effect. The distance between the adjacent waves in a type-a ISW packet gradually increases with the increasing propagation distance on the slope, as well as its increase rate is also enlarged. The wave speeds of both the leading and tailing waves always decrease with the propagation distance. The energy loss of the whole ISW packet increases with both the incident wave amplitude and the propagation distance. • The evolution process of a type-a ISW packet over a gentle slope was experimentally measured. • The wave amplitude, wave speed, and spatial distance variation of the leading and tailing waves of the type-a ISW packet with increasing propagation distance were analyzed. • The energy transmission and loss during the evolution process of a type-a ISW packet over a gentle slope and their influence factors were also analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Premature ventricular complexes (PVCs) exhibit circadian fluctuation. We determine if PVCs of different origin exhibit specific circadian patterns.Methods: We analyzed Holter recordings from patients with monomorphic PVCs who underwent catheter ablation. PVC circadian patterns were classified as fast-heart rate- (HR-) dependent (F-PVC), slow-HR-dependent (S-PVC), or HR-independent (I-PVC). PVC origins were determined intraprocedurally.Results: In a retrospective cohort of 407 patients, F-PVC and S-PVC typically exhibited diurnal and nocturnal predominance, respectively. Despite decreased circadian fluctuation, I-PVC generally had heavier nocturnal than diurnal burden. PVCs of left anterior fascicle origin were predominantly S-PVC, while those of posterior hemibranch origin were mostly F-PVC. PVCs originating from the aortic sinus of Valsalva (ASV) were predominantly I-PVC, while most PVCs arising from the left ventricular outflow tract (LVOT) were F-PVC. Using a diurnal/nocturnal PVC burden ratio of 0.92 as the cutoff value to distinguish LVOT from ASV origin achieved 97% sensitivity and, as further verification, an accuracy of 89% (16/18) in a prospective cohort of patients with PVCs originating from either ASV or LVOT. In contrast, PVCs originating from right ventricles, such as right ventricular outflow tract, did not show distinct circadian patterns.Conclusions: The circadian patterns exhibit origin specificity for PVCs arising from left ventricles. An analysis of Holter monitoring provides useful information on PVC localization in ablation procedure planning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We use the multiply resonator as a new kind of building blocks to build acoustic metasurfaces. • The used multiply resonator is composed of real solid materials. • The acoustic metasurfaces have good performance in a water background. • The thickness of the acoustic metasurface is about two orders of magnitude smaller than the acoustic wavelength in water. In this paper, we propose an ultra-thin acoustic metasurface constructed of multiply resonant units to manipulate reflected wavefront. As a counterpart to the Helmholtz resonator (with monopolar resonance) and membrane-type resonator (with dipolar resonance), the multiply resonator are used in metamaterials to induce strong quadrupolar resonance. Here we use the multiply resonator as a new kind of building blocks to make acoustic metasurfaces. The used multiply resonant unit is composed of solid materials, and the acoustic metasurface can work in a water background. We demonstrate that the proposed acoustic metasurface achieves good performance in anomalous reflection, focusing, and carpet cloaking. The thickness of the acoustic metasurface is about two orders of magnitude smaller than the acoustic wavelength in water. A design of unit group is further proposed to avoid the phase discretization becoming too fine in such a long-wavelength condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Seismic surface waves, composed of many complex waves and difficult to attenuate, can be controlled and obstructed by seismic metamaterials applied in civil engineering to protect sensitive buildings, such as nuclear power plants and ancient buildings. In this paper, a seismic metamaterial based on Matryoshka-like structure is designed. The dispersion curves and transmission are simulated by using finite element method. Comparative study on the dispersion curves of Matryoshka-like seismic metamaterial with different layers shows that the more layers the Matryoshka has, the more band gaps, the more resonant modes and the wider band gap are provided. Moreover, the vibration modes for Matryoshka-like seismic metamaterial are computed and analyzed to clarify the mechanism of widening band gaps. And the effectiveness of the Matryoshka-like seismic metamaterial in attenuating surface waves within the 0.1–13.1 Hz regime are demonstrated. Although we focus on geophysical structure, the proposed metamaterial provides possible alternative for various phenomena such as the vibration and noise attenuation because the center frequencies of band gaps can be easily achieved by modulating the material and geometrical parameters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new green hydrogel has been synthesized by crosslinking lignosulfonate (L), sodium alginate (SA) and konjaku flour (KJ). We have optimized the ratio of the three synthesized polymers using an orthogonal design of experiments and characterized this hydrogel using SEM, BET and FTIR spectra. We have added the hydrogel into soil and investigated its degradability in soil and its influence on chemical and physical properties of soil, such as maximum water holding capacity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, water retention curve and nutrient retention and evaluated its performance when applied in drought stress tests on tobacco plants. The results show that the maximum water absorption of optimized L/KJ/SA is 41.23 g/g. Adding the L/KJ/SA hydrogel to soil reduces saturated hydraulic conductivity, increases available water capacity of soil and reduces leaching of soil nutrient. The L/KJ/SA hydrogel can improve the photosynthetic capability of tobacco plants under drought stress and the levels of osmotic regulators such as proline and reducing sugar, and could prolong the growth time of tobacco plants up to 14 days, which significantly increases its mass harvest. The L/KJ/SA hydrogel also has good degradability, which can degrade 20% when buried in soil for 120 days. • A new green hydrogel is synthesized by crosslinking sodium lignosulfonate and sodium alginate. • The physical structure of the hydrogel is characterized by SEM, BET and FITR. • The hydrogel degrades by 20% after being buried in soil for 120 days. • The hydrogel increases soil available water content and reduces soil nutrient leaching loss. • The hydrogel extends tobacco growth time for 9-14 days under extreme drought conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Friction stir processing (FSP) and subsequent aging heat treatment were used to modify the microstructure of AZ80 magnesium alloy. The influence of FSP and aging heat treatment on the corrosion behavior was systematically studied by using potentiodynamic polarization, immersion, and slow strain rate tensile tests. The results revealed that FSP led to grain refinement, rapid dissolution of β‐phase, and the deflection of c‐axis from transverse direction (TD) and processing direction (PD) by approximately 55° and 25°, respectively, improving the static corrosion and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) resistance. The aging heat treatment rendered a little influence on the grain size and slightly affected the grain orientation. The content of β‐phase in FSP‐5 and FSP‐24 samples was 8.1 and 21.8 wt.%, respectively. Static corrosion and SCC resistance of FSP‐5 and FSP‐24 samples were lower than those of the FSP samples. Compared with FSP‐5 sample, the amount of β‐phase and the proportion of Al2O3 increased in FSP‐24 sample, leading to enhanced static corrosion and SCC resistance. SCC behavior was controlled by anodic dissolution, whereas the presence of hydrogen accelerated the SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tissue expansion has been widely used for plastic, reconstructive, and esthetic surgeries. A mouse scalp expansion model can effectively mimic the characteristics of human skin expansion. However, a detailed study of the histological features and ultrastructural characteristics of expanded scalp is lacking, especially early ultrastructural changes. Here, a mouse scalp expansion model was established and the expanded scalp samples were obtained on day 2 (group I) and 4 (group II) post final injection. Histological analysis revealed epidermal thickening, dermal thinning, subcutaneous fat thinning, and capsule formation in the expanded samples. Ultrastructural evaluation showed the presence of keratinocytes with numerous tonofibrils and damaged mitochondria, and several ruptured collagen fibers and increased number of active fibroblasts and myofibroblasts were observed in the dermis and capsules. Adipocyte dedifferentiation was detected in the expanded samples of both groups, but formation of autophagosomes was only detected in the dermal fibroblasts of group I. Thus, early changes in expanded tissue should be carefully monitored, as it may help avoid dermal thinning and promote expanded tissue regeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Post cardiac injury syndrome (PCIS) is a troublesome but not uncommon complication following catheter ablation of arrhythmias. We aimed to study the clinical features of ablation-associated PCIS.Methods: For this purpose, we conducted a computerised literature search that identified 19 published cases, and we additionally included another two new cases from our centres. Twenty-one (21) cases of PCIS following ablation were analysed.Results: Among the 21 cases, PCIS most commonly occurred after atrial flutter/fibrillation (AFL/AF) ablation (71.4%), followed by atrioventricular re-entrant tachycardia (AVRT) ablation (9.5%), atrioventricular node (AVN) ablation (9.5%), atrioventricular nodal re-entrant tachycardia (AVNRT) ablation (4.8%) and ventricular tachycardia (VT) ablation (4.8%). Thirty-eight (38) per cent of PCIS was suggested to be secondary to cardiac perforation. Specific symptoms or features include pleuritic chest pain (76.2%), fever (76.2%), elevated markers of inflammation (76.2%), pericardial effusion (90.5%), pleural effusion (71.4%) and pulmonary infiltrates (28.6%). Interestingly, all the six cases with pulmonary infiltrates were following AFL/AF ablation (6/15, 40%). Serious clinical manifestations include cardiac tamponade, massive pleural effusion with hypoalbuminaemia and hyponatraemia, and massive pulmonary infiltrates with hypoxaemia. Notably, empiric antibiotic therapy was used in seven cases including five with pulmonary infiltrates but failed to work. No mortality occurred during a mean follow-up of 4.1±5.3 (1 to 19) months.Conclusions: Catheter ablation of AFL/AF was most commonly involved in ablation-associated PCIS. Pulmonary infiltrate is an important feature of PCIS following AFL/AF ablation and may be misdiagnosed as pneumonia. Although PCIS is troublesome and even dangerous, it does carry a benign prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Catheter ablation of atrial fibrillation (AFCA) and left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) exert opposite effects on left atrial (LA) size. We aim to observe the net impact of combined AFCA and LAAC strategy on LA size and explore those factors which might affect the postprocedure LA structural remodeling. Methods: A total of 53 patients, who underwent combined AFCA and Watchman LAAC in our center from March to December 2017, were enrolled. Atrial fibrillation (AF) recurrence was monitored after the procedure. Left atrial volume (LAV) and left atrial appendage volume (LAAV) were measured by Mimics based on dual‐source computed tomography images. Results: At 6 months, sinus rhythm (SR) was maintained in 79.2% patients. LAV was significantly reduced (130.2 ± 36.3 mL to 107.1 ± 30.0 ml; P < .001) in SR maintenance group, but not in AF recurrence group (138.8 ± 39.3 mL to 137.9 ± 36.9 mL; P = .671). In SR group, preoperative LAAV/LAV ratio (B = −0.894; P = .015), NT‐proBNP (B = 0.005; P = .019) and left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) (B = −0.778; P < .001) could interactively affect the extent of postoperative LA structural reverse remodeling, among which LAAV/LAV ratio could independently predict the significance of reverse remodeling (≥15% reduction in LAV) (OR, 0.56; 95% CI, 0.34‐0.90; P = .018). A preoperative LAAV/LAV ratio less than 7.1% is indicative of significant LA structural reverse remodeling in this patient cohort. Conclusions: LA structural reverse remodeling could be evidenced in patients with maintained SR following combined AFCA and LAAC. Smaller LAAV/LAV ratio, higher NT‐proBNP or lower LVEF at baseline are associated with more significant LA structural reverse remodeling, while LAAV/LAV ratio can predict the significance of the process after one‐stop treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The incorporation of basalt fibers can improve the compressive strength of nano-SiO 2 cemented soils in both seawater and freshwater environments. • The addition of basalt fibers to nano-SiO 2 can effectively increase the unconfined compressive strength and ductility of cemented soil specimens in both freshwater and seawater environments. • Nano-SiO2 promotes the hydration reaction, leading to the formation of a greater amount of hydration products that encompass the basalt fibers, thereby enhancing the bonding and friction between the basalt fibers and the cemented soil. • Adding nano-SiO 2 to cemented soil blended with basalt fibers increases the optimum fiber content in marine environment to 0.3 %. In freshwater situations, an optimum fiber concentration is 0.6 %. • Seawater can boost soil compressive strength when early hydration products are scarce in cemented soil. However, seawater may diminish soil compressive strength if otherwise. The marine environment exposes cemented soils to a variety of adverse environmental conditions, which could substantially compromise the reliability and durability of foundations constructed on these engineered soils. Some researchers have recently proposed using nanoparticles to effectively strengthen and enhance the structure of cemented soil; however, this may compromise the ductility of cemented soils. Alternatively, some researchers have utilized basalt fibers to promote a stable network within the cemented soil by adding adhesion to the soil matrix, but this frequently results in a reduction in compressive strength. To address these issues, the addition of nanoparticles and basalt fibers to cement-treated soils is proposed as an engineering solution for extending the service life of cemented soils with adequate strength and durability in both freshwater and saltwater environments. This investigation utilized six different Nano-SiO2 concentrations and four different basalt fiber concentrations in the specimens. The specimens were then cured for 28 days in both freshwater and saltwater environments, and unconfined compressive strength tests (UCS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and X-ray diffraction (XRD) experiments were performed to evaluate their properties, i.e. the microstructure, strength, and durability of cemented soil. The research results indicate that compared to conventional cemented soils, the improvement ratios after adding the optimal ratio of additives are 21 % (in freshwater environment) and 15 % (in seawater environment) for basalt fiber cemented soil, 196 % and 161 % for Nano-SiO 2 cemented soil, and 257 % and 214 % for Nano-SiO 2 /basalt fiber composite cemented soil. Nano-SiO 2 promotes the hydration reaction to generate more C-S-H, which wraps around the basalt fibers, enhances the bonding of basalt fibers in the cemented soil, effectively improves the mechanical properties and internal structure of the cemented soil, and the improvement effect is not weakened by seawater erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercritical water gasification (SCWG) technology can convert oily sludge into hydrogen-rich gas. To achieve high gasification efficiency of oily sludge with a high oil concentration under mild conditions, a two-step method involving a desorption process and a catalytic gasification process using Raney-Ni catalyst was investigated. High oil removal efficiency (99.57%) and carbon gasification efficiency (93.87%) were achieved. The lowest wastewater total organic carbon, oil content, and carbon content in the solid residues were 4.88 ppm, 0.08% and 0.88%, respectively, using a gasification temperature of 600 °C, treatment concentration of 1.11 wt%, gasification time of 70.7 s, and the optimal desorption temperature of 390 °C. The main organic carbon component in the solid residues was cellulose, which is environmentally safe. As the treatment concentration increased, the two-step method outperformed the single-step method. The mechanism for the two-step SCWG of oily sludge was revealed. In the first step, supercritical water is used in the desorption unit to achieve a high oil removal efficiency with few liquid products generated. In the second step, the Raney-Ni catalyst promotes efficient gasification of high-concentration oil at a low temperature. This research provides valuable insights into the effective SCWG of oily sludge at a low temperature. [Display omitted] • A continuous two-step method for SCWG of oily sludge was proposed. • A SCWG mechanism of two-step method for oily sludge was proposed. • The primary substance of organic carbon in solid residues is cellulose. • With increased treatment concentration, the two-step method has more significant advantages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel approach was employed to load α-Fe2O3 and α-FeOOH onto sewage sludge biochar (SBC) with the purpose of efficient nickel (Ni) removal. A high Ni(II) adsorption capacity of 35.50 mg·g-1 in 100 ppm Ni(II) solution with 10 mg modified sewage sludge biochar (MSBC) was achieved. The adsorption kinetic and isotherm were fitted well by the pseudo-second-order model and the Langmuir model, respectively. The optimal pH was found around a neutral pH of 7. The adsorption mechanisms of Ni(II) onto MSBC were described as the synergistic effects of electrostatic attraction, ion exchange, inner-sphere complexation and co-precipitation. The initial rapid adsorption phenomenon could be attributed to electrostatic attraction and ion exchange, and then inner-sphere complexation and co-precipitation acted as a crucial role in the following step. The remarkable performance of MSBC provides an effective waste utilization approach to simultaneous sewage sludge recycle and Ni removal from aqueous solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract It is necessary to develop biodegradable composite films for reducing environmental pollution. Black and biodegradable biochar/gutta percha composite films were developed by adding different contents of biochar (0, 2, 4, 6 and 8%, w/w) into the gutta percha matrix. The results showed that the biochar effectively improved the hydrophobicity and mechanical properties compared with the control film. Moreover, the biochar/gutta percha composite films showed high stretchability and barrier properties. In particular, the 2% BC film had the highest tensile strength (18.3 MPa) and elongation at break (280.4%) and the lowest water vapor permeability value (0.09 × 10−9 g/m/h/Pa) at 34% relative humidity. However, the melting enthalpy (ΔH m) and crystallinity decreased. In addition, these composite films exhibited little electromagnetic interference shielding with a reflection loss up to −1.79 dB at 8.2 GHz. Finally, the composite films were more biodegradable than PE film after 60 days in soil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Friction stir processing (FSP) followed by aging treatment is used to modify the microstructure and improve the mechanical properties of the as-cast AE42 rare earth-containing magnesium alloy. FSP results in grain refinement and microstructural homogenization. The grain size decreases from 81 to 7.4 μm because of continuous dynamic recrystallization. After FSP, basal texture forms, and Mg 17 Al 12 and Al 11 RE 3 phases disappear, while a new Al 2 RE phase appear. After aging treatment, precipitation of Al 2 RE phase appears and the intensity of texture reduce. Tensile properties of the FSP specimens exhibit an anisotropy obviously before and after the aging. Deformation mechanism of the FSP specimens follows the dislocation basal slip and the extension twin. Factors influencing strength of the as-cast AE42 Mg alloy are (a) secondary phases, (b) texture and (c) grain size. Highlights • Simultaneous improvement in ductility and strength occurred for specimens FSPed with aging heat treatment. • Factors influencing strength of the as-cast AE42 Mg alloy were (a) secondary phases (being the most affecting factor), followed by (b) texture and (c) grain size. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microstructure, mechanical properties, static and electrochemical corrosion, and stress corrosion cracking (SCC) behavior of friction stir processed AZ80 magnesium alloy were investigated, and the effects of grain size and texture on the SCC were analyzed. The results showed that fine-grained (FG) and coarse-grained (CG) specimens with the average grain size of 2.7 and 7.1 μm was obtained via friction stir processing (FSP) underwater and in air, respectively. Both specimens exhibited the similar characteristics of basal texture. The average microhardness of FG specimen (75.3 HV) was higher than that of CG specimen (69.4 HV) in the stir zone. Grain refinement enhanced both the corrosion and stress corrosion resistances in 3.5 wt% NaCl solution. The FG specimen exhibited obvious anisotropy in SCC susceptibility when tested along the processing and transverse directions during slow strain rate tensile test. Texture softening effect accelerated the formation of pitting corrosion, and decreased the SCC performance. Fracture surface of SCC exhibited transgranular brittle fracture. SCC behavior was controlled by anodic dissolution, and the hydrogen accelerated the SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aiming at improving the performance of visual classification in a cost-effective manner, this paper proposes an incremental semi-supervised learning paradigm called deep co-space (DCS). Unlike many conventional semi-supervised learning methods usually performed within a fixed feature space, our DCS gradually propagates information from labeled samples to unlabeled ones along with deep feature learning. We regard deep feature learning as a series of steps pursuing feature transformation, i.e., projecting the samples from a previous space into a new one, which tends to select the reliable unlabeled samples with respect to this setting. Specifically, for each unlabeled image instance, we measure its reliability by calculating the category variations of feature transformation from two different neighborhood variation perspectives and merged them into a unified sample mining criterion deriving from Hellinger distance. Then, those samples keeping stable correlation to their neighboring samples (i.e., having small category variation in distribution) across the successive feature space transformation are automatically received labels and incorporated into the model for incrementally training in terms of classification. Our extensive experiments on standard image classification benchmarks (e.g., Caltech-256 and SUN-397) demonstrate that the proposed framework is capable of effectively mining from large-scale unlabeled images, which boosts image classification performance and achieves promising results compared with other semi-supervised learning methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The respective maximum CE and H 2 selectivity of 95.34% and 0.99 were achieved. • The dependence of gasification efficiency on reaction temperature was apparent. • Bond-making of functional group was observed at a high feedstock concentration. • The disorderly conversion between organic matters triggered a low CE. • The improvement method on gasification performance was proposed. The clean and efficient utilization of biomass waste for hydrogen production conforms to social development in the future. In this work, hydrogen production from supercritical water gasification (SCWG) of fir bark (FB) was investigated systematically at various reaction temperatures (500–750 °C), feedstock concentrations (5 wt%–15 wt%), and retention time (0–40 min). The gaseous, liquid, and solid products were analyzed to master the gasification mechanism. The results demonstrated the maximum CE and H 2 selectivity of 95.34% and 0.99 were obtained at 700 °C-5 wt%-40 min. Reaction temperature was positively related to the gasification efficiency, and the effects of feedstock concentration and retention time were related to the reaction temperature. Increasing feedstock concentration contributed to the cyclisation and Diels-Alder reaction, with a cohesive aromatic structure. A benign conversion resulted in the enhancement of gasification efficiency with prolonging retention time in the high temperature SCWG. The vital reason for low gasification efficiency was due to the disorderly interconversions between organic matters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nanocomposite films were prepared using Eucommia ulmoides gum (EUG) matrix reinforced with nanocrystalline cellulose (NCC) at different concentrations. Subsequently, the obtained films were characterized by Raman spectra, AFM, XRD, TGA, and DSC. Meanwhile, the wettability, mechanical, and water vapor barrier properties of these films were analyzed. AFM noticed that the average sizes of NCC were 81.95 × 50.17 × 13.06 nm, while the size of molecular chain for EUG was 2530 × 57.33 × 1.28 nm. In comparison with control film, a certain amount of NCC obviously improved elongation at break and enhanced their crystallinity and Δ H m . More importantly, NCC/EUG nanocomposite films presented lower thermal stability, glass transition temperature ( T g ), melting temperature ( T m ), and water vapor permeability (WVP) values, especially the WVP values of 4% NCC film were the lowest as 0.28 × 10 −9 , 0.30 × 10 −9 , and 0.58 × 10 −9 g/m/h/Pa at RH 34%, 55%, and 76%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface characterization and electrostatic property of Hybrid Pennisetum (HP) after alkaline sulfite pretreatment were explored for enhanced enzymatic hydrolysability. The O/C ratio in HP increased from 0.34 to 0.60, and C1 concentration decreased from 62.5% to 31.6%, indicating that alkaline sulfite pretreatment caused poorer lignin but richer carbohydrate on HP surface. Zeta potential and sulfur element analysis indicated that more enzymes would preferably adsorb on the carbohydrate surface of alkaline sulfite pretreated HP because the lignin was sulfonated, which facilitated the decrease of non-productive adsorption. Glucose yield of alkaline sulfite pretreated HP reached to 100% by synergistic action of cellulase and xylanase in the hydrolysis, which was significantly higher than that of NaOH pretreated, and the concentration of glucose released was 1.52 times higher. The results suggested that alkaline sulfite pretreatment had potential for improving the HP hydrolysability, and the surface characterization and electrostatic property facilitated the enzymatic digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the extended Korteweg de Vries (eKdV) theory and Morison's equation, a theoretical model of internal solitary wave (ISW) loads on a submerged slender body is investigated, and experimental measurements are further carried out in a large stratified fluid flume. The results show that the theoretical results are in good agreement with the experimental results. The horizontal force of the ISW on the slender body is consists of the horizontal dynamic pressure force and the friction force, in which the horizontal dynamic pressure force plays a dominant role. The vertical force includes the vertical wave force and the reduced gravity during the interaction between a slender body and an ISW. The magnitude of the force increases with increasing ISW amplitude, while its direction remains unchanged, and the force is closely related to the submerged depth of the slender body in the density pycnocline, which affects both the magnitude and the direction of the force. • The ISW force on a submerged slender body is measured experimentally in a stratified fluid flume. • A theoretical study of ISW loads is conducted on a submerged slender body based on the Morison equation. • The experimental and theoretical results are compared for different ISW amplitudes and submerged depths. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Realizing the harmless resource utilization of oily sludge is urgent for petroleum industry and of great significance for environmental management. The treatment of oily sludge was investigated using supercritical water gasification (SCWG) with a continuous fluidized bed reactor. The effect of operating parameters on gasification efficiency and gas yield without catalyst was tested, and then the influences of catalyst type (K 2 CO 3 and Na 2 CO 3) and concentrations (1–8 wt%) were systematically studied. The results indicated that a medium mass flow ratio and low feedstock concentration were beneficial for gas production. Alkali catalyst improved carbon gasification efficiency (CE) prominently, and Na 2 CO 3 showed better performance due to its better stability. A maximum CE of 95.87% was achieved when 5 wt% Na 2 CO 3 was added at 650 °C, 23 MPa with 5 wt% oily sludge concentration. Besides, according to XRD patterns of solid residues, Na 2 CO 3 was more stable than K 2 CO 3 during SCWG. SEM-EDX results also revealed that more K was migrated into solid residues than Na. The analysis of pore structure demonstrated that alkali catalyst promoted the evolution of pore structure, resulting in higher specific surface areas and total pore volumes. Na 2 CO 3 has a more substantial destructive effect on solid matrix, causing the matrix structure to collapse and inhibiting pore structure development. The FTIR spectra of solid products exhibited a lower content of carbohydrates and aromatic structures than the initial oily sludge. NH 4 –N results demonstrated that SCWG was a potential green treatment process for oily sludge. This work can not only give an insight into the reaction mechanism of alkali catalytic gasification of oily sludge, but also help to guide the optimal design of reactor and the regulation of operating parameters. [Display omitted] • Oily sludge was gasified in supercritical water with a fluidized bed reactor. • Maximum carbon gasification efficiency was 95.87% at 650 °C with 5 wt% Na2CO3. • Na2CO3 exhibited a better gasification effect due to better stability than K2CO3. • NH4–N values of liquid residues increased with increasing alkali catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the experimental measurements of the ISW force on a horizontal transverse cylinder in a gravitationally stratified fluid flume, the modification formulas of the empirical coefficients in the ISW force calculations are proposed by use of parameter optimization methods such as the least square method and wavelet transform. The time series and spatial characteristics of various forces exerted on a horizontal transverse cylinder by an ISW, including the wave force, the reduced gravity and the vortex shedding force, were obtained, and their description precision was improved. It is shown that those forces exerted on a horizontal transverse cylinder involve the empirical coefficients, including the inertial force coefficient C m and the drag force coefficient C d in the Morison formula, and the vortex shedding lift coefficient C l in virtue of the vortex shedding frequency ω s , in which the fitting modification formulae of the empirical coefficients and vortex shedding frequency with the Reynolds number R e (1000–3000) by use of experimental data are approximated to the exponential function and the polynomial function, respectively. The calculation accuracy of the ISW force with modified coefficients is significantly improved compared with those forces having constant coefficients, in which the average relative errors of the horizontal force and the vertical vortex shedding lift with modifications are reduced by approximately 71% and 46%, respectively. In addition, some characteristic descriptions closer to the actual processes are obtained, including the time series variation of various forces, its contribution to the horizontal pushing or pulling force, and to the vertical downward drag or the 'double peak' force, and to its spatial variation with varying cylinder submerged depth, which further improves the understanding of the temporal and spatial features of the ISW acting on structural objects. • The ISW force on a horizontal transverse cylinder is measured experimentally. • The modification formulas of the empirical coefficients in the ISW force calculations are proposed. • The time series and spatial characteristics of various forces exerted on a horizontal transverse cylinder by an ISW are given. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It has been reported that Dickkopf-3 (DKK3) down-regulation was examined in keloid fibroblasts, but the biological functions of DKK3 have not yet been investigated. In this study, we examined the expression of DKK3 in human keloid tissues, further evaluated the biological function of DKK3 and explored its potential molecular mechanism in transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1)-induced keloid fibroblasts. Our results showed that DKK3 mRNA expression in human keloid tissues is down-regulated. DKK3 overexpression inhibited cell proliferation in TGF-β1-induced keloid fibroblasts transfected with pcDNA3.1-DKK3. Furthermore, DKK3 overexpression remarkably upregulated the protein expression levels of Bax and caspase-3, but decreased the protein expression of Bcl-2. In addition, DKK3 overexpression dramatically inhibited the protein and mRNA levels of collagen I (Col-I), collagen III (Col-III) and α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA). Moreover, the protein expression of TGF-β receptor I (TGF-β RI), TGF-β receptor II (TGF-β RII), the phosphorylation of Smad2 (p-Smad2) and Smad3 (p-Smad3) was dramatically inhibited by pcDNA3.1-DKK3. LY2109761, a TGF-β receptor inhibitor, also suppressed cell proliferation, apoptosis and collagen synthesis in TGF-β1-induced keloid fibroblasts. Taken together, DKK3 overexpression could inhibit cell proliferation, induced cell apoptosis, and suppressed collagen synthesis through TGF-β1/Smad signaling in TGF-β1-induced keloid fibroblasts. Our findings suggest that DKK3 is a novel and promising molecular target for keloid treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Pre-baking-steaming of oat facilitates macromolecular interactions in noodle. • Pre-baking-steaming of oat generates thermally stable protein network. • Pretreated oat improves the short-range molecular order in gelatinized starch. • More compact starch-protein network led to increased digestive resistance. Pre-hydrothermal treatment is widely used to improve the quality of oat or buckwheat noodles. Noodle preparations containing pre-baked-steamed oat and untreated buckwheat (BUN) exhibited the highest sensory score (45.2) among six oat-buckwheat noodle preparations produced with different pre-hydrothermal treatments. Further comparison between the BUN and the noodle prepared with untreated oat and buckwheat showed that, the pre-baking-steaming of oat not only produced a more extended and thermally stable protein network involving rearranged gluten and oat globulins in cooked BUN, but also enhanced the short-range molecular order of gelatinized starch through the formation of nascent double helixes and binary/ternary complexes (starch-lipid, starch-protein and starch-lipid-protein). Overall, these stronger macromolecular interactions in cooked BUN led to an extensive and compact protein-starch network that promoted the formation of more resistant starch (41%). Our findings elucidated the molecular mechanism that underpin the positive effect of oat pretreatment on noodle quality and digestibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is of great significance yet challenging to develop functional polymer coatings possessing highly efficient self-healing performances and robust mechanical properties simultaneously. To this end, a novel strategy was proposed for the fabrication of self-healing urushiol-based coatings based on Diels-Alder (DA) bond. Natural urushiol was firstly modified by using epichlorohydrin and furfuryl alcohol, and then crosslinked by N,N′-(4,4′-methylenediphenyl) dimaleimide (BMI) via DA bond to obtain the thermally reversible and self-healing bio-based coating. The synthesized products were characterized, and their thermostabilities, physico-mechanical properties, thermal reversible and self-healing performances were investigated in detail. The results showed that the ratio of urushiol furan derivative to bismaleimide had a significant effect on the studied properties of the self-healing coatings. The self-healing efficiency, hardness, contact angle of the as-prepared coating after formulation optimization can reach 83.22 %, 5H and 109.6°, respectively. This work suggested that natural urushiol was a kind of potential excellent raw material for preparing self-healing coating, and also provided a simple and efficient way to fabricate bio-based self-healing coatings with robust hardness and good hydrophobic characteristic. [Display omitted] • Self-healing urushiol-based coatings were fabricated based on Diels-Alder reaction. • The self-healing performance of the coating depended on the prepolymer formula. • The urushiol-based coating exhibited excellent mechanical properties. • The urushiol-based self-healing coating had good hydrophobic characteristic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to improve antibacterial properties and maintain desirable humidity of wound dressings. Herein, novel antibacterial wound dressings were prepared. Sulfonated SA, quaternized SA, and chlorogenic acid composited SA hydrogels were used and coated on Eucommia ulmoides rubber (EUR) films. These hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, SEM, zeta potential, swelling behavior and rheology. Moreover, the biocompatibility of the hydrogels was studied by fibroblast cells (L929). Then, the mechanical property and water vapor permeability of wound dressings were tested. Meanwhile, the drug release behavior of the wound dressings was determined by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model and their antibacterial effects on E. coli and S. aureus were studied. Finally, wound healing performance was evaluated by mouse full-thickness wounds model. After 11 days, the wound healing rates in the treatment groups can reach more than 90%, in particular, CGA-SA/EUR group had the highest healing rate of 98%. The results from histopathological observation and immunohistochemical staining showed these wound dressings could effectively promote the wound regeneration and repairing, indicating the wound dressings can be potentially used for accelerating wound healing. [Display omitted] • SSA, QSA and CGA-SA/EUR wound dressings were developed and characterized. • Drug release behavior was determined by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. • Wound healing performance was evaluated by a mouse full-thickness wounds model. • It showed a high wound healing rate that can reach more than 90% after 11 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is important to improve antibacterial properties and maintain desirable humidity of wound dressings. Herein, novel antibacterial wound dressings were prepared. Sulfonated SA, quaternized SA, and chlorogenic acid composited SA hydrogels were used and coated on Eucommia ulmoides rubber (EUR) films. These hydrogels were characterized by FTIR, SEM, zeta potential, swelling behavior and rheology. Moreover, the biocompatibility of the hydrogels was studied by fibroblast cells (L929). Then, the mechanical property and water vapor permeability of wound dressings were tested. Meanwhile, the drug release behavior of the wound dressings was determined by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model and their antibacterial effects on E. coli and S. aureus were studied. Finally, wound healing performance was evaluated by mouse full-thickness wounds model. After 11 days, the wound healing rates in the treatment groups can reach more than 90%, in particular, CGA-SA/EUR group had the highest healing rate of 98%. The results from histopathological observation and immunohistochemical staining showed these wound dressings could effectively promote the wound regeneration and repairing, indicating the wound dressings can be potentially used for accelerating wound healing. [Display omitted] • SSA, QSA and CGA-SA/EUR wound dressings were developed and characterized. • Drug release behavior was determined by the Korsmeyer-Peppas model. • Wound healing performance was evaluated by a mouse full-thickness wounds model. • It showed a high wound healing rate that can reach more than 90% after 11 days. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As an industrial organic waste, oily sludge can be transformed into valuable syngas by supercritical water gasification (SCWG) technology. The transformation behaviors of heavy metals in SCWG of oily sludge must be considered to prevent the secondary pollution attributed to the high contents of heavy metals in oily sludge. In this work, the gasification products distribution after SCWG of oily sludge in a batch reactor under different reaction conditions (550–700 °C, 1–15 min) was studied. The distributions of heavy metals (Cu, Cr and Zn) in different forms including acid-soluble and exchangeable fraction (F1), reducible fraction (F2), oxidizable fraction (F3), residual fraction (F4) and heavy metal ions in liquid residues (M+) were presented and the transformation trend of those five fractions during the SCWG process was demonstrated. A reaction pathway and quantitative kinetic model of Zn transformation in SCWG were proposed. The results indicated that gas yield was enhanced at higher reaction temperature and longer residence time. Heavy metals in oily sludge were mainly composed of F3 and M+, they tended to deposit in F4 with increasing reaction temperature and residence time, which was stable and environmentally harmless. F3 showed better reactivity than F2 and contributed more to the formation of F4. Enhancing the transformation of Zn ions in liquid residues to more stable forms was necessary. This study highlighted that SCWG of oily sludge could realize energy utilization and heavy metals stabilization. [Display omitted] • The transformation behaviors of heavy metals (Cu, Cr and Zn) were discussed. • Heavy metals transformed to more stable forms via supercritical water gasification. • Longer time and higher temperature promoted liquid heavy metals transformation. • A reaction pathway and kinetic model of Zn transformation were proposed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hemicelluloses isolated from triploid poplar were subjected to hydrothermal degradation at 180–340 °C. The detailed physicochemical characteristics of hydrothermal degradation products including monosaccharide and XOS, molecular weight, inhibitory and organic compounds were detected by HPAEC, GPC, HPLC, and GC–MS, respectively. An increase in temperature led to a significant decrease in molecular weight and an increase in C 2 –C 5 organic alcohols and acids. More importantly, besides two well-known routes that hemicelluloses are hydrolyzed to monosaccharide, followed by further degraded to furfural, a series of reaction routes was proposed to clarify and explain the mechanisms of the hydrothermal degradation of hemicelluloses from triploid poplar, which involved: (i) a predominant route of fragmentation; (ii) side reactions such as oxidation, dehydration, isomerization/rearrangement, and self-lactonization; (iii) larger molecular fragments from sugars by deoxydation or/and oxidation, followed by self-lactonization; and (iv) very few extensive re-polymerization including esterification and condensation among hemicelluloses and lignin fragments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: We evaluated the acute impact of different cardiac pacing sites on two-dimensional speckle-tracking echocardiography (STE) derived left ventricular (LV) rotation and twist in healthy dogs. Methods: Twelve dogs were used in this study. The steerable pacing electrodes were positioned into right heart through the superior or inferior vena cava, into LV through aorta across the aortic valve. The steerable pacing electrodes were positioned individually in the right atrium (RA), right ventricular apex (RVA), RV outflow tract (RVOT), His bundle (HB), LV apex (LVA) and LV high septum (LVS), individual pacing mode was applied at 10 minutes interval for at least 5 minutes from each position under fluoroscopy and ultrasound guidance and at stabilized hemodynamic conditions. LV short-axis images at the apical and basal levels were obtained during sinus rhythm and pacing. Offline STE analysis was performed. Rotation, twist, time to peak rotation (TPR), time to peak twist (TPT), and apical-basal rotation delay (rotational synchronization index, RSI) values were compared at various conditions. LV pressure was monitored simultaneously. Results: Anesthetic death occurred in 1 dog, and another dog was excluded because of bad imaging quality. Data from 10 dogs were analyzed. RVA, RVOT, HB, LVA, LVS, RARV (RA+RVA) pacing resulted in significantly reduced apical and basal rotation and twist, significantly prolonged apical TPR, TPT and RSI compared to pre-pacing and RA pacing (all P<0.05). The apical and basal rotation and twist values were significantly higher during HB pacing than during pacing at ventricular sites (all P<0.05, except basal rotation at RVA pacing). The apical TPR during HB pacing was significantly shorter than during RVOT and RVA pacing (both P<0.05). The LV end systolic pressure (LVESP) was significantly lower during ventricular pacing than during pre-pacing and RA pacing. Conclusions: Our results show that RA and HB pacing results in less acute reduction on LV twist, rotation and LVESP compared to ventricular pacing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We propose a new design for continuous tunable acoustic metasurface. • The unit of metasurface is a segment of rotatable space-coiling structure. • We utilize advantage of the anisotropic properties of the unit. • The even-order standing wave modes in waveguide can be used. • A model is proposed to analysis and give a theoretical guidance. In this paper, we propose a continuously tunable acoustic metasurface composed of identical anisotropic resonant units, each of which contains a rigid pedestal and a rotatable inclusion with space coiling-up structure. The metasurface can manipulate the reflected phase by adjusting the rotational angle of inclusion. The theoretical analysis shows that the polarization-dependent phase change can be induced by the even-order standing wave modes inside inclusion. By utilizing the rotatable inclusion, we design a tunable acoustic carpet cloaking device, which works with a wide range for the incident angle. When incident waves come from different directions, the cloaking effect can be obtained by arranging the rotational angle of each inclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient, simple, practical and selective Pd-catalyzed method for the dehalogenation of a variety of 3-halo-2(5H)-furanones (27 examples) using N,N-diisopropylethylamine as both hydrogen source and base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Effect of ionic liquid pretreatment on enzymatic hydrolysis of cellulose was investigated in terms of the changes in the chemical and physical structure of the preparation. In this case, original cellulose isolated from sugarcane bagasse was subjected to ionic liquid ([Emim]Ac) dissolution at a mild temperature (90°C) followed by regeneration in water and subsequently hydrolyzed by commercial cellulases. The original and regenerated cellulose were thoroughly characterized by XRD, FT-IR, CP/MAS 13C NMR, and SEM. It was found that the original cellulose experienced an increase in glucose content from 80.0–83.3% to 91.6–92.8%, a decrease in the degree of polymerization from 974–1039 to 511–521, a crystal transformation from cellulose I to cellulose II, as well as an increase of surface area during the pretreatment. The results suggested that pretreatment led to effective disruption of cellulose for subsequent enzyme hydrolysis as evidenced by a high glucose conversion yield of 95.2%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Using CuI as a catalyst, N, N-diisopropylethylamine as ligand, n-butylamine as a base, and CHCN as solvent, the Glaser reaction of N-[5-( S)-alkoxy-2(5 H)-furanonyl] amino acid propargyl esters 1 at room temperature was investigated, and a series of new chiral 2(5 H)-furanone derivatives containing 1,3-butadiyne structure have been synthesized as designed, with yields of 49-84 % (mostly over 66 %). Sixteen target molecules 2 were characterized by FTIR, H NMR, C NMR, MS, and elemental analysis. The brief synthesis of the series 2(5 H)-furanones derivatives with different functional units will afford not only an important synthetic strategy for the bioactive 2(5 H)-furanone derivatives as potential drug molecules but also a basis for the chiral polydiacetylene materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using 4′-hexyloxybiphenyl-4-ol and N-(5-alkoxy-3-bromo-2(5 H)-furanonyl) amino acids as reactants, a series of novel biphenyl liquid crystal compounds containing natural molecule moieties, such as menthol, borneol, and amino acids, were synthesized via esterification. The structures of all novel compounds were confirmed by FTIR, H NMR, C NMR, MS, and elemental analysis, and the liquid crystal properties of target compounds were characterized with DSC, XRD, and POM. The introduction of hexyloxy made the biphenyl esters have a potential to appear in mesomorphic phase and have a higher Tm, and bornyl moiety was more beneficial for the liquid crystal performance than a menthyl unit. Most compounds were mesomorphic phase liquid crystal molecules, and POM and XRD showed that they existed in smectic phase. These researches provide a theoretical basis for the synthesis of biphenyl ester liquid crystal materials via the utilization of 2(5 H)-furanone derivates and natural molecules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Xylooligosaccharides (XOS) were prepared from xylan-rich hemicelluloses isolated by potassium hydroxide from sugarcane bagasse by hydrolysis with crude xylanase secreted by Pichia stipitis. Hydrolysis for 12h produced XOS with a maximum yield of 31.8%, equivalent to 5.29mgmL−1 in the hydrolyzate. XOS with degrees of polymerization (DP) from 2 to 4 (xylobiose, xylotriose, and xylotetraose) were the major components in the hydrolysates, whereas the oligosaccharides with higher DP of 5–6 (xylopentaose and xylohexose) showed a constant low level. FT-IR and NMR (1H, 13C, HSQC) demonstrated that XOS contained Araf and 4-O-Me-α-d-GlcpA residues. The 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) assay showed that the XOS exhibited concentration-dependent antioxidant activity. The results obtained indicate that the XOS produced from sugarcane bagasse can be employed in food-related applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Acute demyelinating optic neuritis is a common optic neuropathy in young adults. There is usually satisfactory visual recovery. However, some patients convert to multiple sclerosis (MS) with potential sequelae of neurological disability. The Optic Neuritis Treatment Trial in the United States was conducted prospectively for 15 years and provided valuable data about clinical course, efficacy of steroid treatment, and risk of conversion to MS. Compared to the many studies in Western countries, research concerning optic neuritis in Asia has so far not been extensive. However, cumulative evidence shows that various features of this disorder differ between patients of Caucasian and Oriental descent. In this article we review up-to-date studies on optic neuritis in Asia and compare the results with prior literature. Prospective and multi-centre studies are currently underway in these regions to increase our understanding of optic neuritis in Asia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Water- and alkali-soluble hemicelluloses isolated from dewaxed sugarcane bagasse were sub-fractionated on DEAE-cellulose-52 chromatography and obtained six hemicellulosic sub-fractions by eluting with water, 0.1M and 0.3M NaCl aqueous solution, respectively. Sugar composition and molecular weight analysis revealed that the lower molecular weight (14,180–43,590gmol−1) and more branches of hemicelluloses could be extracted by the hot water, which are rich in glucose, galactose, and xylose, while the higher molecular weight (75,430–138,170gmol−1) and more linear hemicelluloses were able to be dissolved into 1% NaOH aqueous solution, which are rich in xylose, principally resulting from l-arabino-(4-O-methyl-glucurono)-d-xylans. In addition, it was found that with increasing the concentration of NaCl (aqueous), the hemicellulosic sub-fractions with both higher arabinose to xylose ratio and higher molecular weight were eluted. Based on the FT-IR, sugar composition and 1H and 13C NMR comparative studies, the alkali-soluble hemicellulosic sub-fractions had a classical structure, with a backbone of β-(1→4)-linked xylosyl residue substituted with arabinose at C–2 and/or C–3 of main chain, whereas the difference may occur in the distribution of branches along the xylan backbone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Anti-OX40L, Rapa and low dose of IL-2 prolonged graft survival in sensitized mice. • The protocol suppressed memory T cells and inflammatory cytokines production. • The percentages of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells increased in this model. • CD8+CD122+PD1+ T cell increased markedly, especially in the graft. • Demonstrated CD8+CD122+PD1+ T cells could suppress activated T cells. Alloreactive memory cells play a critical role after a second transplant and are difficult to suppress. This study investigated the effect of an immunotherapeutic strategy that combines anti-OX40L, rapamycin (Rapa), and a low dose of IL-2 in a memory cell-based adoptive model. In this model, the median survival time (MST) of the grafts of the combined treatment group was significantly extended compared to that of the control group and other treatment groups. A similar effect was observed regarding a reduction in memory T cells (Tm) and inflammatory cytokines production. Also, the percentages of Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) increased in our model. In addition, mounting evidence has shown CD8+CD122+ T cells are also Tregs. We found that the group of CD8+CD122+PD1+ T cells was markedly increased in the combined treatment group, especially in the graft. We further demonstrated that CD8+CD122+PD1+ T cells could suppress activated T cells. Our data suggest that anti-OX40L combined with Rapa and a low dose of IL-2 can suppress Tm, modulate CD4 and CD8 Tregs, and induce long-term heart allograft survival in sensitized mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]