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In the present study, an online liquid extraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-2,2'-azino-bis(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (HPLC-ABTS) system for rapid screening of antioxidants in tea samples was proposed. As an example, the tea samples were firstly extracted by online HPLC extractor with mobile phase at 70°C, then the hyphenated HPLC-ABTS was used for the chromatographic separation on a Poroshell EC C18 column by 0.3% aqueous formic acid and acetonitrile with a gradient elution at 1.5 mL·min−1, and the UV and antioxidant chromatograms with detection wavelengths at 270 nm and 750 nm were recorded, respectively. The established system integrated the processes of online HPLC sample extraction, HPLC separation and online antioxidants detection, the total analysis time of which was

Starches from sixteen cassava germplasms harvested at the same time in the Hainan region were evaluated for their physicochemical and structural properties. The granule morphology of all the isolated cassava starch samples showed round, bell or oval shapes and exhibited the same A-type crystalline pattern. The crystallinity range was 26.6–30.8%. The selected cassava germplasms showed a wide variation in granule size distribution: The D[4,3] (the average particle size) ranged from 13.49 μm to 306.27 μm. The water absorption capacity (192.6–226.7%), oil absorption capacity (185.0–216.9%) and transparency (6.8–16.5%) indices varied significantly among the cassava germplasms. However, the retrogradation rates of the cassava starch pastes increased rapidly during the first 1 h and then stabilized. The solubility of starch increased with the temperature. In addition, the FTIR (Fourier Transform Infrared Spectrometer) ratios of 1045/1022 cm−1 and 1022/995 cm−1 of the sixteen cassava starches varied in the range of 1.06–1.78 and 0.78–1.04, respectively. These results indicated that the granule size, relative crystallinity, degree of short-range order, water and oil absorption capacities, solubility and transparency of the cassava starches were greatly influenced by the variety of cassava, which could help in determining the advantages of these starches for applications in different food and nonfood industries.

This study aimed to analyze the predictive value of the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR) to better clarify which patients with advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) would benefit most from apatinib after multiline treatment for drug resistance. This observational cohort study involved patients with advanced NSCLC who were treated with apatinib between May 2016 to May 2018. The participants in this study had previously been treated with at least two treatment regimens. Multivariate logistic regression and Cox proportional risk models were used to evaluate the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) of the pretreatment NLR. A total of 125 patients were reviewed. The median age was 64 years (range, 33-92); and 32.8% of the patients were female. Only 0.8% of the patients had an Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group Performance Status (ECOG-PS) score ≥ 2. In multivariate analysis, pretreatment NLR ≥ 5 had an independent correlation with inferior OS (median 2.07 vs 3.40 months; HR 1.493, 95% CI 1.022-2.182; P = .038) and inferior PFS (median 1.83 vs 2.76 months; HR 1.478, 95% CI 1.015-2.153; P = .042). Elevated pretreatment NLR is associated with shorter OS and PFS in patients with advanced NSCLC treated with apatinib after multiline treatment for drug resistance.

Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC) corrugated lattice core composite sandwich panels fabricated by precursor infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) were treated at temperatures ranging from 1400 °C to 1800 °C. The effects of high temperature annealing on the physical and mechanical properties of the composite sandwich panels were investigated. With the annealing temperature increasing, the compression properties of the composite sandwich structures increased initially and then decreased reversely. Out of the three samples, the compression strength and the modulus of the specimen treated at 1400 °C are maximal at 3.50 MPa and 54.45 MPa, suggesting the optimal annealing temperature for mechanical properties is 1400 °C. Two competing mechanisms including crystallization and carbothermal reduction determined the mechanical properties of the composite sandwich structures. Furthermore, the high temperature mechanical properties of C/SiC corrugated lattice core composite sandwich panels after heat treatment were investigated.

// Yu Liu 1, 2 , Wei Mu 2 , Wei Xiao 3 , Bao-Lin Wei 2 , Lan Wang 4 , Xin-Qiao Liu 5 , Xu-Dong Xiong 6 , Xiao-Min Huang 7 , Ye-Qing Zhang 8 , Hai-Ming Chen 9 , Feng-Jie Yan 10 , Yu-Ping Tan 11 and Yu-Hong Huang 2 1 Shenzhen Traditional Chinese Medicine Hospital Affiliated to Guangzhou University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenzhen 518033, China 2 The Second Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300150, China 3 State Key Laboratory of New-tech for Chinese Medicine Pharmaceutical Process, Jiangsu 222001, China 4 Dongzhimen Hospital Affiliated to Beijing University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Beijing 100007, China 5 The First Affiliated Hospital of Tianjin University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Tianjin 300193, China 6 Shanghai ShuGuang Hospital Affiliated to Shanghai University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shanghai 201203, China 7 Zhejiang Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Hangzhou 310006, China 8 Jiangsu Hospital of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Nanjing 210028, China 9 Affiliated Hospital of Liaoning University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Shenyang 110032, China 10 Affiliated Hospital of Changchun University of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Changchun 130021, China 11 Ruikang Hospital Affiliated to Guangxi University of Chinese Medicine, Nanning 530011, China Correspondence to: Yu-Hong Huang, email: hyh101@126.com Keywords: Re-Du-Ning injection, seasonal influenza, oseltamivir, clinical trial Received: March 29, 2017 Accepted: June 24, 2017 Published: July 13, 2017 ABSTRACT Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of RDNI in the treatment of seasonal influenza. Results: 1575 participants were screened and 229 completed the study and had a RT-PCR laboratory confirmation of influenza virus infection. Fever alleviation time was 2 and 6 hours, and fever clearance time was 27 and 47 in RDNI and oseltamivir, with significant difference between two groups. Total scores of influenza symptoms descended more in RDNI than oseltamivir on day 2 and day 3. Single symptom such as fever, aversion to cold, sore throat and nasal obstruction score descended more in RDNI than oseltamivir on different days. 20 subjects used aspirin during the trial, and there was no significant difference between two groups. Materials and Methods: We conducted a randomized, double-blind, double-dummy, oseltamivir controlled clinical trial. Patients with a positive influenza rapid test diagnosis were enrolled and randomized to receive RDNI or oseltamivir. Primary outcome was the median fever alleviation and clearance time. Secondary outcomes were total 8 influenza symptom scores, the single influenza symptom score, and the frequency of aspirin usage. Conclusions: The effect of RDNI was not worse than oseltamivir on the alleviation of influenza symptoms. RDNI was well tolerated, with no serious adverse events noted during the study period.

Vacuum sealing drainage (VSD) is frequently used in abdominal surgeries. However, relevant guidelines are rare. Chinese Trauma Surgeon Association organized a committee composed of 28 experts across China in July 2017, aiming to provide an evidence-based recommendation for the application of VSD in abdominal surgeries.Eleven questions regarding the use of VSD in abdominal surgeries were addressed: (1) which type of materials should be respectively chosen for the intraperitoneal cavity, retroperitoneal cavity and superficial incisions? (2) Can VSD be preventively used for a high-risk abdominal incision with primary suture? (3) Can VSD be used in severely contaminated/infected abdominal surgical sites? (4) Can VSD be used for temporary abdominal cavity closure under some special conditions such as severe abdominal trauma, infection, liver transplantation and intra-abdominal volume increment in abdominal compartment syndrome? (5) Can VSD be used in abdominal organ inflammation, injury, or postoperative drainage? (6) Can VSD be used in the treatment of intestinal fistula and pancreatic fistula? (7) Can VSD be used in the treatment of intra-abdominal and extra-peritoneal abscess? (8) Can VSD be used in the treatment of abdominal wall wounds, wound cavity, and defects? (9) Does VSD increase the risk of bleeding? (10) Does VSD increase the risk of intestinal wall injury? (11) Does VSD increase the risk of peritoneal adhesion?Focusing on these questions, evidence-based recommendations were given accordingly. VSD was strongly recommended regarding the questions 2–4. Weak recommendations were made regarding questions 1 and 5–11. Proper use of VSD in abdominal surgeries can lower the risk of infection in abdominal incisions with primary suture, treat severely contaminated/infected surgical sites and facilitate temporary abdominal cavity closure. Keywords: Guideline, Vacuum sealing drainage, Abdominal surgery

To investigate the impact of each functional group on the emulsifying properties of sugar beet pulp pectin (SBPP), seven enzymes were studied in a particular order. Compositions of SBPP and enzymatically modified SBPPs were determined, and the structures of SBPPs were characterized by FT-IR. In addition, the contribution of each functional group was evaluated based on the variation in emulsion characteristics. The results showed that protein, ferulic acid-araban/galactan-protein complexes and ferulic acid played important roles in improving the surface activity, emulsifying capacity and emulsifying stability of SBPP and the extent of the decrease in the emulsifying activity followed the order: ferulic acid > ferulic acid-arabinogalactan-protein complexes > protein. The decrease of methyl ester groups mainly affected the particle sizes of the emulsion. In addition to particle sizes, the cream index of the emulsion increased with the hydrolysis of acetyl groups. Arabinose and galactose less affected emulsifying properties than other functional groups.

Amylose-zinc inclusion complexes were synthesized using zinc chloride and amylose, which is obtained by completely debranching potato starch using pullulanase. Based on the zinc content (W-Zn) and zinc conversion (C-Zn), the reaction parameters, such as reaction time, reaction temperature, pH value and amount of zinc chloride added, were evaluated. The W-Zn and C-Zn of the zinc-loaded amylose, which was prepared under optimal conditions, were 128 mg/g and 82.05%, respectively. The Raman spectra showed that amylose formed a special single helix structure after complexing with zinc. X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) results showed that starch and zinc could formate the inclusion complexes. Moreover, the formation of amylose-zinc inclusion complexes was confirmed by the results of X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and (13)C CP/MAS NMR, which suggests that zinc was mainly coordinated to the oxygen atoms of the glucose unit, 6-CH2OH. Thermal properties of the complexes were influenced by the zincatation process. This approach not only enlarged the number of fields for amylose use but also exhibited the extensive potential applications for zinc nutrition fortifier research. The study suggested that potato amylose might be a good carrier of zinc for nutritional supplementation purposes.

A Chief Executive Officer (CEO) is the final decision maker of an enterprise and is the central figure influencing the culture of that enterprise. A CEO has a personal brand, which in collusion with a corporation’s business brand casts a halo effect upon clients, customers, and employees, both present and potential. To date, most of the research on personal brands has been restricted to discussions over methods of building up personal brands: there has been no definitive research towards the construction of an evaluative scale of business CEO personal brands. Our current research has developed just such a scale, using seven evaluative dimensions to measure the work standards, competency, charisma, personality, values, character, and leadership qualities of a CEO. This unique scale enables users to clearly distinguish the personal brand of a business CEO. Researchers such as Bennis and O’Toole (2000) have suggested that boards of directors need to find more effective means of selecting their CEOs [1]. We believe that our scale can and should assist boards of directors faced with the question of whether a CEO’s personal brand meets the expectations of their enterprise.

Expatriates play the critical role and are expected to demonstrate performances. Therefore, providing sufficient quantity and quality trainings to expatriates is critical for MNEs. With qualitative approach, this paper proposes four expatriate training strategies which consist of pre-departure training and supportive training for different internationalization situations after the literature review. We selected 4 presentative international companies from 2014 Outward Investment Directory of Taiwan as examples to explain four expatriate training strategies with different internationalization situations. We hope the contingent expatriate training strategies will facilitate MNEs to create and maintain competitive advantages.

In this increasingly competitive era, internationalization strategy has adopted by firms and international human has been regarded as the essential factor that affects the operation of MNEs. Based on contingency theory and the induction method to analyze and collect data from the literature, this paper attempts to construct an International human strategies framework for different internationalization situations. Furthermore, we interviewed with related staffs in four Taiwan enterprises that adopted various International human strategies to correspond the four internationalization situations considered in this study. We hope this international human strategies framework will facilitate MNEs to create and maintain their competitive advantages.

Effect of gum arabic (GA) on swelling power (SP), solubility index (SI), freeze-thaw stability, pasting and rheological properties of native, anionic and cationic tapioca starch (TS, ATS and CTS) was studied. It was found that SP and SI of TS, ATS and CTS were reduced by GA and the extent followed the order: CTS > TS > ATS. This may be due to attractive interactions between oppositely charged molecules occurring when anionic GA encountered positively charged CTS. Addition of GA decreased setback (SB) values of ATS but had no effect on CTS ( p TS > CTS. For ATS–GA mixtures, the decrease of PV can be interpreted by the repelling force between ATS and GA. Furthermore, GA played an accelerative effect on syneresis of CTS, an inhibiting effect on syneresis of ATS and almost no effect on syneresis of TS. Rheological studies showed that all starch and starch–GA gels were classified as typical weak gels. The storage modulus ( G ′) of TS and CTS could be enhanced by GA, while G ′ of ATS–GA paste was weakened by GA. The foregoing data indicated that the effect of GA on physical properties of starch depended on its charge.

Background. H. pylori infection induces reactive oxygen species- (ROS-) related DNA damage and activates the PI3K/Akt pathway in gastric epithelial cells. N-Acetylcysteine (NAC) is known as an inhibitor of ROS; the role of NAC in H. pylori-related diseases is unclear. Aim. The aim of this study was to evaluate the role of ROS and the protective role of NAC in the pathogenesis of H. pylori-related diseases. Method. An in vitro coculture system and an in vivo Balb/c mouse model of H. pylori-infected gastric epithelial cells were established. The effects of H. pylori infection on DNA damage and ROS were assessed by the comet assay and fluorescent dichlorofluorescein assay. The level of PI3K/Akt pathway-related proteins was evaluated by Western blotting. The protective role of N-acetylcysteine (NAC) was also evaluated with in vitro and in vivo H. pylori infection models. Results. The results revealed that, in vitro and in vivo, H. pylori infection increased the ROS level and induced DNA damage in gastric epithelial cells. NAC treatment effectively reduced the ROS level and inhibited DNA damage in GES-1 cells and the gastric mucosa of Balb/c mice. H. pylori infection induced ROS-mediated PI3K/Akt pathway activation, and NAC treatment inhibited this effect. However, the gastric mucosa pathological score of the NAC-treated group was not significantly different from that of the untreated group. Furthermore, chronic H. pylori infection decreased APE-1 expression in the gastric mucosa of Balb/c mice. Conclusions. An increased ROS level is a critical mechanism in H. pylori pathogenesis, and NAC may be beneficial for the treatment of H. pylori-related gastric diseases linked to oxidative DNA damage.

Sugar beet pectin (SBP) was esterified using octenyl succinic anhydride (OSA) and potassium carbonate, as a catalyst, at 160 °C. The structure of the product, octenyl succinate sugar beet pectin (OS-SBP), was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), Raman and 1 H NMR spectroscopy, which demonstrated that OSA groups had been introduced into the SBP molecules and most OS substitution occurred at the C-3 position. SBP- and OS-SBP-stabilized oil-in-water emulsions prepared at a concentration of 1.0% (w/w) were compared using 20% middle-chain triglyceride (MCT) as the oil phase. The properties of emulsions stabilized by SBP and OS-SBP were evaluated via surface tensiometry, microscopy, determination of the creaming index (CI) and droplet size distribution. The results showed that emulsions stabilized by OS-SBP with a low degree of substitution (DS) possessed a smaller oil droplet size and improved storage stability compared with those of the emulsion generated using SBP. The decalcification could improve the emulsifying properties of OS-SBP. The results suggested that OS-SBP with a DS of 1.8 would be a strong emulsifying agent in acidic environments.

Neighbor discovery is a fundamental building block for wireless sensor networks (WSNs), because it is the first step to establish communication links between sensor nodes. Traditional neighbor discovery problems mainly focus on static wireless networks, or networks where all nodes operate on the same frequency. However, the proliferation of mobile devices and multi-channel communications post new challenges to this problem. In this paper, we present an effective neighbor discovery system named EasiND for asynchronous and asymmetrical duty-cycle multi-channel mobile WSNs. Firstly, we propose an optimal synchronous multi-channel neighbor discovery algorithm based on quorum system, which can bound the discovery latency in multi-channel scenario with low power consumption. Secondly, we design an asynchronous neighbor discovery quorum system for multi-channel WSNs. Theoretical analyses demonstrate that EasiND achieves a 33.3 and 50 % reduction in power-latency product when compared to U-Connect and Acc respectively. Thirdly, in order to enable EasiND to be applied to asymmetrical duty-cycle system, we propose an on-demand time slot activation scheme that combines random and cooperative methods together, which effectively reduces discovery latency. Finally, we present a channel scanning acceleration approach based on spatio-frequency characteristics of discovered neighbors, which further decreases discovery latency. We evaluate the performance of EasiND through comprehensive test-bed experiments. Experimental results show that EasiND decreases average discovery latency by up to 84.5 % compared to U-Connect and Acc, and achieves at least 95.6 and 97 % average fraction of discoveries in a predefined time limitation under 12 and 3 % duty-cycles.

Summary This study was designed to prepare environment-friendly pectin from sugar beet pulp (SBP) using subcritical water combined with ultrasonic treatment. Plackett–Burman design based on nineteen different parameters was applied to study the influence of various factors on the characteristics of sugar beet pulp pectin (SBPP). About 29.1% pectin, 62% degree of methylation (DM) and 36% acetylation (DA), and 42.5-kDa average molecular weight (AMW) were obtained from SBP when using distilled water with solid/liquid ratio of 1:81 for extraction at 110 °C. The yield of SBPP and galacturonic acid (GalA) was mainly affected by solid/liquid (S/L) ratio, water purity and extraction temperature. The ultrasonic temperature, ultrasonic power and extraction temperature were the main factors effecting on neutral sugar content, DM, DA and AMW. Compared with gum arabic (GA), the highest yield SBPP fraction had better emulsifying activity, but poorer emulsion-stabilizing ability.

As a part of serial work about tuning the selective location of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in immiscible polymer blends, this work reports the effects of component polarity and viscosity ratio between components on the selective location of CNTs and the resultant electrical resistivity of the nanocomposites. To achieve the research aim, maleic anhydride (MA) was grafted onto poly( l -lactide) (PLLA) main chain through a reactive compounding processing. After that, different contents of CNTs were incorporated into blends of high density polyethylene (HDPE) and PLLA (or PLLA-g-MA). The morphologies of the ternary nanocomposites and the selective location of CNTs in the nanocomposites were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The microstructure of nanocomposites and the dispersion of CNTs were further proved by rheological measurement. Finally, the electrical resistivity of nanocomposites containing different CNT contents was measured. The results showed that through increasing the polarity of PLLA and decreasing the melt viscosity, CNTs were kinetically trapped at the blend interface region. Consequently, largely decreased percolation threshold was achieved for the PLLA-g-MA/HDPE/CNT nanocomposites. The morphological changes as well as the rheological properties were also comparatively analyzed.

Different contents of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were introduced into a miscible poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) blend. The interfacial affinity between CNTs and components of the blend was evaluated by calculating the interfacial tension. The dispersion and microstructure of CNTs in the nanocomposites were investigated through scanning electron microscope and rheological measurement. The effect of CNTs on the crystallization of PVDF was comparatively investigated through nonisothermal and isothermal crystallization processes. The results showed that CNTs exhibited stronger interfacial affinity to PMMA. Homogeneous dispersion of CNTs in the nanocomposites was achieved. Largely enhanced crystallization temperature and increased crystallinity of PVDF were obtained by adding CNTs during the nonisothermal crystallization process. The results obtained from the isothermal crystallization process proved that CNTs induced the concentration fluctuation in the sample, which resulted in the formation of spherulites with different types, i.e., the banded spherulites and compact spherulites. Furthermore, both the crystallization temperature and the content of CNTs exhibited great influence on the crystalline morphology of PVDF.

Maleic anhydride grafted styrene-ethylene/butadiene-styrene block copolymer (SEBS-g-MA) was introduced into poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT) to prepare the PTT/SEBS-g-MA blends. The results showed that SEBS-g-MA exhibited dispersed particles and the particle sizes changed with the variation of its content. Furthermore, the crystallization behavior of PTT matrix was restricted by adding SEBS-g-MA. Mechanical properties measurements proved that PTT could be toughened by SEBS-g-MA and the toughening effect was greatly dependent upon the SEBS-g-MA content and the measurement conditions. The toughening mechanism was mainly attributed to the largely enhanced resistance of the crack propagation during the fracture process.

Octenyl succinate starch (OS-starch) was prepared with ultrasonic-assisted treatment. The substitution patterns in starch granule was estimated by acid hydrolysis, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray diffraction, confocal laser scanning microscopy and chemical surface gelatinization. The pasting properties of starch derivatives were studied by Brabender pasting analyzer. Results showed that ultrasound could reduce reaction time and improve the reaction efficiency over the control by 15–20%. Substitution pattern with the OS-groups located predominantly in the amorphous domains and on the granule surface with a surface effect that is more pronounced than in acetylation reactions. Ultrasonic treatment during octenyl-succinylation results in a somewhat less pronounced surface effect. Compared with OS-starch made by traditional method (OSS), OS-starch prepared under ultrasonic condition (UOSS) has slightly higher pasting temperature, break down and setback values, lower peak viscosity, hot paste viscosity and final viscosity.

In this work, a mutually miscible third polymer, i.e. poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), was introduced into an immiscible poly(L-lactide) (PLLA)/poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) (60/40, wt/wt) blend. The interactions between PMMA and both components of the immiscible blend were first theoretically predicted by calculating the interfacial tensions and then experimentally proven by characterizing the glass transition and crystallization behaviors of the components. The results showed that although PMMA was miscible with PLLA and PVDF, it exhibited stronger interaction with PVDF and had a tendency to merge together with the PVDF component during the melt-compounding processing. There was a competition effect between PLLA and PVDF when they absorbed PMMA. Consequently, the interaction between PVDF and PLLA was enhanced by the bridge effect of PMMA. Furthermore, the migration and diffusion of PMMA carried a part of the PLLA component into the PVDF component (or carried some PVDF component into the PLLA component), forming a so-called occlusion structure. The mechanical properties were measured and the results showed that, at appropriate PMMA content (20–30 wt%), the ternary blends exhibited excellent fracture toughness. The enhanced interaction between components and the formation of the occlusion structure were suggested to be the main toughening mechanisms. This work demonstrated that the microstructure and mechanical properties of the immiscible polymer blends could be tuned by adding a mutually miscible third polymer via a competition mechanism and therefore it provided an alternative strategy for preparing microstructure-/property-controllable materials.

Graphene oxides (GO) were introduced into a poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) to prepare the PLLA/GO composites with different concentrations of the GOs. The main attention of the present work was focused on the thermal degradation and crystallization behaviors of a PLLA matrix induced by GOs. The measurements based on gel permeation chromatography (GPC), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) clearly proved the thermal degradation of the PLLA matrix during the melt-processing procedure. Consequently, reduced complex viscosity of the composites was achieved. The crystallization behaviors of the PLLA matrix were comparatively investigated under different crystallization conditions including melt-crystallization (nonisothermal or isothermal crystallization occurring from the melt state) and cold-crystallization (crystallization occurring from an amorphous solid state) using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), polarized optical microscopy (POM) and wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD). Largely enhanced crystallization ability of the PLLA matrix was achieved. The crystallization conditions and the GO content are key factors which influence the crystallization behavior of the PLLA matrix. This work proved that the stabilization of the PLLA matrix during the melt-processing procedure must be considered when designing and preparing the PLLA/GO materials.

In this work, different contents of nano-silica (SiO 2 ) particles were introduced into poly( l -lactide) (PLLA) to prepare PLLA/SiO 2 composites though a two-step compounding method, i.e. solution compounding (preparing master batch) and subsequent melt compounding (master batch dilution). The dispersion of SiO 2 was characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The hydrophilicity of the material was evaluated by measuring the contact angle of water on the sample surface. The hydrolytic degradation measurements of the nanocomposites were carried out in alkaline solution at two different temperatures, i.e. 37 and 55 °C. Subsequently, microstructure evolution of PLLA matrix during the hydrolytic degradation process was systematically investigated using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The results showed that SiO 2 had good dispersion in the PLLA matrix. Largely enhanced hydrolytic degradation ability was achieved for PLLA/SiO 2 composites. Increasing the content of SiO 2 or enhancing the hydrolytic degradation temperature accelerated the hydrolytic degradation of PLLA matrix. Further results showed that SiO 2 promoted the reorganization of microstructure of PLLLA matrix during the hydrolytic degradation process.

In this work, compatibilizer (maleic anhydride grafted high density polyethylene, HDPE-g-MA) and clay were introduced into immiscible HDPE/polyamide 6 (PA6) blend. Three different blending sequences were selected to prepare the nanocomposites. The distribution states of clay in different nanocomposites were characterized using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and transmission electron microscope (TEM). The cooling and melting behaviors of HDPE matrix and PA6 particles were investigated by using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Scanning electron microscope (SEM) was used to characterize the morphology of nanocomposites. The results showed that clay in all the nanocomposites had a tendency to selectively distribute in PA6 particles and formed the exfoliated structure. Specifically, there was a synergistic effect of HDPE-g-MA and clay in decreasing the PA6 particles and improving the particles size distribution, and the degree of the synergistic compatibilizing effect was dependent on the blending sequence of the nanocomposites. As a consequence, the fracture resistance including the elongation at break (%) and notched Izod impact strength could be enhanced in different degrees. Further researches based on the application of different contents of clay were carried out and the results show that the content of clay also influenced the microstructure and mechanical properties of the nanocomposites.

Hydrolytic degradation ability is an intriguing characteristic of poly( l -lactide) (PLLA) and it has been intensively investigated recently. However, the microstructure evolution of PLLA during the early stage of the hydrolytic degradation process is neglected. In this work, amorphous PLLA was hydrolyzed in alkaline media at temperatures from 40 to 60 °C. The variations of weight loss and molecular weight were measured to study the degree of the hydrolytic degradation of PLLA. The effect of hydrolytic degradation on microstructure of the amorphous PLLA was investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), Fourier transform infrared spectroscope (FTIR), wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results clearly proves the occurrence of molecular ordering and the formation of α′-form PLLA, which is greatly related to the hydrolytic degradation conditions. At relatively low hydrolytic degradation temperature (40 and 50 °C), locally ordered structure is provoked, while a large number of α′-form crystallites are induced at relatively high temperature (60 °C). This work is very significant in understanding the microstructure evolution of PLLA during the hydrolytic degradation process.

Poly( l -lactide)/graphene oxides (PLLA/GOs) composites containing different concentrations of GOs were prepared. Polarized optical microscope (POM) was used to characterize the isothermal crystallization morphologies of both neat PLLA and PLLA/GOs composites. Differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) was used to investigate the isothermal and nonisothermal crystallization and subsequent melting behaviors of the PLLA in different samples. Our results showed that GOs exhibited great role in improving the crystallization ability of the PLLA. During the isothermal crystallization process, addition of the only 0.1 wt% GOs accelerated the crystallization of the PLLA greatly. However, further increasing the concentration of the GOs was unfavorable for the crystallites perfection of the PLLA matrix, resulting in the decrease of equilibrium melting point accordingly. During the nonisothermal crystallization process, the crystallization behavior of the PLLA was found to be greatly dependent upon both the cooling rates and the concentration of the GOs. The corresponding crystallization kinetics was investigated and analyzed. Interestingly, it was observed that even if the cooling rate was increased up to 10 °C/min, the composites with high concentration of the GOs still show high crystallinity. This is very significant from a viewpoint of whether enhancing processing efficiency or preparing new PLLA material with excellent physical properties.

Starch-zinc complexes were synthesized by reaction of enzyme-modified starch with zinc acetate. The effect of reaction parameters such as hydrolysis rate, reaction temperature, reaction time, pH value, and concentration of zinc acetate on the zinc content and zinc conversion rate was studied. The zinc content and conversion rate of the product prepared under optimal conditions were 100.24 mg/g and 87.06%, respectively. The results of scanning electron microscopy (SEM) demonstrated that the obtained starch-zinc complexes displayed a porous appearance. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and (13)C cross-polarization/magic-angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance ((13)C CP/MAS NMR) showed that zinc was mainly coordinated to the oxygen atoms of the glucose unit 6-CH2OH. The formation of starch-zinc complexes was also indirectly confirmed by the results of conductivity measurements. Thermal properties of the complexes were influenced by the zincatation process. This study revealed that nonallergenic starch might be used effectively as a carrier of zinc for zinc supplementation purpose.

In this work, poly( l -lactide)/carbon nanotubes (PLLA/CNTs) nanocomposites were prepared through the common melt-blending processing. The morphologies of the nanocomposites were characterized using scanning electron microscope (SEM). The hydrophilicity of the sample surface was evaluated by the measurement of the contact angle of compression-molded film. Different annealing temperatures were applied to prepare the nanocomposites with different degrees of crystallinity. The results show that CNTs exhibit homogeneous distribution in the PLLA matrix, and the hydrophilicity of the sample surface increases gradually with the increasing content of CNTs. CNTs exhibit excellent nucleation effect for the cold crystallization of PLLA, but the crystalline form of PLLA matrix is mainly determined by the annealing temperature. Study on the hydrolytic degradation behaviors of the nanocomposites show that the presence of CNTs greatly improves the hydrolytic degradation ability of the PLLA matrix. The degree of the hydrolytic degradation and the corresponding crystalline structures during the hydrolytic degradation process are greatly dependent upon the content of CNTs.

The effect of organic montmorillonite (OMMT) on cold crystallization of poly( l -lactide) (PLLA) in different conditions including during the DSC heating process and during the annealing treatment was evaluated. The variations of crystalline structure of PLLA in different samples were comparatively investigated by using wide angle X-ray diffraction (WAXD), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), and Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy. The results show that OMMT exhibits an apparent nucleation effect for the cold crystallization of PLLA matrix. During the annealing treatment, the degree of crystallinity ( X c ) increases with the increase of OMMT content. Specifically, the presence of OMMT leads to the formation of α΄-form crystallites. Study on the hydrolytic degradation behaviours of different samples shows that the hydrolytic degradation rate decreases with the increase of X c , but it increases with the increase of OMMT content. The enhanced hydrophilicity and the formation of α΄-form crystallites are suggested to be the main reasons for the greatly improved hydrolytic degradation ability of samples which contain high content of OMMT. Furthermore, hydrolytic degradation also induces the change of microstructure of the samples. For pure PLLA, hydrolytic degradation promotes the increase of X c . However, for PLLA/OMMT nanocomposites, hydrolytic degradation leads to the decrease of X c and the degree of the decrease is dependent on the content of OMMT.

Organic montmorillonite (OMMT) and the one-dimensional functionalized multiwalled carbon nanotubes (FMWCNTs) were introduced into poly(L-lactide) (PLLA) to prepare PLLA/OMMT and PLLA/FMWCNT nanocomposites, respectively. The effects of nanofillers on melt crystallization and cold crystallization of PLLA were comparatively investigated by using polarized optical microcopy, differential scanning calorimetry and wide angle X-ray diffraction. The results show that FMWCNTs exhibit higher nucleation efficiency for the melt crystallization of PLLA, whereas OMMT is the better one for the cold crystallization of PLLA. Rheological properties show that both OMMT and FMWCNTs at relatively higher concentrations can form the percolated network structure in the PLLA matrix, however, the latter nanocomposites exhibit relatively denser or more compact percolated networks. The difference of the networks between OMMT and FMWCNTs is suggested to be the main reason for the different cold crystallization behaviors observed in the PLLA/OMMT and PLLA/FMWCNT nanocomposites. The dynamic mechanical analysis measurements show that OMMT is the better one to improve the stiffness of the nanocomposites in the present work. The thermogravimetric analysis measurements show that FMWCNTs have higher efficiency in improving the thermal stability of PLLA compared with OMMT. © 2012 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys, 2013

Background Spontaneous rupture is one of the most fatal complications of HCC. The incidence of HCC still remains a significant health problem in Eastern Asia. Many studies have shown that the in-hospital or 30-day mortality rates are as high as 25–100 %. It is often difficult to stratify these patients based on clinical manifestations and biochemical data, for deciding on an appropriate treatment strategy, especially when the patient’s hemodynamic status is unstable. This study aimed to explore the clinical outcomes of treatment of spontaneously ruptured hepatocellular carcinoma with hemorrhagic shock. Methods One hundred and sixty two patients with hemorrhagic shock secondary to spontaneous rupture of hepatocellular carcinoma were included in this retrospective study. The therapeutic methods included conservative treatment, transcatheter arterial embolization (TAE) and hepatectomy. The outcomes in terms of 30 day and 1 year survival were analyzed. Results Thirty five (21.6 %) received only conservative management, TAE was performed in 48 (29.6 %) and partial hepatectomy (emergency and staged) in 106 (65.4 %) patients. The 30-day survival rate was lower in patients receiving conservative treatment (8.6 %) than in those receiving either hepatectomy or TAE (88.2 %; P

The commonly used minimally invasive methods for patients with infected pancreatic necrosis (IPN) are initial endoscopic transluminal drainage (ETD) and percutaneous catheter drainage (PCD), which are followed, if necessary, by endoscopic or surgical necrosectomy. This study intends to explore which of the two minimally invasive treatments leads to a better prognosis.Patients with IPN and an indication for intervention were prospectively enrolled and underwent either initial ETD or PCD followed, if necessary, by endoscopic or surgical necrosectomy.Initial treatment success occurred in 8 of 11 patients after ETD (72.7%) and in 3 of 13 patients after PCD (30.8%) (risk ratio [RR] with ETD, 2.36; 95% CI 0.97-5.77; P = 0.04). After 1 year of follow-up, 72.7% of patients survived with ETD, and 69.2% survived with PCD (RR 1.05; 95% CI 0.63-1.75; P = 0.85). Intestinal fistula seems to have occurred less in the patients who received initial ETD rather than PCD therapy (9.1 vs. 38.5%; RR 0.24; 95% CI 0.03-1.73; P = 0.098). Fewer patients who underwent an initial ETD were transferred to surgery (9.1 vs. 46.2%; RR 0.20; 95% CI 0.03-1.40; P = 0.047). A higher rate of new-onset diabetes (3 cases) or impaired glucose tolerance (1 case) occurred in initial PCD compared to ETD (40 vs. 0%, P = 0.042).The outcomes of initial endoscopic transluminal drainage are superior to percutaneous drainage for patients with infected pancreatic necrosis (ChiCTR-ONRC-13003653).

This paper proposes an Integer Nonlinear Programming (INLP) mathematical model to investigate the practical situations of production scheduling and planning with a parallel-machine layout focusing on multiple orders, diversified delivery deadlines, and multiple types of products. Production cost, machine setup cost, product holding cost, shortage cost, and antipollution cost are also considered in this model to achieve the goal of total cost optimization. This study creates a highly repeated characteristic because the proposed mathematical model and its solving procedure, (Accumulation and Backtrack staged Scheduling Approach, ABSSA) method, are constructed by the packaged software. Therefore, this study has its value for practical applications, and it is suitable for diversified production scheduling as well as the real-time scheduling of production planning. For production scheduling and planning of parallel machines, this study has provided a valuable decision support tool.