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This is a continuation of a previous study initiated by the third author on nonlocal vertex bialgebras and smash product nonlocal vertex algebras. In this paper, we study a notion of right H -comodule nonlocal vertex algebra for a nonlocal vertex bialgebra H and give a construction of deformations of vertex algebras with a right H -comodule nonlocal vertex algebra structure and a compatible H -module nonlocal vertex algebra structure. We also give a construction of ϕ -coordinated quasi modules for smash product nonlocal vertex algebras. As an example, we give a family of quantum vertex algebras by deforming the vertex algebras associated to non-degenerate even lattices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: A pan-genotypic and effective treatment regimen for patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection remains an unmet medical need in China. Alfosbuvir is a novel potent HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitor in development for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. We conducted a phase 3 study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of alfosbuvir in combination with daclatasvir in Chinese patients with HCV infection. Methods: All patients received 600 mg alfosbuvir tablets plus 60 mg daclatasvir tablets once daily for 12 weeks. The primary endpoint was sustained virological response 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12). A follow-up visit was done at week 4 and 12, and those who achieved SVR12 were followed up at post-treatment week 24. Results: Of the 326 patients who received at least one dose of the study drug, 320 (98.2% [95% confidence interval (CI): 96.5%–99.5%]) achieved sustained virological response at post-treatment week 12 (SVR12), which was superior to the historical SVR12 rate of 88% (p < 0.0001). The SVR12 rates were similar regardless of most baseline characteristics. The most common adverse event (AE) (≥ 10%) was hypercholesterolemia. Serious adverse events (SAEs) were reported in 25 (7.7%) patients, none of which was judged to be related to the study drug. The majority of AEs were mild to moderate in severity. Conclusions: Alfosbuvir plus daclatasvir for 12 weeks was highly effective and safe in Chinese patients infected with HCV genotype 1, 2, 3, or 6, suggesting that this regimen could be a promising option for HCV treatment in China irrespective of genotype. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrial.gov identifier, NCT04070235. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The razor clam Sinonovacula constricta is the first marine mollusk demonstrated to possess the complete long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids (LC-PUFA) biosynthetic pathway. This study explored the impact of different microalgae on growth, Fad and Elovl expressions, and fatty acid (FA) profiles in juvenile S. constricta. Results revealed that juveniles fed with Isochrysis galbana (rich in DHA) or Chaetoceros calcitrans (rich in EPA) consistently exhibited higher growth than those fed Chlorella sp. (rich in LA and ALA), underscoring the importance of dietary LC-PUFA in S. constricta's development. Expression of most Fad and Elovl in C. calcitrans and I. galbana-fed juveniles were initially up-regulated, then down-regulated, suggesting LC-PUFA demand for faster growth. Although Chlorella sp.-fed juveniles exhibited decreased mRNA levels for most genes, levels were notably higher lately compared to those fed C. calcitrans or I. galbana, hinting at potential LC-PUFA biosynthesis induction. FA profiles in S. constricta generally mirrored those in ingested microalgae, implying direct FA accumulation from diets. Some microalgal FA were absent in farmed S. constricta, while others emerged, indicating S. constricta's ability to selectively accumulate and synthesize FA. This study enhances the understanding of dietary FA metabolism in S. constricta, valuable for selecting appropriate microalgae in its farming practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Let U ħ (g ^) be the untwisted affinization of a symmetrizable quantum Kac-Moody algebra U ħ (g) . For ℓ ∈ C , we construct an ħ -adic quantum vertex algebra V g ^ , ħ (ℓ , 0) , and establish a one-to-one correspondence between ϕ -coordinated V g ^ , ħ (ℓ , 0) -modules and restricted U ħ (g ^) -modules of level ℓ . Suppose that ℓ is a positive integer. We construct a quotient ħ -adic quantum vertex algebra L g ^ , ħ (ℓ , 0) of V g ^ , ħ (ℓ , 0) , and establish a one-to-one correspondence between certain ϕ -coordinated L g ^ , ħ (ℓ , 0) -modules and restricted integrable U ħ (g ^) -modules of level ℓ . Suppose further that g is of finite type. We prove that L g ^ , ħ (ℓ , 0) / ħ L g ^ , ħ (ℓ , 0) is isomorphic to the simple affine vertex algebra L g ^ (ℓ , 0) . [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Batch normalization is one of the most widely used components in deep neural networks. It can accelerate training, and boost model performance on normal samples. However, batch normalization induces vulnerability to models on adversarial examples, especially in medical images, and the reason is still not clear. In this paper, we aim to explain the vulnerability aroused by batch normalization under adversarial images. Specifically, we first discover that both natural and medical images contain a large number of trivial features, whose weights will be enlarged under adversarial attacks, and batch normalization can further enlarge their weights. Additionally, we find that batch normalization will reduce the inter-class margin of high-level features, leading to less tolerance to adversarial perturbations, thereby decreasing the model robustness. Moreover, we hypothesize that the smaller inter-class margin, the more difficult to attain the optimal classification space, which means batch normalization will restrict the performance of adversarial training. This further verifies that a narrower inter-class margin induced by batch normalization reduces the model robustness. Experiments on four benchmark datasets demonstrate our discovery, interpretation and hypothesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To investigate the prognostic impact of the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score in non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients receiving first-line chemotherapy. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 278 consecutive patients undergoing chemotherapy for stage III-IV NSCLC between May 2012 and July 2020. CONUT score was calculated by incorporating serum albumin, total cholesterol, and total lymphocyte count. The patients were divided into two groups: CONUT ≥ 3 and CONUT < 3, according to receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. The associations of CONUT with clinicopathological factors and survival were evaluated. Results: A high CONUT score was significantly associated with older age(P = 0.003), worse ECOG-PS(P = 0.018), advanced clinical stage(P = 0.006), higher systematic inflammation index (SII) (P < 0.001)and lower prognostic nutritional index (PNI) (P < 0.001).The high CONUT group had a significantly shorter progression-free survival(PFS) and overall survival(OS) than the low CONUT group. In the univariate analysis, higher SII, higher CONUT, advanced clinical stage and lower PNI were associated with worse PFS (Pall < 0.05). Worse ECOG-PS, higher SII, higher CONUT, advanced clinical stage and lower PNI were associated with worse OS (Pall < 0.05). In multivariate analysis, CONUT(HR, 2.487; 95%CI 1.818 ~ 3.403; P < 0.001) was independently associated with PFS, while PNI(HR, 0.676; 95%CI 0.494 ~ 0.927; P = 0.015) and CONUT(HR, 2.186; 95%CI 1.591 ~ 3.002; P < 0.001)were independently associated with OS. In ROC analysis, CONUT had a higher area under the ROC curve (AUC) for the prediction of 24-month PFS and OS than the SII or PNI. When the time-dependent AUC curve was used to predict PFS and OS, CONUT tended to maintain its predictive accuracy for long-term prognosis at a significantly higher level for an extended period after chemotherapy when compared with the other markers tested. The CONUT score showed better accuracy of predicting OS (C-index: 0.711) and PFS(C-index: 0.753). Conclusion: CONUT score is an independent prognostic indicator of poor outcomes for patients with stage III-IV NSCLC and is superior to the SII and PNI in terms of prognostic ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Study question: To construct prediction models based on the Bayesian network (BN) learning method for the probability of fertilization failure (including low fertilization rate [LRF] and total fertilization failure [TFF]) in assisted reproductive technology (ART) treatment. Summary answer: A BN model was developed to predict TFF/LFR. The model showed relatively high calibration in external validation, which could facilitate the identification of risk factors for fertilization disorders and improve the efficiency of in vitro fertilization/intracytoplasmic sperm injection (IVF/ICSI) treatment. What is known already: The prediction of TFF/LFR is very complex. Although some studies attempted to construct prediction models for TFF/LRF, most of the reported models were based on limited variables and traditional regression-based models, which are unsuitable for analyzing real-world clinical data. Therefore, none of the reported models have been widely used in routine clinical practice. To date, BN modeling analysis is a prominent and increasingly popular machine learning method that is powerful in dealing with dynamic and complex real-world data. Study design, size, duration: A retrospective study was performed with 106,640 fresh embryo IVF/ICSI cycles from 2009 to 2019 in one of China's largest reproductive health centers. Participants/materials, setting, methods: A total of 106, 640 cycles were included in this study, including 97,102 controls, 4,339 LFR cases, and 5,199 TFF cases. Twenty-four predictors were initially included, including 13 female-related variables, five male-related variables, and six variables related to IVF/ICSI treatment. BN modeling analysis with tenfold cross-validation was performed to construct the predictive model for TFF/LFR. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves and the corresponding area under the curves (AUCs) were used to evaluate the performance of the BN model. Main results and the role of chance: All twenty-four predictors were first organized into seven hierarchical layers in a theoretical BN model, according to prior knowledge from previous literature and clinical practice. A machine-learning BN model was generated based on real-world clinical data, containing a total of eighteen predictors, of which the infertility type, ART method, and number of retrieved oocytes directly influence the probabilities of LFR/TFF. The prediction accuracy of the BN model was 91.7%. The AUC of the TFF versus control groups was 0.779 (95% CI: 0.766-0.791), with a sensitivity of 71.2% and specificity of 70.1%; the AUC of of TFF versus LFR groups was 0.807 (95% CI: 0.790-0.824), with a sensitivity of 49.0% and specificity of 99.0%. Limitations, reason for caution: First, our study was based on clinical data from a single center, and the results of this study should be further verified by external data. In addition, some critical data (e.g., the detailed IVF laboratory parameters of the sperm and oocytes used for insemination) were not available in this study, which should be given full consideration when further improving the performance of the BN model. Wider implications of the findings: Based on extensive clinical real-world data, we developed a BN model to predict the probabilities of fertilization failures in ART, which provides new clues for clinical decision-making support for clinicians in formulating personalized treatment plans and further improving ART treatment outcomes. Study funding/competing interest(s): Dr. Y. Wang was supported by grants from the Beijing Municipal Science & Technology Commission (Z191100006619086). We declare that there are no conflicts of interest. Trial registration number: N/A. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we introduced a novel individual sperm freezing device named SpermCD, which consists of a right angular cryopiece (RA‐Cryopiece, or "C") and a grooved petri dish ("D"). SpermCD allows embryologists to transfer sperm and perform ICSI on the same focal plane. Thirty‐five patients underwent single sperm cryopreservation using SpermCD, including four patients with non‐obstructive azoospermia (NOA), 14 patients with virtual azoospermia and 17 patients with cryptozoospermia. One hundred and twenty‐five cryopreserved spermatozoa from nine patients were thawed on the day of the oocyte retrieval and 121 spermatozoa were found, with a sperm recovery rate of 97.1 ± 4.6%. Sixty‐five MII oocytes from their spouse were injected with thawed sperm. Normal fertilization and high‐quality embryo rates were 68.0% ± 33.2% and 24.4% ± 22.2%. Nineteen transplantable embryos were formed after fertilization with frozen sperm, eight of which were transplanted in five couples, resulting in four successful deliveries. SpermCD is a simple and practical individual sperm freezing device. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron oxide nanoparticles (IONPs) are mostly intended to be administrated intravenously, understanding the interaction of IONPs with vascular endothelial cells is extremely crucial for developing safe application regimes of IONPs. In this work, interactions of three kinds of IONPs to endothelial cells were investigated both in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs) and in healthy mice. Both meso-2,3-dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) coated Fe3O4 NPs (DMSA-Fe3O4 NPs) and DMSA-Fe2O3 NPs induced cell growth inhibition, while polyglucose sorbitol carboxymethyether coated Fe2O3 NPs(PSC-Fe2O3 NPs) did not. The PSC coating inhibited the cellular uptake of the IONPs. Both DMSA-Fe3O4 and DMSA-Fe2O3 NPs induced ferroptosis of HUVEC through upregulating phospholipid peroxides, which could be inhibited by typical ferroptosis inhibitors ferrostatin-1, Trolox and deferoxamine. Moreover, transforming growth factor beta 1 (TGFβ1) was upregulated by DMSA-Fe3O4 NPs at protein and gene level. The inhibitor of TGFβ1 receptor LY210 could reduce the effect. When being intravenously injected in mice, DMSA-Fe3O4 NPs were observed locating in the liver, increased the levels of lipid peroxidation (4-hydroxynonenal), acyl-CoA synthetase long-chain family member 4(ACSL4) and TGFβ1, indicating ferroptosis occurrence in vivo. The ferroptosis of vascular endothelial cells in exposure with IONPs depended on the surface coating and core chemistry of the NPs. Both DMSA-Fe3O4 NPs and DMSA-Fe2O3 NPs could induce the ferroptosis of endothelial cells, while PSC-Fe2O3 NPs did not induce ferroptosis and apoptosis possibly due to the very low cellular uptake. DMSA-Fe3O4 NPs and TGFβ1 formed feedforward loop to induce ferroptosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the macroanalysis of the unbalanced development of the "demand side" and the "supply side" of clinical medicine in China, this paper elucidates the stakeholders, resources, and ecosystem of the strategic scientific and technological capacity-building and calls for a larger coverage, smoother supply chain, and more sustainable ecosystem to ensure the development of clinical medicine. Furthermore, focusing on the establishment and development of clinical reproductive health in China, the authors introduce the strategic scientific and technological capacity-building of reproductive medicine in Peking University Third Hospital, with an attempt to inform similar efforts in other fields and even the whole clinical medicine in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alfosbuvir is a novel potent HCV NS5B polymerase inhibitor in development for the treatment of chronic HCV infection. Our previous studies indicated that alfosbuvir monotherapy was well‐tolerated and druggable in healthy subjects and HCV‐infected patients. Here, we evaluate the efficacy and safety of alfosbuvir in combination with daclatasvir in Chinese patients with HCV genotype 1, 2, 3 or 6. In this open‐label study, patients with chronic HCV infection were randomly assigned with a 1:1:1 ratio to receive 12 weeks of daclatasvir 60 mg plus alfosbuvir at a dose of 400, 600 or 800 mg (Cohort A, B or C) daily. Randomization was stratified by HCV genotype and the presence or absence of cirrhosis at screening. The primary endpoint was a sustained virologic response 12 weeks after the end of treatment (SVR12). A total of 124 patients were enrolled in the study, all of whom were available for post‐treatment week 12 assessments. SVR12 was achieved in 92.7% (38/41), 95.2% (40/42) and 100% (41/41) of patients in Cohort A, B and C respectively. The most common adverse events were hepatic steatosis, upper respiratory tract infection, hypercholesterolaemia, hypertriglyceridaemia, blood bilirubin increased, and total bile acids increased. There were no discontinuations due to adverse events, and no treatment‐related serious adverse events were reported. Once‐daily oral administration of alfosbuvir plus daclatasvir were highly effective and safe in Chinese patients infected with HCV genotype 1, 2, 3 or 6, suggesting this regimen could be a promising drug candidate for HCV treatment irrespective of genotype. (ClinicalTrials.gov number, NCT04070235). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Pradefovir is a liver-targeted prodrug of adefovir, a nucleoside/nucleotide analogue with antiviral activity against hepatitis B virus (HBV) DNA polymerase. This phase 2 study compared the efficacy and safety of oral pradefovir (30, 45, 60, or 75 mg) versus tenofovir disoproxil fumarate (TDF; 300 mg) and aimed to identify the most appropriate dose of pradefovir for the forthcoming phase 3 study. Methods Treatment-naive and experienced (not on treatment >6 months) patients with chronic hepatitis B were eligible. Results A total of 240 participants were randomized and treated in the study (48 per group). Approximately 80% were hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) positive, and 10% had liver cirrhosis. The reductions from baseline in HBV DNA levels achieved at week 24 were 5.40, 5.34, 5.33, and 5.40 log10 IU/mL, with pradefovir doses of 30-, 45-, 60-, and 75-mg, respectively, compared with 5.12 log10 IU/mL with TDF. However, HBeAg loss was attained by more participants who received 45-, 60-, or 75-mg pradefovir than by those receiving TDF (12%, 6%, and 9% vs 3%). The TDF group exhibited a more significant increase in serum creatinine than the pradefovir 30- and 45-mg groups, and serum phosphate levels were comparable among all groups. Most adverse events (AEs) were mild (grade 1). No treatment-related severe AEs were reported. Overall, AEs and laboratory abnormalities were comparable to those in the TDF group. Conclusions Pradefovir and TDF exhibited comparable reductions in HBV DNA levels. All treatments were safe and well tolerated. Clinical Trials registration NCT00230503 and China Drug Trials CTR2018042 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides an overview of assisted reproductive technology (ART) in China. It highlights the rapid development of ART in China over the past 30 years, with over 1 million ART cycles and 300,000 ART babies born annually. The article also discusses the challenges faced by reproductive medicine in China, such as the aging population and increasing infertility rates. It presents several studies conducted in China on topics such as polycystic ovary syndrome, luteal phase deficiency, cervical cancer, chromosome aberrations, and premature ovarian insufficiency. The article concludes by expressing gratitude to the authors, reviewers, and editors for their contributions to reproductive medicine in China. [Extracted from the article]

Myocardial ischemia/reperfusion (MI/R) injury is a common clinical problem after myocardial infarction without effective therapy. Loureirin B (LrB) is a kind of flavonoid with anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic activities. However, the effect of LrB on MI/R and its underlying mechanism remains elusive. In the present study, a mouse model of MI/R was established by coronary artery occlusion. Administration of LrB (0.5 mg/kg or 1 mg/kg) for 4 weeks effectively improved left ventricular (LV) function and reduced myocardial infarction in MI/R mice. MI/R-induced expression of IL-6, TNF-α, and IL-1β in the hearts was reduced by LrB treatment. Histological analysis showed that LrB attenuated myocardial collagen deposition. LrB downregulated fibronectin, collagen I, collagen III, and α-SMA expression. Notably, LrB inhibited the expression of profibrotic plasminogen activator inhibitor-1 (PAI-1), transforming growth factor (TGF)-β1, TGF-β1R, and p-Smad2/3. Consistently, LrB inhibited the activation of TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway and the expression of fibrosis-related proteins in angiotensin (Ang) II-treated cardiac fibroblasts (CFs). Overexpression of PAI-1 abolished the effects of LrB on Ang II-treated CFs, suggesting that LrB may function through regulating PAI-1. These results indicated that LrB may alleviate MI/R-induced myocardial fibrosis by inhibiting PAI-1/TGF-β1/Smad signaling pathway. Thus, LrB may be a potential drug in the treatment of MI/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

External light-independent antitumor PDT is successfully realized with a covalent organic framework (COF)-based host–guest nanosystem. Its highly effective antitumor behavior is fully demonstrated by both H2O2-overexpressed 4T1 and H2O2-less expressed HCT116 and MCF-7 xenograft models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nesting activity of the Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) in its natural habitat is largely undocumented despite its broad geographical distribution across East Asia. Here, we report on female nesting behaviors, egg incubation, and hatchling emergence of P. sinensis on the Yellow River in northwestern China. In this region, the turtle is currently threatened by overharvesting, and successful conservation strategies should include strict monitoring of hunting and trade activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Aim: This single‐arm, open‐label, multicenter, phase 3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of seraprevir, an hepatitis C virus (HCV) nonstructural protein 3/4A (NS3/4A) inhibitor, combined with sofosbuvir for treating Chinese patients with chronic HCV infection without cirrhosis. Methods: Treatment‐naive or interferon‐experienced adult patients without cirrhosis were treated with a universal, combinational regimen of seraprevir 100 mg, twice daily and sofosbuvir 400 mg, once daily, for 12 or 24 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virologic response at week 12 after treatment (SVR12). Results: Overall, 205 patients with genotype 1 HCV infection without cirrhosis were enrolled from 23 sites, 202 of whom completed the full treatment and post‐treatment course and 3 discontinued follow‐up. In total, 27 patients (13.2%) were interferon experienced. SVR12 was achieved by 201 out of 205 (98.0% [95% CI, 95.1%, 99.5%]) patients, 100.0% of patients with genotype 1a, and 98.0% of genotype 1b. In the other exploratory study, SVR 12 was achieved by 100% patients with genotype 2 (n = 21), genotype 3 (n = 7), and genotype 6 (n = 8). The majority of adverse events were mild to moderate and transient and did not require a specific medical intervention. Conclusions: The all‐oral, ribavirin‐free regimen of seraprevir and sofosbuvir is an effective and well‐tolerated treatment option for Chinese patients mono‐infected with HCV, including those with a history of interferon treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since graph learning could preserve the structure information of the samples to improve the learning ability, it has been widely applied in both shallow learning and deep learning. However, the current graph learning methods still suffer from the issues such as outlier influence and model robustness. In this paper, we propose a new dynamic graph neural network (DGCN) method to conduct semi-supervised classification on multi-view data by jointly conducting the graph learning and the classification task in a unified framework. Specifically, our method investigates three strategies to improve the quality of the graph before feeding it into the GCN model: (i) employing robust statistics to consider the sample importance for reducing the outlier influence, i.e. assigning every sample with soft weights so that the important samples are with large weights and outliers are with small or even zero weights; (ii) learning the common representation across all views to improve the quality of the graph for every view; and (iii) learning the complementary information from all initial graphs on multi-view data to further improve the learning of the graph for every view. As a result, each of the strategies could improve the robustness of the DGCN model. Moreover, they are complementary for reducing outlier influence from different aspects, i.e. the sample importance reduces the weights of the outliers, both the common representation and the complementary information improve the quality of the graph for every view. Experimental result on real data sets demonstrates the effectiveness of our method, compared to the comparison methods, in terms of multi-class classification performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Ischaemic preconditioning elicited by brief periods of coronary occlusion and reperfusion protects the heart from a subsequent prolonged ischaemic insult. Here, we test the hypothesis that short‐term non‐ischaemic stimulation of hypertrophy renders the heart resistant to subsequent ischaemic injury. Methods and Results: Transient transverse aortic constriction (TAC) was performed for 3 days in mice and then withdrawn for 4 days by aortic debanding, followed by subsequent exposure to myocardial ischaemia‐reperfusion (I/R) injury. Following I/R injury, myocardial infarct size and apoptosis were significantly decreased, and cardiac dysfunction was markedly improved in the TAC preconditioning group compared with the control group. Mechanistically, TAC preconditioning markedly suppressed I/R‐induced autophagy and preserved autophagic flux by deacetylating SOD2 via a SIRT3‐dependent mechanism. Moreover, treatment with an adenovirus encoding SIRT3 partially mimicked the effects of hypertrophic preconditioning, whereas genetic ablation of SIRT3 in mice blocked the cardioprotective effects of hypertrophic preconditioning. Furthermore, in vivo lentiviral‐mediated knockdown of Beclin 1 in the myocardium ameliorated the I/R‐induced impairment of autophagic flux and was associated with a reduction in cell death, whereas treatment with a lentivirus encoding Beclin 1 abolished the cardioprotective effect of TAC preconditioning. Conclusions: The present study identifies TAC preconditioning as a novel strategy for induction of an endogenous self‐defensive and cardioprotective mechanism against cardiac injury. Specifically, TAC preconditioning reduced myocardial autophagic cell death in a SIRT3/SOD2 pathway‐dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rambutan fruits are glutted on the market during the harvest season. Much of them are wasted as they are highly perishable. To reduce wastage, fermentation coupled with turning could be employed. In this study, rambutan fruits were fermented for 8 days at different turning intervals (no turning, turning at every 24, 48, and 72 hr). The properties of the fermented seed and microbiological profile of the fruit fermentation were determined. The findings showed that turning at every 48 hr is recommended to produce well‐fermented seed with high cut test score (927.5) and fermentation index (1.393). Lactic acid bacteria were found to dominate the microbial community throughout the fermentation, and their maximum count (8.9 log CFU/g seed‐pulp mass) was observed after 24 hr of fermentation. Together with other desirable characteristics, the fermented seed could be transformed into a cocoa powder‐like product by roasting the seed postfermentation, just like a cocoa bean. Novelty impact statement: The present study showed that turning of rambutan fruits at every 48 hr is recommended in order to produce well‐fermented seeds which subsequently could be produced into a cocoa powder‐like product by roasting the seed postfermentation in a manner similar to that of cocoa bean roasting. This is a seminal report that reveals the microbial succession of rambutan fruit fermentation and showed that 8 days of fermentation is required to not only produce well‐fermented seeds but also eliminate the pathogenic microorganisms found in the fruits. These findings could provide new insights to the industries that work on new food product development and have an aim to fully utilize the rambutan fruit, including its seed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A detailed understanding of the spatial ecology and habitat requirements of endangered species is critical for population restoration and conservation. Home ranges and movements of the endangered Chinese softshell turtle (Pelodiscus sinensis) were investigated in the Yellow River, northwestern China, from October 2016 to July 2018. We monitored 9 adult turtles (5 females and 4 males) with radio transmitters. Mean linear range size was 440 ± 161 m SD, mean river channel area was 1.98 ± 0.72 ha SD, the average minimum convex polygon was 1.36 ± 0.65 ha SD, average 95% kernel density estimator measured 0.84 ± 0.51 ha SD, with a core area (50% kernel density estimator) of 0.30 ± 0.20 ha SD. Home range values were not significantly different between the sexes nor were they related to straight-line carapace length or mass. Daily movements of P. sinensis averaged 35 ± 18 m SD for males and 43 ± 18 m SD for females, and there was no significant difference between sexes or significant correlation between movement patterns and body size. However, during the nesting season, there was a significant difference between sexes. Turtle activity was highest in May (average daily movement 59 ± 6 m SD) and lowest in January (0.4 ± 0.6 m SD). Given that P. sinensis individuals have small home ranges and are capable of existing in small rivers, management efforts should protect smaller rivers that may be easily overlooked. Results from this study provide the first assessment of home range requirements for P. sinensis, which may be used in future population modeling efforts and are important for establishing conservation strategies for this vulnerable species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we study (G , χ ϕ) -equivariant ϕ -coordinated quasi modules for nonlocal vertex algebras. Among the main results, we establish several conceptual results, including a generalized commutator formula and a general construction of weak quantum vertex algebras and their (G , χ ϕ) -equivariant ϕ -coordinated quasi modules. As an application, we also construct (equivariant) ϕ -coordinated quasi modules for lattice vertex algebras by using Lepowsky's work on twisted vertex operators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A naphthalimide-based fluorescent probe for relay recognition of Cu2+ and S2− has been designed and synthesized. • The sensor has lower detection limit for Cu2+ and S2−. • Fluorescence behavior in the presence of Cu2+ and S2− could be manufactured to IMPLICATION type logic gate. • Intracellular fluorescence imaging in living cells were developed. A fluorescent chemosensor based on naphthalimide derivative (HL) was prepared and characterized. HL exhibited strong fluorescence emission at 528 nm, which was attributed to naphthalimide moiety, while the addition of Cu2+ almost completely quenched the fluorescence emission. However, with the addition of S2−, the fluorescence at 528 nm reoccurred remarkably. The detection limits for Cu2+ and S2− were measured to be 1.72 × 10−7 M and 2.66 × 10−7 M, respectively. As determined, the fluorescence behavior of HL in the presence of Cu2+ and S2− could be manufactured to IMPLICATION type logic gate. Moreover, confocal fluorescence imaging in HepG2 cells indicated that the HL could act as a useful fluorescent probe for intracellular Cu2+ and S2− detection with negligible cytotoxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The protein shortage for the world's population in the near future has prompted scientists to develop novel methods for the sustainable production of dietary proteins from various alternative sources. In this study, the application of the bioseparation technique known as microwave-assisted three phase partitioning (MATPP) was explored to simultaneously extract and separate proteins from brewer's spent grain (BSG) after fungal fermentation. The results of the study indicated that MATPP (82.2%) recovered twice the amounts of proteins from fermented BSG compared to three phase partitioning (TPP) (41.8%). Besides, no significant differences (p > 0.05) were observed in terms of amino acid composition, protein pattern, and some functional properties between the fermented BSG proteins (FBPs) obtained via TPP and MATPP. Additionally, MATPP was found to increase the antioxidant activities of FBPs. These findings suggest that MATPP holds great potential for industrial-scale protein recovery attributed to its effectiveness, simplicity, and speed. Microwave-assisted three phase partitioning (MATPP) is an emerging bioseparation technique that could simultaneously extract, separate, and partially purify proteins from protein-rich plant materials effectively within a relatively short timeframe. The fact that the microwave used does not significantly alter most of the physicochemical properties of the plant protein hydrolysates certainly supports the adoption of the technique in industry settings. MATPP demonstrates significant potential for industrial-scale utilization due to its efficiency, simplicity and potential cost reduction in production. • TPP and MATPP were employed to extract proteins from BSG after fungal fermentation. • The protein yield doubled by using MATPP compared to TPP. • MATPP- and TPP-extracted protein hydrolysates showed no differences in most properties. • Higher antioxidant activities were exhibited by MATPP-extracted protein hydrolysates. • MATPP shows great promise for implementation in industrial settings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aimed to investigate the effects of different types of enzyme (Pectinex Ultra SP‐L, Celluclast 1.5 L, Fungamyl 800 L, and Termamyl 120 L, Type L) at various concentrations (2.5%–5.5%, vol/wt) and incubation conditions (50–95°C and 0.5–3.5 hr) on pumpkin flesh, and to select the best treatment for the preparation of a suitable base feed for spray drying. Using Pectinex at various concentrations was able to prepare fully macerated pumpkin but using Celluclast, Fungamyl, Termamyl, Pectinex‐Celluclast, and Pectinex‐Fungamyl did not produce pumpkin puree as well macerated as that of using Pectinex. Besides, different concentrations of Pectinex at various incubation times could produce macerated pumpkins with no significant differences (p >.05) on color, viscosity, and total sugars. Thus, these findings together with the economic reasons, using 2.5% of Pectinex and incubating the pumpkin‐Pectinex mixture at 50°C for 2.5 hr could produce a suitable base feed for spray drying. Practical Applications: In order to preserve the nutrients, taste and color of the highly perishable pumpkin, spray drying can be employed. However, to spray dry pumpkin flesh, the knowledge on the production of a suitable base feed for spray drying is needed as the feed characteristics have a great influence on the yield and properties of the resultant spray‐dried powder. In this study, four commercial enzymes (Pectinex Ultra SP‐L, Celluclast 1.5 L, Fungamyl 800 L, and Termamyl 120 L, Type L) were used to macerate or liquefy pumpkin flesh. Regardless of incubation conditions and enzyme concentrations used, Pectinex could produce pumpkin purees with no significant difference on the color, viscosity, and total sugar content. The informative data provide supporting evidence for the preparation of a suitable base feed for spray drying from pumpkin flesh using Pectinex. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aim: An affordable, pangenotypic regimen remains as an unmet medical need for chronic hepatitis C patients in China. This single‐arm, open‐label, multicenter, phase 3 trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of coblopasvir, a pangenotypic non‐structural protein 5A (NS5A) inhibitor, combined with sofosbuvir for treating Chinese patients with chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. Methods: Treatment‐naïve and interferon‐experienced adult patients, including those with advanced fibrosis (F3) or compensated cirrhosis (F4), were treated with a universal, combinational regimen of coblopasvir 60 mg and sofosbuvir 400 mg, once daily, for 12 weeks. The primary efficacy endpoint was sustained virological response at post‐treatment week 12 (SVR12). Results: Overall, 371 patients (men, 51%; age, 47 ± 11 years; genotype 1a < 1%, 1b 48%, 2a 26%, 3a 6%, 3b 7% and 6 12%) were enrolled from 19 sites. Fifty‐one patients (14%) had F3, 39 patients (11%) had F4 and 39 patients (11%) were interferon experienced. The overall SVR12 was 97% (95% CI, [94%, 98%]) for the full analysis set and was equal to or above 90% for all predefined subsets. Ten patients (3%) experienced virological relapse and two patients did not complete follow‐up. No adverse events (AEs) occurred at a frequency ≥5%, and the most often reported AEs (≥1%) were neutropenia and fatigue. The majority of AEs were mild to moderate and transient without specific medical intervention. Conclusions: The universal, pangenotypic combo of coblopasvir plus sofosbuvir is an efficacious and safe treatment for Chinese patients monoinfected with HCV of genotype 1, 2, 3 and 6, including those with compensated cirrhosis. Lay summary: The regimen of coblopasvir and sofosbuvir is a safe and effective treatment for Chinese patients with genotype 1, 2, 3 and 6 HCV infection, including those with compensated cirrhosis. Therefore, this regimen would be a novel choice of treatment for this patient population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to produce an oleic acid‐rich table margarine from Moringa oleifera seed oil (MoO)‐palm stearin (PS) blend (70:30, w/w) and compare its composition, thermal behavior, and textural properties during storage with those of commercial margarines (CM1 and CM2). The major fatty acid in MoO/PS blend, CM1 and CM2 is oleic acid (67.85%, 38.54%, and 35.35%, respectively). Hence, many of their triacylglycerols are derived from the acid. MoO/PS blend has a higher complete melting temperature (43.50 °C) compared to CM1 (35.50 °C) and CM2 (35.53 °C). The solid fat content (SFC) of MoO/PS blend at 10 °C (28.7%) is lower than CM1 (32%) and CM2 (68.4%). However, the MoO/PS blend has a higher SFC (6.47%) at 35 °C compared to CMs. At 20 °C, the viscosity of experimental blend margarine (EBM) decreases but CM1 and CM2 increase at the end of the storage study. After 8 weeks of storage, all margarines are harder and CM2 is the hardest. The adhesiveness of EMB and CM2 is similar to the fresh samples while CM1 is more adhesive after storage. In short, it is possible to produce an oleic acid‐enriched margarine from MoO/PS blend that has better textural properties. Practical Applications: Moringa oleifera seed oil is one of the superior oils that contains high levels of oleic acid. However, its high iodine value and low melting point limit its application in the production of margarine. This study shows that direct blending of M. oleifera seed oil with palm stearin could produce margarine with high oleic acid contents and better textural properties in terms of viscosity, hardness, and adhesiveness. The informative data provide supporting evidence for blending of M. oleifera seed oil with palm stearin to produce margarine that could overcome the issues that hinder the M. oleifera seed oil from being produced into margarine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

At present, there is less software related to sport technical behavior recognition, and there are few studies on the classification and identification of detailed actions. By introducing computer technology to analyze the efficiency and regularity of sports, not only the characteristics of athletes can be excavated, but also the visibility and dynamic tracking of sport training can be provided. The process of sports education is a fast and complex systematic process. Through the interactive system of physical education, we can use different methods to collect sports data and make a comparative analysis of athletes' movements. Through the data mining of the relationship between athletes' physiological indexes and sports load, the unreasonable link in sports training can be avoided. Also, in sports training, we can use computer vision and modern biomechanics to construct a virtual sports education situation. With the classification accuracy as the fitness function, this paper collects the data through the network database, and returns the corresponding sport training parameters on this basis. The results showed that the accuracy of the model was nearly 98%, which met the actual demand. Therefore, the development of sports education assistant system can provide strong support for the process control of sports training and education. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the main channel of human-computer communication, multimedia education technology can realize the virtualization of education and multi-dimensional information. In this paper, the authors design a human-computer interactive English experience teaching based on fuzzy set and BP neural network. With the development of intelligent education, the improvement of English teaching quality is particularly important, especially the effectiveness of classroom teaching. The construction of interactive education system has changed the traditional classroom teaching mode and made it possible for individual autonomous learning. This English teaching system is an E-learning platform based on network updating. The E-learning system has the following advantages: (1) E-learning media is easy to update, can provide more teaching content, and provide convenience for teaching. (2) E-learning interaction can stimulate learning interest; (3) E-learning is rich in educational materials and easy to set teaching objectives. (4) Using E-learning's human-computer interaction function, we can strengthen the supervision of education and teaching process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The present study investigated the effect of turning intervals on the composition and thermal behavior of rambutan seed fat and anti-nutrient content of the seed during rambutan fruit fermentation. Peeled rambutan fruits were subjected to eight days of fermentation at different turning intervals (no turning, turning at every 24, 48 and 72 h). Results showed that increase of turning frequency did not affect the characteristics of the seed fat, but the contents of tannin and saponin of the seeds reduced significantly (p < 0.05) by 8–36% and 4–37%, respectively. Regardless of turning intervals, after eight days of fermentation, the seeds contained about 32 g/100 g of crude fat with oleic (41.02–42.38%) and linoleic (27.91–33.10%) acids being the major fatty acids. Five unknown TAGs were found in the fermented seed fat and they constituted about 90.67–91.32% to the total of TAG. Results also showed that the seed fat without turning during fermentation had higher crystallization onset and complete crystallization temperatures compared to that of seed fat with turning. In short, turning brought about beneficial effects to the seeds by reducing its anti-nutrient content and subsequently, the fat from the fermented seeds could be used as a cocoa butter extender. Highlights • Turning was applied during rambutan fruit fermentation. • Turning did not affect the fat composition of fermented rambutan seed. • Turning had an impact on the crystallization temperatures of the seed fat. • Turning significantly reduced the contents of saponin and tannin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The fat properties and antinutrient content of fermented rambutan seed were studied. • Fermentation selectively reduced the content of C20:0 fatty acid. • Only 14.5% of triacylglycerol was remained after 10 days of fermentation. • Fermentation significantly decreased the contents of saponin and tannin. • The fermented seed fat can be used as a cocoa butter extender. Abstract Rambutan seed is usually discarded during fruit processing. However, the seed contains a considerable amount of crude fat. Hence, the objective of this study was to investigate the fat properties and antinutrient content of the seed during fermentation of rambutan fruit. Results showed that the crude fat content of the seed reduced by 22% while its free fatty acid content increased by 4.3 folds after 10 days of fermentation. Arachidic acid was selectively reduced and was replaced by linoleic acid from the seventh day of fermentation onwards. Only 14.5% of triacylglycerol remained in the seed fat at the end of fermentation. The complete melting temperature, crystallization onset temperature and solid fat index at 37 °C of the fermented seed fat were higher than that of non-fermented seed fat. The saponin and tannin contents of the seed were reduced by 67% and 47%, respectively, after fermentation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • An approach was applied to transform rambutan seeds into a cocoa powder-like product. • Rambutan fruits were fermented, dried and roasted before the seeds were powderized. • Different roasting conditions affected the physicochemical properties of the powder. • The roasted seed powder possessed color and aroma similar to that of cocoa powder. • The roasted seed powder was non-toxic as shown by the brine shrimp lethality assay. Abstract A novel way to fully utilize rambutan fruit and seed is to ferment peeled fruits followed by drying and roasting, and use the seeds to produce seed powder similar to that of cocoa powder. Hence, the objective of this study was to optimize the roasting time and temperature of rambutan fruit post-fermentation and drying, and to produce a cocoa-like powder product from the seeds. Parameters monitored during roasting were colour and total phenolic content, while seed powder obtained using optimized roasting conditions was analyzed for its physicochemical properties and toxicity. The latter was examined using the brine shrimp lethality assay. Results showed that the roasted seed powder possessed colour and key volatile compounds similar to that of cocoa powder. Besides, the brine shrimp lethality assay indicated that the roasted seed powder was non-toxic. Thus, the fruit, including its seed could be fully utilized and subsequently, wastage could be reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Hypoxia promoted the expression of RMRP in H9c2 cells. • Upregulation of RMRP aggravated hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells. • RMRP negatively regulated the expression of miR-206. • miR-206 negatively regulated ATG3 expression and ATG3 was a target of miR-206. • RMRP activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in hypoxia-treated H9c2 cells. Abstract Objective Coronary heart disease is a common cause of death and disability worldwide and mainly results from myocardial ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. This study aimed to elucidate the roles and possible mechanism of long noncoding RNA Component Of Mitochondrial RNA Processing Endoribonuclease (RMRP) in protecting against ischemic myocardial injury. Material and methods The H9c2 cardiomyocytes were cultured under hypoxia condition to induce myocardial injury. The RMRP expression under hypoxia condition was determined, followed by investigation of the effects of RMRP dysregulation on hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells. In addition, the regulatory relationship between RMRP and miR-206 was detected, and the potential target of miR-206 was identified. Besides, the association of RMRP and activation of PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling pathway was explored. Furthermore, an in vivo rat model of myocardial I/R injury was established by subjection to 60 min ischemia and subsequently 24 h reperfusion for validation of the role of RMRP in regulating myocardial I/R injury in vivo. Results The results showed that overexpression of RMRP aggravated hypoxia-induced injury in H9c2 cells. Moreover, miR-206 was negatively regulated by RMRP and overexpression of RMRP aggravated hypoxia injury by downregulation of miR-206. Furthermore, ATG3 was a target of miR-206, and he effects of miR-206 on hypoxia injury were through targeting ATG3. Besides, overexpression of RMRP activated PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway in hypoxia-treated H9c2 cells, which were reversed by miR-206 overexpression at the same time. Furthermore, in an in vivo rat model of myocardial I/R injury, suppression of RMPR improved cardiac function and inhibited apoptosis after myocardial I/R injury. Conclusions Our findings reveal that upregulation of RMRP may aggravate myocardial I/R injury possible by downregulation of miR-206 and subsequently upregulation of ATG3. Activation of PI3K/Akt/mTOR pathway may be a key downstream mechanism mediating the cardioprotection of RMPR/miR-206/ATG3 axis against myocardial I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface charge accumulation on polymers can reduce the insulation performance of the materials and even cause surface flashover. The characteristics of surface charge accumulation and dissipation for epoxy resin (EP) exposed to various nanosecond pulse voltage parameters (i.e. pulse rise time, pulse width and voltage amplitude) are investigated. The results show that the fractional decay of surface charge increases with pulse rise time and decreases with pulse width and voltage amplitude. However, abnormal dissipation phenomenon appears when the pulse voltage reaches 9 kV. Analysis suggests that the abnormal dissipation phenomenon can be attributed to surface charge transport primarily along the surface. Furthermore, the surface charge fractional decay is less than 30% for a dissipation time of 30 min under different nanosecond pulse voltage parameters. In addition, the method of atmospheric pressure plasma jet (APPJ) is utilized to deposit SiCxHyOz thin film on the surface of epoxy resin (EP) samples. It is found that the fractional decay of surface charge for treated EP samples is promoted approximately by an average of 90%. The trap density distribution indicates that the shallow traps that are formed by APPJ treatment result in a decrease in the trap energy level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Both of DBD plasma deposition and direct fluorination can suppress the surface charge accumulation and increase the vacuum flashover withstanding voltage. • Due to the introduction of shallow traps and polar hydrophilic groups in the reaction process of the DBD plasma deposition and oxyfluorination, the surface conductivity and the decay rate of surface charges are increased. • The degradation of the surface modification effect is attributed to the unstable polar hydrophilic groups. Abstract Polystyrene (PS) as an industrialized insulating material is widely used in the pulsed power system, due to the good mechanical and electrical properties. However, the surface flashover of dielectric material limits the development of pulse power technology seriously. It is believed that the surface charge dynamics are related to the surface flashover closely. Therefore, in this paper, several surface modifications including plasma deposition assisted by dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) and direct fluorination (with/without O 2) are utilized to enhance the surface electrical properties of PS. The surface charge dynamics characteristics before and after surface modifications are investigated. The experimental results show the decays of surface charges for DBD plasma deposition and oxyfluorination become faster significantly. The surface potential of PS after DBD plasma deposition and oxyfluorination decreases to around 0 V over 100 s. The FTIR spectra indicates that a large amount of polar hydrophilic groups are introduced on the surface of PS samples by DBD plasma deposition and oxyfluorination, which are conducive to the dissipation of surface charges. The decay rate of surface charge after fluorination treatment without O 2 is also increased, which is associated with C F and COOH groups in the fluorination layer. Due to the rapid reduction of accumulated charges, the flashover voltage of all modified samples are increased by more than 30%. Furthermore, the stability of surface modification layer is compared. It is found that the stability of fluorination is better than oxyfluorination and DBD plasma deposition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Surface charge accumulation of polymer insulating materials is harmful to the safe operation of electrical equipment, especially under DC electric field excitation. In order to ensure the safety and stable operation of HVDC power system such as Gas-insulated transmission line, it is necessary to understand the influence of the surface charge on the flashover and improve the surface charge dynamic characteristics. In this paper, Epoxy resin (EP) is deposited by SiOx thin films with different plasma treatment conditions. The flashover voltages are measured with and without surface charges. The results show that the flashover occurs at lower voltage due to the accumulated charges on the EP surface. In particular, the surface charge with the same polarity of flashover discharge can reduce the surface flashover voltage significantly. Moreover, the charge decay rate is increased up to 90% by plasma treatment of 3 min, corresponding flashover voltage is increased. In addition, the flashover voltages of samples during the surface charge dissipation are obtained. Both static impact index I and dynamic impact index S are introduced to estimate effect of surface charge on dielectric surface flashover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic cognitive dysfunction has gained widespread attention for its deleterious impact on individuals with diabetes. However, few clinical interventions are available to prevent the disorder. The glucagon-like peptide-1 analog liraglutide exerts neuroprotective effects in several models of neurodegenerative diseases. We investigated the effect of liraglutide pretreatment on diabetes-induced cognitive decline and explored the underlying mechanisms in vivo and in vitro . Liraglutide pretreatment prevented diabetes-induced cognitive impairment as assessed by the Morris Water Maze test, and alleviated neuronal injuries and ultrastructural damage to synapses in the hippocampal CA1 region. Furthermore, liraglutide promoted autophagy as indicated by enhanced expression of the autophagy markers Microtubule-associated protein 1 light chain 3 (LC3)-II and Beclin 1, decreased expression of p62, and increased formation of autophagic vacuoles and LC3-II aggregates. In vitro , liraglutide treatment elevated phosphorylated (p)-AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) levels and reduced p-mammalian target of rapamycin (p-mTOR) expression. Additionally, the AMPK inhibitor Compound C exhibited an inhibitory effect on liraglutide-induced increased LC3-II expression and p62 degradation. Liraglutide exhibits neuroprotective effects against diabetes-induced hippocampal neuronal injuries and cognitive impairment by promoting autophagy via the AMPK/mTOR pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rambutan seed is discarded during fruit processing. However, the seed contains a considerable amount of crude fat. Hence, the objective of this study was to determine two anti-nutritional constituents, namely saponin and tannin, and to characterize the fat of the seeds of 11 varieties of rambutan fruit. Results showed that the range of crude fat content is fairly narrow (36.13-39.13 g/100 g dried seeds). The iodine value and free fatty acid content of the fat were 38.50-50.61 g I2/100 g fat and 0.99-2.18% as oleic acid, respectively. Oleic (33.35-46.64%) and arachidic (26.03-33.27%) acids were the main fatty acids in the fat. HPLC analysis showed that the fat comprised mainly five unknown triacylglycerols (83.94-95.33%). The melting and crystallization curves showed that the fat exhibited four to nine non-distinct peaks. The complete melting and crystallization onset temperatures of the fat were 24.8-50.6°C and 24.1-39.4°C, respectively, while the melting and crystallization enthalpies of the fat ranged from 71.2 to 141.7 J/g and from 60.4 to 88.9 J/g, respectively. At 0°C, the solid fat index of the fat ranged between 87.4% and 91.6% and the fats of some varieties melted completely at human body temperature. The saponin and tannin contents of the seed were 14.27-18.96 mg soya saponin/100 g and 4.40-26.68 mg catechin equivalent/100 g, respectively. Findings showed that rambutan seed fat has potential to be used in various sectors of food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Vacuum interrupter has a composite insulation system. When an internal insulation fails, the discharge has complex and various patterns. Previously, based on the discharge development characteristics, we proposed a discrimination method for the discharge pattern in vacuum interrupter. We measured the applied voltage, anode current, and shield potential waveforms, respectively. From the analysis of the measured waveforms, we can estimate the discharge patterns and discharge path lengths. In this paper, a non-contact shield potential measurement was proposed when the shield potential cannot be measured directly. Furthermore, verification tests with this measurement method were conducted and the effectiveness of the discrimination method was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

SUMMARY In order to develop higher-voltage vacuum circuit breakers (VCBs), the investigation of discharge phenomenon in vacuum is necessary. In vacuum interrupters (VIs) with composite insulation systems, the discharge has complex and various patterns at the internal insulation failures. In this paper, based on the discharge development characteristics, we propose a discrimination method for the discharge pattern in vacuum. We measured the applied voltage, anode current, and shield potential waveforms, respectively. From the feature of the measured waveforms, we classified the discharge patterns. Furthermore, based on the relation between discharge development time and discharge path length, we estimated the discharge patterns and discharge path lengths. In addition, we conducted a verification experiment of the discrimination method using a VI model. Experimental results revealed that the estimated discharge patterns and discharge path lengths were consistent with the observed discharge ones and the effectiveness of the discrimination method was confirmed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the present study, we explored the effects of seven light treatments (white, violet, blue, cyan, green, yellow, and red) on juvenile Sinonovacula constricta (length, 693.79 ± 82.91 μm), employing dark treatment as a control. A rearing experiment was conducted for one week in which the feeding rate was examined daily, e.g., one, two and three h after feeding. At the conclusion of the experiment, overall growth was calculated, and enzymatic activity related to digestion, superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase pertaining to antioxidant biomarkers, as well as expression levels of genes related to antioxidation and stress response, were examined. The results showed that the highest growth rates were observed in the yellow light group, while the lowest growth rates were found in the violet and blue light groups; on the other hand, no significant differences were found among the other groups. Meanwhile, when exposed to white, yellow, or green light, juveniles exhibited high feeding rates, while those in the violet and blue light groups showed low feeding rates. Regarding enzymatic activity related to digestion, those of α -amylase, lipase, pepsin, and trypsin were relatively higher in the yellow light group than in the other groups. Regarding oxidative stress, the yellow light group showed higher superoxide dismutase, catalase, and glutathione peroxidase activities than the other groups. In contrast, the lowest malonaldehyde level was found in the white light group, followed by yellow light, while there were no significant differences among the other groups. In addition, the expression levels of genes related to antioxidation and stress response (heat shock protein 70 and glucose-regulated protein 78) in juveniles generally exhibited higher levels in the red light group, whereas they showed relatively lower levels in the yellow light group. Collectively, these results suggest that the application of yellow light may facilitate the growth of juvenile S. constricta , while red and violet light have opposite effects. • Light spectrum differently influenced the growth of juvenile S. constricta. • Yellow light facilitated the growth of juvenile S. constricta. • Yellow light induced less stress to S. constricta. • Red and violet lights impaired the growth of juvenile S. constricta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sinonovacula constricta is an important bivalve with strong photosensitivity and a robust circadian rhythm. To elucidate the light entrainment of the molecular circadian clock in this species, this study identified the clock genes, characterized their tissue distribution, and investigated their transcriptional variations under different light regimes: LD (12 h light/12 h dark cycle), LL (continuous light), and DD (continuous dark). The results showed that the S. constricta clock system consists of seven genes [ Circadian locomotor output cycles kaput (ScClock), Brain and muscle ARNT-like protein (ScBmal), Cryptochrome (ScCry1 and 2), Period (ScPer), and Timeless (ScTimeless1 and 2)] that are closely related to their orthologs in marine mollusks and contained corresponding conserved functional regions, indicating the conserved evolution of the circadian clock among organisms. These genes were expressed in all tissues, with high expression in the labial palps and hepatopancreas, suggesting a complex peripheral biological clock in S. constricta and the critical role of these two tissues in circadian functions. When exposed to different light regimes in labial palps, genes from the positive loop (ScClock and ScBmal) displayed a daily/circadian rhythm under both LD and DD and their acrophases were shifted by 5–7 h, whereas genes from the negative loop displayed daily rhythms (ScCry1 and ScPer) under LD and circadian rhythms (ScCry2 and ScTimeless2) under DD. However, only one gene (ScTimeless2) displayed a circadian rhythm under LL conditions. These results suggest that the S. constricta circadian system may be regulated by different clock genes to adapt to various light environments. Although similar phenomena were observed in the hepatopancreas, markedly different clock gene expression patterns occurred between the two tissues, indicating a tissue-specific regulated circadian system. Collectively, this study reveals how the circadian oscillators of S. constricta respond to light and may promote light environment optimization in the S. constricta farming industry. • The molecular circadian clock was conserved in S. constricta. • A peripheral and tissue-specific clock might exist in S. constricta. • The S. constricta circadian clock was synchronized by photoperiod. • A functional clock exists in S. constricta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cancer is a leading fatal disease worldwide. To increase its therapeutic efficiency, more effective with less side effect and patient acceptable administration approach is expected. Moreover, modification of tumor microenvironment is proved to be operative recently. In this paper, a nanocarrier named LDEDDS was developed for intelligent tropical administration of skin cancer, along with removal of hydrophobic cancerous secretion to change tumor microenvironment. It was made by coating of amphipathic polymer P(BA- co -HBA) on docetaxel (TXT, a model hydrophobic anticancer drug) loaded Fe 3 O 4 @ZnO. Results showed that an optimal loading rate of TXT in Fe 3 O 4 @ZnO was 89.75 ± 0.15%, corresponding to loading capacity of 17.95 ± 2.97% when the mass ratio of Fe 3 O 4 @ZnO to TXT was 1:20. The LDEDDS had a narrow distribution size of 115.8 nm in average and was superparamagnetic. Without UV radiation, it had low TXT release (< 7% in 48 h) and cytotoxicity (< 14% in 96 h) to both the normal and carcinoma skin cells. While under a UV with a dose much lower than physiological dose of normal sunlight, LDEDDS released around 60% and 90% of TXT in 1 and 48 h. 1 h UV treated LDEDDS removed up to 62% of cancer secreted epidermal growth factor (EGF), a model hydrophobic secretion in 96 h. Consequently, 1 h UV treated LDEDDS inhibited up to 60% of the growth of skin cancer cells in 96 h, overriding those effects of the same concentration of TXT in in vitro cellular experiments. This is the first study to change tumor microenvironment by removal of cancerous secretion and is proved to be effective. Along with the superparamagnetic property, which provides potential for concentrating, increasing penetration and internalization into cancerated cells as well as removing from body under an external magnetic field, we predict LDEDDS will have potential applications in clinic skin cancer therapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the modern power system, current source converted high‐voltage direct current (CSC‐HVDC) system is playing an increasingly important role due to the advantages such as flexible control, asynchronous interconnection, and long distance transmission. However, the conventional differential current protection has exposed the shortages in operation speed and fault identification. This study proposes a novel differential current protection scheme, which is composed of the differential current unit and blocking unit. Both of them are designed based on the differences in the newly defined differential current between the internal fault and external fault. A ± 800 kV UHVDC simulation system is established to verify the performance of the proposed protection. Simulation test results show that the proposed protection can accurately distinguish the internal fault from external fault in the whole fault period. The identification performance is not influenced by the fault location or fault resistance. Besides, the requirement of sampling rate is low and the calculation amount can be negligible, providing a favourable condition for the proposed protection scheme to be implemented into the real HVDC control and protection system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The association between circulating betatrophin levels and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is controversial. The aim of our study was to systematically review available literature linking betatrophin to GDM for a comprehensive understanding of the relationship between circulating betatrophin levels and GDM in human. Methods: PubMed, The Cochrane Library, Medline and CNKI were searched for studies published up to August 2016. Manual searches of references of the relevant original studies were conducted. Pooled estimates were measured using the fixed or random effect model. Overall effect was reported in a standard mean difference (SMD). All data were analyzed with Review Manager 5.3 and Stata 12.0. Results: Of 25 references reviewed, 8 studies met our inclusion criteria and contributed to meta-analysis. All the studies were used to evaluate the relationship between betatrophin levels in blood and GDM. Betatrophin levels were significantly elevated in women with GDM compared with those without GDM (SMD = 1.05; 95% CI: 0.41–1.68, P = 0.001). This evidence was more consistent among women with betatrophin blood draw during the third trimester (SMD = 1.3, 95% CI: 1–1.61, P < 0.001) and for women BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 (SMD = 1.53, 95% CI: 1.30–1.75, P < 0.001). Conclusions: The evidences from this meta-analysis indicated that the levels of circulating betatrophin were significantly elevated among women with GDM compared with women with normal glucose tolerance, especially with BMI ≥ 28 kg/m2 and in the third trimester. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

S100A7 is expressed in many squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs). Our previous study revealed that S100A7 was dramatically induced in several SCC cells and activation of the Hippo pathway significantly promoted S100A7 in epidermoid carcinoma cells. However, whether the Hippo pathway regulates S100A7 expression in SCCs remains largely unknown. Here, we uncover that S100A7 induction by the Hippo-YAP pathway displays different characteristic in cervical and glossopharyngeal SCC. In well differentiated HCC94 cervical cells and FaDu pharyngeal cells, S100A7 is easily induced by both suspension and dense culture, which is accompanied by an increase in YAP phosphorylation and a decrease in nuclear YAP. Strikingly, these correlations of S100A7 and YAP reverse after recovery of cell attachment or relief from dense culture. Further examination finds that S100A7 induction is significantly repressed by nuclear YAP, which is validated by activation or inhibition of the Hippo pathway via loss- and/or gain-of- LATS1 and MST1 function. Subsequently, we prove that TEAD1 is required for YAP transcriptional repression of S100A7. However, S100A7 is hardly induced in poorly differentiated SiHa cervical cells and NCI-H226 pulmonary cells even in suspension or activation of the Hippo pathway. More importantly, cervical and lingual SCC tissues array analyses show that S100A7 expression displays the positive correlation with pYAP-S127 and the negative correlation with nuclear YAP in the majority of well differentiated but not in poorly differentiated tissues. Collectively, our findings demonstrate that the different induction of S100A7 toward activation of the Hippo pathway mainly depends on the degree of cell differentiation in cervical and glossopharyngeal SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The UHVDC transmission system has been increasingly used because of the advantages in long distance and large capacity transmission. However, the existing traveling-wave-based protection for UHVDC transmission lines is not sensitive enough to properly detect the internal fault with high fault resistance. A novel traveling-wave-based protection scheme for bipolar UHVDC lines is proposed in this paper. The discriminative characteristic between the internal and external fault, embodied in the backward traveling wave, is extracted to formulate the main protection criterion. The faulty line is identified by the polarity of the voltage fault component. In addition, only the single-pole voltage and current of rectifier side are required for the proposed protection scheme. The simulation and field data tests show that the proposed protection scheme can make a correct identification of the fault section and selection of the faulty line in the $\pm $ 800 kV UHVDC system and $\pm $500 kV HVDC system. Besides, the proposed protection can correctly detect the grounding fault with fault resistance up to 500 $\Omega $. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

A chemical kinetic model is developed to study the decomposition of tetraethoxysilane (TEOS) in O2/Ar atmospheric pressure dielectric barrier discharge and compared with gas chromatography and optical emission spectroscopy results. The calculations indicate that the excited Ar dominates the fragmentation of TEOS in the absence of oxygen and mainly breaks the carbon–carbon bonds in TEOS. However, in the presence of oxygen, the primary decomposition process of TEOS is the substitution of ethoxy (–OC2H5) by hydroxyl (–OH). The variation of these two reactions with oxygen composition could explain the transition of the deposition layer from organic to norganic. The model and its results provide a theoretical basis for further modeling and regulating the quality of the deposition layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This is a paper in a series systematically to study toroidal vertex algebras and their (twisted) modules. Previously, a theory of toroidal vertex algebras and modules was developed and toroidal vertex algebras were explicitly associated to toroidal Lie algebras. In this paper, we study twisted modules for toroidal vertex algebras. More specifically, we introduce a notion of twisted module for a general toroidal vertex algebra with a finite order automorphism and we give a general construction of toroidal vertex algebras and twisted modules. We then use this construction to establish a natural association of toroidal vertex algebras and twisted modules to twisted toroidal Lie algebras. This together with some other known results implies that most of the extended affine Lie algebras can be associated to toroidal vertex algebras. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the development of vacuum interrupters for their higher voltage application in power transmission systems, it is necessary to clarify the discharge characteristics of composite insulation systems with a shield (floating electrode) and a solid insulator in vacuum. In this paper, we focus on the composite discharge patterns via the shield and the solid insulator. For cathode-shield-insulator-anode (c-s-i-a) and cathode-insulator-shield-anode (c-i-s-a) electrode configurations, the discharge can be classified into two independent processes: breakdown in vacuum gap and surface flashover on the solid insulator. Furthermore, we have found that the breakdown development time increases with the increase in the gap length and the surface flashover development time depends on the voltage peak after flashover inception, which are consistent with discharge development characteristics for individual gap breakdown and surface flashover, respectively. These results are significant to understanding and discriminating the composite discharge patterns and discharge path in vacuum interrupters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]