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Key message: Salt tolerance, selenium accumulation and expression of the responsive genes were analyzed in the wheat high selenium mutants. Selenium is an essential trace element for the human body, and its deficiency can lead to various diseases such as Keshan disease and large bone disease. Wheat, being a major staple crop, plays a crucial role in providing dietary selenium supplementation to combat this deficiency. Despite progress in understanding the molecular regulation of selenium accumulation in certain crops, the molecular mechanisms governing selenium accumulation-related gene expression in wheat plants remain poorly understood. In this study, three mutant wheat lines with elevated selenium content were identified. Under the treatment of Na2SeO3 or NaCl, the selenium-rich wheat mutants exhibited decreased sensitivity to both selenium and NaCl compared to the wild type. Additionally, there was an increase in the activities of SOD and POD, while the content of MDA decreased. Through qRT-PCR analysis, the expression of selenium-related genes was affected, revealing that some of these genes not only regulate the response of wheat to salt stress, but also play a role in the process of selenium accumulation. The transcriptome results revealed that the important genes encoding glutathione S-transferases, peroxidases, superoxide dismutases, and UDP-glucosyltransferases may function in the regulation of salt tolerance and selenium accumulation in wheat. These findings significantly contribute to the current understanding of the molecular regulation of selenium accumulation in wheat crops, while also offering novel germplasm resources for cultivating selenium-rich and salt-tolerant wheat lines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To determine the pharmacokinetics (PK), safety, and bioequivalence profiles of 0.5‐g calcium dobesilate capsules in both fasting and fed states for the test drug and reference drug. A randomized‐sequence, single‐dose, open‐label, 2‐period crossover study was conducted in fasted and fed healthy Chinese volunteers (Chinese Clinical Trials Registry identifier: CTR202000268‐01). The fasting and fed studies, both involving 24 subjects, were conducted. A single dosage of either the reference or the test preparation was given to each eligible subject in a 1:1 ratio, followed by a 7‐day rest interval before the administration of the alternative formulation. After taking the capsules, plasma samples were taken for 48 hours, and using liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry, the calcium dobesilate level was determined. The PK parameters evaluated in the study included the maximum serum concentration (Cmax), area under the plasma concentration‐time curve (AUC) from time 0 to the last quantifiable concentration, AUC from time 0 to infinity, half‐life, time to Cmax, and terminal elimination rate constant. In addition, the safety evaluation encompassed monitoring fluctuations in vitals (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure) and laboratory tests (urinalysis, hepatic function, blood biochemistry, and hematology), as well as recording the emergence of adverse events (AEs). The geometric mean ratio (GMR) of the test/reference medications was used to assess bioequivalence by determining if the 90% confidence intervals of the GMR fell within the predefined range of 80%‐125%. AEs were assessed as safety end points. The study included 48 healthy Chinese volunteers (with n = 24 each for the fasting and the fed conditions), and no subjects dropped out for any reason. The differences in the PK metrics for the test and reference drugs for both conditions were insignificant (P >.05). For bioequivalence, irrespective of whether the food was consumed or not, the range of the 90% confidence intervals of the GMR for Cmax, AUC from time 0 to the last quantifiable concentration, and AUC from time 0 to infinity was between 80% and 125%. In the experiment, no serious AEs were recorded. Our findings revealed that the calcium dobesilate capsules used as the reference and the test drugs were both bioequivalent. Irrespective of whether the healthy Chinese volunteers consumed food or not, the PK and safety profiles were comparable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to compare the blood concentration and pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters of 2 formulations under fasting and ed conditions in healthy Chinese volunteers and to evaluate whether the 2 preparations were bioequivalent. This trial screened 170 subjects. Thirteen subjects were assigned to the fasting trial and 18 subjects to the fed trial; 1 subject in the fed trial group was automatically withdrawn for personal reasons. Two cycles had a 14‐day washout period. This clinical study was a bioequivalence study, with PK parameters as end point indicators. The bioequivalence PK parameters were the maximal concentration (Cmax), area under the blood drug concentration‐time curve from 0 to 72 hours (AUC0‐72 h), and the time to peak plasma concentration (tmax) which were determined in human plasma by the liquid chromatography‐tandem mass spectrometry method, and nonatrioventricular model analysis was used to determine Cmax, AUC0‐72 h, tmax, and other PK parameters. The incidence of adverse events was calculated on the basis of System Organ Classification and Preferred Terms. The results showed that the amlodipine besylate tablets met the equivalence range requirements of bioequivalence in the guidelines for human bioavailability and bioequivalence testing under fasting and fed conditions, compared to the fasting test; the tmax of the fed test was almost unchanged; and the Cmax and AUC0‐72 h showed no difference between fasting and fed conditions. It was confirmed that both formulations were well tolerated, and no new safety signals were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Immunotherapy in combination with platinum-etoposide (EP) chemotherapy has been approved as a first-line treatment for extensive-stage small cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC). However, real-world (RW) data regarding the use of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) in ES-SCLC are lacking. We aimed to assess the differences between programmed death protein 1 (PD-1) inhibitors and programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) inhibitors, both in conjunction with EP chemotherapy, as first-line treatment for ES SCLC. Methods: We conducted a real-world, multicenter, retrospective cohort, controlled study to compare the prognosis, efficacy, and safety of PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors in ES-SCLC patients when used along with chemotherapy. Each patient received up to six cycles of etoposide, carboplatin, or cisplatin combined with ICI drugs, including PD-1 and PD-L1 inhibitors. The primary endpoints were investigator-assessed progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS). The secondary endpoints were the investigator-assessed objective response rate (ORR) and disease control rate (DCR) according to the Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors (RECIST, version 1.1). Results: Between January 2017 and December 2021, 194 patients with ES-SCLC from three clinical centers in a PLA general hospital were included in our study, including 93 patients in the PD-1 group and 101 patients in the PD-L1 group. At the time of data cutoff, progression-free survival in the PD-1 group (median PFS, 6.8 months; 95% CI, 5.3–8.1) was similar to that in the PD-L1 group (median PFS, 6.4 months; 95% CI, 5.5–7.5); the stratified hazard ratio for PFS was 1.12 (95% CI, 0.83–1.53; P = 0.452). The median OS was similar in the PD-1 and PD-L1 groups (15.8 m vs. 17.7 m, P = 0.566); the hazard ratio was 0.90 (95% CI, 0.62–1.30, P = 0.566). The two groups had comparable investigator-assessed confirmed objective response rates (ORR) (76.3% vs. 76.2%). Adverse effect (AE)-related discontinuation occurred in 4 (4.3%) patients in the PD-1 group and 2 (2.0%) patients in the PD-L1 group. Deaths due to AEs of any cause occurred in 2 (2.2%) patients in the PD-1 inhibitor group and 1 (1.0%) patient in the PD-L1 inhibitor group. Conclusions: Our research revealed that there were no significant differences in efficacy or prognosis between PD-1 inhibitor + EP chemotherapy and PD-L1 inhibitor + EP chemotherapy. The two groups seemed to have comparable safety profiles, but the number of discontinuation or death events was too small to draw a firm conclusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Intestinal barrier dysfunction is a prevalent pathogenic factor underlying various disorders. Currently there is no effective resolution. Previous studies have reported the potential anti‐inflammatory properties of lidocaine and its ability to alleviate visceral hypersensitivity in individuals with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). Therefore, our study will further verify the effect of lidocaine on intestinal barrier dysfunction in IBS and investigate the underlying mechanisms. Method s : In this study, we investigated the role of lidocaine by assessing visceral hypersensitivity, body weight, inflammatory factors, fluorescein isothiocyanate‐dextran 4000 (FD4) flux, tight junctions (TJs) and spleen and thymus index in rats subjected to water avoidance stress (WAS) to mimic intestinal barrier dysfunction in IBS with and without lidocaine. In vitro, we investigated the role of corticotropin‐releasing hormone receptor 2 (CRHR2) in lidocaine‐treated Caco2 cells using small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting CRHR2. Key Results: In WAS rats, lidocaine significantly restored weight loss, damaged TJs, spleen index and thymus index and inhibited abdominal hypersensitivity as well as blood levels of markers indicating intestinal permeability, such as diamine oxidase (DAO), D‐lactic acid (D‐Lac) and lipopolysaccharide (LPS). Consequently, the leakage of FD4 flux from intestine was significantly attenuated in lidocaine group, and levels of intestinal inflammatory factors (IL‐1β, IFN‐γ, TNF‐α) were reduced. Interestingly, lidocaine significantly suppressed corticotropin‐releasing hormone (CRH) levels in lamina propria cells, while the CRH receptor CRHR2 was upregulated in intestinal epithelial cells. In vitro, lidocaine enhanced the expression of CRHR2 on Caco‐2 intestinal epithelial cells and restored disrupted TJs and the epithelial barrier caused by LPS. Conversely, these effects were diminished by a CRHR2 antagonist and siRNA‐CRHR2, suggesting that the protective effect of lidocaine depends on CRHR2. Conclusions and Inferences: Lidocaine ameliorates intestinal barrier dysfunction in IBS by potentially modulating the expression of CRHR2 on intestinal epithelial cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of deep-sea shrimp, Bathypalaemonella liui sp. nov., is described from the seamount of the South China Sea at a depth of 759–1117 m. Bathypalaemonella liui sp. nov. is most similar to B. hayashi Komai, 1995 and B. serratipalma Pequegnat, 1970 for the flexor margin of the major second pereopod bearing a row of tubercles. Important morphological characters which differentiate the present new species from B. hayashi and B. serratipalma are the length of the rostrum, which is far exceeding the scaphocerite, and the dactylus of the posterior three pereopods, which only bear one pair of accessory spines. Moreover, the genetic divergences of the COI and 16S rRNA genes from these two congeners analysed, clearly support the new taxon. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aqueous zinc‐ion batteries (AZIBs) are expected to be an attractive alternative in advanced energy storage devices due to large abundance and dependable security. Nevertheless, the undesirable energy density and operating voltage still hinder the development of AZIBs, which is intimately associated with the fundamental properties of the cathode. In this work, polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) intercalated Mn0.07VOx (PVP‐MnVO) with a large interlayer spacing of 13.5 Å (against 12.5 Å for MnVO) synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method is adopted for the cathode in AZIBs. The experimental results demonstrate that PVP‐MnVO with expanded interlayer spacing provides beneficial channels for the rapid diffusion of Zn2+, resulting in a high discharge capacity of 402 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1, superior to that of MnVO (275 mAh g−1 at 0.1 A g−1). Meanwhile, the PVP molecule remains in the layer structure as a binder/pillar, which can maintain its structural integrity well during the charging/discharging process. Consequently, PVP‐MnVO cathode exhibits superior rate capability and cycling stability (89% retention after 4300 cycles at 10 A g−1) compared to that of MnVO (≈51% retention over 500 cycles at 2 A g−1). This work proposes a new approach to optimize the performance of vanadium‐based electrode materials in AZIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the increase in age, the probability of cognitive impairment in the older people is increasing. More and more evidence shows that participating in leisure activities, especially chess and cards, is beneficial to the cognition and mental state of the older people. But the evidence for causal inference is limited. There is a need to conduct a fully powered randomized controlled trial (RCT) and long-term follow-up to test the effectiveness of intervention measures in improving cognitive function and mental state. This paper describes the methodology of a cluster RCT designed to determine the effect of chess and cards leisure activities on the cognitive function of the older people over 60 years old. Methods/design: A cluster RCT consisting of 8 clusters will be conducted in four regions of Ningxia, China (Helan, Litong, Qingtongxia, and Shapotou). Clusters will be randomly assigned to the advocacy intervention group, which is also delivered with free leisure activities tools (chess and cards), or the control group. A baseline survey will be conducted before the intervention. A mid-term and final survey will be carried out twelve and twenty-four months after the intervention, respectively. The primary outcome is a change in cognitive function, and the secondary outcomes are changes in anxiety, depression, and loneliness. Discussion: The results of this RCT will be helpful to (1) confirm the effectiveness of chess and cards leisure activities in improving the cognitive function of the older people over 60 years old; (2) determine the relationship between the frequency and duration of chess and cards leisure activities and cognitive function; (3) provide evidence of promoting participation in leisure activities through education campaigns and free provision of chess and cards tools; and (4) provide valuable information for successful aging. Trial registration: Chinese Clinical Trial Registry: ChiCTR2200066817. Registered on 19 December 2022. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although China's bond market is expanding quickly and on a bigger scale than the stock market, it still faces a number of issues. One issue that restricts its long-term development is the relatively small scale of credit bonds. For the growth of credit bonds, it is necessary to boost the credit rating market first. In this study, it is assumed that the higher the credit rating of the bonds, the lower the issue cost will be. To prove this hypothesis, an empirical analysis has been made herein on the influence of credit ratings on the bond floatation market. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper simulates the behavior mechanism of each subject in the equipment manufacturing industry-university-research (IUR) collaborative innovation system based on NetLogo, and constructs the input-output model of each subject. Secondly, the reasonable value of each parameter is determined through expert consultation, and finally 6 scenarios are selected to simulate the evolution of the IUR collaborative innovation system. The results show that different decision-making behaviors of each subject will lead to different operating states of the innovation collaborative system. When the conditions of each subject are exactly the same, the innovation system can achieve stable and continuous operation. However, if the initial conditions are different, the IUR collaborative innovation system needs an authoritative intermediary to coordinate the behavioral strategies of each subject, strengthen the willingness to cooperate, and ensure its stable operation. Reasonable reward and punishment measures are also an effective and important measure, which can mobilize the enthusiasm of all subjects for collaborative innovation. This paper is of great significance for the IUR collaborative innovation in equipment manufacturing industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Imagers with pre-processing functions, such as image recognition and classification, contrast enhancement, and noise reduction, play a critical role in the neuromorphic visual system. Optoelectronic plasticity is a prerequisite to achieve these functions. In this study, we demonstrate a nonvolatile reconfigurable broadband photodetector based on a ferroelectric heterostructure composed of BP (black phosphorus)/α-In2Se3. The plasticity of the device comes from the ferroelectric polarization of α-In2Se3 that can tune the built-in potential of the p–n junction. As a result, the rectification ratio and responsivity increase almost one order when changing the gate voltage pulse from +16 V to −16 V. Due to the introduction of BP, the device has a wide spectral response covering 473–1550 nm. In addition, our devices show excellent performance in terms of a high responsivity of up to 4.73 × 104 A/W, a large specific detectivity of ∼2.09 × 1012 Jones, a high external quantum efficiency of 9.21 × 106%, and a notable photo-on-off ratio of 4.82 × 103. Due to its high performance, reconfigurability, and broadband response, our device shows considerable potential in neuromorphic visual systems even in the infrared region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Ornidazole, the third generation of nitroimidazole derivatives after metronidazole and tinidazole, it exerts both bactericidal and antiprotozoal effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence of two ornidazole tablets manufactured by two different manufacturers based on their pharmacokinetic parameters.Fasted and fed healthy Chinese volunteers participated in a randomized sequence, single-dose, open-label, two-period crossover trial. There were 24 participants in both the fed study and the fasted study. Following a 7-day washout period before receiving the alternative formulation, eligible research participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a single dosage of either the reference formulation or the test formulation. Following tablet administration, plasma samples were obtained over 72 h and analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to evaluate ornidazole contents. maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (Tmax), the area under the curve (AUC) from t = 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞), AUC from t = 0 to the last quantifiable concentration (AUC0–t), half-life (t1/2), and terminal elimination rate constant (z) were evaluated as pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. The safety evaluation involved adverse events (AEs) incidence and alterations in laboratory tests (hepatic function, blood biochemistry, hematology, and urinalysis) or vital signs (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure).For the bioequivalence assessment in the fast trial, the prime PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulation revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 100.97% (99.12–102.85%), 99.88% (90.63–110.08%), and 101.12% (99.17–103.11%), respectively. For the bioequivalence assessment in the fed trial, the key PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulations revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 103.00% (100.94–105.11%), 101.90% (99.63–104.22%), and 102.99% (100.87–105.16%), respectively. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) for the primary pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, AUC0–72, and AUC0–∞) between the two formulations and the corresponding 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were all within the range of 80.00–125.00% for both the fasting and fed states. Both treatments have comparable safety profiles.The bioequivalence and tolerability of ornidazole tablet reference and test formulations were evaluated among healthy Chinese participants under both fasting and fed conditions. The results indicated that both formulations were bioequivalent and generally well tolerated; besides, the interaction between food and drug may affect drug pharmacokinetics.CTR20212873, registered on 15 November 2021; ChiCTR2300069098, registered on 7 March 2023.Patients and Methods: Ornidazole, the third generation of nitroimidazole derivatives after metronidazole and tinidazole, it exerts both bactericidal and antiprotozoal effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence of two ornidazole tablets manufactured by two different manufacturers based on their pharmacokinetic parameters.Fasted and fed healthy Chinese volunteers participated in a randomized sequence, single-dose, open-label, two-period crossover trial. There were 24 participants in both the fed study and the fasted study. Following a 7-day washout period before receiving the alternative formulation, eligible research participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a single dosage of either the reference formulation or the test formulation. Following tablet administration, plasma samples were obtained over 72 h and analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to evaluate ornidazole contents. maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (Tmax), the area under the curve (AUC) from t = 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞), AUC from t = 0 to the last quantifiable concentration (AUC0–t), half-life (t1/2), and terminal elimination rate constant (z) were evaluated as pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. The safety evaluation involved adverse events (AEs) incidence and alterations in laboratory tests (hepatic function, blood biochemistry, hematology, and urinalysis) or vital signs (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure).For the bioequivalence assessment in the fast trial, the prime PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulation revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 100.97% (99.12–102.85%), 99.88% (90.63–110.08%), and 101.12% (99.17–103.11%), respectively. For the bioequivalence assessment in the fed trial, the key PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulations revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 103.00% (100.94–105.11%), 101.90% (99.63–104.22%), and 102.99% (100.87–105.16%), respectively. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) for the primary pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, AUC0–72, and AUC0–∞) between the two formulations and the corresponding 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were all within the range of 80.00–125.00% for both the fasting and fed states. Both treatments have comparable safety profiles.The bioequivalence and tolerability of ornidazole tablet reference and test formulations were evaluated among healthy Chinese participants under both fasting and fed conditions. The results indicated that both formulations were bioequivalent and generally well tolerated; besides, the interaction between food and drug may affect drug pharmacokinetics.CTR20212873, registered on 15 November 2021; ChiCTR2300069098, registered on 7 March 2023.Results: Ornidazole, the third generation of nitroimidazole derivatives after metronidazole and tinidazole, it exerts both bactericidal and antiprotozoal effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence of two ornidazole tablets manufactured by two different manufacturers based on their pharmacokinetic parameters.Fasted and fed healthy Chinese volunteers participated in a randomized sequence, single-dose, open-label, two-period crossover trial. There were 24 participants in both the fed study and the fasted study. Following a 7-day washout period before receiving the alternative formulation, eligible research participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a single dosage of either the reference formulation or the test formulation. Following tablet administration, plasma samples were obtained over 72 h and analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to evaluate ornidazole contents. maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (Tmax), the area under the curve (AUC) from t = 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞), AUC from t = 0 to the last quantifiable concentration (AUC0–t), half-life (t1/2), and terminal elimination rate constant (z) were evaluated as pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. The safety evaluation involved adverse events (AEs) incidence and alterations in laboratory tests (hepatic function, blood biochemistry, hematology, and urinalysis) or vital signs (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure).For the bioequivalence assessment in the fast trial, the prime PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulation revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 100.97% (99.12–102.85%), 99.88% (90.63–110.08%), and 101.12% (99.17–103.11%), respectively. For the bioequivalence assessment in the fed trial, the key PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulations revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 103.00% (100.94–105.11%), 101.90% (99.63–104.22%), and 102.99% (100.87–105.16%), respectively. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) for the primary pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, AUC0–72, and AUC0–∞) between the two formulations and the corresponding 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were all within the range of 80.00–125.00% for both the fasting and fed states. Both treatments have comparable safety profiles.The bioequivalence and tolerability of ornidazole tablet reference and test formulations were evaluated among healthy Chinese participants under both fasting and fed conditions. The results indicated that both formulations were bioequivalent and generally well tolerated; besides, the interaction between food and drug may affect drug pharmacokinetics.CTR20212873, registered on 15 November 2021; ChiCTR2300069098, registered on 7 March 2023.Conclusion: Ornidazole, the third generation of nitroimidazole derivatives after metronidazole and tinidazole, it exerts both bactericidal and antiprotozoal effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence of two ornidazole tablets manufactured by two different manufacturers based on their pharmacokinetic parameters.Fasted and fed healthy Chinese volunteers participated in a randomized sequence, single-dose, open-label, two-period crossover trial. There were 24 participants in both the fed study and the fasted study. Following a 7-day washout period before receiving the alternative formulation, eligible research participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a single dosage of either the reference formulation or the test formulation. Following tablet administration, plasma samples were obtained over 72 h and analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to evaluate ornidazole contents. maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (Tmax), the area under the curve (AUC) from t = 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞), AUC from t = 0 to the last quantifiable concentration (AUC0–t), half-life (t1/2), and terminal elimination rate constant (z) were evaluated as pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. The safety evaluation involved adverse events (AEs) incidence and alterations in laboratory tests (hepatic function, blood biochemistry, hematology, and urinalysis) or vital signs (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure).For the bioequivalence assessment in the fast trial, the prime PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulation revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 100.97% (99.12–102.85%), 99.88% (90.63–110.08%), and 101.12% (99.17–103.11%), respectively. For the bioequivalence assessment in the fed trial, the key PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulations revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 103.00% (100.94–105.11%), 101.90% (99.63–104.22%), and 102.99% (100.87–105.16%), respectively. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) for the primary pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, AUC0–72, and AUC0–∞) between the two formulations and the corresponding 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were all within the range of 80.00–125.00% for both the fasting and fed states. Both treatments have comparable safety profiles.The bioequivalence and tolerability of ornidazole tablet reference and test formulations were evaluated among healthy Chinese participants under both fasting and fed conditions. The results indicated that both formulations were bioequivalent and generally well tolerated; besides, the interaction between food and drug may affect drug pharmacokinetics.CTR20212873, registered on 15 November 2021; ChiCTR2300069098, registered on 7 March 2023.Trial Registration: Ornidazole, the third generation of nitroimidazole derivatives after metronidazole and tinidazole, it exerts both bactericidal and antiprotozoal effects. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetic and bioequivalence of two ornidazole tablets manufactured by two different manufacturers based on their pharmacokinetic parameters.Fasted and fed healthy Chinese volunteers participated in a randomized sequence, single-dose, open-label, two-period crossover trial. There were 24 participants in both the fed study and the fasted study. Following a 7-day washout period before receiving the alternative formulation, eligible research participants were randomly assigned (1:1) to receive a single dosage of either the reference formulation or the test formulation. Following tablet administration, plasma samples were obtained over 72 h and analyzed using liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (LC–MS/MS) to evaluate ornidazole contents. maximum plasma concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (Tmax), the area under the curve (AUC) from t = 0 to infinity (AUC0–∞), AUC from t = 0 to the last quantifiable concentration (AUC0–t), half-life (t1/2), and terminal elimination rate constant (z) were evaluated as pharmacokinetic (PK) parameters. The safety evaluation involved adverse events (AEs) incidence and alterations in laboratory tests (hepatic function, blood biochemistry, hematology, and urinalysis) or vital signs (temperature, pulse, and blood pressure).For the bioequivalence assessment in the fast trial, the prime PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulation revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 100.97% (99.12–102.85%), 99.88% (90.63–110.08%), and 101.12% (99.17–103.11%), respectively. For the bioequivalence assessment in the fed trial, the key PK parameters comparison between the reference and test formulations revealed that the GMR (90% CI) values for AUC0–t, Cmax, and AUC0–∞ were 103.00% (100.94–105.11%), 101.90% (99.63–104.22%), and 102.99% (100.87–105.16%), respectively. The geometric mean ratios (GMRs) for the primary pharmacokinetic parameters (Cmax, AUC0–72, and AUC0–∞) between the two formulations and the corresponding 90% confidence intervals (CIs) were all within the range of 80.00–125.00% for both the fasting and fed states. Both treatments have comparable safety profiles.The bioequivalence and tolerability of ornidazole tablet reference and test formulations were evaluated among healthy Chinese participants under both fasting and fed conditions. The results indicated that both formulations were bioequivalent and generally well tolerated; besides, the interaction between food and drug may affect drug pharmacokinetics.CTR20212873, registered on 15 November 2021; ChiCTR2300069098, registered on 7 March 2023. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Eusiridae, Eusirus liui sp. nov. is described from a hydrothermal vent on Okinawa Trough, North-West Pacific. The new species differs from the other 30 congeneric species mainly by the following combination of characters: the acute rostrum reaching to 1/3 the length of peduncular article 1 of antenna 1; the absence of eyes; pleonite 3 without acute protrusion on dorsal margin, and the posterior margin of epimeron 3 with 18 serrations. A key to all known Eusirus species is provided herein. This is the fourth species within the Eusiridae that has been found from vent fields. Résumé: Une nouvelle espèce d'Eusiridae, d'une source hydrothermale de la fosse d'Okinawa (Pacifique nord-ouest) Eusirus liui sp. nov. est décrite. La nouvelle espèce diffère des 30 autres espèces congénères surtout par la combinaison des caractères suivants : un rostre aigu atteignant le 1/3 de la longueur de l'article pédonculaire de l'antenne I ; l'absence d'yeux ; le pléonite 3 sans protrusion aigüe sur son bord dorsal, et le bord postérieur de l'épimère 3 avec 18 dentelures. Une clé de toutes les espèces connues d' Eusiris est donnée. Ceci est la quatrième espèce parmi les Eusiridae, trouvée dans les sites hydrothermaux. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Parenting styles play a critical role in children's development, especially for those in families with a depressed parent. To date, no study has explored whether youth perceptions of parenting style are heterogeneous in families with a depressed parent or whether heterogeneous parenting styles are associated with children's internalizing symptoms. Methods: Participants were children aged 8–16 years who had a parent with major depressive disorder; they were enrolled through their parents, who were outpatients at two hospitals in Ningxia. Parenting styles were measured using the Parental Bonding Instrument. Youth depression and anxiety were measured using the Depression Self-Rating Scale for Children and the Screen for Child Anxiety-Related Emotional Disorders, respectively. We applied latent profile analysis to identify the subtypes of parenting styles with similar patterns. Differences between subtypes in relation to demographic variables and parenting style scores were calculated using one-way ANOVAs, Wilcoxon rank sum tests, and chi-squared tests. Bivariate logistic analyses were conducted to examine the associations between parental bonding subtypes and children's depression and anxiety. Results: Four parenting styles were identified through latent profile analysis: care-autonomy, overprotection-indifference, indifference, and undifferentiated parenting. Youth with care-autonomy parents had a lower risk of depression (OR: 0.16; 95% CI: 0.06–0.41) and anxiety (OR: 0.22; 95% CI: 0.10–0.48), while indifference parenting increased children's risk of depression (OR: 5.29; 95% CI: 1.30–21.54) more than undifferentiated parenting. Conclusions: Children with a depressed parent had heterogeneous perceptions of parenting styles. Mothers' and fathers' parenting styles were largely congruent. Care-autonomy parenting (high care and high autonomy) may decrease children's risk of depression, whereas indifference parenting (low care and autonomy) may increase their risk of depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compressor blade in an aircraft gas turbine engine may suffer from forced vibration problems under the unsteady aerodynamic force due to inlet distortion. This paper develops an efficient numerical method combination to predict the forced response. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is combined with the Fourier transform method to simulate the unsteady flow field under inlet distortion. Then, the forced response of the blade is obtained by the frequency-domain method based on the modal force. The results show that the developed method combination improves the unsteady flow calculation efficiency by 20 times and the response calculation efficiency by 48 times at the cost of less than 5% accuracy compared with the traditional method combination, including the unsteady flow field calculation method based on the three-row full-annulus model and the transient analysis method for calculating the forced response. Finally, the developed method combination is used to analyze the forced response of the blade under different inlet total pressure distributions. The results indicate that the forced response can be effectively decreased by decreasing the total pressure difference and increasing the sector angle difference between the high-pressure and low-pressure areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The compressor blade in an aircraft gas turbine engine may suffer from forced vibration problems under the unsteady aerodynamic force due to inlet distortion. This paper develops an efficient numerical method combination to predict the forced response. The computational fluid dynamics (CFD) method is combined with the Fourier transform method to simulate the unsteady flow field under inlet distortion. Then, the forced response of the blade is obtained by the frequency-domain method based on the modal force. The results show that the developed method combination improves the unsteady flow calculation efficiency by 20 times and the response calculation efficiency by 48 times at the cost of less than 5% accuracy compared with the traditional method combination, including the unsteady flow field calculation method based on the three-row full-annulus model and the transient analysis method for calculating the forced response. Finally, the developed method combination is used to analyze the forced response of the blade under different inlet total pressure distributions. The results indicate that the forced response can be effectively decreased by decreasing the total pressure difference and increasing the sector angle difference between the high-pressure and low-pressure areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of the caridean family Thoridae, Lebbeus liui sp. nov., is described from the Bohai Sea, China. It belongs to the group characterized by the presence of epipods on the third maxilliped to third pereiopod. The new species is most similar to L. fasciatus and L. speciosus. It differs from the above two species by the number of the dorsal teeth and the spacing of those on the rostrum, and by the posterior median margin of the telson not produced into a triangular tooth. Résumé: Une nouvelle espèce de la famille de Caridea Thoridae, Lebbeus liui sp. nov., est décrite de la mer de Bohai, Chine. Elle appartient au groupe caractérisé par la présence d'épipodites sur le troisième maxillipède et jusqu'au troisième péréiopode. La nouvelle espèce est la plus proche de L. fasciatus et de L. speciosus. Elle diffère de ces deux espèces par le nombre de dents dorsales et l'espacement de celles situées sur le rostre, et par le bord médian postérieur du telson non prolongé en une dent triangulaire. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parotid tuberculosis does not have any specific symptoms at first, and most of them present as a mass in the parotid gland parenchyma.[2],[3] It is often misdiagnosed as a tumor of parotid gland parenchyma because it is similar in clinical symptoms and imaging findings. To the Editor: Tuberculosis (TB) is an infection caused by I Mycobacterium tuberculosis i ; parotid gland involvement is rare.[1] We describe a case of primary parotid gland tuberculosis that presented as a parotid gland tumor. [Extracted from the article]

An epidemic caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection has spread unexpectedly in Wuhan, Hubei Province, China, since December 2019. There are few reports about asymptomatic contacts of infected patients identified as positive for SARS-CoV-2 through screening. We studied the epidemiological and clinical outcomes in 55 asymptomatic carriers who were laboratory confirmed to be positive for SARS-CoV-2 through nucleic acid testing of pharyngeal swab samples. The asymptomatic carriers seldom occurred among young people (aged 18-29 years) who had close contact with infected family members. In the majority of patients, the outcome was mild or ordinary 2019 novel coronavirus disease during hospitalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species of Stegocephalidae, Parandania unicoxae sp. nov., is reported from hydrothermal vents in the Okinawa Trough. It is the fourth species described in the genus Parandania Stebbing, 1899. The new species is most similar to P. boecki (Stebbing, 1888), but it can be readily distinguished from P. boecki by the unilobate coxae 6-7. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A synthetic flocculant of aluminum (Al) and iron (Fe) extracted from red mud (RM) has been widely used in sewage treatment, while the remaining RM residue has been ignored. This study aimed to synthesize polymeric aluminum ferric sulfate (PAFS) flocculant from RM by acid leaching and then use the acidified RM residue to produce an acid RM-based ceramsite (ARMC) by mixing bentonite, hydroxypropyl methylcellulose, and starch. Our results showed that sintering, reaction temperature, H2SO4 concentration, reaction time, and liquid-to-solid ratio had an obvious effect on the leaching of Al and Fe in RM, which was a necessary prerequisite for the efficient PAFS flocculants. At a PAFS dosage of 60 mg/L, turbidity and phosphate removal rates were 95.21 ± 0.64% and 89.17 ± 0.52%, respectively. When the pH value was 8.0, the turbidity and phosphate removal efficiency were 99.22 ± 0.66% and 95.98 ± 1.63%, respectively. Considering the adsorption capacity and mechanical properties, the best conditions for ARMC production included using 60% ARM and ceramsite calcination at 600 °C, with the BET surface area 56.16 m2/g and a pore volume of 0.167 cm3/g. Thermogravimetric analysis indicated that 400 °C was a reasonable preheating temperature to enhance the ARMC mechanical strength, as this temperature allows the removal of surface-adsorbed and constituent water. Under a scanning electron microscope, the ARMC appeared rough before adsorption, while relatively uniform pores occupied it after adsorption. Our conclusion will help to improve the zero-waste strategy of RM and speed up the industrial production of RM in flocculants as well as utilizing ARMC as a new type of adsorbent for phosphorus adsorption in sewage treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • A new method to obtain the parameters in the total strain equation is presented. • Monotonic tensile and LCF tests of FGH96 are conducted at elevated temperature. • The proposed method offered is validated by experiment results for FGH96. • The predicted results with the proposed model are better. Abstract Monotonic tensile and low cycle fatigue (LCF) tests of powder metallurgy (PM) superalloy FGH96 were conducted at 480 °C and 650 °C. The alloy was widely used to manufacture the aero-engine turbine disk by a process of hot isostatic pressing (HIP). An analysis method was proposed to obtain the fatigue parameters of the total strain equation with clearly physical meaning. The proposed method offered satisfied results for FGH96. Fractography analysis was conducted to determine the material fatigue failure mechanisms. Comparing to the given parameters of total strain life equation of the handbook, the predicted fatigue lives of GH4169 alloy at 500 °C and 650 °C, FGH95 alloy at 500 °C and TC4 alloy at 200 °C by the proposed method agreed better with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Particle damping (PD) has been successfully utilized in numerous aerospace and industrial applications. However, compared with the well-studied single-unit multi-particle dampers, multi-unit multi-particle dampers (MUPDs) have seldom been investigated because of the complex interactions among different damping units. This research presents two damping effect prediction methods that are based on the cyclic iterations of the damping effect of a single-unit particle damper. The first is a numerical method that uses the discrete element method, and the other is a semi-empirical method that adopts damping ratio versus normalized acceleration curves for PD. In both methods, interactions among dampers at different locations are considered. The damping effects of six different MUPDs applied to a wheel structure were experimentally investigated. Four of them, which were named multi-stage MUPDs, consisted of groups of dampers mounted at various radial location (The dampers were located at positions of different acceleration amplitudes.). The damping prediction results of the two proposed iteration methods, together with those of a simplified method that regards the MUPD as a single-unit particle damper with same equivalent particle mass ratio, were compared with experiments. Significant improvements in prediction accuracy for the two iteration methods were observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During two expeditions to Caroline Plate seamounts and Zhenbei seamount in the NW Pacific, three Paralebbeus (we list Paralebbeus as a synonym of Lebbeus herein) specimens are sampled. Two of them are recognized as new to science herein after carefully morphological observations. L. cultrirostris sp. nov. collected with the keratoisidid coral at a depth of 866 m is characterized by the smooth rostrum, and the telson having three pairs of dorsolateral spines. L. kexuei sp. nov. collected at a depth of 796–1510 m is characterized by the rostrum only bearing two dorsal spines, and the carpus of pereopod 2 having two articles equal in length. Morphological characters and generic analysis of mitochondrial COI and 16 S rRNA genes using maximum likelihood, Bayesian inference, and pairwise uncorrected p-distances indicated that all species of Paralebbeus Bruce and Chace (1986 should be transferred into genus Lebbeus White, 1847. • Two new species were described. • The validity of Paralebbeus was examined. • Paralebbeus should be synonymized with Lebbeus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

According to response surface methodology (RSM), the extraction conditions of ultrasound-assisted extraction of polysaccharide from the rinds of Garcinia mangostana L. (GMRP) were optimized and determined. The optimal conditions obtained through optimization were: the liquid to material ratio was 40 mL/g, ultrasonic power was 288 W and extraction time was 65 min. The average extraction rate of GMRP was 14.73%. Ac - GMRP was obtained by acetylation of GMRP, and the antioxidant activities of the two polysaccharides were compared in vitro. The results indicated that the antioxidant capacity of polysaccharide obtained after acetylation was significantly improved compared with that of GMRP. In conclusion, chemical modification of polysaccharide is an effective measure to improve its properties to a certain extent. Meanwhile, it implies that GMRP has great research value and potential. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, we present a visible light assisted high-performance H2 gas sensor based on a Pt-modified WO3 nanosphere structure. The obtained results show that the Pt–WO3 nanospheres have a higher response, faster response/recovery time, and better selectivity than pure WO3. At 109 °C, the Pt–WO3 nanosphere structure exhibits a response of 80.49 to 5 ppm H2, which is 80 times higher than that of pure WO3 nanospheres. The irradiation of visible light lowers the power consumption of the sensor. H2 response is improved through the introduction of all visible light wavelengths. Under visible light (λ = 530 nm) illumination at 109 °C, the response of nanosphere structure elevates to 133.71 for 5 ppm H2. Additionally, the H2 gas-sensing mechanism of the Pt-modified WO3 nanosphere structure sensors under visible light illumination is discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both proportional and non-proportional axial-torsion fatigue tests were conducted on powder metallurgy (PM) superalloy FGH96 tubular specimens and round bar specimens at 650 °C. The alloy is widely used to manufacture the aero-engine turbine disk by a process of hot isostatic pressing (HIP). The different stress distributions of thin-walled tubular specimen and the round bar specimen under axial-torsion cyclic loading are discussed. A multiaxial equivalent stress gradient factor is defined based on the tensile stress gradient and the shear stress gradient. A modified Zhong-Wang-Wei (ZWW) model considering the effect of the stress gradient is proposed for multiaxial fatigue of FGH96. Comparing to six multiaxial fatigue models, including the maximum effective strain model, the maximum shear strain model, the Fatemi-Socie (FS) model, the Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) model, the Itoh model and the ZWW model, the predicted multiaxial fatigue lives of FGH96 by the modified ZWW model based on the effect of the stress gradient agreed better with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Chemotherapy‐induced neutropenia (CIN) has been shown to be associated with improved clinical outcomes in patients with various solid tumors. This study retrospectively assessed the association between timing of CIN and prognosis in 321 patients with advanced gastric cancer (AGC) who finished at least one cycle of chemotherapy with oxaliplatin and capecitabine (XELOX). Primary landmark analyses were restricted to 274 patients who received four cycles of chemotherapy and lived for more than 4 months. CIN was categorized as early‐onset and non‐early‐onset. The correlation between timing of CIN with survival was analyzed by the Kaplan‐Meier method and a Cox proportional hazards model. Relative to patients with non‐early‐onset CIN, those with early‐onset CIN had significantly longer times to disease progression (hazard ratio [HR] 0.574; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.453–0.729, P < 0.001) and death (HR: 0.607; 95% CI: 0.478–0.770, P < 0.001), consistent with results from the landmark group. In conclusion, timing of CIN may be a potential prognostic biomarker in patients with AGC receiving first‐line chemotherapy with XELOX. Early‐onset CIN predicts better survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, we synthesized of BiPO 4 nanocrystals in diamagnetic glass (45PbO–45Bi 2 O 3 –8B 2 O 3 –2P 2 O 5 mol %) by melt quenching technique and studied its influence to glass Faraday rotation. The 9 nm irregular BiPO 4 nanocrystals formed in glass and changed glass structure, spectral and properties through the characterization of X-ray diffraction, field Emission scanning electron microscopy, differential scanning calorimetry, UV–Vis optical absorption, Vicker's hardness and Verdet constant etc. The BiPO 4 –induced local plasmon effect and bigger polarization gave glass improvements on optical cutoff wavelength, Faraday rotation and Vicker's hardness which is very attractive to magneto optical glass devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new multiaxial fatigue damage parameter is proposed based on the projection path on the π-plane of the loading path. The proposed parameter is suitable for any arbitrary loading path in practical problems. Many materials exhibit strain hardening due to the non-proportional cyclic loading. A brief overview of some important non-proportional effects in multiaxial fatigue is presented, and a new non-proportionality description is defined. A modified multiaxial fatigue life prediction model is established based on the Coffin-Masson equation. Comparing to five classic multiaxial fatigue models, including the maximum effective strain model, the maximum shear strain model, the Fatemi-Socie (FS) model, the Smith-Watson-Topper (SWT) model and Itoh model, the predicted multiaxial fatigue lives of three metallic materials using the proposed model agreed better with the experimental results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • SnO 2 nanocrystals are capable of detecting low concentrations of NO 2 at 80 °C. • The SnO2 sensor has excellent sensing characteristics. • Introduction of F-factor to predict the response trend of the sensor. • Experimental and calculations to verify the important role of surface oxygen vacancies. • Superoxide anion formed by surface oxygen vacancies increases the sensing characteristics. N-type metal oxide semiconductors are widely used in the field of gas sensors, but achieving high sensor response at low temperatures with low concentrations is challenging. In this paper, we report a high-performance gas sensor for NO 2. SnO 2 grains with different sizes and oxygen vacancies were prepared by a simple hydrothermal method followed by high-temperature calcination, and the electronic and chemical properties of the SnO 2 grains were significantly changed. The results demonstrate that the sensor prepared from SnO 2 grains hydrothermally grown at 180 °C has the optimal gas sensing performance with a response up to 4358.8 for 1 ppm NO 2 at a low temperature of 80 °C, a rapid response recovery (7 s), and a detection limit down to 9 ppb. Together with some series characterization, an empirical factor F between the sensor response and the influencing factors is proposed. In addition, through experimental and density generalization studies, the oxygen vacancies are distinguished into surface oxygen vacancies and subsurface oxygen vacancies. The dominance of the surface oxygen vacancies in dictating the gas response is demonstrated. The excellent sensor characteristics demonstrated and the elucidation of the gas-sensitive mechanism provide a clear framework for the preparation of high-performance gas sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Myofibroblasts are the principal effector cells driving fibrosis, and their accumulation in tissues is a fundamental feature of fibrosis. Essential pathways have been identified as being central to promoting myofibroblast differentiation, revealing multiple targets for intervention. Compared with large proteins and antibodies, peptide-based therapies have transpired to serve as biocompatible and cost-effective solutions to exert biomimicry, agonistic, and antagonistic activities with a high degree of targeting specificity and selectivity. In this review, we summarize emergent antifibrotic peptides and their utilization for the targeted prevention of myofibroblasts. We then highlight recent studies on peptide inhibitors of upstream pathogenic processes that drive the formation of profibrotic cell phenotypes. We also briefly discuss peptides from non-mammalian origins that show promise as antifibrotic therapeutics. Finally, we discuss the future perspectives of peptide design and development in targeting myofibroblasts to mitigate fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have gained more and more interest for grid-level energy storage applications compared with current lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). In this paper, well-uniform and dispersed spindle-shaped NiCo 2 O 4 particles were synthesized by solvothermal method, and then graphene-encapsulated NiCo 2 O 4 (NiCo 2 O 4 @G) was formed core-shell nanostructures, which greatly enhanced the electronic and ionic (electro-active) conduction and also effectively buffering to accommodate the strain. Benefit from its structure feature, the prepared NiCo 2 O 4 @G core-shell nanostructures composite shows good cycling with a capacity of up to ∼400 mAh g −1 (100 mA g −1 ) in 100 cycles for NIBs anode. The facile synthesis process and excellent SIBs behaviors in this paper are expected to be extended in developing other anode materials in battery system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Particle damping (PD) has been well known for its simplicity and high efficiency in attenuating structure vibration. Recent studies on PD have focused mainly on new types of dampers and applications. Meanwhile, excitation applied to the primary structure is still limited to either horizontal or vertical direction, perpendicular or parallel to gravity. In this study, the characteristics of PD under horizontal–vertical excitations (HVE) are investigated numerically and experimentally. The particle damper, which is attached to the top free end of an L-shaped cantilever beam, is simultaneously excited in the horizontal and vertical directions in the context of free decay. An equivalent model capable of motion in both the horizontal and vertical directions is generated. Given an initial displacement disturbance, this model starts vibrating freely in the vertical plane. A code based on the 3D discrete element method is programmed, and the high coincidence between the numerical and experimental results shows that this equivalent model is capable of high-fidelity simulation for PD under HVE. Parametric studies have been implemented to characterize the basic nonlinear damping capacity of particle dampers under this new operating condition. The effects of seven dimensionless independent parameters on the specific damping capacity (SDC) are investigated, including dimensionless acceleration amplitude, particle mass ratio, dimensionless horizontal and vertical impact clearances, coefficients of friction and restitution, and amplitude ratio of the horizontal excitation to the vertical excitation. The results show that the basic damping properties of PD under HVE are similar to those of PD under only vertical excitation. However, PD under HVE signifies its own characteristics because of the existence of horizontal excitation: (1) The impact clearances in both the horizontal and vertical directions have significant effects on the SDC because of the significant increase in oblique impacts. (2) The shape and dimensions of a damper cavity should be designed according to the acceleration amplitude. If the amplitude is relatively low (such as Γ <3 in this study), the optimum shape of the damper cavity tends to be flat. By contrast, if the amplitude is high (such as Γ close to 10 ) , the optimum shape tends to be elongated. The damping differences between PD under HVE and vertical excitation are also investigated. For PD under HVE, the kinetic energy is mainly dissipated by friction rather than inelastic collision for PD under vertical excitation. In addition, by use of different amplitude ratios of the horizontal excitation to the vertical excitation, it is found that the total ratio of energy dissipation for the particle dampers under HVE generally becomes higher, and the optimum Γ region for high SDC is also expanded. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cbf-14, a cationic peptide derived from a cathelin-like domain, was designed by inserting the highly α-helical sequence RLLR into an antibacterial sequence and deleting the inactive amino acids in Cbf-K 16 . Clinical penicillin-resistant isolates as well as NDM-1-carrying Escherichia coli and a correspondingly infected mice model were employed to evaluate Cbf-14 antibacterial activity. The results showed that Cbf-14 possessed potent antimicrobial effects with an MIC of 8–64 μg/ml, and killed almost all bacteria within 240 min. Cbf-14-treated mice achieved an 80% survival rate and approximate 2.5 log unit reduction in CFU in tissues; additionally, this peptide significantly suppressed the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines by the disaggregation of lipopolysaccharide (LPS), suggesting its anti-inflammatory effects. Furthermore, Cbf-14, concentration higher than 2 × MIC value, increased membrane uptake to NPN and PI dye by 96.2% and 63.7%, respectively, neutralised the negative zeta potential of LPS and bacteria surface, and induced 100% leakage of liposome-entrapped calcein and cytoplasmic membrane disruption of E. coli , indicating obvious membrane permeation. Finally, it bound to DNA and respectively evoked 85.0% and 63.3% inhibition of gene replication and protein expression of NDM-1 at sub-MIC concentration in E. coli BL21 (DE3)-NDM-1. These data indicated that Cbf-14 possessed effective antimicrobial activity against penicillin-resistant bacteria in vitro/vivo through membrane disruption, DNA binding, down-regulating NDM-1 expression by plasmid replication inhibition, and anti-inflammatory activity by LPS disaggregation, suggesting a potential anti-infective clinical agent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this wok, we demonstrated a facile two-step method to directly coat a ZnO nanocrystal layer on the surface of one-dimensional (1D) Fe 3 O 4 /C composite microrods to form Fe 3 O 4 /C@ZnO core–shell microrods. Firstly, 1D Fe 3 O 4 /C composite microrods were successfully synthesized by one-pot magnetic field-induced solvothermal reaction according to our previous work. Sencondly, a uniform ZnO nanocrystal layer was facilely coated onto the 1D Fe 3 O 4 /C composite microrods via a modified hydrothermal process at a low temperature (60 °C). Importantly, the size of ZnO nanocrystals and the thickness of coating layer can be easily tuned by varying the concentration of Zn(Ac) 2 ⋅2H 2 O in the solution. Further investigation has revealed that the as-prepared core–shell microrods exhibited enhanced photocatalytic activity for the decolorization of photosensitized dyes (Congo red) under visible-light illumination. Moreover, these magnetically separable photocatalysts can be readily recycled by a magnet with virtually no loss in catalytic efficiency. We believe this facile synthesis strategy provides a general and efficient way to synthesize other 1D magnetic nanocomposites for different functional applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel H3PO4 etching strategy together with subsequent carbon coating has been developed for the synthesis of carbon-coated Fe3O4 microspheres with a porous multideck-cage structure. These carbon-coated Fe3O4 microspheres manifest high specific capacity (∼1100 m h g−1 at 200 mA g−1) and excellent cycling stability for lithium storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: New, highly sensitive room temperature (RT) hydrogen gas sensors were fabricated by coating Pt-decorated-cube-like-In2O3 on Au electrodes. In2O3, with diameters between 200 and 300nm, was obtained by a hydrothermal method and coated with Pt by a simple solution based on chemical technique. The morphological and elemental studies of the material were carried out using SEM, TEM and EDAX analysis. The loading of the Pt nanoparticles (NPs) enhanced the catalytic dissociation of oxygen molecules, adsorbed a substantial quantity of hydrogen, and the sensor exhibited a dramatic decrease in working temperatures to 25°C. Responding to 1.5vol% hydrogen, the sensor achieved response and recovery times of approximately 33s and 66s, respectively. The sensor also achieved excellent stability and high sensitivity to hydrogen at RT. In addition, it also showed a slow response to CO. The gas response to 1.5vol% CO was 10 times lower than that to hydrogen. For other organic compounds in the gaseous state, such as ethanol, acetone and isopropanol, the response could be neglected. Such a large discrepancy reveals the sensor's outstanding selectivity to H2. Grain boundary theory and spillover theory are applied to explain the gas sensing effect of the Pt-coated In2O3 nanocubes sensor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The phase transition of LaAlO 3 in heavy metal oxide lead-tellurite glass was obtained and verified, along with its influence on glass structure, magnetic, and Faraday rotation properties were characterized through various techniques such as nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), X-ray neutron diffraction, transmission electron microscopy, X-ray photoelectron microscopy, vibrating-sample magnetometer, and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR). Cubic LaAlO 3 nanocrystals were synthesized by one-pot hydrothermal technique and doped at 1, 5, 10, and 15 mol% into glasses, respectively. The LaAlO 3 nanocrystals in as-casted glasses were characterized to be around 17 nm in cubic phase belonging to the Pm3m space group. After crystallization treatment at 360 °C for 2 h, cubic LaAlO 3 phases were changed to 14–27 nm-rhombohedral phases due to the temperature-induced viscosity and strain in the melt. The phase transition yielded great modification to the glass structure through converting TeO 4 →TeO 3 , AlO 6 →AlO 4, BO 4 →BO 3 , and producing non-bridging oxygen. The LaAlO 3 doping enhanced the diamagnetism of as-casted glasses, but after phase transition, the weak diamagnetic nature was changed to strong ferromagnetism and the magnetization significantly increased with the LaAlO 3 doping amount (M s =55 emu/g). The mechanism behind magnetic property enhancement was discussed through 27Al NMR and EPR of glasses. The Verdet constant of glass with 10% LaAlO 3 was greatly improved to 175 rad/ T.m at 633 nm which is much higher than the documented values in the literature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On the basis of cascade energy transfer between different dye molecules, single‐excitation and low threshold coherent random lasing with a high quality factor (∼13 000) over the whole visible range is experimentally observed using gold–silver bimetallic porous nanowires with abundant nanogaps as the scatterers. These nanogaps with different sizes in the bimetallic nanowires can produce continuous plasmonic resonance spectra and provide strong feedback or gain channels for the stimulated emission from different dye molecules. It guarantees a low threshold of lasing. Moreover, multi gain media can provide broad tunability of the emission wavelength when the system is pumped by single‐wavelength pulses. It provides excellent flexibility for the design of multicolor output devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Medicago truncatula, soybean (Glycine max), Arabidopsis thaliana and rice (Oryza sativa) all belong to the core angiosperm group of plants. Seed-specific genes are important for seed formation and development in these angiosperms. The identification of genes specifically expressed in angiosperm seeds and the comparison of the expression patterns of homologous genes among different angiosperm species can provide novel insights into the functions of genes that control seed development and the evolution of angiosperms. We downloaded the sequences and expression data from the relevant databases, and the seed-specific expression of genes was identified with cut-offs of a gene expression level ratio ≥ 5 and a Z-score ≥ 6. The genes were analysed using local BLAST software with an E-value ≤ 1.0E − 505. A total of 605, 581, 778 and 722 genes showed specific expression in the seeds of Medicago, soybean, Arabidopsis and rice, respectively. Additionally, we compared the expression patterns of seed-specific genes from each species with their homologues in the other three species, and found that the degree of variation in the expression patterns of homologous genes was low among closely related species but higher among more distantly related ones. The discrepancy between the homologous gene expression patterns may be caused by the different characteristics of the cis-elements in the promoter regions of the homologous genes. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

In this paper, we present a general design scheme for waveguide-integrated demultiplexing devices based on intelligent topology search method combining density model and gradient-based method of moving asymptotes. 2D finite element method is adopted to simulate and evaluate the performance of demultiplexers with quasi-3D configuration by setting equivalent refractive index of silicon. The obtained pixelated digital metamaterials individually fulfill functionalities including 1550nm/1310nm and 1500nm/1600nm wavelength demultiplexing, TE0/TE1 mode demultiplexing at 1550 nm, and TE0/TM0 polarization demultiplexing at 1550 nm. The footprint of the functional region is as small as 1.55 μm × 1.55 μm. To validate our designs with SOI configuration, 3D models are simulated by finite difference time domain. Comparable and satisfactory performances of the target functionalities are demonstrated. For all four demultiplexers, the worst transmission efficiency is 44.5% of TE0 in polarization demultiplexing, the worst contrast ratio is 14.1 dB of TE1 in mode demultiplexing and the worst crosstalk is −15.1 dB of TE0 in mode demultiplexing. Within an ultra-compact footprint, this design scheme can efficiently enable the device to separate or route photons based on specific dimension, such as wavelength, mode and polarization. • Digital metamaterials are designed for wavelength, mode and polarization demultiplexing. • The inverse design scheme combines DM and MMA method, which needs only 200 iterations to search for a design. • The functional region of the demultiplexer occupies only λ2. • The performances of the four ultra-compact demultiplexers are comparable and satisfactory. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We have developed an environment-friendly low-temperature chemical precipitation approach for the accurate coating of ZnO nanocrystals onto nitrogen-doped carbon nanotubes(N-CNTs) to form ZnO/N-CNTs nanohybrids, which only use zinc acetate dehydrate, N-CNTs and NaOH as initiating materials without employing any additional surfactant and react in ethanol at 60°C for 2h. Through this facile process, the as-obtained nanohybrids preserve the good dispersity and uniformity of initial N-CNTs and the loading amount of the ZnO nanocrystals can be conveniently varied or controlled by the concentration of the zinc precursor. Furthermore, the products exhibit the enhanced visible-light photocatalytic activity for the degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and benzoic acid. It is believed that this simple strategy can be extended to synthesize other metal-oxide/N-CNTs nanohybrids for different applications. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Autoantibody (AAb) has a prominent role in prostate cancer (PCa), with few studies profiling the AAb landscape in Chinese patients. Therefore, the AAb landscape in Chinese patients was characterized using protein arrays. First, in the discovery phase, Huprot arrays outlined autoimmune profiles against ~ 21,888 proteins from 57 samples. In the verification phase, the PCa-focused arrays detected 25 AAbs selected from the discovery phase within 178 samples. Then, PCa was detected using a backpropagation artificial neural network (BPANN) model. In the validation phase, an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) was used to validate four AAb biomarkers from 196 samples. Huprot arrays profiled distinct PCa, benign prostate diseases (BPD), and health AAb landscapes. PCa-focused array depicted that IFIT5 and CPOX AAbs could distinguish PCa from health with an area under curve (AUC) of 0.71 and 0.70, respectively. PAH and FCER2 AAbs had AUCs of 0.86 and 0.88 in discriminating PCa from BPD. Particularly, PAH AAb detected patients in the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) gray zone with an AUC of 0.86. Meanwhile, the BPANN model of 4-AAb (IFIT5, PAH, FCER2, CPOX) panel attained AUC of 0.83 among the two cohorts for detecting patients with gray-zone PSA. In the validation cohort, the IFIT5 AAb was upregulated in PCa compared to health (p < 0.001). Compared with BPD, PAH and FCER2 AAbs were significantly elevated in PCa (p = 0.012 and 0.039). We have demonstrated the first extensive profiling of autoantibodies in Chinese PCa patients, identifying novel diagnostic AAb biomarkers, especially for identification of gray-zone-PSA patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the endocrine function and lymphocyte infiltration of ultrarapidly frozen newborn rat ovaries in adult recipients. Design: Animal study. Setting: Reproductive Medicine Laboratory of Ningxia Medical College. Animal(s): Newborn rats within 24 hours after birth and Sprague-Dawley female adult rats. Intervention(s): Newborn or adult rat ovary tissues were cryopreserved with ultrarapid freezing method, using 1.5 M propylene glycol and 0.1 M sucrose as a cryoprotectant agent. After thawing, they were allotransplanted under the kidney capsule of ovariectomized adult female rats to assess the function and the microstructure. Main Outcome Measure(s): Vaginal smear, serum E2 level in recipients, grafts histologic observation, 3β-hydroxy steroid dehydrogenase histochemistry staining, and CD4+/CD8+ T cell immunohistochemistry staining. Result(s): Frozen–thawed newborn rat ovaries survived and established a vascular network with the kidney of recipients. More growing follicles were found in these survival grafts. No significant differences were found in both resumption rates, the day of initiating estrous cycles, and E2 level between the frozen adult and frozen newborn rat ovaries transplant group. Among all the groups, the number of lymphocyte in the frozen newborn rat ovary transplant group is the lowest. Conclusion(s): This is the first report for ultrarapid cryopreservation that can preserve the development potential of immature ovaries in ovariectomized adult recipients and further reduce their immunogenicity successfully. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Lycium barbarum L. (Solanaceae) is a Chinese medicinal plant whose fruits (Fructus Lycii) are used by Chinese physicians for treatment of infertility. However, the active ingredients and the mechanism of action underlying Lycium''s fertility-facilitating effects remain unknown. Here we report that Fructus Lycii polysaccharides (FLPS) inhibit time- and hyperthermia-induced structural damage in murine seminiferous epithelium, in vitro. Moreover, we found that FLPS delayed apoptosis in this system, both at normothermic and hyperthermic culture conditions. Oxidative stress was reported to be a major cause of structural degradation and apoptosis in hyperthermic testes, and thus the protective effect of FLPS could implicate an antioxidant mechanism of action. To test this hypothesis we assayed the effect of FLPS on ultraviolet light-induced lipid peroxidation, and cytochrome c reduction by free radicals. We found that FLPS is a potent inhibitor of both of these reactions. Together, these results demonstrate the protective effect of FLPS on time- and hyperthermia-induced testicular degeneration in vitro, indicate the potential mechanism of action for this protective effect, and provide a scientific basis for the traditional use of this plant. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This article discusses a study conducted on Chinese patients with small cell lung cancer (SCLC) to understand the mechanisms of chemotherapy response and resistance. The study analyzed the multi-omics characteristics of tumor tissue, circulating tumor cells (CTCs), and circulating tumor DNA (ctDNA) in SCLC patients. The results showed that patients who responded well to chemotherapy had better survival outcomes. The study also identified potential molecular mechanisms, such as KDR mutation, PI3K amplification, and activation of VEGF and KRAS pathways, that contribute to chemotherapy resistance. The findings suggest that targeted therapies and immunotherapy may benefit patients who are resistant to chemotherapy. Further research is needed to determine the most appropriate treatments for recurring patients. [Extracted from the article]

The emerging optoelectronic neuromorphic devices are widely concerned due to their capability to integrate the functions of signal sensing, memory, and processing. Although significant advancements have been made in the study of individual optoelectronic synaptic devices, the development of hardware‐level image recognition systems based on photo‐synapse arrays remains a challenge. In this study, a crosstalk‐free, easy‐to‐integrate, and scalable 8 × 8 crossbar array for optical image sensing and storage is demonstrated using vertical two‐terminal ZnO photo‐synapses with the self‐denoising function. By designing peripheral circuits, a complete hardware‐level artificial visual system is constructed that successfully implements the real‐time pattern recognition tasks for 8 × 8 pixel images. The excellent performance of the photo‐synapse array shows its remarkable ability in highly efficient optic neuromorphic computing. Additionally, an in‐sensor reservoir computing (RC) system is constructed for image recognition of handwritten digits. The system achieves a high classification accuracy of 95.1%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In turbomachinery bladed disks are typical cyclic symmetric structures where high-cycle fatigue of the blades can easily occur. Increasing the shroud structure is an effective blade vibration reduction method using the dry friction of the shroud contact surface to dissipate vibration energy. During one vibration cycle of the blade, the contact surface of the shroud may have one or several states of stick, slip, and separation due to the different amplitude of blade, which affects not only the damping, but also the stiffness of the system. This paper proposes a method to analyze the damping characteristics of blades with shroud considering the change of equivalent contact stiffness of the shroud by using the finite element method. With a 2D contact model, this method calculates the equivalent damping and obtains the damping characteristic curve to evaluate the damping of shroud. During the design phase, the objective is that when resonance occurs, the shroud can provide the optimal damping ratio under the allowable vibration stress of the blade. The parameter sensitivity of the damping characteristic for one bladed disk with parallel shroud is investigated. It is shown that vibration phase angle, contact stiffness, contact force, friction coefficient significantly influence the damping characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Antibodies targeting programmed cell death-1(PD1) and its ligand (PDL1) have revolutionized cancer therapy. However, little is known about the preexisted anti-PD1/PDL1 autoantibodies (AAbs) distribution in multiple cancer types, nor is their potential biomarker role for anti-PD1 therapy. Method: Plasma anti-PD1/PDL1 AAb IgG and subclasses (IgG1-4) were detected by enzyme-linked immune sorbent assay (ELISA) in 190 cancer patients, covering 10 cancer types (lung, breast, esophageal, colorectal, liver, prostatic, cervical, ovarian, gastric cancers and lymphoma), the comprehensive correlation of AAbs with multiple clinical parameters was analyzed. We further tested these AAbs in 76 non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) samples receiving anti-PD1 therapy, the association of AAbs level with survival was analyzed and validated in an independent cohort (n = 32). Results: Anti-PD1/PDL1 AAb IgG were globally detected in 10 types of cancer patients. IgG1 and IgG2 were the major subtypes for anti-PD1/PDL1 AAbs. Correlation analysis revealed a distinct landscape between various cancer types. The random forest model indicated that IgG4 subtype was mostly associated with cancer. In discovery cohort of 76 NSCLC patients, high anti-PD1 IgG4 was associated with a reduced overall survival (OS, p = 0.019), not progression-free survival (PFS, p = 0.088). The negative association of anti-PD1 IgG4 with OS was validated in 32 NSCLC patients (p = 0.032). Conclusion: This study reports for the first time the distribution of preexisted anti-PD1/PDL1 AAb IgG and subclasses across 10 cancer types. Moreover, the anti-PD1 AAb IgG4 subclass was identified to associate with OS, which may serve as a potential biomarker for anti-PD1 therapeutic survival benefit in NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]