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We study the coupled-top model with three large spins located on a triangle. Depending on the coupling strength, there exist three phases: disordered paramagnetic phase, ferromagnetic phase, and frustrated antiferromagnetic phase, which can be distinguished by the mean-field approach. The paramagnetic-ferromagnetic phase transition is accompanied by the breaking of the global $Z_2$ symmetry, whereas the paramagnetic-antiferromagnetic phase transition is accompanied by the breaking of both the global $Z_2$ symmetry and the translational symmetry. Exact analytical results of higher-order quantum effects beyond the mean-field contribution, such as the excitation energy, quantum fluctuation, and von Neumann entropy, can be achieved by the Holstein-Primakoff transformation and symplectic transformation in the thermodynamic limit. Near the quantum critical point, the energy gap closes, along with the divergence of the quantum fluctuation in certain quadrature and von Neumann entropy. Particular attention should be paid to the antiferromagnetic phase, where geometric frustration takes effect. The critical behaviors in the antiferromagnetic phase are quite different from those in the paramagnetic and ferromagnetic phases, which highlight the importance of geometric frustration. The triangular coupled-top model provides a simple and feasible platform to study the quantum phase transition and the novel critical behaviors induced by geometric frustration., Comment: 10 pages, 6 figures

Metabolomics based on ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-tandem quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry(UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS) was employed to analyze the effect of Cyathulae Radix on serum and urine in rats with knee osteoarthritis, and to decipher the mechanism of Cyathulae Radix in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis. SD rats were randomized into a normal group, a model group, a positive drug group, and a Cyathulae Radix group. The knee osteoarthritis model was established by injecting 2% pa-pain and 0.03 mol·L~(-1) cysteine, and the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor-α(TNF-α) and matrix metalloproteinase-3(MMP-3) in the model group was measured to preliminarily evaluate the therapeutic effect of Cyathulae Radix on knee osteoarthritis. UHPLC-Q-TOF-MS was employed to establish the metabolic profile of endogenous small molecule metabolites in the four groups. Potential biomarkers were screened out by multivariate analysis methods such as partial least squares discriminant analysis(PLS-DA) and orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis(OPLS-DA) in combination with t-test, variable importance for projection(VIP), and fold-change. The related metabolic pathways were enriched with the help of MetaboAnalyst 5.0. The results showed that Cyathulae Radix alleviated the general signs of rats with knee osteoarthritis, and reduced the levels of TNF-α and MMP-3 in the rat serum. Twenty-eight differential metabolites that might be associated with the therapeutic effect of Cyathulae Radix were screened out from serum and urine. They were mainly involved in arginine biosynthesis, nicotinate and nicotinamide metabolism, tricarboxylic acid cycle, alanine, aspartate and glutamate metabolism, riboflavin metabolism, glyoxylate and dicarboxylate metabolism, and pyrimidine metabolism. Through metabonomics analysis, this study predicted the possible mechanism of Cyathulae Radix in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis, which laid a foundation for further research.

We study the ground state phase diagram of a one-dimensional two qubits Dicke-Hubbard model with XY qubit-qubit interaction. We use a numerical method combing the cluster mean-field theory and the matrix product state(MPS) to obtain the exact wave function of the ground state. When counter-rotating wave terms(CRTs) in the qubit-cavity coupling are neglected, we observe a rich phase diagram including a quantum phase transition between the Mott-insulating phase and the superfluid phase. This phase transition can be either the first-order or the second-order type depending on whether the total angular momentum changes across the phase diagram. Moreover, we observe two quantum triple points, at which three different phases coexist, with both positive and negative XY interactions. By further considering the effect of CRTs, we find that the main feature in the previous phase diagram, including the existence of quantum triple points, is retained. We also show that CRTs extremely demolish the non-local correlations in the coherent phase.

Phytochemical investigation of the 95% ethanol extract from Pinus yunnanensis Franch resin induced the isolation of six previously unreported diterpenoids pinuyunnanacids K - N, P - Q, a nor-diterpenoid with a novel skeleton pinuyunnanacid O and six known analogues. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic analysis and computational methods, including nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, calculated NMR chemical shifts method and electronic circular dichroic (ECD) spectra. All the compounds were analyzed for anti-inflammatory activity through western blotting and cell viability, compounds 2, 10 and 12 significantly downregulated the protein expression of iNOS at the concentration of 40 μM. At the same time, compounds 10 and 12 decreased the expression of COX-2 in LPS-treated RAW264.7 (leukemia cells in mouse macrophage) cells at the concentration of 40 μM.

To investigate the role of LncRNA PVT1 (plasmacytoma variant translocation 1) in hyperglycemia-triggered cartilage damage using the diabetic osteoarthritis (OA) mice model. Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to induce mouse diabetes. Knee OA model was induced through transection of anterior cruciate ligament (ACLT). Severity of arthritis was assessed histologically by Safranin O-Fast Green Staining using Mankin Scores. LncRNA PVT1 and miR-146a were detected by real-time polymerase chain reaction (PCR) in cartilage tissue. Moreover, the interaction among PVT1, miR-146a, and SMAD4 was examined by luciferase reporter assays. Mice were injected intra-articularly with ad-siRNA-PVT1 and ad-siRNA scramble control. Articular concentrations of TNF-α, IL-1, IL-6 and TGF-β1 were determined using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Levels of type II Collagen (COL2A1), TGF-β1, p-SMAD2, SMAD2, p-SMAD3, SMAD3, SMAD4 and nuclear SMAD4 were detected by western blot analysis. PVT1 expression was significantly increased, whereas miR-146a was markedly decreased in diabetic OA mice than in non-diabetic OA and control. Increased PVT1 expression in diabetic OA mice was significantly associated with Mankin score and reduced miR-146a as well as Collagen alpha-1(II) (COL2A1) expressions. In vivo, intra-articular injection of ad-siRNA-PVT1 efficiently increased miR-146a and COL2A1 expressions, alleviated joint inflammation, decreased the expression of pro-inflammatory mediators, and suppressed TGF-β/SMAD4 pathway in diabetic OA mice. Our results demonstrate LncRNA PVT1 is involved in cartilage degradation in diabetic OA and correlated with disease severity. Efficiency of ad-siRNA-PVT1 in controlling joint inflammation in diabetic OA mice is associated with the suppression of the expression of miR-146a, pro-inflammatory cytokines and activation of TGF-β/SMAD4 pathway.

Eight previously undescribed diterpenoids, rosins A-H, and nine known diterpenoids were isolated from the resin from Pinus kesiya var. langbianensis (A.Chev.) Gaussen ex Bui (Pinaceae) extracted with 95% ethanol. Their structures were determined by nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, mass spectrometry, J-based configuration analysis (JBCA), NOESY spectra, calculated NMR chemical shifts and electronic circular dichroic (ECD) spectra. All compounds were evaluated for their protective effects in LPS-treated human normal lung epithelial cells (BEAS-2B), and the cell viability was significantly increased after treatment with compounds 5, 10, 12, or 15 at a concentration of 10 μM.

Five new compounds, named gingerol A (

Seven undescribed compounds, including a sesquiterpenoid derivative, a γ-lactone, four gingerols, and a dihydroferulic acid lactate were isolated from the rhizome of Zingiber officinale, and named gingerterpenoid G, gingerlactone A, zingibergingerols A-D and L-dihydroferulic acid lactate, respectively. Zingibergingerols (±)-B and (±)-C were two pairs of enantiomers. The structures of all compounds were determined by 1D-NMR, 2D-NMR and mass spectrometry. The absolute configurations were determined by comparison of the experimental and theoretically calculated ECD curves or X-ray single-crystal diffraction. Bioassay showed that gingerterpenoid G, gingerlactone A, and zingibergingerols A and B exhibited significant anti-inflammatory activity in the model of LPS-induced RAW 264.7 cells.

Five monoterpenoid compounds(1-5) were isolated and purified from the acetone fraction of the aqueous extract of Zingiberis Rhizoma Recens by MCI, Sephadex LH-20, silica gel, semi-preparative HPLC, and TLC. Their structures were identified with multiple spectroscopical methods including 1 D-NMR, 2 D-NMR, and MS. The five compounds were identified as(2E,6Z)-8-hydroxy-2,6-dimethylocta-2,6-dien-1-yl-(E)-3-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) acrylate(1),(2E,6E)-8-hydroxy-3,7-dimethylocta-2,6-die-noic acid(2),(E)-1,8-dihydroxy-3,7-dimethyl-2-octenoic acid(3), linalyl-β-D-glucopyranoside(4), and β-D-glucopyranoside-(2E)-3,7-dimethyl-2,6-octadien-1-yl(5), respectively.Compound 1 was a new monoterpene ester, and compounds 4-5 were isolated from this plant for the first time.

To investigate the relationship between average interval time of chemotherapy and prognosis in patients with acute leukemia (AL) during intensive treatment.Data of 92 newly treated adult AL patients who received chemotherapy in The First Hospital of Lanzhou University from January 2010 to June 2019 were analyzed retrospectively. The patients were divided into groups according to the average interval time of chemotherapy during intensive treatment, and its influence on prognosis was analyzed.The median interval of chemotherapy during intensive therapy was 38 (20-64) days. According to the average interval of chemotherapy, patients were divided into 4 groups, including30 days group, 30-39 days group, 40-49 days group and ≥ 50 days group. The 3-year overall survival (OS) rate of the four groups was (84.9±8.0)%, (73.5±8.7)%, (56.5±11.1)% and (41.8±13.6)%, respectively (P=0.008). The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) rate of the four groups was (63.6±11.1)%, (52.8±10.2)%, (38.2±10.8)% and (14.0±9.0)%, respectively (P=0.001). After comparison between the 4 groups, it was found that OS and PFS in ≥ 50 days group were significantly shorter than those in30 days group (P0.008). Multivariate analysis showed that risk stratification and average chemotherapy interval ≥ 50 days were the common adverse factors affecting OS and PFS.The average chemotherapy interval ≥ 50 days during intensive therapy is an independent risk factor affecting the prognosis and survival of patients with AL. When the bone marrow is completely relieved and the peripheral hemogram recovers to an acceptable level, the consolidation therapy should be started as soon as possible. The interval30 days can significantly improve the prognosis compared with the interval ≥ 50 days.急性白血病患者化疗间隔时间与预后的相关性分析.探讨急性白血病患者强化治疗期间平均化疗间隔时间与预后的关系.回顾性分析2010年1月至2019年6月在兰州大学第一医院接受化学治疗的92例初治成人急性白血病患者的资料，依据强化治疗期间平均化疗间隔时间进行分组并分析其对预后的影响.强化治疗期间平均化疗间隔时间中位水平为38（20-64）d，依据化疗平均间隔时间水平将患者分为30 d、30-39 d、40-49 d、≥50 d组，4组患者3年总生存率分别为（84.9±8.0）%、（73.5± 8.7）%、（56.5±11.1）%和（41.8±13.6）%（P=0.008），3年无进展生存率分别为（63.6±11.1）%、（52.8±10.2）%、（38.2±10.8）%、（14.0±9.0）%（P=0.001）。组间行两两比较，结果显示，≥50 d组的总生存期及无进展生存期均明显短于30 d组（P0.008）。多因素分析结果显示，危险度分层、平均化疗间隔时间≥50 d是影响总生存、无进展生存的共同不利因素.强化治疗期间平均化疗间隔时间≥50 d是影响急性白血病患者预后生存的独立危险因素，在骨髓象完全缓解并在外周血象恢复到可接受治疗时，应尽快开始下一次巩固治疗，间隔时间30 d较间隔时间≥50 d能显著改善预后.

To detect the level of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) in bone marrow of patients with non-M3 acute leukemia (AL), and estimate its relationship with prognosis.From January 2016 to December 2019, 114 patients with AL in department of Hematology, Wuwei People's Hospital were selected as study group, and 25 healthy volunteers were enrolled as control group. The concentration of VEGF in bone marrow was detected by ELISA. The patients were divided into high and low concentration group according to the level of VEGF. The overall survival (OS) and event-free survival (EFS) were compared among different groups.The level of VEGF in patients with AL was significantly higher than that in the control group. The median OS and EFS in the low concentration group was 34.5 and 32 months, respectively, while, in the high concentration group was 30 and 26 months, respectively. The differences between the two groups were statistically significant (P=0.010). There were significant differences in OS rate (P=0.035) and EFS rate (P=0.026) between low and high concentration group. Multivariate analysis showed that high VEGF concentration was an independent risk factor affecting OS (HR=2.619, 95%CI 1.070-6.406, P=0.035) and EFS (HR=2.221, 95%CI 1.074-4.552, P=0.031) in AL patients.VEGF highly expresses in the bone marrow of patients with AL at initial diagnosis and relapse, and shows adverse effects on the prognosis.急性白血病患者骨髓VEGF高表达及其与预后的相关性分析.检测非M3型急性白血病（AL）患者的骨髓血管内皮生长因子（VEGF）水平，探讨VEGF的表达水平与预后的关系.选取2016年1月至2019年12月在武威市人民医院血液内科住院的AL患者共114例，以本课题组25名健康志愿者为对照组，用ELISA方法分别检测骨髓VEGF的浓度，依据VEGF表达水平进行分组，比较不同组间总生存期（OS）和无事件生存期（EFS）的差异.AL患者VEGF的表达水平明显高于对照组。VEGF低浓度组的中位OS和EFS分别为34.5和32个月，高浓度组分别为30和26个月，比较差异有统计学意义（P=0.010）。VEGF低浓度组与高浓度组的OS率与EFS率比较，差异均有统计学意义（P=0.035，P=0.026）。多因素分析显示，高浓度VEGF是影响患者OS（HR=2.619，95%CI 1.070-6.406，P=0.035）和EFS（HR=2.221，95%CI 1.074-4.552，P=0.031）的独立危险因素.AL患者初诊及复发时骨髓高表达VEGF，并对患者预后产生不良影响.

To explore the regulation effect of myeloid leukemia No.1 Chinese herb medicine prescription combined with chemotherapy on Th17 cells in bone marrow fluid of AML patients, so as to provide guidance for improving AML treatment effect and patients' long-term survival.Seventy patients with AML who were hospitalized in Department of Hematology, Wuwei People's Hospital from April 2017 to August 2019 were selected and enrolled in AML group, 25 healthy volunteers were selected and enrolled in control group; then according to therapeutic regimen, AML patients were divided into 2 groups: combined therapy group (myeloid leukemia NO.1 Chinese herb medicine prescription combined with chemotherapy) and non-combined therapy group (chemotherapy alone). Flow cytometry was used to detect the ratio of CD3The ratio of CD3Th17 cells expression in bone marrow of newly diagnoses and relapsed AML patients significantly increase, and decrease significantly after treatment. Myeloid leukemia No.1 Chinese herb prescription combined with chemotherapy can significantly increase the CR rate and reduce the RL rate for AML.髓白1号方联合化疗对急性髓系白血病患者骨髓中Th17细胞的调控作用研究.探索髓白1号方联合化疗对AML患者骨髓液中Th17细胞的调控作用，为提高AML患者治疗效果与长期生存提供指导.选取2017年4月- 2019年8月在武威市人民医院血液科住院的AML患者70例，并以25名健康志愿者纳入对照组；然后AML患者根据治疗方案分为联合治疗组（髓白1号方联合化疗）和非联合治疗组（单纯化疗）。采用流式细胞术检测骨髓液中CD3初诊及复发的AML患者CD3初诊及复发的AML患者骨髓中Th17细胞的表达水平明显升高，治疗后显著减低。髓白1号方联合化疗治疗AML可明显提高CR率，降低复发率.

Rationale Ginger pulp is the dried rhizome scraped off the skin which originates from Zingiber officinale Rosc., a Zingiberaceae plant. Ginger peel is the dried rhizome skin of Zingiber officinale Rosc. (Zingiberaceae). The present work aims to investigate the different chemical constituents that are related to the medicinal properties of the ginger pulp and ginger peel. Methods A rapid ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography/electrospray ionization quadrupole time-of-flight tandem mass spectrometry (UHPLC/ESI-QTOF/MS) method was developed for qualitative analysis of the constituents in different polarity extracted fractions of the pulp and peel of ginger rhizomes. Results A total of 83 compounds were identified from the pulp and peel of ginger rhizomes, including 36 diarylheptanoids, 25 gingerols and 22 other compounds. Nine of these were new compounds. In total, 46, 27, 65 and 51 compounds were identified from the crude extract, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, and n-butanol fractions of the ginger pulp, respectively, and 60, 30, 70 and 62 compounds were identified from the crude extract, petroleum ether, ethyl acetate, n-butanol fractions of the ginger peel, respectively. Each identified compound is marked on the corresponding chromatogram. Conclusions The integrated method is sensitive and reliable for searching the different chemical constituents from different polarity extracted fractions of the ginger pulp and ginger peel. This work may provide a significant contribution to research into the medicinal properties of the ginger pulp and ginger peel.

Four new diarylheptanoid glycosides (1-4), (1S,3R,5S)-2-(4-hydroxy-3- methoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (1), (1S,3R,5S)-2-(4,5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(4-hydroxyphenyl) ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (2), (1S,3R,5S)-2-(4-hydroxy- 3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)-6-[2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-4'-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (3), and (1R,3R,5R)-2-(4-hydroxy-3,5-dimethoxyphenyl)- 6-[2-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)ethyl]-tetrahydropyran-4-ol-3-O-β-D-glucopyranoside (4) were isolated from the 50% ethanol extract of Zingiber officinale peel. The structures of the isolated compounds were determined by HR-ESI-MS and extensive spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D-NMR, and 2D-NMR). Compounds 1-4 significantly increased the survival rate of human normal lung bronchial epithelial cells (BEAS-2B) induced by lipopolysaccharide (LPS) at the concentration of 10 μM.

We study the anisotropic spin-boson model (SBM) with the subohmic bath by a numerically exact method based on variational matrix product states. A rich phase diagram is found in the anisotropy-coupling strength plane by calculating several observables. There are three distinct quantum phases: a delocalized phase with even parity (phase I), a delocalized phase with odd parity (phase II), and a localized phase with broken $Z_2$ symmetry (phase III), which intersect at a quantum tricritical point. The competition between those phases would give overall picture of the phase diagram. For small power of the spectral function of the bosonic bath, the quantum phase transition (QPT) from phase I to III with mean-field critical behavior is present, similar to the isotropic SBM. The novel phase diagram full with three different phases can be found at large power of the spectral function: For highly anisotropic case, the system experiences the QPTs from phase I to II via 1st-order, and then to the phase III via 2nd-order with the increase of the coupling strength. For low anisotropic case, the system only experiences the continuous QPT from phase I to phase III with the non-mean-field critical exponents. Very interestingly, at the moderate anisotropy, the system would display the continuous QPTs for several times but with the same critical exponents. This unusual reentrance to the same localized phase is discovered in the light-matter interacting systems. The present study on the anisotropic SBM could open an avenue to the rich quantum criticality., Comment: 9 pages, 6 figures

AIMS To evaluate the changes of serum cytokines levels after fecal microbiota transplantation (FMT) in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC) and the correlation with UC disease activity. METHODS Patients with active UC who meet the inclusion and exclusion criteria were recruited, and received FMT from a single donor for three times with an interval of 2-3 months. Serum samples were collected before every FMT. Clinical responses to FMT were assessed according to the criteria of Mayo score. 41 serum cytokines, C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were quantitatively detected. Changes in serum cytokines levels after FMT and their correlation with CRP, ESR and Mayo scores were investigated. RESULTS 16 active UC patients were enrolled, and 14(87.5%) patients achieved clinical response to FMT. Compared with those before FMT, serum concentrations of IL-1Ra, IL-6, IP-10 and ENA-78 decreased significantly after the second FMT (P

We study the spin-boson model (SBM) with two spins in staggered biases by a numerically exact method based on variational matrix product states. Several observables such as the magnetization, the entanglement entropy between the two spins and the bosonic environment, the ground-state energy, as well as the correlation function for two spins are calculated exactly. The characteristics of these observables suggest that the staggered biases can drive the 2nd-order quantum phase transition (QPT) to the 1st-order QPT in the sub-Ohmic SBM, while the Kosterlitz-Thouless QPT in the Ohmic SBM goes directly to the 1st-order one. A quantum tricritical point, where the continuous QPT meets the 1st-order one, can then be detected. It is found that the staggered biases would not change the universality of { the phase transition in this model} below the quantum tricritical point., Comment: 8 pages, 9 figures. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:2001.02166

BACKGROUND This study aimed to discover the common cause of non-variceal upper-gastrointestinal bleeding (NVUGIB) by conducting a multi-center retrospective study from 2008 to 2012. MATERIAL AND METHODS Hospitalized patients ages ≥18 years old, from 8 hospitals in China, diagnosed with NVUGIB by endoscopy from 1 January 2008 to 31 December 2012 were enrolled. Questionnaires were developed and a data-entry graphical user interface was designed by using EpiData software. RESULTS Total of 2977 hospitalized patients from 8 medical centers were included. A total of 95.47% (2842/2977) of patients were admitted to a general ward, 3.53% (105/2977) were admitted to an emergency ward, and 1.00% (31/2977) were admitted to an intensive care unit. Peptic ulcer remained the most common cause of NVUGIB (73.26%), but there was a declining trend in its constituent ratio, from 2008 to 2012. A total of 14.41% (429/2977) of patients had co-morbid conditions, 92.85% (2764/2977) used proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) prior to endoscopic treatment, 19.65% (585/2977) underwent emergency endoscopy, and 23.45% (698/2977) received a transfusion of red blood cell suspensions. A total of 5.34% (159/2977) underwent endoscopic therapy, with a treatment rate of 16.9% in high-risk peptic ulcer patients (96/568). A total of 7.69% (237/2977) were administered aspirin, of whom 32.50% (77/237) resumed aspirin intake after gastrointestinal bleeding was controlled. The median length of hospitalization was 8 days (IQR, 5-11) and the mortality rate was 1.71% (51/2977). CONCLUSIONS Peptic ulcer was still the most common cause of NVUGIB in China. The proportion of patients with high-risk peptic ulcer bleeding who received endoscopic therapy was 16.9%. Only 19.65% of NVUGIB patients underwent emergency endoscopy.

Four new diarylheptanoids, (1S, 3R, 5R, 6R)-1, 5-epoxy-3, 6 dihydroxy-1-(4-hydroxy-3, 5-dimethoxyphenyl)-7-(4-hydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl) heptane (1), (1R, 3R, 5S)-1, 5-epoxy-3-acetoxy-1-(4, 5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-7-(3, 4- hydroxyphenyl) heptane (2), (3R, 5S, 6R, 7S)-3, 6-epoxy-7-hydroxyl-1-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl) heptane (3), (E)-3-keto-1-(3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-(4, 5-dihydroxy-3-methoxyphenyl)-4- heptene (4), were isolated from Rhizoma Zingiberis, and their structures were determined based on HR-ESI-MS and extensive spectroscopic techniques (UV, IR, 1D-NMR and 2D-NMR). Compounds 1-4 exhibited no cytotoxicity against HepG2 cell lines.

We study the spin-boson model without the counterrotating terms by a numerically exact method based on variational matrix product states. Surprisingly, the second-order quantum phase transition (QPT) is observed for the sub-Ohmic bath in the rotating-wave approximations. Moreover, first-order QPTs can also appear before the critical points. With the decrease of the bath exponents, these first-order QPTs disappear successively, while the second-order QPT remains robust. The second-order QPT is further confirmed by multi-coherent-states variational studies, while the first-order QPT is corroborated with the exact diagonalization in the truncated Hilbert space. Extension to the Ohmic bath is also performed, and many first-order QPTs appear successively in a wide coupling regime, in contrast to previous findings. The previous pictures for many physical phenomena for the spin-boson model in the rotating-wave approximation have to be modified at least at the strong coupling., 10 pages, 10 figures

BACKGROUND Knee osteoarthritis (KOA) causes joint pain and limited mobility, which affects the quality of life. The use of Chinese herbal medicine to treat KOA has achieved certain effects, and Wutou decoction (WTD) is one of them. But there is no high-level evidence to support this result. The purpose of this work is to evaluate WTD's efficacy and safety in the management of KOA. METHODS We will search articles in 7 electronic databases including Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Data (WF), Chinese Scientific Journals Database (VIP), Chinese databases SinoMed (CBM), PubMed, Embase, and Cochrane Library databases. All the publications, with no time restrictions, will be searched without any restriction of language and status, the time from the establishment of the database to September 2020. Two reviewers will independently assess the quality of the selected studies, NoteExpress and Excel software will be used to extract data, and the content will be stored in an electronic chart. Different researchers will separately screen the titles and abstracts of records acquired potential eligibility which comes from the electronic databases. Full-text screening and data extraction will be conducted afterward independently. Statistical analysis will be conducted using RevMan 5.4 software. RESULTS This study will evaluate the current efficacy and safety of WTD in the treatment of KOA, to provide high-quality, evidence-based clinical recommendations. CONCLUSION This study will provide reliable evidence on whether WTD is safe and effective in treating KOA. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER INPLASY202090022.

Hypoglycemic activity-guided separation of ethanol extracts from the fruits of Cornus officinalis Sieb. et Zucc (CO) led to the isolation of loganin, morroniside, and ursolic acid. The antidiabetic capacity of CO extracts and related compounds was further investigated in diabetes mellitus mice. The results suggested that both CO extracts and pure compounds could ameliorate diabetes-associated damages and complications. Oral administration of loganin and morroniside decreased fasting blood glucose levels in diabetes mellitus mice. Ursolic acid exhibited the highest reactive oxygen species scavenging activity and α-glucosidase inhibitory activity. Notably, we noticed an interesting synergistic effect between loganin and ursolic acid. Given these favorable hypoglycemic properties, C. officinalis, a food and medicinal plant in China, may be used as a valuable food supplement for the treatment of diabetes mellitus.

We study a non-Hermitian two-level system with square-wave modulated dissipation and coupling. Based on the Floquet theory, we achieve an effective Hamiltonian from which the boundaries of the P T phase diagram are captured exactly. Two kinds of P T symmetry broken phases are found, whose effective Hamiltonians differ by a constant ω/2. For the time-periodic dissipation, a vanishingly small dissipation strength can lead to the P T symmetry breaking in the (2k – 1)-photon resonance (Δ = (2k – 1) ω), with k = 1,2,3… It is worth noting that such a phenomenon can also happen in 2k-photon resonance (Δ = 2kΔ), as long as the dissipation strengths or the driving times are imbalanced, namely γ 0 ≠ – γ 1 or T 0 ≠ T 1. For the time-periodic coupling, the weak dissipation induced P T symmetry breaking occurs at Δ eff = kω, where Δ eff = (Δ 0 T 0 + Δ 1 T 1)/T. In the high frequency limit, the phase boundary is given by a simple relation γ eff = ±Δ eff.

An 8-week feeding trial and transcriptome analysis were conducted to investigate the potential mechanism of muscle-hardening caused by faba bean in grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idellus). Ordinary grass carp (fed with practical diet) and crisp grass carp (fed with faba bean meal) groups were designed. Lower water holding capacity and higher some texture parameters were observed in the muscle of crisp grass carp compared with another group. 19.62 GB clean reads were generated, and total 1354 genes exhibiting differentially expression were identified (FDR

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) are non-protein coding transcripts which have been studied extensively in human and mouse over the past few years, and play an important role in muscle development and myogenesis. Grass carp (Ctenopharyngodon idella) fed with faba bean (Vicia faba) meal is a high-value grass carp (crisp grass carp) with firmer muscles and distinct texture. To date, the regulatory mechanism of muscle firmness increase in crisp grass carp is still unclear, especially studies about the regulation of lncRNA in muscle firmness increase. In the study, based on the muscle of crisp grass carp transcriptome sequenced, a total of 82,903,440 clean reads were generated. Among them, 4240 lncRNA transcripts corresponding to 4191 lncRNA genes were identified. The identified lncRNAs shared same characteristics with the lncRNAs in other vertebrates, including shorter length of transcripts and lower expression levels of lncRNA genes. 781 differentially expressed lncRNA genes in crisp grass carp (|log2 fold change| > 2 and FDR

Nine new gingerols, including three 6-oxo-shogaol derivatives [(Z)-6-oxo-[6]-shogaol (1), (Z)-6-oxo-[8]-shogaol (2), (Z)-6-oxo-[10]-shogaol (3)], one 6-oxoparadol derivative [6-oxo-[6]-paradol (4)], one isoshogaol derivative [(E)-[4]-isoshogaol (5)], and four paradoldiene derivatives [(4E,6Z)-[4]-paradoldiene (8), (4E,6E)-[6]-paradoldiene (9), (4E,6E)-[8]-paradoldiene (10), (4E,6Z)-[8]-paradoldiene (11)], together with eight known analogues, were isolated from the rhizoma of Zingiber officinale. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic data. It was noted that the isolation of 6-oxo-shogaol derivatives represents the first report of gingerols containing one 1,4-enedione motif. Their structures were elucidated on the basis of spectroscopic and HRESIMS data. All the new compounds were evaluated for their cytotoxic activities against human cancer cells (MCF-7, HepG-2, KYSE-150).

It is known that obesity resulted from consumption of diets high in fat and calories and associated with a chronic low-grade inflammation. Because the fat, sterol and bile acid metabolism of male Syrian golden hamster are more similar to that of human, in the present study, high fat and high cholesterol (HFHC) induced obese hamsters were used to evaluate the anti-inflammation and hypolipidemic role of coptisine. The results showed that body weight, plasma lipid levels of total cholesterol (TC), triglyceride (TG), low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (LDL-c), very low density lipoprotein-cholesterol (VLDL-c), ApoB and pro-inflammatory cytokines including TNF-α, IL-6 and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were significantly altered in hamsters fed with HFHC diet. A strong correlation was observed between the LPS level in serum and the level of LBP and pro-inflammatory cytokines. Coptisine from the concentrations of 60 to 700 mg/L dose-dependently inhibited Enterobacter cloacae growth, which can easily induce obesity and insulin resistance. The results of endotoxin neutralization assay suggest that coptisine is capable of reducing the LPS content under inflammation status. Real time RT-PCR analyses revealed that coptisine suppressed TLR-4 in visceral fat of hamsters and decreased CD14 expression in livers of hamsters. These encouraging findings make the development of coptisine a good candidate for preventing obesity-related diseases through the LPS/TLR-4-mediated signaling pathway.

Superconductivity was recently observed in CrAs as the helimagnetic order is suppressed by applying pressure, suggesting possible unconventional superconductivity. To reveal the nature of the superconducting order parameter of CrAs, here we report the angular dependence of the upper critical field under pressure. Upon rotating the field by 360 degrees in the $bc$-plane, six maxima are observed in the upper critical field, where the oscillations have both six-fold and two-fold symmetric components. Our analysis suggests the presence of an unconventional odd-parity spin triplet state., 9 pages, 5 figures

We present the design and fabrication approach of a rugate narrow band minus filter. A method for the fabrication of graded-index coatings by rapidly alternating deposition of low (SiO2) and high (Al2O3) refractive index materials is introduced, and this technology was used to fabricate a rugate structure. This paper mainly discusses about rugate narrow band minus filter design and fabrication approach. The experimental results show the measured transmittance spectra are in good agreement with the designed value. The laser-induced damage threshold (LIDT) of the narrow band rugate minus filter is measured.

A fully integrated cross-coupled digital controlled LC tank voltage-controlled oscillator (LC-VCO) is proposed to achieve a low phase noise, the LC_VCO receives the external n-bits control words FTRIM to control the capacitors switches and change LC-tank shunt capacitors, thus changes the tuning range of LC_VCO. Meanwhile the LC_VCO receives the external k-bits control words KVCO to control the varactors switches and led to the change of voltage control sensitivity. The digital controlled oscillator based on the proposed topology is simulated and verified by the standard SMIC 0.13um CMOS technology. The simulation gave a phase noise of -125.3dBc/Hz at 1 MHz, the entire circuit consumes the current is only 2.98mA under a 1.2 V supply.

Polyacrylonitrile (PAN) copolymers containg photocrosslinkable comonomer were obtained by the free-radical suspension copolymerization of Ultraviolet photocrosslinkable comonomer (UPC), methyl acrylate (MA) and acrylonitrile (AN) that was carried out in DMSO/H2O using redox as initiator in which have a typical composition of AN/MA/UPC in the mole ratio of 84/15/1. It was shown that MA was found to be suitable for enabling the melt processing of PAN. The ultraviolet sensitivity of UPC moiety improves the ultraviolet crosslinkability of the precursor fibers, as a result, the melt spun precursor fibers after ultraviolet irradiated can be oxidatively stabilized at 310 oC without melting and subsequently carbonized. The resultant carbon fibers with tensile strength of 602.2±151.3 MPa and modulus of 7.32±0.78 GPa were obtained.

We analyze consumer upgrade behavior through the theories of inertia and learning effect. The mobile usage behavior from 3G upgrade to 4G in Taiwan is suitable for our study and we obtain the real data set from one telecom service provider in Taiwan. We find the impact of inertia makes consumer keep same behavior in voice usage. The learning effect lead consumer gradually used more data usage and decrease voice usage.

Hydrogen storage composite alloy Ti 0.10 Zr 0.15 V 0.35 Cr 0.10 Ni 0.30 –10% LaNi 3 was prepared by two-step arc-melting to improve the electro-catalytic activity and the kinetic performance of Ti–V-based solid solution alloy. The electrochemical properties and synergetic effect of the composite alloy electrode were systematically investigated by using X-ray diffractometry, field emission scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive spectrometry, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and galvanostatic charge/discharge test. It is found that the main phase of the composite alloy is composed of V-based solid solution phase with a BCC structure and C14 Laves phase with hexagonal structure, while the secondary phase is formed in the composite alloy. The comprehensive electrochemical properties of the composite alloy electrode are significantly improved. The activation cycle number, the maximum discharge capacity and the low temperature dischargeability of the composite alloy are 5 cycles, 362.5 mA·h/g and 65.84% at 233 K, respectively. It is suggested that distinct synergetic effect occurs in the activation process, composite process, cyclic process and discharge process at a low or high temperature under different current densities, in the charge–transfer resistance and exchange current density.

A new coordination polymer, [Cd(bimt)(bdc)]n (1), has been synthesized through the self-assembly of Cd(NO3)2 with unsymmetrical N-heterocyclic ligand 2-((benzoimidazol-yl)methyl)-1H-tetrazole (bimt) and 1,3-benzenedicarboxylic acid (H2bdc). Single-crystal X-ray diffraction determination shows that polymer 1 possesses an infinite 2-D layered structure with intersecting linear chains ···(Cd)2-(bimt)2··· and ···(Cd)2-(bdc)2···, respectively. The adjacent layers are connected through the hydrogen bond resulting in a three-dimensional packing structure in solid state. In addition, the luminescent and the thermal properties have been investigated.

We report an investigation of the superconducting order parameter of the noncentrosymmetric compound PbTaSe$_2$, which is believed to have a topologically nontrivial band structure. Precise measurements of the London penetration depth $\Delta\lambda(T)$ obtained using a tunnel diode oscillator (TDO) based method show an exponential temperature dependence at $T\ll T_c$, suggesting a nodeless superconducting gap structure. A single band s-wave model well describes the corresponding normalized superfluid density, with a gap magnitude of $\Delta(0)=1.85T_c$. This is very close to the value of $1.76T_c$ for weak-coupling BCS superconductors, indicating conventional fully-gapped superconductivity in PbTaSe$_2$., Comment: 5 pages, 4 figures

In order to properly simulate bolted joints and make the numerical modes as accurate as possible, this paper is focused on modeling methods for dealing with bolt connection structures composed of two sheets. Six methods are presented to establish the FE models using different element types(8-node brick elements and 4-node shell elements) and different constraints (such as contact interaction and coupling constraint). The models are solved in ABAQUS software and natural frequencies and vibration shapes are obtained. Then, the experiments of bolt fastening structures are performed and FE simulation results are compared with the experimental ones. Moreover, the methods which agree well with the experiments are selected as the FE model of bolted connection. Finally, the element layers in the through-thickness direction are discussed. FE models built in this paper can reflect the real situation of bolted joints and provide significant reference to FE analysis for the complex system connected by bolts.

Two new C-glycosylflavones, named 5,7,3′,4′-tetrahydroxy-6-methoxy-8-C-β-D-gluco-pyranosyl flavonoside (1), 5,3′,4′-trihydroxy-6,7-dimethoxy-8-C-[β-D-apiofuranosyl-(1 → 2)]-β-D-glucopyranosyl flavonoside (2), together with nine known compounds (3–11), were isolated from 50% acetone extract of Boea hygrometrica (Bunge.) R.Br. Their structures were established by spectroscopic techniques including MS, IR, UV, and 2D NMR.