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To compare the new zero-profile (Zero-P) fusion cage with regular cage and plate (CP) in the treatment of anterior cervical single-level cervical degenerative diseases. Patients operated from January 2013 to August 2018 were enrolled. They were divided into the Zero-P group (n = 74 cases) and CP groups (n = 116 cases). Follow-up assessment was at 1, 3, 12, and 24 months after surgery, including the incidence of dysphagia, visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Japanese orthopaedic association (JOA)score, C2-C7 Cobb angle, intervertebral disc height (IDH) and adjacent joint degeneration. The operation time and blood loss of patients in Zero-P group were less than those in the CP group, and there was no difference in hospitalization time. All 190 patients were followed up for 24 to 72 months, with an average of 35.29 months. In terms of clinical outcomes, vas and JOA scores of the two groups were significantly improved at one month and the last follow-up. The incidence of dysphagia in the Zero-P group was lower than that in the CP group. On radiological effects, Cobb angle and IDH showed significant correction in both groups, but the degeneration rate of adjacent joints in the Zero-P group was lower than the CP group. In ACDF, the clinical and radiological results of Zero-P and CP devices are satisfactory, but Zero-P cage may be superior in operation time, blood loss, the incidence of dysphagia and adjacent joint degeneration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Terahertz (THz) waves, as far-infrared light, offer new opportunities for the optical trapping and manipulation of single cells, in contrast to the other light sources. We present an efficient scheme to flexibly control multiple THz field distribution patterns generated by the laser–plasma interaction in a magnetized plasma. An analytical THz radiation field and two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulation are constructed to verify the feasibility of the scheme. Modulation of the THz gradient force and the energy flux by an asymmetrical THz field is investigated for the purpose of trapping and manipulating particles and cells. In particular, the stabilities of flexibly controlled THz radiation are investigated carefully in the form of the strong and short laser and super-strong magnetic field induced significant spatial structure instabilities and frequency instabilities of terahertz radiation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Propagation of an electromagnetic (EM) pulse in an underdense plasma can either generate a wakefield or excite soliton wave, which depends on the competition between the linear dispersion and nonlinear self-modulation of the wave. Here, we study the interaction of the EM pulse and relativistic hot plasma analytically and numerically and reveal the physical mechanism of the transition from wakefield generation to soliton excitation in terms of soliton stability and modulation instability (MI) of a plane wave. Starting from the relativistic hot fluid-Maxwell model, a nonlinear Schrödinger equation (NLSE) governing the amplitude of scalar potential is obtained by using a multi-scale perturbation technique. The bright and dark soliton solutions of the NLSE are obtained analytically. The stability phase diagram of solitons is given numerically. Furthermore, the MI of the plane wave is studied, and the stability phase diagram of MI is obtained. The results indicate that, when the plasma density increases, the propagation of the EM pulse in the plasma experiences wakefield–soliton transition, which depends on the thermal effect. Our results provide theoretical evidence for deep understanding of high-power laser plasma interaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the propagation of a relativistic ultrashort laser pulse in two-dimensional inhomogeneous plasma with a density ripple based on the theoretical analysis and the particle-in-cell simulation. An analytical solution of the laser pulse propagating in the homogeneous plasma is completely obtained. It is found that the stable propagation of the relativistic ultrashort laser pulse in homogeneous plasma can be realized, and the propagation distance and intensity of the laser pulse and the spatial distribution of electron density can be effectively modulated by adjusting the pulsewidth of the incident laser and the plasma frequency. More interestingly, in the inhomogeneous plasma with a density ripple, when the wave amplitude of the density ripple is less than a critical value, the intensity of the ultrashort laser pulse is almost unchanged and the propagation characteristics of the laser in the inhomogeneous plasma are basically consistent with those in the homogeneous plasma. However, when the wave amplitude of the density ripple is larger than the critical value, the inhomogeneity of the plasma has an obvious effect on the laser characteristics, and the intensity and the spatial distribution of the laser pulse will be modulated by the plasma density ripple. The influence of the laser pulsewidth, plasma density, and plasma density ripple on the laser characteristics is discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The activation of osteoclast in OVX rats could activate sensory nerves to release CGRP. • CGRP promoted serotonin release in the brainstem and spinal cord. • Increased brain-derived serotonin inhibited CGRP release in the femur. • CGRP and serotonin were related to osteoporosis and osteoporotic pain. Postmenopausal osteoporosis (PMO) and osteoporotic fracture seriously impair human health in developed countries. The present study aims to explore whether sensory nerves, calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP), and brain-derived serotonin are related to bone loss in ovariectomized (OVX) rats. Female rats were grouped into the ovariectomized (OVX) and sham surgery (SHAM) groups. Immunocytochemistry, western blotting, and qPCR were performed to detect CGRP expression in the femurs. The expression levels of serotonin and CGRP in the spinal cord and brainstem were estimated using western blotting, immunofluorescence, and qPCR. ELISA was used to evaluate the serum biomarkers of bone formation and resorption. Bone mineral density was measured using dual-energy X-ray (DXA) analysis. Femur microstructure was imaged by Micro CT. P values less than 0.05 were considered statistically significant. ELISA showed that serum bone alkaline phosphatase (BALP), tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP), β-crosslaps, and β-ctx were increased in the OVX group. In the OVX group, in vivo bone mineral density, trabecular bone mineral density, bone volume fraction (BV/TV), and trabecular number (Tb. N) were significantly decreased, while trabecular spacing (Tb. Sp) and trabecular bone pattern factor (Tb. Pf) were markedly increased. In the OVX group, the expression levels of CGRP of the femur were significantly downregulated. In contrast, CGRP and serotonin expression was increased in the spinal cord of the OVX group. Serotonin expression was increased in the brainstem, brainstem nucleus raphe magnus (RMG), and nucleus raphe dorsalis (DRN). Our results indicated that the activation of osteoclast triggered the release of CGRP from nociceptive sensory nerve fibers and transmitted this painful stimulus to the dorsal horn of the spinal cord to release increased CGRP. The descending serotonergic inhibitory system was activated by increased CGRP levels of the spinal cord and promoted serotonin release in the brainstem RMG, DRN, and the spinal cord, contributing to the decreased CGRP level in bone tissue, which revealed a novel mechanism of bone loss in PMO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the particle-in-cell simulations, we report an efficient scheme to generate a slow wave structure in the electron density of a plasma waveguide, based on the array laser–plasma interaction. The spatial distribution of the electron density of the plasma waveguide is modulated via effective control of the super-Gaussian index and array pattern code of the lasers. A complete overview of the holding time, and the bearable laser's intensity of the electron density structure of the plasma waveguide, is obtained. In addition, the holding time of the slow wave structure of the plasma waveguide is also controlled by adjusting the frequency of the array laser beam. Finally, effects due to ion motion are discussed in detail. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chronic cough is a common symptom in children and protracted bacterial bronchitis (PBB) is one of the causes of chronic cough. However, the understanding of this disease remains limited. The present study aims to update PBB in children. Methods: The clinical data of children with PBB from 2014 to 2018 were retrospectively analyzed, and PBB clinical features of published studies were summarized. Electronic databases were searched in May 2019. Clinical studies were included in the present study. Reviews were undertaken in duplicate. Results: Totally 712 cases were analyzed in this study, including 52 cases in our center and 660 cases from 14 studies. In the 52 cases, 88.5% of patients with PBB were less than 6 years old and all of them complained of wet cough. Three cases were confirmed with laryngomalacia, and microbiologically-based-PBB were identified in 13 cases (9 Streptococcus pneumonia, 3 Staphylococcus aureus, and 1 Pseudomonas aeruginosa). Twenty cases were completely remitted after treatment. In the 14 studies, the patients with PBB were typically younger than 3 years old, accompanying wheezing and airway malacia. Co-infection was common in most western cases, Streptococcus pneumonia, Haemophilus influenza and Moraxella catarrhalis were the top three pathogens. Symptoms were improved in most patients, whereas some cases with comorbidities required prolonged antibiotics treatment. Conclusions: PBB is common in male infants with chronic wet cough and accompanied by wheezing and airway deformities. Most cases are clinically diagnosed PBB in China and microbiologically-based-PBB is common in western countries. Co-infection could be found, Streptococcus pneumoniae and Haemophilus influenza were the most frequent etiology in China and western countries, respectively. Patients with comorbidities may need extended antibiotics treatment for more than 2 weeks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The ground states and the dynamics of the biased bosonic ladder are discussed. • The Meissner, Vortex and two new Plane Wave phases are predicted analytically. • Interestingly, the Plane Wave phases break both Z 2 and time-reversal symmetry. • Rich chiral Bolch oscillations are predicted to distinguish the novel phases. • The work gives an interesting way to explore phases in condensed physics dynamically. The ground states and the dynamics of a biased two-leg flux ladder in the presence of a gravitational field are discussed. In the absence of the gravitational field, the ground states and the critical condition of phase transition are obtained analytically. We identify the Meissner phase, Vortex phase, and interestingly, two new Plane Wave phases, that break both Z 2 and time-reversal symmetry, characterized by the imbalance particle density distribution, asymmetry double well energy band structure in Plane Wave I (PWI) phase and asymmetry single well energy band structure in Plane Wave II (PWII) phase, respectively. In the presence of a longitudinal dc gravitational field, rich chiral Bloch oscillation and Landau-Zener tunneling are predicted theoretically and confirmed numerically. The characteristics of the chiral Bloch oscillation can distinguish the novel phases intuitively. Our work gives an interesting way to discuss the quantum phase transitions in a dynamical way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The generation of a spatially ultra-compact and high quality terahertz (THz) beam has been a challenging issue at present for advancing the THz technology. Here, we demonstrate an efficient scheme from the laser-plasma interaction in a spatially modulated magnetized plasma to control the THz beam. An analytical THz radiation field and the two-dimensional particle-in-cell simulations based on the scheme are carried out. The spatial distribution, the intensity, and the polarization of the THz beam are highly modulated and controlled by the laser field, external magnetic field, and self-generated plasma channel. A spatially modulated ultra-compact and high-brightness THz beam with the multiple THz field distribution patterns is generated. This scheme opens a practical and economical path to develop the THz technology in various fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We previously reported a spotted‐leaf mutant pelota (originally termed HM47) in rice displaying arrested growth and enhanced resistance to multiple races of Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae. Here, we report the map‐based cloning of the causal gene OsPELOTA (originally termed splHM47). We identified a single base substitution from T to A at position 556 in the coding sequence of OsPELOTA, effectively mutating phenylalanine to isoleucine at position 186 in the translated protein sequence. Both functional complementation and over‐expression could rescue the spotted‐leaf phenotype. OsPELOTA, a paralogue to eukaryotic release factor 1 (eRF1), shows high sequence similarity to Drosophila Pelota and also localizes to the endoplasmic reticulum and plasma membrane. OsPELOTA is constitutively expressed in roots, leaves, sheaths, stems, and panicles. Elevated levels of salicylic acid and decreased level of jasmonate were detected in the pelota mutant. RNA‐seq analysis confirmed that genes responding to salicylic acid were upregulated in the mutant. Our results indicate that the rice PELOTA protein is involved in bacterial leaf blight resistance by activating the salicylic acid metabolic pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To efficiently utilize energy, refrigeration industries, including air conditioning, have put forward higher and higher requirements for the performances of copper pipes used for heat exchangers. Horizontal continuous casting of pipe blank is a key process in production of copper pipes, and optimization of its technological parameters has positive effects on improving the structure uniformity of casting blank. The stability of the performances of pipe blank also directly influences the quality of subsequent machining process. In this paper, numerical analysis was carried out for the temperature field and structure field during solidification of pipe blank in the crystallizer for horizontal continuous casting, and the steady-state sump depth and morphology in the crystallizer for continuous casting, which could be used to evaluate production safety, were obtained. Quantitative analysis was conducted for the laws of influence of different casting technological parameters, such as cooling water flow rate, withdrawal speed, and casting temperature, on the sump morphology in the crystallizer for casting blank and the final distribution of structure field in casting blank. Metallographic experiment was carried out for casting blank, and the results were compared visually with the structure field from simulation calculation, to provide measurable reference bases for further optimizing the horizontal casting technological parameters for copper pipes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lycium amarum sp. nov. L. Q. Huang is described based on its general morphology and pollen micromorphology, which were compared with closely related Lycium species. The phylogenetic relationships among the new species and closely related Lycium species belonging to the tribe Lycieae were investigated based on the DNA sequence data of the granule-bound starch synthase (GBSSI) gene. Morphologically, L. amarum is similar to L. chinense Mill. sharing lanceolate or linear-oblanceolate leaves, three-lobed calyx, villous ring slightly above the filament base, and adjacent corolla tube, however, L. amarum may be diagnosed by its prominent tubercles at the base of spines, thinly leathery leaves, and a two-tine crack on the tip of calyx lobes. According to our results, the new species is close to L. barbarum L., L. chinense, L. dasystemum Pojark, and L. yunnanense Kuang & Lu. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper introduces the canonical coordinates method to obtain the first integral of a single-degree freedom constraint mechanical system that contains conservative and non-conservative constraint homonomic systems. The definition and properties of canonical coordinates are introduced. The relation between Lie point symmetries and the canonical coordinates of the constraint mechanical system are expressed. By this relation, the canonical coordinates can be obtained. Properties of the canonical coordinates and the Lie symmetry theory are used to seek the first integrals of constraint mechanical system. Three examples are used to show applications of the results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Our study investigates the genetic mechanisms underlying the spotted leaf phenotype in rice, focusing on the spl43 mutant. This mutant is characterized by persistent reddish-brown leaf spots from the seedling stage to maturity, leading to extensive leaf necrosis. Using map-based cloning, we localized the responsible locus to a 330 Kb region on chromosome 2. We identified LOC_Os02g56000, named OsRPT5A, as the causative gene. A point mutation in OsRPT5A, substituting valine for glutamic acid, was identified as the critical factor for the phenotype. Functional complementation and the generation of CRISPR/Cas9-mediated knockout lines in the IR64 background confirmed the central role of OsRPT5A in controlling this trait. The qPCR results from different parts of the rice plant revealed that OsRPT5A is constitutively expressed across various tissues, with its subcellular localization unaffected by the mutation. Notably, we observed an abnormal accumulation of reactive oxygen species (ROS) in spl43 mutants by examining the physiological indexes of leaves, suggesting a disruption in the ROS system. Complementation studies indicated OsRPT5A's involvement in ROS homeostasis and catalase activity regulation. Moreover, the spl43 mutant exhibited enhanced resistance to Xanthomonas oryzae pv. oryzae (Xoo), highlighting OsRPT5A's role in rice pathogen resistance mechanisms. Overall, our results suggest that OsRPT5A plays a critical role in regulating ROS homeostasis and enhancing pathogen resistance in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to find out the relationship between flotation process and energy input, the flotation tests were optimized by increasing input power in the flotation process. The drive motor speeds were 1 500, 1 800, 2 100, 2 400 and 2 700 r/min at different flotation periods. The flotation process was separated into five flotation periods of 0.5, 0.5, 1.0, 1.0, 2.0 min. The power dissipation in the flotation process was measured by energy measurement system. The flotation results show that the flotation rate, combustible matter recovery and accumulated ash content of clean coal increases with the increasing of rotate speed in the primary stage of flotation process. The combustible matter recovery is low while the quality of clean coal is high in the case of low energy input. The accumulated ash content of clean coal is the lowest and combustible matter recovery is higher while the drive motor speeds are 1 500, 1 500, 1 500, 1 500 and 2 400 r/min at the five flotation periods, respectively. The clean coal with higher combustible matter recovery and quality can be obtained while energy input is lower at the early stage of flotation process and higher at the later stage of flotation process in the case of same or similar total energy input. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymorphisms have been identified to predispose to primary gouty arthritis (GA) and hyperuricemia (HUA). Here, we accessed the five polymorphisms of rs10754558, rs35829419, rs3738448, rs3806268, and rs7525979 in NLRP3 on GA and HUA susceptibility. We collected 1198 samples (314 GA, 377 HUA, and 507 controls) for this case-control study. Our data detected that the rs3806268 (GA vs. AA: OR = 0.65 , p = 0.012) was significantly associated with the susceptibility to GA. The rs3738448 (TT vs. GG: OR = 2.05 , p = 0.024) and rs7525979 (TT vs. CC: OR = 1.96 , p = 0.037) were significantly associated with the susceptibility to HUA. The rs3806268 AG genotype presented decreased risk of GA among the hypertension (OR = 0.54 , p = 0.0093), smoking (OR = 0.59 , p = 0.018), and no obesity (OR = 0.60 , p = 0.0097) subjects compared to the GG genotype group. The rs3738448 TT genotype demonstrated increased risk of HUA among the hypertension (OR = 4.10 , p = 0.0056) and no drinking population (OR = 3.56 , p = 0.016) compared to the GG genotype group. The rs7525979 TT genotype demonstrated increased risk of HUA among the hypertension (OR = 4.01 , p = 0.0064) and no drinking population (OR = 3.24 , p = 0.034) compared to the CC genotype group. Furthermore, a significant haplotype effect of rs10754558/C-rs35829419/C-rs3738448/G-rs3806268/A-rs7525979/C was found (OR = 1.60 , p = 0.0046) compared with GCGAC haplotype. Bioinformatics analyses indicated that rs3738448, rs3806268, and rs7525979 might influence the gene regulation, while the T-allele of rs3738448 increased the stability of NLRP3-mRNA. Collectively, our case-control study confirms NLRP3 polymorphisms might participate in regulating immune and inflammation responses in GA and HUA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Applying machine learning technology to automatic image analysis and auxiliary diagnosis of whole slide image (WSI) may help to improve the efficiency, objectivity, and consistency of pathological diagnosis. Due to its extremely high resolution, it is still a great challenge to directly process WSI through deep neural networks. In this paper, we propose a novel model for the task of classification of WSIs. The model is composed of two parts. The first part is a self-supervised encoding network with a UNet-like architecture. Each patch from a WSI is encoded as a compressed latent representation. These features are placed according to their corresponding patch's original location in WSI, forming a feature cube. The second part is a classification network fused by 4 famous network blocks with heterogeneous architectures, with feature cube as input. Our model effectively expresses the feature and preserves location information of each patch. The fused network integrates heterogeneous features generated by different networks which yields robust classification results. The model is evaluated on two public datasets with comparison to baseline models. The evaluation results show the effectiveness of the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The realization and detection of two-leg ladders with the interplay of the artificial gauge field provide an ideal platform for investigations of the quantum phase transition and quantum dynamics. Here, we realize the spatio-temporal evolution dynamics of two-leg ladder systems with magnetic flux analytically and numerically. The quench dynamics induced by giving sudden quenches of initial density distributions of left and right leg components, rung-to-leg coupling ratios and magnetic flux from the ground state are discussed in detail. Affected by the chirality of ladder systems together with the tunneling between the two legs, rich and interesting quench dynamics observed, which including the Josephson Oscillations (JOs), Chiral Density Wave (CDW), Scissors Mode (SM), Periodic Torsional Vortex (PTV) and Periodic Torsional-Scissors Vortex (PTSV). Remarkably, we find that the oscillation frequency of the quench dynamics associated with coupling ratios and magnetic flux can be used to identify the phase transition between the Meissner phase and Vortex phase. Therefore, our work may provide an effective way to distinguish phase transitions by using quench dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nephrolithiasis is one of the most common and highly recurrent diseases worldwide. Accumulating evidence revealed the elevated miR-155 levels both in serum and urine of nephrolithiasis patients. The aim of our research was to explore the role of miR-155 in CaOx-induced apoptosis in HK-2 cells. The expression levels of miR-155 in serum and renal tissues were quantified in 20 patients with nephrolithiasis using qRT-PCR assay. ELISA was performed to determine urinary levels of interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-6 and tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α). Renal tubular cell model of CaOx nephrolithiasis was established to investigate the role and molelular mechanism of miR-155. Cell viability and apoptosis were assessed by MTT and flow cytometry, respectively. Immunofluoresent staining of LC3 autophagosome and western blotting were performed to evaluate the autophagic activity. Luciferase reporter assay was employed to verify the interaction between miR-155 and PI3KCA/Rheb. PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling was further examined by western blotting. Serum and renal levels of miR-155 and inflammatory factors were significantly elevated in nephrolithiasis patients than in controls. CaOx treatment caused up-regulation of miR-155 and induced autophagy in renal tubular epithelial cells, while silencing miR-155 or inhibition of autophagy by 3-metheladenine (3-MA) ameliorated CaOx crystal-induced cell injury. PI3KCA and Rheb was identified as downstream targets of miR-155. Moreover, miR-155 activates autophagy and promotes cell injury through repressing PI3K/Akt/mTOR signaling pathway. Taken together, these findings demonstrated that miR-155 facilitates CaOx crystal-induced renal tubular epithelial cell injury via PI3K/Akt/mTOR-mediated autophagy, providing therapeutic targets for ameliorating cellular damage by CaOx crystals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A catalytic intermolecular carbon electrophile induced semipinacol rearrangement was realized and the asymmetric version was also preliminarily accomplished with 92% and 82% ee. The complex tricyclic system architecture with four continuous stereogenic centers could be achieved from simple starting materials in a single step under mild conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper tubes are efficient heat exchange parts in refrigeration industry, and their quality has a bearing on the grade of corresponding products. The cooling process of copper tube after three-roll planetary rolling is a key step in the production of copper tube by the casting and rolling method, and its cooling effect matters to the quality of copper tube products. Aiming at the characteristics of motion of a rolled piece in the through water cooling with a cooling water jacket, the method of "stepwise" moving cooling water jacket was used in this paper to achieve equivalence to the motion of the rolled piece, realizing finite element simulation of the whole process of three-roll planetary rolling and cooling of copper tube. The velocity field and pressure field of the fluid in the cooling water model were analyzed, and it was found that there existed a flow "dead zone" with the velocity below 8 m/s, there was a "negative pressure" phenomenon, and there were more eddy currents occurring. Through the study on the temperature field during the cooling process of the rolled piece, it was found that there was a phenomenon of non-uniform temperature distribution in the cooling process of the rolled piece. With the maximum temperature difference at each monitoring point in the cooling process of rolled piece as the evaluation criterion for the uniformity of temperature distribution in the cooling process of rolled piece, the process parameters affecting the rolled piece cooling effect, including the size of water inlet, the size of water outlet, and the pressure of entering water, were studied respectively, and the optimum process parameter values for improving the quality of rolled pieces were finally obtained. The accuracy of the model was verified by comparatively analyzing the metallographic microstructure and microhardness between the factory produced sample and the thermally simulated sample. • Realize the whole process of three-roll planetary rolling and cooling of the tube. • Simulation method of "stepwise" moving cooling water jacket was used. • It was found that there existed a flow "dead zone". • There were "negative pressure" phenomenon and eddy current phenomena occurring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of super-Gaussian chirped laser pulse and inhomogeneity of plasma on space distribution and amplitude of wakefield are studied. The different super-Gaussian chirped laser pulse envelopes are used to strike the uniform and various inhomogeneous plasmas. The results show that compared with the unchirped laser pulse, the chirped laser pulse can enhance the wakefield generation, make the bubbles’ structure deformative seriously, reduce the numbers of bubbles in the same longitudinal distance, and enlarge the size of the wakefield bubbles. Besides, the stronger wakefield is generated in inhomogeneous plasma compared with a uniform one. Moreover, the characteristics of the wakefield can be controlled efficiently by the super-Gaussian pulse index. That is, the amplitude and spatial structure of the plasma wakefield can be modulated by the super-Gaussian chirped laser pulse and the inhomogeneity of the plasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy by vestibular approach (TOETVA) has been developed for papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) treatment with satisfactory results. However, there were few malignant thyroid nodules ≥2 cm in previous studies of TOETVA. Therefore, we conducted this study to evaluate the results of treatment by TOETVA for PTC with tumor size ≥2 cm. Materials and Methods: The clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of 10 PTC patients with tumor size ≥2 cm who underwent TOETVA in our center from June 2018 to August 2021 were, respectively, reviewed. Results: All 10 included PTC patients successfully underwent TOETVA and the mean tumor size was 2.5 ± 0.5 cm. The mean number lymph nodes dissected was 9.6 ± 2.9, and 3.1 ± 3.3 positive lymph nodes were discovered. Postoperatively, transient hypoparathyroidism was recorded in 2 patients (20%), transient recurrent laryngeal nerve injury was noted in 1 patient (10%), transient superior laryngeal nerve injury was noted in 1 patient (10%), and numb chin was identified in 1 patient (10%). The postoperative complications aforementioned recovered within 6 months. During a median follow-up of 23.8 ± 13.1 months, no other complications or tumor recurrence were found. Conclusions: TOETVA is feasible for PTC patients with tumor size ≥2 cm and satisfactory short-term surgical outcomes have achieved in this study. We suggested that experienced surgeons can gradually expand the indications for TOETVA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A direct and practical synthesis of important tetronic acids from easily available propargylic alcohols and carbon dioxide is reported for the first time. This transition-metal-free transformation features high atom- and step-economy, mild reaction conditions, good functional group tolerance and high yield. Preliminary mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction proceeds via cyclization to give alkylidene cyclic carbonate, ring-opening and re-cyclization processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Recent years there have been witnessed considerable advances in endoscopic selective lateral neck dissection (LND). However, dissection of lymph nodes at level IV and level VI via the chest approach is inherently challenging. In this study, we used combined trans-oral and chest approach for endoscopic thyroidectomy in patients with cT1-2N1bM0 papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC). Methods: Clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes of ten patients with cT1-2N1bM0 PTC who underwent endoscopic thyroidectomy via combination of trans-oral and chest approach between September 2020 and September 2021 were retrospectively reviewed. Results: All 10 patients successfully underwent total thyroidectomy and selective LND via chest approach, while central neck dissection (CND) and supplementary dissection of lymph nodes at level IV were performed via the trans-oral approach. The mean number of positive/retrieved level II, III-IV, and VI lymph nodes were 0.6 ± 1.0/9.8 ± 5.0, 4.6 ± 2.8/23.1 ± 4.7, and 4.9 ± 3.4/10.3 ± 4.6, respectively. Four patients developed transient hypoparathyroidism which spontaneously resolved within 1 month. Five patients developed numbness of lateral neck and ear and one patient experienced limb lift restriction. No other complications or tumor recurrence occurred during follow-up. Conclusion: It is feasible to perform total thyroidectomy, CND, and selective LND via combined trans-oral and chest approach, and satisfactory short-term outcomes were observed in this cohort. This approach may offer one more option for cT1-2N1bM0 PTC patients, especially those in whom metastatic lymph nodes at level IV or level VI are detected by preoperative examination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The title reaction affords a complex tricyclic system with four continuous stereogenic centers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A premature senescence and death 128 ( psd128) mutant was isolated from an ethyl methane sulfonate-induced rice IR64 mutant bank. The premature senescence phenotype appeared at the six-leaf stage and the plant died at the early heading stage. psd128 exhibited impaired chloroplast development with significantly reduced photosynthetic ability, chlorophyll and carotenoid contents, root vigor, soluble protein content and increased malonaldehyde content. Furthermore, the expression of senescence-related genes was significantly altered in psd128. The mutant trait was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene. Using map-based strategy, the mutation Oryza sativa cell division cycle 48 ( OsCDC48) was isolated and predicted to encode a putative AAA-type ATPase with 809 amino-acid residuals. A single base substitution at position C2347T in psd128 resulted in a premature stop codon. Functional complementation could rescue the mutant phenotype. In addition, RNA interference resulted in the premature senescence and death phenotype. OsCDC48 was expressed constitutively in the root, stem, leaf and panicle. Subcellular analysis indicated that OsCDC48:YFP fusion proteins were located both in the cytoplasm and nucleus. OsCDC48 was highly conserved with more than 90% identity in the protein levels among plant species. Our results indicated that the impaired function of OsCDC48 was responsible for the premature senescence and death phenotype. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endoscopic thyroidectomy is widely performed as it does not result in neck scar. However, there is a paucity of reports pertaining to completely endoscopic lateral neck dissection (LND). In this study, we introduce our step-wise approach for performing endoscopic selective LND via the chest-breast approach. We refer to this approach as Qin's seven steps.Methods: The Qin's seven steps are: (1) establishment of working space range; (2) dissection of lymph nodes between the SCM and the sternohyoid muscle (level IV) and exposure of omohyoid; (3) dissection of lymph nodes at level IV; (4) dissection of lymph nodes at level III; (5) dissection of lymph nodes at carotid triangle (level III); (6) exposure of accessory nerve and dissection of lymph nodes at level II a; (7) dissection of lymph nodes at level II b. We reviewed the clinical data of 35 patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) who were operated using the Qin's seven steps.Results: All 35 patients successfully underwent LND; bilateral LND was performed in 5 patients. The mean tumor size was 1.8 ± 1.0 cm; seven patients had multiple lesions. The mean number of retrieved lymph nodes in level II, III and IV were 8.8 ± 5.6, 6.1 ± 4.0 and 9.3 ± 5.1, respectively. As for complications, there were 3 cases of accessory nerve injury and 1 case of hypoglossal nerve injury. Internal jugular vein injury, cervical plexus injury and lymphatic leakage occurred in 2, 7, and 1 patients, respectively.Conclusion: The Qin's seven steps for performing endoscopic selective LND could be safely used in PTC patients with lateral lymph node metastasis. Satisfactory results were achieved in the short-term follow-up period. We recommend the use of Qin's seven steps for PTC patients who are not desirous of neck scar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NO is a major air pollutant from coal-fired power plants. A combined removal of SO2and NO is a prospective process. In this paper, the absorption kinetics of NO into weakly acidic NaClO solution was studied in a stirred tank reactor. It was proven that the absorption process occurred under the fast pseudo-mth reaction regime, and the reaction was found to be first-order with respect to both NO and NaClO. When the initial pH value of NaClO solution is 5.5, it has the best performance for NO absorption. The frequency factor and the average activation energy of this reaction were 7.96 × 108 m3/(mol s) and 28.15 kJ/mol, respectively. The absorption rate of NO increased with increasing reaction temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The experimental investigation of blockerless cascade thrust reverser based on secondary injection was conducted on the dual flow transonic and supersonic cascade test facility. Effect of parameters including fan outlet pressure ratios, secondary pressure ratios, secondary injection positions and secondray injection angles on the performance of blockerless cascade thrust resver were studied. The final results show that fan outlet pressure ratios and secondary pressure ratios has some complex relationship. When secondary pressure ratio less than a certain value, cascase reverse mass flow decreases with the increase of fan outlet pressure ratio, however if secondary pressure ratio esceed the value, it would present a opposite trend. In the whole experimental conditions, there exist a best secondary injection position (58.77 mm ≤ Xj ≤ 77.87mmgle (θ - 60°) achieving highest thrust reverse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Jet attachment is a critical restriction for the usage of counter-flow thrust vectoring nozzle, which will lead to the control invalidation of vector thrust. Therefore more attention should be paid to jet attachment phenomenon and detachment control. Based on CFD technology, the jet attachment mechanism, characteristic and forming course were investigated, and two methods for jet detachment were proposed. One is to increase suction pressure, and the other is to enhance nozzle pressure ratio(NPR). The results show that jet detachment would be successfully achieved by implement of suction pressure and NPR control. However, hysteresis phenomenon existed in the suction pressure control course. The jet attachment suction pressure was 60.68kPa, while detachment pressure 65.86kPa. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs) are common health issues in the elderly that cause chronic pain in over one-third of patients. This study was sought to evaluate the efficacy and safety of acupuncture for alleviating pain caused by OVCFs. Methods. We performed a search of 8 electronic databases for publications from the inception to 30th March 2021. Eligible studies were randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that evaluated the effect of acupuncture for the treatment of OVCFs. Two investigators evaluated literature quality and extracted data independently. RevMan V.5.4.1 was used for data analyses, with pooled risk estimates presented as mean difference (MD) or relative risk (RR) along with corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), as appropriate. Results. Fourteen RCTs involving 1,130 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, acupuncture showed a greater benefit on pain reduction caused by OVCFs (1 week: MD = −1.26, 95% CI: (−1.82,−0.70); 1 month: MD = −1.63, 95% CI: (−1.82,−1.43); 6 months: MD = −1.13, 95% CI: (−1.55, −0.70)). Acupuncture treatment was also associated with fewer adverse events, lower ODI index, and higher bone density than the control group (safety: (RR: 0.30, 95% CI: 0.12–0.75); ODI: MD = −3.19, 95% CI: (−5.20, −1.19); bone density: MD = 0.15, 95% CI: (0.05, 0.26)). The GRADE quality of these results was assessed as low or very low. Conclusions. Compared with the control treatment, acupuncture was more effective and safer in relieving the pain caused by OVCF and made a greater improvement on patient's ODI score and bone density. Given the low level of our study evidence, future high-quality studies are needed to verify our study findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Removal of NO was studied in a lab-scale bubbling reactor. Effects of operation parameters such as pH value, H2O2 concentration, NO inlet concentration and reaction temperature on NO removal efficiency were investigated. The operation parameters included 250–1000ppm NO, 0.5–1.5mol/L H2O2, FeSO4 0.05mol/L, 2–6 pH, 25–70°C. As can be seen from the experimental results, pH value had a great impact on NO removal efficiency. The experimental results indicated that the gas–liquid reaction between NO and Fenton reagent solution was liquid-film controlled as NO inlet concentration exceeded 600ppm. And NO removal efficiency decreased with increasing reaction temperature. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The ability of sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) to transform sodium sulfate into sodium carbonate has been investigated. The goal was to adapt and cultivate SRB to survive in a high-alkaline and high-salt environment. First, several strains of Gram-positive SRB were isolated and purified from sludge samples and used as initial strains; they were straight to curved rods belonging to the genus Clostridium. The isolates were acclimatized by increasing the concentration of sodium bicarbonate in the medium in a stepwise manner. Hydrogen and carbon dioxide were used as the electron donor and carbon source, respectively. Repeated semi-continuous cultivations created isolates that were able to reduce sulfate in media containing 1% w/v Na2SO4 and saturated with NaHCO3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Dissolution rate of magnesium hydrate for wet flue gas desulfurization was measured by a pH-stat method. It was found that the dissolution rate of magnesium hydrate was controlled by mass transfer. As can be seen from the experimental results, the dissolution rate of magnesium hydrate increases with increasing reaction temperature and stirring speed. Lower pH value is favorable to the dissolution process of magnesium hydrate. And sulfate can promote the dissolution of magnesium due to the formation of bisulfate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The spindle and kinetochore-associated protein complex (Ska) is an essential component in chromosome segregation. It comprises three proteins (Ska1, Ska2, and Ska3) with theorized roles in chromosomal instability and tumor development, and its overexpression has been widely reported in a variety of tumors. However, the prognostic significance and immune infiltration of Ska proteins in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) are not completely understood. The bioinformatics tools Oncomine, UALCAN, gene expression profiling interactive analysis 2 (GEPIA2), cBioPortal, GeneMANIA, Metascape, and TIMER were used to analyze differential expression, prognostic value, genetic alteration, and immune cell infiltration of the Ska protein complex in HCC patients. We found that the mRNA expression of the Ska complex was markedly upregulated in HCC. High expression of the Ska complex is closely correlated with tumor stage, patient race, tumor grade, and TP53 mutation status. In addition, high expression of the Ska complex was significantly correlated with poor disease-free survival, while the high expression levels of Ska1 and Ska3 were associated with shorter overall survival. The biological functions of the Ska complex in HCC primarily involve the amplification of signals from kinetochores, the mitotic spindle, and (via a MAD2 invasive signal) unattached kinetochores. Furthermore, the expression of the complex was positively correlated with tumor-infiltrating cells. These results may provide new insights into the development of immunotherapeutic targets and prognostic biomarkers for HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The solvothermal reaction between H4L, the rigid 2,6-di(2′,5′-dicarboxylphenyl)pyridine ligand, and Co(NO3)2·6H2O in water and DMF results in generation of a three-dimensional (3 D) coordination polymer (CP), [Co4(L)2(H2O)4]n·4DMF·H2O (1, DMF = N,N-dimethylformamide), with Co(II) ions as nodes. The characterization shows that 1 has a 3 D framework structure based on tetranuclear [Co4(μ1-COO)(μ2-COO)6], whose framework could be simplified into a binodal (3,6)-linked three-dimensional network with point symbol (42·6)2(44·62·88·10). The assessment of its application on sepsis mice was implemented and the detailed mechanism was studied. First, the relative expression of NLRP3 and ASC was detected via real time RT-PCR (reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction) assay after treatment with 1. Subsequently, the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay was performed and the IL-18 (interleukin-18) and IL-1β (interleukin-1β) contents were detected after treatment with 1. Molecular docking simulation confirmed that the biological activity came from the hydrogen bond that was formed between carboxyl group and the active site. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a chronic degenerative disease of the bone and joints. Immune-related genes and immune cell infiltration are important in OA development. We analyzed immune-related genes and immune infiltrates to identify OA diagnostic markers. The datasets GSE51588, GSE55235, GSE55457, GSE82107, and GSE114007 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. First, R software was used to identify differentially expressed genes (DEGs) and differentially expressed immune-related genes (DEIRGs), and functional correlation analysis was conducted. Second, CIBERSORT was used to evaluate infiltration of immune cells in OA tissue. Finally, the least absolute shrinkage and selection operator logistic regression algorithm and support vector machine-recurrent feature elimination algorithm were used to screen and verify diagnostic markers of OA. A total of 711 DEGs and 270 DEIRGs were identified in this study. Functional enrichment analysis showed that the DEGs and DEIRGs are closely related to cellular calcium ion homeostasis, ion channel complexes, chemokine signaling pathways, and JAK-STAT signaling pathways. Differential analysis of immune cell infiltration showed that M1 macrophage infiltration was increased but that mast cell and neutrophil infiltration were decreased in OA samples. The machine learning algorithm cross-identified 15 biomarkers (BTC, PSMD8, TLR3, IL7, APOD, CIITA, IFIH1, CDC42, FGF9, TNFAIP3, CX3CR1, ERAP2, SEMA3D, MPO, and plasma cells). According to pass validation, all 15 biomarkers had high diagnostic efficacy (AUC > 0.7), and the diagnostic efficiency was higher when the 15 biomarkers were fitted into one variable (AUC = 0.758). We developed 15 biomarkers for OA diagnosis. The findings provide a new understanding of the molecular mechanism of OA from the perspective of immunology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-frequency band-shaped swell noise with strong amplitude is common in marine seismic data. The conventional high-pass filtering algorithm widely used to suppress swell noise often results in serious damage of effective information. This paper introduces the residual learning strategy of denoising convolutional neural network (DnCNN) into a U-shaped convolutional neural network (U-Net) to develop a new U-Net with more generalization, which can eliminate low-frequency swell noise with high precision. The results of both model date tests and real data processing show that the new U-Net is capable of efficient learning and high-precision noise removal, and can avoid the overfitting problem which is very common in conventional neural network methods. This new U-Net can also be generalized to some extent and can effectively preserve low-frequency effective information. Compared with the conventional high-pass filtering method commonly used in the industry, the new U-Net can eliminate low-frequency swell noise with higher precision while effectively preserving low-frequency effective information, which is of great significance for subsequent processing such as amplitude-preserving imaging and full waveform inversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the dynamics of single electron in an inhomogeneous cylindrical plasma channel during the direct acceleration by linearly polarized chirped laser pulse. By adjusting the parameters of the chirped laser pulse and the plasma channel, we obtain the energy gain, trajectory, dephasing rate and unstable threshold of electron oscillation in the channel. The influences of the chirped factor and inhomogeneous plasma density distribution on the electron dynamics are discussed in depth. We find that the nonlinearly chirped laser pulse and the inhomogeneous plasma channel have strong coupled influence on the electron dynamics. The electron energy gain can be enhanced, the instability threshold of the electron oscillation can be lowered, and the acceleration length can be shortened by chirped laser, while the inhomogeneity of the plasma channel can reduce the amplitude of the chirped laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We study the dynamics of single electron in an inhomogeneous cylindrical plasma channel during the direct acceleration by linearly polarized chirped laser pulse. By adjusting the parameters of the chirped laser pulse and the plasma channel, we obtain the energy gain, trajectory, dephasing rate and unstable threshold of electron oscillation in the channel. The influences of the chirped factor and inhomogeneous plasma density distribution on the electron dynamics are discussed in depth. We find that the nonlinearly chirped laser pulse and the inhomogeneous plasma channel have strong coupled influence on the electron dynamics. The electron energy gain can be enhanced, the instability threshold of the electron oscillation can be lowered, and the acceleration length can be shortened by chirped laser, while the inhomogeneity of the plasma channel can reduce the amplitude of the chirped laser. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphited g -C 3 N 4 assembled with highly-dispersed nickel (HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4) exhibits accelerated reaction kinetics, excellent reversible capacity, and rate performance due to superior metallicity with increased density of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy level, narrowed energy gap between LUMO and HOMO level, and decreased positive Gibbs energy of polysulfide conversion. [Display omitted] • A graphited g -C 3 N 4 assembled with highly-dispersed nickel is designed as a catalyst of Li-S battery. • Exhibiting superior metallicity with increased density of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy level. • Narrowed energy gap contributes much to fast kinetics of negative electrons and positive Li+ ions. • Positive Gibbs energy significantly decreases for the prepared cathode materials. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are promising next-generation energy storage devices due to high theoretical energy density and low-cost. Nevertheless, the practical applications are hindered by polysulfide shuttling effect, low electrical conductivity of sulfur, and slower conversion kinetics. Here, the graphited g -C 3 N 4 assembled with highly-dispersed nickel (HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4) is designed as a catalyst to accelerate the reaction kinetics of lithium polysulfide. The oxidized Ni sites of HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4 molecules significantly accommodate the orbital for the electron clouds of polysulfide by forming S n 2–‧‧‧Ni-N active site, thus efficiently improving redox kinetics and mitigating shuttle effects. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4 exhibits a superior metallicity with increased density of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy level. Then, the narrowed energy gap between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level contributes to the enhanced conductivity of catalyst molecular and fast combination between electrons and Li+ ions. Moreover, the positive Gibbs free energy change is significantly decreased for the HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4 cathode. The Li-S battery exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1, 271.6 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and a high rate capacity of 571.96 mAh g−1 at 2.0 C, a preferable cycling stability with a capacity retention of 53 % even after 500 cycles at a 1.0 C, and an average decay rate of 0.733 % per cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the efficacy and safety of uterine artery embolization (UAE) in the management of primary postpartum hemorrhage associated with placenta accreta. Methods We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of patients with placenta accreta between January 2010 and August 2014. Totally 18 women (mean age 30.8±4.2 years) of primary massive postpartum hemorrhage with diagnosis of placenta accrete received treatment of UAE after delivery. Images of DSA and medical records were reviewed. Technical success was defined as control of bleeding after embolization. The complications, control of hemorrhage and recurrent bleeding of the placenta left inside the uterus were retrospectively collected for assessment. Results All patients underwent transcatheter embolization of bilateral uterine arteries. The technical success rate of embolization was 100%. Bleeding was controlled in 17 of 18 patients (94%) during follow-up period (median 18 months, 3–31 months) without further bleeding recurred. One patient with placenta percreta undertook an emergent hysterectomy along with surgical bladder repair after UAE because of persistent uterine bleeding. Eight patients had postembolization syndrome and no other complications occurred. Conclusion Uterine artery embolization is an effective and safe treatment for the management of primary postpartum massive hemorrhage associated with placenta accreta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To evaluate the role of multidetector computed tomography-angiography (MDCTA) for management of life-threatening spontaneous retroperitoneal haemorrhage (SRH). Methods A retrospective analysis of the medical records of all SRH patients admitted to our hospital from January 1, 2005 to November 31, 2014 was performed. SRH was defined as unrelated to invasive procedures, surgery, trauma, abdominal tumor or aortic aneurysm. Life-threatening SRH was defined as hemodynamic instability with hypotension. Sixteen cases met the inclusive criteria. Patients' characteristics, clinical presentation, imaging of MDCTA, treatment modalities, morbidity, and follow-up data were analyzed. Results The group of 16 patients included 11 men and 5 women, with a mean age of 51.5±16.4 years. All patients underwent MDCTA scan examinations, and active contrast media (CM) extravasation were found in 9 patients. Angiography was performed for 8 patients in the CM extravasation group. Bleeding vessels were found in 7 patients who underwent successful embolization. One patient in the CM extravasation group did not undergo angiography and died of bleeding. Seven patients without active CM extravasation underwent conservative management. Bleeding was controlled for all these 7 patients, and 1 patient died of multiple organ failure. Fourteen patients survived from SRH were successfully discharged. One patient died of heart failure during follow-up. Conclusion MDCTA was useful in the diagnosis of SRH and proved to be predictive for the outcome of conservative treatment and early intervention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rice chlorophyll-deficient mutant w67 was isolated from an ethyl methane sulfonate (EMS)–induced IR64 (Oryza sativa L. ssp. indica) mutant bank. The mutant exhibited a distinct yellow-green leaf phenotype in the whole plant growth duration with significantly reduced levels of chlorophyll and carotenoid, impaired chloroplast development and lowered capacity of photosynthesis compared with the wild-type IR64. Expression of a number of genes associated with chlorophyll metabolism, chloroplast biogenesis and photosynthesis was significantly altered in the mutant. Genetic analysis indicated that the yellow-green phenotype was controlled by a single recessive nuclear gene located on the short arm of chromosome 3. Using map-based strategy, the mutation was isolated and predicted to encode a chloroplast signal recognition particle 43 KD protein (cpSRP43) with 388 amino acid residuals. A single base substitution from A to T at position 160 resulted in a premature stop codon. OscpSRP43 was constitutively expressed in various organs with the highest level in the leaf. Functional complementation could rescue the mutant phenotype and subcellular localization showed that the cpSRP43:GFP fusion protein was targeted to the chloroplast. The data suggested that Oryza sativa cpSRP43 (OscpSRP43) was required for the normal development of chloroplasts and photosynthesis in rice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel chiral spiro-pyrrolidine silyl ether organocatalyst has been designed. Its catalytic asymmetric effect is demonstrated by the Michael addition reaction, which affords the desired products with an all-carbon quaternary center in up to 99% ee and 87% yield. Furthermore, the reaction process has been investigated via in situ NMR experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The absorption of NO in aqueous solutions of KMnO4and H2SO4was carried out in a stirred tank reactor under atmosphere pressure. The results indicated that the absorption process was under a fast pseudo-mth reaction regime. The reaction between NO and aqueous solutions of KMnO4/H2SO4was found to be first-order with respect both to NO and to KMnO4. The addition of H2SO4to KMnO4solutions increased the absorption rate of NO and increasing reaction temperature was also favorable to the absorption of NO. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to simulate coal combustion and develop optimal and stable boiler control systems in real power plants, it is imperative to obtain the detailed information in coal combustion processes as well as to measure species contents in fly ash, which should be controlled and analyzed for enhancing boiler efficiency and reducing environmental pollution. The fly ash consists of oxides (SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3, CaO, and so on), unburned carbon, and other minor elements. Recently laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) technique has been applied to coal combustion and other industrial fields because of the fast response, high sensitivity, real-time and non-contact features. In these applications it is important to measure controlling factors without any sample preparation to maintain the real-time measurement feature. The relation between particle content and particle diameter is also one of the vital researches, because compositions of particles are dependent on their diameter. In this study, we have detected the contents of size-segregated particles using LIBS. Particles were classified by an Anderson cascade impactor and their contents were measured using the output of 1064nm YAG laser, a spectrograph and an ICCD camera. The plasma conditions such as plasma temperature are dependent on the size of particles and these effects must be corrected to obtain quantitative information. The plasma temperature was corrected by the emission intensity ratio from the same atom. Using this correction method, the contents of particles can be measured quantitatively in fixed experimental parameters. This method was applied to coal and fly ash from a coal-fired burner to measure unburned carbon and other contents according to the particle diameter. The acquired results demonstrate that the LIBS technique is applicable to measure size-segregated particle contents in real time and this method is useful for the analysis of coal combustion and its control because of its sensitive and fast analysis features. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]