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Abstract Background Perivascular epithelioid cell tumor (PEComa) is a mesenchymal tumor with distinct histologic and immunologic features. PEComas that originate in the bladder are extremely rare clinically, with only 35 cases reported in the English literature thus far. Here, we report a case of bladder PEComa resection by transurethral en bloc resection of bladder tumor (ERBT). Case presentation A 66-year-old female with a history of poorly controlled type 2 diabetes with associated complications of frequent urinary tract infections presented to our hospital for a routine physical examination. Outpatient ultrasound examination revealed a strong echogenic mass of approximately 1.5 × 1.3 × 1.3 cm in size on the posterior wall of the bladder. The enhanced computed tomography and enhanced magnetic resonance imaging after admission both suggested a well-defined isolated nodular mass on the posterior wall of the bladder with significant enhancement on the enhanced scan. The tumor was successfully and completely resected by ERBT. Postoperative pathological examination and immunohistochemical results confirmed the mass was a bladder PEComa. No tumor recurrence was observed in the six-month postoperative follow-up. Conclusion Bladder PEComa is an extremely rare mesenchymal tumor of the urinary system. When imaging and cystoscopy reveal a nodular mass with an abundant blood supply in the bladder, PEComa should be included in the differential diagnosis of bladder tumors. Surgical resection is currently the primary option for the treatment of bladder PEComa. For a solitary, pedunculated, narrow-based, small-sized bladder PEComa, resection of the tumor by ERBT was a safe and feasible approach in our patient and may be considered for similar cases in the future.

The mechanical seal performance in reactor coolant pump (RCP) is of great importance for the efficient and safe operation of primary loop in nuclear power plant. The sealing medium filling inside the seal encounters strong thermal gradient. In this paper, thermo-viscous effect on sealing characteristics with two typical mechanical seal faces, namely the tapered-end-face and wave-tilt-dam, is numerically studied, by introducing the temperature-viscosity equation according to the real physical properties of the sealing medium. Performance of mechanical seal with two different temperature-viscosity equations are compared. In addition, the influence of thermo-viscous effect on cavitation is also analyzed. It is revealed that the temperature-viscosity variation significantly influences the internal flow field, temperature field, two-phase distribution, and the opening force as well. With low base film thickness, the temperature difference will reduce 58% as considering the thermal effect on viscosity, and the difference in leakage may be as high as 43%. Also, the prediction of cavitation under small film thickness indicates that the thermo-viscous effect decreases the cavitating area. This work contributes to the mechanical seal design and performance prediction by assessing the thermal influences on viscosity of seal medium, and meanwhile revealing the effect on the possible cavitation event.

A typical dual-coolant lead lithium liquid blanket employs eutectic liquid lithium lead alloy as coolant and tritium breeder for Tokamak nuclear fusion reactor, and is responsible for transporting heat and tritium. The blanket is subjected to both strong magnetic field and strong radially non-uniform neutron volume heating. The flow of liquid metal is influenced by the combined effects of magnetohydrodynamics (MHD), buoyancy, and inertial effects, resulting in a complex MHD mixed convection phenomenon. This study employs direct numerical simulation based on finite volume method to analyze the flow, heat transfer, and mass transfer within blanket unit. The results demonstrate that mixed convection has a significant impact on the MHD pressure drop and flow characteristics. The complex MHD mixed convection gives rise to a considerable number of vortices, particularly in regions of the turn and the downward poloidal duct. The formation of low-speed zones and jets within the blanket has the potential to significantly impact heat and mass transfer, leading to the accumulation of heat and tritium. On the other hand, the markedly elevated tritium production rate is a significant contributing factor to the obviously elevated tritium concentration in the vicinity of the first wall.

Since the main material of the plug-in foundation transmission tower legs is directly connected to the foundation, the traditional reliability calculation method is no longer accurate. For this reason, this paper considers the soil-structure interaction between the foundation soil and the tower legs, replaces the upper limit of the natural circular frequency and frequency ratio of the original iron tower with the corresponding value after considering the SSI (Soil-Structure Interaction), and proposes a SSI-based insertion Analysis method of vibration reliability of type foundation iron tower. First, perform modal analysis to obtain the natural circular frequency of the tower considering SSI; then, according to the external load of the tower under the icing of the wire and the vibration displacement equation of the tower considering SSI, the expression of the comprehensive amplitude amplification factor of the tower is derived, and then the consideration is obtained. The upper limit value of the frequency ratio of SSI and the functional function; finally combined with the normal distribution to solve the problem, the vibration reliability of the plug-in foundation tower considering SSI is obtained. The proposed method has been applied in the analysis of a galloping accident on a line in Guangdong Province. The maximum reliability of the damaged 6-base plug-in foundation tower obtained by this method is 0.9713, which is less than the target reliability of 0.9993.

Background: CTCs play a critical role in the diagnosis and prognosis of liver cancer. However, there are few studies on whether different types of CTCs can predict the prognosis in patients with HCC following LT. Methods: Retrospective data including CTCs detected by the CanPatrolTM platform combined with RNA-ISH were collected and analyzed on 56 patients from December 2016 to December 2019 at the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, Guangdong Province, China. Results: During the study period, fifty-six patients (51 males, 5 females) were included with an mean age of 52 ± 9 years. The 1-, 2- and 3-year recurrence rates of postoperative interstitial CTC-positive and CTC-negative groups were 21.7% vs 10.8%, 37.5% vs 10.8% and 55.5% vs 10.8%, confirming a statistically significant difference between the 2 groups (p = 0.044). The 1-, 2- and 3-year recurrence rates of the increasing interstitial CTCs group were 25.2%, 36.9% and 66.9%, while 12.6%, 24.4% and 24.4% in the decreasing and unchanged group, indicating a significant difference (p = 0.038). Conclusion: CanPatrolTM platform presents a superior analytical sensitivity, and may be used as a dynamic monitoring tool for CTCs. And interstitial CTCs which are more aggressive and metastatic caused by EMT can be regarded as a predictor of post-transplant tumor recurrence after LT for HCC.

Abstract Background The modified polycystic ovary syndrome health-related quality-of-life questionnaire (MPCOSQ) is a 30-item instrument measuring quality-of-life in English-speaking patients with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). We aimed to: 1) cross-culturally adapt the MPCOSQ into Chinese, and 2) assess the validity and reliability of the Chinese version of the MPCOSQ (Chi-MPCOSQ). Methods The MPCOSQ was translated using the forward-backward method, and its validity and reliability were assessed among 283 Chinese patients with PCOS. Internal consistency reliability and test-retest reliability were assessed by Cronbach’s α and intra-correlation coefficient (ICC), respectively. Construct validity was tested through exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Discriminant validity was assessed by Mann-Whitney U test to compare the scores on the Chi-MPCOSQ between 283 women with PCOS and 93 women without PCOS. Results Exploratory factor analysis generated a 7-factor structure of the 30-item version of the Chi-MPCOSQ, which accounted for 77% of the overall variance. The Chi-MPCOSQ had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s α = 0.88) and good test-retest reliability (ICC = 0.89). Compared to PCOS patients, women without PCOS had consistently lower scores for every dimension of the Chi-MPCOSQ, demonstrating its good discriminant validity. Conclusion The Chi-MPCOSQ is a valid and reliable instrument for measuring quality-of-life among Chinese women with PCOS.

In the operation of a nuclear plant system, a distorted inflow of a reactor coolant pump appears owing to the steam generator channel head and multi-bend, leading to the deterioration of pump performance and stability. In the present study, three-dimensional numerical calculations of three model geometries are carried out using block grid technology, with RNG k-ε and DDES model applied in the steady and transient simulation. The simulation results are validated with an experiment testing the pump with a short inlet pipe. As for the results, under the distorted inflow condition, the pump head and efficiency are reduced by 4% and 5.2% respectively at the nominal flow rate. Additionally, when the pump is coupled with upstream structures, the inlet flow becomes distorted and more chaotic, and the swirl and radial flow are produced by asymmetric pressure difference. Meanwhile, a pair of local vortices appears in the inlet section, forming re-distributed mass flow rates. As the distorted flow enters the pump, the blade inlet pressure and flow rate are unevenly distributed. Moreover, the evolution process of the vortex is accompanied with strong non-uniformity in the impeller channel, and thus asymmetric tangential force is imposed on the blades, increasing the risk of the fatigue breakdown of the impeller.

Abstract Objectives There is an increased interest in enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) minimizing adverse events after orthopedic surgery. Little consensus supports the effectiveness of these interventions. The purpose of present systematic review and meta-analysis is to comprehensively analyze and evaluate the significance of ERAS interventions for postoperative outcomes after orthopedic surgery. Methods PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane databases were totally searched from the inception dates to May 31, 2018. Two reviewers independently extracted the data from the selected articles using a standardized form and assessed the risk of bias. The analysis was performed using STATA 12.0. Results A total of 15 published studies fulfilled the requirements of inclusion criteria. We found that the ERAS group showed a significant association with lower incidence of postoperative complications (OR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.64 to 0.78). Meanwhile, ERAS was also associated with the decline in 30-day mortality rate and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI). However, no significant differences were identified between the two groups regarding the 30-day readmission rate (P = 0.397). Conclusions Our meta-analysis suggested that the ERAS group had more advantages in reducing incidence of postoperative complications, 30-day mortality rate, and ODI after orthopedic surgery, but not of 30-day readmission rate. However, further research with standardized, unbiased methods and larger sample sizes is required for deeper analysis.

Abstract Background Thyroid cartilage is an important barrier in anterior cervical approach surgery. The objective of this study is to establish normative values for thyroid cartilage at three planes and to determine their significance on preoperative positioning and intraoperative traction in surgery via the anterior cervical approach. Methods Neck CT scans were collected from 600 healthy adults who did not meet any of the exclusion criteria. Transverse diameters (D1, D2, and D3) of the superior border of the thyroid cartilage (SBTC), inferior border of the thyroid cartilage (IBTC), and the trachea transverse diameters of the inferior border of the cricoid cartilage (IBCC) were measured on a horizontal plane. Results All measured variables had intra-class correlation coefficients (ICCs) of ≥ 0.7. The differences in transverse diameters on the same plane between males and females were significantly different (all p

This paper presents a new structure of a rotary lobe pump cavity with gradually varied gap to mitigate the magnitude and fluctuation of the radial exciting force on the rotor. The geometry of the rotary lobe pump cavity is specially designed, so that the gap between the rotor and cavity is gradually changed during the rotors’ engaging. The flow in this geometry is numerically studied, and its effect on the pressure pulsation and radial exciting force is analysed, based on the dynamic mesh and local mesh reconstruction. Also, the mechanism of the mitigation of radial exciting force is briefly discussed. The value of the gap is an addition of gradually varied gap r (0∼rmax) and the base gap (original constant gap: 0.2 mm). As for the results, it is found that as the varied gap rmax value increases, the intensity of the reverse rotating vortex at the outlet decreases, and the secondary flow pulsation of the outlet section is effectively weakened. When rmax =0.1 mm, the radial exciting force in the y-direction on the rotor is reduced by 12% comparing with the equal gap, and the radial exciting force pulsation coefficient is 0.31. Meanwhile, the radial exciting force in the x-direction is reduced by 19% accordingly. The gradually varied gap cavity can effectively reduce the peak value of the pressure pulsation at outlet, weakening the influence of the rapid change of the outlet pressure on the radial exciting force. It is found that an optimal rmax of 0.1∼0.15 mm has a remarkable effect on the mitigation of pressure pulsation and radial exciting force.

Hydrocarbon-degrading and plant-growth-promoting bacterial endophytes have proven useful for facilitating the phytoremediation of petroleum-contaminated soils with high salinity. In this study, we identified Bacillus safensis strain ZY16 as an endophytic bacterium that can degrade hydrocarbons, produce biosurfactants, tolerate salt, and promote plant growth. The strain was isolated from the root of Chloris virgata Sw., a halotolerant plant collected from the Yellow River Delta. ZY16 survived in Luria-Bertani (LB) broth with 0–16% (w/v) sodium chloride (NaCl) and grew well in LB broth supplemented with 0–8% NaCl, indicating its high salt tolerance. The endophytic strain ZY16 effectively degraded C12–C32n-alkanes of diesel oil effectively, as well as common polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons under hypersaline conditions. For example, in mineral salts (MS) liquid medium supplemented with 6% NaCl, ZY16 degraded n-undecane, n-hexadecane, n-octacosane, naphthalene, phenanthrene, and pyrene, with degradation percentages of 94.5, 98.2, 64.8, 72.1, 59.4, and 27.6%, respectively. In addition, ZY16 produced biosurfactant, as confirmed by the oil spreading technique, surface tension detection, and emulsification of para-xylene and paraffin. The biosurfactant production ability of ZY16 under hypersaline conditions was also determined. Moreover, ZY16 showed plant-growth-promoting attributes, such as siderophore and indole-3-acetic acid production, as well as phosphate solubilization. To assess the enhanced phytoremediation of saline soils polluted by hydrocarbons and the plant-growth-promotion ability of ZY16, a pot trial with and without inoculation of the endophyte was designed and performed. Inoculated and non-inoculated plantlets of C. virgata Sw. were grown in oil-polluted saline soil, with oil and salt contents of 10462 mg/kg and 0.51%, respectively. After 120 days of growth, significant enhancement of both the aerial and underground biomass of ZY16-inoculated plants was observed. The soil total petroleum hydrocarbon degradation percentage (a metric of phytoremediation) after incubation with ZY16 was 63.2%, representing an elevation of 25.7% over phytoremediation without ZY16 inoculation. Our study should promote the application of endophytic B. safensis ZY16 in phytoremediation by extending our understanding of the mutualistic interactions between endophytes and their host plants.

Osteoarthritis (OA), defined as a long-term progressive joint disease, is characterized by cartilage impairment and erosion. In recent decades, magnolol, as a type of lignin extracted from Magnolia officinalis, has been proved to play a potent anti-inflammatory role in various diseases. The current research sought to examine the latent mechanism of magnolol and its protective role in alleviating the progress of OA in vivo as well as in vitro experimentations. In vitro, the over-production of Nitric oxide (NO), prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2), inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α), and interleukin-6 (IL-6), induced by interleukin-1 beta (IL-1β), were all inhibited notably by magnolol in a concentration-dependent manner. Moreover, magnolol could also downregulate the expression of metalloproteinase 13 (MMP13) and thrombospondin motifs 5 (ADAMTS5). All these changes ultimately led to the deterioration of the extracellular matrix (ECM) induced by IL-1β. Mechanistically, magnolol suppressed the activation of PI3K/Akt/NF-κB pathway. Furthermore, a powerful binding capacity between magnolol and PI3K was also revealed in our molecular docking research. In addition, magnolol-induced protective effects in OA development were also detected in a mouse model. In summary, this research suggested that magnolol possessed a new therapeutic potential for the development of OA.

β-sitosterol (BS), a major bioactive constituent present in plants, has shown potent anti-cancer activity against many human cancer cells, but its activity in pancreatic cancer (PC) cells has rarely been reported. Gemcitabine (GEM) is one of the first-line drugs for PC therapy, however, the treatment effect is not sustained due to prolonged drug resistance. In this study, we firstly studied the anti-PC activity and the mechanism of BS alone and in combination with GEM in vitro and in vivo. BS effectively inhibited the growth of PC cell lines by inhibiting proliferation, inducing G0/G1 phase arrest and apoptosis, suppressed the NF- kB activity, and increased expression of the protein Bax but decreased expression of the protein Bcl-2. Moreover, BS inhibited migration and invasion and downregulated epithelial–mesenchymal transition (EMT) markers and AKT/GSK-3β signaling pathways. Furthermore, the combination of BS and GEM exhibited a significant synergistic effect in MIAPaCa-2 and BXPC-3 cells. More importantly, the combined treatment with BS and GEM lead to significant growth inhibition of PC xenografts. Overall, our data revealed a promising treatment option for PC by the combination therapy of BS and GEM.

The cross-slot geometry plays an important role in the study of nonlinear effects of viscoelastic fluids. The flow of viscoelastic fluid in a micro cross-slot with a high channel aspect ratio (AR, the ratio of channel depth to width) can be divided into three types, which are symmetric flow, steady-state asymmetric flow and time-dependent flow under the inlet condition with a constant velocity. However, the flow pattern of a viscoelastic fluid in the cross-slot when a stimulation is applied at inlets has been rarely reported. In this paper, the response of cross-slot flow under an external sinusoidal stimulation is studied by numerical simulations of a two-dimensional model representing the geometry with a maximum limit of AR. For the cases under constant inlet velocity conditions, three different flow patterns occur successively with the increase of Weissenberg number (Wi). For the cases under sinusoidal varying inlet velocity conditions, when the stimulation frequency is far away from the natural frequency of a viscoelastic fluid, the frequency spectrum of velocity fluctuation field shows the characteristics of a fundamental frequency and several harmonics. However, the harmonic frequency disappears when the stimulation frequency is close to the natural frequency of the viscoelastic fluid. Besides, the flow pattern shows spatial symmetry and changes with time. In conclusion, the external stimulation has an effect on the flow pattern of viscoelastic fluid in the 2D micro cross-slot channel, and a resonance occurs when the stimulation frequency is close to the natural frequency of the fluid.

Neptunea arthritica cumingii (Nac) is a marine snail with high nutritional and commercial value; however, little is known about its active peptides. In this study, two multi-functional peptides, YSQLENEFDR (Tyr-Ser-Gln-Leu-Glu-Asn-Glu-Phe-Asp-Arg) and YIAEDAER (Tyr-Ile-Ala-Glu-Asp-Ala-Glu-Arg), were isolated and purified from meat and visceral mass extracts of Nac using a multi-bioassay-guided method and were characterized by using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Both peptides showed high antioxidant, angiotensin-converting enzyme (ACE)-inhibitory, and anti-diabetic activities, with half-maximal effective concentrations values less than 1 mM. Antioxidant and ACE-inhibitory activities were significantly higher for YSQLENEFDR than for YIAEDAER. In a zebrafish model, the two peptides exhibited strong scavenging ability for reactive oxygen species and effectively protected skin cells against oxidative damage without toxicity. Molecular docking simulation further predicted the interactions of the two peptides and ACE. Stability analysis study indicated that the two synthetic peptides maintained their activities under thermal stress and simulated gastrointestinal digestion conditions. The low molecular weight, high proportion of hydrophobic and negatively-charged amino acids, and specific C-terminal and N-terminal amino acids may contribute to the observed bio-activities of these two peptides with potential application for the prevention of chronic noncommunicable diseases.

This paper presented a direct numerical simulation (DNS) study on the elasticity-induced irregular flow, passive mixing, and scalar evolution in the curvilinear microchannel. The mixing enhancement was achieved at vanishingly low-Reynolds-number chaotic flow raised by elastic instabilities. Along with the mixing process, the passive scalar transportation carried by the flow was greatly affected by the flow structure and the underlying interaction between microstructures of viscoelastic fluid and flow structure itself. The simulations are conducted for a wide range of viscoelasticity. As the elastic effect exceeds the critical value, the flow tends to a chaotic state, while the evolution of scalar gets strong and fast, showing excellent agreement with experimental results. For the temporal changing of scalar gradients, they vary rapidly in the form of isosurfaces, with the shape of “rolls” in the bulk and evolving into “threads” near the wall. That indicates that the flow fields should be related to the deformation of viscoelastic micromolecules. The probability distribution function analysis between micromolecular deformation and flow field deformation shows that the main direction of molecular stretching is perpendicular to the main direction of flow field deformation. It implies they are weakly correlated, due to the confinement of channel wall.

This paper is to make a better understanding of the flow instabilities and turbulent kinetic energy (TKE) features in a large-scale Francis hydroturbine model. The flow instability with aspect of pressure oscillation and pressure-velocity correlation was investigated using large eddy simulation (LES) method along with two-phase cavitation model. The numerical simulation procedures were validated by the existing experimental result, and further the TKE evolution was analyzed in a curvilinear coordinates. By monitoring the fluctuating pressure and velocities in the vanes’ wake region, the local pressure and velocity variations were proven to have a phase difference approaching π/2, with a reasonable cross-correlation coefficient. Also the simultaneous evolution of pressure fluctuations at the opposite locations possessed a clear phase difference of π, indicating the stresses variations on the runner induced by pressure oscillation were in an odd number of nodal diameter. Considering the TKE generation, the streamwise velocity component u s ′ 2 contributed the most to the TKE, and thus the normal stress production term and shear stress production term imparted more instability to the flow than other production terms.

This paper presents an experimental investigation of flow phenomena related to the characteristic frequencies of pressure fluctuation in Francis hydroturbine models. The experiments were carried out on two test rigs with two model runners having hydraulic similarities. Flow field around the guide vanes was measured with a particle image velocimetry (PIV) on the first PIV test rig. Flow structures at the inlet region of runner and in draft tube at different operating conditions were visualized on another hydrodynamic test rig. Analyses of dominant frequency of unsteady hydraulic behaviors in the tested hydroturbines were performed. It was observed that the main frequency of flow over the guide vanes and the dominant frequency of channel vortex equal the blade passing frequency; the dominant frequency of flow separation at the suction side of blade inlet equals the vane passing frequency; the vortex rope in the draft tube displays a low-frequency nature. The flow instabilities and fluctuations directly influence the running of hydroturbine, thus these experimental results could provide important evidence for the stability study of a real hydroturbine.

A comparison study on the numerical computations by large eddy simulation (LES) and Reynolds-averaged Navier-Stokes (RANS) methods with experiment on a cylindrical cavity flow was conducted in this paper. Numerical simulations and particle image velocimetry (PIV) measurement were performed for two Reynolds numbers of the flow at a constant aspect ratio of H/R = 2.4 ( R is the radius of the cylindrical cavity, and H is liquid level). The three components of velocity were extracted from 100 sequential PIV measured velocity frames with averaging, in order to illustrate the axial jet flow evolution and circulation distribution in the radial direction. The results show that LES can reproduce well the fine structure inside the swirling motions in both the meridional and the horizontal planes, as well as the distributions of velocity components and the circulation, in good agreement with experimental results, while the RANS method only provided a rough trend of inside vortex structure. Based on the analysis of velocity profiles at various locations, it indicates that LES is more suitable for predicting the complex flow characteristics inside complicated three-dimensional geometries.

Abstract This study evaluated the inhibitory effects of calceolarioside B, extracted from the traditional Chinese herb Mutong (Akebia quinata Thumb), on the SARS-CoV-2 Omicron BA.2 variant. Molecular docking and molecular dynamics simulations predicted the binding sites and interactions between calceolarioside B and the Omicron BA.2 spike (S) protein. Biolayer interferometry (BLI) and immunofluorescence assays validated its high-affinity binding. Pseudovirus entry assays assessed the inhibitory effects of calceolarioside B on viral entry into host cells, while enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) measured inflammatory cytokine levels. Flow cytometry was used to analyze its effects on macrophage phenotype switching. Results demonstrated that calceolarioside B could bind to the Omicron BA.2 S protein with high affinity, and significantly inhibited viral entry into host cells by interfering with the binding of angiotensin-converting enzyme 2 (ACE2) receptor and S protein. Additionally, calceolarioside B reduced IL(interleukin)-6 expression levels and promoted the switch of macrophages from the pro-inflammatory M1 phenotype to the anti-inflammatory M2 phenotype. These findings suggest that calceolarioside B possesses antiviral and immunomodulatory effects, making it a potential dual-function inhibitor for the treatment of COVID-19.

Enterococcus faecalis (E. faecalis) is one of the dominant bacteria in infected root canals, and it is tolerant to commonly used root canal disinfectants. Ag+ has a certain antibacterial effect on E. faecalis, but the instability and potential toxicity of Ag+ limit its application. Metal azolate framework-7 (MAF-7) is a typical metal–organic framework that has been used for drug delivery due to its high encapsulation efficiency, tunable release profile, and low cytotoxicity. In this study, we used a simple method for the synthesis of Ag+/MAF-7 nanocomposites. After characterization via several techniques, the antibacterial activity of this nanocomposite against E. faecalis was investigated. Ag+ was found to be uniformly bound to MAF-7, and the resulting Ag+/MAF-7 nanocomposite showed significant antibacterial activity against E. faecalis. This study demonstrates the potential application of nanocomposite antibacterial materials in treating infected root canals.

AbstractZanthoxylum ailanthoides is a deciduous tree, with important medicinal and economic values. The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Z. ailanthoides was assembled and the phylogenetic relationship to other species was inferred in this study. The chloroplast genome is 157,209 bp in length, including two inverted repeats of 26,408 bp, a large single-copy of 86,099 bp and a small single copy of 18,294 bp. Moreover, the chloroplast genome contains 129 genes, including 84 protein-coding genes, 37 tRNA genes, and 8 rRNA genes. The overall GC content of the chloroplast genome is 38.4%. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that Z. ailanthoides was grouped with a clade containing the species of Z. multijugum, Z. calcicola, Z. oxyphyllum, Z. stenophyllum, and the genus was closely related to Phellodendron. This study contributes to a better understanding of the phylogenetic relationships among Zanthoxylum species.

ABSTRACTThe morphogenesis of sexual fruiting bodies of fungi is a complex process determined by a genetically encoded program. Fruiting bodies reached the highest complexity levels in the Agaricomycetes; yet, the underlying genetics is currently poorly known. In this work, we functionally characterized a highly conserved gene termed snb1, whose expression level increases rapidly during fruiting body initiation. According to phylogenetic analyses, orthologs of snb1 are present in almost all agaricomycetes and may represent a novel conserved gene family that plays a substantial role in fruiting body development. We disrupted snb1 using CRISPR/Cas9 in the agaricomycete model organism Coprinopsis cinerea. snb1 deletion mutants formed unique, snowball-shaped, rudimentary fruiting bodies that could not differentiate caps, stipes, and lamellae. We took advantage of this phenotype to study fruiting body differentiation using RNA-Seq analyses. This revealed differentially regulated genes and gene families that, based on wild-type RNA-Seq data, were upregulated early during development and showed tissue-specific expression, suggesting a potential role in differentiation. Taken together, the novel gene family of snb1 and the differentially expressed genes in the snb1 mutants provide valuable insights into the complex mechanisms underlying developmental patterning in the Agaricomycetes.IMPORTANCEFruiting bodies of mushroom-forming fungi (Agaricomycetes) are complex multicellular structures, with a spatially and temporally integrated developmental program that is, however, currently poorly known. In this study, we present a novel, conserved gene family, Snowball (snb), termed after the unique, differentiation-less fruiting body morphology of snb1 knockout strains in the model mushroom Coprinopsis cinerea. snb is a gene of unknown function that is highly conserved among agaricomycetes and encodes a protein of unknown function. A comparative transcriptomic analysis of the early developmental stages of differentiated wild-type and non-differentiated mutant fruiting bodies revealed conserved differentially expressed genes which may be related to tissue differentiation and developmental patterning fruiting body development.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Jianpi Bushen Huatan Recipe on sex hormone levels' blood lipid and blood glucose levels in the treatment of obese poly-cystic ovarian syndrome(PCOS). Methods: Data bases including the CNKI, Vip, Wanfang were searched. Studies about randomized controlled trials (RCT) of the effectiveness of Jianpi Bushen Huatan Recipe Combined with Metformin in the Treatment of obese PCOS were included. Rev Man 5.3 software was used for meta analysis. Results: A total of 11 studies were enrolled. Meta-analysis showed that Jianpi Bushen Huatan Recipe Combined with Metformin significantly improved the clinical total effective rate of patien ts(RR=1.32,95%CI(1.20,1.45), P <0.00001);reduced the body mass index(BMI)(SMD=-0.92,95%CI(-1.13,-0.72),P<0.00001),luteinizing hormone(LH)(SMD=-1.00,95%CI(-1.37,-0.62),P<0.00001), LH/FSH(SMD=-1.03,95%CI(-1.34, -0.71),P<0.00001), insulin resistant index(HOMA-IR)(SMD=-0.59,95%CI(-0.79,-0.40),P<0.00001), fasting insulin(FIN) (SMD=- 0.77,95%CI(-1.19,-0.35),P=0.0003), total cholesterol (TC) (SMD=-0.63,95%CI(-0.88,- 0.38),P<0.00001), triglycerides(TG) (SMD=-0.60,95%CI(-0.83,-0.36),P<0.00001), highdensity lipoprotein(HDL)(SMD=-0.41,95%CI(-0.51,-0.32),P<0.00001). However, there was no statistically significant in waist-to-hip ratio(WHR), follicle stimulating hormone(FSH), fasting blood sugar(FBS)and low density lipoprotein(LDL). Conclusions: Jianpi Bushen Huatan Recipe Combined with Metformin in the treatment of obese PCOS has an advantage in improving the sex hormone level, blood lipid and blood glucose level, and is superior to metformin alone. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The superposition of states is one of the most fundamental issues in the quantum world. Generally there do not exist physical operations to superpose two unknown random states with nonzero probability. We investigate the superposition problem of unknown qubit states with respect to a known qubit state. It is shown that under trace-nonincreasing completely positive operations the superposable state sets are located in some circles on the Bloch sphere. Meanwhile, we prove that the quantum states in a circle on the Bloch sphere are superposable with respect to a known state. Finally, for the high-dimensional case, we illustrate that any superposition transformation protocols will violate the no-cloning principle for almost all the states. Our results also promote the understanding and applications of the superposition principle in view of quantum no-go theorems.

Retinitis pigmentosa is a retinal disease characterized by photoreceptor degeneration. There is currently no effective treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. Although a mixture of lutein and other antioxidant agents has shown promising effects in protecting the retina from degeneration, the role of lutein alone remains unclear. In this study, we administered intragastric lutein to Pde6brd10 model mice, which display degeneration of retinal photoreceptors, on postnatal days 17 (P17) to P25, when rod apoptosis reaches peak. Lutein at the optimal protective dose of 200 mg/kg promoted the survival of photoreceptors compared with vehicle control. Lutein increased rhodopsin expression in rod cells and opsin expression in cone cells, in line with an increased survival rate of photoreceptors. Functionally, lutein improved visual behavior, visual acuity, and retinal electroretinogram responses in Pde6brd10 mice. Mechanistically, lutein reduced the expression of glial fibrillary acidic protein in Müller glial cells. The results of this study confirm the ability of lutein to postpone photoreceptor degeneration by reducing reactive gliosis of Müller cells in the retina and exerting anti-inflammatory effects. This study was approved by the Laboratory Animal Ethics Committee of Jinan University (approval No. LACUC-20181217-02) on December 17, 2018.

Introduction The optimal treatment for burst fractures of the thoracolumbar spine is controversial. The addition of screws in the fractured segment has been shown to improve construct stiffness, but can aggravate the trauma to the fractured vertebra. Therefore, optimised placement of two pedicle screws at the fracture level is required for the treatment of thoracolumbar burst fractures. This randomised controlled study is the first to examine the efficacy of diverse orders of pedicle screw placement and will provide recommendations for the treatment of patients with thoracolumbar burst fractures. Methods and analysis A randomised controlled trial with blinding of patients and the statistician, but not the clinicians and researchers, will be conducted. A total of 70 patients with single AO type A3 or A4 thoracolumbar fractures who are candidates for application of shortsegment pedicle screws at the fractured vertebral level will be allocated randomly to the distraction-screw and screw-distraction groups at a ratio of 1:1. The primary clinical outcome measures will be the percentage loss of vertebral body height, screw depth in the injured vertebrae and kyphosis (Cobb angle). Secondary clinical outcome measures will be complications, Visual Analogue Scale scores for back and leg pain, neurological function, operation time, intraoperative blood loss, Japanese Orthopaedic Association score and Oswestry Disability Index. These parameters will be evaluated preoperatively, intraoperatively, on postoperative day 3, and at 1, 3, 6, 12 and 24 months postoperatively. Ethics and dissemination The Institutional Review Board of the Second Affiliated Hospital and Yuying Children's Hospital of Wenzhou Medical University have reviewed and approved this study (batch: LCKY2018-05). The results will be presented in peer-reviewed journals and at an international spine-related meeting after completion of the study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fourteen species of Nazeris Fauvel, 1873 are reported for the Nanling Mountain Range, China. Four of them are described as new: N. xingmini Lin & Hu, sp. nov. (Guangdong, Jiangxi), N. huaiweni Lin & Hu, sp. nov. (Guangdong), N. meihuaae Lin & Hu, sp. nov. (Guangdong, Jiangxi) and N. lichongi Lin & Hu, sp. nov. (Hunan). An identification key to the Nazeris species reported for the Nanling Mountains, and a map showing their distribution are provided.

Material of the paederine genus Lathrobium Gravenhorst, 1802 from the Nanling National Nature Reserve, southern China, is examined. Four species are identified, one of them described previously. Three species are described and illustrated for the first time, all of them micropterous and locally endemic: L. yangyihani Lin & Peng sp. nov., L. jiaxingyangi Lin & Peng sp. nov., and L. wangxingmini Lin & Peng sp. nov. The female sexual characters of L. guangdongense Peng & Li, 2014 are described and illustrated for the first time. Including the new taxa, 224 Lathrobium species are currently known from mainland China.

Voriconazole is the mainstay for the treatment of invasive fungal infections in patients who underwent a kidney transplant. Variant CYP2C19 alleles, hepatic function, and concomitant medications are directly involved in the metabolism of voriconazole. However, the drug is also associated with numerous adverse events. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of adverse events using binary logistic regression and to measure its trough concentration using multiple linear modeling. We conducted a prospective analysis of 93 kidney recipients cotreated with voriconazole and recorded 213 trough concentrations of it. Predictors of the adverse events were voriconazole trough concentration with the odds ratios (OR) of 2.614 (P = 0.016), cytochrome P450 2C19 (CYP2C19), and hemoglobin (OR 0.181, P = 0.005). The predictive power of these three factors was 91.30%. We also found that CYP2C19 phenotypes, hemoglobin, platelet count, and concomitant use of ilaprazole had quantitative relationships with voriconazole trough concentration. The fit coefficient of this regression equation was R2 = 0.336, demonstrating that the model explained 33.60% of interindividual variability in the disposition of voriconazole. In conclusion, predictors of adverse events are CYP2C19 phenotypes, hemoglobin, and voriconazole trough concentration. Determinants of the voriconazole trough concentration were CYP2C19 phenotypes, platelet count, hemoglobin, concomitant use of ilaprazole. If we consider these factors during voriconazole use, we are likely to maximize the treatment effect and minimize adverse events.

In this work, the geometrical, electronic structure and optical properties of P-doped ZnO under high pressures have been investigated using first-principles methods. The pressure effects on the lattice parameters, electronic band structures, and partial density of states of crystalline P-doped ZnO are calculated up to 8GPa. Moreover, the evolution of the dielectric function, absorption coefficient (α(ω)), reflectivity (R(ω)), and the real part of the refractive index (n(ω)) at high pressure are also presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Viscoelastic fluids are now becoming promising candidates of microheat exchangers' working medium due to the occurrence of elastic instability and turbulence at microscale. This paper developed a sound solver for the heat transfer process of viscoelastic fluid flow at high Wi, and this solver can be used to design the multiple heat exchangers with viscoelastic fluids as working medium. The solver validation was conducted by simulating four fundamental benchmarks to assure the reliability of the established solver. After that, the solver was adopted to study the heat transfer process of viscoelastic fluid flow in a curvilinear channel, where apparent heat transfer enhancement (HTE) by viscoelastic fluid was achieved. The observed heat transfer enhancement was attributed to the occurrence of elastic turbulence which continuously mix the hot and cold fluids by the twisting and wiggling flow motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aminophenylboronic acid (ABA) modified bovine serum albumin (BSA) was prepared as neolectin and its interactions with oligosaccharides and glycopolymer were studied by surface plasmon resonance (SPR) and isothermal titration calorimetry (ITC). The conjugation between the primary amine group of the ABA molecule and lysine residues on BSA was performed with an adipate-based strategy to afford the synthetic neoprotein. The number of ABA molecules loaded to BSA surface was determined by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization - time of flight (MALDI-TOF) mass spectrometry. In the BSA-ABA and sugar interaction study, no signal was observed for both the SPR and ITC sensor platform using monosaccharides as the analyte, indicating a weak binding affnity, while the galactose modified polymer showed an enhanced response. The binding affinities of the galactosyl- polymer to BSA-ABA from SPR and ITC data were in the micromolar range. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract Tenofovir and entecavir are currently designated as the preferred oral antiviral drugs for chronic hepatitis B. However, only less than 40% of patients can achieve HBeAg seroconversion. We aim at investigating the role of intestinal microbiome in HBeAg seroconversion induced by oral antiviral therapy and describe multi-omics characteristics of HBeAg seroconversion associated intestinal flora. In this study, we prospectively collected fecal samples at baseline from the patients with HBeAg positive chronic hepatitis B who would have oral antiviral therapy. 16S rDNA sequencing and metabolomics were performed. We identified HBeAg seroconversion-related microbial signature and constructed prediction model for HBeAg seroconversion. Thirty-seven of these subjects achieved HBeAg seroconversion within 156 weeks after the initiation of oral antiviral therapy, while 41 subjects remained HBeAg positive even after over 156 weeks of therapy. A computational statistical and machine learning approach allowed us to identify a microbial signature for HBeAg seroconversion. Using random forest method, we further constructed a classifier based on the microbial signature, with area under curve being 0.749 for the test set. Patients who achieved HBeAg seroconversion tended to have lower abundance of certain fecal metabolites such as essential amino acids, and several dipeptides. By analyzing the fecal microbiota from the patients with and without HBeAg seroconversion, we showed intestinal microbiome play a critical role in HBeAg seroconversion induced by oral antiviral therapy. We also identified intestinal microbial signature that is associated with HBeAg seroconversion after oral antiviral therapy.

Luteolin is neuroprotective for retinal ganglion cells and retinal pigment epithelial cells after oxidative injury, whereby it can inhibit microglial neurotoxicity. Therefore, luteolin holds the potential to be useful for treatment of retinal diseases. The purpose of this study was to investigate whether luteolin exhibits neuroprotective effects on rod cells in rd10 mice, a slow photoreceptor-degenerative model of retinitis pigmentosa. Luteolin (100 mg/kg) intraperitoneally injected daily from postnatal day 14 (P14) to P25 significantly enhanced the visual performance and retinal light responses of rd10 mice at P25. Moreover, it increased the survival of photoreceptors and improved retinal structure. Mechanistically, luteolin treatment attenuated increases in reactive oxygen species, photoreceptor apoptosis, and reactive gliosis; increased mRNA levels of anti-inflammatory cytokines while lowering that of pro-inflammatory and chemoattractant cytokines; and lowered the ratio of phospho-JNK/JNK. Application of the JNK inhibitor SP600125 exerted a similar protective effect to luteolin, suggesting that luteolin delays photoreceptor degeneration and functional deterioration in rd10 mice through regulation of retinal oxidation and inflammation by inhibiting the JNK pathway. Therefore, luteolin may be useful as a supplementary treatment for retinitis pigmentosa. This study was approved by the Qualified Ethics Committee of Jinan University, China (approval No. IACUC-20181217-02) on December 17, 2018.

Abstract Background Flammulina filiformis (previously known as Asian F. velutipes) is a popular commercial edible mushroom. Many bioactive compounds with medicinal effects, such as polysaccharides and sesquiterpenoids, have been isolated and identified from F. filiformis, but their biosynthesis and regulation at the molecular level remains unclear. In this study, we sequenced the genome of the wild strain F. filiformis Liu355, predicted its biosynthetic gene clusters (BGCs) and profiled the expression of these genes in wild and cultivar strains and in different developmental stages of the wild F. filiformis strain by a comparative transcriptomic analysis. Results We found that the genome of the F. filiformis was 35.01 Mb in length and harbored 10,396 gene models. Thirteen putative terpenoid gene clusters were predicted and 12 sesquiterpene synthase genes belonging to four different groups and two type I polyketide synthase gene clusters were identified in the F. filiformis genome. The number of genes related to terpenoid biosynthesis was higher in the wild strain (119 genes) than in the cultivar strain (81 genes). Most terpenoid biosynthesis genes were upregulated in the primordium and fruiting body of the wild strain, while the polyketide synthase genes were generally upregulated in the mycelium of the wild strain. Moreover, genes encoding UDP-glucose pyrophosphorylase and UDP-glucose dehydrogenase, which are involved in polysaccharide biosynthesis, had relatively high transcript levels both in the mycelium and fruiting body of the wild F. filiformis strain. Conclusions F. filiformis is enriched in a number of gene clusters involved in the biosynthesis of polysaccharides and terpenoid bioactive compounds and these genes usually display differential expression between wild and cultivar strains, even in different developmental stages. This study expands our knowledge of the biology of F. filiformis and provides valuable data for elucidating the regulation of secondary metabolites in this unique F. filiformis strain.

Abstract The Pleurotus ostreatus species complex is saprotrophic and of significant economic and ecological importance. However, species delimitation has long been problematic because of phenotypic plasticity and morphological stasis. In addition, the evolutionary history is poorly understood due to limited sampling and insufficient gene fragments employed for phylogenetic analyses. Comprehensive sampling from Asia, Europe, North and South America and Africa was used to run phylogenetic analyses of the P. ostreatus species complex based on 40 nuclear single-copy orthologous genes using maximum likelihood and Bayesian inference analyses. Here, we present a robust phylogeny of the P. ostreatus species complex, fully resolved from the deepest nodes to species level. The P. ostreatus species complex was strongly supported as monophyletic, and 20 phylogenetic species were recognized, with seven putatively new species. Data from our molecular clock analyses suggested that divergence of the genus Pleurotus probably occurred in the late Jurassic, while the most recent common ancestor of the P. ostreatus species complex diversified about 39 Ma in East Asia. Species of the P. ostreatus complex might migrate from the East Asia into North America across the North Atlantic Land Bridge or the Bering Land Bridge at different times during the late Oligocene, late Miocene and late Pliocene, and then diversified in the Old and New Worlds simultaneously through multiple dispersal and vicariance events. The dispersal from East Asia to South America in the middle Oligocene was probably achieved by a long-distance dispersal event. Intensification of aridity and climate cooling events in the late Miocene and Quaternary glacial cycling probably had a significant influence on diversification patterns of the complex. The disjunctions among East Asia, Europe, North America and Africa within Clade IIc are hypothesized to be a result of allopatric speciation. Substrate transitions to Apiaceae probably occurred no earlier than 6 Ma. Biogeographic analyses suggested that the global cooling of the late Eocene, intensification of aridity caused by rapid uplift of the QTP and retreat of the Tethys Sea in the late Miocene, climate cooling events in Quaternary glacial cycling, and substrate transitions have contributed jointly to diversification of the species complex.

Objectives: To characterize the pharmacokinetics (PK) of intravenous voriconazole (VRC) in critically ill patients with liver dysfunction. Methods: Patients with liver dysfunction in the intensive care unit (ICU) were included prospectively. The Child–Pugh score was used to categorize the degree of liver dysfunction. The initial intravenous VRC dosing regimen comprised a loading dose of 300 mg every 12 h for the first 24 h, followed by 200 mg every 12 h. The first PK curves (PK curve 1) were drawn within one dosing interval of the first dose for 17 patients; the second PK curves (PK curve 2) were drawn within one dosing interval after a minimum of seven doses for 12 patients. PK parameters were estimated by non-compartmental analysis. Results: There were good correlations between the area under the curve (AUC0–12) of PK curve 2 and the corresponding trough concentration (C0) and peak concentration (Cmax) (r2 = 0.951 and 0.963, respectively; both p < 0.001). The median half-life (t1/2) and clearance (CL) of patients in Child–Pugh class A (n = 3), B (n = 5), and C (n = 4) of PK curve 2 were 24.4 h and 3.31 l/h, 29.1 h and 2.54 l/h, and 60.7 h and 2.04 l/h, respectively. In the different Child–Pugh classes, the CL (median) of PK curve 2 were all lower than those of PK curve 1. The apparent steady-state volume of distribution (Vss) of PK curve 1 was positively correlated with actual body weight (r2 = 0.450, p = 0.004). The median first C0 of 17 patients determined on day 5 was 5.27 (2.61) μg/ml, and 29.4% of C0 exceeded the upper limit of the therapeutic window (2–6 μg/ml). Conclusions: The CL of VRC decreased with increasing severity of liver dysfunction according to the Child–Pugh classification, along with an increased t1/2, which resulted in high plasma exposure of VRC. Adjusted dosing regimens of intravenous VRC should be established based on Child–Pugh classes for these ICU patients, and plasma concentrations should be monitored closely to avoid serious adverse events. Keywords: Voriconazole, Liver dysfunction, Pharmacokinetics, Child–Pugh score

This paper aims to develop a three-dimensional (3D) measurement approach to investigate the flow structures of viscoelastic fluid in the curved microchannel by using digital holographic microscope (DHM). The measurement system uses off-axis holographic/ interferometric optical setup for the moving target, and the real-time three-dimensionalthree- components (3D3C) particle tracking velocimetry (PTV) can be achieved based on the analysis of phase information of holograms. To diagnose the irregular flow inside the microchannel, the 3D temporal positions of tracer particles in the volume of 282 μm × 282 μm × 60 μm have been detected and velocity field was calculated based on the PTV algorithm. Moreover, to explain the flow field inside the curved microchannel, for the first time the polarized high-speed camera was utilized to identify the strong elongation in the viscoelastic fluid. The DHM is proven to be successful for the measurements of microfluidic flow, especially for the truly real-time 3D motions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To explore the mechanism of Erxian Decoction in the treatment of premature ovarian failure. Methods: Based on the method of network pharmacology and molecular docking, the active ingredients of each drug in Erxian Decoction were obtained by searching the TCMSP database; the premature ovarian failure disease targets were collected from the GeneCards, OMIM, PharmGkb and Drugbank databases, and the active ingredients and the disease gene targets were collected Click the intersection to get the predictive target of Erxian Decoction for the treatment of premature ovarian failure. Use Cytoscape 3.8.0 to construct a "drug-component-target-disease" network; construct a protein interaction network (PPI) and streamline the core network through STRING database and Cytoscape; use R Studio software to enrich the Erxiantang treatment POF with GO And KEGG pathway enrichment analysis. Use molecular docking technology to verify the results of the "drug-component-targetdisease" network. Results: 68 main active ingredients were screened, involving 182 gene targets, among which the main active ingredients include Quercetin, Luteolin, Kaempferol, etc.; The core target genes include RB1,TP53,FOS,CDKN1A,ESR1,AKT1,MAPK1,TNF, etc.;GO enrichment items were obtained, including the 2545 Biological Process (BP),89 Cellular Component (CC), 212 Molecular Function (MF); KEGG pathways, including PI3KAkt signaling pathway, MAPK signaling pathway, and AGE-RAGE signaling pathway in diabetic complications. The verification of the molecular docking results indicated that the main active ingredient has a good binding activity with the core target. Conclusion: This study preliminarily revealed that Erxian Decoction may play a role in the treatment of POF through multi-component, multi-target, and multi-channel synergy, which provides a reference for the next in-depth research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Mushroom-forming fungi are complex multicellular organisms that form the basis of a large industry, yet, our understanding of the mechanisms of mushroom development and its responses to various stresses remains limited. The winter mushroom (Flammulina filiformis) is cultivated at a large commercial scale in East Asia and is a species with a preference for low temperatures. This study investigated fruiting body development in F. filiformis by comparing transcriptomes of 4 developmental stages, and compared the developmental genes to a 200-genome dataset to identify conserved genes involved in fruiting body development, and examined the response of heat sensitive and -resistant strains to heat stress. Our data revealed widely conserved genes involved in primordium development of F. filiformis, many of which originated before the emergence of the Agaricomycetes, indicating co-option for complex multicellularity during evolution. We also revealed several notable fruiting-specific genes, including the genes with conserved stipe-specific expression patterns and the others which related to sexual development, water absorption, basidium formation and sporulation, among others. Comparative analysis revealed that heat stress induced more genes in the heat resistant strain (M1) than in the heat sensitive one (XR). Of particular importance are the hsp70, hsp90 and fes1 genes, which may facilitate the adjustment to heat stress in the early stages of fruiting body development. These data highlighted novel genes involved in complex multicellular development in fungi and aid further studies on gene function and efforts to improve the productivity and heat tolerance in mushroom-forming fungi.

To reduce the energy consumption of Internet core network, a formulation model for green virtual topology design (GVTD) problem was developed, which employs the following measures: traffic aggregation, network resources allocation on demand, virtual topology design dynamically and multi-granularity sleeping. A heuristic algorithm base on constraint-based routing, namely CBR-GVTD, was proposed, which combines the single-hop and multi-hop routing to establish virtual topology, and makes trade-offs between the network power consumption and routing performance via the constraint-based routing mechanism. The simulation results indicate that CBR-GVTD can achieve at most 62%～90% power saving with very high resource utilization (80%～90% for interface utilization) and excellent routing performance (not more than 5 for maximum routing hops).

Abstract Background As the foal grows, the amount of breast milk produced by the donkey decreases. In such cases, early supplemental feeding is particularly important to meet the growth needs of the foal. Foals have an incompletely developed gastrointestinal tract with a homogenous microbiota and produce insufficient amounts of digestive enzymes, which limit their ability to digest and utilize forage. Improving the utilization of early supplemental feeds, promoting gastrointestinal tract development, and enriching microbial diversity are the hotspots of rapid growth research in dairy foals. Plant-based feeds usually contain non-starch polysaccharides (NSPs), including cellulose, xylan, mannan, and glucan, which hinder nutrient digestion and absorption. In addition, proteins and starch (both biomolecules) form a composite system mainly through non-covalent interactions. The proteins wrap around the surface of starch granules and act as a physical obstacle, thereby inhibiting water absorption and expansion of starch and decreasing the enzyme's catalytic effect on starch. Glyanase, β-mannanase, β-glucanase, cellulase, protease, and amylase added to cereal diets can alleviate the adverse effects of NSPs. The current study determined the effects of adding multienzymes (glyanase, β-mannanase, β-glucanase, cellulase, protease, and amylase) to the diet of 2-month-old suckling donkeys on their growth performance, apparent nutrient digestibility, fecal volatile fatty acid (VFA) and pH, fecal bacterial composition, and blood biochemical indices. Results On day 120 of the trial, fecal samples were collected from the rectum of donkeys for determining bacterial diversity, VFA content, and pH. Moreover, fresh fecal samples were collected from each donkey on days 110 and 115 to determine apparent digestibility. The multienzymes supplementations did not affect growth performance and apparent nutrient digestibility in the donkeys; however, they tended to increase total height gain (P = 0.0544). At the end of the study, the multienzymes supplementations increased (P

Direct numerical simulations (DNSs) of purely elastic turbulence in rectilinear shear flows in a three-dimensional (3D) parallel plate channel were carried out, by which numerical databases were established. Based on the numerical databases, the present paper analyzed the structural and statistical characteristics of the elastic turbulence including flow patterns, the wall effect on the turbulent kinetic energy spectrum, and the local relationship between the flow motion and the microstructures’ behavior. Moreover, to address the underlying physical mechanism of elastic turbulence, its generation was presented in terms of the global energy budget. The results showed that the flow structures in elastic turbulence were 3D with spatial scales on the order of the geometrical characteristic length, and vortex tubes were more likely to be embedded in the regions where the polymers were strongly stretched. In addition, the patterns of microstructures’ elongation behave like a filament. From the results of the turbulent kinetic energy budget, it was found that the continuous energy releasing from the polymers into the main flow was the main source of the generation and maintenance of the elastic turbulent status. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]