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Recently, a novel semi-quantum ring signature protocol (Quantum Inf. Process., 22(9), 337(2023)) was proposed. Although it has the properties of semi-quantum protocol, its verification process will fail when more than two users take part in the signature protocol. We show an example, in which four participants including the trusted third-party Trent are used, to prove the signature cannot be verified. Then, an improved semi-quantum ring signature protocol is proposed. In the new ring signature protocol, Trent generates the shared keys with each ring user. According to the shared keys, Trent encodes the GHZ state such that the identity of the true ring signatory can be traced by Trent. What is more, in our protocol, by measuring the received particles, all the ring users can create the same session key to generate a ring signature, which can guarantee the anonymity of the voter in the protocol. The improved ring signature protocol overcomes the drawback of the old one and can be secure against various eavesdropping attacks and forgery attack. Compared with the similar quantum ring signature protocols, ours has better practicability and efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enzymatic preparation of rare sugars as an alternative to traditional sweeteners is an effective strategy to achieve a low-calorie healthy diet. Ribose-5-phosphate isomerase B (RpiB) is a key enzyme in the non-oxidative branch of the catalytic pentose phosphate pathway. Here, we investigated the potential of Curtobacterium flaccumfaciens ZXL1 (C. flaccumfaciens ZXL1) derived RpiB (CfRpiB) in D-allose preparation. The optimal reaction conditions for recombinant CfRpiB were found experimentally to be pH 7.0, 55 °C, and no metal ions. The kinetic parameters Km, kcat, and catalytic efficiency kcat/Km were 320 mM, 4769 s−1, and 14.9 mM−1 s−1 respectively. The conversion of D-allulose by purified enzyme (1 g L−1 ) to D-allose was 13% within 1 h. In addition, homology modeling and molecular docking were used to predict the active site residues: Asp13, Asp14, Cys72, Gly73, Thr74, Gly77, Asn106, and Lys144. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, Qiu et al. proposed a semi-quantum voting scheme based on the ring signature (International Journal of Theoretical Physics, 60: 1550–1555(2021)), in which the signer and verifier only need to measure the received particles with Z-basis and perform some classical simple encryption/decryption operations on the classical message. Although their scheme is very efficient, it cannot resist the eavesdropping attacks and forgery attack. In this paper, first, the eavesdropping attacks on Qiu et al.’s scheme are proposed. Second, we show the forgery attack on their scheme. Then, based on the GHZ state, an improved semi-quantum electronic voting protocol is proposed. In the new protocol, the eavesdropping check technology not only can be used to detect the eavesdropping, but also can be used to share a random number. By using the random number and the shared key, the signed vote is encrypted so that it is infeasible for the adversary to trace the signer’s identity and forge a valid signed vote. The new protocol overcomes all the security drawbacks of the old protocol. What is more, it has better practicability and efficiency than the similar semi-quantum voting protocols. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chinese cordyceps, also known as Dong-Chong-Xia-Cao, is widely recognized as a famous precious tonic herb, and used as traditional Chinese medicine for centuries. It is mainly used for regulating the immune system and improving functions of the lung and kidney, with anti-tumor, anti-inflammatory, and anti-diabetic activities. Due to its rarity and preciousness, a few chemical components are isolated and identified. Moreover, most of them are common chemical components and widely distributed in other natural resources, such as nucleosides, sterols, fatty acids, sugar alcohols, and peptides. Therefore, a large number of active substances of Chinese cordyceps is still unclear. During our search for chemical constituents of Chinese cordyceps, a new thiazole alkaloid, cordythiazole A (1), was isolated and identified. Its structure was elucidated by comprehensive spectroscopic analysis and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. This is the first report of the presence of thiazole alkaloid in Chinese cordyceps, which adds a new class of metabolite of Chinese cordyceps. Furthermore, a putative biosynthesis pathway of cordythiazole A was proposed based on possible biogenic precursor, genes, and literatures. In addition, it showed α-glucosidase inhibitory activity with potency close to that of acarbose. The discovery of cordythiazole A with α-glucosidase inhibitory activity adds a new class of potential anti-diabetes ingredient in Chinese cordyceps. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The work proposes an efficient quadratic hexahedral solid element for size-dependent static and dynamic analyses of porous multi-directional functionally graded materials within the modified couple stress elasticity. The new element is constructed by following the process of the penalty unsymmetric finite element method in which the C1 continuity is enforced in weak sense. Furthermore, the independent rotation is introduced to approximate the continuum rotation and enhance the C0 continuous isoparametric interpolation for determining the test functions. In contrast, the trial functions are formulated based on the metric stress functions and the weighted residual method. Several benchmark tests involved with shell structures of different geometric forms and material distributions are evaluated, and the numerical results demonstrate that the new element can capture the size effect of porous multi-directional FG shells accurately. The findings also reveal that, as the material length scale parameter (MLSP) grows, the bending behavior is locked up gradually so that the out-plane vibration modes become more and more difficult to excite than in-plane vibration modes. Thus, not only the natural frequency but also the order of modes can be controlled by MLSP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To validate a total-body PET-guided deep progressive learning reconstruction method (DPR) for low-dose 18F-FDG PET imaging. Methods: List-mode data from the retrospective study (n = 26) were rebinned into short-duration scans and reconstructed with DPR. The standard uptake value (SUV) and tumor-to-liver ratio (TLR) in lesions and coefficient of variation (COV) in the liver in the DPR images were compared to the reference (OSEM images with full-duration data). In the prospective study, another 41 patients were injected with 1/3 of the activity based on the retrospective results. The DPR images (DPR_1/3(p)) were generated and compared with the reference (OSEM images with extended acquisition time). The SUV and COV were evaluated in three selected organs: liver, blood pool and muscle. Quantitative analyses were performed with lesion SUV and TLR, furthermore on small lesions (≤ 10 mm in diameter). Additionally, a 5-point Likert scale visual analysis was performed on the following perspectives: contrast, noise and diagnostic confidence. Results: In the retrospective study, the DPR with one-third duration can maintain the image quality as the reference. In the prospective study, good agreement among the SUVs was observed in all selected organs. The quantitative results showed that there was no significant difference in COV between the DPR_1/3(p) group and the reference, while the visual analysis showed no significant differences in image contrast, noise and diagnostic confidence. The lesion SUVs and TLRs in the DPR_1/3(p) group were significantly enhanced compared with the reference, even for small lesions. Conclusions: The proposed DPR method can reduce the administered activity of 18F-FDG by up to 2/3 in a real-world deployment while maintaining image quality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Short carbon fiber (SCF) reinforced polylactic acid (PLA) composites were fabricated by extrusion printing, and the effects of process parameters and surface treatments on the mechanical properties of composites were studied. Based on the rheological properties of composites and the extrusion process simulation, pure PLA specimens and PLA/SCF specimens were manufactured under different printing parameters. Three kinds of surface treatment were adopted to improve the mechanical properties. The experimental results show that SCF can effectively improve the tensile strength and bending strength, but the compressive strength decreased. The specimen had the best mechanical properties when the layer height was 0.1 mm and the nozzle diameter was 0.6 mm. The mechanical properties can be further improved by coupling agent coating method, and the compressive strength was even higher than that of pure PLA specimen. The research in this paper can provide a reference for the fabrication of thermoplastic composites with excellent mechanical properties by extrusion printing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Rare Metals is the property of Springer Nature and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the impact of a deep learning (DL)-based denoising method on the image quality and lesion detectability of 18F-FDG positron emission tomography (PET) images. Methods: Fifty-two oncological patients undergoing an 18F-FDG PET/CT imaging with an acquisition of 180 s per bed position were retrospectively included. The list-mode data were rebinned into four datasets: 100% (reference), 75%, 50%, and 33.3% of the total counts, and then reconstructed by OSEM algorithm and post-processed with the DL and Gaussian filter (GS). The image quality was assessed using a 5-point Likert scale, and FDG-avid lesions were counted to measure lesion detectability. Standardized uptake values (SUVs) in livers and lesions, liver signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) and target-to-background ratio (TBR) values were compared between the methods. Subgroup analyses compared TBRs after categorizing lesions based on parameters like lesion diameter, uptake or patient habitus. Results: The DL method showed superior performance regarding image noise and inferior performance regarding lesion contrast in the qualitative assessment. More than 96.8% of the lesions were successfully identified in DL images. Excellent agreements on SUV in livers and lesions were found. The DL method significantly improved the liver SNR for count reduction down to 33.3% (p < 0.001). Lesion TBR was not significantly different between DL and reference images of the 75% dataset; furthermore, there was no significant difference either for lesions of > 10 mm or lesions in BMIs of > 25. For the 50% dataset, there was no significant difference between DL and reference images for TBR of lesion with > 15 mm or higher uptake than liver. Conclusions: The developed DL method improved both liver SNR and lesion TBR indicating better image quality and lesion conspicuousness compared to GS method. Compared with the reference, it showed non-inferior image quality with reduced counts by 25–50% under various conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the safety of synthetic antioxidants, people are increasingly inclined to develop and use natural antioxidants. However, rapid screening and identification of active ingredients from the complex systems of natural products is one of the major challenges for the modernization of traditional Chinese medicine. In this study, online extraction-high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry coupled with ABTS antioxidant assay (OLE-HPLC-DAD-QTOF-MS/MS-ABTS), in which sample preparation, separation, detection and antioxidant assay were integrated in a single step, was used to rapidly identify antioxidant components from the different parts of Citrus reticulata, including its peels, leaves, vascular bundies and seeds. After method validation (system adaptability, extraction yield and repeatability), the four samples of different botanical parts were analyzed. As a result, among 49 found chromatographic peaks, 33 peaks displayed varying degrees of antioxidant activity and 39 peaks were tentatively or unambiguously identified based on their retention time, UV spectrum and mass spectrometry information and the comparison with reference substance and data in literature, including 10 phenolic acids, 9 polymethoxy flavonoids, 7 flavonoid-O-glycosides and 13 other ingredients. It is concluded that the established method is simple, fast, and reliable, which not only saves the materials and solvents as well as time, but also reduces the risk of degradation of chemical components during the extraction process, suitable for rapid screening and identification of antioxidant components of complex mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, an effective and portable method for enzyme activity detection and inhibitory activity evaluation was developed based on the alkaline phosphatase (ALP)-mediated reaction in a personal glucose meter (PGM). In this method, ALP catalyzes the hydrolysis of substrate amifostine (WR-2721) to produce ethanethiol (WR-1065), which can trigger the reduction of ferricyanide (K3[Fe(CN)6]), an electron transfer mediator in glucose test strips, to ferrocyanide ([K4Fe(CN)6]) and generate a PGM-detectable signal. Thus, WR-1065 can be directly quantified by a PGM as simply as detecting glucose in blood. After being systematically optimized, the method was applied to evaluate the inhibitory activity of ten small-molecule compounds and six Cordyceps sinensis (CS) extracts on ALP. The results showed that adenosine-5-monophosphate and theophylline had high inhibitory activity, but two CS extracts have promotion potency on ALP with the values of –20.7 ± 1.3% and –46.6 ± 2.1%, respectively. Moreover, the binding sites and modes of small-molecule compounds to ALP were investigated by molecular docking, while a new substrate competitor with theoretically good inhibitory activity against ALP was designed by scaffold hopping. Finally, the accuracy of the PGM method for enzyme activity detection was assessed by detecting ALP from milk samples, and the recovery ranged from 87.7% to 116.9%. These results indicate that it is feasible to evaluate enzyme activity and the inhibitory activity of small-molecule compounds and CS extracts on ALP using a PGM based on ALP-mediated reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the influence of silica fume on radioactive fluoride concentrate liquid waste cementation with magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC). The results showed that when the silica fume mass fraction increased from 0 to 20%, the setting time and fluidity of the MKPC slurry decreased, while the 28-day compressive strength of the solidified form increased. The main hydration products were MgKPO4·6H2O and magnesium silicate hydrate (M–S–H). Silica fume had good physical adsorption of cesium, whose 42-day cumulative leaching fraction decreased from 0.083 ± 0.003 to 0.044 ± 0.002 cm. The formation of magnesium fluosilicate and its hydrate led to a decrease of fluorine leaching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A numerical algorithm that can quantitatively solve transcendental equation sets with multiple independent variables in the complex number domain is presented in this paper. A strict mathematical proof of solving the unary transcendental equation in the real domain is given in detail to show the process of the algorithm, which can be generalized to the equations with two or more variables. The complex variable concerned in this method is treated as two independent variables in real domain that represent the real part and the imaginary part of the variable, respectively. The criterion for choosing the dimension of scanning elements is given to overcome the difficulty in solving the general multivariate equation. Finally, the algorithm is applied in the problem of plotting 3-D dispersion curves in complex wave number and real frequency domains. Three examples are used to illustrate the correctness and effectiveness of the algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the effect of fluorine mass fraction on magnesium potassium phosphate cement (MKPC) stabilization/solidification (S/S). The solidified object was a simulated fluid containing Co2+, Sr2+, Cs+ and F−. The results showed when the fluorine mass fraction increased, the setting time of the MKPC slurry extended. Under the same conditions, the 28-day compressive strength of the MKPC solidified forms reduced, and the freeze-thaw resistance enhanced. When the fluorine mass fraction was more than 6 wt%, a new product (MgF2) appeared and caused the structure to become evacuated. Meanwhile, leaching concentration of the researched ions increased, especially Cs2+ and F−. When the fluorine mass fraction of the MKPC solidified forms was 12 wt%, a very small amount of wagnerite was observed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is recognized that prenatal care plays an important role in reducing adverse birth. Chinese pregnant women with medical condition were required to seek additional health care based on the recommended at least 5 times health care visits. This study was to estimate the association between prenatal care utilization (PCU) and preterm birth (PTB), and to investigate if medical conditions during pregnancy modified the association. This population-based case control study sampled women with PTB as cases; one control for each case was randomly selected from women with term births. The Electronic Perinatal Health Care Information System (EPHCIS) and a questionnaire were used for data collection. The PCU was measured by a renewed Prenatal Care Utilization (APNCU) index. Logistic regression models were used to estimate odds ratios (OR) and the 95% confidence interval (95% CI). Totally, 2393 women with PTBs and 4263 women with term births were collected. In this study, 695 (10.5%) women experienced inadequate prenatal care, and 5131 (77.1%) received adequate plus prenatal care. Inadequate PCU was associated with PTB (adjusted OR: 1.41, 95% CI: 1.32-1.84); the similar positive association was found between adequate plus PCU and PTB. Among women with medical conditions, these associations still existed; but among women without medical conditions, the association between inadequate PCU and PTB disappeared. Our data suggests that women receiving inappropriate PCU are at an increased risk of having PTB, but it does depend on whether the woman has a medical condition during pregnancy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the discovery of Giant Magneto Resistance (GMR), the spin valve GMR sensor based on the effect gets developed rapidly in all areas. However, there is always error in measuring result of spin valve GMR sensor because of hysteresis, which will limit widespread use of the sensor. Started with sensor structure, the paper puts coercivity as an important index to evaluate hysteresis characteristics. And a new method is proposed to reduce the hysteresis, namely with anti-ferromagnetic materials to pin the end of free layer. On this basis, the influence of pinning shape and pinning angle on hysteresis is focused research by theory and simulation at the same time. The results show that with the constant pinned area, the hysteresis is irrelevant with pinning shape, and different pinning angle will induce the change of hysteresis characteristic. The investigation will establish a theoretical basis for designing a low coercivity spin valve GMR sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Generally, after a marine propeller design, the propeller boss cap fins (PBCF) design concerns with an optimal selection of model test results, without a due consideration of the interaction between the PBCF and the propeller. In this paper, the PBCF and the propeller are considered as a whole system with their design as an integrative process, in which the concept of the increased loading in the blade root is incorporated. The load distribution on the blade becomes well-proportioned due to the increased loading in the blade root, and it is advantageous to the reduction of the vibratory force and the blade tip vortex. The blade root area is stronger in withstanding forces, and is not easy to be vibrated, therefore, the increased loading there is beneficial to the noise reduction. The disadvantage of the increased loading in the blade root is the generation of the hub vortex behind the boss cap, but the hub vortex can be broken up by the energy saving hydrodynamic mechanism of the PBCF. The integrative design method introduced in this paper can provide a higher efficiency for propellers under the same design conditions. In this paper, an integrative propeller and PBCF design method including the theoretical design and the numerical optimization design is proposed, based on the potential flow theory, the CFD tools, the improved particle swarm optimization algorithm, and the model tests. A propeller with the PBCF is designed based on the method of integrated increased loading in the blade root for a cargo vessel in this paper. The cavitation tunnel model test results show that the propeller and the PBCF thus designed enjoys a higher efficiency, and the design method is effective, reliable and practical. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim:To evaluate the single- and multiple-dose pharmacokinetics of vincristine sulfate liposomes (VSLI) in patients with advanced solid tumors.Methods:In single-dose pharmacokinetic study, 16 patients were administered VSLI (1.5, 2.0, or 2.3 mg·m−2) through intravenous infusion. Another 6 patients receiving vincristine sulfate (VCR, 2.0 mg) were taken as the control. In multiple-dose pharmacokinetic study, 12 patients were administered VSLI (1.5 or 1.8 mg·m−2) through intravenous infusion weekly for 4 consecutive weeks. The plasma concentration of VSLI was determined using the liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method.Results:After intravenous infusion of the single dose of VSLI, the plasma concentrations were characterized by bi-exponential decline curves. No statistically significant differences were observed between the main pharmacokinetic parameters in the 3 dose groups. Compared with the patients receiving VCR, the patients treated with VSLI displayed an increase in the area under the plasma concentration vs time curve (AUC), and a decrease in plasma clearance rates. On the 4th cycle in the multiple-dose study, the plasma concentration of VCR in all subjects prior to the weekly administration was below the lower limit of quantification (LLOQ). The calculated pharmacokinetic parameters from the subjects in the multiple- and single-dose (1.5 mg·m−2) groups had no significant differences. Although the administration of liposomal VCR may significantly elevate the plasma concentration of VCR, VSLI-associated adverse events were similar to those associated with conventional VCR.Conclusion:VSLI exhibits a lower clearance and a higher AUC compared with conventional VCR. No accumulation was observed in patients exposed to VSLI for 4 consecutive weeks. VSLI was generally tolerated in the subjects. The phase II dose of VSLI may be recommended as 4 doses of 1.5 mg·m−2 for treatment of patients with advanced solid tumors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An analytical approach is used to investigate the effects of covering layer thickness on the propagation behavior of Love waves in functionally graded piezoelectric materials (FGPMs) covered with a dielectric layer. The piezoelectric substrate is polarized in the direction perpendicular to the wave propagation plane, and its material parameters change continuously along the thickness direction. The dispersion equations for the existence of Love waves with respect to phase velocity are obtained for electrically open and shorted cases, respectively. A detailed investigation of the effects of the covering dielectric layer thickness on dispersion curve, phase velocity, group velocity, and electromechanical coupling factor is carried out. Numerical results show that for a given FGPM, the covering dielectric layer thickness affects significantly the fundamental mode of Love waves but has only negligible effects on the high-order modes. The changes in phase velocity, group velocity, and electromechanical coupling factor due to the change of gradient coefficient of FGPMs could be approached approximately by changing the thickness of the covering dielectric layer, which imply a potential factor for designing new-type surface wave devices with FGPMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract  Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α), a proinflammatory cytokine involved in mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling pathways, contributes to the pathogenesis of cardiovascular diseases. Recently, suppressor of cytokine signaling-1 (SOCS-1) has been shown to modulate responses to TNF-α. However, whether SOCS-1 suppresses TNF-α-dependent apoptotic processes in cardiomyocytes and whether MAPK pathways mediate this effect have not been clearly elucidated. This study was carried out to define the role of SOCS-1 on TNF-α-induced apoptosis in neonatal rat cardiomyocytes and to investigate the signal pathways involved. Exposure to TNF-α (10 ng/ml for 24 h) significantly increased the number of apoptotic cells, the activity of caspase-8 and caspase-3, and the Bax/Bcl-xl ratio. In contrast, adenovirus-mediated gene transfer of SOCS-1 reversed the pro-apoptotic effect of TNF-α. Additionally, preincubation of cardiomyocytes with the extracellular signal-regulated kinase-1 and -2 (ERK1/2) inhibitor PD98059 attenuated the protective effect of SOCS-1, but the p38-MAPK inhibitor SB203580 and the c-Jun amino-terminal kinase (JNK) inhibitor SP600125 had no effect. Furthermore, the TNF-α-induced decrease in the phosphorylation of ERK1/2 was abolished by overexpression of SOCS-1. These findings suggest that SOCS-1 prevents TNF-α-induced apoptosis in cardiac myocytes via ERK1/2 pathway activation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aim of the present study was to investigate the electrophysiological effect of ibuprofen on the cardiac action potentials (AP) and electrocardiograms (ECG), and to identify its arrhythmiogenic mechanism. Methods: The intracellular microelectrode recording technique was employed to record the fast- and slow-response AP in guinea pig papillary muscles. The cardiac responses of ibuprofen were monitored by ECG, both in in vivo and in vitro studies. Results: The ECG recording revealed that ibuprofen could induce arrhythmias, both in vitro and in vivo. Fatal ventricular fibrillations are readily produced in in vitro experiments by ibuprofen. Our results show that ibuprofen could dose dependently shorten the duration of AP and the effective refractory period (ERP), and it could also decrease the maximum depolarization velocity of phase 0 ( Vmax) in both the fast- and slow-response AP. The duration of the QRS complex wave (QRS duration) in ECG was prolonged. Although the heart rate was depressed by ibuprofen, the corrected QT interval duration (QTc) decreased. Conclusion: Ibuprofen could inhibit cardiac Na+ and Ca2+ channels as it slows Vmax in both fast- and slow-response AP. Furthermore, ibuprofen shortens the ERP and decreases the excitation propagation within the heart, which might provide a substrate for an arrhythmiogenic re-entry circuit. Taken together, we conclude that ibuprofen, when used improperly, may impose a potential hazard in inducing cardiac arrhythmias in patients with existing heart diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research was to establish a simple, practical and efficient method for routine quantitative analysis of Erigeron breviscapus and its extract injection to control their qualities. The reversed phase high performance liquid chromatographic method was adopted to determine simultaneously the contents of two major classes of constituents namely phenolic acids and flavonoids, which were usually ignored in previous studies of E. breviscapus. Under the optimum conditions, three flavonoids including scutellarin, scutellarein and apigenin and four phenolic acids including caffeic acid, chlorogenic acid, 3,4- O-dicaffeoylquinic acid and 3,5- O-dicaffeoylquinic acid were successfully separated on a Zorbax SB-C18 column (250 × 4.6 mm I.D., 5.0 μm particle size) at 25 °C. Of the three flavonoids, scutellatin is a flavone glucuronide. The mobile phase was a mixture of acetonitrile and 1.0% ( v/v) aqueous acetic acid employing gradient elution at a flow rate of 1.0 mL min−1 and the detection wavelength was set at 330 nm. Regression equations revealed good linear relationship between the peak areas of the analytes and their concentrations ( r 2 > 0.9990). The relative standard deviations of retention time and peak area were less than 0.33 and 1.45%. The intra- and inter-day precisions as determined from sample solutions were below 1.66 and 2.35%. And the recoveries ranged from 96.5 to 101.8%. The proposed method has been successfully applied to the simultaneous quantification of two major classes of constituents in E. breviscapus and its extract injection for the first time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT: In this paper, numerical simulation was utilized to deal with the cavity generated at the tip and surface of vehicle. As for the water flow field of cavitation, the two-dimension axial symmetric Hess-Smith method, which was based on the potential theory and panel technique, was employed to deal with the problem. And surface pressure coefficient and drag character of cavity at axial symmetric body were analyzed. The tip drag of cavitators with different dimensions were also computed and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Aim: To investigate the electrophysiological effect of fluoxetine on serotonin transporter. Methods: A heterologous expression system was used to introduce human serotonin transporter (hSERT) into Xenopus oocytes. A 2-electrode voltage clamp technique was used to study the pharmacological properties of fluoxetine. Results: hSERT-expressing oocytes were perfused with 10 μmol/L serotonin (5-HT) to induce hSERT-current. The 5-HT-induced hSERT currents were dose-dependently reversed by fluoxetine. The RC50 (concentration that achieved a 50% reversal) was approximately 3.12 μmol/L. Fluoxetine took more time to combine with hSERT than 5-HT did, and it was also slow to dissociate from hSERT. This long-lasting effect of fluoxetine affected normal 5-HT transport. Fluoxetine significantly prolonged the time constant for 5-HT-induced hSERT current. These results might be used to explain the long-lasting anti-anxiety effect of fluoxetine in clinical practice, because it increases the concentration of 5-HT in the synaptic cleft by its enduring suppression of the function of 5-HT transporters. Conclusion: Fluoxetine inhibits 5-HT reuptake by competing with 5-HT and changing the normal dynamics of hSERT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Cognitive deficits are common in patients with bipolar disorder (BD). Abnormal high density lipoprotein (HDL) levels have been implicated in cognitive deficits associated with ageing and neurodegenerative disorders. The present study aimed to investigate serum HDL levels, cognitive deficits and their association in patients with BD. Methods: Thirty-seven patients with BD and 37 gender- and age-matched healthy controls (HCs) were recruited in a case–control study. Cognition was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS), and serum HDL levels were measured using enzymatic colourimetry. Results: There was no difference in serum HDL levels between patients with BD and HCs after adjusting for gender, age, education and body mass index (BMI). Cognitive test scores in patients with BD were significantly lower than those in HCs except for the visuospatial/constructional index after adjusting for confounding variables. Serum HDL levels were positively correlated with RBANS total score and language score in patients with BD. Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that serum HDL levels were significantly correlated with RBANS total score and subscale scores on immediate memory and language in patients with BD after adjusting for confounding factors. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that patients with BD had poorer cognitive performance than HCs except for the visuospatial/constructional domain, and decreased serum HDL levels were correlated with cognitive deficits, especially in immediate memory and language domains in patients with BD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cognitive impairment is a core feature of schizophrenia (SCH). In addition to the toxic effect of Bilirubin (BIL), it has antioxidant properties that were associated with the psychopathology and cognitive impairment of psychiatric disorders. The aim of this study was to examine the correlation of serum total BIL (TBIL) concentration with cognitive impairment in SCH patients. We recruited 34 SCH patients and 119 healthy controls (HCs) in this case-control design. Cognition was assessed using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological Status (RBANS). Serum TBIL concentration was measured using the immunoturbidimetric method. Serum TBIL concentration was significantly decreased in SCH patients compared to HCs after adjusting for age, gender, and education. Serum TBIL concentration in SCH patients was also positively correlated with the RBANS immediate memory score. Further stepwise multiple regression analysis confirmed the positive association between serum TBIL concentration and immediate memory score in SCH patients. Our findings supported that the decline in serum TBIL concentration was associated with the immediate memory impairment and psychopathology of SCH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]