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Generally, commercial rice wine has stable quality with bland flavor, while traditional rice wine has a mellow taste but is unstable in quality. In order to solve this problem, the influence of mixed culture fermentation with monocultures of culturable fungi producing amylase, protease and esterase isolated from Jiuqu from different regions in China and commercial sweet wine koji on the quality of rice wine was assessed. According to the enzyme-producing characteristics and 18S rDNA gene sequence analysis, the five obtained strains were identified as Rhizopus oryzae, Mucor circinelloides, M. lanceolatus, and two strains of Saccharomycopsis fibuligera (XG and HB). The addition of S. fibuligera HB increased the contents of ethanol and amino nitrogen, enriched the types and contents of organic acids, reduced the contents and percentage of bitter amino acids, and increased the contents of volatile compounds when compared with the control group (commercial sweet wine koji alone). More importantly, the contents of phenethyl alcohol and ethyl acetate were significantly higher than those in the other groups. Therefore, S. fibuligera HB can significantly improve the quality of rice wine, suggesting its application potential in multi-strain Qu for rice wine.

Based on the self-polymerization reaction of dopamine (DA), a polydopamine (PDA) film was formed on the surface of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) and glassy carbon electrode (GCE), which could result in uniform dispersion of AgNPs on the surface of GCE. As a result, PDA@AgNPs/GCE modified electrode was obtained. The self-polymerization time of DA and the electrochemical test method and conditions for chlorpromazine were investigated and optimized to establish a rapid method for the detection of chlorpromazine based on square wave voltammetry. The modified electrode was characterized by cyclic voltammetry (CV), electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Under the optimal conditions, the oxidation peak current of chlorpromazine on PDA@AgNPs/GCE had a good linear relationship with its concentration in the range of 5.0 × 10-8–1.0 × 10-5 mol/L (R2 = 0.991). The detection limit (RSN = 3) was 1.7 × 10-8 mol/L. The recoveries of chlorpromazine in spiked pork, chicken and beef samples were 84.9%–88.8%, 79.8%–93.8% and 80.6%–93.9%, respectively. The instrument used in the method was light and portable, and the preparation method of the modified electrode was simple, easy, cheap, and convenient for batch preparation of modified electrodes, and could be used for the rapid detection of chlorpromazine in livestock and poultry meat.

Lymphoplasmacyte-rich meningioma (LPRM) is a rare subtype of meningioma, the specific pathogenesis of which remains unclear. Herein, we report the case of a 48-year-old Asian man who experienced progressive deafness and limb weakness. Magnetic resonance imaging revealed extramedullary masses diffusely growing, wrapping, and compressing the cervical spinal cord. The dural lesion was partially excised by surgery, and postoperative pathological examination confirmed the diagnosis of LPRM. Diffuse LPRM is extremely rare, and its treatment is challenging owing to difficulties associated with surgery and the uncertain efficacy of traditional therapies. Therefore, further clinical practice and basic research are needed to improve the prognosis of diffuse LPRM.

Band alignment engineering in 2D van der Waals heterostructures is a promising method for manufacturing high‐speed, high‐responsivity, and high‐gain photodetectors. Here, a heterojunction photodetector with the band alignment transition from type I to type II under the bias voltage using narrow bandgap material n‐Bi2Se3 and polarization‐sensitive material p‐GeSe is designed and prepared. This photodetector possesses excellent performance of broadband detection (532‐1550 nm), high responsivity (5.86 × 103 A W−1), high detectivity (1.50 × 1013 Jones), significant external quantum efficiency (1.15 × 106%) and fast response time (97 µs). Compared with the conventional type II band alignment, an additional triangular potential barrier is generated in this type II band alignment evolved from type I. Notably, this triangular barrier will block photogenerated carriers in Bi2Se3, which leads to high external quantum efficiency; Furthermore, photogenerated holes can tunnel through this barrier, effectively shortening the response time. Meanwhile, the device can achieve polarization detection (anisotropic ratio = 1.74 at 808 nm) and polarization imaging, which is of great significance for reducing the bit error rate in complex environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Broadband photodetectors based on narrow bandgap 2D materials have garnered considerable interest for application in the field of optoelectronic devices. However, their large dark current hinders device performance. In this work, a PtSe2/MoS2 heterojunction was fabricated for a broadband photodetector operating within the range of visible to near-infrared. The device exhibited suppressed dark currents with a high rectification ratio of 104. The built-in electric field of the heterojunction promoted carrier separation effectively, and the device achieved excellent photoelectric performance with responsivities of 1.7 × 103, 27.52, and 21 mA/W at 635, 785, and 1550 nm wavelengths, respectively. Moreover, the specific detectivities (D*) were 2.2 × 1013 Jones (635 nm), 3.55 × 1011 Jones (785 nm), and 2.72 × 108 Jones (1550 nm). The device demonstrated a rise/fall time of 131/241 µs under 1550 nm laser illumination. Visible and near-infrared imaging detection was also demonstrated based on the heterojunction device at room temperature. This work sheds light on the remarkable potential of PtSe2/MoS2 heterojunctions in the domain of high-performance broadband photodetectors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research utilized Jintang navel oranges as the primary raw material, and employed two distinct yeast strains, Saccharomyces cerevisiae SC-125 and Angel yeast SY, for a dual fermentation approach. Employing single-strain fermentation as the control, this study aims to ascertain the physicochemical markers, alterations in organic acids and amino acids, alongside the antioxidant properties throughout the fermentation process, all within an optimized environment. The characterization of flavor compounds in the navel orange wines subjected to diverse yeast strains and mixed fermentation was conducted using headspace solid-phase microextraction coupled with gas chromatography–mass spectrometry (HP-SPME/GC-MS). This method facilitated the identification of flavor compound types and concentrations. Moreover, electronic sensory systems including electronic noses and electronic eyes were harnessed to discern distinctions among various navel orange wines. Through these techniques, the research aimed to elucidate the variances induced by different yeast strains during both individual and mixed fermentation processes, shedding light on their impacts on the ultimate quality of navel orange wines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The fuel cell with a ten-channel serpentine flow field has a low operating pressure drop, which is conducive to extended test operations and stable use. According to numerical results of the ten-channel serpentine flow field fuel cell, the multi-channel flow field usually has poor mass transmission under the ribs, and the lower pressure drop is not favorable for drainage from the outlet. In this paper, an optimized flow field is developed to address these two disadvantages of the ten-channel fuel cell. As per numerical simulation, the optimized flow field improves the gas distribution in the reaction area, increases the gas flow between the adjacent ribs, improves the performance of PEMFC, and enhances the drainage effect. The optimized flow field can enhance water pipe performance, increase fuel cell durability, and decelerate aging rates. According to further experimental tests, the performance of the optimized flow field fuel cell was better than that of the ten-channel serpentine flow field at high current density, and the reflux design requires sufficient gas flow to ensure the full play of the superior performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The comorbid mechanism of depression and chronic pain has been a research hotspot in recent years. Until now, the role of purinergic signals in the comorbid mechanism of depression and chronic pain has not been fully understood. This review mainly summarizes the research results published in PubMed during the past 5 years and concludes that purinergic signaling is a potential therapeutic target for comorbid depression and chronic pain, and the purinergic receptors A1, A2A, P2X3, P2X4, and P2X7and P2Y6, P2Y1, and P2Y12 may be important factors. The main potential pathways are as follows: A1 receptor-related G protein-dependent activation of introverted K+ channels (GIRKs), A2A receptor-related effects on the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) and MAPK/nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB) pathways, P2X3 receptor-related effects on dorsal root ganglia (DRG) excitability, P2X4 receptor-related effects on proinflammatory cytokines and inflammasome activation, P2X7 receptor-related effects on ion channels, the NLRP3 inflammasome and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), and P2Y receptor-related effects on the phospholipase C (PLC)/inositol triphosphate (IP3)/Ca2+ signaling pathway. We hope that the conclusions of this review will provide key ideas for future research on the role of purinergic signaling in the comorbid mechanism of depression and chronic pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional electron gas systems (2DEGs) generated at the oxide interfaces that exhibit rich physics phenomena opened up an era for oxide-based electronics, photonics, and spintronics. The recent discovery of superconductivity plus the strong spin-orbital coupling naturally existing in the 2DEGs of KTaO3 (KTO) made KTO an exciting platform for the interplay of the electronic and spin degrees of freedom to create exotic physical properties. By directly placing KTO's 2DEGs next to another strongly-correlated oxide with nontrivial topological nodes, we reveal the anomalous effects which were induced by the topological states in the electronic transport properties of the KTO's 2DGEs, due to the electronic reconstruction caused by the proximity effect. This adds an additional prospect to the functions of KTO heterostructures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The characterization and bioactive properties of carotenoid produced by Gordonia rubripertincta GH-1 originating from Pixian Douban (PXDB), the Chinese traditional condiment, was investigated. The produced and purified yellow pigment was characterized by ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Fourier transformed infrared (FTIR), nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR), and high-resolution mass spectrometry (HRMS), and was identified as carotenoid lutein. Additionally, the bioactive activity of lutein from G. rubripertincta GH-1 was evaluated by measuring the free radical scavenging capacity in vitro and feeding zebrafish lutein through aqueous solution. The results showed that the carotenoid lutein had strong antioxidant capacity and a protective effect on zebrafish eye cells, which could inhibit the apoptosis of eye cells in a concentration dependent manner. The results suggested that carotenoid lutein from G. rubripertincta GH-1 could be utilized as a potential source of natural antioxidants or functional additives for food/pharmaceutical industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Halide perovskites are widely explored as efficient photoresponsive materials for optoelectronic devices. However, understanding and controlling their underlying optical and electrical properties remains limited. Here, a novel approach is developed by introducing silver sulfide (Ag2S) quantum dots (QDs) into an MAPbBr3 single crystal. The high‐quality Ag2S‐quantum‐dot‐in‐perovskite (Ag2S‐QDiP) matrixes synthesized through a laser‐assisted inverse temperature crystallization (LA‐ITC) strategy show broadband light‐sensitive wavelength from 550 to over 1000 nm, and a balanced carriers mobility facilitates their transmission and collection. A Ag2S‐QDiP‐enabled photodetector is demonstrated, which exhibits considerably enhanced responsivity and detectivity of 1.17 A W−1 and 6.24 × 1014 Jones at 532 nm, and 57.69 mA W−1 and 1.03 × 1011 Jones at 1064 nm, respectively. The enhanced performance in the near‐infrared (NIR) region can be attributed to the discrete heterojunction formed between MAPbBr3 and Ag2S QDs, which enhances the light absorption in the NIR range and facilitates photogenerated excitons' separation at the interface. The facile synthesis process, the more balanced transport behavior, and the ensuing improved device performance highlight introducing QDs into perovskite single crystal as an efficient strategy for tuning fundamental properties of perovskite and for developing high‐efficiency broadband electronic and optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. This study aimed to analyse the role of the HAS-BLED score with the addition of genotype bins for bleeding risk prediction in warfarin-treated patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods and Results. Consecutive patients with AF on initial warfarin treatment were recruited. For each patient, CYP2C9 ∗ 3 and VKORC1-1639 A/G genotyping was performed to create 3 genotype functional bins. The predictive values of the HAS-BLED score with or without the addition of genotype bins were compared. According to the carrier status of the genotype bins, the numbers of normal, sensitive, and highly sensitive responders among 526 patients were 64 (12.17%), 422 (80.23%), and 40 (7.60%), respectively. A highly sensitive response was independently associated with clinically relevant bleeding (HR: 3.85, 95% CI: 1.88–7.91, P = 0.001) and major bleeding (HR:3.75, 95% CI: 1.17–11.97, P = 0.03). With the addition of genotype bins, the performance of the HAS-BLED score for bleeding risk prediction was significantly improved (c-statistic from 0.60 to 0.64 for clinically relevant bleeding and from 0.64 to 0.70 for major bleeding, P < 0.01). Using the integrated discriminatory, net reclassification improvement, and decision curve analysis, the HAS-BLED score plus genotype bins could perform better in predicting any clinically relevant bleeding than the HAS-BLED score alone. Conclusions. Genotypes have an incremental predictive value when combined with the HAS-BLED score for the prediction of clinically relevant bleeding in warfarin-treated patients with AF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neuropathic pain is a complex disease with high incidence. Adenosine triphosphate (ATP) and its activated P2X7 receptor are involved in the signal transmission of neuropathic pain. Gallic acid (3,4,5-trihydroxybenzoic acid) is a traditional Chinese medicine obtained from natural plants that exhibit anti-inflammatory, analgesic, and antitumor effects. However, the underlying mechanism for gallic acid in analgesia remains unknown. This study aims to reveal how gallic acid alleviates neuropathic pain behaviors in a rat model with chronic constriction injury (CCI). Real-time PCR, western blotting, double-label immunofluorescence, molecular docking, and whole-cell patch clamp technology were used to explore the therapeutic action of gallic acid on neuropathic pain. The results showed that after CCI rats were treated with gallic acid for 1 week, the mechanical withdrawal threshold and thermal withdrawal latency were increased, accompanied by inhibition of the upregulated expression of P2X7 and TNF-α at both mRNA and protein levels, and reduced NF-κB and phosphorylated-STAT3 in the dorsal root ganglia. At the same time, gallic acid significantly decreased the coexpression of P2X7 and glial fibrillary acidic protein in the dorsal root ganglia. In addition, gallic acid could suppress ATP-activated current in human embryonic kidney 293 (HEK293) cells transfected with the plasmid expressing P2X7 but had no effect on ATP activation current of P2X7-mutant plasmid (with the point mutation sequence of the key site where gallic acid binds to the P2X7 receptor). Therefore, our work suggests that gallic acid may alleviate neuropathic pain in CCI rats by inhibiting the P2X7 receptor and subsequent activation of the TNF-α/STAT3 signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: This article proposes an idea of using the multi‐inlet divergent inlet in proton exchange membrane fuel cell (PEMFC) to replenish the reaction gas for the main flow channel. New cathode flow field models such as the divergent flow field and the confluent flow field are developed and analyzed to mitigate some bad influences caused by the linear consumption of the reaction gas. The single layer PEMFC models are developed and simulated by using the ANSYS FLUENT software. Then, the performances and flow characteristics of PEMFC models are compared, and different inlet flow ratios are optimized in the multi‐inlet design scheme. Finally, the results show good improvements of the performance and water removal effect while reducing the pressure drop. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grains and grain boundaries play key roles in determining halide perovskite‐based optoelectronic device performance. Halide perovskite monocrystalline solids with large grains, smaller grain boundaries, and uniform surface morphology improve charge transfer and collection, suppress recombination loss, and thus are highly favorable for developing efficient solar cells. To date, strategies of synthesizing high‐quality thin monocrystals (TMCs) for solar cell applications are still limited. Here, by combining the antisolvent vapor‐assisted crystallization and space‐confinement strategies, high‐quality millimeter sized TMCs of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskites with controlled thickness from tens of nanometers to several micrometers have been fabricated. The solar cells based on these MAPbI3 TMCs show power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.1% which is significantly improved compared to their polycrystalline counterparts (PCE) of 17.3%. The MAPbI3 TMCs show large grain size, uniform surface morphology, high hole mobility (up to 142 cm2 V−1 s−1), as well as low trap (defect) densities. These properties suggest that TMCs can effectively suppress the radiative and nonradiative recombination loss, thus provide a promising way for maximizing the efficiency of perovskite solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nonradiative recombination loss is a key process that determines the performance of perovskite solar cells, and how to control it is significant for the research and development of perovskites. Generally, traditional chemical modification/passivation methods are complicated and prone to secondary contamination. Herein, femtosecond (fs) laser polishing as a promising technique is demonstrated to ameliorate the surface of perovskite films, reduce nonradiative recombination loss, and improve solar cell performance. The high‐intensity fs laser pulses can remove around 20 nm‐thick perovskite top layer through an ionization process, help to decrease the grain boundary density, and enlarge the grain size of perovskite films after recrystallization. It is believed that fs laser polishing is a time‐effective and highly precise technique that is suitable for large‐scale device production, thus will trigger more applications in optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]