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Quasicrystals (QCs), first discovered in 1984, generally do not exhibit long-range magnetic order. Here, we report on long-range magnetic order in the real icosahedral quasicrystals (i QCs) Au–Ga–Gd and Au–Ga–Tb. The Au65Ga20Gd15i QC exhibits a ferromagnetic transition at TC = 23 K, manifested as a sharp anomaly in both magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements, along with an appearance of magnetic Bragg peak below TC. This is the first observation of long-range magnetic order in a real quasicrystal, in contrast to the spin-glass-like behaviors observed for the other magnetic quasicrystals found to date. Moreover, when Gd is replaced by Tb, i.e., for the Au65Ga20Tb15i QC, a ferromagnetic behavior is still retained with TC = 16 K. Although the sharp anomaly in the specific heat observed for the Au65Ga20Gd15i QC becomes broadened upon Tb substitution, neutron diffraction experiments clearly show marked development of magnetic Bragg peaks just below TC, indicating long-range magnetic order for the Au65Ga20Tb15i QC also. Our findings can contribute to the further investigation of exotic magnetic orders formed on real quasiperiodic lattices with unprecedented highest global symmetry, i.e., icosahedral symmetry.

Zero thermal expansion (ZTE) is an intriguing phenomenon by virtue of its peculiar lack of expansion and contraction with temperature. The achievement of ZTE in a metallic material is a desired but challenging task. Here we report the ZTE behavior of a single-phase metallic VB2 compound, stacking with the V and B atomic layers along the c direction (αV = 2.18 × 10-6 K-1, 5-150 K). Neutron powder diffraction demonstrates that the ZTE behavior is entangled in the direct blocking of the lattice expansion along all crystallographic directions with temperature. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations indicate that strong covalent binding adheres the nearest-neighbor B-B and V-B pairs, which is proposed to control the ZTE within both the basal plane and the c direction. An intimate correlation is revealed between the covalent binding and the lattice parameters. Our work indicates the opportunity to design metallic ZTE with strong chemical binding in the future.

Li-ion-conducting chloride solid electrolytes receive considerable attention due to their physicochemical characteristics such as high ionic conductivity, deformability and oxidative stability. However, the raw materials are expensive, and large-scale use of this class of inorganic superionic conductors seems unlikely. Here, a cost-effective chloride solid electrolyte, Li2ZrCl6, is reported. Its raw materials are several orders of magnitude cheaper than those for the state-of-the-art chloride solid electrolytes, but high ionic conductivity (0.81 mS cm–1 at room temperature), deformability, and compatibility with 4V-class cathodes are still simultaneously achieved in Li2ZrCl6. Moreover, Li2ZrCl6 demonstrates a humidity tolerance with no sign of moisture uptake or conductivity degradation after exposure to an atmosphere with 5% relative humidity. By combining Li2ZrCl6 with the Li-In anode and the single-crystal LiNi0.8Mn0.1Co0.1O2 cathode, we report a room-temperature all-solid-state cell with a stable specific capacity of about 150 mAh g–1 for 200 cycles at 200 mA g–1., Stable inorganic solid electrolytes are instrumental in developing high-voltage Li metal batteries. Here, the authors present the synthesis and electrochemical energy storage properties of a cost-effective and humidity-tolerant chloride solid electrolyte.

Recently, the gut microbiota has been found to be associated with many diseases, such as inflammatory bowel disease, depression, Parkinson's disease, cancer, metabolic syndrome, and cardiovascular disease (CVD). Among various gut microbiota-derived metabolites (GMs), short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs), bile acids (BAs), and tryptophan (TRP) metabolites are the most frequently discussed metabolites. LC-MS/MS shows advantages in quantifying the levels of metabolites with good sensitivity and selectivity; however, the poor ionization efficiency and polar characteristics of SCFAs make their analysis challenging, especially when analyzing plasma samples with low SCFA concentrations. Moreover, without characteristic fragment ions for unconjugated BAs and different detection ion modes for TRP metabolites and BAs, GM analysis is complex and time-consuming. To overcome these problems, we developed a derivatization method combined with LC-MS/MS to enhance the sensitivity and LC retention of GMs. Through derivatization with 3-nitrophenylhydrazine (3-NPH), 7 SCFAs, 9 bile acids, and 6 tryptophan metabolites can be simultaneously analyzed via separation within 14 min on a reversed-phase C18 column. For accurate quantification, 13C6-3NPH-labeled standards were used as one-to-one internal standards. This derivatization approach was optimized and then validated. We further applied this method to investigate the targeted GM profile in patients with CVD. The results showed a significant reduction in plasma butyrate levels in CVD patients compared with healthy controls, suggesting its potentially protective role in CVD. In summary, this work provides a sensitive and effective LC-MS/MS method for simultaneously quantifying gut microbiota-related metabolites in human plasma, which could benefit various future gut microbiota-related studies.

This study successfully demonstrates the recovery of energy from the effluent of hydrogen fermentation (EHF) by generating electrical power in batch dual-chamber microbial fuel cells (MFCs) inoculated with Shewanella oneidensis MR-1. The effluent obtained from the hydrogen fermentation process of pretreated liquid on Bambusa stenostachya Hack. bamboo which contained organic compounds such as acetate, lactate, and butyrate as carbon sources for Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and other electro-active microorganisms. Two scenarios of the anolyte of MFC were considered. The first case comprises a supply of 10 mM of lactate in hydrogen fermentation wastewater while the second one is without lactate-supply. The power density and current density of these MFCs were determined to be 0.3–0.6 W/m2 and 1.7–2.7 A/m2, respectively. The highest voltage generating from MFC without lactate addition was 0.76 V while others were around 0.65 V. The percentage of COD removal on the effluent of hydrogen fermentation ranged from 75% to 83% after 8 operational days followed by the acclimation process. The differences in the impedance characteristics of these MFCs were analyzed by using EIS technique. The average thickness of biofilm formation on the anode electrode was from 7 μm to 23 μm which showed the enhanced electricity production of the MFC system. Moreover, the experimental results demonstrated that the performance of MFC without the lactate supply was better than the other one. Also, its lower substrate consumption efficiency was mentioned.

Microbial fuel cells (MFCs) are a newly emerging technology in bioenergy processing. This research is to replace the use of platinum catalysts. Three types of oxygen reduction catalysts (B12/XC-72, B12/CNT and B12/AC) are analyzed and compared with the other two activated sludge and no catalyst where the performance of activated carbon in MFCs are evaluated. The results show that the catalyst with B12 vitamin as the main body has a higher open-circuit voltage. Among them, the open-circuit voltage of B12/CNT is the highest with 0.667 V, which is about 2 times that of MFCs without catalyst. The highest electrical performance with 0.54 W m−2 is 3.17 times that of catalyst-free MFCs, which shows that the self-made B12/CNT catalyst MFCs have the best performance in this study. The related research will be helpful for the application of wastewater to energy.

Tailoring of crystalline phases and dielectric properties of ZrO2 thin films are demonstrated by capping a nanoscale TiN layer prepared by plasma-enhanced atomic layer deposition. The in-plane tens...

The use of Nafion as a proton exchange membrane in microbial fuel cells (MFCs) is expensive with operational issues like biofouling and fuel crossover limiting the practical application of the device to harvest energy from wastewaters. In this connection, a facile route is adapted to fabricate a Nafion-alternative membrane using poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) crosslinked with glutaraldehyde (GA) as a relatively low-cost, effective membrane for MFCs. The crosslinking of the PVA membrane resulted in a reduction in hydroxyl groups and the formation of the acetal ring and ether linkage demonstrated by controlled water uptake and swelling ratio with enhanced thermo-mechanical stability. The crosslinked membrane displayed higher power density than those typically reported for domestic wastewater fed MFCs, reaching a maximum of 158.28 mW/m2 for the fabricated membrane. The PVA-GA membrane with antimicrobial activity, high power performance, and negligible fuel crossover shows its potential as a separator in future MFCs based on its performance and low cost of installation.

The thickness scaling of the ferroelectric (FE) hafnium zirconium oxide (HZO) down to sub-10 nm is essential in non-volatile memory devices. In this study, high remnant polarization (Pr), low thermal budget, low operation voltage, and high endurance are demonstrated in the FE HZO thin films with thickness shrinkage from 10 to 3 nm. Due to the in-plane tensile stress induced by the TiN capping layer and the initial island growth on the platinum bottom electrode, record-high Pr ∼24.8 μC cm−2 is realized in the 6 nm HZO layer. Good ferroelectricity with Pr ∼10.8 μC cm−2 and low saturation voltage (∼0.7 V) is also achieved in the 3 nm HZO thin film. The wake-up effect is insignificant as the HZO thickness is greater than 5 nm, while an obvious wake-up effect is observed in sub-5 nm HZO thin films. This result can be ascribed to the increasing stability of the tetragonal phase with a decrease of the HZO thickness as supported by the dielectric constant measurement. The dielectric breakdown strength of the HZO layers was evaluated by the time-zero dielectric breakdown test. The dielectric breakdown strength increases rapidly with a decrease of the HZO thickness, which leads to a significant endurance improvement with ∼1011 electric field cycling without breakdown in the 3 nm HZO thin film. The favorable FE properties demonstrated in the sub-5 nm HZO thin films provide a promising approach in future FE non-volatile memory applications.

The performance enhancements of Si junctionless transistors (JLTs) with a short gate length (LG) below 10 nm by a pronounced ferroelectric (FE) gate dielectric were demonstrated for the first time. A TiN gate with LG = ∼8 nm was defined by helium ion beam lithography (HIBL) using hydrogen silsesquioxane as a resist. As compared with the paraelectric HfO2 gate oxide, the FE Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 gate dielectric leads to a suppression of the off-state current (IOFF) by ∼2 orders of magnitude and a reduction of the minimum subthreshold swing (SS) to ∼33 mV dec−1, along with an enhancement of the on/off ratio in the reverse-sweep direction in JLTs with LG = ∼8 nm. JLTs with a long LG = 5 μm were also investigated for comparison, revealing a decrease of IOFF by ∼25× and the sub-60 mV dec−1 SS across ∼3 orders of drain current (ID) under a large drain voltage (VD = 0.5 V) operation during the reverse sweep in FE JLTs. A time domain analysis indicated that the transient negative capacitance (TNC) effect takes place in the FE gate dielectric. A physical model was proposed to account for the TNC effect and the sub-60 mV dec−1 SS based on the capacitance increase during the FE polarization switching. This study also demonstrates for the first time the fabrication of nanoelectronic devices with a sub-10 nm critical dimension by using the HIBL technique with a damage-free dose.

Background: First-line durvalumab plus etoposide with either cisplatin or carboplatin (platinum–etoposide) showed a significant improvement in overall survival versus platinum–etoposide alone in patients with extensive-stage small-cell lung cancer (ES-SCLC) in the CASPIAN study. Here we report updated results, including the primary analysis for overall survival with durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide versus platinum–etoposide alone. Methods: CASPIAN is an ongoing, open-label, sponsor-blind, randomised, controlled phase 3 trial at 209 cancer treatment centres in 23 countries worldwide. Eligible patients were aged 18 years or older (20 years in Japan) and had treatment-naive, histologically or cytologically documented ES-SCLC, with a WHO performance status of 0 or 1. Patients were randomly assigned (1:1:1) in blocks of six, stratified by planned platinum, using an interactive voice-response or web-response system to receive intravenous durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide, durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide, or platinum–etoposide alone. In all groups, patients received etoposide 80–100 mg/m2 on days 1–3 of each cycle with investigator's choice of either carboplatin area under the curve 5–6 mg/mL/min or cisplatin 75–80 mg/m2 on day 1 of each cycle. Patients in the platinum–etoposide group received up to six cycles of platinum–etoposide every 3 weeks and optional prophylactic cranial irradiation (investigator's discretion). Patients in the immunotherapy groups received four cycles of platinum–etoposide plus durvalumab 1500 mg with or without tremelimumab 75 mg every 3 weeks followed by maintenance durvalumab 1500 mg every 4 weeks. The two primary endpoints were overall survival for durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide versus platinum–etoposide and for durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide versus platinum–etoposide in the intention-to-treat population. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of study treatment. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03043872. Findings: Between March 27, 2017, and May 29, 2018, 972 patients were screened and 805 were randomly assigned (268 to durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide, 268 to durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide, and 269 to platinum–etoposide). As of Jan 27, 2020, the median follow-up was 25·1 months (IQR 22·3–27·9). Durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide was not associated with a significant improvement in overall survival versus platinum–etoposide (hazard ratio [HR] 0·82 [95% CI 0·68–1·00]; p=0·045); median overall survival was 10·4 months (95% CI 9·6–12·0) versus 10·5 months (9·3–11·2). Durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide showed sustained improvement in overall survival versus platinum–etoposide (HR 0·75 [95% CI 0·62–0·91]; nominal p=0·0032); median overall survival was 12·9 months (95% CI 11·3–14·7) versus 10·5 months (9·3–11·2). The most common any-cause grade 3 or worse adverse events were neutropenia (85 [32%] of 266 patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide group, 64 [24%] of 265 patients in the durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide group, and 88 [33%] of 266 patients in the platinum–etoposide group) and anaemia (34 [13%], 24 [9%], and 48 [18%]). Any-cause serious adverse events were reported in 121 (45%) patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide group, 85 (32%) in the durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide group, and 97 (36%) in the platinum–etoposide group. Treatment-related deaths occurred in 12 (5%) patients in the durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide group (death, febrile neutropenia, and pulmonary embolism [n=2 each]; enterocolitis, general physical health deterioration and multiple organ dysfunction syndrome, pneumonia, pneumonitis and hepatitis, respiratory failure, and sudden death [n=1 each]), six (2%) patients in the durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide group (cardiac arrest, dehydration, hepatotoxicity, interstitial lung disease, pancytopenia, and sepsis [n=1 each]), and two (1%) in the platinum–etoposide group (pancytopenia and thrombocytopenia [n=1 each]). Interpretation: First-line durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide showed sustained overall survival improvement versus platinum–etoposide but the addition of tremelimumab to durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide did not significantly improve outcomes versus platinum–etoposide. These results support the use of durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide as a new standard of care for the first-line treatment of ES-SCLC. Funding: AstraZeneca.

The development of renewable and clean energy has been the priority of the global research field due to the urgent effects of climate change. Microbial fuel cell (MFC) is recognized as a sustainable approach to simultaneously generate power and treat wastewater through the employment of microorganisms as catalyst. The use of buffer solution in the wastewater treatment makes the commercial application of MFCs challenging due to their environmental impact and high costs. This work uses rotational motion to generate the flow stress in the anode chamber of the MFCs to enhance biofilm growth and mass transfer that leads to an overall performance improvement of the system. The effects on pH, chemical oxygen demand (COD), and power density were evaluated under rotational speeds of the magnetic stirrer from 0 to 640 rpm. The influence of the stirrer was then assessed utilizing the same parameters specified for scenarios with and without buffer. The results reveal that at 480 rpm of stirring speed, the pH value was neutral with a maximum COD removal of 82 % for bufferless and 93 % for buffered scenarios. In addition, for bufferless operation at 480 rpm yielded a power density of 402 mWm−2. The results of the flow stress analysis for bufferless and buffered MFCs are beneficial for the commercialization and future development of the system for wastewater treatment applications.

Hyaluronic acid (HA) injection into the osteoarthritis (OA) knee is one of the most popular treatment methods. The study aimed to determine whether HA exhibits antioxidant and antiapoptotic functions in the treatment of OA. Sixty-two outpatient patients with a diagnosis of knee OA were recruited. All patients received (HA) injections twice at a 2-week interval. Synovial fluid through sono-guided aspiration was collected for neutrophils isolation. Oxidative stress, apoptotic markers and related pathways in neutrophils were investigated. Among the oxidative stress markers, 4-hydroxynonenal (4-HNE) and 8-hydroxy-2'-deoxyguanosine (8-OHdG) significantly decreased after HA injection, while superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase did not change, which indicated that HA injection had an antioxidant effect that was not through activation of antioxidant enzymes. In addition, we found that HA injection decreased p-AKT levels and decreased p-p53 and p-p38 but not p-GSK-3β. Moreover, we confirmed that HA injection reduced proapoptotic markers through a mitochondria-dependent pathway and proinflammatory events. In vitro investigations also confirmed that HA reduced TNF-α-caused apoptosis in chondrocytes, however, this phenomenon was vanished by AKT inhibitor. Taken together, HA injection into human OA knees resulted antioxidant and antiapoptotic functions, as well as reduced inflammation, through modulation of the AKT pathway.

Pathophysiological events that modulate the progression of structural changes in osteoarthritis (OA) include monocyte adhesion and infiltration, and synovial inflammation. In particular, the adhesion protein intercellular adhesion molecule type 1 (ICAM-1) promotes monocyte recruitment into the synovial tissue. Visfatin is an adipocyte hormone that promotes the release of inflammatory cytokines during OA progression. We report that visfatin enhances ICAM-1 expression in human OA synovial fibroblasts (OASFs) and facilitates the adhesion of monocytes with OASFs. AMPK and p38 inhibitors, as well as their respective siRNAs, attenuated the effects of visfatin upon ICAM-1 synthesis and monocyte adhesion. We also describe how miR-320a negatively regulates visfatin-induced promotion of ICAM-1 expression and monocyte adhesion. We detail how visfatin affects ICAM-1 expression and monocyte adhesion with OASFs by inhibiting miR-320a synthesis via the AMPK and p38 signaling pathways.

In recent times, many scientists have given great attention to nutraceuticals (complementary medicine) as it widely used for promoting health status. In particular for the prevention and treatment of various neurological diseases or disorders without or less adverse effects. The current mini-review was intended to compile all popular (major) nutraceuticals against various neurodegenerative diseases (NDDs) including Parkinson’s disease (PD), Alzheimer’s disease (AD), Huntington’s disease (HD) with special reference to clinical trials. Preliminary reviews indicated that nutraceuticals like curcumin, resveratrol, Epigallocatechin-3-gallate (EGCG), Coenzyme Q10, ω-3 FA (DHA/EPA/ALA), showed better neuroprotective activity against various NDDs in human setting (clinical trial). Hence this contribution will focus only on those popular nutraceuticals with proposed brief mechanisms (antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, mitochondrial homeostasis, autophagy regulation, promote neurogenesis) and its recommendation. This mini-review would aid common people to choose better nutraceuticals to combat various NDDs along with standard neuroprotective agents and modified lifestyle pattern., Graphical abstract Image 1

To discover the nonlinear optical (NLO) materials with strong second harmonic generation (SHG), the design of NLO-active molecular units with large polarization is considered as a common strategy. Herein, we propose that the local structural distortion induced with vacancies, apart from the NLO-active units, can be employed to improve the NLO effect in solids as well. Accordingly, a new tungsten bronze (TB) oxide, Pb

External pressure has been successfully employed to achieve desirable spin alignments in the field of materials science but is seriously restricted by the difficulty of reaching high pressure with ...

The impact of atomic layer bombardment (ALB) was investigated on the aluminum nitride (AlN) passivation layer between the HfO2 gate dielectric and the n-type epitaxial germanium (Ge). The ALB techn...

Black garlic (BG) is a form of aged garlic obtained from raw garlic (Allium sativum) via Millard reaction under high temperature (60–90 °C) and humidity (70–90%) for a period of time. Several studies reported higher contents of water-soluble antioxidants compounds (S-allyl cysteine, S-allyl-mercapto cysteine), 5-hydroxymethylfurfural, organosulfur compounds, polyphenol, volatile compounds, and products of other Millard reactions compared to fresh garlic after the thermal processing. Recent studies have demonstrated that BG and its bioactive compounds possess a wide range of biological activities and pharmacological properties that preserve and show better efficacy in preventing different types of diseases. Most of these benefits can be attributed to its anti-oxidation, anti-inflammation, anti-obesity, hepatoprotection, hypolipidemia, anti-cancer, anti-allergy, immunomodulation, nephroprotection, cardiovascular protection, and neuroprotection. Substantial studies have been conducted on BG and its components against different common human diseases in the last few decades. Still, a lot of research is ongoing to find out the therapeutic effects of BG. Thus, in this review, we summarized the pre-clinical and clinical studies of BG and its bioactive compounds on human health along with diverse bioactivity, a related mode of action, and also future challenges.

The aim of this study was to develop wheat noodles substituted with 10-40% RD43 rice flour. Starch digestibility and physicochemical and sensory properties of RD43 rice noodles and its effect on glycemic response, gut hormones, and appetite sensation in humans were also determined. The results demonstrated that the substitution of 10-40% RD43 rice flour reduced starch digestibility, the hydrolysis index, and rapidly digestible starch (RDS), while increasing undigestible starch in noodles. Noodles prepared with 30% RD43 rice flour slightly increased water absorption (WA), and the swelling index (SI) without altering cooking loss. When compared with the control, 30% RD43 rice showed higher lightness (L*) and lower redness (a*), yellowness (b*) and hardness with similar overall acceptability. In human studies, ingestion of 30% RD43 rice noodles significantly lowered postprandial plasma glucose at 15-90 min. Interestingly, the postprandial concentration of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) and peptide tyrosine-tyrosine (PYY) also significantly increased at 30 min after the intake of 30% RD43 rice noodles. A significantly lower desire to eat and higher fullness were detected after 30% RD43 rice noodle consumption until 120 min. This suggests that RD43 rice flour could be a potential ingredient in noodles for controlling the glycemic response, short-acting satiety hormones, and appetite sensation.

Background: Most patients with small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) have extensive-stage disease at presentation, and prognosis remains poor. Recently, immunotherapy has demonstrated clinical activity in extensive-stage SCLC (ES-SCLC). The CASPIAN trial assessed durvalumab, with or without tremelimumab, in combination with etoposide plus either cisplatin or carboplatin (platinum–etoposide) in treatment-naive patients with ES-SCLC. Methods: This randomised, open-label, phase 3 trial was done at 209 sites across 23 countries. Eligible patients were adults with untreated ES-SCLC, with WHO performance status 0 or 1 and measurable disease as per Response Evaluation Criteria in Solid Tumors, version 1.1. Patients were randomly assigned (in a 1:1:1 ratio) to durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide; durvalumab plus tremelimumab plus platinum–etoposide; or platinum–etoposide alone. All drugs were administered intravenously. Platinum–etoposide consisted of etoposide 80–100 mg/m2 on days 1–3 of each cycle with investigator's choice of either carboplatin area under the curve 5–6 mg/mL per min or cisplatin 75–80 mg/m2 (administered on day 1 of each cycle). Patients received up to four cycles of platinum–etoposide plus durvalumab 1500 mg with or without tremelimumab 75 mg every 3 weeks followed by maintenance durvalumab 1500 mg every 4 weeks in the immunotherapy groups and up to six cycles of platinum–etoposide every 3 weeks plus prophylactic cranial irradiation (investigator's discretion) in the platinum–etoposide group. The primary endpoint was overall survival in the intention-to-treat population. We report results for the durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide group versus the platinum–etoposide group from a planned interim analysis. Safety was assessed in all patients who received at least one dose of their assigned study treatment. This study is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03043872, and is ongoing. Findings: Patients were enrolled between March 27, 2017, and May 29, 2018. 268 patients were allocated to the durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide group and 269 to the platinum–etoposide group. Durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide was associated with a significant improvement in overall survival, with a hazard ratio of 0·73 (95% CI 0·59–0·91; p=0·0047]); median overall survival was 13·0 months (95% CI 11·5–14·8) in the durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide group versus 10·3 months (9·3–11·2) in the platinum–etoposide group, with 34% (26·9–41·0) versus 25% (18·4–31·6) of patients alive at 18 months. Any-cause adverse events of grade 3 or 4 occurred in 163 (62%) of 265 treated patients in the durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide group and 166 (62%) of 266 in the platinum–etoposide group; adverse events leading to death occurred in 13 (5%) and 15 (6%) patients. Interpretation: First-line durvalumab plus platinum–etoposide significantly improved overall survival in patients with ES-SCLC versus a clinically relevant control group. Safety findings were consistent with the known safety profiles of all drugs received. Funding: AstraZeneca.

Knowledge of structure–property relationships is fundamental but significant in the exploitation of magnetic materials. Here we report that the high Al substitution for Fe transformed the crystal s...

BST2/tetherin, an interferon‐inducible antiviral factor, can block the cellular release of various enveloped viruses. We previously reported that human coronavirus 229E (HCoV‐229E) infection can alleviate the BST2 tethering of HIV‐1 virions by downregulating cell surface BST2, suggesting that coronaviruses are capable of encoding anti‐BST2 factors. Here we report our new finding that severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus (SARS‐CoV) spike (S) glycoprotein, similar to Vpu, is capable of antagonizing the BST2 tethering of SARS‐CoV, HCoV‐229E, and HIV‐1 virus‐like particles via BST2 downregulation. However, unlike Vpu (which downmodulates BST2 by means of proteasomal and lysosomal degradation pathways), BST2 downregulation is apparently mediated by SARS‐CoV S through the lysosomal degradation pathway only. We found that SARS‐CoV S colocalized with both BST2 and reduced cell surface BST2, suggesting an association between SARS‐CoV S and BST2 that targets the lysosomal degradation pathway. According to one recent report, SARS‐CoV ORF7a antagonizes BST2 by interfering with BST2 glycosylation1. Our data provide support for the proposal that SARS‐CoV and other enveloped viruses are capable of evolving supplementary anti‐BST2 factors in a manner that requires virus replication. Further experiments are required to determine whether the BST2‐mediated restriction of authentic SARS‐CoV virions is alleviated by the SARS‐CoV spike protein., Highlight BST2/tetherin inhibits the release of various enveloped viruses.SARS‐CoV S antagonizes the BST2 tethering of human coronavirus and HIV‐1 virus‐like particles.SARS‐CoV S colocalizes with BST2 and reduces cell surface BST2.SARS‐CoV S downregulates BST2 through lysosomal degradation pathway.

In this study, a novel modeling approach (artificial neural networks (ANN) and ant colony optimization (ACO)) was used to optimize the process variables for alkaline-catalyzed transesterification of CI40CP60 oil mixture (40 wt% of Calophyllum inophyllum oil mixed with 60 wt% of Ceiba pentandra oil) in order to maximize the biodiesel yield. The optimum values of the methanol-to-oil molar ratio, potassium hydroxide catalyst concentration, and reaction time predicted by the ANN-ACO model are 37%, 0.78 wt%, and 153 min, respectively, at a constant reaction temperature and stirring speed of 60 °C and 1000 rpm, respectively. The ANN-ACO model was validated by performing independent experiments to produce the CI40CP60 methyl ester (CICPME) using the optimum transesterification process variables predicted by the ANN-ACO model. There is very good agreement between the average CICPME yield determined from experiments (95.18%) and the maximum CICPME yield predicted by the ANN-ACO model (95.87%) for the same optimum values of process variables, which corresponds to a difference of 0.69%. Even though the ANN-ACO model is only implemented to optimize the transesterification of process variables in this study. It is believed that the model can be used to optimize other biodiesel production processes such as seed oil extraction and acid-catalyzed esterification for various types of biodiesels and biodiesel blends.

The recycling process of materials from used and wasted printed circuit boards plays an important role in electronic waste management. These waste printed circuit boards (PCBs) hold metals such as copper, aluminium, nickel, and magnesium. The efficient recovery process of such metals from waste PCBs is needed for recycle and possible reuse for manufacturing of products. The metal recovery process is complex and, multidimensional and costly to perform. In addition, the efficient (maximum) recovery of metals exhibit higher dependence on determination of optimum combination of inputs in the recovery process from waste PCBs. Therefore, this work illustrated the ability of four predictive modelling methods (Analysis of Variance, Genetic Programming, Artificial Neural Network and Generalized Neural Network) to model complex suspension electrolysis process (recovery process) and their comparative analysis on recovery of copper metal from waste PCBs. Experiments were designed based on variations of three design/input parameters such as concentration of sulfuric acid, concentration of copper sulphate and current density. The comparative analysis of the four methods mentioned above reveals that Generalized Neural Network performed the best with coefficient of determination value at 0.92. 3-D surface contour analysis showed that a lower concentration of sulfuric acid (0.3–0.6) coupled with higher concentrations of copper sulfate (∼0.8–1) yielded a higher percentage of copper. However, current density brought an increase in copper recovery only when there was a corresponding increase in the concentration of sulfuric acid or copper sulphate. Thus, the optimal conditions to gain the maximum yield of copper obtained through this method were concluded as follows: concentration of copper sulphate value at 31.4 g/L, concentration of sulfuric acid at 112 g/L and current density at 3 A/dm2.

There are a number of government directives and regulations as well as many public schemes on the recycling of batteries, in spite of this; the quantity of batteries that are actually recycled is still very low. Current production capacity cannot meet projected demand of Lithium-ion batteries. To counter this, the reclamation and repurposing of metals like cadmium, Lithium and Zinc from used or spent batteries is the only viable scheme. This is both environmentally friendly and economically feasible. An alternative is the selective chemical leaching in the presence of Sulfuric acid and Sodium metabisulfite. In this paper, the effect of these chemicals as well as the solid-to-liquid ratio and time of retention is comprehensively studied. Experiments are designed for the recovery of Zinc and cadmium from the spend Lithium-ion batteries mix. To maximize the recovery of Zinc and cadmium, the combined genetic programming and simulated annealing approach is proposed. Genetic programming is used for the formulation of functional relationship between recovered metals Zinc and cadmium and the inputs (Solid/Liquid ratio, concentration of Sulfuric acid, mass of Sodium metabisulfite and retention time). The optimal input conditions determined using the simulated annealing algorithm includes Solid/Liquid ratio of 11.7%, 0.86 M Sulfuric acid, 0.56 g/g of Sodium metabisulfite and 45 min of retention time. Three dimensions surface analysis reveals that a lower value of Solid/Liquid ratio favours a better yield. The optimal conditions are validated using experiments. This confirms the efficacy of simulated annealing aided genetic programming techniques as well as the optimal conditions of the metal extraction.

Miracle fruit, Synsepalum dulcificum, is commonly known to be an alternative sweetener. It makes sour food taste sweet by affecting the tongue's taste receptors. It also shows beneficial health effects, such as antioxidant, anti‐inflammatory, and antihyperglycemic activities. This study was conducted to investigate the antidiabetic effects of miracle fruit flesh (MF) and seed (MS) ethanolic extracts and the underlying mechanisms. Differentiated C2C12 myotubes were treated with the MF or MS extract (1–1,000 μg/ml) or metformin (1 mM) in the presence or absence of insulin. Compared with metformin, the MF extract significantly increased the intake of 2‐(N‐(7‐nitrobenz‐2‐oxa‐1, 3‐diazol‐4‐yl) amino)‐2‐deoxyglucose (2‐NBDG). The MF extract also upregulated insulin receptor, phosphatidylinositol 3‐kinase, and glucose transporter 4 expressions. These results reveal the antidiabetic effects of miracle fruit.

Structural degradation in manganese oxides leads to unstable electrocatalytic activity during long-term cycles. Herein, we overcome this obstacle by using proton exchange on well-defined layered Li2MnO3 with an O3-type structure to construct protonated Li2-xHxMnO3-n with a P3-type structure. The protonated catalyst exhibits high oxygen reduction reaction activity and excellent stability compared to previously reported cost-effective Mn-based oxides. Configuration interaction and density functional theory calculations indicate that Li2-xHxMnO3-n has fewer unstable O 2p holes with a Mn3.7+ valence state and a reduced interlayer distance, originating from the replacement of Li by H. The former is responsible for the structural stability, while the latter is responsible for the high transport property favorable for boosting activity. The optimization of both charge states to reduce unstable O 2p holes and crystalline structure to reduce the reaction pathway is an effective strategy for the rational design of electrocatalysts, with a likely extension to a broad variety of layered alkali-containing metal oxides., Structural degradation in manganese oxides leads to unstable activity during long-term cycles. Herein, authors demonstrated that reduced unstable O 2p holes and the short interlayer distance of layered lithium manganese oxide are favorable for excellent electrocatalytic stability and activity.

Polyphenols are classified as an organic chemical with phenolic units that display an array of biological functions. However, polyphenols have very low bioavailability and stability, which make polyphenols a less bioactive compound. Many researchers have indicated that several factors might affect the efficiency and the metabolism (biotransformation) of various polyphenols, which include the gut microbiota, structure, and physical properties as well as its interactions with other dietary nutrients (macromolecules). Hence, this mini-review covers the two-way interaction between polyphenols and gut microbiota (interplay) and how polyphenols are metabolized (biotransformation) to produce various polyphenolic metabolites. Moreover, the protective effects of numerous polyphenols and their metabolites against various gastrointestinal disorders/diseases including gastritis, gastric cancer, colorectal cancer, inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) like ulcerative colitis (UC), Crohn’s disease (CD), and irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) like celiac disease (CED) are discussed. For this review, the authors chose only a few popular polyphenols (green tea polyphenol, curcumin, resveratrol, quercetin), and a discussion of their proposed mechanism underpinning the gastroprotection was elaborated with a special focus on clinical evidence. Overall, this contribution would help the general population and science community to identify a potent polyphenol with strong antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, anti-cancer, prebiotic, and immunomodulatory properties to combat various gut-related diseases or disorders (complementary therapy) along with modified lifestyle pattern and standard gastroprotective drugs. However, the data from clinical trials are much limited and hence many large-scale clinical trials should be performed (with different form/metabolites and dose) to confirm the gastroprotective activity of the above-mentioned polyphenols and their metabolites before recommendation.

Four pyrene-porphyrins were synthesized to study the isomer effect on the photovoltaic performance of dye-sensitized solar cells. One of these porphyrins is conjugated with a terminal pyrene, whereas the other three are each attached with a pyrene bearing an extra donor group. According to the positions of the extra donor and porphyrin core on pyrene, the 1,6-, 1,8-, and 2,7-isomers were compared for their fundamental and photovoltaic properties. For fundamental properties, UV-visible absorption, fluorescence emission, electrochemistry, and DFT calculations were carried out. For photovoltaic measurements, the seemingly inferior 1,8-isomer outperforms others with an overall efficiency of 10.30% under one-sun irradiation. Superior photovoltaic performance of the 1,8-isomeric dye may be related to the so-called umbrella effect. The findings of this work may provide insight into isomeric dye design for future applications.

BACKGROUND: The efficacy and safety of benralizumab, an interleukin-5 receptor alpha-directed cytolytic monoclonal antibody, for the prevention of exacerbations in patients with moderate to very severe chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) are not known.METHODS: In the GALATHEA and TERRANOVA trials, we enrolled patients with COPD (at a ratio of approximately 2:1 on the basis of eosinophil count [≥220 per cubic millimeter vs. RESULTS: In GALATHEA, the estimates of the annualized exacerbation rate were 1.19 per year (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.04 to 1.36) in the 30-mg benralizumab group, 1.03 per year (95% CI, 0.90 to 1.19) in the 100-mg benralizumab group, and 1.24 per year (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.42) in the placebo group; the rate ratio as compared with placebo was 0.96 for 30 mg of benralizumab (P = 0.65) and 0.83 for 100 mg of benralizumab (P = 0.05). In TERRANOVA, the estimates of the annualized exacerbation rate for 10 mg, 30 mg, and 100 mg of benralizumab and for placebo were 0.99 per year (95% CI, 0.87 to 1.13), 1.21 per year (95% CI, 1.08 to 1.37), 1.09 per year (95% CI, 0.96 to 1.23), and 1.17 per year (95% CI, 1.04 to 1.32), respectively; the corresponding rate ratios were 0.85 (P = 0.06), 1.04 (P = 0.66), and 0.93 (P = 0.40). At 56 weeks, none of the annualized COPD exacerbation rate ratios for any dose of benralizumab as compared with placebo reached significance in either trial. Types and frequencies of adverse events were similar with benralizumab and placebo.CONCLUSIONS: Add-on benralizumab was not associated with a lower annualized rate of COPD exacerbations than placebo among patients with moderate to very severe COPD, a history of frequent moderate or severe exacerbations, and blood eosinophil counts of 220 per cubic millimeter or greater (Funded by AstraZeneca [GALATHEA and TERRANOVA] and Kyowa Hakko Kirin [GALATHEA]; GALATHEA and TERRANOVA ClinicalTrials.gov numbers, NCT02138916 and NCT02155660.).

We developed a DNA aptamer, Ap52, against the shared tumor-specific MAGE-A3(111-125) peptide antigen that was used to target multiple types of cancer cells. Here we report the in vivo study of mice implanted with pancreatic tumor cells AsPC-1, which demonstrates accumulation of phosphorothioate-modified Ap52 (ThioAp52) at the xenograft tumor following either intravenous or in situ injection. When complexed with antitumor drug doxorubicin (Dox), ThioAp52 achieves targeted delivery to four types of cancer cells, including breast, oral, pancreatic, and skin. Image analysis shows that ThioAp52-Dox complex selectively enters cancer cells, while free Dox is taken up by all cell lines. The cytotoxicity of ThioAp52-Dox for cancer cells is enhanced as compared to that for the corresponding normal/noncancerous cells. These results indicate that this aptamer against shared tumor-specific antigen can be a potential delivery vehicle for therapeutics to treat multiple cancers.

This study was designed to evaluate the learning curve of applying Seprafilm (modified hyaluronic acid and carboxymethylcellulose; Genzyme, Cambridge, MA, USA) during laparoscopic hysterectomy or subtotal hysterectomy with or without adnexectomy. In this retrospective cohort study, 35 patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy or subtotal hysterectomy with or without adnexectomy were enrolled. The Seprafilm was cut into 4 pieces, rolled up with a trimmed plastic sleeve and delivered through an incision wound made for the 5-mm ancillary trocar. The membrane was unrolled and placed on the rough surface after hysterectomy or subtotal hysterectomy with or without adnexectomy. The time from the insertion of the first piece of membrane into the abdominal cavity to the complete removal of the trimmed plastic sleeve was recorded. The median time for Seprafilm placement was 3 min. The learning curve was analyzed using the power-law method and suggested that 10 cases were required to achieve proficiency in the procedure. The presence of adnexectomy was significantly associated with the time required for Seprafilm placement (P

This study was designed to check whether complexation of royal jelly (RJ) proteins with green tea extract enriched with EGCG, would enhance the bioavailability on C2BBe1 cells. The total phenolic and EGCG of green tea extract (GTex) as well as the protein level of RJ were measured. The best entrapment efficiency (30.47%) was noted at a 10:4 ratio (RJ:EGCG of GTex) to confirm the maximum EGCG-RJ complexation. Followed by in vitro studies to check the cytotoxicity, morphological changes, EGCG uptake, and TBARS (antioxidant) activity were evaluated on C2BBe1 cells. The EGCG-RJ protein complex showed less toxicity without any morphological changes with better cellular EGCG uptake than GTex or GTex-RJ mixture on CeBBe1 cells. Besides, the EGCG-RJ protein complex display maximum TBARS suppressing activity to showcase better stability. This study infers that complexation of RJ proteins with EGCG (EGCG-RJ protein complex) could significantly improve the bioavailability of EGCG. PRACTICAL APPLICATIONS: EGCG is the major active component of green tea, which is responsible for various biological functions. Previous studies have indicated that complexation of EGCG with proteins (act as a carrier) could considerably improve the bioavailability of EGCG. Hence, the author speculates that complexation or combination of RJ with green tea (EGCG), might improve the bioavailability as well as enhance its biological properties. The outcome of this cell line study showed that the EGCG-RJ protein complex showed better bioavailability than EGCG or GTex, and thus, indicating that this novel complex can be used in the future for better EGCG bioavailability with improved biological function. However, further studies are needed to confirm the types of interaction and the reason for better bioavailability.

Monascus purpureus is a fungus used in rice fermentation. Monascus-fermented rice is called red-mold rice (RMR) in Taiwan since the fermentation products contain a considerable amount of red pigments. The protective effects of RMR on oxidative stress in the testis and sperm were evaluated in this study. Zn deficiency was induced in rats by feeding them with a Zn-deficient diet for 12 weeks while the control rats were fed with a normal diet. The Zn-deficient rats were then divided into 6 groups, designated as Zn-deficient (ZD). Zn-compensated (ZC), IR (151 mg RMR/kg), 5R (755 mg RMR/kg), 1R+ZC (1RZ), and 5R+ZC (5RZ). The animals were administered with the mentioned diet (RMR/Zn) for 8 weeks. In the ZD rats, no spermatid cell formation was observed in the seminiferous tubular epithelia, and testis necrosis/atrophy was apparent. However, 5R and 5RZ administration improved testicular antioxidant enzyme activity, elevated serum testosterone levels, and increased sperm number in ZD rats; this treatment also exhibited inhibitory effects on caspase activities and reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels in the ZD rats, suggesting that RMR attenuated ZD-induced oxidative stress and testis apoptosis. The preventive activity against ZD-induced reproductive damage was more apparent in the 1RZ and 5RZ groups than in the ZC group, suggesting that RMR can serve as a supplement in adjuvant therapy for diseases associated with Zn deficiency.

Tooth extraction results in alveolar bone resorption and is accompanied by postoperative swelling and pain. Maresin 1 (MaR1) is a proresolving lipid mediator produced by macrophages during the resolution phase of inflammation, bridging healing and tissue regeneration. The aim of this study was to examine the effects of MaR1 on tooth extraction socket wound healing in a preclinical rat model. The maxillary right first molars of Sprague-Dawley rats were extracted, and gelatin scaffolds were placed into the sockets with or without MaR1. Topical application was also given twice a week until complete socket wound closure up to 14 d. Immediate postoperative pain was assessed by 3 scores. Histology and microcomputed tomography were used to assess socket bone fill and alveolar ridge dimensional changes at selected dates. The assessments of coded specimens were performed by masked, calibrated examiners. Local application of MaR1 potently accelerated extraction socket healing. Macroscopic and histologic analysis revealed a reduced soft tissue wound opening and more rapid re-epithelialization with MaR1 delivery versus vehicle on socket healing. Under micro–computed tomography analysis, MaR1 (especially at 0.05 μg/μL) stimulated greater socket bone fill at day 10 as compared with the vehicle-treated animals, resulting in less buccal plate resorption and a wider alveolar ridge by day 21. Interestingly, an increased ratio of CD206+:CD68+ macrophages was identified in the sockets with MaR1 application under immunohistochemistry and immunofluorescence analysis. As compared with the vehicle therapy, local delivery of MaR1 reduced immediate postoperative surrogate pain score panels. In summary, MaR1 accelerated extraction wound healing, promoted socket bone fill, preserved alveolar ridge bone, and reduced postoperative pain in vivo with a rodent preclinical model. Local administration of MaR1 offers clinical potential to accelerate extraction socket wound healing for more predictable dental implant reconstruction.

Aim Few studies have investigated sarcopenia in patients with cognitive impairment. However, identifying the characteristics and factors associated with sarcopenia in these patients may help to decrease the risk of falls, prevent disabilities, and maintain an independent life, all of which can affect the quality of life of both patient and caregiver. Therefore, the aim of this study was to investigate associated factors of sarcopenia in patients with mild to moderate Alzheimer's disease. Methods This cross-sectional study enrolled 125 outpatients aged 65 to 89 years (mean age 79.5 ± 7.9 years) from January 2018 to December 2018. In addition to demographic characteristics, cognitive status, depressive mood, activities of daily living, body mass index (BMI), handgrip strength, gait speed, muscle mass, and serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D (Vit D), haemoglobin (Hb), albumin and creatinine were assessed. Sarcopenia was defined based on the presence of low muscle mass and either low muscle strength or low physical performance. Results Overall, 29.6% of the patients had sarcopenia. The patients with sarcopenia were mostly male, significantly older, and had a lower BMI and lower levels of Vit D. The female patients with sarcopenia were more likely to have lower levels of Hb. Multiple logistic regression showed that sarcopenia was associated with BMI in both genders. The level of Vit D was associated with sarcopenia in the female patients, whereas age was associated with sarcopenia in the male patients. Conclusions A low BMI may be a dementia-related risk factor for sarcopenia. The female patients with sarcopenia were more likely to have lower levels of Hb and Vit D. There may be different risk profiles for sarcopenia in men and women with Alzheimer's disease. Further studies are needed to devise different nutritional support for muscle weakness in patients with cognitive decline by gender.

The pol retrovirus gene encodes required enzymes for virus replication and maturation. Unlike HIV-1 Pol (expressed as a Gag&ndash, Pol fusion protein), foamy virus (described as an ancient retrovirus) expresses Pol without forming Gag&ndash, Pol polyproteins. We placed a &ldquo, self-cleaving&rdquo, 2A peptide between HIV-1 Gag and Pol. This construct, designated G2AP, is capable of producing virions with the same density as a wild-type (wt) HIV-1 particle. The 2A peptide allows for Pol to be packaged into virions independently from Gag following co-translationally cleaved from Gag. We found that G2AP exhibited only one-third the virus infectivity of the wt, likely due, at least in part, to defects in Pol packaging. Attenuated protease (PR) activity, or a reduction in Pol expression due to the placement of 2A-mediated Pol in a normal Gag&ndash, Pol frameshift context, resulted in significant increases in virus yields and/or titers. This suggests that reduced G2AP virus yields were largely due to increased PR activity associated with overexpressed Pol. Our data suggest that HIV-1 adopts a gag/pol ribosomal frameshifting mechanism to support virus assembly via the efficient modulation of Gag&ndash, Pol/Gag expression, as well as to promote viral enzyme packaging. Our results help clarify the molecular basis of HIV-1 gene expression and assembly.

Incorporation of distinct organic molecules and inorganic fragments into a single crystalline lattice of organic–inorganic hybrid magnets has aroused much attention for novel physical properties an...

Microbial fuel cells (MFC) are bioelectrochemical reactors that convert chemical energy in organic substrates to electrical energy through catalytic reactions of microorganisms. The relationship between microorganisms and electrodes plays a vital role for effective functioning of an MFC. The physical and chemical properties of the electrodes are more crucial for a feasible MFC performance. Plain Carbon cloth (CC) and surface modified CC with four different sizes of Biochar (BC) particles such as 2 mm BC

Solid wastes are currently produced in large amounts. Although bioleaching of metals from solid wastes is an economical and sustainable technology, it has seldom been used to recycle metals from abandoned catalyst. In this study, the bioleaching of vanadium from V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst were comprehensively investigated through five methods: Oligotrophic way, Eutrophic way, S-mediated way, Fe-mediated way and Mixed way of S-mediated and Fe-mediated. The observed vanadium bioleaching effectiveness of the assayed methods was follows: S-mediated > Mixed > Oligotrophic > Eutrophic > Fe-mediated, which yielded the maximum bioleaching efficiencies of approximately 90%, 35%, 33%, 20% and 7%, respectively. The microbial community analysis suggested that the predominant genera Acidithiobacillus and Sulfobacillus from the S-mediated bioleaching way effectively catalyzed the vanadium leaching, which could have occurred through the indirect mechanism from the microbial oxidation of S0. In addition, the direct mechanism, involving direct electron transfer between the catalyst and the microorganisms that attached to the catalyst surface, should also help the vanadium to be leached more effectively. Therefore, this work provides guidance for future research and practical application on the treatment of waste V2O5-WO3/TiO2 catalyst.

To solve the common problem of Cu bioleaching from waste printed circuit boards (PCBs), a slightly modified bioleaching method was used in this work. This method was concentrated on preventing the iron loss, which would promote Cu bioleaching, reduce FeSO4·7H2O consumption from up to 60 g/L and bring cost savings. Herein, we firstly compared the bioleaching performances between 1.5SO42− system and 1.5S0 system. The results showed that 1.5S0 system was practicable to inhibit the production of Fe(III)-precipitates, and the sustaining low pH should be the main factor for the suppression. Then, different initial content of FeSO4·7H2O was combined with multi-stage bioleaching mode under 1.5S0 system. It was found that 0.25 g/L FeSO4·7H2O was sufficient for bioleaching of Cu from 50 g/L PCBs, the increasing Cu2+ content was achieved by the unsuppressed circulation between Fe2+ and Fe3+. Compared to previous reports, the input quantity of FeSO4·7H2O was reduced remarkably (up to 239 times) and the capital cost of bioleaching could be saved by 37–284 USD m−3. Hence, this work significantly promoted the Cu bioleaching performance through controlling the iron loss, which appears very promising for the development of practical applications.