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During the flotation separation process of bastnaesite, it is difficult to separate bastnaesite from fluorite effectively. In this present study, sodium silicate (SS) can effectively improve the flotation separation effect of bastnaesite and fluorite in salicylhydroxamic acid (SHA) systemasa. Through relevant analyses, such as Zeta potential measurements, adsorption capacity tests, Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopic analyses and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) tests, the selective suppressor of SS on fluorite was proven. At pH 10, the single mineral flotation results show that with the increase of SS dosage, the flotation recovery of fluorite rapidly decreases from 61.5% to 35.31%, while the flotation rate of bastnaesite is still high (recovery is 80.02%). Then, the experiment of artificial mixed ore proved that the flotation separation of fluorite and bastnaesite was effective under the appropriate dosage of inhibitor. The results of potentiodynamic measurement and an adsorption capacity test showed that the SiO OH 3 − structure of SS more easily reacted with fluorite, which further prevented the adsorption of SHA on the fluorite surface. FTIR test results and XPS analysis further showed that SS had a strong binding effect with the Ca site on the fluorite surface, but a weak binding effect with the Ce site on the bastnaesite surface. Consequently, SS can be used as an effective inhibitor in the flotation separation of fluorite and bastnaesite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many realistic topological materials, more than one kind of fermions contribute to the electronic bands crossing the Fermi level, leading to various novel phenomena. Here, using momentum-resolved inelastic electron scattering, we investigate the plasmons and their evolution across the phase transition in a type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2, in which both Weyl fermions and trivial electrons contribute to the Fermi surface in the Td phase. One plasmon mode in the 1T′ phase at high temperature and two plasmon modes in the topological Td phase at low temperature are observed. Combining with first-principles calculations, we show that all the plasmon modes are dominated by the interband correlations between the inverted bands of MoTe2. Especially in the Td phase, since the electronic bands split due to inversion symmetry breaking and spin–orbit coupling, the plasmon modes manifest the interband correlation between the topological Weyl fermions and the trivial electrons. Our work emphasizes the significance of the interplay between different kinds of carriers in plasmons of topological materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In many realistic topological materials, more than one kind of fermions contribute to the electronic bands crossing the Fermi level, leading to various novel phenomena. Here, using momentum-resolved inelastic electron scattering, we investigate the plasmons and their evolution across the phase transition in a type-II Weyl semimetal MoTe2, in which both Weyl fermions and trivial electrons contribute to the Fermi surface in the Td phase. One plasmon mode in the 1T′ phase at high temperature and two plasmon modes in the topological Td phase at low temperature are observed. Combining with first-principles calculations, we show that all the plasmon modes are dominated by the interband correlations between the inverted bands of MoTe2. Especially in the Td phase, since the electronic bands split due to inversion symmetry breaking and spin–orbit coupling, the plasmon modes manifest the interband correlation between the topological Weyl fermions and the trivial electrons. Our work emphasizes the significance of the interplay between different kinds of carriers in plasmons of topological materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The expression of miRNA influencing the pathogenesis of OS have been reported previously, however, different samples selection and sequencing platforms made obvious differences in miRNA expression analysis. We aim to identify reliable prognostic and treatment biomarkers for OS by systematic analysis of miRNAs expression data sets from biased data set. Seven miRNA data sets were selected from corresponding articles. Collectively, two miRNAs, hsa-miR-19-3p and hsa-miR106b-3p, and transcription factor SIX3 were identified and may be reliable markers for prognostic and treatment of osteosarcoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Study design Objective Materials and methods Results Discussion and conclusion Microsurgical vasoepididymostomy is an effective surgical method for treating epididymal obstructive azoospermia but the surgical outcomes can be affected in some non‐vasectomized epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients with concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction. This study aimed to explore the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes in non‐vasectomized epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients with versus without concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction.Retrospective study.To explore the clinical characteristics and surgical outcomes in non‐vasectomized epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients with versus without concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction, aiming to identify predictive factors for concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction and evaluate the efficacy of microsurgical vasoepididymostomy in patients with epididymal obstructive azoospermia and concurrent short‐segment vas‐deferens obstruction.A retrospective analysis of 225 epididymal obstructive azoospermia cases was conducted at the First Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from November 2016 to March 2023. All patients underwent a comprehensive preoperative evaluation. During surgery, the vas deferens were assessed to determine the presence and extent of obstruction. Depending on the obstruction length, either a standard microsurgical vasoepididymostomy was performed, or the obstructed segment was resected followed by microsurgical vasoepididymostomy. If the remaining length post‐resection was insufficient for anastomosis, the procedure was discontinued. Data on patient clinical characteristics, operative findings, and outcomes were collected and analyzed. Logistic regression was used to identify predictive factors for concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction, and comparative analysis assessed patency and pregnancy rates between patients with and without concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction.Of the 225 patients in the study, 77 (34.22%) presented with epididymal obstructive azoospermia and concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction. Logistic regression analysis revealed that “the history of epididymitis” was a significant predictive factor for epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients with concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction (odds ratio = 9.06, p < 0.001). The average length of vas deferens obstruction amenable to microsurgical vasoepididymostomy post‐resection was 1.31 ± 0.54 cm (range from 0.50 to 2.50 cm). In contrast, cases unsuitable for microsurgical vasoepididymostomy presented an average obstruction length of 15.26 ± 5.79 cm (p < 0.001). The patency rates were 82.17% in epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients without concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction and 74.14% in those with concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction. The pregnancy rates followed a similar trend, at 34.11% and 34.48%, respectively. These differences were not statistically significant (p > 0.05 for both). However, epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients with vas‐deferens obstruction exhibited a decreased likelihood of bilateral microsurgical vasoepididymostomy (p < 0.001).Our study identifies a noticeable occurrence of concurrent vas‐deferens obstruction in non‐vasectomized epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients, with approximately one‐third of the cases (34.22%) exhibiting vas‐deferens obstruction during surgical interventions. Notably, a small fraction (6.67%) of these individuals chose not to proceed with any microsurgical vasoepididymostomy, even on one side, due to the extensive length of the obstruction. Through logistic analysis, we have demonstrated that “the history of epididymitis” is a critical predictive factor for the presence of vas‐deferens obstruction, underscoring its significance in preoperative evaluations. Furthermore, our research confirms that microsurgical vasoepididymostomy is still an effective treatment for epididymal obstructive azoospermia patients with concurrent short‐segment vas‐deferens obstruction, achieving significant patency and favorable pregnancy rates compared to those patients without vas‐deferens obstruction. These insights are pivotal for enhancing surgical strategies and improving fertility outcomes in this patient cohort. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Roots of Morinda officinalis and Morinda citrifolia have been interchangeably used in traditional Chinese medicine. However, there is no experimental evidence to support this. In this study, a ultra-performance liquid chromatography quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry (UPLC/Q-TOF-MS)-based approach and a multivariate statistical analysis (MSA) were adopted to compare the difference in the chemical compounds present in the root extract of M. officinalis and M. citrifolia. There were 26 anthraquinones, 15 triterpenes, and 8 iridoid glycosides identified in the root extracts of M. officinalis, 30 anthraquinones, 1 triterpene, and 8 iridoid glycosides in the root extracts of M. citrifolia. Among these, 25 compounds presented in both plants. In addition, a principal component analysis (PCA) showed that these two herbs could be separated clearly. Furthermore, an orthogonal partial least squares-discriminant analysis (OPLS-DA) found 9 components that could be used as chemical markers to discrimination the root extracts of M. officinalis and M. citrifolia. In addition, the results of a Cell Counting Kit 8 (CCK-8) assay and cell colony formation assay indicated that methanol root extracts of M. officinalis and M. citrifolia showed no cell cytotoxicity to normal cells, even promoted the proliferation of normal liver cells. To our knowledge, this is the first time that the differences between the root extracts of M. officinalis and M. citrifolia (Hainan province) have been observed systematically at the chemistry level. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]