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In the present study, an LC-MS/MS method allowing to quantify pretomanid and pyrazinamide simultaneously in rat plasma was developed. Chromatographic separation was achieved on an Agilent Eclipse plus C18 column (100 mm × 2.1 mm, 3.5 μm; Agilent, USA) and maintained at 30 °C. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) using positive-ion ESI mode to monitor ion transitions of m/z 360.1 → m/z 175.1 for pretomanid, m/z 124.1 → m/z 81.0 for pyrazinamide, m/z 172.1 → m/z 128.1 for metronidazole (IS). The calibration curves showed good linear relationships over the concentration range of 50–7,500 ng mL−1 for pretomanid and 500–75,000 ng mL−1 for pyrazinamide. The precision and accuracy were below 15% and within ±15% of the nominal concentrations, respectively. The selectivity, recovery and matrix effect of this method were all within acceptable limits of bioanalytics. The method was applied to the analysis of plasma samples from pharmacokinetic studies in rats. The results show that the main pharmacokinetic parameters of pyrazinamide, namely, Tmax, t1/2, and AUC(0–t), decreased in the combined group than in the alone group.

Bai-Hu-Jia-Ren-Shen-Tang Decoction (BHJRSTD) is one of the oldest classic Chinese medicine prescriptions which used in the field of treatment of diabetes. However, to the best of our knowledge, the ingredients of this prescription have not been identified, and there are very few studies on the anti-diabetic mechanism of this prescription. Therefore, BHJRSTD was detected and identified by ultra-high-performance liquid chromatography coupled with Quadrupole-Exactive Focus Orbitrap MS (UHPLC–Q/Orbitrap/MS/MS). We identified 74 compounds, including flavonoids, alkaloids, chalcones, xanthones, phenols, phenylpropanoids, terpenes, triterpenes, amino acid derivatives, etc. Then, Sprague Dawley rats were fed with a high-fat and high-sugar diet for two months and injected with streptozotocin (STZ) to induce type 2 diabetes (T2DM). The diabetic rats were randomized to given metformin (200 mg kg−1·d−1, n = 15), BHJRSTD extracts (40 g kg−1·d−1) and BHJRSTD extracts (10 g kg−1·d−1) by gavage for 8 weeks. The results confirmed that BHJRSTD significantly decreased the level of MDA and increased levels of catalase (CAT), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GSH-Px), it shows that the prescription has significant antioxidant activity in the treatment of T2DM.

A simple, sensitive and accurate LC–MS/MS method was developed and validated for the simultaneous quantification of apixaban (APB) and metformin (MET) in rat plasma using rivaroxaban as internal standard (IS). An Inertsil ODS3 C18 column (150 × 4.6 mm, 5 μm) was used for chromatographic separation with isocratic elution. Multiple reaction monitoring (MRM) using positive-ion ESI mode to monitor ion transitions of m/z 459.8 → 442.8 for APB, m/z 130.2 → 71.2 for MET, m/z 436.8 → 144.9 for IS. The procedure of method validation included selectivity, linearity, precision, accuracy, matrix effect, extraction recovery and stability were conducted according to the guidelines of EMA and FDA. The method was validated over the concentration range of 0.5–250 ng/mL for APB and 8–8000 ng/mL for MET. The intra- and inter-day precision and accuracy of the quality control samples exhibited relative standard deviations (RSD)

Summary An adaptive finite‐time decentralized control algorithm for a class of large‐scale stochastic nonlinear systems is presented. The fuzzy logic system is used to estimate uncertain nonlineari...

A novel flattened bamboo-wood composite cross-laminated timber (CCLT) made from flattened bamboo and hemlock lumber was developed, and its mechanical performance was investigated and quantified in this work. The results demonstrated that the CCLT columns and control hemlock CLT counterparts had nearly equal axial compression strength, but the CCLT yielded a higher compression modulus of elasticity (MOE). Additionally, the CCLT compression behaviors were not significantly affected by the height. Compared with hemlock CLT, the CCLT exhibited a slightly higher flatwise bending MOE and strength in the major strength direction. Furthermore, the MOE and strength of the CCLT under edgewise bending were 17.3% less and 16.2% greater than those under flatwise bending, respectively. The load-carrying capacity of the CCLT was mainly governed by the interfacial failure between the bamboo and wood, in which no rolling shear failure was observed. Those features are unique for the new CCLT for engineered applications.

Cs2LiLaBr6:Ce (CLLB) scintillation detector has excellent energy resolution and high light output to gamma-rays, with excellent neutron/gamma-rays discrimination performance. Its applications are mainly limited to crystal growth with large size and high quality. In this paper, high performance CLLB was grown, encapsulated and tested. The vertical Bridgman method was employed to grow Cs2LiLaBr6:1%Ce crystals. By regulating the temperature, the maximum temperature gradient of the growth furnace was adjusted to the position of crystal precipitation. To avoid the non-uniform melting component area, the non-stoichiometric of raw materials increasing the excess of 100% LiBr were used. The crystals was developed successfully with 1 inch diameter, 5 cm length, and 4.32 g/mL density. Finally, the crystal was encapsulated and tested, with an energy resolution of 4.0% and relative (NaI) optical output of 1.14 to 0.662 MeV gamma-rays, and an absolute optical output of 47665 Photons/MeV to 0.511 MeV gamma-rays; The figure of merit (FOM) of the neutron/gamma-rays discrimination is 1.27 enabled by charge comparison method. The scintillation decay time of the two kinds of signals is measured respectively by the optical flux simulation method, with a fast component of about 0.19 μs and a slow component of 1.08 μs. Results show that the neutron signals has a higher fast component proportion to gamma-rays signals.

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) visual detection based on hydroxyl naphthol blue (HNB) and SYTO 9 is often confounded by the narrow color variation window and the requirement of empirical preset of cutoff intensity value. To improve the suitability for naked-eye inspection, the present work proposed a strategy based on the fluorescence property of SYTO 9 and HNB to enlarge the contrast and a novel dual-color fluorescence LAMP (dfLAMP) assay was developed for visual detection of Atlantic salmon. Specifically, HNB of 26.25 μM, blended with SYTO 9 of 0.75-1.5 μM, was added in the mixture before amplification, producing light green fluorescence for both positive and negative samples. After amplification, green or yellow-green fluorescence was observed for positive samples, while only orange-red fluorescence emitted for negative ones, enabling an easy and rapid distinguish. The optimized dfLAMP assay has proved its specificity and can detect as little as 1 fg Atlantic salmon DNA.

The potential of high-power ultrasonication (HPU) to enhance the physicochemical stability of bran-containing cereal products has been demonstrated, but the information concerning how the wholegrain volatilome and key quality-related chemical reactions evolve responding to HPU remains scarcely reported. The objective of this work was to examine the headspace volatile fingerprinting features of sonicated wholegrain brown rice (WBR; 400 W, 28 kHz, 30 min) following an accelerated storage testing (37 °C, 20 days), and simultaneously to identify the key chemical reactions induced by ultrasonication. A total of 70 aroma compounds were identified by the untargeted headspace GC-MS, including 9 alkanes, 6 alkenes, 15 aldehydes, 6 furans, 12 ketones, 9 alcohols and 13 miscellaneous compounds. Multivariate statistical analysis demonstrated that HPU pretreatments before a storage process significantly influenced the volatilome evolution, as revealed by a clear classification between sonicated and unsonicated grains. Supervised orthogonal partial least squares discriminant analysis identified the volatiles including acetic acid, pentanoic acid, hexanal, ethyl hexanoate and 2-pentyl-furan as HPU-related markers, inferring that HPU mainly modified the chemical reactions involving lipid decomposition, free fatty acids oxidation and esterification. This was further confirmed by targeted monitoring of lipid peroxidation products, with 13.22-14.84 % of MDA contents reduced (p 0.05) in sonicated samples after storage. Besides, the ultrasonic effects resulted in a slight improvement of in vitro starch digestibility of WBR samples depending on the rice ecotype. This investigation demonstrated the potential of HPU pretreatments for prolonging the oxidative stability of WBR grains, without significantly compromising digestion properties.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). In China, the Acacia catechu (AC)-Scutellariae Radix (SR) formula has been widely used for pulmonary infection in clinical practice for several centuries. However, the potential role and mechanisms of this formula against COVID-19 remains unclear. The present study was designed to dissect the active ingredients, molecular targets, and the therapeutic mechanisms of AC-SR formula in the treatment of COVID-19 based on a systems pharmacology strategy integrated by ADME screening, target prediction, network analysis, GO and KEGG enrichment analysis, molecular docking, and molecular dynamic (MD) simulations. Finally, Quercetin, Fisetin(1-), kaempferol, Wogonin, Beta-sitosterol, Baicalein, Skullcapflavone II, Stigmasterol were primarily screened to be the potentially effective active ingredients against COVID-19. The hub-proteins were TP53, JUN, ESR1, MAPK1, Akt1, HSP90AA1, TNF, IL-6, SRC, and RELA. The potential mechanisms of AC-SR formula in the treatment of COVID-19 were the TNF signaling pathway, PI3K-Akt signaling pathway and IL-17 signaling pathway, etc. Furthermore, virtual docking revealed that baicalein, (+)-catechin and fisetin(1-) exhibited high affinity to SARS-CoV-2 3CLpro, which has validated by the FRET-based enzymatic inhibitory assays with the IC

The earthquake resilience of low-damage self-centering precast concrete frame connections (LDSCPC) is studied in this article. Cyclic load tests are carried out, and the results show that the overa...

Considering the piezoelectric effect, the electro-elastic field of an infinite one-dimensional quasicrystal medium with two circular cylindrical inclusions is derived under antiplane shear and inplane electric loading. The boundary value problem of the composite material with circular cylindrical inclusions is analytically solved by the use of the conformal mapping technique and analytical continuation theory. The stresses in the phonon and phason fields and the electric displacements are obtained explicitly in the form of a power series both for the matrix and the inclusions. Some typical examples are analyzed to show the effect of the geometric parameters, material properties, and electro-mechanical loading on the electro-elastic fields in the matrix, inclusions, and interfaces. The limiting cases of circular cavities and rigid circular inclusions have also been investigated and discussed.

We report on the Insight-HXMT observations of the new black hole X-ray binary MAXI J1820+070 during its 2018 outburst. Detailed spectral analysis via the continuum fitting method shows an evolution of the inferred spin during its high soft sate. Moreover, the hardness ratio, the non-thermal luminosity and the reflection fraction also undergo an evolution, exactly coincident to the period when the inferred spin transition takes place. The unphysical evolution of the spin is attributed to the evolution of the inner disc, which is caused by the collapse of a hot corona due to condensation mechanism or may be related to the deceleration of a jet-like corona. The studies of the inner disc radius and the relation between the disc luminosity and the inner disc radius suggest that, only at a particular epoch, did the inner edge of the disc reach the innermost stable circular orbit and the spin measurement is reliable. We then constrain the spin of MAXI J1820+070 to be a*=0.2^{+0.2}_{-0.3}. Such a slowly spinning black hole possessing a strong jet suggests that its jet activity is driven mainly by the accretion disc rather than by the black hole spin., Comment: 14 pages, 13 figures, 5 tables, accepted for publication in MNRAS

The demand for fast-charging of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) in modern electric transportation and wearable electronics is rapidly growing. However, commercially available graphite anodes still suffer from slow kinetics of lithium-ion diffusion and severe safety concerns of lithium plating when achieving the fast-charging goal. Here, it is demonstrated that the Li-ion diffusion kinetics of orthorhombic Nb2O5 nanotubes (T-Nb2O5 NTs) is enhanced by atomically precise manufacturing of nanoarchitectures. The controlled fabrication of T-Nb2O5 NTs with wall thicknesses from 24 to 43 nm is realized via atomic layer deposition (ALD) using electrospun polyacrylonitrile nanofibers as a sacrificing template. The wall thickness of T-Nb2O5 NTs can be precisely tuned by adjusting the number of ALD cycles. The relationship between the wall thicknesses and electrochemical performances is investigated in detail. The electrochemical kinetic analysis suggests that the lithium storage in T-Nb2O5 NTs is dominated by surface and intercalation pseudocapacitance. The morphology of T-Nb2O5 crystallites is found to have significant effects on the Li-ion insertion/extraction kinetics and the performance of the electrodes in LIBs. The resulting T-Nb2O5 NTs exhibit fast charge-storage kinetics and enable highly reversible insertion/extraction of Li ions without a phase change. This work may open up a new avenue for further development of intercalation-pseudocapacitive nanostructured materials for high-rate and ultrastable energy-storage devices.

Uniform large-area flat-panel X-ray sources have potential applications in projection imaging. Achieving such a source has remained a challenge. A diagonal 4-in cold cathode flat-panel X-ray source device has been fabricated using ZnO nanowire field emitter arrays. A large-area uniform X-ray emission was produced, and projection imaging with a resolution of more than 5.0 lp/mm was realized. Its projection imaging resolution and its dependence on geometric imaging parameter settings were studied along with the imaging performance of the device. Simulations using the fast ray-tracing algorithm were performed, yielding results consistent with those from experiments. Optimal parameter settings for high-resolution projection imaging using the flat-panel X-ray source are presented. This study has significance in the application of this cold cathode flat-panel X-ray source in X-ray imaging.

This paper considers the finite-time control problem for a class of nonlinear stochastic systems with actuator faults/failure. A fast convergence feedback control algorithm based on backstepping finite-time command filtering is proposed. Under the framework of adaptive feedback, the fuzzy logic system is used to deal with the uncertainties of the system. Taking into account the actuator faults of both loss of effectiveness and lock-in-place, an adaptive fuzzy controller is developed. Since there is no need to calculate the derivative of the virtual control signal, the presented scheme overcomes the “explosion of complexity” problem inherent in conventional methods. A compensation mechanism is also introduced to compensate for errors caused by the filter. The proposed method ensures not only that all signals of the closed-loop system are finite-time bounded, but also that the tracking error converges to a small neighborhood around the origin. The effectiveness of the proposed method is demonstrated in the simulation results.

To achieve the “Double Carbon” target, China is paying increasing attention to green building development. Thus, this study selected 26 regional green building development planning documents that have been put into practice since the implementation of the 14th Five-Year Plan and analyzed different development goals and common development barriers and paths presented in regional documents by conducting qualitative research. After the analysis of common goals and goals with regional characteristics, this study verified that spatial imbalances did exist in the development targets of green building in each region during the “14th Five-Year Plan”, and the development priorities also varied from region to region. Due to the relation between development goals and the current situation, this study can also illustrate the spatial imbalances of the development situation between different regions. The results of this study can assist regional governments in gaining a clear self-positioning to judge whether they keep pace with the national development level of green buildings and encourage them to take measures to guarantee the stable development of green buildings.

In the manufacturing process of cross-laminated timber (CLT), lumber selection and grading are essential steps for the quality control of CLT. In this work, a density-based lumber grading method was preliminarily evaluated for hem-fir CLT manufacturing. Based on the univariate regression model of hem-fir lumber modulus of elasticity (MOE) and its density, a density-based grading model was developed. To identify the effectiveness of the model, 470 pieces of thin hem-fir lumber, were segregated into four grades: E1, E2, E3, and E4 based on their density values. Two 3-ply thin-type customized CLT panels were also fabricated with E2 grade lumber as the parallel layer and E3 grade lumber as the transverse layer. Then, five CLT beam specimens were cut from each panel for flatwise bending test. Comparing the experimental and the theoretical values of the MOE, the relative errors were found to be + 11.95% (using shear analogy theory) and − 7.21% (using gamma theory), respectively. By comparison, for this hem-fir lumber, the accuracy of this density-based grading method is close to that obtained by other means of non-destructive testing. However, it seems to be simpler and more cost-effective for the potential hem-fir CLT manufacturing in some circumstances.

A 30-year-old woman presented with angina pectoris. Coronary angiography revealed severe stenosis in the left main and right coronary arteries that did not improve with intracoronary nitroglycerin. Coronary computed tomography angiography and positron emission tomography revealed coronary ostia inflammation and aortic root fat stranding. She was diagnosed with vasculitis and valvulitis and received immunotherapy and coronary bypass. (Level of Difficulty: Advanced.), Graphical abstract

The preparation of high-efficiency, pollution-free photocatalysts for water treatment has always been one of the research hotspots. In this paper, a carbon framework formed from waste grapefruit peel is used as the carrier. A simple one-step chemical vapor deposition (CVD) method allows tubular g-C3N4 to grow on the carbon framework. Tubular g-C3N4 increases the specific surface area of bulk g-C3N4 and enhances the absorption of visible light. At the same time, the carbon framework can effectively promote the separation and transfer of charges. The dual effects of static adsorption and photodegradation enable the g-C3N4/carbon (CNC) framework to quickly remove about 98% of methylene blue within 180 min. The recyclability indicates that the tubular g-C3N4 can stably exist on the carbon framework during the photodegradation process. In the dynamic photocatalytic test driven by gravity, roughly 77.65% of the methylene blue was degraded by the CNC framework. Our work provides an attractive strategy for constructing a composite carbon framework photocatalyst based on the tubular g-C3N4 structure and improving the photocatalytic performance.

Sodium ion capacitors (SICs) have received increasing attention because of the abundant sodium source and low-cost sodium salts. Generally, SICs are hybrid systems consisting of a battery-type anode (or cathode) and a capacitor-type cathode (or anode). The former provides a high energy density, while the latter contributes to a high power output. The kinetics imbalance and capacity mismatch typically exist between battery-type electrodes (with slow kinetics and high capacity) and capacitor-type electrodes (with fast kinetics and low capacity). These issues could be addressed by structural design or surface modification of electrode materials. Two-dimensional (2D) nano-engineering has been recently developed for structural design of high-efficiency electrode materials. 2D materials provide more electrochemically active sites due to their high specific surface areas for high-capacity electrode materials, and facilitate faster electrolyte-ion diffusion kinetics for battery-type electrode materials because of short solid-state diffusion time. Although 2D materials are extensively reported, there has so far been no particular overview about the structure–activity relationship, mechanisms, and designing strategies of emerging 2D materials in SICs. In this review, the recent development of 2D materials in SICs and the detailed impact of 2D nanoengineering for sodium storage are summarized. Rational design of 2D nanostructured materials is proposed to tackle the challenges of SICs. Moreover, current challenges and future perspectives towards 2D materials-based SICs are discussed. This review is expected to provide inspirations to rationally design 2D materials for high-performance SICs.

In this experiment, pulse NMR and gas chromatography were used to determine the seed oil content and fatty acid composition of Acer triflorum. In addition, the morphological characteristics of samaras and seeds were measured by conventional methods. The results showed that the average oil content of the tested seeds was 33.44 ± 0.098% and revealed the presence of 16 fatty acids, of which six constituted 93.57% of the total oil cocent: linoleic acid, oleic acid, docosadienoic acid, peanutenedioic acid, palmitic acid and nervonic acid. In particular, the erucic acid content was less than 1%. Fifteen morphological indexes were measured and used as a reference for breeding Acer triflorum. This is the first study to investigate the seed oil content and fatty acid composition of Acer triflorum.

With the significant advantages of 5G technique such as higher transmission rate and lower transmission delay, it is more in line with the requirements of the connected vehicle scenario. In addition, the serial interference cancellation (SIC) technology in 5G technology can further improve the communication quality compared to a single one-to-one multiplexing method. Taking the dynamic communication characteristics of Internet of Vehicles into consideration, the robust optimization problem is formulated, which attempts to maximization the total throughput of vehicle users under the changing channel gains. The channel uncertainty is formulated as probability constraints, and they are transformed to the deterministic form to achieve a convex optimization problem. And the Hungarian algorithm is introduced to allocate the available channels to the V2V pairs. With the proposed joint resource allocation algorithm, the maximum throughput can be obtained with the lower algorithm complexity. Also, the robustness against the changing channel gains is guaranteed and the outage probability of users is kept below the pre-given outage threshold.

SHR0534 is being developed for type-2 diabetes mellitus. Herein the tolerability, safety, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of SHR0534 in healthy Chinese subjects were assessed in a phase-I, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, single- and multiple-ascending dose study. Forty subjects were randomized 4:1 to receive SHR0534 at the dose of 10, 25, 50 or 100 mg, or placebo, and another eleven subjects were allocated to either the 5 mg group or the placebo group at an 8:3 ratio. All subjects received a single dose on day 1, followed by a 9-day washout and once-daily administrations for 14 consecutive days. Serial samples were collected, and vital signs, electrocardiograms, laboratory tests, urinalysis and adverse events (AEs) were recorded. All doses of SHR0534 were safe and well tolerated with infrequent, generally mild-to-moderate AEs and no serious AEs in the study. SHR0534 was absorbed with a

Owing to sluggish ionic mobility at low temperatures, supercapacitors, as well as other energy-storage devices, always suffer from severe capacity decay and even failure under extreme low-temperature circumstances. Solar-thermal-enabled self-heating promises an attractive approach to overcome this issue. Here, we report a unique H-bonding charge-transfer complex with a high photothermal conversion efficiency of 79.5% at 405 nm based on chloranilic acid and albendazole. Integrated with a microsupercapacitor, the chloranilic acid-albendazole complex (CAC) film prompts an apparent temperature increase of 22.7 °C under 1 sun illumination at −32.6 °C, effectively elevating the working temperature of devices. As a result, the rate capability of the microsupercapacitor has been significantly improved with a 17-fold increase in capacitance at a current density of 60 μA cm−2, leading to outstanding low-temperature performances. Importantly, the integrated device is capable of working at a low temperature of −30 °C in the open air, which demonstrates the potential of CAC in practical applications for low-temperature ultracapacitive energy-storage devices.

Tight security is an important requirement of practical cryptographic schemes. Compared with loosely-secure schemes, tightly-secure schemes allow shorter security parameters hence are more efficient. In CRYPTO 2018, Gjosteen and Jager proposed a tightly-secure authenticated key exchange (AKE) protocol. They used ‘commitment trick’ to construct a tight security reduction for their protocol. However, this technique leads to a three-pass execution in their protocol, and their protocol cannot achieve key confirmation unless it is modified to have a four-pass execution. In this study, the authors propose a tightly-secure two-pass AKE protocol. They use the twin Diffie–Hellman problem and the ‘re-patch’ trick of random oracles to construct a tight security reduction for their protocol. This technique allows their protocol to have a two-pass execution. Their protocol provides several security properties such as key-compromise-impersonation security, unknown-key-share security, and weak perfect forward secrecy. Moreover, a three-pass variant of their protocol provides key confirmation.

The yak (Bos grunniens) is the most important livestock animal in high-altitude regions owing to its prominent adaptability to cold conditions, nutritional deficiencies and hypoxia. The reproductive organs exhibit different histological appearances and physiological processes at different reproductive stages. Hypoxia-inducible factor-1 alpha (HIF-1α) is the regulatory subunit of HIF-1 that crucially regulates the response to hypoxia in mammalian organisms. The goal of our study was to investigate the expression and distribution of HIF-1α in the primary yak reproductive organs at different reproductive stages. Samples of the ovary, oviduct and uterus of 15 adult female yaks were collected and used in the experiment. The expression and localization of HIF-1α proteins and mRNA were investigated using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR), Western blot (WB) and immunohistochemistry (IHC). The results indicated that the expression of HIF-1α protein in the ovary was higher during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase and gestation period (p < .05). In the oviduct, HIF-1α protein was also more highly expressed during the luteal phase than during the follicular phase and gestation period (p < .01). However, in the uterus, the HIF-1α protein had stronger expression during the gestation period than during the follicular phase (p < .01) and luteal phase (p < .05). The expression of HIF-1α mRNA was similar to that of its protein. Immunohistochemical analysis revealed intense immunostaining of HIF-1α proteins in the follicular granulosa cells, granular luteal cells, villous epithelial cells of the oviduct, endometrial glandular epithelium and luminal epithelium, foetal villous trophoblast, and epithelia of caruncular crypts. This study showed that the expression of HIF-1α in the ovary, oviduct and uterus varies according to the stage of the reproductive cycle. This implies that HIF-1α plays an important role in regulating the stage-specific physiological function of yak reproductive organs under hypoxic environments.

Transparent energy-storage devices are of enormous significance to the continued growth of flexible and wearable electronics in the foreseeable future. The development of transparent supercapacitive electrodes that possess not only high optical transmittance but also intriguing features of energy-storage capability, transferability and outstanding durability, remains a remarkable challenge. Here we demonstrate a polymer-glued strategy to fabricate the conjugated transparent hybrids of V2O5 and graphene, whereby the poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) forms a conformal coating on the surface of V2O5 nanobelts and functions as a glue. Interestingly, the PEDOT-glued V2O5/graphene (VP-G) is easy-transferrable onto various flat and even curved substrates. When served as a transparent supercapacitive electrode, the VP-G exhibits a high areal capacitance of 22.4 ​mF ​cm−2 ​at an optical transparency of 70%. As unveiled by experimental results and density functional theory (DFT) calculations, both the kinetic blocking of the PEDOT layer and the anchoring capability of graphene upon soluble vanadium ions contribute synergistically to the unusual electrochemical stability. Transparent, high-energy-density solid-state supercapacitors made of the as-fabricated hybrids are constructed, exhibiting a high energy density of 0.18 ​μW ​h cm−2 ​at 11 ​μW ​cm−2. As expected, the constructed transparent supercapacitors demonstrate an excellent cycling stability over 50 ​000 cycles with capacitance retention of 92.4%. These results show its great potential as promising transparent devices.

Objective Despite improvement in outcomes after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation over the past 2 decades, high-risk recipients continue to have a prohibitive rate of morbidity and mortality. We hypothesized that a less invasive approach to LVAD implantation would be associated with improved survival compared to a conventional approach in this high-risk cohort. Methods All consecutive LVAD recipients (2013 to 2017) that underwent centrifugal LVAD implantation were retrospectively reviewed. Patients were classified as high-risk if INTERMACS 1 or required temporary VAD/venoarterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation prior to durable VAD implantation. Patients were stratified into 3 groups: left thoracotomy with hemi-sternotomy (LTHS) high-risk, conventional sternotomy (CS) high-risk, and non-high-risk. The primary outcome was 1-year survival. Results A total of 57 patients (LTHS high-risk: 11, CS high-risk: 12, non-high-risk: 34) were identified. Preoperative right ventricular failure scores, HeartMate-II mortality scores, and end-organ dysfunction were similar between the 2 high-risk groups. While operative time was similar between the 3 groups, cardiopulmonary bypass time was significantly shorter in the LTHS high-risk group compared to other groups. There was a trend toward decreased intensive care unit length of stay and ventilator time in LTHS high-risk compared to CS high-risk patients. Moreover, between these 2 groups, there was a significant decrease in temporary right VAD support (50% vs 0%, P = 0.014), and 1-year survival was significantly higher in the LTHS group (42% vs 91%, P = 0.025). Conclusions Less invasive LVAD implantation appears to be associated with improved survival compared to conventional LVAD implantation in high-risk patients.

Background Lycium barbarum and L. ruthenicum have been used as traditional medicinal plants in China and other Asian counties for centuries. However, the molecular mechanisms underlying fruit development and ripening, as well as the associated production of medicinal and nutritional components, have been little explored in these two species. Results A competitive transcriptome analysis was performed to identify the regulators and pathways involved in the fruit ripening of red wolfberry (L. barbarum) and black wolfberry (L. ruthenicum) using an Illumina sequencing platform. In total, 155,606 genes and 194,385 genes were detected in red wolfberry (RF) and black wolfberry (BF), respectively. Of them, 20,335, 24,469, and 21,056 genes were differentially expressed at three different developmental stages in BF and RF. Functional categorization of the differentially expressed genes revealed that phenylpropanoid biosynthesis, flavonoid biosynthesis, anthocyanin biosynthesis, and sugar metabolism were the most differentially regulated processes during fruit development and ripening in the RF and BF. Furthermore, we also identified 38 MYB transcription factor-encoding genes that were differentially expressed during black wolfberry fruit development. Overexpression of LrMYB1 resulted in the activation of structural genes for flavonoid biosynthesis and led to an increase in flavonoid content, suggesting that the candidate genes identified in this RNA-seq analysis are credible and might offer important utility. Conclusion This study provides novel insights into the molecular mechanism of Lycium fruit development and ripening and will be of value to novel gene discovery and functional genomic studies.

Lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) providing high energy and power densities as well as long cycle life are in high demand for various applications. Benefitting from its high theoretical specific charge capacity of ≈4200 mAh g-1 and natural abundance, Si is nowadays considered as one of the most promising anode candidates for high-energy-density LIBs. However, its huge volume change during cycling prevents its widespread commercialization. Si/C-based electrodes, fabricated through top-down mechanical-milling technique and etching, could be particularly promising since they can adequately accommodate the Si volume expansion, buffer the mechanical stress, and ameliorate the interface/surface stability. In this Review, the current progresses in the top-down synthesis of Si/C anode materials for LIBs from inexpensive Si sources via the combination of low-cost, simple, scalable, and efficient ball-milling and etching processes are summarized. Various Si precursors as well as etching routes are highlighted in this Review. This review would be a guide for fabricating high-performance Si-based anodes.

Addressable nanowire field-emitter arrays (FEAs) show potential for application in vacuum microelectronic devices, and a focusing structure is essential for modulation of the electron beam in FEAs. However, because of the complicated device structure induced by the focusing structure, nanowire integration in such a device is very difficult. To address this issue, a coaxis-gated ZnO nanowire FEA structure with an in-plane focusing gate electrode is proposed. The focusing gate electrode is located in the same plane as the cathode and control gate, and the addressing function is realized using a via structure. The coaxis-gated ZnO nanowire FEAs were fabricated using a four-mask microfabrication process, thus requiring one mask less than traditional focused FEAs. The characteristics of the fabricated ZnO nanowire FEAs were studied, and their addressing and focusing abilities were verified.

The youth in post-land reform Zimbabwe are engaged in struggles for land ownership, access and control. This article focuses on youth struggles from the grassroots to the national level. The strugg...

Aim: A sensitive and reliable LC–MS/MS method has been established and validated to the quantitation of rivaroxaban (RIV) and TAK-438 in rat plasma using carbamazepine as internal standard. Results: The procedure of method validation was conducted according to the guidelines of EMA and US FDA. At the same time, the method was applied to pharmacokinetic interactions study between RIV and TAK-438 for the first time. When RIV and TAK-438 co-administration to rats, main pharmacokinetic parameters of TAK-438 like AUC(0-t), AUC(0-∞) and Cmax had statistically significant increase. The main pharmacokinetic parameters of RIV have no statistically significant difference (p > 0.05) when co-administered except for t1/2 (p < 0.01). Conclusion: The results indicated that drug–drug interactions occurred between RIV and TAK-438 when co-administered to rats.

Background Glutaraldehyde-fixed autologous or bovine pericardial patches used for mitral valve leaflet reconstruction have been associated with late calcification. Fresh autologous pericardium (FAP) may be a durable alternative. Methods Transthoracic echocardiography was used to assess valve function (regurgitation, mean pressure gradient, patch pliability, and calcification) in patients undergoing FAP mitral leaflet repairs. Pliability was scored between 1 (similar to native leaflets) and 4 (rigid). Calcification was scored between 1 (echobrightness similar to native leaflets) and 4 (very bright). Results Between 2002 and 2018, 62 consecutive patients (50% male, 51 ± 2 years, 69% infective endocarditis) underwent mitral valve repair with FAP, and Patch placement was on the anterior (31 of 62), posterior (27 of 62), or both (1 of 62) leaflets. Late echocardiographic follow-up was available for 43 of 62 patients (median follow-up, 3.6 years; range, 0.5-6 years). Average pliability scores were unchanged between discharge (1.2 ± 0.1) and follow-up (1.2 ± 0.2, P = .79). Average brightness scores increased modestly (predischarge, 1.6 ± 0.1; follow-up, 1.8 ± 0.1; P = .01). Three patients had recurrent severe mitral regurgitation, and 2 underwent reoperation, 1 at 1 year postoperatively for recurrent endocarditis and 1 at 6 years postoperatively for degenerative disease progression. At reoperation, patches were pliable, free from calcification, and comparable in thickness to adjacent native leaflet. One patient developed suture line leak, which was repaired. No other evidence of patch dehiscence, retraction, or aneurysm was observed. The 10-year freedom from reoperation of 82% and survival rate of 84% are comparable to repair with glutaraldehyde-fixed or bovine pericardial patches. Conclusions FAP is an excellent substrate for complex mitral valve leaflet patch repairs and can be used with the expectation of durable, long-term valve function, without evidence of late patch calcification, stiffness, or aneurysmal degeneration.

A systematic and generalized asymptotic derivative estimator design method is first presented for unknown maps by adding a sinusoidal excitation signal to the argument of the map. Then, based on the proposed asymptotic derivative estimator approach and based on the existing design methods for both finite-time and fixed-time state observers, finite-time and fixed-time derivative estimators are designed. The sufficient conditions for finite-time and fixed-time input-to-state stable of the finite-time and fixed-time derivative estimators are given respectively when a bounded disturbance input exists.

The GLUT4 and PI3K/AKT signaling pathways are the key sensors of energy status and they regulate glucose and lipid metabolism. Phloretin activates the PI3K/AKT pathway by promoting GLUT4 translocation and expression, thereby improving glucose consumption and tolerance. As metformin can regulate glucose metabolism, we hypothesized that phloretin can amplify its gluco-regulatory effects. Male Sprague Dawley rats were fed with a high-fat and high-sugar diet for 8 weeks and injected with a low dose of streptozotocin to induce type 2 diabetes. The diabetic rats were randomized to receive phloretin (100 mg kg-1 d-1), metformin (250 mg kg-1 d-1), or phloretin + metformin via oral gavage for another 4 weeks. Random blood glucose, serum insulin, free fatty acid, total cholesterol, triglyceride, and low-density lipoprotein levels were detected in type 2 diabetic rats. Hematoxylin-eosin and Oil Red O staining were used to observe the pathological changes in the liver, pancreas, and adipose tissues of type 2 diabetic rats. The expression levels of IRS-1, PI3K, P-AKT, and GLUT4 in skeletal muscle were detected using western blotting. Phloretin plus metformin improved fasting blood glucose levels, glucose tolerance, and insulin sensitivity in type 2 diabetic rats. In addition, this combination reduced lipid accumulation, improved the pathological changes in the liver, pancreas, and adipose tissue, and increased IRS-1, PI3K, P-AKT, and GLUT4 expression in skeletal muscle and the liver of type 2 diabetic rats. Thus, phloretin can be used in a potential combination therapy with metformin for the prevention and rescue of type 2 diabetes.