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Background-The transient receptor potential melastatin-subfamily member 7 (TRPM7) is a ubiquitous cation channel possessing kinase activity. TRPM7 mediates a variety of physiological responses by conducting flow of cations such as Ca2+, Mg2+, and Zn2+. TRPM7 has been reported to contribute to basal autophagy and tumorigenesis, however, its precise role in autophagy and functional effects on cancer still need to be elucidated. Methods-We have utilized various TRPM7 modulators as well as the overexpression or knockdown of the TRPM7 channel to modulate TRPM7 activity in order to systematically define the role of TRPM7 in autophagy. Results-Here, we show that the activation of TRPM7 channel stimulated by chemical agonists of TRPM7, Clozapine or Naltriben, inhibited autophagy via mediating Zn2+ release to the cytosol, presumably from the intracellular Zn2+-accumulating vesicles where TRPM7 localizes. Zn2+ release following the activation of TRPM7 disrupted the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes by disturbing the interaction between Sxt17 and VAMP8 which determines fusion status of autophagosomes and lysosomes. Ultimately, the disrupted fusion resulting from stimulation of TRPM7 channels arrested autophagy. Functionally, we demonstrate that the autophagy inhibition mediated by TRPM7 triggered cell death and suppressed metastasis of cancer cells in vitro, more importantly, restricted tumor growth and metastasis in vivo, by evoking apoptosis, cell cycle arrest, and reactive oxygen species (ROS) elevation. Conclusion-We demonstrate that stimulating TRPM7 channels inhibits autophagy by disrupting the fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes. Moreover, the TRPM7-induced autophagy inhibition suppresses cancer cell proliferation and metastasis by inducing apoptosis and cell cycle arrest. Our findings represent TRPM7 channels a great potential for cancer treatment.

PurposeThis study intends to explore the safety and effectiveness of the concept of enhanced recovery after surgery (ERAS) in the perioperative care of patients with supratentorial tumors.MethodsA total of 151 supratentorial tumor patients were enrolled in this study, and they were divided into control group (n = 75) and observation group (n = 76) according to the random number table method. Patients in the control group received routine neurosurgery care, and patients in the observation group received enhanced recovery after surgery care. The incidence of perioperative complications, postoperative hospital stays, early postoperative eating time, catheter removal time, and time to get out of bed were observed for the two groups of patients, and the quality of postoperative recovery was evaluated.ResultsThere was no statistically significant difference in the basic data of the two groups of patients, such as age, gender, lesion location, and condition (P>0.05), and they were comparable. The observation group’s postoperative eating time, catheter removal time, and time to get out of bed were significantly earlier than those of the control group. Postoperative hospital stays and hospitalization expenses were less than those of the control group. There was a statistically significant difference in postoperative hospital stay between the two groups (PConclusionApplying the ERAS concept to implement perioperative care for patients with supratentorial tumors is safe and effective. It can not only reduce after-surgical stress and accelerate postoperative recovery, but also shorten hospital stays and reduce hospital costs. It is worthy of clinical application.

Exogenous enzymes, including protease, lipase, carbohydrate enzyme and phytase, are widely used as additives in fish feed worldwide. The chemical effects of these enzymes are well understood; however, their benefits to fish remain controversial. This review aimed to explore the current state of knowledge on the impacts of exogenous enzymes on finfish aquaculture, and demonstrate the application of exogenous enzymes as a safe and efficient bio‐additive to regulate growth performance, digestibility, feed utilization, whole‐body composition and immune performance of fish, and reduce phosphorus pollution into environment. Overall, based on the current knowledge and information gathered in this review, it is clear that the research on exogenous enzyme supplementation in finfish aquaculture is not extensive. It may be significant to increase research on this subject in future because it could broaden the application of exogenous enzyme use in diets where they cannot be applied currently.

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is a global, long-standing thermal hazard in coal mining that causes serious environmental damage, particularly in developing countries. Ionic liquids (ILs) are environmentally friendly, green, economical, and a new type of fire-preventing material that inhibits coal oxidation and alleviates thermal production. In this study, 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazole tetrafluoroborate ([BMIM][BF4]) and 1-butyl-3-methyl imidazole ([BMIM][I]) at various mass ratios (0.0, 0.5, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 mass%) were used to treat three types of coal (lignite, 1/3 coking coal, and anthracite) for CSC. The combustion-mass loss and thermal release rate of ILs treated relative to untreated coal samples were investigated using a synchronous thermal analyzer, and the optimal addition mass ratio of ILs was predicted. Not only do ILs have the most efficient inhibiting effect, but they also consider the economic benefit. Per thermogravimetric-differential scanning calorimetry, for the content of 5.0 mass% [BMIM][BF4], the inhibiting effect is favorable for universal applications. In addition, coal samples treated with 5.0 mass% [BMIM][BF4] were subjected to programmed-temperature heating experiment testing. The oxygen consumption rate, inhibiting effect, as well as apparent activation energy, were determined. The inhibiting effect at 120.0–150.0 °C was the most obvious, which provided the basis of the application for CSC prevention.

Ionic liquids (ILs) are a type of environmentally friendly solvents. Several studies have proven that ILs can inhibit the spontaneous combustion of coal (SCC). In this study, a synchronous thermal analyzer was used to analyze the effects of the imidazolium-based IL [BMIM][BF4] on coal of three metamorphic grades. A coal sample exhibiting the optimal inhibiting result was selected to investigate the effect of the oxygen concentration on IL inhibition. The results revealed that the influence of IL on the mass loss process of the three metamorphic grades of coal varied considerably. High inhibition was observed in lignite. However, the IL promoted the mass loss process in 1/3 coking coal and anthracite. The IL delayed the ignition temperature of lignite by 42 °C, whereas those of 1/3 coking coal and anthracite were advanced by 10 and 8 °C, respectively. Furthermore, the initial exothermic temperature of the three treated coal samples was higher than those of the raw coal samples. Compared with the raw coal samples, the heat released per gram of lignite, 1/3 coking coal, and anthracite was reduced by 1142, 353, and 226 J, respectively. The results indicated that the IL had a prominent inhibiting effect on the exothermic properties of the three coal samples, and the inhibiting effect decreased with an increase in the metamorphic grade of coal. Moreover, the oxygen concentration did not alter the inhibition properties of the IL on the SCC. However, the inhibiting effect weakened as the oxygen concentration decreased.

To overcome the deficiency in which 2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) exhibits low levels of catalytic efficiency in aldol reactions and poor tolerance for high concentrations of aldehyde, two novel deoC genes encoding DERAPyc and DERAMet were identified in Pyrobaculum calidifontis and Meiothermus ruber that had heterologous expression in E. coli BL21. The specific activities toward 2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate (DR5P) of DERAPyc and DERAMet were 13.6 ± 0.1 and 85.2 ± 0.7 U/mg, respectively. Almost 56.2% (DERAPyc) and 21.7% (DERAMet) of their activity remained after being incubated for 6 h in 300 mM acetaldehyde at 25℃. In addition, the DR5P concentration in the reaction catalyzed by DERAPyc and DERAMet was almost 0.31 and 2.63 times the amount catalyzed by DERAEco after reacting for 6 h, respectively. These results suggest that these two novel DERAs with a high tolerance for a high concentration of aldehyde have the potential to be widely used in industrial settings.

Background Diastasis of rectus abdominis (DRA) refers to a separation of the rectus abdominis from the linea alba. This study aimed to investigate the association with the severity of DRA for developing pelvic floor dysfunction among women during the first year postpartum. Methods This is a retrospective cohort study which collected data from 229 postpartum women. DRA was defined as a separation of ≥ 20 mm at any point 4.5 cm above, at and 4.5 cm below the umbilicus. The data for analysis includes pelvic organ prolapse quantification (POP-Q), medical history of urinary incontinence (UI), the strength of rectus abdominis muscle and pelvic floor muscle. The differences in women with and without DRA were compared with independent samples t-test and Chi-square test. Results Prevalence of DRA was 82.6% during the first postpartum year. Cesarean section and multiple parturitions are recognized as risk factors for DRA due to the odds ratio in our study were 3.48 (95% CI 1.42–8.56), 3.20 (95% CI 1.59–6.45) respectively. There was no difference in the occurrence of UI and pelvic organ prolapse (POP) comparing women with and without DRA, even changing the cut-off values (inter-rectus distance = 20 mm, 30 mm, 40 mm, 50 mm) for determining DRA. The women with weak rectus abdominis muscle and pelvic floor muscle have no statistical difference in two group. Conclusion The relationship of the diastasis recti abdominis and pelvic floor dysfunction has no connection, even with the severity of inter-rectus distance increasing.

Macroautophagy/autophagy is elevated to ensure the high demand for nutrients for the growth of cancer cells. Here we demonstrated that MCOLN1/TRPML1 is a pharmaceutical target of oncogenic autophagy in cancers such as pancreatic cancer, breast cancer, gastric cancer, malignant melanoma, and glioma. First, we showed that activating MCOLN1, by increasing expression of the channel or using the MCOLN1 agonists, ML-SA5 or MK6-83, arrests autophagic flux by perturbing fusion between autophagosomes and lysosomes. Second, we demonstrated that MCOLN1 regulates autophagy by mediating the release of zinc from the lysosome to the cytosol. Third, we uncovered that zinc influx through MCOLN1 blocks the interaction between STX17 (syntaxin 17) in the autophagosome and VAMP8 in the lysosome and thereby disrupting the fusion process that is determined by the two SNARE proteins. Furthermore, we demonstrated that zinc influx originating from the extracellular fluid arrests autophagy by the same mechanism as lysosomal zinc, confirming the fundamental function of zinc as a participant in membrane trafficking. Last, we revealed that activating MCOLN1 with the agonists, ML-SA5 or MK6-83, triggers cell death of a number of cancer cells by evoking autophagic arrest and subsequent apoptotic response and cell cycle arrest, with little or no effect observed on normal cells. Consistent with the in vitro results, administration of ML-SA5 in Patu 8988 t xenograft mice profoundly suppresses tumor growth and improves survival. These results establish that a lysosomal cation channel, MCOLN1, finely controls oncogenic autophagy in cancer by mediating zinc influx into the cytosol. Abbreviation: Abbreviations: 3-MA: 3-methyladenine; AA: amino acid; ATG12: autophagy related 12; Baf-A1: bafilomycin A1; BAPTA-am: 1,2-bis(2-aminophenoxy)ethane-N, N,N���,N���-tetraacetic acid tetrakis-acetoxymethyl ester; co-IP: coimmunoprecipitaion; CQ: chloroquine; DMEM: Dulbecco���s Modified Eagle Medium; FBS: fetal bovine serum; GAPDH: glyceraldehyde- 3-phosphate dehydrogenase; HCQ: hydroxychloroquine; HEK: human embryonic kidney; LAMP1: lysosomal associated membrane protein 1; MAP1LC3/LC3: microtubule associated protein 1 light chain 3; MCOLN1/TRPML1: mucolipin TRP cation channel 1; MTORC1: mechanistic target of rapamycin kinase complex 1; NC: negative control; NRK: normal rat kidney epithelial cells; PBS: phosphate-buffered saline; PtdIns3K: phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase; RPS6KB/S6K: ribosomal protein S6 kinase B; shRNA: short hairpin RNA; siRNA: short interfering RNA; SNARE: soluble N-ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor (NSF) attachment protein receptor; SQSTM1/p62: sequestosome 1; STX17: syntaxin 17; TPEN: N,N,N���,N���-tetrakis(2-pyridylmethyl)ethylenediamine; TTM: tetrathiomolybdate; ULK1: unc-51 like autophagy activating kinase 1; VAMP8: vesicle associated membrane protein 8; Zn2+: zinc.

Background. Cancer stem cells play an important role in endometrial cancer (EC). It is closely related to self-renewal and therapeutic resistance of EC. Methods. In this study, WGCNA (weighted gene coexpression network analysis) was used to analyze the relationship between genes and clinical features. We also performed immune cell infiltration analysis of a key module by using ImmuCellAI (Immune Cell Abundance Identifier). Then, key genes were verified in the GEO database. Finally, causal relationship analysis and protein-protein interaction analysis were performed in DisNor tool and STRING. Result. The mRNA expression-based stemness index (mRNAsi) is significantly lower in normal tissues and is significantly higher in individuals with stage IV or high-grade cancer and those who are obese or postmenopausal. Nineteen key genes (ORC6, C1orf112, RAD54L, SGO2, BUB1, PLK4, KIF18B, BUB1B, TTK, NCAPG, XRCC2, CENPF, KIF15, RACGAP1, ARHGAP11A, TPX2, KIF14, KIF4A, and NCAPH) that were enriched mainly in terms related to the cell cycle and DNA replication were selected by weighted gene coexpression network analysis (WGCNA). Based on the key modules, the numbers of NKT cells, NK cells, and neutrophils in the normal group were significantly higher than those in the cancer group. PLK1, CDK1, and MAD2L1, which were correlated with upstream genes, may be an regulated upstream of key genes. Conclusion. PLK1, CDK1, and MAD2L1 which were strongly correlated with upstream genes may be a regulated upstream of key genes.

The 2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) enzyme in psychrophilic bacteria has gradually attracted the attention of researchers. A novel gene, deoC (681 bp), encoding DERAPsy, was identified in Pseudomonas syringae pv. syringae B728a, recombinantly expressed in E. coli BL21 and purified via affinity chromatography, which yielded a homodimeric enzyme of 23 kDa. The specific activity of DERAPsy toward 2-deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate (DR5P) was 7.37 ± 0.03 U/mg, and 61.32% of its initial activity remained after incubation in 300 mM acetaldehyde at 25 °C for 2 h. Based on the calculation results (dock binding free energy) with the ligand chloroacetaldehyde (CAH), five target substitutions (T16L, F69R, V66K, S188V, and G189R) were identified, in which the DERAPsy mutant (G189R) exhibited higher catalytic activity toward DR5P than DERAPsy. Only the DERAPsy mutant (V66K) exhibited 12% higher activity toward chloroacetaldehyde and acetaldehyde condensation reactions than DERAPsy. Fortunately, the aldehyde tolerance of these mutants exhibited no significant decline compared with the wild type. These results indicate an effective strategy for enhancing DERA activity.

The polymeric immunoglobulin receptor (pIgR) is an important molecule in the mucosal immunity of teleosts. Previous studies have shown that pIgR can bind and transport polymeric immunoglobulins (pIgs), but few studies have focused on the binding of teleost pIgR to bacteria. In this study, we identified a gene encoding pIgR in largemouth bass (Micropterus salmoides). The pIgR gene contained two Ig-like domains (ILDs), which were homologous to ILD1 and ILD5 of mammalian pIgR. Our results showed that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could combine with IgM. Moreover, we also found that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could bind to Aeromonas hydrophila and Micrococcus luteus. Further analysis showed that largemouth bass pIgR-ILD could also combine with lipopolysaccharide (LPS), peptidoglycan (PGN) and various saccharides, and reduced binding to bacteria was observed with LPS and PGN treatment, indicating that largemouth bass pIgR could bind to bacteria to prevent infection and that saccharide binding is an important interaction mechanism between pIgR and bacteria. These results collectively demonstrated that largemouth bass pIgR not only combines with IgM but also binds to bacteria by various saccharides.

To assess the early clinical effects of oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) combined with posterior long-segment internal fixation through O-arm CT navigation for the treatment of degenerative scoliosis.The clinical data of 15 patients with degenerative scoliosis treated by OLIF combined with posterior long-segment internal fixation through O-arm CT navigation between April 2016 and December were retropectively analyzed. There were 3 males and 12 females, aged from 55 to 73 years old with an average of (62.2±5.3) years. The operation time, intraoperation blood loss, the rate of excellentand good of pedicle screw placement, and complications were recorded. Before surgery, 1 week after surgery and at the final follow-up, the visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry Disability Index (ODI) were used to evaluate the patients' clinical symptoms;standing X-ray film, lumbar spine CT examination was performed at 6 months after surgery to observe coronal scoliosis Cobb angle, lumbar lordosis (LL), intervertebral space height, sagittal vertical axis (SVA), intervertebral fusion, etc.The mean operation time and intraoperative blood loss were respectively (98.7±16.8) min and (50.2±10.7) ml in OLIF surgery, while were (101.5±23.4) min and (63.1±19.7) ml in the surgery of posterior long segment internal fixation. The total mean operation time and intraoperative blood loss were (200.2±40.2) min and (113.3±30.4) ml. All patients were followed from 12 to 25 months with an average of (16.5±5.3) months. Low back pain VAS, lower limb pain VAS and ODI reduced from preoperative (6.8±1.6), (6.2±1.1) scores and (64.6±10.4)% to (1.4±1.0), (1.0±0.5) scores, and (15.8±4.5)% at the final follow-up, the differences were statistically significant(The early clinical effect of oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion combined with posterior long segment internal fixation through O-arm CT navigation is satisfactory in treatment of degenerative scoliosis. It has the advantages of minimal invasion, accurate navigation of nail placement, high bone fusion rate and few complications. It can provide new options for minimally invasive treatment of degenerative scoliosis.

The transvaginal excision of lesion seems to a feasible and safe approach to treat cesarean scar pregnancy.

Physical activity has benefits on physical and psychological health. The aims of this study were to investigate (1) the relationships between physical activity and life satisfaction and happiness in young, middle-aged, and older adults while controlling for demographic characteristics, and (2) the relationships between age and life satisfaction and happiness for different physical activity levels. A total of 2345 healthy adults were recruited. Demographic characteristic, physical activity, life satisfaction, and happiness were collected. Participants were divided into young, middle-aged, and older adult groups based on age, and physical activity was categorized as high, moderate, and low. After controlling for demographic characteristics, participants with high and moderate activity levels had significantly higher life satisfaction and happiness than those with a low activity level across the total population and the three age groups. Age squared was a significant predictor of a positive curvilinear between age and life satisfaction and happiness. Physical activity was significantly related to life satisfaction and happiness in young, middle-aged, and older adults. In addition, life satisfaction and happiness increased with increasing age. The results support the promotion of physical activity.

Monazite ((Ce, La, Nd, Th)PO4) is one of the widely used minerals for U&ndash, Th&ndash, Pb dating in geochronology. To better understand the possible effects of radiogenic Pb on the in situ dating method, a natural monazite U&ndash, Pb standard sample (RW-1) was chemically and structurally characterized down to atomic scales by using the combination of Raman spectrum (RM), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). The experimental results revealed that radiogenic Pb exists as Pb2+ and substitutes for the Ce site in the monazite crystal lattice. Moreover, TEM imaging demonstrated that monazite is well crystalline revealed by an atomic structure in most areas except for a few tiny defects, which are likely attributed to alpha self-healing from an electronic energy loss of &alpha, particles. The characterization of the chemical state and occupancy of radiogenic Pb, and the distribution of Pb and Th in monazite at the nanoscale and atomic scale could provide insight for us to understand the mechanisms of the nanogeochronology.

Background The positive predictive value (PPV) of urinary decoy cells for diagnosing BK polyomavirus associated-nephropathy (BKPyVAN) is low. This study was designed to increase the PPV of urinary decoy cells for diagnosing BKPyVAN in kidney transplant recipients. Methods A total of 105 urine sediment samples from 105 patients with positive BK viruria and decoy cells were evaluated by automatic double-immunostaining with anti-HGD (a renal tubular marker) antibody + anti-SV40-T antibody or anti-S100P (an urothelial marker) antibody + anti-SV40-T antibody. Results Of the 105 patients, 76 (72.4%) had both HGD(+)/SV40-T(+) cells and S100P(+)/SV40-T(+) cells (group A), 24 (22.9%) had only S100P(+)/SV40-T(+) cells (group B), and 5 (4.6%) had only S100P(-)/HGD(-)/SV40-T(+) cells (group C). Seventy patients in group A (92.1%), 3 patients in group B (12.5%), and no patients in group C were diagnosed with BKPyVAN. The area under the ROC curve of predicting BKPyVAN by decoy cells was 0.531 (0.431-0.630), with an optimal cut-off value of 29 (per 10 high power field), a sensitivity of 45.8% (95% CI: 34.0-58.0%), and a specificity of 68.8% (95% CI: 50.0-83.9%). Besides, the area under the ROC curve of predicting BKPyVAN by plasma BKPyV load was 0.735 (95% CI: 0.632-0.822), with an optimal cut-off value of 1,000 copies/mL, a sensitivity of 61.1% (95% CI: 48.9-72.4%) and a specificity of 84.2% (95% CI: 60.4-96.6%). In contrast, the PPV, negative predictive value, sensitivity, and specificity of HGD(+)/SV40-T(+) cells for diagnosing BKPyVAN were 92.1% [95% confidence interval (CI): 83.0-96.7%], 89.7% (95% CI: 71.5-97.3%), 95.9% (95% CI: 87.7-98.9%), and 81.3% (95% CI: 63.0-92.1%) respectively. Conclusions Double-immunostaining with anti-HGD or anti-S100P and anti-SV40-T antibodies helps to identify the origin of decoy cells and diagnose BKPyVAN.

Background ：To assess the short-term clinical outcomes of oblique lateral lumbar interbody fusion (OLIF) combined with multiple level fixation with the guidance of posterior "O" arm CT navigation for degenerative scoliosis. Methods ：A total of 15 patients (3 males and 12 females; average age: 62.2±5.3 years) with degenerative scoliosis were enrolled in our study. All patients were treated with OLIF combined with posterior "O" arm CT navigation and long segment (T 10 -L 5 ) internal fixation during Apr. 2016 and Dec. 2017. Collected perioperative data included surgery time, blood loss, excellent rate of intraoperative pedicle screw. Coronal Cobb angle, lumbar lordosis (LL), intervertebral space height, sagittal balance (SVA) were measured by plain radiograph. Accuracy of pedicle screw placement and intervertebral fusion was investigated with postoperative CT. Visual analogue scale (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate the clinical efficacy of surgery. Results ： All patients were followed for 12-25 months (16.5±5.3 months).The OLIF operation time was (98.7±16.8) min, and the blood loss was (50.2±10.7) ml. The posterior "O" arm CT-navigated long segment internal fixation was (101.5 ± 23.4) min, and the blood loss was (63.1 ± 19.7) ml. The total operation time was (200.2±40.2) min, and the blood loss was (113.3±30.4) ml. Coronal Cobb angle, LL, intervertebral space height, SVA, VAS, ODI at the last follow-up were 5.5°± 3.1°, 39.3°± 9.1°, (10.9±1.2) mm, (25.1±10.9) mm, (1.3± 0.8)and(15.8±4.5)%, respectively, showing statistically significant differences ( P

In China, coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is seriously disasters in gobs during coal seam groups mining, the secondary or multiple oxidation processes of residual coal occur inevitably, severely increasing the risk of coal fires. This paper focused on the thermal reaction behavior of two samples of raw coal and degrees of pre-oxidized (Oxi-80 °C, Oxi-130 °C, and Oxi-180 °C), we determined their characteristics of physical and chemical via thermogravimetric-Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (TG-FTIR) with the heating rates being 1.0, 2.0, 5.0, and 10.0 °C min−1. According to the characteristic temperature, the CSC process could be divided into three stages of oxidation (stage I), combustion (stage II), and thermal residual (stage III). The results indicated that for pre-oxidized coal the length of aliphatic side chains was shorter, and the number of branched aliphatic side chains was lower than that of the raw coal. The kinetic models revealed the mechanism category was changed between raw coal and pre-oxidized coal. However, the heating rate exerted little influence on the mechanism category of each stage, particularly in stage I. The average values of apparent activation energy for the pre-oxidized coal samples were lower than that of raw coal. Therefore, the pre-oxidized coal samples required less energy to activate and more readily caused spontaneous combustion than raw coal at certain stages.

We propose a single mode polarization maintaining photonic crystal fiber (PM-PCF) with small coating diameter for higher precision fiber optic gyroscopes (FOGs) in order to solve the nonreciprocity problem caused by higher order modes transmitted in previous PM-PCF. To obtain the optimized fiber structure parameter region, the dependences of the PM-PCF properties including modal field distribution, birefringence, and confinement loss on the normalized frequency, the enlarged air hole diameter and air filling ratio are numerically analyzed by using the full vector finite element method. Taking the characteristics of PANDA PMFs as a reference, the optimized parameter region is achieved. A FOG made with the 1500 m optimized PM-PCF coil is built and tested. The static and full temperature bias stabilities of are better than 0.005 deg/h and 0.008 deg/h respectively, which illustrates that the optimized PM-PCF is suitable for higher precisions FOGs.

Thermal analysis was used to investigate the oxidation and heat-release characteristics of four coal samples from the Huainan mining area in China. Temperature and the evolution of heat and gaseous...

Coal spontaneous combustion (CSC) is an extremely complex physical and chemical reaction between coal and oxygen, and it results in the gradual accumulation of thermal energy that eventually produces conditions that are favorable for combustion. Ionic liquids (ILs) inhibit coal oxidation and reduce the amount of heat that is produced. A synchronous thermal analyzer was used to examine the effects of imidazolium-based ILs on bituminous coal from two sources. The results revealed that with the anion [BF4]−, the inhibiting effect of [BMIM]+ was stronger than that of [EMIM]+. Moreover, with the cation [BMIM]+, the inhibiting effects of [BF4]− were stronger than that of [I]− and [NO3]−. The inhibiting effects of the ILs on CSC were estimated using the Ozawa–Flynn–Wall method, which relates the apparent activation energy to the degree of conversion. The inhibiting effect of [BMIM][BF4] offers a basis for effectively preventing CSC and is favorable for universal application.

Galectins are β-galactoside binding lectins that play crucial roles in innate immunity in vertebrates and invertebrates through their conserved carbohydrate-recognition domains (CRDs). In the present study, single- and four-CRD-containing galectins were identified in oyster Crassostrea gigas (designated CgGal-2 and CgGal-3). The open reading frames (ORFs) of CgGal-2 and CgGal-3 encode polypeptides of 200 and 555 amino acids, respectively. All CRDs of CgGal-3 include two consensus motifs essential for ligand-binding, and a novel motif is present in CgGal-2. Pathogen-associated molecular pattern (PAMP) profiles were determined for recombinant rCgGal-2 and rCgGal-3, and rCgGal-2 displayed low binding affinity for PAMPs, while rCgGal-3 bound various PAMPs including glucan, lipopolysaccharide (LPS), and peptidoglycan (PGN) with relatively high affinity. Furthermore, rCgGal-2 and rCgGal-3 exhibited different microbe binding profiles; rCgGal-2 bound to Gram-negative bacteria (Escherichia coli and Vibrio vulnificus) and fungi (Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Pichia pastoris), while rCgGal-3 bound to these microbes but also to Gram-positive bacteria (Micrococcus luteus). In addition, rCgGal-3 possessed microbial agglutinating activity and coagulation activity against fungi and erythrocytes, respectively, but rCgGal-2 lacked any agglutinating activity. Carbohydrate binding specificity analysis showed that rCgGal-3 specifically bound D-galactose. Furthermore, rCgGal-2 and rCgGal-3 functioned as opsonin participating in the clearance against invaders in C. gigas. Thus, CgGal-2 with one CRD and CgGal-3 with four CRDs are new members of the galectin family involved in immune responses against bacterial infection. Differences in the organisation and amino acid sequences of CRDs may affect their specificity and affinity for nonself substances.

Danggui-Shaoyao-San (DSS), a famous Chinese formula, has been widely used to treat gynecological disorders since ancient times and has recently showed efficacy in treating Alzheimer’s disease. Butylidenephthalide (BDPH) and alisol B (ALI) are recognized as the primary active ingredients of DSS. The objectives of the present study were to evaluate the pharmacokinetic comparative study of BDPH and ALI in herbal extracts and their purified forms. A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC–MS/MS) methodology was developed to determine the concentration level of BDPH and ALI in rat plasma. This approach enables a real-time pharmacokinetics profiling of BDPH and ALI in DSS extracts as well as their purified forms in rats after oral administration. The validated method showed an evident linearity over a wide range of dosages (r > 0.99) with sensitivity down to 1.0 ng/mL for each analyte. The extraction recovery of the analyte ranged from 80.8 to 99.1%. The pharmacokinetic parameters were significantly different in herbal extracts and their purified forms. The results showed that the absorption of both BDPH and ALI from DSS extracts was significantly greater compared with their purified forms. A highly specific, sensitive and rapid HPLC–MS/MS method was developed and applied for the determination of BDPH and ALI in rat plasma. It was found that BDPH and ALI had higher bioavailability in the DSS extract compared with their purified forms.

Hazards caused by spontaneous coal combustion are of deep concern. To explore the process of spontaneous coal combustion, we focused on the key aspects of growth temperature (Tg) and the apparent activation energy (Ea), where Tg is associated with the Ea. We used four different heating rates to perform thermogravimetric (TG) experiments to calculate Ea values through an improved Kissinger–Akahira–Sunose method. The findings revealed a sudden change point in Ea values (that is, Tg), and comparisons between experimental data and calculated results demonstrated favorable agreement. The grey correlation analysis method was used to analyze the relationship between the samples’ Tg and intrinsic properties. A quasi-Newton method and general global optimization model were adopted to derive a predictive relationship for spontaneous coal combustion. The results are beneficial and crucial for elucidating the mechanism of spontaneous coal combustion, which could facilitate a thorough understanding of this process and help provide proactive loss prevention measures.

2-Deoxy- d -ribose-5-phosphate aldolase (DERA) belongs to the family of lyases and can form C–C bonds to generate multiple chiral centers, thus providing an interesting route to produce key chiral compounds. However, several problems, such as low activity and poor stability (poor tolerance to high aldehyde concentrations), limit the practical application of DERA in large-scale production. Many approaches have been introduced to address these issues. Specifically, in the last decade, many new DERAs, with high catalytic activity or excellent aldehyde tolerance, have been cloned from various extremophilic microorganisms. In addition, on the basis of the analysis of the catalytic mechanism of DERA, rational design engineering and computational design have been used to reconstruct DERA enzymes to alter their stability and catalytic activity.

We have grown EuPt2As2 single crystals using self-flux method, and investigated the physical properties by performing electrical transport, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat measurements. X-ray diffraction studies show that EuPt2As2 crystallizes in the orthorhombic structure with space group Pmmn. While no superconductivity is observed down to 1.5 K, two antiferromagnetic transitions related to Eu ions are found below 10 K. Similar to iso-structural EuPd2As2 and EuPd2Sb2, we propose that the first transition at 7.1 K is due to the antiferromagnetic ordering of Eu moments, and the second one at 5.9 K is due to a spin reorientation. The specific heat measurements reveal that the extrapolated Sommerfeld coefficient is moderately large γ 0 ∼ 70.5 mJ/(mol ⋅ K 2 ). We also proposed a field versus temperature phase diagram of this compound.