Search

Crop leaf length, perimeter, and area serve as vital phenotypic indicators of crop growth status, the measurement of which is important for crop monitoring and yield estimation. However, processing a leaf point cloud is often challenging due to cluttered, fluctuating, and uncertain points, which culminate in inaccurate measurements of leaf phenotypic parameters. To tackle this issue, the RKM-D point cloud method for measuring leaf phenotypic parameters is proposed, which is based on the fusion of improved Random Sample Consensus with a ground point removal (R) algorithm, the K-means clustering (K) algorithm, the Moving Least Squares (M) method, and the Euclidean distance (D) algorithm. Pepper leaves were obtained from three growth periods on the 14th, 28th, and 42nd days as experimental subjects, and a stereo camera was employed to capture point clouds. The experimental results reveal that the RKM-D point cloud method delivers high precision in measuring leaf phenotypic parameters. (i) For leaf length, the coefficient of determination (R 2 ) surpasses 0.81, the mean absolute error (MAE) is less than 3.50 mm, the mean relative error (MRE) is less than 5.93%, and the root mean square error (RMSE) is less than 3.73 mm. (ii) For leaf perimeter, the R 2 surpasses 0.82, the MAE is less than 7.30 mm, the MRE is less than 4.50%, and the RMSE is less than 8.37 mm. (iii) For leaf area, the R 2 surpasses 0.97, the MAE is less than 64.66 mm 2 , the MRE is less than 4.96%, and the RMSE is less than 73.06 mm 2 . The results show that the proposed RKM-D point cloud method offers a robust solution for the precise measurement of crop leaf phenotypic parameters.

Background: Acute mesenteric ischemia is a rare but lethal disease. Acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia consists of mesenteric artery embolism, mesenteric artery thrombosis, and mesenteric vein thrombosis. This study aimed to investigate the factors that may affect the outcome of acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia., Methods: Data from acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia patients admitted between May 2016 and May 2022 were reviewed retrospectively. Patients were divided into 2 groups according to whether complications(Clavien‒Dindo ≥ 2) occurred within 6 months of the first admission. Demographics, symptoms, signs, laboratory results, computed tomography angiography features, management and outcomes were analyzed., Results: 59 patients were enrolled in this study. Complications(Clavien‒Dindo ≥ 2) occurred within 6 months of the first admission in 17 patients. Transmural intestinal necrosis, peritonitis, white blood cell count, percentage of neutrophils, percentage of lymphocytes, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio, lactate dehydrogenase, creatine kinase isoenzyme, cardiac troponin I, laparoscopic exploration rate, open embolectomy rate, enterostomy rate, length of necrotic small bowel, length of healthy small bowel, surgical time and intraoperative blood loss differed significantly between groups. Creatine kinase isoenzyme (OR = 1.415, 95% CI: 1.060-1.888) and surgical time (OR = 1.014, 95% CI: 1.001-1.026) were independent risk factors associated with complications(Clavien‒Dindo ≥ 2)., Conclusions: Our analysis suggests that acute occlusive mesenteric ischemia patients with a creatine kinase isoenzyme level greater than 2.22 ng/mL or a surgical time longer than 156 min are more likely to experience complications'(Clavien‒Dindo ≥ 2) occurrence within 6 months of the first admission., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Fermented vegetable-based foods, renowned for their unique flavors and human health benefits, contain probiotic organisms with reported in vitro antioxidative effects. This study investigates the probiotic properties of Latilactobacillus sakei MS103 ( L. sakei MS103) and its antioxidant activities using an in vitro oxidative stress model based on the hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 )-induced oxidative damage of RAW 264.7 cells. L. sakei MS103 exhibited tolerance to extreme conditions (bile salts, low pH, lysozyme, H 2 O 2 ), antibiotic sensitivity, and auto-aggregation ability. Moreover, L. sakei MS103 co-aggregated with pathogenic Porphyromonas gingivalis cells, inhibited P. gingivalis -induced biofilm formation, and exhibited robust hydrophobic and electrostatic properties that enabled it to strongly bind to gingival epithelial cells and HT-29 cells for enhanced antioxidant effects. Additionally, L. sakei MS103 exhibited other antioxidant properties, including ion-chelating capability and the ability to effectively scavenge superoxide anion free radicals, hydroxyl, 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid, and 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl. Furthermore, the addition of live or heat-killed L. sakei MS103 cells to H 2 O 2 -exposed RAW 264.7 cells alleviated oxidative stress, as reflected by reduced malondialdehyde levels, increased glutathione levels, and the up-regulated expression of four antioxidant-related genes ( gshR2, gshR4, Gpx, and npx ). These findings highlight L. sakei MS103 as a potential probiotic capable of inhibiting activities of P. gingivalis pathogenic bacteria and mitigating oxidative stress.

The effects of different processing methods on the nutritional components of sea cucumber ( Apostichopus japonicus ) are of concern to consumers who select sea cucumber products. This study employed liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry to examine the metabolites in fresh, unsoaked salted, soaked salted, and instant sea cucumber body wall samples sourced from Dalian, China. Metabolites were evaluated utilizing partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) and subsequently subjected to KEGG metabolic pathway analysis for further investigation. PLS-DA effectively discriminated the body wall metabolites of sea cucumbers obtained via various processing techniques. The differential metabolites identified predominantly encompassed amino acids, lipids, and carbohydrates. Subsequent KEGG metabolic pathway analysis demonstrated a significant association between lipid, carbohydrate, and amino acid metabolism and the specific processing methods employed. The assessment of nutritional differences corresponding to the various A. japonicus processing methods was conducted. The findings of this study can assist in the choice of sea cucumber products and the selection of suitable processing methods., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

The manipulation of internal interactions at the molecular level within biological fibers is of particular importance but challenging, severely limiting their tunability in macroscopic performances and applications. It thus becomes imperative to explore new approaches to enhance biological fibers' stability and environmental tolerance and to impart them with diverse functionalities, such as mechanical recoverability and stimulus-triggered responses. Herein, we develop a dynamic imine fiber chemistry (DIFC) approach to engineer molecular interactions to fabricate strong and tough protein fibers with recoverability and actuating behaviors. The resulting DIF fibers exhibit extraordinary mechanical performances, outperforming many recombinant silks and synthetic polymer fibers. Remarkably, impaired DIF fibers caused by fatigue or strong acid treatment are quickly recovered in water directed by the DIFC strategy. Reproducible mechanical performance is thus observed. The DIF fibers also exhibit exotic mechanical stability at extreme temperatures (e.g., -196 °C and 150 °C). When triggered by humidity, the DIFC endows the protein fibers with diverse actuation behaviors, such as self-folding, self-stretching, and self-contracting. Therefore, the established DIFC represents an alternative strategy to strengthen biological fibers and may pave the way for their high-tech applications., (© 2023. Springer Nature Limited.)

Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection is a pressing clinical issue that impedes wound healing. Pro-inflammatory M1 macrophages is required to clear bacteria and recruit various cell types during the initial phase of wound healing, but timing of this process is crucial. Herein, a microenvironment-responsive nanofibrous dressing capable of timely macrophage phenotype transition in vivo is constructed by coating copper ions (Cu 2+ )-polydopamine (PDA) networks on poly (ε-caprolactone) fiber (PCL-fiber) membrane. During the initial post-implantation period, the nanofibrous dressing show pH-sensitive Cu 2+ release in the acidic infection microenvironment. The release Cu 2+ have a direct killing effect on MRSA, and promote the proinflammatory M1 phenotype of macrophages to enhance the antibacterial macrophage response. Later, PDA to become a reactive oxygen species (ROS) scavenger when in microenvironments with elevated ROS levels, which conferred the dressing with an immunomodulatory activity that convert M1 macrophages into M2 macrophages. In vivo examination in an MRSA infected full-thickness skin wounds of rat model demonstrates that this dressing significantly facilitated infection eradication and wound healing through modulating local inflammatory phenotype. Overall, this study offers a simple and effective approach for timely manipulation of inflammation progression to promote infected wound healing., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2023 The Authors.)

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a relatively common inflammatory disease that affects the synovial tissue, eventually results in joints destruction and even long-term disability. Although Janus kinase inhibitors (Jakinibs) show a rapid efficacy and are becoming the most successful agents in RA therapy, high dosing at frequent interval and severe toxicities cannot be avoided. Here, we developed a new type of fully compatible nanocarriers based on recombinant chimeric proteins with outstanding controlled release of upadacitinib. In addition, the fluorescent protein component of the nanocarriers enabled noninvasive fluorescence imaging of RA lesions, thus allowing real-time detection of RA therapy. Using rat models, the nanotherapeutic is shown to be superior to free upadacitinib, as indicated by extended circulation time and sustained bioefficacy. Strikingly, this nanosystem possesses an ultralong half-life of 45 h and a bioavailability of 4-times higher than pristine upadacitinib, thus extending the dosing interval from one day to 2 weeks. Side effects such as over-immunosuppression and leukocyte levels reduction were significantly mitigated. This smart strategy boosts efficacy, safety and visuality of Jakinibs in RA therapy, and potently enables customized designs of nanoplatforms for other therapeutics., Electronic Supplementary Material: Supplementary material (further details of DLS analysis, biocompatibility of PCP-UPA, CIA models construction, etc.) is available in the online version of this article at 10.1007/s12274-023-5838-0., (© Tsinghua University Press 2023.)

This article investigates the adaptive event-triggered output-feedback control problem for a class of switched stochastic nonlinear systems with actuator faults. In the existing works, the developed results on adaptive control for switched stochastic nonlinear systems are almost based on the average dwell-time method, and how to construct a desired adaptive controller in the frame of the mode-dependent average dwell time (MDADT) remains a control dilemma. By presenting a general adaptive control rule based on the MDADT, this article implements the adaptive output-feedback control for the switched stochastic system under interest. In the process of controller design, fuzzy-logic systems, a flexible approximator, are utilized to approximate the unknown nonlinear functions. The dynamic surface design approach is employed to avoid taking derivatives of the constructed virtual controls to decrease the difficulty of complex calculation greatly. Meanwhile, a switched observer is designed to estimate the unknown states. In the frame of backstepping design, an event-triggered-based adaptive output-feedback controller is constructed such that all signals existing in the closed-loop system are ultimately bounded under a class of switching signals with MDADT property. Finally, the simulation results show the validity of the proposed control strategy.

Peroxymonosulfate (PMS) driven by halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) modified with nanomanganese cobaltate (MnCo 2 O 4 ) generates reactive oxygen species (ROS) that offer high degradation efficiency and mineralization rates for many typical antibiotic pollutants, such as ornidazole (ONZ). The experimental results show that halloysite nanotubes (HNTs) modified with nanomanganese cobaltate (MnCo 2 O 4 @HNTs denoted as MCO@HNTs) can degrade ONZ completely over a wide pH range (6.08-11.00) with little influence of the pH value. MCO@HNTs + PMS exhibited higher catalytic activity and lower Co- and Mn-ion leaching rates. It also showed a strong anti-interference effect on natural lake water and anions. Additionally, PMS can be quickly activated and consumed in natural lakes to avoid secondary pollution. The roasting of MCO@HNTs showed good catalytic activity and stability after degrading ONZ. The combination of ion quenching and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) analysis illustrated that the MCO@HNTs + PMS system had a strong oxidation capacity, and the produced singlet oxygen ( 1 O 2 ) was the main ROS for ONZ degradation. The degradation pathway of ONZ via the MCO@HNTs + PMS system was proposed based on the types of intermediates determined via liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry (LC-MS). This comprehensive study shows the preparation of a simple, environmentally friendly, and cheap PMS activation catalyst that has practical application value in the treatment of antibiotic wastewater and provides a focus on actual water testing with residual amount of PMS., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Malachite green is a triphenylmethane compound, which has a good effect on disease prevention and control in the breeding of aquatic products, but it is a prohibited drug because it is detrimental to human health. Owing to the low content of target malachite green and complex components in the actual sample, simultaneously achieving good enrichment, high sensitivity, convenience, and rapidity detecting is difficult. Metal-organic framework (MOF) has a multidimensional network structure, good stability, and large specific surface area, and has broad application prospects in adsorption. However, the small particle size of MOF materials and the difficulty of recycling hinder their development. The hydrogel has a three-dimensional network structure that can encapsulate the MOF nanomaterials in the network, enhancing adsorption performance and facilitating separation from the adsorbed solution. In this study, MOF materials were prepared, and hydrogel doped with MOF nanomaterials (polyacrylamide-sodium alginate/metal-organic framework, PAAM-SA/MOF) was used to investigate the adsorption of malachite green in aquaculture water. The transmission electron microscopy was used to characterize MOF nanomaterials, scanning electron microscopy was used to examine the morphology and structure of the hydrogels before and after adsorption of malachite green, representing the successful synthesis of adsorbent materials with excellent properties. The mechanical properties of the hydrogels were investigated using a tensile testing machine, with a maximum tensile strain of up to 300%, without breaking and failing to remove when separated from the solution to be tested. The pore size of PAAM-SA/MOF hydrogel is considerably smaller than that of PAAM-SA, which is beneficial to increase the specific surface area of the adsorbent and thus improve the adsorption performance. A series of optimizations were performed on the adsorption conditions of the hydrogel adsorbent and the optimized conditions were obtained as follows: the amount of adsorbent used was 0.1 g, adsorption time was 5 h, the pH of malachite green solution was 9, the adsorption temperature was 40 ℃, and the initial concentration of malachite green solution was 100 mg/L. Under these conditions the adsorption efficiency could reach up to 97%. Furthermore, the adsorbed malachite green was eluted with organic solvents of various polarities, and the highest desorption efficiency was achieved when acetonitrile with higher polarity was used as the eluent. Simultaneously, the eluent volume was optimized, with 2 mL acetonitrile added to the malachite green-enriched hydrogel adsorbent to achieve the highest desorption efficiency of 99%. The enriched sample was separated using a Dionex Bonded Silica Products C 18 column (50 mm×2.1 mm, 3 μm), and eluted with an ammonium acetate-acetonitrile solvent system. The results showed that the limit of detection (LOD, S/N =3) was 0.083 μg/L, the limit of quantification (LOQ, S/N =10) was 0.25 μg/L, and the spiked recoveries of malachite green at high, medium, and low levels were 84.8%-118.1% with the relative standard deviations less than 5.1%. The pretreatment is simplified using this approach and combines the respective advantages of MOF and hydrogel to enable one-step enrichment of malachite green in aquaculture water. The additional MOF material can exert good adsorption in the hydrogel system, which solves the problem of low recovery of traditional MOF materials caused by tiny particle size, facilitating direct extraction after adsorption, and also solves the problem of low adsorption efficiency of pure hydrogel, improving the overall adsorption efficiency and recyclability. The actual sample test shows that the new hydrogel adsorption material can be used to extract and detect trace malachite green in aquaculture water. It is a novel, fast and convenient pretreatment approach with great potential in food detection.

Polyploid breeding is widely used in aquaculture as an important area of new research. We have previously grown Apostichopus japonicus triploids with a growth advantage. The body length, body weight, and aestivation time of triploid and diploid A. japonicus were measured in this study, and the transcriptome and metabolome were used to examine the growth advantage of triploids A. japonicus. The results showed that the proportion of triploid A. japonicus with a body length of 6-12 cm and 12-18 cm was significantly higher than that of diploid A. japonicus, and triploid A. japonicus had a shorter aestivation time (39 days) than diploid (63 days). We discovered 3296 differentially expressed genes (DEGs); 13 DEGs (for example, cyclin-dependent kinase 2) related to growth advantage, immune regulation, and energy storage were screened as potential candidates. According to Gene Ontology (GO) enrichment analysis, DEGs were significantly enriched in the cytoplasm (cellular component), ATP binding process (molecular function), oxidation-reduction process (biological process), and other pathways. According to the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) enrichment data, DEGs were significantly enriched in ribosome production and other areas. We discovered 414 significant differential metabolites (SDMs), with 11 important SDMs (for example, nocodazole) linked to a growth advantage. SDMs are significantly enriched in metabolic pathways, as well as other pathways, according to the KEGG enrichment results. According to a combined transcriptome and metabolome analysis, 6 DEGs have regulatory relationships with 11 SDMs, which act on 11 metabolic pathways together. Our results further enrich the biological data of triploid A. japonicus and provide useful resources for genetic improvement of this species., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Functional proteins are the most versatile macromolecules. They can be obtained by extraction from natural sources or by genetic engineering technologies. The outstanding selectivity, specificity, binding activity, and biocompatibility endow engineered proteins with outstanding performance for disease therapy. Nevertheless, their stability is dramatically impaired in blood circulation, hindering clinical translations. Thus, many strategies have been developed to improve the stability, efficacy, bioavailability, and productivity of therapeutic proteins for clinical applications. In this review, we summarize the recent progress in the fabrication and application of therapeutic proteins. We first introduce various strategies for improving therapeutic efficacy via bioengineering and nanoassembly. Furthermore, we highlight their diverse applications as growth factors, nanovaccines, antibody-based drugs, bioimaging molecules, and cytokine receptor antagonists. Finally, a summary and perspective for the future development of therapeutic proteins are presented., (© Tsinghua University Press 2022.)

Nucleoprotein (P40) is one of the most important proteins of Borna disease virus 1 (BoDV-1), but which proteins it would bind to in the pathogenesis of BoDV-1-infected hosts is unknown. We used lentivirus LV5-P40 overexpressing P40 to infect primary hippocampal neurons and characterized the interactome of P40 with co-immunoprecipitation (Co-IP) followed by mass spectrometry (MS) analysis. These interacting protein partners revealed the pathogenesis of BoDV-1-infected hosts. We also show for the first time that P40 interacts with 5HT2CR in rat neurons, which may be the molecular basis leading to neuropsychiatric diseases such as anxiety disorders and behavioral abnormalities after BoDV-1 infection of hosts., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature.)

Dynamic Nuclear Polarization (DNP) is a sensitivity enhancing technique for Nuclear Magnetic Resonance. A recent discovery of Overhauser Effect (OE) DNP in insulating systems under cryogenic conditions using 1,3-bisdiphenylene-2-phenylallyl (BDPA) as the polarizing agent (PA) has caught attention due to its promising DNP performance at a high magnetic field and under fast magic angle spinning conditions. However, the mechanism of OE in insulating-solids/BDPA is unclear. We present an alternative explanation that the dominant underlying DNP mechanism of BDPA is Thermal Mixing (TM). This is ascertained with the discovery that TM effect is enhanced by multi-electron spin coupling, which is corroborated by an asymmetric electron paramagnetic resonance line shape signifying the coexistence of clustered and isolated BDPA species, and by hyperpolarized electron spin populations giving rise to an electron spin polarization gradient which are characteristic signatures of TM DNP. Finally, quantum mechanical simulations using spatially asymmetrically coupled three electron spins and a nuclear spin demonstrate that triple-flip DNP, with hyperfine fluctuations turned off, can yield the 1 H DNP profile as observed with BDPA. Clarifying the DNP mechanism is critical to develop design principles for optimizing the PA for achieving optimal DNP efficiency.

Background: Laparoscopic surgery develops rapidly in both elective and emergency settings. The study aimed to determine the role of different laparoscopic methods for the emergency treatment of complicated diverticulitis., Methods: MEDLINE, EMBASE, Science Citation Index Expanded, and the Cochrane database were searched up to November 2019 to identify all published articles related to the topic. Statistical analysis was performed using Stata 15., Results: Fourteen publications were included in the analysis. Laparoscopic surgery was applied in 425 patients, and 493 patients underwent open colon resection (OCR). Postoperative mortality, morbidity, severe complications, and reoperation rates were not significantly different between the laparoscopic and open surgery groups. Subgroup analysis was performed based on the different laparoscopic methods (laparoscopic colon resection [LCR] and laparoscopic lavage and drainage [LLD]). Subgroup analysis indicated that LCR was superior to OCR in terms of morbidity, while OCR was superior to LLD in terms of severe complications., Conclusions: The safety of laparoscopic surgery for the emergency treatment of complicated diverticulitis is related to different surgical methods. LCR is suggested to be a better choice according to the postoperative outcomes. More definite conclusions can be drawn in future randomized controlled trials.

Radioactive enteritis(RE)is one of the most serious and common complications of intestinal tract caused by radiotherapy for malignant tumors in abdominal cavity,pelvic cavity,or retroperitoneum.Involved intestinal diseases are widespread,complex,and persistent,which make treatment difficult and ineffective.Short bowel syndrome can develop in some serious cases.Gut flora is the largest and most complex micro-ecosystem in human body and has a wide range of functions.Studies have shown that intestinal flora plays an important role in radiation-induced RE.This article summarizes recent research advances in the relationship between RE and gut flora.

Trityl-OX063 is a narrow-line, water-soluble, and biocompatible polarizing agent, widely used for dynamic nuclear polarization (DNP) amplified NMR of 13 C, but not of the abundant 1 H nuclear spin, for which the ineffective solid effect (SE) is expected to be operational. Surprisingly, we observed a crossover from SE to thermal mixing (TM) DNP of 1 H with increasing Trityl-OX063 concentration at 7 T. We experimentally ascertained diagnostic signatures of TM-DNP that have only been theoretically predicted: (i) an electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectrum that maintains an asymmetrically broadened EPR line from strong e - e couplings and (ii) hyperpolarization, i.e., cooling of select electron-spin populations, manifested in a characteristic pump-probe electron double-resonance spectrum under DNP conditions. Low microwave power requirements, high polarization transfer rates, and efficient DNP at high magnetic fields are the key benefits of TM-DNP.

Nanocomposites of layered MoS 2 and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with core-shell structure were prepared by a simple solvothermal method. The formation of MoS 2 nanosheets on the surface of coaxial CNTs has been confirmed by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, absorption spectrum, Raman spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Enhanced third-order nonlinear optical performances were observed for both femtosecond and nanosecond laser pulses over a broad wavelength range from the visible to the near infrared, compared to those of MoS 2 and CNTs alone. The enhancement can be ascribed to the strong coupling effect and the photoinduced charge transfer between MoS 2 and CNTs. This work affords an efficient way to fabricate novel CNTs based nanocomposites for enhanced nonlinear light-matter interaction. The versatile nonlinear properties imply a huge potential of the nanocomposites in the development of nanophotonic devices, such as mode-lockers, optical limiters, or optical switches., (© 2017 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Both the nonlinear absorption and nonlinear refraction properties of WS 2 and WSe 2 semiconductor films have been characterized by using Z-scan technique with femtosecond pulses at the wavelength of 1040 nm. It is found that these films have two-photon absorption response with the nonlinear absorption coefficient of ∼10 3   cm GW -1 , and a dispersion of nonlinear refractive index in the WS 2 films that translated from positive in the monolayer to negative in bulk materials.

It is demonstrated that the characteristic matrix method is effective and reliable for the optical identification of two-dimensional layered nanomaterials on different substrates. By using this method, the authors calculate the reflectivity and optical contrast of layered MoS2 crystallites prepared on quartz by chemical vapor deposition. It is found that the measured pixel intensity of an MoS2 optical image under continuous spectrum light is proportional to the calculated reflectivity, and that the theoretical optical contrast agrees well with the experimental results. This work provides a new way for the calculation of the optical contrast of the 2D nanomaterials and layered heterostructures on various substrates.

Background/aims: The aim of the paper is to describe a single-center experience of adult small intestine transplantation (ITx)., Methodology: 15 ITx and 1 combined liver and ITx(L/ITx) had performed. The immunosuppressive regimen was based on induction therapy with two different protocols: In Period I (pre-2006, n=10), daclizumab or without for induction, high dose tacrolimus, mycophenolate mofetil and steroids as maintenance therapy; In Period II (post-2006, n=6), alemtuzumab for induction and low dose tacrolimus as maintenance anti-rejection treatment unless required for, steroids were not routinely used., Results: In Period I, 9 ITx and 1 L/ITx were performed. One patient survived more than 1-year with normal bowel function and 1 recipient survived more than 4 years with partial PN. Seven patients died within one year. The main cause of death was sepsis. In period II, 4 patients have a normal bowel function with a regular diet without PN, while 2 patients are on partial PN. The main cause of death was rejection., Conclusion: The survival of intestinal transplantation has greatly improved over time as management strategies evolved. However, certain unresolved issues still requires future investigation include new strategies to prevent late complications and the causes.

Composite Ni-YSZ fuel electrodes are able to operate only under strongly reducing conditions for the electrolysis of CO(2) in oxygen-ion conducting solid oxide electrolysers. In an atmosphere without a flow of reducing gas (i.e., carbon monoxide), a composite fuel electrode based on redox-reversible La(0.2)Sr(0.8)TiO(3+δ) (LSTO) provides a promising alternative. The Ti(3+) was approximately 0.3% in the oxidized LSTO (La(0.2)Sr(0.8)TiO(3.1)), whereas the Ti(3+) reached approximately 8.0% in the reduced sample (La(0.2)Sr(0.8)TiO(3.06)). The strong adsorption of atmospheric oxygen in the form of superoxide ions led to the absence of Ti(3+) either on the surface of oxidized LSTO or the reduced sample. Reduced LSTO showed typical metallic behaviour from 50 to 700 °C in wet H(2); and the electrical conductivity of LSTO reached approximately 30 S cm(-1) at 700 °C. The dependence of [Ti(3+)] concentration in LSTO on P(O(2)) was correlated to the applied potentials when the electrolysis of CO(2) was performed with the LSTO composite electrode. The electrochemical reduction of La(0.2)Sr(0.8)TiO(3+δ) was the main process but was still present up to 2 V at 700 °C during the electrolysis of CO(2); however, the electrolysis of CO(2) at the fuel electrode became dominant at high applied voltages. The current efficiency was approximately 36% for the electrolysis of CO(2) at 700 °C and a 2 V applied potential.

Objective: To establish a method to evaluate the in vitro release of Zhike Pingchuan sustained-release tablets., Method: The ephedrine, pseudoephedrine, scopolamine were chosen as marker components components, and the chromatographic conditions were chosen according to the separation of baseline and theoretical plate number for determining the marker in vitro release of Zhike Pingchuan sustained-release tablets; through the dissolution curves of the three active components, the release behavior was judged as well-balanced release or not., Result: Compared with conventional tablets, the Zhike Pingchuan sustained-release tablets had a well-balanced behavior in 10 h., Conclusion: The maker components of Zhike Pingchuan sustained-release tablets and two chromatographic conditions, which were used to determine the dissolution of the sustained-release tablets, could be chosen as evaluation methods for the in vitro release of Zhike Pingchuan sustained-release tablets.