Pressure-induced disorder and nanosizing inhibits superconductivity in In2Te3.

The generation of disorder often gives rise to profound and irreversible physical phenomena. Here, we explore the influence of disorder on the superconducting properties of In2Te3through comprehensive high-pressure investigations. Building upon previous findings, we investigated the progressive suppression of superconductivity in In2Te3during the depressurization process: the increased disorder that ultimately leads to the complete disappearance of the superconducting state. Simultaneously, our high-pressure x-ray diffraction analysis reveals an irreversible structural phase transition. Furthermore, microstructure analysis using transmission electron microscopy clearly demonstrates both grain refinement and a substantial enhancement of disorder. These findings not only provide valuable insights into the mechanism by which disorder suppresses superconductivity, but also offer guidance for future advancements in the fabrication of atmospheric-pressure superconductors.

Which surgical approach is more favorable for pheochromocytoma of different sizes (< 6 cm vs. ≥ 6 cm)? A single retrospective center experience.

BACKGROUND: To compare the surgical effects of lateral transperitoneal approach (LTA) and posterior retroperitoneal approach (PRA) for pheochromocytoma of different sizes. METHODS: Data on patients with pheochromocytoma from 2014 to 2023 were collected from our hospital. According to different surgical approaches and tumor size, all patients were divided into four groups: tumor size < 6 cm for LTA and PRA and tumor size ≥ 6 cm for LTA and PRA. We compared these two surgical methods for pheochromocytoma of different sizes. RESULTS: A total of 118 patients with pheochromocytoma underwent successful laparoscopic surgery, including PRA group (n = 80) and LTA group (n = 38). In tumor size < 6 cm, the outcomes were no significant difference in LTA and PRA. In tumor size ≥ 6 cm, there was a significant difference in operation time (214.7 ± 18.9 vs. 154.3 ± 8.2, P = 0.007) and intraoperative blood loss (616.4 ± 181.3 vs. 201.4 ± 45.8, P = 0.037) between LTA and PRA. CONCLUSION: LTA and PRA were performed safely with similar operative outcomes in patients with pheochromocytoma size < 6 cm. While both LTA and PRA were executed with a commendable safety profile and comparable operative results in patients afflicted by pheochromocytomas < 6 cm, the PRA technique distinctly showcased advantages when addressing large-scale pheochromocytomas (≥ 6 cm). Notably, this manifested in reduced operative time, diminished intraoperative blood loss, decreased hospitalization expenses, and a paucity of procedural complications.

[Application progress on data-driven technologies in intelligent manufacturing of traditional Chinese medicine extraction].

The application of new-generation information technologies such as big data, the internet of things(IoT), and cloud computing in the traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)manufacturing industry is gradually deepening, driving the intelligent transformation and upgrading of the TCM industry. At the current stage, there are challenges in understanding the extraction process and its mechanisms in TCM. Online detection technology faces difficulties in making breakthroughs, and data throughout the entire production process is scattered, lacking valuable mining and utilization, which significantly hinders the intelligent upgrading of the TCM industry. Applying data-driven technologies in the process of TCM extraction can enhance the understanding of the extraction process, achieve precise control, and effectively improve the quality of TCM products. This article analyzed the technological bottlenecks in the production process of TCM extraction, summarized commonly used data-driven algorithms in the research and production control of extraction processes, and reviewed the progress in the application of data-driven technologies in the following five aspects: mechanism analysis of the extraction process, process development and optimization, online detection, process control, and production management. This article is expected to provide references for optimizing the extraction process and intelligent production of TCM.

Topologically Enabled Ultrahigh-Q Chiroptical Resonances by Merging Bound States in the Continuum.

Ultrahigh-Q chiroptical resonance metasurfaces based on merging bound states in the continuum (BICs) are investigated and numerically demonstrated. The destruction of C2 symmetry results in the leakage of BICs into quasi-BICs, and a chiral quasi-BIC is obtained by oblique incidence or continuous destruction of the mirror symmetry of the structure. Due to the significant topological properties of merging BICs, the Q factor (over 2 × 105) of the chiral resonance peak obtained is much higher than that of the previous work. Moreover, the proposed structure is easy to fabricate because no additional out-of-plane asymmetry is introduced. The proposed scheme is of importance in chiral biosensing applications.

Enhanced Mechanical Stability and Proton Conductivity Performance from the Dense Mn(II)-Metal-Organic Framework to Porous Mn(II)-Fe(III)-Metal-Organic Framework.

Postsynthetic modification (PSM) of the metal-organic framework (MOF) has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy to enhance performance. In this particular work, the anion framework Mn-MOF {[Mn3O(H2O)3(HTC)]2-} (HTC6- = (5'-(3,5-dicarboxyphenyl)-[1,1':3',1″-terphenyl]-3,3″,5,5″-tetracarboxylate] was obtained, and NH2(CH3)2+ ions were filled within the pores to balance the charge. In order to release the internal pores of Mn-MOF, the trivalent Fe(III) was introduced instead of Mn(II) nodes, resulting in the porous Mn1-xFex-MOF, and the NH2(CH3)2+ ions were simultaneously deported from the pores. The content of Fe(III) in Mn1-xFex-MOF was highly dependent on the concentration of Fe(III) solution, and the maximum could be up to Mn0.05Fe0.95-MOF with a BET surface area of 1209.457 m2 g-1. Compared to the amorphization of dense Mn-MOF at 0.8 GPa in a diamond anvil cell, the mechanical stability of porous Mn0.05Fe0.95-MOF has been dramatically enhanced, and the framework integrity could be maintained up to 16.5 GPa. The proton conductivity for the Mn1-xFex-MOF series was also investigated, where Mn0.93Fe0.07-MOF showed the best performance of 1.47 × 10-2 S cm-1 under 70 °C and 98% RH due to the onset of reversed charge from the anionic framework to cationic framework and the formation of the most compact hydrogen bonding net. This work has not only provided an example for the PSM strategy but also illustrated that the versatile functionalities of MOF materials were mainly ascribed to the tunable porosity.

[Research on batch-to-batch quality control of compound Danshen extract based on physical characterization and multivariate statistical analysis].

Physical attributes of Chinese herbal extracts are determined by their chemical components, and the physical and chemical attributes jointly affect the preparation process performance and the final product quality. Therefore, in order to improve the quality control of Chinese herbal extracts, we should comprehensively study the batch-to-batch consistency of physical and chemical attributes as well as the correlations between them. This paper first explored the physical attributes affecting the preparation process performance of the compound Danshen extract and developed a method for characterizing the texture attributes. With such main chemical components as water, phenolic acids, saponins, and saccharides and texture, rheology, and other physical attributes taken into consideration, the batch-to-batch quality fluctuation of products from different production lines and time was analyzed by principal components analysis(PCA). Finally, the correlation and partial least squares(PLS) analysis was conducted, and the regression equation was established. The fitting result of the PLS model for dynamic viscosity was satisfying(R~2Y=0.857, Q~2=0.793), suggesting that the chemical components could be adjusted by the component transfer rate in the extraction process, the impurity removal rate in the alcohol precipitation process, and the water retention rate of the concentration process to meet the control of the extract dynamic viscosity. This study clarified the correlations between physical and chemical attributes of the compound Danshen extract and established a method for controlling its physical attributes based on process regulation, which would provide reference for improving the quality control of Chinese herbal extracts.

Evolution of Structural and Electronic Properties in NbTe2 under High Pressure.

Transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted wide attention due to their quasi-two-dimensional layered structure and exotic properties. Plenty of efforts have been done to modulate the interlayer stacking manner for novel states. However, as an equally important element in shaping the unique properties of TMDs, the effect of intralayer interaction is rarely revealed. Here, we report a particular case of pressure-tuned re-arrangement of intralayer atoms in distorted 1T-NbTe2, which was demonstrated to be a new type of structural phase transition in TMDs. The structural transition occurs in the pressure range of 16-20 GPa, resulting in a transformation of Nb atomic arrangement from the trimeric to dimeric structure, accompanied by a dramatic collapse of unit cell volume and lattice parameters. Simultaneously, a charge density wave (CDW) was also found to collapse during the phase transition. The strong increase in the critical fluctuations of CDW induces a significant decline in the electronic correlation and a change of charge carrier type from hole to electron in NbTe2. Our finding reveals a new mechanism of structure evolution and expands the field of pressure-induced phase transition.

[Research on feedforward control method of mixing process for compound Danshen Dripping Pills based on quality by design(QbD)].

The mixing process is one of the key operation units for solid preparation of traditional Chinese medicine. The physical properties such as particle size, density and viscosity of the mixture are key factors that need to be controlled, which will directly affect the performance of the preparation molding process and product quality. Subsequent dripping process performance and appearance qua-lity of dripping pills will be affected by dynamic viscosity of materials in the mixing process. Based on this, with mixing process of compound Danshen dripping pills as the object, a feedforward control method for the dripping pill mixing process was established based on the concept of quality by design(QbD). Firstly, critical quality attribute(CQA)-dynamic viscosity, critical material attributes(CMAs)-the moisture content of compound Danshen extract, average molecular weight of polyethylene glycol 6000 and critical process parameter(CPP)-mixing temperature were identified through the analysis of properties for multiple batches of the raw materials and excipients as well as technological mechanism. Then the Box-Behnken experimental design was used to establish the regression model among CMA, CPP and CMA(R■=0.972 0, RMSE =16.24) to obtain the design space. Finally, through the verification of three batches within the design space, the mixing process temperature was adjusted according to the properties of the raw materials and exci-pients to achieve accurate control of the dynamic viscosity attribute. The relative deviation between the actual dynamic viscosity value and the target value was less than 3.0 %. The feedforward control of the mixing process of compound Danshen dripping pills was rea-lized in this study, which can contribute to improving quality consistency of the mixing process intermediates, simultaneously provide a reference for the research on the process quality control of other Chinese medicine dripping pills.

Granulocyte-targeted therapies for airway diseases.

The average respiration rate for an adult is 12-20 breaths per minute, which constantly exposes the lungs to allergens and harmful particles. As a result, respiratory diseases, which includes asthma, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) and acute lower respiratory tract infections (LTRI), are a major cause of death worldwide. Although asthma, COPD and LTRI are distinctly different diseases with separate mechanisms of disease progression, they do share a common feature - airway inflammation with intense recruitment and activation of granulocytes and mast cells. Neutrophils, eosinophils, basophils, and mast cells are crucial players in host defense against pathogens and maintenance of lung homeostasis. Upon contact with harmful particles, part of the pulmonary defense mechanism is to recruit these cells into the airways. Despite their protective nature, overactivation or accumulation of granulocytes and mast cells in the lungs results in unwanted chronic airway inflammation and damage. As such, understanding the bright and the dark side of these leukocytes in lung physiology paves the way for the development of therapies targeting this important mechanism of disease. Here we discuss the role of granulocytes in respiratory diseases and summarize therapeutic strategies focused on granulocyte recruitment and activation in the lungs.

Crystalline Lithium Imidazolate Covalent Organic Frameworks with High Li-Ion Conductivity.

Ionic covalent organic frameworks (ICOFs) have recently emerged as promising candidates for solid-state electrolytes. Herein, we report the first example of a series of crystalline imidazolate-containing ICOFs as single-ion conducting COF solid electrolyte materials, where lithium cations freely travel through the intrinsic channels with outstanding ion conductivity (up to 7.2 × 10-3 S cm-1) and impressively low activation energy (as low as 0.10 eV). These properties are attributed to the weak Li ion-imidazolate binding interactions and well-defined porous 2D framework structures of such ICOFs. We also investigated the structure-property relationship by varying the electronic properties of substituents (electron donating/withdrawing) that covalently attached to the imidazolate groups. We found electron-withdrawing substituents significantly improve the ion-conducting ability of imidazolate-ICOF by weakening ion-pair interactions. Our study provides a convenient bottom-up approach toward a novel class of highly efficient single-ion conducting ICOFs which could be used in all solid-state electrolytic devices.

A dosimetric comparison of the use of equally spaced beam (ESB), beam angle optimization (BAO), and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in head and neck cancers treated by intensity modulated radiotherapy.

INTRODUCTION: Previous studies have shown that the beam arrangement had significant influence on plan quality in intensity modulated radiotherapy (IMRT). This study aimed to evaluate the dosimetric performance of beam arrangement methods by employing equally spaced beams (ESB), beam angle optimization (BAO), and volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) in the planning of five types of head and neck (H&N) cancers treated by IMRT. METHODS: Five plans of different beam arrangement methods were optimized for 119 H&N cancer patients with the prescription of 66-70 Gy for high-risk planning target volume (PTV), 60 Gy for intermediate risk PTV, 54 Gy for low-risk PTV using a simultaneously integrated boost method. The five-beam arrangement methods were: ESB, coplanar BAO (BAOc), noncoplanar BAO (BAOnc), two-arc VMAT (VMAT2), and three-arc VMAT (VMAT3). The H&N cancers included cancers of nasopharynx, oral cavity, larynx, maxillary sinus, and parotid. Although the partial arc VMAT could be used in cases where the PTVs were situated at one side of the head such as the parotid, this arrangement was not included because it was intended to include only the beam arrangements that were applicable to all the types of head and neck cancers in the study. The plans were evaluated using a "figure-of-merit" known as uncomplicated target conformity index (UTCI). In addition, PTV conformation number and homogeneity index, normal tissue integral dose, and organ at risk (OAR) doses were also used. The mean values of these parameters were compared among the five plans. RESULTS: All treatment plans met the preset dose requirements for the target volumes and OARs. For nasopharyngeal cancer, VMAT3 and BAOnc demonstrated significantly higher UTCI. For cancer of oral cavity, most beam arrangement showed similar UTCI except ESB, which was relatively lower. For cancer of larynx, there was no significant difference in UTCI among the five-beam arrangement methods. For cancers of maxillary sinus and parotid gland, the two BAO methods showed marginally higher UTCI among all the five methods. CONCLUSION: Individual methods showed dosimetric advantages on certain aspects, and the UTCI of the BAO treatment plans are marginally greater in the case of maxillary sinus and parotid gland. However, if treatment time was included into consideration, VMAT plans would be recommended for cancers of the nasopharynx, oral cavity, and larynx.

Methylated of genes behaving as potential biomarkers in evaluating malignant degree of glioblastoma.

Abnormal methylation genes usually act as oncogenes or anti-oncogenes in the occurrence and development of tumor, indicating their potential role as biomarkers in the evaluation of malignant tumor. However, the research on methylation's association with glioblastoma was rare. We attempted to figure out whether the methylation of genes could serve as the biomarker in evaluating the malignant degree of GBM. Methylation microarray data of 275 GBM patients have been downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) dataset. Logistic regression was used to find the methylated genes associated with the malignant degree of patients with the tumor. Functional enrichment analysis and network analysis were further performed on these selected genes. A total of 668, 412, 470, and 620 genes relevant with the methylation or demethylation were found to be associated with the malignant degree, Grades 1-4 of tumor. The higher the degree of malignant tumor, the higher of its methylation degree of its corresponding genes. GO and KEGG analysis results showed that these methylated genes were enriched in many functions as cell adhesion, abnormal transcription, and cell cycle disorder, etc. Of note, CCL11 and LCN11 were found to be significantly related to the progression of GBM. Critical genes associated with cell cycle as CCL11 and LCN1 may play essential roles in the occurrence, development, and transition of glioblastoma. More research was needed to explore its potential molecular mechanism.

Synthesis of Ultrafine and Highly Dispersed Metal Nanoparticles Confined in a Thioether-Containing Covalent Organic Framework and Their Catalytic Applications.

Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with well-defined and customizable pore structures are promising templates for the synthesis of nanomaterials with controllable sizes and dispersity. Herein, a thioether-containing COF has been rationally designed and used for the confined growth of ultrafine metal nanoparticles (NPs). Pt or Pd nanoparticles (Pt NPs and Pd NPs) immobilized inside the cavity of the COF material have been successfully prepared at a high loading with a narrow size distribution (1.7 ± 0.2 nm). We found the crystallinity of the COF support and the presence of thioether groups inside the cavities are critical for the size-controlled synthesis of ultrafine NPs. The as-prepared COF-supported ultrafine Pt NPs and Pd NPs show excellent catalytic activity respectively in nitrophenol reduction and Suzuki-Miyaura coupling reaction under mild conditions and low catalyst loading. More importantly, they are highly stable and easily recycled and reused without loss of their catalytic activities. Such COF-supported size-controlled synthesis of nanoparticles will open a new frontier on design and preparation of metal NP@COF composite materials for various potential applications, such as catalysis and development of optical and electronic materials.

CRISPR-Cas9 systems: versatile cancer modelling platforms and promising therapeutic strategies.

The RNA-guided nuclease CRISPR-Cas9 (clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats-CRISPR associated nuclease 9) and its variants such as nickase Cas9, dead Cas9, guide RNA scaffolds and RNA-targeting Cas9 are convenient and versatile platforms for site-specific genome editing and epigenome modulation. They are easy-to-use, simple-to-design and capable of targeting multiple loci simultaneously. Given that cancer develops from cumulative genetic and epigenetic alterations, CRISPR-Cas9 and its variants (hereafter referred to as CRISPR-Cas9 systems) hold extensive application potentials in cancer modeling and therapy. To date, they have already been applied to model oncogenic mutations in cell lines (e.g., Choi and Meyerson, Nat Commun 2014;5:3728) and in adult animals (e.g., Xue et al., Nature 2014;514:380-4), as well as to combat cancer by disabling oncogenic viruses (e.g., Hu et al., Biomed Res Int 2014;2014:612823) or by manipulating cancer genome (e.g., Liu et al., Nat Commun 2014;5:5393). Given the importance of epigenome and transcriptome in tumourigenesis, manipulation of cancer epigenome and transcriptome for cancer modeling and therapy is a promising area in the future. Whereas (epi)genetic modifications of cancer microenvironment with CRISPR-Cas9 systems for therapeutic purposes represent another promising area in cancer research. Herein, we introduce the functions and mechanisms of CRISPR-Cas9 systems in genome editing and epigenome modulation, retrospect their applications in cancer modelling and therapy, discuss limitations and possible solutions and propose future directions, in hope of providing concise and enlightening information for readers interested in this area.

Ionic Covalent Organic Frameworks with Spiroborate Linkage.

A novel type of ionic covalent organic framework (ICOF), which contains sp(3)  hybridized boron anionic centers and tunable countercations, was constructed by formation of spiroborate linkages. These ICOFs exhibit high BET surface areas up to 1259 m(2) g(-1) and adsorb a significant amount of H2 (up to 3.11 wt %, 77 K, 1 bar) and CH4 (up to 4.62 wt %, 273 K, 1 bar). Importantly, the materials show good thermal stabilities and excellent resistance to hydrolysis, remaining nearly intact when immersed in water or basic solution for two days. The presence of permanently immobilized ion centers in ICOFs enables the transportation of lithium ions with room-temperature lithium-ion conductivity of 3.05×10(-5)  S cm(-1) and an average Li(+) transference number value of 0.80±0.02. Our approach thus provides a convenient route to highly stable COFs with ionic linkages, which can potentially serve as absorbents for alternative energy sources such as H2, CH4, and also as solid lithium electrolytes/separators for the next-generation lithium batteries.

Desymmetrized Vertex Design for the Synthesis of Covalent Organic Frameworks with Periodically Heterogeneous Pore Structures.

Two novel porous 2D covalent organic frameworks (COFs) with periodically heterogeneous pore structures were successfully synthesized through desymmetrized vertex design strategy. Condensation of C(2v) symmetric 5-(4-formylphenyl)isophthalaldehyde or 5-((4-formylphenyl)ethylene)isophthalaldehyde with linear hydrazine linker under the solvothermal or microwave heating conditions yields crystalline 2D COFs, HP-COF-1 and HP-COF-2, with high specific surface areas and dual pore structures. PXRD patterns and computer modeling study, together with pore size distribution analysis confirm that each of the resulting COFs exhibits two distinctively different hexagonal pores. The structures were characterized by FT-IR, solid state (13)C NMR, gas adsorption, SEM, TEM, and theoretical simulations. Such rational design and synthetic strategy provide new possibilities for preparing highly ordered porous polymers with heterogeneous pore structures.

Charged Porous Polymers using a Solid C-O Cross-Coupling Reaction.

Herein, we report a green, fast, efficient mechanochemical strategy for charged porous polymers (CPPs). A cationic CPP with basic anions and an anionic CPP with Li(+) cations were fabricated by solid grinding under solvent-free conditions. Compared with solution-based synthesis, mechanochemical grinding can shorten the reaction time from dozens of hours to several minutes (60-90 min) to form polymers possessing a high molecular mass and low polydispersity. During the construction of CPPs, a Pd-catalyzed solid polycondensation based on unactivated organic linkers was introduced. In particular, CPPs with basic phenolic or proline anions showed good activity and stability in SO2 capture, and Li(+) -functionalized CPPs can be post-modified to CPPs with other metal ions by ion exchange, highlighting the tailorable feature of ionic-modified CPPs.

[Study on chemical components distribution in Paeoniae Radix Alba and its processing methods].

After studying the discipline of chemical components distribution in peony root, it was found that the content distribution of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol was inhomogeneous in different parts of peony root, as same as in different roots belonging to a same plant. Therefore, in order to minimize the effects of different qualities of materials on experimental result, the content changing percentages of four chemical components was chosen as indicators to study processing method of Paeoniae Radix Alba. The processing technique of Paeoniae Radix Alba was put peony roots in the boiled water for at most ten minutes, and cut them into 2-3 mm slices after peeling the root bark, finally dry them in a oven under 55 degrees C, which was similar to the traditional processing method used in Bozhou. And the peeling, boiling and drying methods would affect the contents of albiflorin, paeoniflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol on several levels.

[Optimization of extraction technology from Paeoniae Radix Alba using response surface methodology].

To ensure the stability of chemistry components and the convenience of operation, ultrasound method was chosen to study in this investigation. As the total common peaks area in chromatograms was set to be evaluation index, the influence on the technology caused by extraction time, ethanol concentration and liquid-to-solid ratio was studied by using single factor methodology, and the extraction technology of Paeoniae Radix Alba was optimized by using response surface methodology. The results showed that the extracting results were most affected by ethanol concentration; liquid-to-solid ratio came the second and extraction time thirdly. The optimum ultrasonic-assisted extraction conditions were as follow: the ultrasonic extraction time was 20.06 min, the ethanol concentration in solvent was 72.04%, and the liquid-to-solid ratio was 53.38 mL · g(-1), the predicted value of total common peaks area was 2.1608 x 10(8). Under the extraction conditions after optimization, the total common peaks area was 2.1422 x 10(8), and the relative deviation between the measured and predicted value was 0.86%, so the optimized extraction technology for Paeoniae Radix Alba is suitable and feasible. Besides, for the purpose of extracting more sufficiently and completely, the optimized extraction technology had more advantages than the extraction method recorded in the monogragh of Paeoniae Radix Alba in Chinese Pharmacopoeia, which will come true the assessment and utilization comprehensively.

[Determination of chemical components of Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction pieces and its quality evaluation].

OBJECTIVE: An UPLC method was developed to evaluate the quality of Paeoniae Radix by simultaneously determining four components, paeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol in Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction pieces. METHOD: The UPLC chromatographic column was ACQUITY UPLC® HSS T3. The mobile phase was acetonitrile-0.05% phosphoric acid water with gradient elution. The column temperature was 30 °C and detection wavelength was 230 nm with a flow rate of 0.4 mL · min(-1). A linear model was obtained through principal component analysis (PCA), and PCA scores were used to evaluate the quality of Radix Paeoniae Alba decoction pieces comprehensively. RESULT: Paeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol could be well separated from other components, and the results of specificity, precision, repeatability, linearity, recovery rate and stability reached the standards, respectively. The content of paeoniflorin in 9 batches of Paeoniae Radix Alba decoction pieces was below the standard given by Chinese Pharmacopoeia (2010 edition). Using the comprehensive scoring method with principal component analysis, the results showed that the samples from Zhejiang province have better quality than those from Anhui and Shandong provinces. CONCLUSION: The method established in this study can effectively determine the content of paeoniflorin, albiflorin, benzoylpaeoniflorin and paeonol, which could be used for quality control of Paeoniae Radix Alba.