Bulk transparent supramolecular glass enabled by host-guest molecular recognition.

Supramolecular glass is a non-covalently cross-linked amorphous material that exhibits excellent optical properties and unique intrinsic structural features. Compared with artificial inorganic/organic glass, which has been extensively developed, supramolecular glass is still in the infancy stage, and itself is rarely recognized and studied thus far. Herein, we present the development of the host-guest molecular recognition motifs between methyl-ß-cyclodextrin and para-hydroxybenzoic acid as the building blocks of supramolecular glass. Non-covalent polymerization resulting from the host-guest complexation and hydrogen bonding formation enables high transparency and bulk state to supramolecular glass. Various advantages, including recyclability, compatibility, and thermal processability, are associated with dynamic assembly pattern. Short-range order (host-guest complexation) and long-range disorder (three dimensional polymeric network) structures are identified simultaneously, thus demonstrating the typical structural characteristics of glass. This work provides a supramolecular strategy for constructing transparent materials from organic components.

Identification and characterization of a calcium-binding peptide from salmon bone for the targeted inhibition of α-amylase in digestion.

α-Amylase, essential for carbohydrate digestion, relies on calcium (Ca) for its structural integrity and enzymatic activity. This study explored the inhibitory effect of salmon bone peptides on α-amylase activity through their interaction with the enzyme's Ca-binding sites. Among the various salmon bone hydrolysates, salmon bone trypsin hydrolysate (SBTH) exhibited the highest α-amylase inhibition. The peptide IEELEEELEAER (PIE), with a sequence of Ile-Glu-Glu-Leu-Glu-Glu-Glu-Glu-Leu-Glu-Ala-Glu-Arg from SBTH, was found to specifically target the Ca-binding sites in α-amylase, interacting with key residues such as Asp206, Trp203, His201, etc. Additionally, cellular experiments using 3 T3-L1 preadipocytes indicated PIE's capability to suppress adipocyte differentiation, and decreases in intracellular triglycerides, total cholesterol, and lipid accumulation. In vivo studies also showed a significant reduction in weight gain in the group treated with PIE(6.61%)compared with the control group (33.65%). These findings suggest PIE is an effective α-amylase inhibitor, showing promise for obesity treatment.

Point spread function modeling for photoacoustic tomography - I: three-dimensional detection geometries.

Photoacoustic computed tomography (PACT) has been under intensive investigation as a promising noninvasive biomedical imaging modality. Various acoustic detector arrays have been developed to achieve enhanced imaging performance. In this paper, we study the effect of the detection geometry on image quality through point spread function (PSF) modeling based on back-projection image reconstruction. Three commonly-used three-dimensional detection geometries, namely, spherical, cylindrical, and planar detector arrays, are investigated. The effect of detector bandwidth and aperture on PSF in these detection geometries is also studied. This work provides a performance evaluation tool for acoustic detector arrays used in PACT and can be helpful in the design and selection of detector arrays in practical imaging applications.

Phase transitions associated with magnetic-field induced topological orbital momenta in a non-collinear antiferromagnet.

Resistivity measurements are widely exploited to uncover electronic excitations and phase transitions in metallic solids. While single crystals are preferably studied to explore crystalline anisotropies, these usually cancel out in polycrystalline materials. Here we show that in polycrystalline Mn3Zn0.5Ge0.5N with non-collinear antiferromagnetic order, changes in the diagonal and, rather unexpected, off-diagonal components of the resistivity tensor occur at low temperatures indicating subtle transitions between magnetic phases of different symmetry. This is supported by neutron scattering and explained within a phenomenological model which suggests that the phase transitions in magnetic field are associated with field induced topological orbital momenta. The fact that we observe transitions between spin phases in a polycrystal, where effects of crystalline anisotropy are cancelled suggests that they are only controlled by exchange interactions. The observation of an off-diagonal resistivity extends the possibilities for realising antiferromagnetic spintronics with polycrystalline materials.

Phytoremediation and environmental effects of three Amaranthaceae plants in contaminated soil under intercropping systems.

Intercropping is a widely used agricultural system; however, the effect of intercropping between accumulator plants on phytoextraction in heavy metal-contaminated soils remains unknown. Here, a field experiment was conducted to investigate the phytoextraction efficiency and related environmental effects of three Amaranthaceae plants (Amaranthus hypochondriacus, Celosia argentea, and Pfaffia glomerata) using mono- and intercropping models. In monocropping, the total biomass of A. hypochondriacus was only 51.2 % of that of C. argentea. Compared with monocropping, intercropping reduced the fresh weight per plant of A. hypochondriacus by 53.0 % (intercropping with C. argentea) and 40.5 % (intercropping with P. glomerata) but increased the biomass per plant of C. argentea and P. glomerata by 128.2 and 14.2 %, respectively. The Cd uptake of the three plants in the monocropping models showed the following trend: C. argentea > P. glomerata > A. hypochondriacus. Interplanting A. hypochondriacus and C. argentea further increased the phytoextraction efficiency by 361.2 % (compared with A. hypochondriacus monocropping) and 52.0 % (compared with C. argentea monocropping). Soil exchangeable Cd, Pb, Cu, Zn, K, and P, soil N-NO3- and N-NH4+, soil common bacteria and arbuscular mycorrhiza (AM) fungi, and soil total organic carbon (TOC) play key roles in Cd and Pb uptake by the three accumulator plants (p < 0.05). The biomass of common bacteria, Gm+, Gm- bacteria, fungi, AM fungi, and actinomycetes increased with the three accumulators planted in the mono- and intercropping models. Compared with C. argentea monocropping, the biomass of soil microbes in the rhizosphere soil was obviously increased in the intercropping A. hypochondriacus and C. argentea models. These results suggest that interplanting A. hypochondriacus and C. argentea can increase Cd removal efficiency from Cd-contaminated soils, and this model could be recommended to remediate Cd-contaminated soils on a field scale.

Effect of Laparoscopic and Open Pancreaticoduodenectomy for Pancreatic or Periampullary Tumors: Three-year Follow-up of a Randomized Clinical Trial.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to estimate whether the potential short-term advantages of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) could allow patients to recover in a more timely manner and achieve better long-term survival than with open pancreaticoduodenectomy (OPD) in patients with pancreatic or periampullary tumors. BACKGROUND: LPD has been demonstrated to be feasible and may have several potential advantages over OPD in terms of shorter hospital stay and accelerated recovery than OPD. METHODS: This noninferiority, open-label, randomized clinical trial was conducted in 14 centers in China. The initial trial included 656 eligible patients with pancreatic or periampullary tumors enrolled from May 18, 2018, to December 19, 2019. The participants were randomized preoperatively in a 1:1 ratio to undergo either LPD (n=328) or OPD (n=328). The 3-year overall survival (OS), quality of life, which was assessed using the 3-level version of the European Quality of Life-5 Dimensions, depression, and other outcomes were evaluated. RESULTS: Data from 656 patients [328 men (69.9%); mean (SD) age: 56.2 (10.7) years] who underwent pancreaticoduodenectomy were analyzed. For malignancies, the 3-year OS rates were 59.1% and 54.3% in the LPD and OPD groups, respectively ( P =0.33, hazard ratio: 1.16, 95% CI: 0.86-1.56). The 3-year OS rates for others were 81.3% and 85.6% in the LPD and OPD groups, respectively ( P =0.40, hazard ratio: 0.70, 95% CI: 0.30-1.63). No significant differences were observed in quality of life, depression and other outcomes between the 2 groups. CONCLUSION: In patients with pancreatic or periampullary tumors, LPD performed by experienced surgeons resulted in a similar 3-year OS compared with OPD. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier: NCT03138213.

Bulk and transparent supramolecular glass from evaporation-induced noncovalent polymerization of nucleosides.

Understanding the nature of glass is one of the most important challenges in chemistry, physics, and materials science. In this study, transparent bulk supramolecular glasses with excellent optical behaviors and good mechanical properties were fabricated via the non-covalent polymerization of nucleosides. Hydrogen bonding is the main driving force in the formation of bulk supramolecular glasses. The directional and saturated character of hydrogen bonding enables the formation of a short-range ordered structure, while the weak nature and reversibility of hydrogen bonds allow for the asymmetric and random connections of the short-range ordered structure into a long-range disordered network. Various relaxations, including ß, γ, and δ relaxations, are observed at temperatures below the glass transition temperature, demonstrating the metastable nature of bulk supramolecular glasses. This investigation offers supramolecular insights into the nature of glass materials.

Zwitterionic Eutectogel-Based Wearable Strain Sensor with Superior Stretchability, Self-Healing, Self-Adhesion, and Wide Temperature Tolerance.

Ionic conductive eutectogels have great application prospects in wearable strain sensors owing to their temperature tolerance, simplicity, and low cost. Eutectogels prepared by cross-linking polymers have good tensile properties, strong self-healing capacities, and excellent surface-adaptive adhesion. Herein, we emphasize for the first time the potential of zwitterionic deep eutectic solvents (DESs), in which betaine is a hydrogen bond acceptor. Polymeric zwitterionic eutectogels were prepared by directly polymerizing acrylamide in zwitterionic DESs. The obtained eutectogels owned excellent ionic conductivity (0.23 mS cm-1), superior stretchability (approximately 1400% elongation), self-healing (82.01%), self-adhesion, and wide temperature tolerance. Accordingly, the zwitterionic eutectogel was successfully applied in wearable self-adhesive strain sensors, which can adhere to skins and monitor body motions with high sensitivity and excellent cyclic stability over a wide temperature range (-80 to 80 °C). Moreover, this strain sensor owned an appealing sensing function on bidirectional monitoring. The findings in this work can pave the way for the design of soft materials with versatility and environmental adaptation.

The influence of residual pectin composition and content on nanocellulose films from ramie fibers: Micro-nano structure and physical properties.

In this study, cellulose nanofibril (CNF) films from ramie fibers were prepared with different pectin compositions and contents, and the influence of residual pectin on the overall performances of CNF films was evaluated. There was no significant effect of the residual pectin composition on the properties of obtained CNF films. However, when the content of residual pectin was increased from 0.45 % to 9.16 %, the surface area and water absorption of CNF films were increased from 0.2223 to 0.3300 m2/g, and from 93.51 % to 122.42 %, respectively. Pectin covers the CNF surface and act as a physical barrier between the cellulose fibrils; thus the nanocellulose films with high pectin content will have a loose and porous structure, resulting in a high surface area and a high water absorption. Besides, with the residual pectin content decreasing from 9.16 % to 0.45 %, the UVA light transmittance and tensile strength of CNF films were increased from 30.6 % to 59.9 %, and from 37.67 to 100.26 MPa, respectively. After removal of amorphous pectins in CNFs, the low pectin containing CNFs are able to pack more compactly to form a strong and thin film. This paper provides guidance for the preparation of CNF films with different performance requirements.

Management of the Uncinate Process in No-Touch Laparoscopic Pancreaticoduodenectomy.

Laparoscopic pancreatoduodenectomy (LPD) is a demanding abdominal operation that necessitates meticulous surgical skills and teamwork. The management of the pancreatic uncinate process is one of the most important and difficult processes in LPD because of its deep anatomical location and difficult exposure. Complete resection of the uncinate process and mesopancreas has become the cornerstone of LPD. In particular, it is even more difficult to avoid positive surgical margins and incomplete lymph node dissection when the tumor is located in the uncinate process. No-touch LPD, which is an ideal oncological operation process fitting the "tumor-free" principle, has been reported by our group previously. This article introduces the management of the uncinate process in no-touch LPD. Based on the multi-angle arterial approach, in this protocol, the median-anterior and left-posterior approaches to the SMA are used to correctly deal with the important vascular structure, the inferior pancreaticoduodenal artery (IPDA), in order to ensure the safe and complete excision of the uncinate process and mesopancreas. For the achievement of the no-touch isolation technique in LPD, the pancreatic head and the blood supply to the duodenal region must be severed at the very early stage of the operation; after that, the tumor can be isolated intact, resection can be performed in situ, and finally, the tissue can be removed en bloc. This paper aims to show the distinctive ways to manage the uncinate process in no-touch LPD and investigate the viability and safety of this approach. Moreover, the technique may increase the R0 resection rate.

Textbook outcome as a composite outcome measure in laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy: a multicenter retrospective cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Textbook outcome (TO) is a composite outcome measure for surgical quality assessment. The aim of this study was to assess TO following laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD), identify factors independently associated with achieving TO, and analyze hospital variations regarding the TO after case-mix adjustment. METHODS: This multicenter cohort study retrospectively analyzed 1029 consecutive patients undergoing LPD at 16 high-volume pancreatic centers in China from January 2010 to August 2016. The percentage of patients achieving TO was calculated. Preoperative and intraoperative variables were compared between the TO and non-TO groups. Multivariate logistic regression was performed to identify factors independently associated with achieving TO. Hospital variations regarding the TO were analyzed by the observed/expected TO ratio after case-mix adjustment. Differences in expected TO rates between different types of hospitals were analyzed using the one-way analysis of variance test. RESULTS: TO was achieved in 68.9% ( n =709) of 1029 patients undergoing LPD, ranging from 46.4 to 85.0% between different hospitals. Dilated pancreatic duct (>3 mm) was associated with the increased probability of achieving TO [odds ratio (OR): 1.564; P =0.001], whereas advanced age (≥75 years) and concomitant cardiovascular disease were associated with a lower likelihood of achieving TO (OR: 0.545; P =0.037 and OR: 0.614; P =0.006, respectively). The observed/expected TO ratio varied from 0.62 to 1.22 after case-mix adjustment between different hospitals, but no significant hospital variations were observed. Hospital volume, the surgeon's experience with open pancreaticoduodenectomy and minimally invasive surgery, and surpassing the LPD learning curve were significantly correlated with expected TO rates. CONCLUSION: TO was achieved by less than 70% of patients following LPD. Dilated pancreatic ducts, advanced age, and concomitant cardiovascular disease were independently associated with achieving TO. No significant hospital variations were observed after case-mix adjustment.

Characterizations and the Mechanism Underlying Cryoprotective Activity of Peptides from Enzymatic Hydrolysates of Pseudosciaena crocea.

Antifreeze peptides are a class of small molecule protein hydrolysates that protect frozen products from cold damage under freezing or subcooling conditions. In this study, three different Pseudosciaena crocea (P. crocea) peptides were from pepsin, trypsin, and neutral protease enzymatic hydrolysis. It aimed to elect the P. crocea peptides with better activity through molecular weight, antioxidant activity, and amino acid analysis, as well as to compare the cryoprotective effects with a commercial cryoprotectant. The results showed that the untreated fillets were prone to be oxidized, and the water-holding capacity after freeze-thaw cycle decreased. However, the treatment of the trypsin hydrolysate of P. crocea protein significantly promoted the water-holding capacity level and reduced the loss of Ca2+-ATP enzyme activity and the structural integrity damage of myofibrillar protein in surimi. Moreover, compared with 4% sucrose-added fillets, trypsin hydrolysate treatment enhanced the umami of frozen fillets and reduced the unnecessary sweetness. Therefore, the trypsin hydrolysate of P. crocea protein could be used as a natural cryoprotectant for aquatic products. Hence, this study provides technical support for its use as a food additive to improve the quality of aquatic products after thawing and provides a theoretical basis and experimental foundation for the in-depth research and application of antifreeze peptides.

Extraction and purification of grape seed polysaccharides using pH-switchable deep eutectic solvents-based three-phase partitioning.

T-butanol is widely used in three-phase partitioning (TPP), which is harmful to the environment. pH-switchable deep eutectic solvents (DESs) can be used as recyclable alternatives to t-butanol. This study aimed to construct DES-based TPP for extracting and purifying grape seed polysaccharides (GSP). The main influence factors were investigated in single-factor experiments. DES-1 (dodecanoic acid: octanoic acid = 1:1)-based extraction was screened, and the extraction yield reached the maximum of 98.04 mg/g under the optimal conditions. Furthermore, DES can be recycled, only suffering a small loss capacity in extraction yield after 25 cycles. Most importantly, the extractability of DES could be completely recovered after switching and regeneration. The molecular weight of obtained GSP was 60 kDa, and the main monosaccharides of GSP included mannose, glucose, galactose, and arabinose. This study provides an efficient and sustainable method for the extraction of bioactive substances.

Nutritional properties and osteogenic activity of simulated digestion components and peptides from Larimichthys crocea.

Fish provides a range of health benefits due to its nutritional and bioactive components. However, the bioactive peptides derived from Larimichthys crocea proteins were not fully investigated, especially the beneficial effects related to bone growth in vitro. In this study, the water extract protein was subjected to the simulated in vitro digestion process, and the osteogenic effect of enzymatic hydrolysate at different digestion stages was evaluated by the proliferation of osteoblast. The protein hydrolyzates of group pepsin treatment for 1 h and pepsin treatment for 2 h showed higher osteogenic activity in vitro. Two peptides including IERGDVVVQDSPSD from pepsin treatment for 1 h and RGDLGIEIPTEK from pepsin treatment for 2 h were identified, which revealed eminent effects in terms of promoting osteoblast proliferation and enhancing ALP activity. Moreover, the available nutrients in the proteins were determined by the molecular weight distribution and free amino acid composition. Those peptides also showed stronger interaction with RGD than integrins. Therefore, the peptides from Larimichthys crocea can be used as an effective ingredient for promoting bone growth in the future.

CO2-triggered switchable hydrophilicity solvent as a recyclable extractant for ultrasonic-assisted extraction of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides.

In this study, CO2-triggered switchable hydrophilicity solvents (SHSs) based on different amines and water were employed in the ultrasonic-assisted extraction of Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides (PSPs). When CO2 was pumped into the amine, the solution became hydrophilic and could be used as an extractant for PSPs extraction. When CO2 was removed, the solution switched hydrophobicity, with the extractants being separated from the extract and further recycled and reused. The factors affecting the solid-liquid extraction of PSPs were studied. The maximum extraction yield of 399.2 mg/g was obtained at a solid-liquid ratio of 1:20, extraction time of 60 min, extraction temperature of 50 °C, and ultrasonic power of 500 W. SHSs could be recovered and reused with 88.4% recovery after the fifth cycle. The molecular weights and monosaccharide compositions of PSPs were also determined. This study provides a new strategy for sustainable extraction of plant polysaccharides and other bioactive ingredients.

Laparoscopic Radical Antegrade Modular Pancreatosplenectomy via Dorsal-Caudal Artery Approach for Pancreatic Neck-Body Cancer.

Laparoscopic radical resection of the pancreatic neck is one of the most complicated radical operations for pancreatic cancer, especially for patients who have had neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Here, we present a technique to perform laparoscopic radical antegrade modular pancreatosplenectomy (L-RAMPS) using the dorsal-caudal artery approach by making full use of the high-definition vision and operation modes of the laparoscope. The innovation and optimization of this operation are provided in the protocol. Priority should be given to the dorsal resection plane, including the dorsal side of the superior mesenteric artery (SMA), the dorsal side of the pancreatic head, the root of the celiac artery (CeA), the ventral side of the left renal vessels, and the renal hilum. On the condition that the operation for pancreatic neck-body cancer is feasible and safe, the second step is to perform tumor resection en bloc surrounding the SMA and CeA from the caudal to the cephalic side to increase the rate of R0 (radical zero) resection and further prognosis.

Poly(thioctic acid): From Bottom-Up Self-Assembly to 3D-Fused Deposition Modeling Printing.

Inspired by the bottom-up assembly in nature, an artificial self-assembly pattern is introduced into 3D-fused deposition modeling (FDM) printing to achieve additive manufacturing on the macroscopic scale. Thermally activated polymerization of thioctic acid (TA) enabled the bulk construction of poly(TA), and yielded unique time-dependent self-assembly. Freshly prepared poly(TA) can spontaneously and continuously transfer into higher-molecular-weight species and low-molecular-weight TA monomers. Poly(TA) and the newly formed TA further assembled into self-reinforcing materials via microscopic-phase separation. Bottom-up self-assembly patterns on different scales are fully realized by 3D FDM printing of poly(TA): thermally induced polymerization of TA (microscopic-scale assembly) to poly(TA) and 3D printing (macroscopic-scale assembly) of poly(TA) are simultaneously achieved in the 3D-printing process; after 3D printing, the poly(TA) modes show mechanically enhanced features over time, arising from the microscopic self-assembly of poly(TA) and TA. This study clearly demonstrates that micro- and macroscopic bottom-up self-assembly can be applied in 3D additive manufacturing.

Effects of residual pectin composition and content on the properties of cellulose nanofibrils from ramie fibers.

In this study, a series of pretreatment methods (pectin extraction) were employed to prepare cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) with different pectin composition and contents from ramie fibers. The comprehensive effects of residual pectin on the final properties of CNFs were investigated. The residual pectin did not have a significant effect on the size distribution of the obtained CNFs. While the presence of pectin led to higher zeta potential value, improved dispersion stability and enhanced storage modulus of the CNF dispersion, with the sodium carbonate extraction method showing the greatest impact. The possible mechanism for enhanced dispersion stability of CNFs is the formation of self-assembled hierarchical pectin-hemicellulose/lignin-cellulose nanostructures, offering abundant electrostatic repulsion and steric hindrance between the nanoparticles. This work provides guidelines for the tailored production of CNFs to meet the requirements for different applications.

A Novel Ethanolic Two-Phase System Based on Deep Eutectic Solvents and Amphiphilic Copolymer for the Extraction of Neohesperidin and Naringin from the Pomelo Peel.

A novel ethanolic two-phase system (ETPS) composed of Pluronic®L-64 (PL 64) and deep eutectic solvents (DESs) was constructed for the separation of two similar flavonoids of naringin (Nar) and neohesperidin (Neo) from the pomelo peel. The selectivity (S) data showed that DES prepared from tetrabutylammonium bromide (N4444Br) and glycerol (Gly) had the optimal distribution efficiency for Nar and Neo standards. A binodal curve of N4444Br-Gly/PL 64/ethanol system fitted to the nonlinear Merchuk relationship showed that the biphasic region was narrow for ETPS. The influences of the mass ratio of DESs and PL 64, DES concentration, PL 64 concentration, molar ratio of DESs, temperature, phosphate buffer solution, and ethanolic pH were studied in single-factor experiments. Under the optimal conditions, the maximum extraction efficiency (ENar = 68.32%, ENeo = 86.09%), partition coefficient (KNar = 6.66, KNeo = 19.13), and S (2.88) were obtained in the DESs-rich (bottom) phase. N4444Br-Gly, Nar, and Neo with recovery yields of 78.12%, 66.61%, and 68.03%, respectively, had been recovered using D101 macroporous resin. This proposed ETPS is efficient and environmentally friendly and is expected to avail meaningful references for the separation of natural products with similar structures.