Interlayer Charge Transfer Induced Electrical Behavior Transition in 1D AgI@sSWCNT van der Waals Heterostructures.

The emergence of one-dimensional van der Waals heterostructures (1D vdWHs) opens up potential fields with unique properties, but precise synthesis remains a challenge. The utilization of mixed conductive types of carbon nanotubes as templates has imposed restrictions on the investigation of the electrical behavior and interlayer interaction of 1D vdWHs. In this study, we efficiently encapsulated silver iodide in high-purity semiconducting single-walled carbon nanotubes (sSWCNTs), forming 1D AgI@sSWCNT vdWHs. We characterized the semiconductor-metal transition and increased the carrier concentration of individual AgI@sSWCNTs via sensitive dielectric force microscopy and confirmed the results through electrical device tests. The electrical behavior transition was attributed to an interlayer charge transfer, as demonstrated by Kelvin probe force microscopy. Furthermore, we showed that this method of synthesizing 1D heterostructures can be extended to other metal halides. This work opens the door for the further exploration of the electrical properties of 1D vdWHs.

Interfacial Electron Transfer in PbI2@Single-Walled Carbon Nanotube van der Waals Heterostructures for High-Stability Self-Powered Photodetectors.

Acquiring a deep insight into the electron transfer mechanism and applications of one-dimensional (1D) van der Waals heterostructures (vdWHs) has always been a significant challenge. Herein, through direct observation using aberration-corrected transmission electron microscopy (AC-TEM), we verify the stable formation of a high-quality 1D heterostructure composed of PbI2@single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). The phenomenon of electron transfer between PbI2 and SWCNT is elucidated through spectroscopic investigations, including Raman and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Electrochemical testing indicates the electron transfer and enduring stability of 1D PbI2 within SWCNTs. Moreover, leveraging the aforementioned electron transfer mechanism, we engineer self-powered photodetectors that exhibit exceptional photocurrent and a 3-order-of-magnitude switching ratio. Subsequently, we reveal its unique electron transfer behavior using Kelvin probe force microscopic (KPFM) tests. According to KPFM, the average surface potential of SWCNTs decreases by 80.6 mV after filling. Theoretical calculations illustrate a charge transfer of 0.02 e per unit cell. This work provides an effective strategy for the in-depth investigation and application of electron transfer in 1D vdWHs.

Effect of the nurse-led Hospital Elder Life Program on delirium reduction among delirious patients with COVID-19: A randomized clinical trial.

BACKGROUND: Infectious diseases, such as COVID-19, are high-risk factors for delirium. However, the implementation of nonpharmacological interventions faces major challenges during an infectious disease pandemic. AIMS: To evaluate the effect of the nurse-led Hospital Elder Life Program (NL-HELP) on delirium reduction among delirious patients with COVID-19. DESIGN: A single-blind randomized clinical trial. METHODS: This study recruited 122 delirious patients with COVID-19 from internal medicine wards at West China Hospital in China between January 30 and March 31, 2023. Participants were randomized to the NL-HELP group (n = 62) or the usual care group (n = 60). Patients in the intervention group received the NL-HELP protocol three times daily for 7 days. Patients in the control group received usual care. The primary outcome was the absence/presence of delirium during the intervention period measured by the 3-min Diagnostic Confusion Assessment Method. RESULTS: Fewer patients remained delirious in the NL-HELP group than in the control group. There were significantly more delirium-free days in the NL-HELP group than in the usual care group. There were no statistically significant differences between the two groups in terms of delirium severity, length of hospital stay, delirium at 30 days after discharge, 30-day readmission, 30-day mortality, physical function or quality of life. CONCLUSIONS: This study demonstrated that NL-HELP could reduce the presence of delirium in delirious patients. No effect was observed in terms of shortening the length of hospital stay, reducing 30-day mortality, or improving quality of life. IMPACT: NL-HELP may be effective in reducing the presence of delirium in delirious patients. Further research is needed to determine whether the NL-HELP can improve patient outcomes (e.g. mortality and quality of life) in a larger study. PATIENT OR PUBLIC CONTRIBUTION: Caregivers of delirious patients were invited to provide intervention strategies to prevent or abate delirium, including environmental management, orientation communications and identification of alert signs. TRIAL REGISTRATION: This study was prospectively registered at the Chinese Clinical Trial Registry (https://www.chictr.org.cn/) Identifier: ChiCTR2300067874.

Toward the next generation EGFR inhibitors: an overview of osimertinib resistance mediated by EGFR mutations in non-small cell lung cancer.

Epidermal growth factor receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (EGFR-TKI) is currently the standard first-line therapy for EGFR-mutated advanced non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). The life quality and survival of this subgroup of patients were constantly improving owing to the continuous iteration and optimization of EGFR-TKI. Osimertinib, an oral, third-generation, irreversible EGFR-TKI, was initially approved for the treatment of NSCLC patients carrying EGFR T790M mutations, and has currently become the dominant first-line targeted therapy for most EGFR mutant lung cancer. Unfortunately, resistance to osimertinib inevitably develops during the treatment and therefore limits its long-term effectiveness. For both fundamental and clinical researchers, it stands for a major challenge to reveal the mechanism, and a dire need to develop novel therapeutics to overcome the resistance. In this article, we focus on the acquired resistance to osimertinib caused by EGFR mutations which account for approximately 1/3 of all reported resistance mechanisms. We also review the proposed therapeutic strategies for each type of mutation conferring resistance to osimertinib and give an outlook to the development of the next generation EGFR inhibitors. Video Abstract.

The therapeutic efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin in dermatomyositis and polymyositis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) in the treatment of dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM). METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and the China National Knowledge Infrastructure for relevant studies from July 1919 to May 2021. RESULTS: Seventeen papers pertinent to our questions were found: In a meta-analysis, we found that IVIG significantly improved the level of CK (SMD (STD. Mean Difference) = -0.69; 95%CI -0.93, -0.46; P < 0.0001), Manual Muscle Test (SMD = 1.12; 95%CI 0.77, 1.47; P < 0.00001), Medical Research Council (SMD = 1.59; 95%CI 0.86, 2.33; P < 0.00001), Activities of Daily Living (SMD = 1.07; 95%CI 0.59, 1.56; P < 0.0001). The CK levels in DM and PM were also significantly improved after IVIG (SMD = -0.73; 95%CI -1.12, -0.34; P = 0.0002 and SMD = -3.29; 95%CI -5.82, -0.76; P < 0.0001, respectively). The meta-analysis of three RCTs showed that there was a statistically significant improvement after IVIG (SMD = 0.63; 95%CI 0.22, 1.03; P = 0.002). In a random effects model, pooled muscle power improvement rate was 77% (95% CI: 66.0-87.0%). Meta-analyses of IVIG as first-line therapy showed a significant improvement of the CK level (SMD = -0.71; 95%CI -1.12, -0.30; P = 0.0007). The polled improvement rate of oesophageal disorders was 88% (95% CI: 80.0-95.0%). There was no statistically significant difference in the rate of improvement between the number of courses <2 and ≥2 (0.80% vs. 0.80%, P = 0.9). The proportion of corticosteroid-sparing success reached 81.8%. Adverse reactions following IVIG administration are usually mild and transient. Seven patients developed serious adverse events. CONCLUSION: IVIG seems to be an effective drug for DM/PM, improving muscle strength, CK levels, and oesophageal involvement, and it is well tolerated by patients.

A LDH Template Triggers the Formation of a Highly Compact MIL-53 Metal-Organic Framework Membrane for Acid Upgrading.

Highly compact metal-organic framework (MOF) membranes offer hope for the ambition to cope with challenging separation scenarios with industrial implications. A continuous layer of layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoflakes on an alumina support as a template triggered a chemical self-conversion to a MIL-53 membrane, with approximately 8 hexagonal lattices (LDH) traded for 1 orthorhombic lattice (MIL-53). With the sacrifice of the template, the availability of Al nutrients from the alumina support was dynamically regulated, which resulted in synergy for producing membranes with highly compact architecture. The membrane can realize nearly complete dewatering from formic acid and acetic acid solutions, respectively, and maintain stability in a continuous pervaporation over 200 h. This is the first success in directly applying a pure MOF membrane to such a corrosive chemical environment (lowest pH value of 0.81). The energy consumption is saved by up to 77 % when compared with the traditional distillation.

Cardiovascular events in adult polymyositis and dermatomyositis: a meta-analysis of observational studies.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to review whether PM and DM patients have an increased cardiovascular (CV) risk, including ischaemic heart disease (IHD), cerebrovascular accidents (CVA) and venous thromboembolism. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase and the Cochrane database for relevant studies from inception to February 2021. RESULTS: Twenty-two studies comprising 25 433 patients were included. With PM/DM vs general populations, the risk was significantly increased for CV events [relative risk (RR) = 2.37, 95% CI: 1.86, 3.02]. The RR of CV events for males with PM/DM was higher than for females (RR = 1.43; 95% CI: 1.17, 1.74). PM/DM patients followed for one to five years had a significantly higher CV risk than those followed for five to ten years (RR = 3.51, 95% CI: 1.95, 6.32). The risk was increased for North Americans (RR = 4.28, 95% CI: 2.57, 7.11), Europeans (RR = 2.29, 95% CI: 1.58, 3.31) and Asians (RR = 2.03, 95% CI: 1.41, 2.90). Our meta-analysis found that the elevated CV event risk was related to PM (RR = 2.35, 95% CI: 1.51, 3.66) and DM (RR = 2.55, 95% CI: 1.66, 3.93). Subgroup analyses showed that the risk was significantly increased for IHD (RR = 1.76, 95% CI: 1.40, 2.21), CVA morbidity (RR = 1.31, 95% CI: 1.03, 1.67) and ischaemic stroke (IS) (RR = 1.47, 95% CI: 1.26, 1.73), with no statistically significant increased risk of haemorrhagic stroke mortality (RR = 1.43, 95% CI: 0.92, 2.21). The CV event risk was increased for venous thromboembolism (RR = 4.60, 95% CI: 3.17, 6.66), deep venous thrombosis (RR = 5.53, 95% CI: 3.25, 9.39) and pulmonary embolism (RR = 5.26, 95% CI: 2.62, 10.55). CONCLUSION: This meta-analysis found that PM/DM patients had a ∼2.37 times increased CV risk, particularly males diagnosed in the previous five years. PM/DM may be an independent risk factor for developing IHD, IS, deep venous thrombosis and pulmonary embolism.

Colloidal Two-Dimensional Metal Chalcogenides: Realization and Application of the Structural Anisotropy.

ConspectusDue to the spatial confinement, two-dimensional metal chalcogenides display an extraordinary optical response and carrier transport ability. Solution-based synthesis techniques such as colloidal hot injection and ion exchange provide a cost-effective way to fabricate such low-dimensional semiconducting nanocrystals. Over the years, developments in colloidal chemistry made it possible to synthesize various kinds of ultrathin colloidal nanoplatelets, including wurtzite- and zinc blende-type CdSe, rock salt PbS, black phosphorus-like SnX (X = S or Se), hexagonal copper sulfides, selenides, and even transition metal dichalcogenides like MoS2. By altering experimental conditions and applying capping ligands with specific functional groups, it is possible to accurately tune the dimensionality, geometry, and consequently the optical properties of these colloidal metal chalcogenide crystals. Here, we review recent progress in the syntheses of two-dimensional colloidal metal chalcogenides (CMCs) and property characterizations based on optical spectroscopy or device-related measurements. The discoveries shine a light on their huge prospect for applications in areas such as photovoltaics, optoelectronics, and spintronics. In specific, the formation mechanisms of two-dimensional CMCs are discussed. The growth of colloidal nanocrystals into a two-dimensional shape is found to require either an intrinsic structural asymmetry or the assist of coexisted ligand molecules, which act as lamellar double-layer templates or "facet" the crystals via selective adsorption. By performing optical characterizations and especially ultrafast spectroscopic measurements on these two-dimensional CMCs, their unique electronic and excitonic features are revealed. A strong dependence of optical transition energies linked to both interband and inter-subband processes on the crystal geometry can be verified, highlighting a tremendous confinement effect in such nanocrystals. With the self-assembly of two-dimensional nanocrystals or coupling of different phases by growing heterostructures, unconventional optical performances such as charge transfer state generation or efficient Förster resonance energy transfer are discovered. The growth of large-scale individualized PbS and SnS nanosheets can be realized by facile hot injection techniques, which gives the opportunity to investigate the charge carrier behavior within a single nanocrystal. According to the results of the device-based measurements on these individualized crystals, structure asymmetry-induced anisotropic electrical responses and Rashba effects caused by a splitting of spin-resolved bands in the momentum space due to strong spin-orbit-coupling are demonstrated. It is foreseen that such geometry-controlled, large-scale two-dimensional CMCs can be the ideal materials used for designing high-efficiency photonics and electronics.

Translation and validation of M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Thyroid Cancer module in Chinese thyroid cancer patients: a cross-sectional and methodological study.

AIM: To translate and validate the Chinese version of the MDASI-THY among thyroid cancer patients. BACKGROUND: The M.D. Anderson Symptom Inventory-Thyroid Cancer module (MDASI-THY) is one of well-validated instruments for thyroid-specific symptom assessment. To date, the instrument has not been used in China. METHODS: After standard forward- and back-translation procedures, two instruments, the Chinese version of MDASI-THY and the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ C30, were answered by 309 thyroid patients. The content, convergent discriminant validity and reliability of the MDASI-THY were evaluated. RESULTS: The scale of content validity index (S-CVI) and the item of content validity index (I-CVI) of the instrument were over 0.80. There were significant relationships between MDASI-THY and EORTC QLQ-C30 (r range, 0.139 ~ 0.766, -0.759 ~ -0.461, p < 0.001). Symptoms were severer for patients underwent surgical treatment (Z = -9.999, p < 0.001). The Cronbach's alpha was 0.966 (between 0.954 and 0.827 for subscales). Most symptom items had moderate to high interitem correlations (r range, 0.297 ~ 0.773). CONCLUSIONS: The Chinese version of MDASI-THY demonstrated favorable validity and reliability. It can be used in development of symptom management program in thyroid cancer patients in China. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE: Healthcare providers can apply this instrument to assess Chinese thyroid cancer patients to increase the understanding of their symptom experience, resulting in a better symptom management.

Oral mycobiota and pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma.

Early detection of pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC) is essential for survival. Preliminary research demonstrated significant associations between structural alternation of mycobiota and PDAC. In this study, we investigated the associations between oral mycobiota and PDAC. We further explored mycobiota biomarkers for PDAC detection. We enrolled 34 PDAC patients and 35 matched healthy controls from West China hospital in Southwest China. Demographic data, clinical information, and salivary samples were collected. Mycobiota characteristics were defined using Internal Transcribed Spacer (ITS) ribosomal RNA sequencing. We found that the PDAC patients had significant increase in fungal abundance (P < 0.001) and significant decrease in fungal diversity (P < 0.001) in comparison to the healthy controls. A higher abundance of Basidiomycota and Unclassifed_p_Ascomycota was associated with an increased risk of PDAC. With each increase of abundance of g__unclassified_k__Fungi and g__unclassified_p__Ascomycota in PDAC patients, the risk of pancreatic cancer increased by 1.359 odds and 1.260 odds, respectively. Aspergillus (AUC = 0.983, 95% CI 0.951-1.000) and Cladosporium (AUC = 0.969, 95% CI 0.921-1.000) achieved high classification powers to distinguish PDAC patients from the healthy controls. The rapid, inexpensive tests of ITS1 sequencing of mycobiota and PCR detection of potential fungal biomarkers make it promising for the clinical practice to use oral microbes for PDAC early detection and prevention. Results of our study provide evidence that salivary mycobiota may provide insights into cancer risk, prevention, and detection.

Physiological mechanisms by which gypsum increases the growth and yield of Lentinula edodes.

Lentinula edodes is one of the most important commercially cultivated edible mushrooms. It is well known that gypsum (CaSO4·2H2O) supplementation in sawdust medium increases the yield of L. edodes, while the physiological mechanisms remain unclear. Our previous study showed that the acidification of the medium to pH 3.5-4.0 was essential for the growth of L. edodes. In this study, it was found that the oxalic acid excreted by L. edodes was responsible for the acidification of the medium. The biosynthesis of oxalic acid was regulated by the ambient pH and buffer capacity of the medium. To acidify the sawdust medium, the concentrations of total and soluble oxalate were 51.1 mmol/kg and 10.8 mmol/kg, respectively. However, when the concentration of soluble oxalate was 8.0 mmol/kg, the mycelial growth rate decreased by 29% compared with the control. Soluble oxalate was toxic to L. edodes, while soluble sulfate was nontoxic. CaSO4 reacted with soluble oxalate to form nontoxic insoluble CaC2O4 and the strong acid H2SO4. When the CaSO4 supplemented in sawdust medium was more than 25 mmol/kg, the soluble oxalate decreased to less than 1 mmol/kg, and the mycelial growth rate increased by 32% compared with the control. In conclusion, gypsum improved the growth and yield by relieving the toxicity of oxalate and facilitating the acidification of sawdust medium. KEY POINTS: • L. edodes excretes oxalic acid to acidify the ambient environment for growth. • Soluble oxalate is toxic to L. edodes. • Gypsum increases growth by reacting with oxalate to relieve its toxicity.

Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors prior to scleroderma renal crisis in systemic sclerosis: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

WHAT IS KNOWN AND OBJECTIVE: Angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors (ACEIs) are widely used in the treatment of scleroderma renal crisis (SRC), and their use prior to the onset of SRC in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) has received wide attention in recent years. We undertook an evidence-based approach to identify whether the use of ACEIs prior to the onset of SRC is beneficial for patients with SSc. METHODS: We searched PubMed and Embase for any published studies produced between database inception and 22 October 2021. Articles obtained after using appropriate keywords were selected independently by two reviewers according to the established inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Nine studies were included. Pooled results indicated that using ACEIs prior to SRC was associated with a higher incidence of SRC than no ACEIs prior to SRC (RR 2.05, 95% confidence interval 1.08-3.91, p = 0.03). Compared with patients who did not use ACEIs prior to the onset of SRC, a higher proportion of patients with SRC who used ACEIs prior to its onset had a poorer prognosis (RR 1.46, 95% confidence interval 1.20-1.78, p < 0.01). The difference in mortality between patients who used ACEIs prior to SRC onset and those who did not was not statistically significant (RR 1.12, 95% confidence interval 0.76-1.65, p = 0.57). WHAT IS NEW AND CONCLUSIONS: We recommend against using ACEIs prior to SRC in SSc patients. The use of ACEIs prior to SRC is associated with a higher incidence of SRC and poorer prognosis, especially in patients with progressive SSc or SSc-related renal vasculopathy (SSc-related hypertension and proteinuria).

Strong Generalized Speech Emotion Recognition Based on Effective Data Augmentation.

The absence of labeled samples limits the development of speech emotion recognition (SER). Data augmentation is an effective way to address sample sparsity. However, there is a lack of research on data augmentation algorithms in the field of SER. In this paper, the effectiveness of classical acoustic data augmentation methods in SER is analyzed, based on which a strong generalized speech emotion recognition model based on effective data augmentation is proposed. The model uses a multi-channel feature extractor consisting of multiple sub-networks to extract emotional representations. Different kinds of augmented data that can effectively improve SER performance are fed into the sub-networks, and the emotional representations are obtained by the weighted fusion of the output feature maps of each sub-network. And in order to make the model robust to unseen speakers, we employ adversarial training to generalize emotion representations. A discriminator is used to estimate the Wasserstein distance between the feature distributions of different speakers and to force the feature extractor to learn the speaker-invariant emotional representations by adversarial training. The simulation experimental results on the IEMOCAP corpus show that the performance of the proposed method is 2-9% ahead of the related SER algorithm, which proves the effectiveness of the proposed method.

Hetero-Lattice Intergrown and Robust MOF Membranes for Polyol Upgrading.

Metal-organic framework membranes are frequently used in gas separations, but rare in pervaporation for liquid chemical upgrading, especially for separating water from polyols, due to lack of highly compact and robust micro-architecture. Here, we report hetero-lattice intergrown membranes in which amino-MIL-101 (Cr) particles embedded into the micro-gaps of MIL-53 (Al) rod arrays after secondary growth. By means of high-resolution TEM and two-dimensional topologic simulation, the connection between these two distinct MOF lattices at the molecular-level and their crystallographic geometry harmony is identified, which leads to a close-knit structure at the crystal boundaries of membranes. Typically, the membrane shows a separation factor as high as 13 000 for a 90/10 ethanediol/water solution in pervaporation, yields polymer-grade ethanediol, and saves ca. 32 % of energy consumption vs. vacuum distillation. It has a highly robust micro-architecture, with great tolerance to high pressure, durability against ultrasonic therapy and long-term separation stability over 600 h.

Preparation and evaluation of oral self-microemulsifying drug delivery system of Chlorophyll.

OBJECTIVE: This study was aimed at improving the water solubility and oral bioavailability of Chl by self-microemulsifying drug delivery system (Chl-SMEDDS). METHODS: Compatibility experiments, pseudo-ternary phase diagram and central composite design were used to optimize the formulation. The selected systems were further evaluated for physical characteristics, including particle size, zeta potential, and appearance. The stability, in vitro dispersion test, and in vivo intestinal perfusion experiments were used to evaluate the SMEDDS. RESULTS: The optimal composition of Chl-SMEDDS included: Labrafil M 1944 CS (35%), kolliphor RH 40 (46%), Transcutol HP (19%) and 60 mg/g Chl. The appearance of water emulsified Chl-SMEDDS was green and transparent. The particle size, ζ-potential, and transmission electron microscopy studies showed that spherical globules of Chl-SMEDDS with a size of about 22.82 ± 1.29 nm and a negative surface charge of -24.21 ± 3.45 mV were obtained. Chl-SMEDDS could remain stable at 25 °C and 4 °C for at least 6 months. The dispersion test showed that Chl-SMEDDS dispersed spontaneously to form microemulsion after disintegration of capsule shell and 90% drug dispersed in just 30 min in pH 1.2 HCl without any drug precipitation during the test period. In vivo intestinal perfusion experiment revealed that the main absorption site for Chl-SMEDDS was duodenum. CONCLUSIONS: This study indicates that SMEDDS formulation could be an effective strategy for the oral administration of Chl.

Can baseline C-reactive protein level predict functional outcome in acute ischaemic stroke? A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The association between elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) level and poor functional outcome is conflicting in acute ischaemic stroke (AIS) patients. This meta-analysis sought to investigate the value of elevated CRP level in predicting poor functional outcome in AIS patients. MATERIAL AND METHODS: A systematically literature search was performed in PubMed and Embase databases up to 31 October 2019. Prospective and retrospective studies evaluating the association between elevated CRP level and poor functional outcome (defined by the modified Rankin scale ≥3) beyond 3 months after AIS were included. RESULTS: Ten studies with a total of 8087 AIS patients were identified in this meta-analysis. When compared with reference low CRP level, the highest CRP level was associated with an increased risk of poor functional outcome (multivariate-adjusted hazard ratio (HR) 1.99; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.63-2.44) in a random effect model. Sensitivity analysis further confirmed the significance of CRP elevation for predicting poor functional outcome after AIS. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated CRP level is significantly associated with poor functional outcome in patients with AIS. Baseline CRP level has potential to improve risk stratification of function outcome in AIS patients.

Challenges and opportunities related to the use of chitosan as a food preservative.

Chitosan has attracted a growing attention as a food preservative due to its versatility, nontoxicity, biodegradability and biocompatibility. This review aims to provide a critical appraisal of the limitations and opportunities of the use of chitosan as a food preservative. The application of chitosan as a food preservative necessitates insights into mechanisms of chitosan-mediated cell death and injury, factors affecting chitosan activity and effects of chitosan on food safety and quality. Chitosan exerts antimicrobial activity by perturbing the negatively charged cell envelope of micro-organisms with its polycationic structure. Intrinsic characteristics, including molecular weight and degree of deacetylation (DD), and other ambient conditions, including pH, temperature and neighbouring components, affect chitosan activity. Because the antimicrobial activity of chitosan is mainly based on ionic interactions with negatively charged components of the bacterial cell envelope, the food matrix can strongly interfere with the antimicrobial activity of chitosan. Despite its limited antimicrobial efficacy, chitosan demonstrates both bactericidal and bacteriostatic effects in specific food products. Moreover, chitosan can also enhance the efficacy of commercial intervention technologies, such as heat and pressure treatment, and aid the preservation of food quality, including retardation of lipid oxidation, weight loss and deterioration in sensory attributes.

[Mechanisms of tanshinone â ¡_A in reducing 4-HNE-induced hepatocyte damage by activating PPARα].

Tanshinone Ⅱ_A( Tan Ⅱ_A),the liposoluble constituents of Salvia miltiorrhiza,can not only ameliorate the lipidic metabolism and decrease the concentration of lipid peroxidation,but also resist oxidation damage,scavenge free radicals and control inflammation,with a protective effect on prognosis after liver function impairment. Therefore,the studies on the exact mechanism of Tan Ⅱ_A in protecting the liver can provide important theoretical and experimental basis for the prevention and treatment effect of Tan Ⅱ_A for liver injury. In the present study,the protective effects and mechanism of Tan Ⅱ_A on 4-hydroxynonenal( 4-HNE)-induced liver injury were investigated in vitro. Normal liver tissues NCTC 1469 cells were used to induce hepatocytes oxidative damages by 4-HNE treatment. The protective effect of Tan Ⅱ_A on hepatocytes oxidative damages was detected by release amount of lactate dehydrogenase( LDH) analysis and hoechst staining. The protein expression changes of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor α( PPARα) and peroxisome proliferator response element( PPRE) were analyzed by Western blot analysis in NCTC 1469 cells before and after Tan Ⅱ_A treatment. The gene expression changes of fatty aldehyde dehydrogenase( FALDH) were analyzed by Real-time polymerase chain reaction( PCR) analysis. The results showed that 4-HNE increased the release amount of LDH,lowered the cell viability of NCTC 1469 cells,and Tan Ⅱ_A reversed 4-HNE-induced hepatocyte damage. Western blot analysis and RT-PCR analysis results showed that 4-HNE decreased the expression of PPARα and FALDH and increased the expression of 4-HNE. However,the expression of PPARα and FALDH were increased significantly and the expression of 4-HNE was decreased obviously after Tan Ⅱ_A treatment. This study confirmed that the curative effect of Tan Ⅱ_A was obvious on hepatocytes damage,and the mechanism may be associated with activating PPARα and FALDH expression as well as scavenging 4-HNE.

Adaptive healing of stress-induced dynamic cracks in a metal-organic framework membrane using nanoparticles.

Dewatering of aqueous azeotropes is crucial and pervasive in raw chemical refineries and solvent recovery in the chemical industry but is recognized as one of the most energy-intensive processes. Pervaporation using crystalline molecular sieve membranes provides an energy-efficient solution, but stress loads stemming from thermal and mechanical risks of pervaporation are most likely to cause membrane cracks, which greatly reduces reliability of membranes in real-world applications. Here, we propose adaptive healing of stress-induced dynamic cracks (AHSDC) in the membrane in a risk-responding manner before separation by using in situ-formed nanoparticles in the same chemical environment. These nanoparticles naturally filled in fissure gaps once cracks formed in the membrane, forming adaptive healing zones. Without loss of dewatering capacity, the separation durability of the membrane after AHSDC was improved by at least two orders of magnitude. The membrane also exhibited tolerance to industrial-grade azeotropes that epitomize industrial multisource nature and complexity.