Intrinsic Stress Field for Liquid Surfaces.

The microscopic stress field inhomogeneity in the interfacial region adjacent to the liquid surface is the fundamental origin of the liquid surface tension, but because of broadening due to capillary fluctuations, a detailed molecular level understanding of the stress field remains elusive. In this work, we deconvolute the capillary fluctuations to reveal the intrinsic stress field and show that the atomic-level contributions to the surface tension are similar in functional form across a variety of monatomic systems. These contributions are confined to an interfacial region approximately 1.5±0.1 times the particle diameter for all systems studied. In addition, the intrinsic density and stress profiles show a strong spatial correlation that should be useful in the development of a statistical mechanical theory for the prediction of surface stress and surface tension.

Low Level of Dietary Organic Trace Elements Improve the Eggshell Strength, Trace Element Utilization, and Intestinal Function in Late-Phase Laying Hens.

This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of organic trace elements (Cu, Fe, Zn, and Mn) on performance, egg quality, trace elements utilization, and intestinal function in late-phase laying hens. A total of 1,080 laying hens (Hy-line brown, 65 weeks old) were randomly assigned to four treatments with six replications of 45 layers each. The basal diet was prepared without adding exogenous trace elements. The control group was fed with a basal diet supplemented with 600 mg/kg of inorganic trace elements. The three treatment groups were fed basal diets supplemented with 300, 450, and 600 mg/kg organic trace elements (OTE300, 450, and 600), respectively. The results showed that there was no significant difference in growth performance among all treatments. However, OTE450 significantly improved the eggshell strength of laying hens (p < 0.05), but had no significant effects on haugh unit, egg yolk weight, eggshell weight, and eggshell thickness, compared with other groups. Moreover, compared with the control group, OTE450 significantly increased the contents of copper, iron, and zinc in serum (p < 0.05). Meanwhile, all of the trace elements had a lower deposition in the feces in organic trace elements groups (p < 0.05). Histological analysis showed that the addition of organic trace elements could significantly improve the villus height and villus concealment ratio (p < 0.05). In addition, the messenger RNA (mRNA) and protein expressions of divalent metal transporter 1 (DMT1), zinc transporter 1 (ZnT-1), and ferroportin 1 (FPN1) were the highest in the OTE450 group. In conclusion, OTE450 could improve egg quality, intestinal function, and trace element utilization efficiency. Thus, this study provides a theoretical basis for the application of low levels of organic trace elements in laying hens.

The efficacy and safety of lamotrigine for absence seizures in children and adolescents: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

AIMS: This systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) systematically explored the effectiveness and safety of lamotrigine for absence seizures in children and adolescents. METHODS: Keywords searches were conducted in Pubmed Embase Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials Wanfang CNKI from inception through March 2019. The RCTs comparing lamotrigine with other drugs and/or placebo for the treatment of absence seizures in children and adolescents were considered in this study. The study was conducted adhering to PRISMA guidelines. RESULTS: Eight RCTs (n = 787) were included in our study. Among these studies, one study (N = 45 patients) used placebo as a control and seven studies (N = 742 patients) used positive drug controls. For effectiveness, there was significant difference between lamotrigine and valproate [OR = 0.42, 95%CI (0.28-0.63), I2 = 0%] or ethosuximide [OR = 0.34, 95%CI (0.22-0.53), I2 = 0%]. For adverse effects (AEs), there was no significant difference between lamotrigine and valproate [OR = 1.17, 95%CI (0.59, 2.32), I2 = 0%] or ethosuximide [OR = 0.75, 95%CI (0.47, 1.19), I2 = 92%], and the most common adverse effects of lamotrigine were Rash (7.88%), Fatigue (6.50%) and Headache (6.50%). CONCLUSIONS: According to current evidence, LTG is less effective than VPA and ESM, however, based on its relative safety, LTG might be reasonably tried as initial therapy in children and adolescents at risk of significant adverse effects from VPA and ESM, and future well-designed studies are needed to confirm our findings.

[Effects of Jinhuang Yidan Granule on the bile compositions of primary bile duct pigment calculus patients].

OBJECTIVE: To study the effects of Jinhuang Yidan Granule (JYD) on the bile compositions of primary bile duct pigment calculus patients. METHODS: Sixty-six patients with primary bile duct pigment calculus were randomly assigned to the control group (who took no Chinese medicine) and the JYD group (who took JYD). The bile from T-tube during the operation, 3, 10, and 40 days after medication were examined. The contents of bile acids, bilirubin (conjugated bilirubin, mono-conjugated bilirubin), glucoprotein, calcium ion, beta-glucuronidase, superoxide radical anion, and other components were detected and compared. RESULTS: Three days after taking JYD, the total bile acids increased, the total bilirubin and beta-glucuronidase decreased, showing statistical significance when compared with the control group (P < 0.05). In the JYD group, the total bile acid increased, the total bilirubin, the conjugated bilirubin, the mono-conjugated bilirubin, glucoprotein, calcium ion, beta-glucuronidase, superoxide radical anions decreased 10 and 40 days after medication, showing statistical significance when compared with the control group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). The level of the total bile acid increased, the levels of the total bilirubin, the conjugated bilirubin, the mono-conjugated bilirubin, glucoprotein, calcium ion, beta-glucuronidase, superoxide radical anions decreased after 40-day medication in the two groups, showing statistical significance when compared with the peri-operative indices of the same group (P < 0 05, P < 0.01). CONCLUSIONS: JYD could significantly improve the pathologic bile compositions of the bile duct calculus, improve the environment of the biliary tract, showing certain preventive and therapeutic effects on bile pigment calculus of the primary bile duct calculus. Better effects may be obtained by long-term taking.