Temperature dependence mechanism of high-temperature oxidation of transition metal silicide MoSi2.

Transition metal silicides represented by MoSi2have excellent oxidation resistance and are widely used as high-temperature anti-oxidation coatings in hot end components of power equipment. However, the mechanism of temperature-dependent growth of MoSi2oxidation products has not been revealed. Therefore, this study investigated the formation characteristics of oxide film and silicide-poor compound on MoSi2at temperatures of 1000 °C-1550 °C through high-temperature oxidation experiments, combined with microscopic Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscope, and x-ray diffraction (XRD) characterizations. The result showed that MoSi2underwent high-temperature selective oxidation reactions at 1000 °C-1200 °C, forming MoO2and SiO2oxide film on the substrate. As the oxidation temperature increased to 1550 °C, after 100 h of oxidation, along with the disappearance of MoO2and the phase transformation of SiO2, a continuous Mo5Si3layer with a thickness of approximately 47µm was formed at the SiO2-MoSi2interface. Thermodynamics and kinetic calculations further revealed the mechanism of temperature-dependent growth of oxidation products (MoO2and Mo5Si3) during high-temperature oxidation process of MoSi2. As the temperature increased, the diffusion flux ratio of O and Si decreased, leading to a decrease in oxygen concentration at the interface and promoting the growth of the Mo5Si3layer. Its thickness is an important indicator for evaluating the oxidation resistance of MoSi2coatings during service. This study provides experimental and mechanistic insights into the temperature-dependent growth behavior of Mo5Si3during the high-temperature oxidation of MoSi2coating, and provides guidance for predicting the service life and improving the oxidation resistance of silicide coatings.

Intravitreal therapeutic nanoparticles for age-related macular degeneration: Design principles, progress and opportunities.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) is a leading cause of vision loss in the elderly. The current standard treatment for AMD involves frequent intravitreal administrations of therapeutic agents. While effective, this approach presents challenges, including patient discomfort, inconvenience, and the risk of adverse complications. Nanoparticle-based intravitreal drug delivery platforms offer a promising solution to overcome these limitations. These platforms are engineered to target the retina specifically and control drug release, which enhances drug retention, improves drug concentration and bioavailability at the retinal site, and reduces the frequency of injections. This review aims to uncover the design principles guiding the development of highly effective nanoparticle-based intravitreal drug delivery platforms for AMD treatment. By gaining a deeper understanding of the physiology of ocular barriers and the physicochemical properties of nanoparticles, we establish a basis for designing intravitreal nanoparticles to optimize drug delivery and drug retention in the retina. Furthermore, we review recent nanoparticle-based intravitreal therapeutic strategies to highlight their potential in improving AMD treatment efficiency. Lastly, we address the challenges and opportunities in this field, providing insights into the future of nanoparticle-based drug delivery to improve therapeutic outcomes for AMD patients.

Graphiumisides A-D, Monoterpene Glycosides from an Animal-Derived Endophytic Fungus Graphium sp. GD-11.

 Four new monoterpene rhamnosides, graphiumisides A-D (1-4), along with four known steroid compounds (5-8) were isolated from the fermentation extract of animal-derived endophytic fungus, Graphium sp. GD-11. The chemical structures of all compounds were elucidated using 1D and 2D NMR, HRESIMS spectroscopic analyses, and other spectroscopic methods. Compounds 1-4 exhibit a distinctive structure connected by one p-menthane type monoterpene and one L-rhamnose. This is the first report of monoterpene glycosides from Graphium sp. All compounds (1-8) were tested for cytotoxic activities against four cancer cell lines (HepG2, SMMC7721, SW480, and A549), and only compound 1 showed weak anti-tumor activity against SMMC7721 cells.

SP2509, a specific antagonist of LSD1, exhibits antiviral properties against Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus.

BACKGROUND: Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV), a type of coronavirus, is one of the main pathogens that can infect pigs of all ages. It causes diarrhea and acute death of newborn piglets, resulting in massive economic losses to the worldwide swine industry. While vaccination remains the primary approach in combating PEDV, it often fails to address all the challenges posed by the infection, particularly in light of the emergence of evolving mutant strains. Therefore, there is a critical need to identify potent antiviral drugs that can effectively safeguard pigs against PEDV infection. RESULTS: In this study, the antiviral efficacy of SP2509, a specific antagonist of Lysine-specific demethylase 1(LSD1), was evaluated in vitro. The RT-qPCR, Western blot, TCID50, and IFA showed that at a concentration of 1µmol/L, SP2509 significantly inhibited PEDV infection. Additionally, viral life cycle assays showed that SP2509 operates by impeding PEDV internalization and replication rather than attachment and release. Regarding mechanism, in Huh-7 cells, knockdowns LSD1 can suppress PEDV replication. This indicated that the inhibition effect of SP2509 on PEDV largely depends on the activity of its target protein, LSD1. CONCLUSION: Our results in vitro show that SP2509 can inhibit PEDV infection during the internalization and replication stage and revealed a role of LSD1 as a restriction factor for PEDV. These imply that LSD1 might be a target for interfering with the viral infection, and SP2509 could be developed as an effective anti-PEDV agent.

Identifying allergic-rhinitis-associated genes with random-walk-based method in PPI network.

Allergic rhinitis is a common allergic disease with a complex pathogenesis and many unresolved issues. Studies have shown that the incidence of allergic rhinitis is closely related to genetic factors, and research on the related genes could help further understand its pathogenesis and develop new treatment methods. In this study, 446 allergic rhinitis-related genes were obtained on the basis of the DisGeNET database. The protein-protein interaction network was searched using the random-walk-with-restart algorithm with these 446 genes as seed nodes to assess the linkages between other genes and allergic rhinitis. Then, this result was further examined by three screening tests, including permutation, interaction, and enrichment tests, which aimed to pick up genes that have strong and special associations with allergic rhinitis. 52 novel genes were finally obtained. The functional enrichment test confirmed their relationships to the biological processes and pathways related to allergic rhinitis. Furthermore, some genes were extensively analyzed to uncover their special or latent associations to allergic rhinitis, including IRAK2 and MAPK, which are involved in the pathogenesis of allergic rhinitis and the inhibition of allergic inflammation via the p38-MAPK pathway, respectively. The new found genes may help the following investigations for understanding the underlying molecular mechanisms of allergic rhinitis and developing effective treatments.

Self-assembled ordered AuNRs-modified electrodes for simultaneous determination of dopamine and topotecan with improved data reproducibility.

Gold nanomaterials have been widely explored in electrochemical sensors due to their high catalytic property and good stability in multi-medium. In this paper, the reproducibility of the signal among batches of gold nanorods (AuNRs)-modified electrodes was investigated to improve the data stabilization and repeatability. Ordered and random self-assembled AuNRs-modified electrodes were used as electrochemical sensors for the simultaneous determination of dopamine (DA) and topotecan (TPC), with the aim of obtaining an improved signal stability in batches of electrodes and realizing the simultaneous determination of both substances. The morphology and structure of the assemblies were analyzed and characterized by UV-Vis spectra, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD). Electrochemical studies showed that the ordered AuNRs/ITO electrodes have excellent signal reproducibility among several individuals due to the homogeneous mass transfer in the ordered arrangement of the AuNRs. Under the optimized conditions, the simultaneous detection results of DA and TPC showed good linearity in the ranges 1.75-45 µM and 1.5-40 µM, and the detection limits of DA and TPC were 0.06 µM and 0.17 µM, respectively. The results showed that the prepared ordered AuNR/ITO electrode had high sensitivity, long-term stability, and reproducibility for the simultaneous determination of DA and TPC, and it was expected to be applicable for real sample testing.

Efficient preparation of icariin from epimedin C by recyclable biphasic enzymatic hydrolysis.

Icariin is the most bioactive ingredient of Epimedium L. and a quality marker of Herba Epimedii. Conventional methods for production of Icariin are known to be inefficient, resulting in low yields and significant environmental pollution. This study aimed to develop a sustainable and effective biphasic enzymatic hydrolysis system for the efficient conversion of epimedin C to icariin. The biphasic system was created using butyl acetate and phosphate buffer (pH 4.5) at a ratio of 3:1 (V/V) along with α-L-rhamnosidase/epimedin C (2 U/1 mg) at 50 °C for 12 h. Consequently, 98.21% of epimedin C was hydrolysed to icariin, with 95.62% of the product being transferred to the organic phase. Even after four cycles of use, the conversion ratio remained high at 75.28%. Furthermore, this novel strategy was also used for the conversion of Epimedium brevicornu Maxim. extracts. The biphasic system represents a sustainable and effective method for icariin production, offering potential benefits for industrial applications.

Future directions of noninvasive prediction of esophageal variceal bleeding: No worry about the present computed tomography inefficiency.

In this editorial, we comment on the minireview by Martino A, published in the recent issue of World Journal of Gastrointestinal Endoscopy 2023; 15 (12): 681-689. We focused mainly on the possibility of replacing the hepatic venous pressure gradient (HVPG) and endoscopy with noninvasive methods for predicting esophageal variceal bleeding. The risk factors for bleeding were the size of the varices, the red sign and the Child-Pugh score. The intrinsic core factor that drove these changes was the HVPG. Therefore, the present studies investigating noninvasive methods, including computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, elastography, and laboratory tests, are working on correlating imaging or serum marker data with intravenous pressure and clinical outcomes, such as bleeding. A single parameter is usually not enough to construct an efficient model. Therefore, multiple factors were used in most of the studies to construct predictive models. Encouraging results have been obtained, in which bleeding prediction was partly reached. However, these methods are not satisfactory enough to replace invasive methods, due to the many drawbacks of different studies. There is still plenty of room for future improvement. Prediction of the precise timing of bleeding using various models, and extracting the texture of variceal walls using high-definition imaging modalities to predict the red sign are interesting directions to lay investment on.

Exploring non-curative endoscopic submucosal dissection: Current treatment optimization and future indication expansion.

The increasing popularity of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) as a treatment for early gastric cancer has highlighted the importance of quality assessment in achieving curative resections. This article emphasizes the significance of evaluating ESD quality, not only for curative cases but also for non-curative ones. Postoperative assessment relies on the endoscopic curability (eCura) classification, but management strategies for eCuraC-1 tumour with a positive horizontal margin are unclear. Current research primarily focuses on comparing additional surgical procedures in high-risk patients, while studies specifically targeting eCuraC-1 patients are limited. Exploring management strategies and follow-up outcomes for such cases could provide valuable insights. Furthermore, the application of molecular imaging using near-infrared fluorescent tracers holds promise for precise tumour diagnosis and navigation, potentially impacting the management of early-stage gastric cancer patients. Advancing research in these areas is essential for improving the overall efficacy of endoscopic techniques and refining treatment indications.

TDDFT Study on the ESIPT Properties of 2-(2'-Hydroxyphenyl)-Benzothiazole and Sensing Mechanism of a Derived Fluorescent Probe for Fluoride Ion.

The level of fluoride ions (F-) in the human body is closely related to various pathological and physiological states, and the rapid detection of F- is important for studying physiological processes and the early diagnosis of diseases. In this study, the detailed sensing mechanism of a novel high-efficiency probe (PBT) based on 2-(2'-hydroxyphenyl)-benzothiazole derivatives towards F- has been fully investigated based on density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) methods. F- attacks the O-P bond of PBT to cleavage the dimethylphosphinothionyl group, and the potential products were evaluated by Gibbs free energy and spectroscopic analyses, which ultimately identified the product as HBT-Enol1 with an intramolecular hydrogen bond. Bond parameters, infrared vibrational spectroscopy and charge analysis indicate that the hydrogen bond is enhanced at the excited state (S1), favoring excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT). The mild energy barrier further evidences the occurrence of ESIPT. Combined with frontier molecular orbital (FMO) analysis, the fluorescence quenching of PBT was attributed to the photoinduced electron transfer (PET) mechanism and the fluorescence turn-on mechanism of the product was attributed to the ESIPT process of HBT-Enol1.

ECL cytosensor for sensitive and label-free detection of circulating tumor cells based on hierarchical flower-like gold microstructures.

The development of sensitive and efficient cell sensing strategies to detect circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in peripheral blood is crucial for the early diagnosis and prognostic assessment of cancer clinical treatment. Herein, an array of hierarchical flower-like gold microstructures (HFGMs) with anisotropic nanotips was synthesized by a simple electrodeposition method and used as a capture substrate to construct an ECL cytosensor based on the specific recognition of target cells by aptamers. The complex topography of the HFGMs array not only catalyzed the enhancement of ECL signals, but also induced the cells to generate more filopodia, improving the capture efficiency and shortening the capture time. The effect of topographic roughness on cell growth and adhesion propensity was also investigated, while the cell capture efficiency was proposed to be an important indicator affecting the accuracy of the ECL cytosensor. In addition, the capture of cells on the electrode surface increased the steric hindrance, which caused ECL signal changes in the Ru(bpy)32+ and TPrA system, realizing the quantitative detection of MCF-7 cells. The detection range of the sensor was from 102 to 106 cells mL-1 and the detection limit was 18 cells mL-1. The proposed detection method avoids the process of separation, labeling and counting, which has great potential for sensitive detection in clinical applications.

Intelligent Biogenic Missile for Two-Photon Fluorescence Imaging-Guided Combined Photodynamic Therapy and Chemotherapy in Tumors.

Photodynamic therapy (PDT) is a significant noninvasive therapeutic modality, but it is often limited in its application due to the restricted tissue penetration depth caused by the wavelength limitations of the light source. Two-photon (TP) fluorescence techniques are capable of having an excitation wavelength in the NIR region by absorbing two NIR photons simultaneously, which offers the potential to achieve higher spatial resolution for deep tissue imaging. Thus, the adoption of TP fluorescence techniques affords several discernible benefits for photodynamic therapy. Organic TP dyes possess a high fluorescence quantum yield. However, the biocompatibility of organic TP dyes is poor, and the method of coating organic TP dyes with silica can effectively overcome the limitations. Herein, based on the TP silica nanoparticles, a functionalized intelligent biogenic missile TP-SiNPs-G4(TMPyP4)-dsDNA(DOX)-Aptamer (TGTDDA) was developed for effective TP bioimaging and synergistic targeted photodynamic therapy and chemotherapy in tumors. First, the Sgc8 aptamer was used to target the PTK7 receptor on the surface of tumor cells. Under two-photon light irradiation, the intelligent biogenic missile can be activated for TP fluorescence imaging to identify tumor cells and the photosensitizer assembled on the nanoparticle surface can be activated for photodynamic therapy. Additionally, this intelligent biogenic missile enables the controlled release of doxorubicin (DOX). The innovative strategy substantially enhances the targeted therapeutic effectiveness of cancer cells. The intelligent biogenic missile provides an effective method for the early detection and treatment of tumors, which has a good application prospect in the real-time high-sensitivity diagnosis and treatment of tumors.

A Novel Classification of Juvenile and Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis for Conservative Treatment.

BACKGROUND: The operative classification of scoliosis is well-developed but inadequate for guiding conservative treatment. The current conservative classification for juvenile and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (JAIS) exhibits noticeable deficiencies. This study aimed to establish the Peking Union Medical College Hospital (PUMCH) classification and assess its clinical value in the conservative treatment of JAIS. METHODS: This study consisted of 2 parts. First, it involved a retrospective analysis of patients treated for JAIS in the Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, the ∗∗∗ Union Medical College Hospital, between January 2013 and June 2020. Second, it involved an ambispective cohort study that enrolled patients with JAIS in the above hospital between July and December 2020. RESULTS: A total of 989 patients with JAIS were enrolled, with 899 patients for establishing the PUMCH classification and 90 patients with JAIS for validating the PUMCH classification. The classification demonstrated an average reliability of 88.22% with a kappa coefficient of 0.862. After 1 week, the remeasured results presented a mean reproducibility of 92.78% and a kappa coefficient of 0.908. After 1-year follow-up, the Cobb angle decreased significantly from 16.61 ± 2.88° to 12.16°± 9.97° (P = 0.002) in 51 patients with PUMCH-scoliosis-specific exercise (SSE) treatment, while the Cobb angle increased significantly from 15.74 ± 2.75° to 17.64 ± 5.60° (P = 0.014) in 39 patients without PUMCH-SSE treatment. CONCLUSIONS: The PUMCH-SSE classification demonstrates good inter-observer reliability and intra-observer reproducibility. In addition, the classification may be used to guide the conservative treatment of JAIS in clinical settings.

Defect engineering of a TiO2 anatase/rutile homojunction accelerating sulfur redox kinetics for high-performance Na-S batteries.

Room-temperature sodium-sulfur (RT Na-S) batteries have the drawbacks of the poor shuttle effect of soluble sodium polysulfides (NaPSs) as well as slow sulfur redox kinetics, which result in poor cycling stability and low capacity, seriously affecting their extensive application. Herein, defect engineering is applied to construct rich oxygen vacancies at the interface of a TiO2 anatase/rutile homojunction (OV-TRA) to enhance sulfur affinity and redox reaction kinetics. Combining structural characterizations with electrochemical analysis reveals that OV-TRA well alleviates the shuttle effect of NaPSs and precipitates the deposition and diffusion kinetics of Na2S. Consequently, S/OV-TRA provides excellent electrochemical performance with a reversible capacity of 870 mA h g-1 at 0.1 C after 100 cycles and a long-term cycling capability of 759 mA h g-1 at 1 C after 1000 cycles. This work provides an effective interfacial defect engineering strategy to promote the application of metal oxides in RT Na-S batteries.

Two New Phenylpropanoid Compounds from Lilium Brownii and Their Anti-monoamine Oxidase Activity.

Baihe is a commonly used Chinese medicine for the treatment of neurological disorders. Clinically, the bulbs of Lilium brownii are used to act as Baihe. In the study, two new phenylpropanoid compounds including 3-O-acetyl-1-O-caffeoylglycerol (1) and 3-O-acetyl-1-O-p-coumaroylglycerol (2) were isolated from the bulbs of L. brownii. Their structures were identified by spectroscopic method and the effect on monoamine oxidase activity was determined using an enzyme labeling method. The results show 1 and 2 have anti-monoamine oxidase activity with 20.96 % and 22.31 % inhibition rates at 50 µg/ml, respectively.

Behavioral Intention of Receiving Monkeypox Vaccination and Undergoing Monkeypox Testing and the Associated Factors Among Young Men Who Have Sex With Men in China: Large Cross-Sectional Study.

BACKGROUND: The worldwide human monkeypox (mpox) outbreak in 2022 mainly affected men who have sex with men (MSM). In China, young men who have sex with men (YMSM) were at a potential high risk of mpox infection due to their sexual activeness and the eased COVID-19 restrictions at the end of 2022. OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the behavioral intention of receiving mpox vaccination and undergoing mpox testing in 4 different scenarios and explore their associations with background and behavioral theory-related factors among Chinese YMSM. METHODS: An online cross-sectional survey was conducted among YMSM aged 18-29 years from 6 representative provinces of China in September 2022. Participants recruited (recruitment rate=2918/4342, 67.2%) were asked to self-administer an anonymous questionnaire designed based on prior knowledge about mpox and classic health behavior theories. Data on the participants' background, mpox knowledge and cognition, mpox vaccination and testing cognition, and the behavioral intention of receiving mpox vaccination and undergoing mpox testing were collected. Descriptive analysis and univariate and multivariate linear regressions were performed. Geodetector was used to measure the stratified heterogeneity of behavioral intention. RESULTS: A total of 2493 YMSM with a mean age of 24.6 (SD 2.9) years were included. The prevalence of having a behavioral intention of receiving mpox vaccination ranged from 66.2% to 88.4% by scenario, varying in epidemic status and cost. The prevalence of having an mpox testing intention was above 90% in all scenarios regardless of the presence of symptoms and the cost. The positive factors related to vaccination intention included mpox knowledge (ba=0.060, 95% CI 0.016-0.103), perceived susceptibility of mpox (ba=0.091, 95% CI 0.035-0.146), perceived severity of mpox (ba=0.230, 95% CI 0.164-0.296), emotional distress caused by mpox (ba=0.270, 95% CI 0.160-0.380), perceived benefits of mpox vaccination (ba=0.455, 95% CI 0.411-0.498), self-efficacy of mpox vaccination (ba=0.586, 95% CI 0.504-0.668), and having 1 male sex partner (ba=0.452, 95% CI 0.098-0.806), while the negative factor was perceived barriers to vaccination (ba=-0.056, 95% CI -0.090 to -0.022). The positive factors related to testing intention were perceived severity of mpox (ba=0.283, 95% CI 0.241-0.325), perceived benefits of mpox testing (ba=0.679, 95% CI 0.636-0.721), self-efficacy of mpox testing (ba=0.195, 95% CI 0.146-0.245), having 1 male sex partner (ba=0.290, 95% CI 0.070-0.510), and having in-person gatherings with MSM (ba=0.219, 95% CI 0.072-0.366), while the negative factor was emotional distress caused by mpox (ba=-0.069, 95% CI -0.137 to -0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Among Chinese YMSM, the intention of undergoing mpox testing is optimal, while the mpox vaccination intention has room for improvement. A future national response should raise YMSM's mpox knowledge, disseminate updated information about mpox and preventive measures, improve preventive service accessibility and privacy, and provide advice on positively coping with the associated emotional distress.

Prediction Method for High-Speed Laser Cladding Coating Quality Based on Random Forest and AdaBoost Regression Analysis.

The initial melting quality of a high-speed laser cladding layer has an important impact on its post-treatment and practical application. In this study, based on the repair of hydraulic support columns of coal mining machines, the influence of high-speed laser cladding process parameters on the quality of Fe-Cr-Ni alloy coatings was investigated to realize the accurate prediction of coating quality. The Taguchi orthogonal method was used to design the L25(56) test. The prediction models of the relationship between the cladding process and the coating quality were established using the Random Forest (RF) and AdaBoost (Adaptive Boosting, AB) algorithms, respectively. Then, the prediction accuracy of the two models was compared, and the process parameter features were screened for importance evaluation. The results show that the AB prediction model is more accurate than the RF prediction model and more sensitive to abnormal data. The importance evaluation based on the AdaBoost model shows that the scanning speed has a great influence on the height and surface roughness of the coating. On the other hand, the overlap rate is the most important factor in controlling the dilution ratio and near-surface grain size of high-speed laser melting coatings. In addition, the micro-hardness of the coating and the thermal effect of the substrate can be effectively enhanced by adjusting the laser power and scanning speed. Finally, it was verified that the AB prediction model could accurately estimate the quality indexes of the coating with a prediction error less than 6%. The results show that it is feasible to predict the quality of high-speed laser cladding with the AB algorithm. It provides a basis for the adjustment of process parameters in the subsequent quality control process of cladding.

Luminescence properties and Judd-Ofelt analysis of Tb3+ doped Sr2YTaO6 double perovskite phosphors for white LED applications.

A series of Tb3+-doped Sr2YTaO6 double perovskite phosphors (SYT:Tb3+) were synthesized using a conventional solid-state reaction method. A strong green emission was observed in the SYT:Tb3+ phosphors, and the optimal doping concentration of Tb3+ was confirmed to be 5 mol%. The electric dipole-dipole interaction was ascribed to be the main mechanism for the luminescence concentration quenching. Analysis of the concentration-dependent fluorescence decay confirmed that the self-generated quenching model holds for the dynamic process of Tb3+ decays in SYT. Furthermore, the internal quantum efficiencies, non-radiative transition rates, and energy transfer rates of the 5D4 level for the SYT:Tb3+ samples were estimated, respectively. The luminescence thermal stability of the sample was also evaluated based on the Arrhenius model. The chromaticity shift of the SYT:5 mol% Tb3+ phosphor was examined to be 0.013 when the sample temperature was increased from 303 to 483 K, thus indicating excellent chromaticity shifting resistance under high temperature conditions. Moreover, the Judd-Ofelt parameters were calculated from the emission spectra of SYT:Tb3+ to be Ω2 = 0.29 × 10-20, Ω4 = 0.45 × 10-20, and Ω6 = 0.72 × 10-20 cm2, respectively. The fluorescence branching ratios and radiative transition rates for the 5D4 level were calculated based on the obtained Judd-Ofelt parameters. Finally, a white light-emitting diode (LED) prototype was assembled using a 310 nm LED chip combined with a prepared green SYT:Tb3+ phosphor and two other commercial blue and red phosphors. The obtained warm white light exhibits good chromaticity coordinates (0.32, 0.32) and a high color rendering index of 96.1. Based on the above results, it can be known that the prepared SYT:Tb3+ phosphors have a potential application as green emitting phosphors in white LEDs.

Cryoprotective effect of soluble soybean polysaccharides and enzymatic hydrolysates on the myofibrillar protein of Nemipterus virgatus surimi.

Cryoprotective effect and potential mechanism of soluble soybean polysaccharides (SSPS) and enzymatic hydrolysates on surimi was investigated. After hydrolysis, the molecular weight of SSPS significantly decreased, and the hydrolysates prepared by endo-polygalacturonase (EPG-SSPS) was the lowest (154 kDa). Infrared spectrum analysis revealed that enzymatic hydrolysis didn't alter the functional groups of SSPS, but it did augment the exposure to hydroxyl groups. Surimi containing 5 % EPG-SSPS had the lowest freezable water after 20 days of frozen storage. Furthermore, the 5 % EPG-SSPS group manifested the highest metrics in total sulfhydryl (8.0 × 10-5 mol/g), active sulfhydryl content (6.7 × 10-5 mol/g), Ca2+-ATPase activity, and exhibited the lowest level in carbonyl content, surface hydrophobicity (153 µg). Notably, the 5 % EPG-SSPS maintained the stability of protein structure. Conclusively, SSPS enzymatic hydrolysate using endo-polygalacturonase imparted superior cryoprotective effect on the myofibrillar protein of surimi, and the mechanism might be a decrease in molecular weight and exposure of hydroxyl groups.

A Pilot Study Using Machine Learning Algorithms and Wearable Technology for the Early Detection of Postoperative Complications After Cardiothoracic Surgery.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate whether a machine learning algorithm (i.e. the "NightSignal" algorithm) can be used for the detection of postoperative complications prior to symptom onset after cardiothoracic surgery. SUMMARY BACKGROUND DATA: Methods that enable the early detection of postoperative complications after cardiothoracic surgery are needed. METHODS: This was a prospective observational cohort study conducted from July 2021 to February 2023 at a single academic tertiary care hospital. Patients aged 18 years or older scheduled to undergo cardiothoracic surgery were recruited. Study participants wore a Fitbit watch continuously for at least 1 week preoperatively and up to 90-days postoperatively. The ability of the NightSignal algorithm-which was previously developed for the early detection of Covid-19-to detect postoperative complications was evaluated. The primary outcomes were algorithm sensitivity and specificity for postoperative event detection. RESULTS: A total of 56 patients undergoing cardiothoracic surgery met inclusion criteria, of which 24 (42.9%) underwent thoracic operations and 32 (57.1%) underwent cardiac operations. The median age was 62 (IQR: 51-68) years and 30 (53.6%) patients were female. The NightSignal algorithm detected 17 of the 21 postoperative events a median of 2 (IQR: 1-3) days prior to symptom onset, representing a sensitivity of 81%. The specificity, negative predictive value, and positive predictive value of the algorithm for the detection of postoperative events were 75%, 97%, and 28%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Machine learning analysis of biometric data collected from wearable devices has the potential to detect postoperative complications-prior to symptom onset-after cardiothoracic surgery.