The volatility spillover effect of the European Union (EU) carbon financial market

Acknowledgements The authors acknowledge the valuable comments and suggestions provided by our colleagues. The authors are grateful to the anonymous reviewers, whose comments have helped us improve the manuscript. Funding This research is partially funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (71473010), Capacity Building of Science and Technology Innovation Services (Research Category) in 2019—Beijing Basic Research Business Expenses in Beijing University of Technology (011000546320503) and (011000546320532). Data availability The Data availability come from Table A1. Data source.Peer reviewedPostprin

Microvascular autologous submandibular gland transplantation in severe cases of keratoconjunctivitis sicca

Dry eye syndrome is a relatively common disease of the tears and ocular surfaces that results in discomfort, visual disturbance, and tear film instability with possible damage to the ocular surfaces. Microvascular submandibular gland (SMG) transfer offers a surgical alternative for a permanent autologous substitution of tears using the basal secretion of a transplanted SMG. Long-term follow-up reveals that this technique is a lasting and effective solution for patients with severe dry eye syndrome. The uncomfortable symptoms were relieved, and the frequency of use of pharmaceutical tear substitutes was reduced. Objective examination showed significant improvement in tear film and some features of ocular surface such as breakup time of tear film and corneal staining. Patients may suffer from obstruction of Wharton's duct or epiphora after surgery. Activation of secretion-related receptors could improve the early hypofunction of the denervated SMG and prevent the duct obstruction. Reduction surgery, partial SMG transplantation, uses of atropine gel or Botulinum toxin A could be the choices of treatment for epiphora.PubMed0153

Vortex-Antivortex Lattices in a Holographic Superconductor

We employ the Einstein-Abelian-Higgs theory to investigate the structure of vortex-antivortex lattices within a superconductor driven by spatial periodic magnetic fields. By adjusting the parameters of the external magnetic field, including the period ($\mathcal{T}$) and the amplitude ($B_0$), various distinct vortex states emerge. These states encompass the Wigner crystallization state, the vortex cluster state, and the suppressed state. Additionally, we present a comprehensive phase diagram to demarcate the specific regions where these structures emerge, contributing to our understanding of superconductivity in complex magnetic environments

Giant vortex in a fast rotating holographic superfluid

In a holographic superfluid disk, when the rotational velocity is large enough, we find a giant vortex will form in the center of the system by merging several single charge vortices at some specific rotational velocity, with a phase stratification phenomenon for the order parameter. The formation of a giant vortex can be explained as there is not enough space for a standard vortex lattice. Keep increasing the rotational velocity the giant vortex will disappear and there will be an appearance of a superfluid ring. In the giant vortex region, the number of vortices measured from winding number and rotational velocity always satisfies the linear Feynman relation. However, when the superfluid ring starts to appear, the number of vortices in the disk will decrease though the rotational velocity is increasing, where most of the order parameter is suppressed

Effect of pectin on properties of potato starch after dry heat treatment

Purpose: To evaluate the effect of pectin on the properties of potato starch after dry heat treatment. Methods: Rapid visco analyzer (RVA), differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), texture profile analyzer (TPA), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) and x-ray diffractometry (XRD) were used to determine the properties of modified potato starch and pectin blends after dry heat treatment. Results: Results from RVA showed that the peak viscosity of modified potato starch decreased gradually with increase in pectin concentration, dry heat time and dry heat temperature, while starch breakdown decreased and setback was increased to varying degrees. The lowest breakdown was 792 cP at dry heat temperature of 140 °C. Modified potato starch had broader ranges of gelatinization temperatures and lower gelatinization enthalpy than raw potato starch. Dry heat treatment improved the hardness, gumminess and chewiness of the gels of modified potato starch and pectin blends SEM micrographs showed some cluster shapes in microstructure after dry heat treatment of starch-pectin blends. Infrared spectra revealed that pectin addition and dry heat treatment did not cause changes in starch structure. However, x-ray diffractograms indicated that dry heat treatment weakened the third peak of potato starch. Conclusion: These results indicate that dry heat treatment effectively alters the properties of potato starch and pectin blends. This finding broadens the applications of modified potato starch in food and pharmaceutical industries

Life fingerprints of nuclear reactions in the body of animals

Nuclear reactions are a very important natural phenomenon in the universe. On the earth, cosmic rays constantly cause nuclear reactions. High energy beams created by medical devices also induce nuclear reactions in the human body. The biological role of these nuclear reactions is unknown. Here we show that the in vivo biological systems are exquisite and sophisticated by nature in influence on nuclear reactions and in resistance to radical damage in the body of live animals. In this study, photonuclear reactions in the body of live or dead animals were induced with 50-MeV irradiation. Tissue nuclear reactions were detected by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the induced beta+ activity. We found the unique tissue "fingerprints" of beta+ (the tremendous difference in beta+ activities and tissue distribution patterns among the individuals) are imprinted in all live animals. Within any individual, the tissue "fingerprints" of 15O and 11C are also very different. When the animal dies, the tissue "fingerprints" are lost. The biochemical, rather than physical, mechanisms could play a critical role in the phenomenon of tissue "fingerprints". Radiolytic radical attack caused millions-fold increases in 15O and 11C activities via different biochemical mechanisms, i.e. radical-mediated hydroxylation and peroxidation respectively, and more importantly the bio-molecular functions (such as the chemical reactivity and the solvent accessibility to radicals). In practice biologically for example, radical attack can therefore be imaged in vivo in live animals and humans using PET for life science research, disease prevention, and personalized radiation therapy based on an individual's bio-molecular response to ionizing radiation

Prediction of the Lymph Node Status in Patients with Intrahepatic Cholangiocarcinoma: Analysis of 320 Surgical Cases

Purpose: This study was conducted to identify factors involved in lymph node metastasis (LNM) and evaluate their role in predicting LNM in clinically lymph node negative (clinical stage I–III) intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (ICC). Materials and Methods: We selected 320 patients who were diagnosed with ICC with no apparent clinical LNM (T1–3N0M0). Age, gender, tumor boundary, histological differentiation, tumor size, and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 value were the studied factors. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis were conducted. Receiver operating characteristics curve analysis was used to test the predicting value of each factor and a test which combined the associated factors was used to predict LNM. Results: LNM was observed in 76 cases (76/320, 23.8%). Univariate and multivariate analysis showed that histological differentiation as well as tumor boundary and tumor size significantly correlated with LNM. The sensitivity and negative predictive value for LNM for the three factors when combined was 96.1 and 95% respectively. This means that 5% of the patients who did not have the risk factors mentioned above developed LNM. Conclusion: This model used the combination of three factors (low-graded histological differentiation, distinct tumor boundary, small tumor size) and they proved to be useful in predicting LNM in ICC with clinically lymph node negative cases. In patients with these criteria, lymph node dissection or lymph node irradiation may be omitted and such cases may also be good candidates for stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT)

Cicatricial Alopecia

Cicatricial alopecia represents a group of disorders sharing a final pathway of destruction followed by replacement with fibrous tissue of the hair follicle unit. Cicatricial alopecia is classified into two categories, namely primary cicatricial alopecia, in which the hair follicle is the sole target of a progressive inflammatory process in a group of diverse skin or systemic diseases, and secondary cicatricial alopecia, referring to the hair follicle destruction as a result of a nonspecific disruption of the dermis. Permanent hair loss may also occur in the late phases of some nonscarring alopecias that are called “biphasic alopecias.” Based on the pathological characteristics, the lesions of primary cicatricial alopecia are divided into lymphocyte-predominant subgroup, neutrophil-predominant subgroup, or mixed subgroup. In principle, the primary goal of the treatment aims to attenuate the progression of the inflammatory and the scarring processes at the earliest phase of the disease. In clinical practice, the lymphocyte-predominant lesions are treated with immunosuppressive agents, whereas the neutrophil-predominant lesions are treated with antimicrobials or dapsone. As the efficacy of medication treatment against the cicatricial alopecia varies significantly, autologous hair transplantation is recommended to patients who have a relatively stable primary or a secondary cicatricial alopecia

Acute and subacute toxicity study of Aucklandia lappa Decne seed oil

Purpose: To investigate the acute and subacute toxicity of Aucklandia lappa Decne. seed oil (ALDO) in mice and rats.Methods: A single dose of 10 g ALDO/kg was administered to Kunming mice in an acute oral toxicity experiment. Their weight and feed consumption were recorded for 14 days to observe whether they had symptoms of poisoning and mortality. Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats were administered 0.89, 1.77 and 3.54 g/kg for 28 days, and symptoms of poisoning and mortality were monitored daily. Body weight, feedconsumption, hematology, serum biochemical parameters, relative organ weight, and histopathology of the experimental and control groups were compared.Results: The acute oral toxicity study revealed that there was no significant difference in the macroscopic results, including mortality, feed consumption and weight growth between the group dosed with 10 g ALDO/kg (p > 0.05) and the control group. In the subacute toxicity test, SD rats had a higher weight growth rate and feed utilization after doses of 0.89 g ALDO/kg (p < 0.01). However, compared with the control group (p > 0.05), there was also no significant difference in biochemical and hematological parameters, relative organ weight, or in macroscopic and histological features of both animal types. The electrolyte concentrations of Na and Cl increased at the doses of 1.77 and 3.54 g/kg (p < 0.01).Conclusion: These results suggest that ALDO is relatively safe when administered orally to rats and provide a theoretical basis for the development of new food resources

Lobophytones O–T, New Biscembranoids and Cembranoid from Soft Coral Lobophytum pauciflorum

Chemical examination of a Chinese soft coral Lobophytum pauciflorum resulted in the isolation of five new biscembranoids named lobophytones O–S (1–5) and a new “monomeric” cembrane lobophytone T (6). The structures of the new compounds were elucidated by interpretation of 1D and 2D NMR (COSY, HSQC, HMBC, and NOESY) spectroscopic data in association with MS and IR data. Lobophytone Q showed significant inhibition against lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced nitric oxide (NO) release in mouse peritoneal macrophages, while lobophytones Q and T showed inhibitory activities against the bacteria S. aureus and S. pneumoniae