A METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR SELECTION OF PAYMENT CARDS FOR TRANSACTIONS AFTER PRE-STIPULATED TIME PERIODS

The present disclosure relates to a method and system for providing selection of payment cards for transactions after pre-stipulated time periods. The method includes generating a universal token for a consumer, such that the universal token is mapped to the consumer’s payment cards. Thereafter, the universal token is utilised for a transaction. In order for the transaction to be authorised, the universal token is authorised by issuing agencies. At an end of the pre-stipulated time period, the consumer may pay for purchases by choosing a payment card from a plurality of payment cards for each transaction made using the universal token. The transaction is ultimately cleared after the pre-stipulated time period using the payment card chosen by the consumer

METHOD AND SYSTEM FOR MANAGING MERCHANT TICKETS

The present disclosure provides a method and a system for managing the merchant tickets. The present disclosure provides a centralized platform that stores and manages the merchant tickets offered and sold by the merchant. The present disclosure discloses associating the merchant tickets of a user with a digital wallet of the user. The merchant tickets are managed and stored by a merchant system associated with the merchant and a service provider system. The user can view, manage, and redeem the merchant tickets from the digital wallet

Validation of the digital health literacy assessment among the university students in China

PurposeWith the development of the internet, digital health literacy (DHL) has become increasingly important for managing health. Consequently, various digital health literacy scales have been created for different groups. The purpose of this study was to verify the reliability and validity of the simplified Chinese version of the Digital Health Literacy Assessment (DHLA) scale among university students in China.MethodSnowball sampling was used to recruit the participants via an online platform (Wenjuan.com), and finally 304 university students were included in the survey. Demographic information and the status of DHL were collected through the online questionnaire. Cronbach’s alpha and split-half reliability were used to test the internal consistency of the scale, while the structural validity was verified by exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Additionally, the convergence of the scale was tested by composite reliability (CR) and average variance extracted (AVE).ResultTwo dimensions were generated from 10 entries in the scale, named Self-rated Digital Health Literacy and Trust Degree of Online Health Information, respectively. The Cronbach’s alpha and split-half reliability of the total scale were 0.912 and 0.828, while the Cronbach’s alpha of the two dimensions were 0.913 and 0.830, respectively. The structural validity-related indexes of the scale met the standards (RMSEA = 0.079, GFI = 0.943, AGFI = 0.902, CFI = 0.971). In each dimension, the CR and AVE also reached critical values (CR > 0.7 and AVE > 0.5).ConclusionThe scale had high reliability and validity, indicating the simplified Chinese DHLA scale could be used to evaluate the DHL of university students in China

Strengthen the bonding of self-glazed zirconia to enamel by sol–gel coating

Sol–gel coating technology was applied to modify the bonding surface of self-glazed zirconia (SZ). Its effect on the bond strength of SZ to enamel was evaluated in vitro in comparison with the conventional milled zirconia treated by airborne-particle abrasion (CZa) and the heat-pressed lithium disilicate glass-ceramics treated by etching and silanization (LDe). All ceramic specimens were bonded to the etched bovine enamel with adhesive resin cement. Shear bond strength of both sol–gel coated SZ groups with different strategies (SZc1 and SZc2) was 20.00 ± 7.07 MPa and 18.32 ± 3.63 MPa, respectively, which was comparable to that of LDe, 18.44 ± 2.27 MPa (p > 0.05) and significantly higher than that of CZa, 11.72 ± 1.48 MPa, and SZ, 3.06 ± 1.66 MPa (p < 0.05). Lots of voids between zirconia clusters were observed on the bonding surface of SZc1, yet that of SZc2 showed homogeneous honeycomb nanoporous structure. All groups exhibited mixed failure except SZ, and the fracture surfaces of SZc1, SZc2, and LDe showed better wettability than CZa. Sol–gel coating could improve the bond strength of SZ to enamel, and the sol–gel coated SZ might have the potential to make minimally invasive restorations

Enhanced Thermal Conductivity of Phase Change Microcapsules Based on Boron Nitride/Graphene Oxide Composite Sheets

Large energy storage capacity and high heat conduction are very important for phase change materials. Phase change microcapsules (PCMCs) were synthesized through in situ polymerization by using paraffin as the core material. The melamine–formaldehyde (MF) polymer shell of PCMCs was modified with boron nitride/graphene oxide composite sheets (BN/GO CSs) to improve thermal conduction. The preparation condition of BN/GO CSs through the self-assembly process and the synthesis process of composite PCMCs (CPCMCs) in the presence of BN/GO CSs were systematically investigated. The thermal conductivity of CPCMCs synthesized under the optimized condition significantly increased about 190% relative to the incorporated paraffin. Promisingly, the introduction of BN/GO CSs hardly influenced the encapsulation process, allowing high encapsulation rate (>93%) and high phase change enthalpy (∼200 J·g–1). This work is an enlightening complementarity to the very limited research attempts that incorporating multiple fillers in PCMCs. We postulated and proved the synergistic effect of BN/GO CSs and their advantages in improving the thermal conductivity of the resultant PCMCs without scarifying the essential heat storage capacity. We envision that the insights and the CPCMCs synthesized can be applied in a range of material designs for energy and electronic applications

Efficacy of breast reconstruction for N2‐3M0 stage female breast cancer on breast cancer‐specific survival: A population‐based propensity score analysis

Abstract Background The efficacy of breast reconstruction for patients with N2‐3M0 stage female breast cancer (FBC) remained unclear due to the lack of randomized clinical trials. This retrospective study aimed to explore the efficacy of breast reconstruction for patients with N2‐3M0 stage FBC. Methods Two thousand five hundred forty‐five subjects with FBC staged by N2‐3M0 from 2010 to 2016 were retrieved from the Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database. Generalized boosted model (GBM) and propensity score matching (PSM) analyses and multivariable Cox analyses were employed to assess the clinical prognostic effect of postmastectomy reconstruction for patients with N2‐3M0 stage FBC in breast cancer‐specific survival (BCSS). Results Totally, 1784 candidates underwent mastectomy alone (mastectomy group), and 761 candidates underwent postmastectomy reconstruction (PMbR group), with 418 breast‐specific deaths after a median follow‐up time of 57 months (ranging from 7 to 227 months). BCSS in the mastectomy group showed no statistical difference from that in the PMbR group in the PSM cohort (HR = 0.93, 95% CI: 0.70–1.25, p = 0.400) and GBM cohort (HR = 0.75, 95% CI: 0.56–1.01, p = 0.057). In the multivariate analyses, there was no difference in the effect of PMbR and mastectomy on BCSS in the original cohort (HR = 0.85, 95% CI: 0.66–1.09, p = 0.197), PSM cohort (HR = 0.86, 95% CI: 0.64–1.15, p = 0.310), and GBM cohort (HR = 0.84, 95% CI: 0.61–1.17, p = 0.298). Triple‐negative breast cancer (TNBC) was a detrimental factor affecting BCSS for patients in the PMbR group. Conclusions Our study demonstrated that PMbR is an oncologically safe surgical treatment and can be widely recommended in clinics for females with non‐TNBC staged by T0‐3N2‐3M0

Profile of Nucleotides in Chinese Mature Breast Milk from Six Regions

This study measured the total potentially available nucleoside (TPAN) content in breast milk from six different regions of China as a part of the Maternal Nutrition and Infant Investigation (MUAI) study. A total of 631 breast milk samples were collected from healthy, lactating women with singleton, full-term pregnancies between 40 and 45 days postpartum in Changchun, Chengdu, Lanzhou, Shanghai, Tianjin, and Guangzhou. TPAN and free 5′-monophosphate nucleotide (5′-MNT) contents were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography. The TPAN content of the Chinese mature milk ranged from 11.61 mg/L to 111.09 mg/L, with a median level of 43.26 mg/L. Four types of nucleotides were identified, and the median levels of cytidine monophosphate (CMP), uridine monophosphate (UMP), guanosine monophosphate (GMP), and adenosine monophosphate (AMP) were 22.84 mg/L, 9.37 mg/L, 4.86 mg/L, and 4.80 mg/L, respectively. CMP was the predominant nucleotide, accounting for 52.9% of the TPAN content, while free 5′-MNT accounted for 18.38% of the TPAN content. The distribution pattern of the TPAN content and level of the individual nucleotides were significantly different among the selected regions (p p > 0.05). In addition, no correlation was reported between the geographic distribution and TPAN levels. This result showed that TPAN better reflects the level of total potential nucleosides in Chinese breast milk rather than 5′-MNT in free form. CMP, UMP, GMP, and AMP are the only 4 types of nucleotides reported in all detections. In addition, results revealed a large variation of TPAN levels in Chinese breast milk across six regions, so that the median value may not be the optimal fortification level of TPAN for Chinese infant populations

Tanshinone I specifically suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by disrupting the association of NLRP3 and ASC

Abstract Background Abnormal activation of NLRP3 inflammasome is related to a series of inflammatory diseases, including type 2 diabetes, gouty arthritis, non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH), and neurodegenerative disorders. Therefore, targeting NLRP3 inflammasome is regarded as a potential therapeutic strategy for many inflammatory diseases. A growing number of studies have identified tanshinone I (Tan I) as a potential anti-inflammatory agent because of its good anti-inflammatory activity. However, its specific anti-inflammatory mechanism and direct target are unclear and need further study. Methods IL-1β and caspase-1 were detected by immunoblotting and ELISA, and mtROS levels were measured by flow cytometry. Immunoprecipitation was used to explore the interaction between NLRP3, NEK7 and ASC. In a mouse model of LPS-induced septic shock, IL-1β levels in peritoneal lavage fluid and serum were measured by ELISA. Liver inflammation and fibrosis in the NASH model were analyzed by HE staining and immunohistochemistry. Results Tan I inhibited the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in macrophages, but had no effect on the activation of AIM2 or NLRC4 inflammasome. Mechanistically, Tan I inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome assembly and activation by targeting NLRP3-ASC interaction. Furthermore, Tan I exhibited protective effects in mouse models of NLRP3 inflammasome-mediated diseases, including septic shock and NASH. Conclusions Tan I specifically suppresses NLRP3 inflammasome activation by disrupting the association of NLRP3 and ASC, and exhibits protective effects in mouse models of LPS-induced septic shock and NASH. These findings suggest that Tan I is a specific NLRP3 inhibitor and may be a promising candidate for treating NLRP3 inflammasome-related diseases. Graphical Abstrac