Extraction and Purification of a Lectin from Red Kidney Bean and Preliminary Immune Function Studies of the Lectin and Four Chinese Herbal Polysaccharides

Reversed micelles were used to extract lectin from red kidney beans and factors affecting reverse micellar systems (pH value, ionic strength and extraction time) were studied. The optimal conditions were extraction at pH 4–6, back extraction at pH 9–11, ion strength at 0.15 M NaCl, extraction for 4–6 minutes and back extraction for 8 minutes. The reverse micellar system was compared with traditional extraction methods and demonstrated to be a time-saving method for the extraction of red kidney bean lectin. Mitogenic activity of the lectin was reasonably good compared with commercial phytohemagglutinin (extracted from Phaseolus vulgaris) Mitogenic properties of the lectin were enhanced when four Chinese herbal polysaccharides were applied concurrently, among which 50 μg/mL Astragalus mongholicus polysaccharides (APS) with 12.5 μg/mL red kidney bean lectin yielded the highest mitogenic activity and 100 mg/kg/bw APS with 12.5 mg/kg/bw red kidney bean lectin elevated mouse nonspecific immunity

Preparation and Device Applications of Ferroelectric β-PVDF Films

Organic ferroelectric materials have unique characters comparing to their inorganic counterparts in electronics because they show the advantages such as low cost, lightweight, small thermal budget, flexible and nontoxic characteristics. The ferroelectric poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) is mostly desired for memory devices due to its polar phase. To obtain the ferroelectric memory devices for data storage, ultrathin PVDF films are required to allow for low operation voltages with both small roughness and free of pin-holes. Micron-meter thick films of ferroelectric phase PVDF can be easily achieved by many preparation methods. But the nanofilms could be mainly fabricated by coating method and Langmuir–Blodgett deposition technique. Meanwhile, according to the structure of devices, four types of organic memory cells using ferroelectric phase PVDF films were introduced, such as memory based on metal/organic semiconductor/metal ferroelectric tunnel junctions, organic capacitors, field effect transistor and organic diodes. The research has been mainly done in Zhang’s laboratory from September 2016 to explore the preparation and potential applications of ferroelectric PVDF films. In this chapter, we summarize several device investigations and show the PVDF films have the promising memory applications

Symmetry-protected higher-order exceptional points in staggered flatband rhombic lattices

Higher-order exceptional points (EPs), which appear as multifold degeneracies in the spectra of non-Hermitian systems, are garnering extensive attention in various multidisciplinary fields. However, constructing higher-order EPs still remains as a challenge due to the strict requirement of the system symmetries. Here we demonstrate that higher-order EPs can be judiciously fabricated in PT -symmetric staggered rhombic lattices by introducing not only on-site gain/loss but also nonHermitian couplings. Zero-energy flatbands persist and symmetry-protected third-order EPs (EP3) arise in these systems owing to the non-Hermitian chiral/sublattice symmetry, but distinct phase transitions and propagation dynamics occur. Specifically, the EP3 arises at the Brillouin zone (BZ) boundary in the presence of on-site gain/loss. The single-site excitations display an exponential power increase in the PT -broken phase. Meanwhile, a nearly flatband sustains when a small lattice perturbation is applied. For the lattices with non-Hermitian couplings, however, the EP3 appears at the BZ center. Quite remarkably, our analysis unveils a dynamical delocalization-localization transition for the excitation of the dispersive bands and a quartic power increase beyond the EP3. Our scheme provides a new platform towards the investigation of the higher-order EPs, and can be further extended to the study of topological phase transitions or nonlinear processes associated with higher-order EPs.Comment: 10 pages, 10 figure

Visual and refractive outcomes of opposite clear corneal incision combined with rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lens implantation

PurposeTo evaluate the visual and refractive outcomes of astigmatic cataract patients following opposite clear corneal incision (OCCI) combined with rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lens (IOL) implantation.SettingDepartment of Ophthalmology, Zhongshan Hospital (Xiamen), Fudan University, People’s Republic of China.DesignRetrospective cohort study.MethodsThis study comprised 58 cataract eyes of 54 patients with corneal astigmatism who underwent phacoemulsification and rotationally asymmetric multifocal IOL implantation which received either OCCI (OCCI group) or a single clear corneal incision (SCCI group). The follow-up period was 3 months after surgery. Distance, intermediate and near visual acuity, refractive outcomes, and corneal anterior keratometry were compared between the two groups. Vector analysis was used to evaluate astigmatism correction.ResultsThree months after surgery, the distance, intermediate and near visual acuity, and sphere remained comparable between the two groups, but a significant difference was detected in residual astigmatism and anterior corneal keratometric astigmatism. In the OCCI group, the residual astigmatism and keratometric astigmatism were −0.60 ± 0.29 D and 0.59 ± 0.28 D, respectively, which were lower than those in SCCI groups (−1.18 ± 0.47 D and 1.15 ± 0.45 D, both p < 0.05). In vector analysis, the difference vector (DV), angle of error (AoE), absolute AoE, index of success (IoS) and correction index (CI) were statistically significantly different between the two groups (p < 0.05).ConclusionOCCI combined with rotationally asymmetric multifocal intraocular lens implantation showed predictable and desirable efficacy in treating cataract patients with astigmatism

Modification effect of changes in cardiometabolic traits in association between kidney stones and cardiovascular events

BackgroundsWhether longitudinal changes in metabolic status influence the effect of kidney stones on cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains unclarified. We investigated the modification effect of status changes in metabolic syndrome (MetS) in the association of kidney stones with risk of incident CVD events.MethodsWe performed a prospective association and interaction study in a nationwide cohort including 129,172 participants aged ≥ 40 years without CVDs at baseline and followed up for an average of 3.8 years. Kidney stones information was collected by using a questionnaire and validated by medical records. The repeated biochemical measurements were performed to ascertain the metabolic status at both baseline and follow-up.Results4,017 incident total CVDs, 1,413 coronary heart diseases (CHDs) and 2,682 strokes were documented and ascertained during follow-up. Kidney stones presence was significantly associated with 44%, 70% and 31% higher risk of CVDs, CHDs and stroke, respectively. The stratified analysis showed significant associations were found in the incident and sustained MetS patients, while no significant associations were found in the non-MetS at both baseline and follow-up subjects or the MetS remission ones, especially in women. For the change status of each single component of the MetS, though the trends were not always the same, the associations with CVD were consistently significant in those with sustained metabolic disorders, except for the sustained high blood glucose group, while the associations were consistently significant in those with incident metabolic disorders except for the incident blood pressure group. We also found a significant association of kidney stone and CVD or CHD risk in the remain normal glucose or triglycerides groups; while the associations were consistently significant in those with incident metabolic disorders except for the incident blood pressure group. We also found a significant association of kidney stone and CVD or CHD risk in the remain normal glucose or triglycerides groups.ConclusionsA history of kidney stones in women with newly developed MetS or long-standing MetS associated with increased risk of CVD. The mechanisms link kidney stones and CVD risk in the metabolic and non-metabolic pathways were warranted for further studies

The Relative Body Weight Gain From Early to Middle Life Adulthood Associated With Later Life Risk of Diabetes: A Nationwide Cohort Study

AimTo determine the effect of decade-based body weight gain from 20 to 50 years of age on later life diabetes risk.Methods35,611 non-diabetic participants aged ≥ 50 years from a well-defined nationwide cohort were followed up for average of 3.6 years, with cardiovascular diseases and cancers at baseline were excluded. Body weight at 20, 30, 40, and 50 years was reported. The overall 30 years and each 10-year weight gain were calculated from the early and middle life. Cox regression models were used to estimate risks of incident diabetes.ResultsAfter 127,745.26 person-years of follow-up, 2,789 incident diabetes were identified (incidence rate, 2.18%) in 25,289 women (mean weight gain 20-50 years, 7.60 kg) and 10,322 men (7.93 kg). Each 10-kg weight gain over the 30 years was significantly associated with a 39.7% increased risk of incident diabetes (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.33-1.47); weight gain from 20-30 years showed a more prominent effect on the risk of developing diabetes before 60 years than that of after 60 years (Hazard ratio, HR = 1.084, 95% CI [1.049-1.121], P <0.0001 vs. 1.015 [0.975-1.056], P = 0.4643; PInteraction=0.0293). It showed a stable effect of the three 10-year intervals weight gain on risk of diabetes after 60 years (HR=1.055, 1.038, 1.043, respectively, all P < 0.0036).ConclusionsThe early life weight gain showed a more prominent effect on developing diabetes before 60 years than after 60 years; however, each-decade weight gain from 20 to 50 years showed a similar effect on risk developing diabetes after 60 years

Association between triglyceride glucose index and breast cancer in 142,184 Chinese adults: findings from the REACTION study

BackgroundThe triglyceride glucose (TyG) index has been associated with an increased risk in breast cancer. However, this association remains unclear among the Chinese population. This study aimed to investigate whether the TyG index is associated with the risk of prevalent breast cancer in Chinese women.MethodsThis cross-sectional study included 142,184 women from the REACTION (Risk Evaluation of Cancers in Chinese Diabetic Individuals: A Longitudinal) Study, which recruited adults aged 40 years or older from 25 centers across mainland China between 2011 and 2012. The TyG index was calculated according to the formula: Ln (fasting triglycerides [mg/dL] × fasting glucose [mg/dL]/2). Multivariable-adjusted logistic regression models were used to evaluate odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) regarding the associations between the TyG index and breast cancer.ResultsMultivariable-adjusted logistic regression analysis showed that compared with the lowest quartile of the TyG index, the highest quartile of the TyG index was significantly associated with an increased risk of prevalent breast cancer, with an OR (95% CI) of 1.61 (1.19–2.17). In the stratified analysis, the association of each 1 SD increase in the TyG index with risk of prevalent breast cancer was more dominant in individuals with menarche at age 13–17, those who were postmenopausal, those with a history of breastfeeding, and those who had two to four children, with the ORs (95% CIs) of 1.35 (1.09–1.68), 1.27 (1.05–1.54), 1.26 (1.05–1.52), and 1.32 (1.08–1.62), respectively. Moreover, among those without discernible insulin resistance (homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance [HOMA-IR] ≥2.5), hyperglycemia and dyslipidemia, each 1 SD increase in the TyG index was associated with a 1.36-fold increase in breast cancer risk, with an OR (95% CI) of 2.36 (1.44–3.87).ConclusionThe TyG index is significantly associated with the prevalent breast cancer risk among middle-aged and elderly Chinese women

On the invariants of root subgroups of finite classical groups

We show that invariant fields Fq(X1, . . . , Xn)G are purely transcendental over Fq if G are root subgroups of finite classical groups. The key step is to find good similar groups of our groups. Moreover, the invariant rings of the root subgroups of special linear groups are shown to be polynomial rings, and their corresponding Poincare series are presented.Показано, що iнварiантнi поля Fq(X1, . . . , Xn)G є чисто трансцендентними над Fq, якщо G — кореневi пiдгрупи скiнченних класичних груп. Ключовим мiсцем доведення є знаходження гарних подiбних груп для наших груп. Крiм того, показано, що iнварiантнi кiльця кореневих пiдгруп спецiальних лiнiйних груп є полiномiальними кiльцями. Також наведено вiдповiднi ряди Пуанкаре

Syntactic boundaries and comma placement during silent reading of Chinese text: evidence from eye movements

In an eye-tracking experiment, we investigated whether and how a comma influences the reading of Chinese sentences comprised of different types of syntactic constituent such as word, phrase and clause. Participants read Chinese sentences that did or did not insert a comma at the end of a syntactic constituent. The results showed that the fixation times were shorter for the target word followed by a comma than for that followed by no comma, which suggests that a comma facilitated word identification during the reading of Chinese sentences. Furthermore, the insertion of commas shortened the total fixation times in the post-target region only for the clause condition. The data are consistent with previous findings concerning the role of segmentation cues in reading, and compatible with the implicit prosody hypothesis

An Entropy-Based Multiobjective Evolutionary Algorithm with an Enhanced Elite Mechanism

Multiobjective optimization problem (MOP) is an important and challenging topic in the fields of industrial design and scientific research. Multi-objective evolutionary algorithm (MOEA) has proved to be one of the most efficient algorithms solving the multi-objective optimization. In this paper, we propose an entropy-based multi-objective evolutionary algorithm with an enhanced elite mechanism (E-MOEA), which improves the convergence and diversity of solution set in MOPs effectively. In this algorithm, an enhanced elite mechanism is applied to guide the direction of the evolution of the population. Specifically, it accelerates the population to approach the true Pareto front at the early stage of the evolution process. A strategy based on entropy is used to maintain the diversity of population when the population is near to the Pareto front. The proposed algorithm is executed on widely used test problems, and the simulated results show that the algorithm has better or comparative performances in convergence and diversity of solutions compared with two state-of-the-art evolutionary algorithms: NSGA-II, SPEA2 and the MOSADE