Universal Thermoelectric Effect of Dirac Fermions in Graphene

We numerically study the thermoelectric transports of Dirac fermions in graphene in the presence of a strong magnetic field and disorder. We find that the thermoelectric transport coefficients demonstrate universal behavior depending on the ratio between the temperature and the width of the disorder-broadened Landau levels(LLs). The transverse thermoelectric conductivity $\alpha_{xy}$ reaches a universal quantum value at the center of each LL in the high temperature regime, and it has a linear temperature dependence at low temperatures. The calculated Nernst signal has a peak at the central LL with heights of the order of $k_B/e$, and changes sign near other LLs, while the thermopower has an opposite behavior, in good agreement with experimental data. The validity of the generalized Mott relation between the thermoelectric and electrical transport coefficients is verified in a wide range of temperatures.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figures, published versio

Production and quality evaluation of a novel γ-aminobutyric acid-enriched yogurt

Objectiveγ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is a neurotransmitter inhibitor that has beneficial effects on various health conditions such as hypertension, cognitive dysfunction, and anxiety. In this study, we investigated a novel yogurt naturally enriched with GABA using a Levilactobacillus brevis strain isolated in our laboratory; the specific optimum yogurt production conditions for this strain were determined.MethodsWe isolated an L. brevis strain and used it to produce yogurt naturally enriched with GABA. We explored the optimal conditions to enhance GABA yield, including fermentation temperature, inoculation amount, L-monosodium glutamate (L-MSG) concentration, fermentation time, and sucrose content. We also performed mixed fermentation with Streptococcus thermophilus and evaluated the quality of the yogurt.ResultsFollowing optimization (43°C, 8% inoculation amount, 1.5 g/L L-MSG, and 8% sucrose for 40 h of fermentation), the GABA yield of the yogurt increased by 2.2 times, reaching 75.3 mg/100 g. Mixed fermentation with S. thermophilus demonstrated favorable results, achieving a GABA yield akin to that found in some commercially available functional foods. Moreover, the viable microbe count in the GABA-enriched yogurt exceeded 1 × 108 cfu/mL, which is higher than that of commercial standards. The yogurt also exhibited a suitable water-holding capacity, viscosity, 3-week storage time, and favorable sensory test results.ConclusionThis study highlights the potential of naturally enriched GABA yogurt as a competitive commercial yogurt with beneficial health effects

Benzaldehyde thio­semicarbazone monohydrate

In the title compound, C8H9N3S·H2O, intra­molecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bonding contributes to the mol­ecular conformation. Water mol­ecules are involved in inter­molecular N—H⋯O and O—H⋯S hydrogen bonds, which link the mol­ecules into ribbons extended along the a axis. Weak inter­molecular N—H⋯S hydrogen bonds link these ribbons into layers parallel to the ab plane with the phenyl rings pointing up and down

Submerzni uzgoj gljiva u bioreaktorima – izazovi, dostignuća i budućnost proizvodnje

Medicinal mushrooms have profound health-promoting benefits. Recently, a number of substances of mushroom origin have been isolated, identified and shown to have physiological activities, such as antitumor, immunomodulating, cardiovascular, antihypercholesterolemia, antibacterial, antiviral, antiparasitic, hepatoprotective, and antidiabetic activities. Currently, commercial products from medicinal mushrooms are mostly obtained through the field-cultivation of the fruiting body. However, in this case it is difficult to control the quality of the final product. Submerged fermentation of the mycelial form of mushroom-producing fungi has received much attention as a promising alternative for efficient production of the biomass of medicinal mushrooms and their active metabolites. However, in order for the production to be successful at industrial scale, various technical problems need to be solved, including characterization of the variations that occur during the submerged cultivation of mushrooms in bioreactors and their effects on growth and product formation. This review outlines the major factors that affect the submerged cultivation of mushrooms in bioreactors, including oxygen supply, shear and mixing, morphology and rheology, as well as two-stage cultivation strategies and high-cell-density cultivation strategies such as fed-batch fermentation.Medicinske gljive pozitivno djeluju na ljudsko zdravlje. U novije vrijeme izolirane su brojne tvari iz gljiva koje utječu na fiziološke procese i imaju antitumorski, imunomodulacijski i kardiovaskularni učinak, snizuju kolesterol, imaju antibakterijski, antivirusni, antiparazitski i hepatoprotektivni učinak i sprečavaju pojavu dijabetesa. Komercijalni proizvodi dobivaju se uzgojem medicinskih gljiva na polju. Međutim, tim se postupkom teško kontrolira kakvoća gotovog proizvoda. Submerzna fermentacija micelija gljiva moguća je alternativa za uspješnu proizvodnju biomase medicinskih gljiva i njihovih aktivnih metabolita. Međutim, da bi se postigla uspješna industrijska proizvodnja, treba riješiti razne tehničke probleme, između ostalog odrediti odstupanja pri submerznom uzgoju gljiva u bioreaktorima i njihov utjecaj na rast i formiranje gotovog proizvoda. U ovom se revijalnom prikazu razmatraju glavni faktori utjecaja na submerzni uzgoj gljiva u bioreaktorima, a to su opskrba kisikom, posmično naprezanje i miješanje, te morfologija i reologija, opisuje strategija uzgoja gljiva u dvije faze te proizvodnja stanica velike gustoće šaržnom fermentacijom

Goal-directed fluid optimization based on stroke volume variation and cardiac index during one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing thoracoscopy lobectomy operations: a pilot study

OBJECTIVES: This pilot study was designed to utilize stroke volume variation and cardiac index to ensure fluid optimization during one-lung ventilation in patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomies. METHODS: Eighty patients undergoing thoracoscopic lobectomy were randomized into either a goal-directed therapy group or a control group. In the goal-directed therapy group, the stroke volume variation was controlled at 10%±1%, and the cardiac index was controlled at a minimum of 2.5 L.min-1.m-2. In the control group, the MAP was maintained at between 65 mm Hg and 90 mm Hg, heart rate was maintained at between 60 BPM and 100 BPM, and urinary output was greater than 0.5 mL/kg-1/h-1. The hemodynamic variables, arterial blood gas analyses, total administered fluid volume and side effects were recorded. RESULTS: The PaO2/FiO2-ratio before the end of one-lung ventilation in the goal-directed therapy group was significantly higher than that of the control group, but there were no differences between the goal-directed therapy group and the control group for the PaO2/FiO2-ratio or other arterial blood gas analysis indices prior to anesthesia. The extubation time was significantly earlier in the goal-directed therapy group, but there was no difference in the length of hospital stay. Patients in the control group had greater urine volumes, and they were given greater colloid and overall fluid volumes. Nausea and vomiting were significantly reduced in the goal-directed therapy group. CONCLUSION: The results of this study demonstrated that an optimization protocol, based on stroke volume variation and cardiac index obtained with a FloTrac/Vigileo device, increased the PaO2/FiO2-ratio and reduced the overall fluid volume, intubation time and postoperative complications (nausea and vomiting) in thoracic surgery patients requiring one-lung ventilation

Alendronate prevents angiotensin II-induced collagen I production through geranylgeranylation-dependent RhoA/Rho kinase activation in cardiac fibroblasts

AbstractCollagen I is the main component of extracellular matrix in cardiac fibrosis. Our previous studies have reported inhibition of farnesylpyrophosphate synthase prevents angiotensin II-induced cardiac fibrosis, while the exact molecular mechanism was still unclear. This paper was designed to investigate the effect of alendronate, a farnesylpyrophosphate synthase inhibitor, on regulating angiotensin II-induced collagen I expression in cultured cardiac fibroblasts and to explore the underlying mechanism. By measuring the mRNA and protein levels of collagen I, we found that alendronate prevented angiotensin II-induced collagen I production in a dose-dependent manner. The inhibitory effect on collagen I expression was reversed by geranylgeraniol, and mimicked by inhibitors of RhoA/Rho kinase pathway including C3 exoenzyme and GGTI-286. Thus we suggested geranylgeranylation-dependent RhoA/Rho kinase activation was involved in alendronate-mediated anti-collagen I synthetic effect. Furthermore, we accessed the activation status of RhoA in alendronate-, geranylgeraniol- and GGTI-286-treated cardiac fibroblasts and gave an indirect evidence for RhoA activation via geranylgeranylation. Then we came to the conclusion that in cardiac fibroblasts, alendronate could protect against angiotensin II-induced collagen I synthesis through inhibition of geranylgeranylation and inactivation of RhoA/Rho kinase signaling. Targeting geranylgeranylation and RhoA/Rho kinase signaling will hopefully serve as therapeutic strategies to reduce fibrosis in heart remodeling

ChatCAD+: Towards a Universal and Reliable Interactive CAD using LLMs

The integration of Computer-Assisted Diagnosis (CAD) with Large Language Models (LLMs) holds great potential in clinical applications, specifically in the roles of digital family doctors and clinic assistants. However, current works in this field are plagued by limitations, specifically a restricted scope of applicable image domains and the provision of unreliable medical advice This restricts their overall processing capabilities. Furthermore, the mismatch in writing style between LLMs and radiologists undermines their practical usefulness. To tackle these challenges, we introduce ChatCAD+, which is designed to be universal and reliable. It is capable of handling medical images from diverse domains and leveraging up-to-date information from reputable medical websites to provide reliable medical advice. Additionally, it incorporates a template retrieval system that improves report generation performance via exemplar reports, enabling seamless integration into existing clinical workflows. The source code is available at https://github.com/zhaozh10/ChatCAD.Comment: Authors Zihao Zhao, Sheng Wang, Jinchen Gu, Yitao Zhu contributed equally to this work and should be considered co-first author

Transformation bending device emulated by graded-index waveguide

We demonstrate that a transformation device can be emulated using a gradient-index waveguide. The effective index of the waveguide is spatially varied by tailoring a gradient thickness dielectric waveguide. Based on this technology, we demonstrate a transformation device guiding visible light around a sharp corner, with low scattering loss and reflection loss. The experimental results are in good agreement with the numerical results.Comment: This paper is published at Optics Express 20, 13006 (2012