Browse Articles
Discover research articles across all indexed journals
Efficient multilayer near-infrared micro-bottle laser pumped by a 532 nm nanosecond laser
Convergent Total Synthesis of Aleutianamine
Enhanced therapeutic efficacy of Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker in females through sex-specific metabolomic-pharmacodynamic divergence
Abstract Eupolyphaga sinensis Walker (ESW), a medicinal insect used in traditional Chinese medicine, is renowned for its effects on blood circulation, stasis resolution, and bone and tendon healing. The underlying reasons for the clinical preference for female ESW remain unclear. Previous investigations were limited in scope, focusing narrowly on female specimens, large-molecule compounds, and single pharmacological effect. This study systematically compared female and male ESW in terms of composition and therapeutic efficacy. Metabolomics identified 31 compound types in both female and male ESW, including lipids, amino acids, and fatty acids. Female ESW exhibited significantly higher levels of 8 bioactive compounds, 15 small peptides, and 13 prostaglandins compared to male ESW, which contribute to immunity enhancement, antithrombotic effects, and improved bone metabolism. These differences may underlie the superior medicinal efficacy of female ESW. In the thrombosis model, ESW can cause vasodilation, reduce blood cell aggregation and thrombosis rate of mice tails. It also improved t-PA levels, prolonged APTT, and enhanced hepatic SOD activity, with female ESW showing stronger effects on MDA and D2D levels, indicating its stronger ability to protect cells from damage and fibrinolytic effect. In the osteoporosis model, ESW increased femur length, liver, and thymus indices while regulating serum BALP and Mg levels. Female ESW notably reduced TRACP-5b, OT/BGP, P, and Cu to normal levels, indicating its stronger ability to improved bone metabolism, corrected disturbances in calcium-phosphorus metabolism, and regulated serum inorganic elements. Overall, female ESW exhibited a greater abundance of bioactive components and demonstrated superior anti-thrombotic and anti-osteoporotic effects. These findings highlight the superior therapeutic effects of female ESW due to its enriched bioactive components, supporting its clinical preference while underscoring the potential of male ESW for uilization of resource.
Ketenimines as Aza-Dienophiles
Multiphysical characterization for predicting compressive strength of Portland cement concrete using synthetic aperture radar, ultrasonic testing, and rebound hammer
Abstract Portland cement concrete (PCC) is a versatile and widely used construction material renowned for its strength and durability. The mechanical properties of PCC, including compressive strength, flexural strength, and splitting tensile strength, play a pivotal role in ensuring the safety and sustainability of structures such as buildings, bridges, and dams. Traditionally, the determination of PCC’s compressive strength involves destructive testing of standard-size concrete cylinders until they fail. While nondestructive evaluation (NDE) techniques are available for assessing these properties, they often require direct contact between the sensor and the concrete surface, making them less efficient and practical compared to remote sensing techniques. In this paper, three NDE techniques were applied for estimating the mechanical properties of concrete, including synthetic aperture radar (SAR), ultrasonic testing (UT), and a rebound hammer (RH). A total of 48 laboratory concrete cylinders (diameter = 3", height = 6") were manufactured. These cylinders were created with different water-to-cement ratios (0.4, 0.45, 0.5, and 0.55) with a mix design ratio of 1:2:3 for cement: sand: gravel (by mass). Before these cylinders were tested by destructive compression test, they were measured by three NDE techniques. A 10 GHz SAR system, a 54 kHz UT system, and a RH sensor were used to inspect those cylinders at different concrete ages (7, 14, 28, and 96 days). From our result, the performance ranking among three NDE techniques was individually UT, SAR, and RH. When combining two NDE techniques, SAR with UT delivered the best performance. Multiphysical NDE (SAR with UT) outperformed uniphysical NDE (UT with RH) on the prediction of compressive strength of concrete, with a highest R 2 value of 0.9918. This research demonstrates the promising potential of multiphysical NDE for other engineering problems.
Acrolein-Mediated Conversion of Lysine to Electrophilic Heterocycles for Protein Diversification and Toxicity Profiling
Neural networks adaptive predefined-time control for pure-feedback nonlinear systems: a case study on robotic exoskeleton systems
Correction to “Synthesis and Stability of Biomolecules in C–H–O–N Fluids under Earth’s Upper Mantle Conditions”
Individual evaluation of attachment strength at each adhered point in the silk foothold constructed by bagworms for walking and dangling
Synthesis, Characterization, and Catalytic Activity of Ni(0) (DQ)dtbbpy, an Air-Stable, Bifunctional Red-Light-Sensitive Precatalyst
Author Correction: Using isometric log-ratio in compositional data analysis for developing a groundwater pollution index
Topological Design of Highly Conductive Weakly Solvating Electrolytes for Ultrastable Sodium Metal Batteries Operating at −60 °C and Below
A novel approach for evaluating geology-engineering dual sweet spots in tight gas reservoirs in the LX block of China
Cryogenic Organometallic Carbon–Fluoride Bond Functionalization with Broad Functional Group Tolerance
Metformin combined with CB-839 specifically inhibits KRAS-mutant ovarian cancer
3D Electron Diffraction Structure of an Organic Semiconductor Reveals Conformational Polymorphism
Micro-CT analysis reveals porosity driven growth banding in Caribbean coral Siderastrea siderea
Abstract X-radiography of massive scleractinian coral skeletons reveal light and dark couplets termed “growth bands”, which are commonly related to seasonal fluctuations in environmental parameters including insolation and sea surface temperature (SST). Massive corals grow by extension of skeletal structures followed by thickening within the surface tissue layer. Therefore, an understanding of the depth in which skeletal thickening occurs is important to aid the interpretation of seasonal banding patterns. In this study, two colonies of Caribbean coral Siderastrea siderea were sampled from the north-west coast of Barbados at water depths of 5 and 15 m. The three-dimensional skeletal structure of each sample was reconstructed at high spatial resolutions using micro-computed tomography (µCT) scanning. A pixel segmentation algorithm was developed to classify different microstructures within the skeleton and to quantify spatial variations in corallite and theca porosity at the micrometer scale. The porosity reconstructions of the deeper sample reveal clearer growth banding, with a more dominant signal originating from within the corallite. Skeletal thickening occurs within the top two-thirds of the total depth of soft tissues and the rate of thickening varies between microstructures. Seasonality in the shallower sample is less clear, although porosity variability with depth is more similar across microstructures. The difference in signal origin and clarity between the two samples is attributed to the varying stability of water depth-dependent variables (i.e., insolation and wave energy). This study provides a new, powerful method of reconstructing and understanding growth strategies in massive scleractinian corals.