Predominance diagrams for Zn(Ⅱ)-NH_3-Cl^--H_2O system

The thermodynamics in zinc hydrometallurgical process was studied using a chemical equilibrium modeling code（GEMS） to predict the zinc solubility and construct the species distribution and predominance diagrams for the Zn（Ⅱ）-NH3-H2O and Zn（Ⅱ）-NH3-Cl--H2O system.The zinc solubilities in ammoniacal solutions were also measured with equilibrium experiments,which agree well with the predicted values.The distribution and predominance diagrams show that ammine and hydroxyl ammine complexes are the main aqueous Zn species,Zn（NH3）24-is predominant in weak alkaline solution for both Zn（Ⅱ）-NH3-H2O and Zn（Ⅱ）-NH3-Cl--H2O systems.In Zn（Ⅱ）-NH3-Cl--H2O system,the ternary complexes containing ammonia and chloride increase the zinc solubility in neutral solution.There are three zinc compounds,Zn（OH）2,Zn（OH）1.6Cl0.4 and Zn（NH3）2Cl2,on which the zinc solubility depends,according to the total ammonia,chloride and zinc concentration.These thermodynamic diagrams show the effects of ammonia,chloride and zinc concentration on the zinc solubility,which can provide thermodynamic references for the zinc hydrometallurgy.

Plotting and application of predominance area diagram of In-S-O system based on topological rules

The mathematical topological rule was proposed to plot the predominance area diagram.Based on the phase rules,the components of In-S-O system were analyzed and the coexisting points of three condensed phases were determined.Combined with the topological rules and thermody namic calculation,four relation diagrams between the coexisting points of three condensed phases,which were denoted as α,β stable plane-topological diagram and unstable plane-topological diagram,were plotted for the In-S-O system.The results show that α stable plane topological diagram is in accordance with the predominance area diagram of In-S-O system plotted by traditional methods,which indicates that the new method is feasible to plot the predominance area diagram of In-S-O system.Meanwhile,β unstable plane-topological diagram can be used to elucidate the indium production with the bath smelting process.

Even-carbon predominance of Monomethyl branched alkanes in Humic coal from Junggar Basin,NW China

A series of Monomethyl branched alkanes compounds were detected between nC14-nC36,in immature and low maturity Jurassic humic coal,Junggar basin.2-methyl alkanes and 3-methyl alkanes accounted for the vast majority of the compounds.It is worth noting that the2-methyl alkanes in the humic coal samples show an obvious distribution of even carbon predominances rarely reported in the literature.The results show that with the increase of Pr/Ph(pristane/phytane),the even carbon dominance of 2-methyl alkanes is more obvious,while the odd carbon number distribution of 3-methyl alkanes is weakened.As Pr/Ph increases in the humic coal,the relative content of the hopanes increased,while the relative content of 2-methyl alkanes and 3-methyl alkanes increases first and then decreases.

Plotting and application of predominance area diagram of Me-S-O system based on topological rules

The mathematical topological rule was applied to plot the predominance area diagram.Based on the analysis of the mutually conjugated,only two diagrams were the best topological embryonic graphs to build the predominance area diagram of Me-S-O system.Combined with topological rules and thermodynamic calculation,four relation-diagrams were denoted asαandβstable and unstable plane-topological diagrams,which were plotted for the Pb-S-O system and Zn-S-O system.The results show thatβstable plane-topological diagram of Pb-S-O system andαstable one of Zn-S-O system are in accordance with the traditional predominance area diagram,which indicates that it is feasible to plot the predominance area diagram based on mathematical topological rules.Meanwhile,αunstable plane-topological diagram of Pb-S-O system can elucidate the phenomenon that metallic lead exists in higher oxygen and sulfur pressure area in modern bath smelting furnace.The mathematical topological rules broaden the application scope of the predominance area diagram and enrich the practice of its plotting.

DRAWING PREDOMINANCE DIAGRAM OF M_1—M_2—x—y SYSTEM AND ITS APPLICATION

Discussions were made of the principle,method and computer program for drawing the pre- dominance diagrams of the bi-metal co-existed system M_1-M_2-x-y in which the multi-me- tallic compounds may be produced by interaction between compounds of both metals.The formation of zinc ferrite and its stable region have been analyzed through drawing Zn-Fe-S-O system predominance diagrams.The availability of the diagram is given the di- rection to roast the zinc sulfide ore as well.

Type Two Cytokines Predominance of Human Lung Cancer and Its Reverse by Traditional Chinese Medicine TTMP

Type 2 cytokines are usually predominant in tumor patients and associated with tumor progression.To explore whether reversing of type 2 predominance could be a promising strategy in tumor immunotherapy,PBMCs of 35 lung cancer patients and 19 healthy subjects were prepared and subjected to be examined for cytokine secretion and gene expression.Tetra-Methylpyrazine (TTMP),extracted from a traditional Chinese medicinal herb which has been used in clinic to reverse the Th2 status of cancer patients in China,was added to PBMC culture. Determined by RT-PCR,the positive percentages of mRNA expression of type 1 cytokines (8.6% for IFN-γ and 11.4% for IL-2) were lower than those of type 2 cytokines (71.4% for IL-4,60% for IL-6 and 80% for 1L-10) in patients' PBMCs.The potential of gene expressing (measured as relative intensity to the ratio of β-actin) in the patients for type 1 cytokines was also in a low level (0.111 for IFN-γ,0.119 for IL-2) in comparison with a relative high level for type 2 cytokines (0.319 for IL-4,0.303 for IL-6 and 0.377 for IL-10).Meanwhile,both positive percentage and relative intensity of gene expression were lower for a type 1 cytokine-related transcription factor T-bet (31.4% and 0.142,respectively) than those for type 2 cytokine-related GATA3 (85.7% and 0.378, respectively).The blood serum levels of IFN-γ and IL-2 in the patients were slightly lower but not significantly when compared with healthy control.In contrast,the levels IL-4 and IL-6 in patients were significantly higher than those in healthy subjects by ELISA analysis.TTMP could enhance supernatant concentration and gene expression levels of IFN-γ,IL-2 and T-bet,but reduced those of type 2 cytokines.These results demonstrate that the lung cancer patients had a predominant expression of type 2 cytokines and TTMP could reverse the type 2 dominant status,which might offer an alternative therapeutic regime for lung cancer patients.Cellular & Molecular Immunology.2004;1(1):63-70.

Novel emphasis on somatostatinergic system in retinal ganglion cell neuroresilience

The neuromodulatory peptide somatostatin(somatotropin release inhibiting factor,SRIF)-14 acts at multiple levels through five SRIF receptor subtypes(sst1 to sst5).SRIF-28 is also derived from a common propeptide translated from a single SRIF gene,although SRIF-14 is the predominant form in the mammalian nervous system.Due to its short half-life,synthetic SRIF analogs have been developed over the years and are available for therapeutic approaches.

Identifying extracerebellar characteristics in a large cohort of 319 Chinese patients with spinocerebellar ataxia type 3

To the Editor:Spinocerebellar ataxia type 3(SCA3)is the predominant subtype,representing 48-73%of all SCAs in the Chinese population.[1]It primarily manifests as progressive ataxia,characterized by unsteady gait,dysarthria,and limb clumsiness,due to cerebellar and interconnected gray matter damage.Notably,extracerebellar features such as extrapyramidal and oculomotor abnormalities,and spasticity,often remain underrecognized.This complexity can lead to misdiagnosis,underscoring the necessity for a more comprehensive understanding of both cerebellar and extracerebellar symptoms.

Does astrocytic L-lactate enhance cognition through myelination?

Introduction:Astrocytes,the predominant glial cell in the brain,play a vital role in a plethora of central nervous system functions.They are the major storage site of glycogen in the central nervous system.They produce L-lactate by glycogenolysis and glycolysis which is then transported to neurons(Magistretti and Allaman,2018).Multiple evidence using diverse behavioral paradigms,such as fear conditioning,conditioned place avoidance,rat gambling task(RGT),and flavor-place paired associate(PA)learning suggest that L-lactate has a beneficial effect on various aspects of cognition(Wang et al.,2017;Akter et al.,2023b).While the molecular mechanisms underlying the cognitive benefits of L-lactate are still emerging,it is well-established that astrocytic L-lactate can be used as an energy substrate by neurons and can induce N-methyl-D-aspartate receptor-dependent plasticity-driven gene expression during cognition(Magistretti and Allaman,2018).Additionally,recent evidence has revealed more roles of L-lactate which include myelination,neuronal mitochondrial biogenesis,and antioxidant defense(Sanchez-Abarca et al.,2001;Ichihara et al.,2017;Akter et al.,2023a,b).Myelin in the central nervous system is a specialized lipid-rich membrane formed by oligodendrocytes.

Hodgkin's lymphoma:2023 update on treatment

Hodgkin's lymphoma(HL)is a common,malignant hematological tumor of the lymph nodes and lymphatic system,accounting for 10%of all lymphomas.HL comprises 2 main subtypes:classical HL(cHL)and nodular lymphocyte predominant HL.

Sex differences in Alzheimer's disease:an urgent research venue to follow

Due to increasing life expectancy,the amount of people with dementia worldwide is expected to experience a substantial rise,with estimates indicating a growth from 55 million in 2019 to a staggering 139 million by the year 2050.Among the various forms of dementia.Alzheimer's disease(AD)stands out as the predominant and most prevalent.

Single-station microtremor surveys for site characterization:A case study in Erzurum city,eastern Turkey

The single-station microtremor method is one of the fastest,most reliable,and cheapest methods used to identify dynamic soil properties.This study utilizes 49 single-station microtremor measurements to identify the dynamic soil properties of the Hilalkent quarter of the Yakutiye district in Erzurum.Soil dominant frequency and the amplification factor were calculated by using the Nakamura horizontal/vertical spectral ratio(H/V)method.While the soil dominant frequency values varied between 0.4 Hz and 10 Hz,the soil amplification factor changed between 1 and 10.Higher H/V values were acquired with lower frequency values.The vulnerability index(K_(g))and shear strain parameters that are utilized to estimate the damage that may be caused by an earthquake were mapped.Especially in the west side of the study area,higher K_(g) values were observed.The shear strain map was created with 0.25 g,0.50 g and 0.75 g bedrock accelerations,and soil types that lost elasticity during an earthquake were identified.The average shear wave velocity for the first 30 m(V_(s30))was calculated.Finally,it was observed that the western part of the study area,which resulted in a higher period and higher H/V,higher K_(g) and lower V_(s30) values,presents a higher risk of damage during an earthquake.

Pulse-like ground motion observed during the 6 February 2023 M_(W)7.8 Pazarcık Earthquake(Kahramanmaraş,SE Türkiye)

In this study,we analyzed 100 three-component strong ground motion records observed within 200 km of the causative fault of the 6 February 2023 M_(W)7.8 Pazarcık(Kahramanmaraş)Earthquake in SE Türkiye.The wavelet method was utilized to identify and analyze the characteristics of pulse-like ground motions in the near-fault region,while considering the uncertainty of the pulse orientation during the analysis.Our investigation focused on the effects of the focal mechanism and rupture process on the spatial distribution,pulse orientation,and maximum pulse direction of the observed pulse-like ground motion.We also analyzed the amplitude and period of the observed ground pulses and the effect of long-period amplification on the ground motion response spectra.Our results indicated the following:(1)A total of 21 typical ground velocity pulses were observed during this earthquake,exhibiting complex characteristics due to the influence of the strike-slip mechanism and rupture directivity.Most ground pulses(17 out of 21)were recorded within 20 km of the fault,in a wide range of orientations,including normal and parallel to the fault direction.The waveforms exhibited unidirectional features,indicating the effects of left-lateral fault slip.Distinct pulses observed more than 20 km from the fault were mainly oriented normal to the fault.The waveforms were bidirectional with double-or multi-round trips as a result of rupture directivity.(2)The amplitudes of the observed pulses ranged from 30.5 to 220.0 cm/s,with the largest peak velocity of 220.0 cm/s observed at Station 3138.The pulse periods ranged from 2.3 to 14.5 s,with the longest pulse period of 14.5 s observed at Station 3116.The amplitude and period of the pulses observed during this earthquake were comparable to those of similar-magnitude global earthquakes.The amplitude of the pulses decreased significantly with increasing fault distance,whereas the pulse period was not significantly affected by the fault distance.(3)Compared with non-pulse records,the velocity pulse records had a pronounced amplification effect on the acceleration response spectra near the pulse period,with factors ranging from 2.1 to 5.8.The larger velocity pulses also significantly amplified the velocity response spectra,particularly over the long periods.This significant amplification effect of the pulses on the response spectra leads to empirical models underestimating the long-period earthquake ground motion.

Traditional Chinese medicine:Eastern natural remedy for management of lipid metabolic disorders

Lipids is one of the predominant agents for energy storage in mammals,and lipid metabolism is one of the predominant ways to supply energy for human physiological activities.Dysfunctional lipid metabolism can result in a series of serious chronic diseases,such as obesity,non-alcoholic fatty liver diseases,cardiovascular diseases,and type 2 diabetes mellitus,etc.Owing to the improvement of living standards,changes in dietary structure,and insufficient exercise,these aforementioned diseases show an increasing tendency towards becoming a global epidemic and spreading.

Integrative lipidomics profile uncovers the mechanisms underlying high-level α-linolenic acid accumulation in Paeonia rockii seeds

Tree peony(Paeonia rockii)is an excellent woody oilseed crop,known for its highα-linolenic acid(ALA,∼45%)content,which is of great value for human health.However,the mechanisms underlying this high-level ALA accumulation in tree peony seeds are poorly understood.In this study,we evaluated the dynamic changes in the lipidomic profile of P.rockii seeds during development.A total of 760 lipid molecules were identified in P.rockii seeds;triacylglycerol(TAG)lipid molecules showed the highest abundance and diversity,both increasing during seed development.Particularly,ALA was the predominant fatty acid at the TAG sn-3 position.We further characterized two diacylglycerol acyltransferase(DGAT)genes and three phospholipid:diacylglycerol acyltransferase(PDAT)genes involved in the transfer of fatty acids to the TAG sn-3 position.Gene expression and subcellular localization analyses suggested that PrDGATs and PrPDATs may function as endoplasmic reticulum-localized proteins in seed TAG biosynthesis.In vitro functional complementation analysis showed different substrate specificities,with PrPDAT2 having a specific preference for ALA.Multiple biological assays demonstrated that PrDGAT1,PrDGAT2,PrPDAT1-2,and PrPDAT2 promote oil synthesis.Specifically,PrPDAT2 leads to preferential ALA in the oil.Our findings provide novel functional evidence of the roles of PrDGAT1 and PrPDAT2,which are potential targets for increasing the ALA yield in tree peony and other oilseed crops.

Efficacy and Safety of Traditional Chinese Patent Medicine Qizhi Weitong Granules(气滞胃痛颗粒)in Irritable Bowel Syndrome with Predominant Constipation:A Meta-Analysis and Trial Sequential Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials

Objective:To systematically review the efficacy and clinical safety of Qizhi Weitong Granules(气滞胃痛颗粒)(QZWT)in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome with predominant constipation(IBS-C).Methods:Randomized controlled trials(RCTs)of QZWT in patients with IBS-C were retrieved from Pub Med,EMBASE,Cochrane Library,China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),Wanfang,Chinese Scientific Journals Database(VIP),and Chinese Biological Medical Database(CBM)from inception to December 3,2022.Conventional meta-analysis with random-effects model or fixed-effects model and trial sequential analysis(TSA)were performed by Review Manager 5.4,Stata and TSA software.Results:A total of 4 RCTs and 368 patients with IBS-C were included in this study.The findings of the meta-analysis indicated that the cure and efficacy rate of the experimental group was significantly higher than that of the control group[RR=2.19;(95%CI,1.35–3.55),P<0.01;RR=1.14;(95%CI,1.03–1.27),P<0.05],while the result of Bristol Score was negative.The funnel plot was probably symmetry,and the P value was>0.05 in the Egger test,which confirmed the nonexistence of significant publication bias in this outcome.TSA showed the cumulative z-value crossed the traditional threshold and TSA threshold,while it didn't get to the required information size.Finally,2 studies reported adverse events after QZWT treatment,including 3 cases of diarrhea.No serious adverse events were reported.Conclusion:QZWT was an effective and safe complementary therapy in the treatment of IBS-C with no obvious adverse reactions.TSA analysis confirmed our meta-analysis results.Therefore,QZWT may be a potential candidate for the treatment of IBS-C.However,due to the limited quality of current studies,more long-term,randomized,double-blinded clinical trials are needed in future studies.

Feasibility of flue-gas desulfurization by manganese oxides

For the purpose of effective and economic desulfurization of flue-gas, the predominance area diagram of the Mn-S-O system at different temperatures was constructed based on the thermodynamic data obtained from the literatures. It is seen from this figure that flue-gas desulfurization by manganese oxides is feasible from the thermodynamic point of view. Additionally, the most appropriate temperature range for flue-gas desulfurization is between 600 and 800 K, and the reaction is strongly exothermic to maintain the heat balance. The natural manganese ores encompass large tunnels that exhibit large surface areas and highly chemical activity, which can provide a high enough SO2 removing efficiency. From the superposition of the diagrams of Mn-S-O and Fe-S-O systems, it is found that there is a coexistent stability region of MnSO4 and Fe2O3, which provides the possibility of desulfurization by selective sulfation without ferric sulfate forming. A multi-stage desulfurization system has been discussed briefly.

Thermodynamic Analysis for Carbothermal Reduction and Nitridation of TiO_2

The diagrams of stability relations（namely,Predominance area phase diagram,PAPD）of nitride,carbide and oxides in Ti-C-N-O system were plotted by thermodynamic calculation.The optimum conditions and main influence factors for the synthesis of titanium nitride and titanium carbide by carbothermal reduction in nitrogen atmosphere were discussed.

Site effects by generalized inversion technique using strong motion recordings of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

The generalized inversion of S-wave amplitude spectra from the free-field strong motion recordings of the China National Strong Motion Observation Network System （NSMONS） are used to evaluate the site effects in the Wenchuan area. In this regard, a total of 602 recordings from 96 aftershocks of the Wenchuan earthquake with magnitudes of M3.7-M6.5 were selected as a dataset. These recordings were obtained from 28 stations at a hypocenter distance ranging from 30 km to 150 km. The inversion results have been verified as reliable by comparing the site response at station 62WUD using the Generalized Inversion Technique （GIT） and the Standard Spectral Ratio method （SSR）. For all 28 stations, the site predominant frequency F and the average site amplification in different frequency bands of 1.0-5.0 Hz, 5.0-10.0 Hz and 1.0-10.0 Hz have been calculated based on the inversion results. Compared with the results from the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio （HVSR） method, it shows that the HVSR method can reasonably estimate the site predominant frequency but underestimates the site amplification. The linear fitting between the average site amplification for each frequency band and the V20 （the average uppermost-20 m shear wave velocity） shows good correlation. A distance measurement called the asperity distance DAspt is proposed to reasonably characterize the source-to-site distance for large earthquakes. Finally, the inversed site response is used to identify the soil nonlinearity in the main shock and aftershocks of Wenchuan earthquake. In ten of the 28 stations analyzed in the main shock, the soil behaved nonlinearly, where the ground motion level is apparently beyond a threshold ofPGA 〉 300 cm/s^2 or PGV 〉 20 cm/s, and only one station coded 51SFB has evidence of soil nonlinear behavior in the aftershocks.

Drug treatment of functional dyspepsia

Symptomatic improvement of patients with functional dyspepsia after drug therapy is often incomplete and obtained in not more than 60% of patients. This is likely because functional dyspepsia is a heterogeneous disease. Although great advance has been achieved with the consensus definitions of the Rome I and II criteria, there are still some aspects about the definition of functional dyspepsia that require clarification. The Rome criteria explicitly recognise that epigastric pain or discomfort must be the predominant complaint in patients labelled as suffering from functional dyspepsia. However, this strict definition can create problems in the daily primary care clinical practice, where the patient with functional dyspepsia presents with multiple symptoms. Before starting drug therapy it is recommended to provide the patient with an explanation of the disease process and reassurance. A thorough physical examination and judicious use of laboratory data and endoscopy are also indicated. In general, the approach to treat patients with functional dyspepsia based on their main symptom is practical and effective. Generally, patients should be treated with acid suppressive therapy using proton-pump inhibitors if the predominant symptoms are epigastric pain or gastroesophageal reflux symptoms. Although the role of Helicobacter pylori （H pylon） in functional dyspepsia continues to be a matter of debate, recent data indicate that there is modest but clear benefit of eradication of H pylori in patients with functional dyspepsia. In addition, H pylori is a gastric carcinogen and if found it should be eliminated. Although there are no specific diets for patients with FD, it may be helpful to guide the patients on healthy exercise and eating habits.