Quantum phases of SrCu2(BO3)2 from high-pressure thermodynamics

We report heat capacity measurements of SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$ under high pressure along with simulations of relevant quantum spin models and map out the $(P,T)$ phase diagram of the material. We find a first-order quantum phase transition between the low-pressure quantum dimer paramagnet and a phase with signatures of a plaquette-singlet state below T = $2$ K. At higher pressures, we observe a transition into a previously unknown antiferromagnetic state below $4$ K. Our findings can be explained within the two-dimensional Shastry-Sutherland quantum spin model supplemented by weak inter-layer couplings. The possibility to tune SrCu$_2$(BO$_3$)$_2$ between the plaquette-singlet and antiferromagnetic states opens opportunities for experimental tests of quantum field theories and lattice models involving fractionalized excitations, emergent symmetries, and gauge fluctuations.Comment: 6 pages + 8 pages supplemental informatio

How early can myocardial iron overload occur in Beta thalassemia major?

BACKGROUND: Myocardial siderosis is the most common cause of death in patients with beta thalassemia major(TM). This study aimed at investigating the occurrence, prevalence and severity of cardiac iron overload in a young Chinese population with beta TM. METHODS AND RESULTS: We analyzed T2* cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) and serum ferritin (SF) in 201 beta TM patients. The median age was 9 years old. Patients received an average of 13 units of blood per year. The median SF level was 4536 ng/ml and 165 patients (82.1%) had SF>2500 ng/ml. Myocardial iron overload was detected in 68 patients (33.8%) and severe myocardial iron overload was detected in 26 patients (12.6%). Twenty-two patients ≤10 years old had myocardial iron overload, three of whom were only 6 years old. No myocardial iron overload was detected under the age of 6 years. Median LVEF was 64% (measured by CMR in 175 patients). Five of 6 patients with a LVEF<56% and 8 of 10 patients with cardiac disease had myocardial iron overload. CONCLUSIONS: The TM patients under follow-up at this regional centre in China patients are younger than other reported cohorts, more poorly-chelated, and have a high burden of iron overload. Myocardial siderosis occurred in patients younger than previously reported, and was strongly associated with impaired LVEF and cardiac disease. For such poorly-chelated TM patients, our data shows that the first assessment of cardiac T2* should be performed as early as 6 years old

The Current Situation and Strategy for the Building of State Leaders’ Public Image: Based on the Investigation for College Students’ Identification Degree on the Building of State Leaders’ Public Image

Globalization has triggered a holistic change in today’s world, and the emergence of new media has also broken the closed system of political communication in China so that it is altering the political communication environment to a certain extent and colonizing the effective mechanism for the communication of the state leaders’ public image, which creates specific and stereoscopic image of the state leaders vividly from all-around and multiple directions, making college students deepen our understanding about the state leaders in the common social world. And it is invisibly narrowing the distance between the state leaders and college students in order to realize the two-way interaction between state leaders and the public. Therefore, college students’ individual development and the building of the state leaders’ new image proceed simultaneously, which is bound to produce unexpected interaction, so we need to encourage the reconciliation between college students’ self-identity and social identity. It is regarded as the new measure to establish a new image of the state’s leaders

Salvianolic Acids: Potential Source of Natural Drugs for the Treatment of Fibrosis Disease and Cancer

Salvianolic acids, the most effective and abundant compounds extracted from Salvia miltiorrhiza (Danshen), are well known for its good anti-oxidative activity. Danshen has been extensively used as a traditional medicine to treat cardiovascular-related diseases in China and other Asian countries for hundreds of years. Recently, more and more studies have demonstrated that salvianolic acids also have a good effect on the alleviation of fibrosis disease and the treatment of cancer. In vivo and in vitro experiments have demonstrated that salvianolic acids can modulate signal transduction within fibroblasts and cancer cells. It is discovered that the cancer treatment of salvianolic acids is not only because salvianolic acids promote the apoptosis of cancer cells, but also due to the inhibition of cancer-associated epithelial-mesenchymal transition processes. In this article, we review a variety of studies focusing on the comprehensive roles of salvianolic acids in the treatment of fibrosis disease and cancer. These perspectives on the therapeutic potential of salvianolic acids highlight the importance of these compounds, which could be the novel and attractive drugs for fibrosis disease and cancer

Sensitivity and specificity of the ankle–brachial index to diagnose peripheral artery disease: a structured review

The ankle—brachial index (ABI) is a simple, inexpensive diagnostic test for peripheral artery disease (PAD). However, it has shown variable accuracy for identification of significant stenosis. The authors performed a structured review of the sensitivity and specificity of ABI ≤ 0.90 for the diagnosis of PAD. MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane databases, Science Citation Index database, and Biological Abstracts database were searched for studies of the sensitivity and specificity of using ABI ≤ 0.90 for the diagnosis of PAD. Eight studies comprising 2043 patients (or limbs) met the inclusion criteria. The result indicated that, although strict inclusion criteria on studies were formulated, different reference standards were found in these studies, and methods of ABI determination and characteristics of populations varied greatly. A high level of specificity (83.3—99.0%) and accuracy (72.1—89.2%) was reported for an ABI ≤ 0.90 in detecting ≥ 50% stenosis, but there were different levels of sensitivity (15—79%). Sensitivity was low, especially in elderly individuals and patients with diabetes. In conclusion, the test of ABI ≤ 0.90 can be a simple and useful tool to identify PAD with serious stenosis, and may be substituted for other non-invasive tests in clinical practice

Design and experiment of dynamic weighing type fruit sorting machine

Objective: To solve the problems of low accuracy and low efficiency, high labor intensity and high production cost of fresh fruit manual sorting in China. Methods: A new dynamic weighing type fruit sorting machine was developed based on the fruit weight classification method. This machine operated by initially collecting the weight of fruit through a high-precision weighing unit. The data collected was then processed in conjunction with a signal processing module and a Programmable Logic Controller (PLC). The processed data controlled an actuator, specifically a launcher, to execute the sorting based on the fruit's weight. This machine was capable of continuously performing loading, weighing (diameter ≤126 mm). Results: When the separation efficiency was 18 327, 14 400, 10 473 PCS/h, the average separation accuracy was 95.31%, 96.12%, 97.13%, and the damage rate was 1.09%, 1.11%, 1.15%, respectively. Fruit sorting speed significantly affected the sorting accuracy, but had no significant effect on fruit damage rate. Conclusion: The new dynamic weighing type fruit sorting machine can effectively improve the efficiency of fruit sorting and reduce the damage to fruit under the premise of keeping the sorting accuracy >95%

Critical Evaluation and Thermodynamic Optimization of the Cu-Zn, Cu-Se and Zn-Se Binary Systems

ABSTRACT: In our study, a complete review of the literature, critical evaluation and thermodynamic assessment of the Cu-Zn, Cu-Se and Zn-Se binary systems were carried out. The modified quasi-chemical model (MQM) was applied to describe the Gibbs energy of the liquid phase. The Gibbs energies of all intermetallic compounds and terminal solid solutions were described using the compound energy formalism (CEF) model. The re-optimization of the Cu-Zn binary system was carried out by considering the ordered bcc_B2 crystal structure of the β’ phase. Moreover, the β and δ phases in the Cu-Zn binary system with the same bcc_A2 crystal structure were modeled as one single phase in the present work. A self-consistent thermodynamic database was constructed for the Cu-Zn, Cu-Se and Zn-Se binary systems, work that formed part of a comprehensive thermodynamic database development project researching zinc-based biodegradable materials

Effects of Drying Conditions on Hot-air Drying Characteristics and Quality of Goji Berries

This study investigated the quality of goji berries by analyzing the effects of three drying temperatures (40, 50, and 60 ℃), immersion pretreatments in sodium carbonate, sodium sulfite, and citric acid solutions, and staged temperature variations on drying characteristics, polysaccharide, total phenolic, total flavonoid, betaine, carotenoid contents, 2,2-diphenyl-1-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH) scavenging capacity and color. Results indicated that increasing the drying temperature, applying solution immersion pretreatments, or utilizing staged temperature variations shortened the drying time of goji berries. Specifically, goji berries dried using staged temperature variations exhibited the highest polysaccharide content, while those pretreated by immersion before drying showed higher levels of total flavonoids, betaine, and carotenoids. Additionally, goji berries pretreated with sodium sulfite solution demonstrated the highest DPPH scavenging capacity (76.11%) and the lowest total chromatic aberration (ΔE=5.92). In contrast, those dried using staged temperature variations (40 ℃ for 10 h, followed by 50 ℃ for 10 h, 60 ℃ for 10 h, and finally 40 ℃ until the completion of the drying process) revealed the highest total phenolic content (10.24 mg GAE/g). Cluster analysis indicated differences among the four drying methods, with natural sun drying displaying the greatest disparity compared with the other methods. Correlation analysis revealed correlations among polysaccharide, total phenolic, total flavonoid, and carotenoid contents. Except for betaine, the DPPH scavenging capacity showed an insignificant correlation with the other quality indices. Immersion pretreatment technology can produce high-quality dried goji berries while reducing drying time. These results provide a reference for improving the drying and processing technology of goji berries