Stability Of Matrix Research Articles

Print parameter optimization and mechanical deformation analysis of alumina-nanoparticle doped photocurable nanocomposites fabricated using vat-photopolymerization based additive technology

As the recent trend of fabricating high-strength polymer has been gaining more attention in the market, researchers are exploring the possibility of using a 3D printing technique for the same. Vat-photopolymerization additive technology has good process capability and produces high-quality photopolymer parts with greater geometrical complexity. This paper proposes the vat-photopolymerization process to fabricate high-strength acrylate-based photopolymer composite with improved mechanical strength. The composite structures contain 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 wt percentages of 13 nm average-sized alumina (Al2O3) nanoparticle (NP) as the reinforcement and acrylate photopolymer as matrix material. The viscosities of all the prepared suspensions were measured to determine the printing properties of the prepared nanocomposites, and these values are within the feasible printing limit. Furthermore, the depth of cure and time of exposure to UV light were optimized to achieve the desired level of printing performance. The thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) of the alumina nanocomposites reveals that the addition of alumina NP has minimal influence on the thermal stability of the photopolymer matrix. To ascertain the mechanical strength of the 3D printed products, tensile tests are performed, and it was witnessed that 1.0% weight fraction of alumina-NP loaded specimen experienced the highest tensile strength amongst all the weight fractions of alumina-NP considered, and its value increased by ∼48% when compared against the pure acrylate polymer sample. The increase in strength values for the alumina-NP loaded specimen was explained using dynamic mechanical analysis and optical and scanning electron micrographs. A constitutive elastic-viscoplastic isothermal non-linear time-dependent material model is also developed to predict the post-yield strain-softening behavior of these nanocomposites. The weight fraction and optimal weight fraction of alumina nanoparticles are correlated using semi-empirical equations of various model parameters.

A novel Ti(OH)4/graphene flame retardant towards reducing fire hazards of phenolic resin

Ti(OH) 4 /graphene was synthesized by hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride into titanium hydroxide and precipitation on the surface of graphene nanosheets, and was incorporated into phenolic resin to prepare phenolic composites using hexamethylenetetramine as a curing agent. After that, the effects of Ti(OH) 4 /graphene on the thermal stability, flame retardancy, and smoke suppression properties of phenolic matrix were studied. When the content of Ti(OH) 4 /graphene was 5 wt.%, phenolic composites passed the UL-94 V-0 rating with a limiting oxygen index (LOI) of 28.6%, and the residual char at 800 °C was 56.83 wt.%. Cone calorimeter tests demonstrated that the peak heat release rate (pHRR), total heat release (THR) and total smoke production (TSP) of phenolic composite contained 10 wt.% Ti(OH) 4 /graphene were 86.3 kW/m 2 , 30.74 MJ/m 2 and 1.8 m 2 , respectively, which were reduced by 41.85%, 24.82%, and 30.78% compared with pure phenolic resin. And the smoke density test also showed that the smoke density of phenolic composite contained 10 wt.% Ti(OH) 4 /graphene had a 51.89% reduction. These data indicated that Ti(OH) 4 /graphene can effectively improve the flame retardant and smoke suppression performance. Moreover, the char residue after combustion is investigated using SEM, FTIR, XRD and Raman technologies, and the results demonstrated that Ti(OH) 4 /graphene could greatly promote the formation of a continuous and dense char residue layer in phenolic composites. Py-GC/MS results further revealed that the degradation products contents of phenolic resins were decreased by incorporating Ti(OH) 4 /graphene. Therefore, the flame retardancy of phenolic composite is significantly improved through the mechanism of endothermic effect, coverage effect, and dilution effect of combustible gas. This feasible method can provide new insights for reducing fire hazards of phenolic resin. • Ti(OH) 4 /graphene was prepared and incorporated into phenolic resin as an additive flame retardant. • Phenolic composites containing only 5 wt.% Ti(OH) 4 /graphene passed UL-94 V-0 rating. • Ti(OH) 4 /graphene significantly improved flame retardancy performances of phenolic composites. • The flame retardant mechanism of Ti(OH) 4 /graphene in phenolic composites was investigated.

Mechanical and thermal properties of fully green composites from vanillin-based benzoxazine and silane surface modified chopped basalt fibers

By following the rules of green chemistry, a novel composite is developed from a renewable and ecofriendly resource, namely the vanillin. The latter was used as a phenolic precursor for the microwave synthesis of a bio-based benzoxazine resin (Va-BZ). Afterwards, high performance green composites were developed by reinforcing the Va-BZ with various amounts of chopped silane surface modified basalt fibers (BFs). The chemical structure of the Va-BZ monomers was confirmed by 1H NMR and FTIR spectroscopy. The grafting of the silane moiety on the BFs surface was assessed by FTIR and TGA analyses. The autocatalytic ring opening polymerization of the Va-BZ monomers was confirmed by DSC analysis. The mechanical performances of the developed green composites were studied by flexural and tensile investigations. The findings suggested that the maximum amount of 20 wt. BFs afforded the best results, with flexural and tensile strengths of 447 and 460 MPa, respectively. The SEM was used to study the fractured tensile surfaces and elucidated the toughening mechanism. Meanwhile, the TGA showed that the introduction of the BFs markedly improved the thermal stability of the benzoxazine matrix. Finally, the gamma rays shielding effectiveness was studied and revealed the highly benefic role of the BFs. For instance, a 1 cm thick Va-BZ polymer only showed a 6% gamma rays screening ratio, the latter was improved to 18.4% for the composite made of 20 wt.% of treated BFs. Overall, this study confirmed that greener approaches can also result in high performance composite satisfying the needs of exigent applications.

Novel insight of N6-methyladenosine modified subtypes in abdominal aortic aneurysm.

Background: N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most prevalent non-cap reversible modification present in messenger RNAs and long non-coding RNAs, and its dysregulation has been linked to multiple cardiovascular diseases, including cardiac hypertrophy and atherosclerosis. Although limited studies have suggested that m6A modification contributes to abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) development, the full landscape of m6A regulators that mediate modification patterns has not been revealed. Methods: To distinguish the m6A methylation subtypes in AAA patients, an unsupervised clustering method was carried out, based on the mRNA levels of 17 m6A methylation regulators. Differentially expressed genes were identified by comparing clusters. An m6Ascore model was calculated using principal component analysis and structured to assess the m6A methylation patterns of single samples. Subsequently, the relationship between the m6Ascore and immune cells and the hallmark gene set was analyzed. Finally, pairs of circRNA-m6A regulators and m6A regulators-m6A related genes were used to establish a network. Results: We identified three m6A methylation subtypes in the AAA samples. The m6Acluster A and C were characterized as more immunologically activated because of the higher abundance of immune cells than that in m6Acluster B. The m6Acluster B was less enriched in inflammatory pathways and more prevalent in pathways related to extracellular matrix stability. Subsequently, we divided the individual samples into two groups according to the m6Ascore, which suggested that a high m6Ascore predicted more active inflammatory pathways and higher inflammatory cell infiltration. A network consisting of 9 m6A regulators and 37 circRNAs was constructed. Conclusion: This work highlighted that m6A methylation modification was highly correlated with immune infiltration of AAA, which may promote the progression of AAA. We constructed an individualized m6Ascore model to provide evidence for individualized treatments in the future.

A high-throughput LC-MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of isoniazid, ethambutol and pyrazinamide in human plasma.

Tuberculosis (TB) remains a challenging global infectious disease, mainly affecting the lungs. First-line anti-TB drugs play a crucial role in slowing down the rapid spread of TB. In addition, the patient might benefit from therapeutic drug monitoring since it has become an accepted clinical tool for optimizing TB treatment. A simple and sensitive liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry method was developed to monitor the plasma level of isoniazid, ethambutol and pyrazinamide in plasma samples. A one-step extraction procedure using an Ostro™ plate was applied, and extracts were analyzed by gradient elution followed by detection on a mass spectrometer by multiple reaction monitoring mode. The analytes were separated within 4.2min and over the concentration range of 0.2-10μg/ml for isoniazid and ethambutol and 1-65 μg/ml for pyrazinamide. The method was successfully validated according to the European Medicine Agency guideline for the selectivity, linearity and lower limit of detection, precision and accuracy, matrix effect, extraction recovery, carryover, dilution integrity and stability, and applied for quantification of analytes in clinical samples from TB patients. The presented method allows sensitive and reproducible determination of selected anti-TB drugs with advantages such as low sample volume requirement, short run time of analysis, one-step sample preparation procedure with capabilities for phospholipids removal, and a low quantification limit as well as a high degree of selectivity.

Revised method of multiple scales for 1:2 internal resonance piezoelectric vibration energy harvester considering the coupled frequency

The piezoelectric vibration energy harvester based on the 1:2 internal resonance possesses the advantages of wide-band and high-efficiency energy harvesting. The method of multiple scales (MMS) has been applied to derive the approximate analytical solution of the output response. However, the coupled frequency caused by internal resonance has strong effect on the output voltage response, which cannot be determined by traditional MMS. To overcome this shortage, the method of equivalent forced load is proposed to decouple the voltage frequency, and then obtain the revised approximate analytical solution (MMS-New) of the output responses. The responses of the electromechanical-coupled governing equations of the system are verified by experiments. Compared with the approximate solutions of the traditional MMS, the accuracy of the revised approximate solutions are significantly improved. In the internal resonance region, the maximum accuracy of output voltage response can be improved by 40.64%, and the maximum accuracy can be increased to 10 times outside the internal resonance region. In the whole excitation frequency range, the amplitude–frequency response curve exhibits nonlinear hardening and softening when the forward and reverse sweep frequency analysis are respectively performed. The Jacobi matrix and Lyapunov stability theory of the modulation equations are derived to determine the stability of the approximate solutions. The dynamic behavior in unstable region are investigated using means of time history curve, spectrum, phase orbit and Poincare section, the quasi periodic and chaotic motions are observed.

Double-faced effects of fission product alloy particles on the behavior of spent nuclear fuel

The purpose of the present work is to investigate the environmental behaviors of spent nuclear fuel (SNF) under deep repository conditions. Over long time periods, oxygen is expected to be introduced into the repository and hydrogen could be generated from an interaction between the iron canister materials and intruding groundwater in future scenarios. The influence of fission product noble metal alloy particles on the stability of the SNF UO2 matrix in a O2 or H2 containing atmosphere were demonstrated by studying the electrochemical and leaching behaviors of UO2 pellets both with and without alloy particle doping. The results show that the doped noble metal alloy particles in UO2 display double faced effects, i.e., can both enhance UO2 oxidative dissolution in an Ar purged, low oxygen containing solution or inhibit the same reaction in the same solution but purged with 4%H2-Ar gas mixture. These conclusions were also verified by the analysis of morphology and composition on the surface of several samples after potentiostatic polarization. The results of this work strongly support the application of a large quantity of iron as the disposal canister inner support material in SNF repository.

Nanocellulose incorporated oleogel matrix for controlled-release of active ingredients in the lower gastrointestinal tract

Controlled release is often preferred for orally administrated bioactive compounds and drugs. In this study, a nanocellulose (NC) incorporated oleogel encapsulation system was developed for controlled release of active agents. 5-Aminosalicylic acid (5-ASA), an anti-inflammatory drug to treat inflammatory bowel diseases, was used as an example core ingredient for demonstrating the efficacy of the system. Oleogels with/without NC incorporation encapsulating 5-ASA were prepared and tested by in vitro digestion study, and 5-ASA released from the matrix was quantified by a novel UV–Vis spectrometric method developed in this study. The oleogel encapsulation system was characterized by assessing the encapsulation efficiency, oxidative stability, gel hardness, microstructure, and thermal stability. Results showed that sorbitan tristearate-induced oleogel system successfully protected 5-ASA during GI digestion. The incorporation of NC solutions with different NC types, concentrations and volumes further modified the release rate. Specifically, the release of 5-ASA in NC incorporated matrix was <6 % in the gastric phase, and ranged between 17.42 % - 38.28 % in the small intestine depending on the added NC type and concentration. Additionally, the incorporation of NC improved physicochemical stability of the gel matrix. The new 5-ASA quantification method developed in this study is simpler and faster compared with currently available methods.

Sorption Isotherms, Glass Transition and Bioactive Compounds of Ingredients Enriched with Soluble Fibre from Orange Pomace.

Citrus fruits are one of the main crops worldwide. Its industrialization, primarily juice production, produces large amounts of byproducts, composed of seeds and peels, that can be used to obtain new ingredients. In this study, sorption behaviour, glass transition, mechanical properties, colour and bioactives of four different soluble fibre-enriched powders obtained from orange pomace using green technologies were studied. Powders were equilibrated at water activities between 0.113 and 0.680 for fifteen weeks at 20 °C, and studies were performed to indicate the best storing conditions to ensure the glassy state of the amorphous matrix and higher bioactive stability. By combining the Gordon and Taylor model with the Henderson isotherm, the critical water activity and content for storage in a glassy state were determined. The ingredient obtained after extrusion + hot water is the most stable, which is also the one with the highest dietary fibre content. Powder obtained by jet cooking is the least stable, as it is not in a glassy state at any water activity at room temperature. To increase storage stability, these should be stored at refrigeration temperatures.

Target Mechanisms of the Cyanotoxin Cylindrospermopsin in Immortalized Human Airway Epithelial Cells.

Cylindrospermopsin (CYN) is a cyanobacterial toxin that occurs in aquatic environments worldwide. It is known for its delayed effects in animals and humans such as inhibition of protein synthesis or genotoxicity. The molecular targets and the cell physiological mechanisms of CYN, however, are not well studied. As inhalation of CYN-containing aerosols has been identified as a relevant route of CYN uptake, we analyzed the effects of CYN on protein expression in cultures of immortalized human bronchial epithelial cells (16HBE14o-) using a proteomic approach. Proteins whose expression levels were affected by CYN belonged to several functional clusters, mainly regulation of protein stability, cellular adhesion and integration in the extracellular matrix, cell proliferation, cell cycle regulation, and completion of cytokinesis. With a few exceptions of upregulated proteins (e.g., ITI inhibitor of serine endopeptidases and mRNA stabilizer PABPC1), CYN mediated the downregulation of many proteins. Among these, centrosomal protein 55 (CEP55) and osteonectin (SPARC) were significantly reduced in their abundance. Results of the detailed semi-quantitative Western blot analyses of SPARC, claudin-6, and CEP55 supported the findings from the proteomic study that epithelial cell adhesion, attenuation of cell proliferation, delayed completion of mitosis, as well as induction of genomic instability are major effects of CYN in eukaryotic cells.

Hyperbolic B-Spline Function-Based Differential Quadrature Method for the Approximation of 3D Wave Equations

We propose a differential quadrature method (DQM) based on cubic hyperbolic B-spline basis functions for computing 3D wave equations. This method converts the problem into a system of ODEs. We use an optimum five-stage and order four SSP Runge-Kutta (SSPRK-(5,4)) scheme to solve the obtained system of ODEs. The matrix stability analysis is also investigated. The accuracy and efficiency of the proposed method are demonstrated via three numerical examples. It has been found that the proposed method gives more accurate results than the existing methods. The main purpose of this work is to present an accurate, economically easy-to-implement, and stable technique for solving hyperbolic partial differential equations.

Magnetic carbon–based nanocomposite decorated with palladium complex for co-delivery of DOX/pCRISPR

Hybrid inorganic/organic compounds opened up the window of opportunities to a wide variety of fields. The carbon-based nanocomposite (Fe3O4/MWCNT-COOH/Extract/PdL@DOX/p-CRISPR/Extract) have been prepared using tangerine and egg white extract as a second layer of nanocomposites. Then, doxorubicin (DOX) and PdC16H10N4O3 (PdL) were added to the mixture. Based on the previous studies, L (carboxamide-based ligand) has a potent desire for connecting and then blocking the HER-2, and σ2 (tumor's overexpressed receptors) and PdL could enhance the sustainability of the DOX by hydrogen bonding and π-π interaction. The effect of biotin on site-specific delivery has been investigated by utilizing two different types of extracts that naturally has a different amount of biotin. Based on this study's results, settling natural extracts (tangerine and egg white), bioactive complexes, and Fe3O4 on the functionalized-MWCNT can strengthen the nanocarrier's stability in the biological matrix, make more active porosity, and control the internalization to the cells for drug/gene delivery. The nanocarrier has revealed 29.1% ± 1.5% GFP positive transfection efficiency. Also, MTT assay (HEK-293, MCF-7 and PC-12) and antibacterial activity and in vivo testing (H&E and AST:ALT analysis) have been screened and showed promising results.

Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein acts as a molecular biomarker in multiple cancer types.

The main function of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) is to maintain the synthesis and stability of the extracellular matrix by interacting with collagen. At present, there are relatively few studies on the role of this protein in tumors. This study aimed to explore the relationship between COMP and pan-cancer, and analyzed its diagnostic and prognostic value. The Cancer Genome Atlas database, the Genotype-Tissue Expression database and the Cancer Cell Line Encyclopedia database was used for gene expression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve was used to assess the diagnostic value of COMP in pan-cancer. Kaplan-Meier plots were used to assess the relationship between COMP expression and prognosis of cancers. R software v4.1.1 was used for statistical analysis, and the ggplot2 package was used for visualization. COMP was significantly overexpressed in 15 human cancers and showed significantly difference in 12 molecular subtypes and 16 immune subtypes. In addition, the expression of COMP is associated with tumor immune evasion. The ROC curve showed that the expression of COMP could predict the occurrence of 16 kinds of tumors with relative accuracy, including adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) (AUC=0.737), breast invasive carcinoma (BRCA) (AUC=0.896), colon adenocarcinoma (COAD) (AUC=0.760), colon adenocarcinoma/rectum adenocarcinoma esophageal carcinoma (COADREAD) (AUC=0.775), lymphoid neoplasm diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBC) (AUC=0.875), kidney renal papillary cell carcinoma (KIRP) (AUC=0.773), kidney chromophobe (KICH) (AUC=0.809), ovarian serous cystadenocarcinoma (OV) (AUC=0.906), prostate adenocarcinoma (PRAD) (AUC=0.721), pancreatic adenocarcinoma (PAAD) (AUC=0.944), rectum adenocarcinoma (READ) (AUC=0.792), skin cutaneous melanoma (SKCM) (AUC=0.746), stomach adenocarcinoma (STAD) (AUC=0.711), testicular germ cell tumors (TGCT) (AUC=0.823), thymoma (THYM) (AUC=0.777) and uterine carcinosarcoma (UCS) (AUC=0.769). Furthermore, COMP expression was correlated with overall survival (OS), disease-specific survival (DSS) and progression-free interval (PFI) in ACC (OS, HR=4.95, DSS, HR=5.55, PFI, HR=2.79), BLCA (OS, HR=1.59, DSS, HR=1.72, PFI, HR=1.36), KIRC (OS, HR=1.36, DSS, HR=1.94, PFI, HR=1.57) and COADREAD (OS, HR=1.46, DSS, HR=1.98, PFI, HR=1.43). We selected previously unreported bladder urothelial carcinoma (BLCA) for further study and found that COMP could be an independent risk factor for OS, DSS and PFI. Moreover, we found differentially expressed genes of COMP in BLCA and obtained top 10 hub genes, including LGR4, LGR5, RSPO2, RSPO1, RSPO3, RNF43, ZNRF3, FYN, LYN and SYK. Finally, we verified the function of COMP at the cellular level by using J82 and T24 cells and found that knockdown of COMP could significantly inhibit migration and invasion. This finding supports that COMP could be a potential biomarker for pan-cancer diagnosis and prognosis encompassing tumor microenvironment, disease stage and prognosis. This finding supports that COMP could be a potential biomarker for pan-cancer diagnosis and prognosis encompassing tumor microenvironment, disease stage and prognosis.

Lysyl Oxidase Family Proteins: Prospective Therapeutic Targets in Cancer.

The lysyl oxidase (LOX) family, consisting of LOX and LOX-like proteins 1–4 (LOXL1–4), is responsible for the covalent crosslinking of collagen and elastin, thus maintaining the stability of the extracellular matrix (ECM) and functioning in maintaining connective tissue function, embryonic development, and wound healing. Recent studies have found the aberrant expression or activity of the LOX family occurs in various types of cancer. It has been proved that the LOX family mainly performs tumor microenvironment (TME) remodeling function and is extensively involved in tumor invasion and metastasis, immunomodulation, proliferation, apoptosis, etc. With relevant translational research in progress, the LOX family is expected to be an effective target for tumor therapy. Here, we review the research progress of the LOX family in tumor progression and therapy to provide novel insights for future exploration of relevant tumor mechanism and new therapeutic targets.

Enhanced the structural, optical, electrical and magnetic properties of PEO/CMC blend filled with cupper nanoparticles for energy storage and magneto-optical devices

Nanocomposite samples of polyethylene oxide (PEO) and carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) blend filled with different concentrations of cupper nanoparticles (Cu NPs) were prepared via the casting route. The components of the blend were miscible as shown by the X-ray diffraction (XRD) and FTIR measurements. Transmission electron microscope (TEM) image showed that the Cu NPs have diameters in the range from 4.09 to 19.65 nm. Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectra showed the complexation between polymeric matrix and Cu NPs through the formation of hydrogen and coordination bonds. Ultraviolet/visible (UV/vis.) spectra showed an improvement in the optical features for the filled samples. The scanning electron microscope (SEM) micrographs indicted the smooth and homogeneous surface of nanocomposite samples, reflecting the homogeneity of this blend that was affected after the filling process. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) curve displayed that the pure blend had a single glass transition temperature (Tg), indicating that the blend components were miscible. Also, DSC exhibited an improvement in the thermal stability of the polymeric matrix after the addition of Cu NPs. The AC conductivity was increased with increasing content of Cu NPs. The highest value of AC conductivity for the pristine sample was 4.57 × 10−8 S/cm at 20 MHz that was increased to 3.71 × 10-6 S/cm for nanocomposite (1.60 wt % Cu NPs) at room temperature due to the increase of charge carrier number. The complex permittivity (ε*) and electric modulus spectra were also studied. At high frequency, the decreasing trend of permittivity was attributed to dipoles orientation. The VSM studies of filled samples depicted the hysteresis loops of the ferromagnetic characteristics. These results denote that PEO/CMC/Cu NPs films can be used in electromagnetic components, energy storage devices as well as in magneto-optical fields.

Printing Convertible Microstructures into Elastomer Matrix for Multiliquids Adaptive Information Encryption

AbstractAdaptive optical performance based on convertible microstructures is very useful for information encryption. However, the facile patterning of microstructures in reliable manner and the unclonable coding are still major challenges. The direct 3D printing of water droplets is reported as templates to polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) precursor, followed by water evaporation in curing, which introduces convertible microcrease in the elastomeric matrix. The samples show optical response to liquids with the conversion of inner creases to ponds or cavities. The stochastic array of the resulted microstructures ensures the unclonability of the codes. Water‐responsive fluorescence emission is observed when a hydrosoluble dye is added to the microstructures, further enhancing the encryption safe level. Besides, the high stability of the PDMS matrix to ultraviolet irradiation and extreme temperature environment endows the material large application potentials in varied fields. This research provides a potential solution for facile, tough, and fundamentally safe information encryption.

Establishment and validation of a LC-MS/MS method for the determination of anlotinib in human plasma: Application to therapeutic drug monitoring.

Anlotinib is a novel small molecule multitarget tyrosine kinase inhibitor for the treatment of several cancers. We developed and validated a highly sensitive, rapid and stable high-performance liquid chromatography-mass spectrometrymethod for the determination of anlotinib in human plasma with anlotinib-d5 as a stable isotopically labeled internal standard (SIL-IS). To explore the feasibility of therapeutic drug monitoring in the treatment of tumors with anlotinib, human plasma samples were prepared by protein precipitation. The mobile phases comprised of (A) 5.0mm NH4 AC aqueous solution containing 0.1% formic acid and (B) 100% methanol containing 0.1% formic acid. A gradient mobile phase system was adopted for chromatographic separation using a BEH C18 (2.1 × 50 mm, 1.7μm) column. A positive ion pattern was chosen for quantification under multiple reaction monitoring mode. The ion pairs were detected at m/z 408.2→339.1 and m/z 413.4→344.3 for anlotinib and anlotinib-d5 (SIL-IS), respectively. The total run time was 5.0min. The calibration curve was found to be linear within a plasma concentration range of 2-400 ng·ml-1 . The precision and accuracy, matrix effect, extraction recovery and stability were all validated and met the requirements of international guidelines. The proposed methods were successfully applied to support therapeutic drug monitoring in breast and thyroid cancer patients receiving anlotinib for therapy. Clinical data showed that in the 12 mg dose group, the mean plasma concentrations of anlotinib in breast cancer patients and thyroid cancer patients were 87.1 and 118.8ng·ml-1 , respectively. The data demonstrate that the peak concentration of anlotinib may be related to the different tumor types in patients.

Effect of solutes on the performance of Zn-coating and Zn-inducing transgranular cracking in steel based on DFT calculations

The effect of solutes, Co, Cu, Cr, Mn, Mo, Nb, Ni, Ta, Ti, V and Zr, in steel on the penetration properties of Zn and stability of surface or matrix were explored theoretically using density functional theory method, and the role of solutes in the Zn-coated surface and Zn-induced transgranular fracture performance was considered. The effect of solution on α-Fe are more obvious than that on γ-Fe, they significantly change surface energy value and the order of stability of low-index surface in α-Fe. The segregation energies of solutes were calculated and concluded that most of selected elements possibly segregate to the surface from the matrix. The study about Zn adsorption properties found that Zn atoms is energetically favorable to absorb at the (001) surface layer in α-Fe, and the segregation of Zr, V, Nb and Ta are helpful to the process of Zn-coating and increase the stability of Zn-coated surface. In addition, the solutes in the matrix increase the difficulty of transgranular fracture. Although the surrounding of solutes is the preference site for cracking occurring and propagation, alloying is found to lead to a general increase in the cleavage energy of α-Fe during Zn penetration, suggesting a reduction in the tendency for transgranular fracture. Therefore, it is feasible that the addition of Zr, V, Nb and Ta as alloy element in steel to improve the properties of Zn-coating and inhibit the occurrence of Zn-inducing transgranular cracking. Our results are helpful to understand and design AHSSs inhibiting LME susceptibility.

Fabrication of Si/TiC–SiC/C composites as high-performance anode materials for Li-ion batteries

Si/TiC–SiC/C composites were prepared by solvothermal process, ball milling and subsequent calcination under Ar atmosphere. The microstructure of Si/TiC–SiC/C composites was characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electrons microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Moreover, the relative contents of TiC and SiC phases in Si/TiC–SiC/C composites were determined by XRD Rietveld refinement and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and their effects on the electrochemical properties of Si/TiC–SiC/C composites were further discussed. The results indicate that Si/TiC–SiC/C-0.33 composites with high relative content of TiC phase deliver capacity retentions of 98.0% after 50 cycles at 0.5 A g−1 and 79.5% after 150 cycles at 1 A g−1. The superior electrochemical performances should be attributed to the higher mechanical stability and better electronic conductivity of buffer matrix with higher TiC content.

The effect of functionalized hydroxyapatite on the thermal degradation behaviour and flammability of polyoxymethylene copolymer

In this work, the effect of functionalized hydroxyapatite (HAp-g-PEG) on the thermal degradation behaviour and flammability of polyoxymethylene copolymer (POM_C) was investigated. Organic–inorganic hybrid additive, obtained by grafting of poly(ethylene glycol) on HAp surface using 1,6-hexamethylene diisocyanate as a linker, has been incorporated into POM matrix through an extrusion process. TG analyses show that the incorporation of HAp-g-PEG into POM_C leads to the significant improvement in the thermal stability of the polymer matrix. This is an important finding as POM, being an engineering polymer, suffers from a relatively low thermal stability that limits processing options to develop advanced composite materials. Based on TG results kinetic parameters of the thermal degradation process using Friedman isoconversional method and nonlinear regression method have been calculated; an increase in activation energy of POM degradation process after incorporation of HAp-g-PEG has been found. Thermoanalytical analyses (TG-FTIR/MS) show that incorporation of HAp-g-PEG has no significant effect on the composition of the thermal degradation products. Flammability investigations showed small effect of HAp-g-PEG 600 on the burning time and rate, however, there was a significant reduction in the amount of dripping during the material’s burning process.