Abstract The Chinese medicine Qiliqiangxin (QL) has been shown to have a protective role in heart failure. Here, we explore the underlying working mechanism of the key therapeutic component in QL using a rat model of heart failure. Heart failure after myocardial infarction was induced surgically and confirmed using echocardiography; a separate group of rats underwent sham surgery. The rats with heart failure were randomly assigned to receive QL, the angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor benazepril, or placebo groups. Blood samples were collected from the rats at four time points for up to 8 weeks and used for biochemical analysis and mass spectrometry‒based metabolomics profiling. In total, we measured nine well-known biochemical parameters of heart failure and 147 metabolites. In the rats with heart failure, QL significantly improved these biochemical parameters and metabolomics profiles, significantly increasing the cardioprotective parameter angiopoietin-like 4 and significantly lowering inflammation-related oxylipins and lysophosphatidic acids compared to benazepril. Mechanistically, QL may improve outcome in heart failure by controlling inflammatory process and cardiac hypertrophy. Clinical studies should be designed in order to investigate these putative mechanisms in patients.
Branched nanostructures represent unique, 3D building blocks for the “bottom-up” paradigm of nanoscale science and technology. Here, we report a rational, multistep approach toward the general synthesis of 3D branched nanowire (NW) heterostructures. Single-crystalline semiconductor, including groups IV, III–V, and II–VI, and metal branches have been selectively grown on core or core/shell NW backbones, with the composition, morphology, and doping of core (core/shell) NWs and branch NWs well controlled during synthesis. Measurements made on the different composition branched NW structures demonstrate encoding of functional p-type/n-type diodes and light-emitting diodes (LEDs) as well as field effect transistors with device function localized at the branch/backbone NW junctions. In addition, multibranch/backbone NW structures were synthesized and used to demonstrate capability to create addressable nanoscale LED arrays, logic circuits, and biological sensors. Our work demonstrates a previously undescribed level of structural and functional complexity in NW materials, and more generally, highlights the potential of bottom-up synthesis to yield increasingly complex functional systems in the future.
The Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-Speed Railway runs through high-wind areas in the Gobi Desert, and disasters arising from the effects of blown sand critically endanger the safety of railway operations. To prevent sand deposition on the rail bed, double rows of sand fences composed of concrete columns and plates are installed on the windward side of the railway line. However, the aerodynamic properties and sheltering effects of these fences remain unclear. In this study, the effects of sand fences on boundary wind patterns and sand transport were investigated in the field and in a wind tunnel. The following results were obtained: 1) The wind velocity was efficiently reduced on the leeward side of the first and second rows of fences by 78% and 87%, respectively. Nevertheless, owing to large openings in the fence, the sand-trapping efficiencies of the first and second rows of fences on the leeward sides were only 72 and 63%, respectively. 2) The effective shelter distance ( D s ) of the fence is 10 times the height of the fence; however, the horizontal distance between the two rows of fences is much larger than the D s of the fence. This allows the wind velocity between the fences to rise above the saltation threshold once again, thereby reducing the overall sheltering effects of the double-row of fences. This study will produce a theoretical reference for improving the design and installation of blown-sand control systems in the strong-wind regions of the Gobi.
Northern China has 12 main deserts that range from extremely arid regions in the west to semi-arid or semi-humid regions in the east. Based on their geographical locations, we divided these deserts into western, central, and eastern deserts. We investigated the geochemical elements in their surface sediments and found that the concentration of the major element SiO 2 gradually increased from west to east, whereas the other major elements tended to decrease; however, the CaO concentration was unusually high in the Taklimakan and Qaidam Basin deserts. The spatial distribution of geochemical elements was more homogeneous in the western and central deserts than in the eastern. Unlike the eastern deserts, the western and central deserts show greater physical than chemical weathering and lower mineral maturity due to the extremely low precipitation and a continuous supply of younger materials. Most major trace elements in the eastern deserts were more depleted relative to the upper continental crust than in the western deserts, but were moderately depleted in the central deserts. The spatial distribution of geochemical elements showed similar provenances of aeolian material in the Taklimakan Desert and Kumtag Desert, and similar provenances of aeolian material in the Badain Jaran, Tengger, Ulan Buh, and Hobq deserts. There were no obvious provenance relationships for the Otindag, Horqin, and Hulun Buir sandy lands in the central and western deserts
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