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Glaucoma is the leading cause of irreversible blindness worldwide. Often asymptomatic for years, this disease can progress significantly before patients become aware of the loss of visual function. Critical examination of the optic nerve through ophthalmoscopy or using fundus images is a crucial component of glaucoma detection before the onset of vision loss. The vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR) is a key structural indicator for glaucoma, as thinning of the superior and inferior neuroretinal rim is a hallmark of the disease. However, manual assessment of fundus images is both time-consuming and subject to variability based on clinician expertise and interpretation. In this study, we develop a robust and accurate automated system employing deep learning (DL) techniques, specifically the YOLOv7 architecture, for the detection of optic disc and optic cup in fundus images and the subsequent calculation of VCDR. We also address the often-overlooked issue of adapting a DL model, initially trained on a specific population (e.g., European), for VCDR estimation in a different population. Our model was initially trained on ten publicly available datasets and subsequently fine-tuned on the REFUGE dataset, which comprises images collected from Chinese patients. The DL-derived VCDR displayed exceptional accuracy, achieving a Pearson correlation coefficient of 0.91 (P = 4.12 × 10–412) and a mean absolute error (MAE) of 0.0347 when compared to assessments by human experts. Our models also surpassed existing approaches on the REFUGE dataset, demonstrating higher Dice similarity coefficients and lower MAEs. Moreover, we developed an optimization approach capable of calibrating DL results for new populations. Our novel approaches for detecting optic discs and optic cups and calculating VCDR, offers clinicians a promising tool that significantly reduces manual workload in image assessment while improving both speed and accuracy. Most importantly, this automated method effectively differentiates between glaucoma and non-glaucoma cases, making it a valuable asset for glaucoma detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is the most common late-onset neurodegenerative disorder. Identifying individuals at increased risk of developing AD is important for early intervention. Using data from the Alzheimer Disease Genetics Consortium, we constructed polygenic risk scores (PRSs) for AD and age-at-onset (AAO) of AD for the UK Biobank participants. We then built machine learning (ML) models for predicting development of AD, and explored feature importance among PRSs, conventional risk factors, and ICD-10 codes from electronic health records, a total of > 11,000 features using the UK Biobank dataset. We used eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAP), which provided superior ML performance as well as aided ML model explanation. For participants age 40 and older, the area under the curve for AD was 0.88. For subjects of age 65 and older (late-onset AD), PRSs were the most important predictors. This is the first observation that PRSs constructed from the AD risk and AAO play more important roles than age in predicting AD. The ML model also identified important predictors from EHR, including urinary tract infection, syncope and collapse, chest pain, disorientation and hypercholesterolemia, for developing AD. Our ML model improved the accuracy of AD risk prediction by efficiently exploring numerous predictors and identified novel feature patterns. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorinated pollutants may follow distinct degradation pathways in anaerobic environments compared to aerobic settings. However, the understanding of the behaviors and fate of dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethanes (DDTs) under anaerobic conditions remains limited. To address this knowledge gap, we conducted a study on flooded soil samples collected from three typical paddy fields in China using an integrated approach of enantiomer-specific analysis and compound-specific stable carbon isotope analysis. It is unexpected that the dichlorodiphenyldichloroethane /dichlorodiphenyldichloroethylene ratios (DDD/DDE=(o,p′ -DDD+ p,p′ -DDD)/(o,p′ -DDE+ p,p′ -DDE)) were below 1 in over 90 % of the samples. This might be attributed to the higher recalcitrance of p,p′ -DDE, which concentrations were found to be 3 6 times higher than p,p′ -DDD on average. There were 71.7 % of the samples showing enantiomeric fractions (EFs) of o,p′ -DDT below 0.5, indicating a preferential accumulation of the (−)-enantiomer. The δ13C values of the anaerobic metabolite o,p′ -DDD (−24.76 ± 1.35 ‰ to −34.39 ± 0.20 ‰) all deviated negatively from the initial product, while those of the aerobic metabolite o,p′ -DDE (−23.61 ± 0.48 ‰ to −38.95 ± 0.81 ‰) displayed either negative or positive deviations. This demonstrates that o,p′ -DDD is the primary metabolite of o,p′ -DDT under anaerobic conditions. However, no clear correlations were observed between the δ13C and EF of o,p′ -DDT. This study underscores the importance of such an integrated methodology in unraveling the fate and behaviors of DDTs in complex environmental systems. [Display omitted] • Enantiomer analysis and CSIA were used to analyze the fate of DDTs in paddy soils. • The DDD/DDE ratios were below 1 in over 90 % of the paddy soil samples. • Carbon isotope fractionation and enantiomer fractionation occurred for DDTs. • Preferential accumulation of (-)- o,p′ -DDT was observed under anaerobic conditions. • Isotope profiles confirmed o,p′ -DDD as the main metabolite of o,p′ -DDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Novel biphasic solvent based on polyamine was developed for CO 2 capture. • Microcalorimetry strategy was used to directly measure the CO 2 absorption heat. • The energy consumption of this absorbent was 32.6 % lower than that of 5 M MEA. • This biphasic solvent has superior phase-splitting behavior. • The salting-out effect was the main reason for the phase-splitting behavior. The CO 2 phase change absorbents(CPCAs) formed by introducing phase-splitting agents have attracted increasing attention because of their great energy-saving potential. However, the volatilization problem of the phase-splitting agents and the high viscosity of the solution affect the application of CPCAs. In this work, a novel CPCAs based on 2-Methylpiperazine (2MPRZ)/H 2 O was established by introducing triethylene glycol monobutyl ether (TGBE) with a high boiling point as a phase-splitting agent, and the 2MPRZ/H 2 O/TGBE system exhibited low volatility and low viscosity. The CO 2 capture performance of the novel CPCAs with different ratios was investigated in this work. The best CO 2 absorption rate was achieved by 2.5 M 2MPRZ/H 2 O/TGBE. The viscosity of this system before and after the CO 2 absorption process was merely 7.68 mPa·s and 11.64 mPa·s, respectively, and no volatilization of the phase-splitting agent was observed simultaneously. A convenient and rapid titration method was employed to determine the distribution of the 2MPRZ products in the two phases, which showed that 98 % of the 2MPRZ products were located in the CO 2 -rich phase. In addition, the CO 2 -rich phase captured 99 % of the total CO 2 , indicating that this system has superior phase-splitting behaviors. The regeneration energy consumption of this biphasic absorbent was 2.59 GJ/t CO 2 , which was 32.6 % lower than that of traditional MEA. Furthermore, the salting-out effect was proved to be the cause of the phase-splitting behavior by 13C NMR analysis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Water markedly affected phase change behaviors of anhydrous biphasic absorbents. • The presence of water was negative for CO 2 absorption but beneficial to desorption. • The main CO 2 -product was HCO 3 - in the presence of water rather than carbamate. • Effect of water on CO 2 absorption mechanism of [N 1111 ][Gly]/ethanol was clarified. The ionic liquids (ILs)-based biphasic absorbents are viewed as promising substitutes for CO 2 capture due to their remarkable CO 2 absorption performance, excellent stability and low energy requirement for regeneration. Further decreasing the regeneration heat requirement can be achieved by utilizing ILs-based anhydrous biphasic absorbents, whose solid CO 2 -rich phase contained small volume and low specific heat capacity. Given the high hygroscopicity of ILs and the water present in the flue gas, comprehending the effect of water is crucial for post-combustion carbon capture using ILs-based anhydrous biphasic absorbents. In this work, the effect of water on CO 2 absorption by an anhydrous biphasic absorbent, tetramethylammonium glycinate ([N 1111 ][Gly])/ethanol, was studied. The experimental results demonstrated that the CO 2 loading and absorption rate were decreased in the presence of water, but the CO 2 desorption efficiency was enhanced. Besides, the presence of water slightly reduced the reaction heat of CO 2 absorption by [N 1111 ][Gly]/ethanol to 69.48 kJ/mol CO 2 , which was 20% lower than that of monoethanolamine (MEA) absorbent. Furthermore, the 13C NMR results indicated that the primary CO 2 -product was bicarbonate in the presence of water rather than carbamate. There were three possible pathways for bicarbonate generation: zwitterion hydrolysis, carbamate hydrolysis, and base-catalyzed CO 2 hydration. Water and ethanol competed to react with carbamate. When a large amount of water was present (≥70 wt%), the reaction of ethanol with the carbamate hardly occurred. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphene oxide (GO)-based aptasensors are currently one of the most popular sensing platforms for the simple and rapid detection of various targets. Unfortunately, the GO-based aptasensors with long aptamer strands typically show unsatisfactory performance resulting from insignificant structural transformations upon target binding. We report herein the utilization of an aptamer-truncating strategy to combat such a challenge. Taking a pre-selected anti-aflatoxin B1 (AFB1) aptamer (P-AFB1-50) as a trial system, we sequentially remove the extraneous nucleotides within the aptamer by means of circular dichroism (CD) spectroscopy and binding affinity analysis. Particularly, the ratio of the quenching constants between the GO sheets and the truncated aptamers (labelled with fluorophores) in the absence and presence of the target was determined for each of the truncated aptamers to evaluate the optimal sequence. As a result, the truncated aptamer comprising 40 nucleotides was confirmed to show the highest FL output and the best detection limit upon conjugation with GO sheets. More importantly, we demonstrated that this truncating strategy is versatile, i.e., it can be easily extended to other aptamer systems (anti-ochratoxin A (OTA) aptamer, P-OTA-61, as an example) for extraneous nucleotide identification. Impressively, the two optimal truncated aptamers can work together on GO sheets to achieve a simultaneous detection of two different mycotoxins (i.e., AFB1 and OTA) in one single test. Essentially, this research opens a new avenue for the design and testing of aptamer-/GO-based-sensing platforms for rapid, low-cost and multiplex quantification of analytical targets of interest. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The primary health care (PHC) system plays an important role in China's health care system, but there are challenges such as irrational allocation of health resources and inefficient operation, which need to be improved. The purpose of this study was to explore the impact of resource allocation on the efficiency of the PHC system in China. Methods: The data in 31 provinces were collected from the China Statistical Yearbook 2017–2021 and the China Health Statistical Yearbook 2017–2021. The comprehensive health resource density index (CHRDI) was constructed based on the entropy method and the health resource density index (HRDI), which was used to analyze the allocation of primary health resources in each province. The adjusted efficiency of the PHC system in each province was calculated by the bootstrap data envelopment analysis (DEA). Finally, the spatial Dubin model was used to explore the effect of the CHRDI on efficiency. Results: From 2016 to 2020, the allocation of primary health resources in 31 provinces showed an increasing trend, and the average efficiency after correction showed a decreasing state year by year. The spatial direct effect and spatial spillover effect coefficients of CHRDI were 0.820 and 1.471, which positively affect the efficiency. Per capita Gross Domestic Product (GDP), urbanization rate, and the proportion of the elderly were the factors affecting the efficiency of the PHC system. Conclusions: The allocation of primary health resources in all provinces in China has improved each year, but there are still great differences, and efficiency must be further improved. Pay attention to the spatial spillover effect of the level of resource allocation and formulate differentiated measures for different regions. Attention should also be paid to the impact of population aging and economic development on the utilization of primary health resources by increasing health needs and choices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textured Bi 5 Ti 3 FeO 15 (BTFO) ceramics were prepared by molten salt synthesis at 850 °C followed by plasma activated sintering at 800 °C. The structure and the anisotropic electrical and magnetic properties of the ceramics were investigated. The textured BTFO ceramics exhibited [001] preferred orientation with a high degree of texture fraction (Lotgering factor is 0.82), as confirmed from XRD patterns, FE-SEM and TEM micrographs. The anisotropic dielectric relaxation and conduction characteristics along the parallel and perpendicular directions were investigated using the dielectric and impedance spectroscopies. The grain boundary along the parallel direction had a similar value of capacitance to that of grains, whereas the grain boundary along the perpendicular direction dominated the resistive component. The magnetic performance along the perpendicular direction (H c ∼ 32.5 Oe) was better than that along the parallel direction (H c ∼ 17.6 Oe). These results could be useful for enhancing the electrical and magnetic properties of BTFO by texturization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Textured multiferroic Bi 5 Ti 3 FeO 15 -CoFe 2 O 4 (BTFO-CFO) ceramics were prepared via microwave hydrothermal synthesis followed by plasma activated sintering. BTFO-CFO ceramics with CFO nanoparticles distributed between the BTFO layers exhibit a high degree of texture ( f =0.8) along the c-axis crystallographic orientation, which was confirmed by a combination of XRD, SEM and TEM. BTFO-CFO composite ceramics exhibit desirable magnetic and ferroelectric properties due to the ferromagnetic phase (CFO) and textured ferroelectric phase (BTFO). The current work provides a feasible method to fabricate textured multiferroic composite ceramics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A microarray-format colorimetric biochip was constructed on plastic using two specially-designed DNA hairpin strands as binary probes and a binding-induced conformational switching strategy as the signal generation protocol. Coupled with single- or dual-color staining, we were able to simultaneously detect and quantitate the trace amounts of Pb2+ and Hg2+ in various real-world samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R386 --> 668.6 --> UBE3A is a HECT (homologous to E6AP C‐terminus) domain E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets substrate proteins for degradation through the ubiquitin‐proteasome pathway. The UBE3Agene is of unique interest for its gene dosage‐dependent effect in the developing brain: Precise deletion or null mutation of the maternal copy of UBE3A causes a severe intellectual disability known as Angelman syndrome; meanwhile, duplication or triplication of the gene region in which UBE3A resides is linked to a prevalent syndromic form of autism known as Dup15q syndrome. However, little is known about the effects of missense variants which cause a single amino acid change in the enzyme, and prediction of disease outcomes for a given variant remains a challenge. Here, we pose that investigating variants' effects on UBE3A functional activity levels is critical for predicting disease. In order to identify if precise mutations in UBE3A are sufficient to drive disease, we devised a high‐throughput assay to screen the functional consequence of UBE3A missense variants. We screened over 150 variants and identified distinct functional classes of UBE3A mutants based on their effect on enzymatic activity. Importantly, we identified over a dozen novel gain‐of‐functionvariants that aberrantly hyperactivate UBE3A enzyme activity. Through collaborations with clinical centers, we confirm that individuals possessing hyperactivating UBE3A variants exhibited phenotypes that were distinguishable from Angelman. Mice carrying a specific hyperactivating mutation on the maternal allele exhibited aberrant motor and early communication defects, as well as microcephaly. Finally, we mapped the results of our screen to the UBE3A protein structure to reveal a previously‐undefined allosteric regulatory exosite within the catalytic domain that we show to act as a charge‐dependent regulator of enzymatic activity. We found additional HECT domain enzymes to possess disease‐associated variants within their exosites, suggesting that exosite dysfunction is a common mechanism underlying a set of neurodevelopmental disorders. Together, our study indicates that excessive UBE3A activity increases the risk for neurodevelopmental pathology and suggests that deep structure‐functional analysis of protein variants can uncover disease‐relevant regulatory mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Solid-liquid 'phase controllable' biphasic amine was firstly proposed for CO 2 capture. • The reaction rule of multistage amines was studied. • The activation barrier to form AMP+CO 2 -was higher than that of TETA+CO 2 –. • TETA+CO 2 – had two deprotonation pathways: self-deprotonation and AMP deprotonation. • The controllability was ascribed to the interaction of TETA intermediates was weak. The main issues in the application of biphasic amine absorbent include the inconvenient separation of the liquid–liquid biphase and the clogging that is associated with the solid–liquid mixture. A novel solid–liquid 'phase controllable' biphasic amine absorbent was therefore developed, in which the phase separation occurred only when the absorbent was near saturation. The absorbent, composed of triethylene tetramine (TETA), 2-amino-2-methyl-1-propanol (AMP), and N-methylformamide (NMF), turned into solid–liquid biphase under CO 2 loading of 0.85 mol mol−1, which is close to saturation (0.92 mol mol−1). The solid phase comprised white powder that accounted for only 42 % of the total volume while absorbing 91 % of the total load. Turbidity and particle size tests showed that the phase separation was self-aggregating. The mechanisms of absorption and regulation were obtained using 13C NMR and molecular simulation. During the absorption, CO 2 first combined with TETA to generate TETAH+CO 2 –/TETACO 2 – through the zwitterion mechanism, and then combined with AMP to generate AMPCO 2 – because of the lower reaction activity between CO 2 and AMP. The TETA-carbamate was found to greatly weakened the strength of the hydrogen bonds and the van der Waals forces between AMPH+ and AMPCO 2 –, increasing the solubility of the intermediate products, and therefore achieved the purpose of controlling the phases separation inherent in the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chitosan is a natural polysaccharide, mainly derived from the shell of marine organisms. At present, chitosan has been widely used in the field of biomedicine due to its special characteristics of low toxicity, biocompatibility, biodegradation and low immunogenicity. Chitosan nanoparticles can be easily prepared. Chitosan nanoparticles with positive charge can enhance the adhesion of antigens in nasal mucosa and promote its absorption, which is expected to be used for intranasal vaccine delivery. In this study, we prepared chitosan nanoparticles by a gelation method, and modified the chitosan nanoparticles with mannose by hybridization. Bovine serum albumin (BSA) was used as the model antigen for development of an intranasal vaccine. The preparation technology of the chitosan nanoparticle-based intranasal vaccine delivery system was optimized by design of experiment (DoE). The DoE results showed that mannose-modified chitosan nanoparticles (Man-BSA-CS-NPs) had high modification tolerance and the mean particle size and the surface charge with optimized Man-BSA-CS-NPs were 156 nm and +33.5 mV. FTIR and DSC results confirmed the presence of Man in Man-BSA-CS-NPs. The BSA released from Man-BSA-CS-NPs had no irreversible aggregation or degradation. In addition, the analysis of fluorescence spectroscopy of BSA confirmed an appropriate binding constant between CS and BSA in this study, which could improve the stability of BSA. The cell study in vitro demonstrated the low toxicity and biocompatibility of Man-BSA-CS-NPs. Confocal results showed that the Man-modified BSA-FITC-CS-NPs promote the endocytosis and internalization of BSA-FITC in DC2.4 cells. In vivo studies of mice, Man-BSA-CS-NPs intranasally immunized showed a significantly improvement of BSA-specific serum IgG response and the highest level of BSA-specific IgA expression in nasal lavage fluid. Overall, our study provides a promising method to modify BSA-loaded CS-NPs with mannose, which is worthy of further study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parkinson disease (PD) is a complex, multifactorial neurodegenerative disease with substantial evidence for genetic risk factors. We conducted a genome-wide linkage screen of 5824 single-nucleotide polymorphisms in 278 families of European, non-Hispanic descent to localize regions that harbor susceptibility loci for PD. By using parametric and nonparametric linkage analyses and allowing for genetic heterogeneity among families, we found two loci for PD. Significant evidence for linkage was detected on chromosome 18q11 (maximum lod score [MLOD] = 4.1) and suggestive evidence for linkage was obtained on chromosome 3q25 (MLOD = 2.5). These results were strongest in families not previously screened for linkage, and simulation studies suggest that these findings are likely due to locus heterogeneity rather than random statistical error. The finding of two loci (one highly statistically significant) suggests that additional PD susceptibility genes might be identified through targeted candidate gene studies in these regions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Three possible pathways for bicarbonate generation were investigated based on DFT. • Base-catalyzed CO 2 hydration is dominant in [N 1111 ][Gly]/EtOH aqueous system. • Water effect on phase change behavior is analyzed from hydrogen bonding view. • Water content of 5 wt% promotes products aggregation in favor of phase change. Ionic liquids-based anhydrous biphasic absorbents have the potential to lower the energy consumption for CO 2 capture. Recent experimental studies have revealed that the presence of water in [N 1111 ][Gly]/EtOH system leads to generation of a new CO 2 -product – bicarbonate and affects the phase change behavior. However, the reaction pathway for bicarbonate formation remains unclear. In this work, the reaction pathways were investigated in depth through quantum chemical calculations employing density functional theory, with reaction rate constants determined via transition state theory. Among the three possible reaction pathways, the base-catalyzed CO 2 hydration reaction prevailed, i.e. a one-step reaction involving [Gly]-, H 2 O, and CO 2. An H atom in H 2 O was transferred to [Gly]-'s amino group, forming protonated [Gly]-, and hydroxide combined with CO 2 to generate bicarbonate. Additionally, molecular dynamics simulations were conducted to understand the phase change behaviors with varying water content. When water content exceeded 5 wt%, an increased water content led to reduced hydrogen bonding among products and enhanced hydrogen bonding of products-solvent with the solvent, diminishing product self-aggregation. No phase change behavior were observed at water contents up to 80 wt%. This study could well explain the experimental phenomena of water effect on CO 2 absorption in [N 1111 ][Gly]/EtOH, providing theoretical references for application of ILs-based anhydrous biphasic absorbent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The in situ and ex situ temperature dependence of dielectric and piezoelectric properties of 0.1(Bi0.5K0.5)TiO3-0.6BiFeO3-0.3PbTiO3 (BKT-BFPT) ceramics were characterized, and related mechanisms were studied. The tetragonal distortion, Curie temperature Tc, depoling temperature Td, and piezoelectric coefficient d33 of BKT-BFPT are 0.06, 545 °C, 520 °C, and 205 pC/N, respectively. The in situ piezoelectric coefficient variation of BKT-BFPT ceramics from room temperature to 280 °C is only 10%, being 1/5 and 1/10 those of 0.36BiScO3-0.34PbTiO3 and Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 ceramics. The better dielectric and piezoelectric thermal stabilities are owing to the temperature insensitive domain texture of BFPT-BKT ceramics due to their large lattice distortion. Resistivity results reflected that the higher depoling temperature derived from the ex situ measurement than that from the in situ test results from the high-temperature conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

R1930 --> UBE3A is a HECT (homologous to E6AP C‐terminus) domain E3 ubiquitin ligase that targets substrate proteins for degradation through the ubiquitin‐proteasome pathway. Deletion or null mutation of the maternal UBE3A gene causes Angelman syndrome, a severe intellectual disability disorder also characterized by epilepsy, motor deficits, and an unusually happy disposition. Hundreds of single amino acid variants of UBE3A have been reported in the literature, but the biological significance for most these variants are unknown. Here, we devised a high‐throughput assay to screen the functional consequence of UBE3A missense variants to identify precise mutations that drive disease. We screened over 150 UBE3A variants and identified distinct functional classes of UBE3A mutants, including over a dozen gain‐of‐function variants previously not known to exist. Mice carrying a specific hyperactivating mutation in UBE3A exhibited aberrant motor and communication deficits, and analysis of patient data showed that UBE3A hyperactivation causes a neurodevelopmental disorder that is distinct from Angelman syndrome. Finally, our detailed structure‐function analysis revealed a novel allosteric regulatory site in UBE3A that is perturbed by both gain and loss‐of‐function mutations. Altogether, our study demonstrates that functional variant analysis can delineate disease subtypes and provide deep structure‐functional data to uncover disease‐relevant regulatory mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Magnetoelectric (ME) sensors are widely studied and well suited for current condition monitoring in smart grids due to their high sensitivity, low power consumption, and compact size. However, designing ME sensors that simultaneously achieve low magnetic noise and a large linear range remains challenging. In this work, we propose and systematically study a multilayered magnetoelectric sensor (MLMS). We experimentally demonstrate that the voltage noise is effectively suppressed by connecting the piezoelectric elements of the MLMS in series. Additionally, the magnetic flux concentration effect is weakened by magnetic shielding from the outer Metglas laminates, which increases the optimized bias field to 52 Oe for the MLMS. Consequently, an equivalent magnetic noise as low as 16.7 pT/rtHz at 1 Hz is obtained and an enlarged linear range from 20 pT to 2 mT is achieved. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the proposed MLMS could linearly detect a wide range of power currents from 0.1 mA to 400 A, with nonlinear error and current resolution as low as 0.05% and 0.1 mA, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evidence has shown that children with developmental dyslexia (DD) are vulnerable to internalizing problems such as depression. Family and peer support are two important factors that influence children's psychological development, and deficits in support from family and peers might increase the likelihood of depression. This study aimed to examine whether and to what extent family and peer relationships (parenting style and loneliness) were associated with depression in elementary children with DD and in matched typically developing (TD) children. This study included 92 grade 3–5 students, consisting of 46 children with DD (35 males; age: M = 9.46, SD = 0.94) and 46 TD children (35 males; age: M = 9.43, SD = 1.00). Assessments included questionnaires that evaluated the relationship between children and their parents, the loneliness and depression in children. Pearson correlation analyses and multiple regression analyses were conducted to examine the relationship between loneliness/parenting style and depression. The results showed that children with DD were at a higher risk of experiencing depression and experienced worse parenting than TD children. In the group with DD, only parenting style was a significant predictor of depression, whereas in the TD group, both parenting style and loneliness were significant predictors of depression. Parenting style was associated with greater variance in depression in the TD group than in the group with DD. Our findings demonstrated the importance of considering parenting style when dealing with mental health problems in children with DD. Furthermore, given that loneliness did not account for variance in depression and that parenting style minimally accounted for variance, more variables should be examined to understand their influence on internalizing problems in children with DD. Highlights: DD children experienced worse depression and parenting than TD children. Both parenting style and loneliness predicted depression in TD children whereas only parenting style predicted depression in DD children. Parenting style caused greater variance in depression in the TD children than in the DD children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interaction between influenza A virus (IAV) and host proteins is an important process that greatly influences viral replication and pathogenicity. PB2 protein is a subunit of viral ribonucleoprotein (vRNP) complex playing distinct roles in viral transcription and replication. BAG6 (BCL2-associated athanogene 6) as a multifunctional host protein participates in physiological and pathological processes. Here, we identify BAG6 as a new restriction factor for IAV replication through targeting PB2. For both avian and human influenza viruses, overexpression of BAG6 reduced viral protein expression and virus titers, whereas deletion of BAG6 significantly enhanced virus replication. Moreover, BAG6-knockdown mice developed more severe clinical symptoms and higher viral loads upon IAV infection. Mechanistically, BAG6 restricted IAV transcription and replication by inhibiting the activity of viral RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp). The co-Immunoprecipitation assays showed BAG6 specifically interacted with the N-terminus of PB2 and competed with PB1 for RdRp complex assembly. The ubiquitination assay indicated that BAG6 promoted PB2 ubiquitination at K189 residue and targeted PB2 for K48-linked ubiquitination degradation. The antiviral effect of BAG6 necessitated its N-terminal region containing a ubiquitin-like (UBL) domain (17-92aa) and a PB2-binding domain (124-186aa), which are synergistically responsible for viral polymerase subunit PB2 degradation and perturbing RdRp complex assembly. These findings unravel a novel antiviral mechanism via the interaction of viral PB2 and host protein BAG6 during avian or human influenza virus infection and highlight a potential application of BAG6 for antiviral drug development. Author summary: Influenza A virus (IAV) is a major public health threat worldwide. The viral polymerase subunit PB2 of IAV is not only responsible for transcription and replication of viral RNA but also acts as a key determinant for host adaptation, making it a key target of host defense system. In this study, we report BAG6 as a novel negative regulator of viral PB2 protein. It interacts with the N-terminus of PB2 and promotes PB2 ubiquitination at the K189 residue, which is highly conserved in all IAV subtypes, resulting in the competitive inhibition of RdRp assembly and the ubiquitination degradation of PB2. These findings emphasize the potent antiviral activity of BAG6 against both avian and human influenza viruses and provide a detailed insight to facilitate antivirals targeting PB2 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As the performance of hairpin DNA (hpDNA)-based biosensors is highly dependent on the yield of stem-loop (hairpin) conformations, we report herein a versatile fluorometric in situ hybridization protocol for examining hpDNA self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) on popularly used biochip substrates. Specifically, the ratio of fluorescence (FL) intensities of hpDNA SAMs (in an array format) before and after hybridization was adopted as the key parameter for performing such a determination. Upon confirming the existence of mixed and tunable DNA conformations in binary deposition solutions and efficient hybridization of the hairpin strands with the target DNA via gel electrophoresis assays, we tested the fluorometric protocol for determining the coverages of hpDNA in hpDNA/ssDNA SAMs prepared on gold; its accuracy was validated by Exonuclease I (Exo I)-assisted electrochemical quantitation. To further confirm its versatility, this FL protocol was adopted for quantifying hairpin conformations formed on glass and polycarbonate (PC) substrates. The molar ratios of surface-tethered hairpin conformations on the three different substrates were all found to be proportional to but less than those in the binary deposition solutions, and were dependent on the substrate morphology. The findings reported herein are beneficial for the construction of highly efficient DNA hairpin-based sensing surfaces, which essentially facilitates the creation of hpDNA-based biosensors with optimal detection performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Microcalorimetry strategy was used to directly measure the CO 2 absorption heat. • The structure–activity relationship for CO 2 capture by tertiary amines was studied. • Dual Descriptor was used to analyze the steric hindrance effects. • IRI was employed to visually evaluate the impact of intramolecular hydrogen bonds. • Electron density of N atom was investigated by employing natural population analysis. In comparison with primary and secondary amines, tertiary amines exhibit higher CO 2 equilibrium and lower CO 2 absorption heat, making them attractive for CO 2 capture applications. However, the relationship between the structure of tertiary amines and their CO 2 capture capacity needs to be further studied. This study aimed to investigate the structure–activity relationship between the molecular configuration of representative tertiary amines, and their CO 2 equilibrium solubility, as well as CO 2 absorption heat. The CO 2 absorption heat of nine tertiary amines with distinct structures was measured using a high-precision microcalorimeter, while quantum chemical calculations were employed to explore this relationship. The reactivity of tertiary amines was assessed by visualizing the effects of electron density and steric hindrance by using natural population analysis and dual descriptor analysis, respectively. The findings revealed that the stronger electron-donating effect of ethyl groups than the methyl groups enhanced the reactivity of tertiary amines. Additionally, the presence of methyl groups on the side chain of tertiary amines promoted the reactivity. By contrast, the presence of too many hydroxyl groups resulted in steric hindrance thus reducing the reactivity of tertiary amines. Furthermore, interaction region indicators were employed to visually evaluate the influence of intramolecular hydrogen bonds on the reactivity of tertiary amines. The results show that the presence of intramolecular hydrogen bonds enhanced the equilibrium solubility of CO 2 while facilitating the reduction of the CO 2 absorption heat. The results obtained from this study are important for the selection and development of efficient tertiary amines that are suitable for industrial applications in CO 2 capture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Field-assisted deforming method has been used to prepare c-axis textured Al-doped-ZnO Ceramics ( AZO) ceramics. In such cases, AZO ceramics with different degree of texture can be controlled efficiently. As a consequence, the electrical conductivity has been significantly enhanced for AZO ceramic with high degree of texture. The electrical conductivity for highly textured AZO is as high as 29.5 S·m−1, 6 times higher than random orientation AZO ceramics. The enhanced electrical conductivity leads to a higher power factor of 5.3×10−4 W·m−1·K−2 at 750 K, a 60.6% improvement over the random orientation AZO ceramic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Elevation of intraocular pressure (IOP) due to therapeutic use of glucocorticoids is called steroid-induced ocular hypertension (SIOH); this can lead to steroid-induced glaucoma (SIG). Glucocorticoids initiate signaling cascades ultimately affecting expression of hundreds of genes; this provides the potential for a highly personalized pharmacological response. Studies attempting to define genetic risk factors were undertaken early in the history of glucocorticoid use, however scientific tools available at that time were limited and progress stalled. In contrast, significant advances were made over the ensuing years in defining disease pathophysiology. As the genomics age emerged, it appeared the time was right to renew investigation into genetics. Pharmacogenomics is an unbiased discovery approach, not requiring an underlying hypothesis, and provides a way to pinpoint clinically significant genes and pathways that could not have been discovered any other way. Results of the first genome-wide association study to identify polymorphisms associated with SIOH, and follow-up on two novel genes linked to the disorder, GPR158 and HCG22, is discussed in the second half of the article. However, knowledge of genetic variants determining response to steroids in the eye also has value in its own right as a predictive and diagnostic tool. This article concludes with a discussion of how the Precision Medicine Initiative®, announced by U.S. President Obama in his 2015 State of the Union address, is beginning to touch the practice of ophthalmology. It is argued that SIOH/SIG may provide one of the next opportunities for effective application of precision medicine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Gene-based association tests provide a useful alternative and complement to the usual single marker association tests, especially in genome-wide association studies (GWAS). The way of weighting for variants in a gene plays an important role in boosting the power of a gene-based association test. Appropriate weights can boost statistical power, especially when detecting genetic variants with weak effects on a trait. One major limitation of existing gene-based association tests lies in using weights that are predetermined biologically or empirically. This limitation often attenuates the power of a test. On another hand, effect sizes or directions of causal genetic variants in real data are usually unknown, driving a need for a flexible yet robust methodology of gene based association tests. Furthermore, access to individual-level data is often limited, while thousands of GWAS summary data are publicly and freely available. Results: To resolve these limitations, we propose a combination test named as OWC which is based on summary statistics from GWAS data. Several traditional methods including burden test, weighted sum of squared score test [SSU], weighted sum statistic [WSS], SNP-set Kernel Association Test [SKAT], and the score test are special cases of OWC. To evaluate the performance of OWC, we perform extensive simulation studies. Results of simulation studies demonstrate that OWC outperforms several existing popular methods. We further show that OWC outperforms comparison methods in real-world data analyses using schizophrenia GWAS summary data and a fasting glucose GWAS meta-analysis data. The proposed method is implemented in an R package available at https://github.com/Xuexia-Wang/OWC-R-package Conclusions: We propose a novel gene-based association test that incorporates four different weighting schemes (two constant weights and two weights proportional to normal statistic Z) and includes several popular methods as its special cases. Results of the simulation studies and real data analyses illustrate that the proposed test, OWC, outperforms comparable methods in most scenarios. These results demonstrate that OWC is a useful tool that adapts to the underlying biological model for a disease by weighting appropriately genetic variants and combination of well-known gene-based tests. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites have been synthesized via microwave assisted hydrothermal treatment of tetrabutyl titanate in the presence of SnS 2 nanoplates in the solvent of ethanol at 160 °C for 1 h. The physical and chemical properties of SnS 2 /TiO 2 were studied by XRD, FESEM, EDS, TEM, XPS and UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS). The photocatalytic activity of SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites were evaluated by photoreduction of aqueous Cr(VI) under visible light ( λ >420 nm) irradiation. The experimental results showed that the SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites exhibited excellent reduction efficiency of Cr(VI) (~87%) than that of pure TiO 2 and SnS 2 . The SnS 2 /TiO 2 nanocomposites were expected to be a promising candidate as effective photocatalysts in the treatment of Cr(VI) wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Mn-modified 0.75BiFeO 3 -0.25BaTiO 3 (75BFBTMn) piezoelectric ceramic possesses a high depolarization temperature of 500 °C and a large piezoelectric coefficient of 110 pC/N, showing the potential for high temperature piezoelectric sensors. However, 75BFBTMn ceramic usually suffers dielectric degradation and abrupt drop of piezoelectric coefficient in the range of 300 °C to 500 °C. Combined the high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction analysis with Backscatter-SEM results, it is demonstrated that the electrical thermal instability is owing to the existence of chemical inhomogeneity. The Air-annealing treatment is able to decrease the volume fraction of pseudo-cubic phase and the lattice distortion, removes the chemical inhomogeneity in the grain and free Bi 2 O 3 at grain boundary, and then eliminates dielectric anomalies and piezoelectric degradation with temperature. These results indicate that air-annealing is a simple but effective method to eliminate the chemical inhomogeneity in 75BFBTMn ceramics, thereby improving the property thermal stability for high temperature piezoelectric sensor applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Avian influenza virus (AIV) can evolve multiple strategies to combat host antiviral defenses and establish efficient infectivity in mammals, including humans. H9N2 AIV and its reassortants (such as H5N6 and H7N9 viruses) pose an increasing threat to human health; however, the mechanisms involved in their increased virulence remain poorly understood. We previously reported that the M1 mutation T37A has become predominant among chicken H9N2 isolates in China. Here, we report that, since 2010, this mutation has also been found in the majority of human isolates of H9N2 AIV and its emerging reassortants. The T37A mutation of M1 protein enhances the replication of H9N2 AIVs in mice and in human cells. Interestingly, having A37 instead of T37 increases the M1 protein stability and resistance to proteasomal degradation. Moreover, T37 of the H9N2 M1 protein is phosphorylated by protein kinase G (PKG), and this phosphorylation induces the rapid degradation of M1 and reduces viral replication. Similar effects are also observed in the novel H5N6 virus. Additionally, ubiquitination at K187 contributes to M1-37T degradation and decreased replication of the virus harboring T37 in the M1 protein. The prevailing AIVs thereby evolve a phospho-resistant mutation in the M1 protein to avoid viral protein degradation by host factors, which is advantageous in terms of replication in mammalian hosts. Author summary: H9N2 avian influenza virus (AIV) and its reassortants (such as H5N6 and H7N9 viruses) pose an increasing threat to human health, but the mechanisms involved in their increased virulence remain poorly understood. Notably, the role of viral M1 protein in increasing the mammalian infection of AIV has been rarely reported. Here, we demonstrate that a phospho-resistant T37A mutation, encoded by the M1 protein of recently prevalent chicken H9N2 virus, increases M1 protein stability and viral replication in mammalian cells. The T37, but not the A37, in H9N2 M1 protein can be phosphorylated by protein kinase G (PKG). Through the T37A mutation, viral M1 protein evades phosphorylation-mediated proteasomal degradation, resulting in increased avian H9N2 virus replication in mice and in human cells. Similar effects were also observed for the novel H5N6 virus. This study provides insight into a novel strategy by which AIV evades mammalian host defenses. It is necessary to pay close attention to the epidemiological and public health implications of AIVs carrying this mutant M1 protein. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Low-cost, stable, and highly active electrocatalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR), especially for pH-universal ORR, are vital for developing numerous renewable energy devices. Herein, a hierarchical N, S-codoped porous carbon-based catalyst (ZFP-800) coupled with abundant FeS/ZnS heterojunctions was facilely prepared via direct pyrolysis of a Ferrocene-crosslinked pyrrole hydrogel composited with zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) templates. Compared with the heterojunction-free catalytic activity, the ZFP-800 catalytic activity was significantly higher in pH-universal ranges. Moreover, the ZFP-800 exhibited competitive ORR performance to commercial Pt/C (20%) in various electrolytes, in terms of onset (E onset), half-wave potentials (E 1/2), limiting current density (J L), durability, and methanol immunity. For instance, it exhibited super ORR catalytic activity on E onset and E 1/2 , and exceeded that of the benchmark Pt/C in both the alkaline and neutral media. Furthermore, the application of ZFP-800 as a cathode catalyst in a home-made Zn–air battery demonstrated its operation capability in ambient conditions with a competitive performance on the specific energy density (828 mA·h·g Zn –1), maximum discharge power density (205.6 mW·cm−2), rate performance, and the long-term stability (188 h at 5 mA·cm−2). This study can facilitate the development of advanced heterojunction-based materials for renewable energy applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Targeted removal of three key refractory toxic organic compounds (TOMs) in 2-butenal manufacturing wastewater (2-BMW) is critical for enhancing pre-treatment by hydrolysis acidification (HA). We investigated the pre-treatment of 2-BMW with HA, coupled with ozonation in this study. Our results indicated that the removal rate of these key TOMs and the detoxification rate reached almost 100% and 46.3%, respectively, by ozonation under only 0.099 mg O 3 /mg chemical oxygen demand (COD). The organic load rate (OLR) reached 10.25 ± 0.43 kg COD/m3·d, and the acidification degree (AD) and detoxification efficiency reached 56.0% and 98.3%, respectively, with enhancements of 35.1% and 55.2%, respectively, compared with HA alone. The removal rate of the three key TOMs was improved by > 75%. The degradation pathways of these key TOMs were ring cleavage and ester formation by ozonation, followed by fermentation and acid production by HA. Ultimately, the synergistic role of ozonation and HA was revealed. The preferential cleavage of these key TOMs by ozonation was achieved because of their high electron cloud density and multiple reaction sites, which generated more fermentation-friendly products. The fermentation and acid production reactions may be directly involved in these products. Functional bacteria and key metabolic pathways were also enhanced by ozonation. [Display omitted] • Pre-treatment of 2-BMW was enhanced by HA coupled with ozonation. • Targeted cleavage of key TOMs by pre-ozonation was achieved. • Ring-cleavage, esters formation, and fermentation were main pathways. • Fermentative bacteria and metabolisms were enriched. • Synergistic role of ozonation and HA was revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examined the effect of short-term language-switching training on the cognitive control mechanism in bilingual word production. In two experiments, two groups of relatively proficient but unbalanced Chinese–English bilinguals performed a cued picture-naming task, in which they switched between their two languages. On two consecutive days, the participants took part in four sessions. The same procedure was employed on 2 days in Experiment 1, whereas the cue-language mapping was reversed on Day 2 in Experiment 2. In both experiments, picture naming in the dominant language (L1, Chinese) was slower than that in the weaker second language (L2, English) in all sessions. In addition, the reversed language dominance effect was enhanced with training, suggesting that training proactively increases the amount of inhibition of the dominant L1 at the global level. Furthermore, switching costs in the L1 were reduced with training in Experiment 1, but not in Experiment 2. These results indicate that language-switching training improves the efficiency of reactively exerting inhibitory control over the dominant L1 at the local level. However, when a cue matches with different target languages, the effect of training is absent at the local level. These findings reveal the plasticity and complexity of the cognitive control mechanism as a function of bilingual experience, particularly in language switching. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Genome-wide association studies have identified multiple genetic variants associated with vertical cup-to-disc ratio (VCDR). Genetic risk scores (GRS) examine the aggregate genetic effect of individual variants on a trait by combining these separate genetic variants into a single measure. The purpose of this study was to construct GRS for VCDR and to determine whether the GRS are associated with VCDR and whether the GRS increase the discriminatory ability for primary open-angle glaucoma (POAG) in a Latino population. Design Population-based genetic association study. Participants A total of 4018 Latino participants recruited from Los Angeles. Methods Weighted and unweighted GRS were constructed using 68 previously reported VCDR single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), as well as SNPs from our own genome-wide association data. Linear and logistic regression analyses examined the associations of GRS with VCDR and POAG, respectively. To evaluate the discriminatory ability of the GRS for POAG, we conducted receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses. Main Outcome Measures The relationship between GRS and VCDR in Latinos. Results The GRS were associated significantly with VCDR ( P < 0.0001), after adjusting for age, gender, central corneal thickness, intraocular pressure, and education. The weighted GRS explained an additional 2.74% of the variation in VCDR. Adding the weighted GRS derived from previously reported SNPs resulted in a moderate improvement in the discriminatory ability for POAG during ROC analyses, yielding an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.735 (95% CI, 0.701–0.768). When our own SNPs were used, the AUC increased significantly to 0.809 (95% CI, 0.781–0.837; P < 0.0001). We obtained similar results for the unweighted GRS. Conclusions To our knowledge, we identified a novel association between GRS and VCDR and its improvement in the discriminatory ability of POAG in a Latino population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Intraocular pressure (IOP) is a major risk factor, as well as the only modifiable risk factor, for glaucoma. Racial differences have been observed in IOP measurements with individuals of African descent experiencing the highest IOP when compared with other ethnic groups. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between genetic ancestry and IOP in Latinos. Design Population-based genetic association study. Participants A total of 3541 participants recruited from the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study. Methods Study participants were genotyped using the Illumina OmniExpress BeadChip (∼730K markers). We used STRUCTURE to estimate individual genetic ancestry. Simple and multiple linear regression, as well as quantile regression, analyses were performed to investigate the relationship between genetic ancestry and IOP. Main Outcome Measures The relationship between genetic ancestry and IOP in Latinos. Results African ancestry was significantly associated with higher IOP in Latinos in our simple linear regression analysis ( P = 0.002). After adjusting for age, gender, body mass index, systolic blood pressure, central corneal thickness, and type 2 diabetes, this association remained significant ( P = 0.0005). The main association was modified by a significant interaction between African ancestry and hypertension ( P = 0.037), with hypertensive individuals experiencing a greater increase in IOP with increasing African ancestry. Conclusions To our knowledge, we demonstrate for the first time that African ancestry and its interaction with hypertension are associated with higher IOP in Latinos. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

PURPOSE: To describe associations of serum lipid levels and lipid pathway genes to the incidence of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). DESIGN: Meta-analysis. METHODS: SETTING: Three population-based cohorts. POPULATION: A total of 6950 participants from the Beaver Dam Eye Study (BDES), Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES), and Rotterdam Study (RS). OBSERVATION PROCEDURES: Participants were followed over 20 years and examined at 5-year intervals. Hazard ratios associated with lipid levels per standard deviation above the mean or associated with each additional risk allele for each lipid pathway gene were calculated using random-effects inverse-weighted meta-analysis models, adjusting for known AMD risk factors. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Incidence of AMD. RESULTS: The average 5-year incidences of early AMD were 8.1%, 15.1%, and 13.0% in the BDES, BMES, and RS, respectively. Substantial heterogeneity in the effect of cholesterol and lipid pathway genes on the incidence and progression of AMD was evident when the data from the 3 studies were combined in meta-analysis. After correction for multiple comparisons, we did not find a statistically significant association between any of the cholesterol measures, statin use, or serum lipid genes and any of the AMD outcomes in the meta-analysis. CONCLUSION: In a meta-analysis, there were no associations of cholesterol measures, history of statin use, or lipid pathway genes to the incidence and progression of AMD. These findings add to inconsistencies in earlier reports from our studies and others showing weak associations, no associations, or inverse associations of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol and total cholesterol with AMD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To describe methods to harmonize the classification of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) phenotypes across four population-based cohort studies: the Beaver Dam Eye Study (BDES), the Blue Mountains Eye Study (BMES), the Los Angeles Latino Eye Study (LALES), and the Rotterdam Study (RS). Methods: AMD grading protocols, definitions of categories, and grading forms from each study were compared to determine whether there were systematic differences in AMD severity definitions and lesion categorization among the three grading centers. Each center graded the same set of 60 images using their respective systems to determine presence and severity of AMD lesions. A common 5-step AMD severity scale and definitions of lesion measurement cutpoints and early and late AMD were developed from this exercise. Results: Applying this severity scale changed the age-sex adjusted prevalence of early AMD from 18.7% to 20.3% in BDES, from 4.7% to 14.4% in BMES, from 14.1% to 15.8% in LALES, and from 7.5% to 17.1% in RS. Age-sex adjusted prevalences of late AMD remained unchanged. Comparison of each center's grades of the 60 images converted to the consortium scale showed that exact agreement of AMD severity among centers varied from 61.0-81.4%, and one-step agreement varied from 84.7-98.3%. Conclusion: Harmonization of AMD classification reduced categorical differences in phenotypic definitions across the studies, resulted in a new 5-step AMD severity scale, and enhanced similarity of AMD prevalence among the four cohorts. Despite harmonization it may still be difficult to remove systematic differences in grading, if present. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Piezoelectric actuators are essential for numerous electromechanical applications, because of their advantages of high resolution, large generated forces, no friction, low heat dissipation and fast response. The design of the next-generation piezoelectric actuators is desired to meet the complex needs of advanced machines and instruments, where the high-performance and stable output under the combined thermal and mechanical loads are expected. However, simultaneously achieving high-performance and good temperature stability of piezoelectric actuators is a challenge, which hinders the use temperature range in practical applications. Here, in the studied Sm-doped Pb(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 -PbZrO 3 -PbTiO 3 system, the high piezoelectric strain coefficient d 33 * = 870 pm/V with superior temperature stability (below 7% variation over the temperature of 20°C to 280°C), together with negligible property degradation up to 106 cycles was successfully achieved. The outstanding blocking stress of 37.2 MPa and mechanical work of 6.4 kJ/m3 were obtained under the driving electric field of 15 kV/cm. This work provides a paradigm to achieve high piezoelectric strain properties with good temperature stability, where the studied materials are expected to greatly benefit the development of high temperature piezoelectric actuator applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]