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Background: The current guidelines for managing screen‐detected pulmonary nodules offer rule‐based recommendations for immediate diagnostic work‐up or follow‐up at intervals of 3, 6, or 12 months. Customized visit plans are lacking. Purpose: To develop individualized screening schedules using reinforcement learning (RL) and evaluate the effectiveness of RL‐based policy models. Methods: Using a nested case–control design, we retrospectively identified 308 patients with cancer who had positive screening results in at least two screening rounds in the National Lung Screening Trial. We established a control group that included cancer‐free patients with nodules, matched (1:1) according to the year of cancer diagnosis. By generating 10,164 sequence decision episodes, we trained RL‐based policy models, incorporating nodule diameter alone, combined with nodule appearance (attenuation and margin) and/or patient information (age, sex, smoking status, pack‐years, and family history). We calculated rates of misdiagnosis, missed diagnosis, and delayed diagnosis, and compared the performance of RL‐based policy models with rule‐based follow‐up protocols (National Comprehensive Cancer Network guideline; China Guideline for the Screening and Early Detection of Lung Cancer). Results: We identified significant interactions between certain variables (e.g., nodule shape and patient smoking pack‐years, beyond those considered in guideline protocols) and the selection of follow‐up testing intervals, thereby impacting the quality of the decision sequence. In validation, one RL‐based policy model achieved rates of 12.3% for misdiagnosis, 9.7% for missed diagnosis, and 11.7% for delayed diagnosis. Compared with the two rule‐based protocols, the three best‐performing RL‐based policy models consistently demonstrated optimal performance for specific patient subgroups based on disease characteristics (benign or malignant), nodule phenotypes (size, shape, and attenuation), and individual attributes. Conclusions: This study highlights the potential of using an RL‐based approach that is both clinically interpretable and performance‐robust to develop personalized lung cancer screening schedules. Our findings present opportunities for enhancing the current cancer screening system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the advent of cancer immunotherapy, some special features including delayed treatment effect, cure rate, diminishing treatment effect and crossing survival are often observed in survival analysis. They violate the proportional hazard model assumption and pose a unique challenge for the conventional trial design and analysis strategies. Many methods like cure rate model have been developed based on mixture model to incorporate some of these features. In this work, we extend the mixture model to deal with multiple non‐proportional patterns and develop its geometric average hazard ratio (gAHR) to quantify the treatment effect. We further derive a sample size and power formula based on the non‐centrality parameter of the log‐rank test and conduct a thorough analysis of the impact of each parameter on performance. Simulation studies showed a clear advantage of our new method over the proportional hazard based calculation across different non‐proportional hazard scenarios. Moreover, the mixture modeling of two real trials demonstrates how to use the prior information on the survival distribution among patients with different biomarker and early efficacy results in practice. By comparison with a simulation‐based design, the new method provided a more efficient way to compute the power and sample size with high accuracy of estimation. Overall, both theoretical derivation and empirical studies demonstrate the promise of the proposed method in powering future innovative trial designs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Potassium‐ion batteries (KIBs) are promising energy storage devices owing to the close redox potential of potassium (K) to lithium and rich abundance of K resource, thus promoting the exploration of efficient cathode materials for K‐ions storage. Fe‐based Prussian blue analogues (KFeHCF) are promising cathode materials for KIBs due to their combined advantages in low cost and high energy density. However, the rapid capacity decay induced by unstable cathode electrolyte interphase (CEI) and dissolution of transition metal ions leads to limited lifespans (e.g., hundreds of cycles) of K∥KFeHCF batteries. Incorporating additives into electrolytes is an economical and effective way to construct robust CEI for high‐performance KIBs. Herein, a multifunctional electrolyte additive, potassium selenocyanate (KSeCN), is introduced to effectively construct stable, homogeneous and conductive CEI films, which leads to the inhibition of Fe dissolution and stabilization of KFeHCF structure during cycling. With 0.5 wt% of KSeCN in conventional carbonated electrolyte, the K∥KFeHCF battery exhibits promoted cycling performance with a capacity retention rate of 87% after 500 cycles at 4.5 V cutoff voltage. This finding provides a new paradigm for developing and designing potassium‐ion battery electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible Ag2Se thermoelectric (TE) films are promising for wearable applications near room temperature (RT). Herein, a Ag2Se film on a nylon membrane with high TE performance was fabricated by a facile method. First, Ag2Se powders were prepared by a microwave-assisted synthesis method using Ag nanowires as a template. Second, the Ag2Se powders were deposited onto nylon via vacuum filtration followed by hot pressing. Through modulating the Ag/Se molar ratio for synthesizing the Ag2Se powders, an optimized Ag2Se film demonstrates a high power factor of 1577.1 μW m−1 K−2 and good flexibility at RT. The flexibility of the Ag2Se film is mainly attributed to the flexible nylon membrane. In addition, a six-leg flexible TE generator (f-TEG) fabricated with the optimized Ag2Se film exhibits a maximum power density of 18.4 W m−2 at a temperature difference of 29 K near RT. This work provides a new solution to prepare high-TE-performance flexible Ag2Se films for f-TEGs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MXene‐based supercapacitors are promising electrochemical energy‐storage devices due to their ultrahigh volumetric capacitance, high‐power characteristics, and excellent cyclability. However, they suffer from severe self‐discharging behavior while the underlying self‐discharging mechanism is still unclear. Here, the self‐discharge behavior of MXene‐based supercapacitors from surface electronic structure of MXenes is disclosed, and a novel method to mitigate it is proposed. A superficial engineering strategy based on bio‐thermal treatment is developed to effectively tailor surface electronic structure of Ti3C2Tx MXenes by eliminating hydroxyl terminations. With the evolution of surface electronic structure, as revealed by Kelvin probe force microscope and synchrotron radiation X‐ray absorption fine structure analysis, MXene‐based supercapacitors with common aqueous electrolytes show >20% decline in self‐discharge rate. This decline mechanism originates from the increased work function that induces higher zero‐charge potential after the removal of hydroxyl groups in MXenes. Meanwhile, the strengthened surface dipole leads to higher surface free energy between MXene and electrolytes. These two positive effects endow MXenes with weaker self‐discharge kinetics. Specifically, the activation‐controlled self‐discharge process is greatly suppressed. Illuminating the relevance between electronic structure and self‐discharge accompanying superficial engineering suppression strategy can guide to development of high‐performance energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Numerous observational studies have revealed an increased risk of death and complications with transfusion, but this observation has not been confirmed in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). The "transfusion kills patients" paradox persists in real-world observational studies despite application of analytic methods such as propensity-score matching. We propose a new design to address this long-term existing issue, which if left unresolved, will be deleterious to the healthy generation of evidence that supports optimized transfusion practice. Methods: In the new design, we stress three aspects for reconciling observational studies and RCTs on transfusion safety: (1) re-definition of the study population according to a stable hemoglobin range (gray zone of transfusion decision; 7.5–9.5 g/dL in this study); (2) selection of comparison groups according to a trigger value (last hemoglobin measurement before transfusion; nadir during hospital stay for control); (3) dealing with patient heterogeneity according to standardized mean difference (SMD) values. We applied the new design to hospitalized older patients (aged ≥60 years) undergoing general surgery at four academic/teaching hospitals. Four datasets were analyzed: a base population before (Base Match−) and after (Base Match+) propensity-score matching to simulate previous observational studies; a study population before (Study Match−) and after (Study Match+) propensity-score matching to demonstrate effects of our design. Results: Of 6141 older patients, 662 (10.78%) were transfused and showed high heterogeneity compared with those not receiving transfusion, particularly regarding preoperative hemoglobin (mean: 11.0 vs. 13.5 g/dL) and intraoperative bleeding (≥500 mL: 37.9% vs. 2.1%). Patient heterogeneity was reduced with the new design; SMD of the two variables was reduced from approximately 100% (Base Match−) to 0% (Study Match+). Transfusion was related to a higher risk of death and complications in Base Match− (odds ratio [OR], 95% confidence interval [CI]: 2.68, 1.86–3.86) and Base Match+ (2.24, 1.43–3.49), but not in Study Match− (0.77, 0.32–1.86) or Study Match+ (0.66, 0.23–1.89). Conclusions: We show how choice of study population and analysis could affect real-world study findings. Our results following the new design are in accordance with relevant RCTs, highlighting its value in accelerating the pace of transfusion evidence generation and generalization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: To identify key biomarkers in the metastasis of uveal melanoma (UM). Methods: The microarray datasets GSE27831 and GSE22138 were downloaded from the Gene Expression Omnibus database. Differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were identified, and functional enrichment analyses were performed. A protein–protein interaction network was constructed, and four algorithms were performed to increase the reliability of hub genes. Biomarker analysis and metastasis-free survival analysis were performed to screen and verify prognostic hub genes. Results: A total of 138 DEGs were identified, consisting of 71 downregulated genes and 67 upregulated genes. Four genes (ROBO1, FMN1, FYN and FXR1) were selected as hub genes. Biomarker analysis and metastasis-free survival analysis showed that ROBO1, FMN1, FYN and FXR1 were factors affecting the metastasis and metastasis-free survival of UM (all p < 0.05). High expression of ROBO1 and low expression of FMN1 were associated with longer metastasis-free survival. Multivariable logistic regression and Cox analyses in GSE 27831 indicated that ROBO1 was an independent factor affecting metastasis and metastasis-free survival of UM (p = 0.010 and p = 0.009), while ROBO1 and FMN1 were independent factors affecting metastasis and metastasis-free survival of UM in GSE22138 (all p < 0.05). Conclusions: ROBO1, FMN1, FYN and FXR1 should be regarded as diagnostic biomarkers for the metastasis of UM, especially ROBO1 and FMN1. High expression of ROBO1 and low expression of FMN1 were associated with longer metastasis-free survival. This study may facilitate the understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying the metastasis of UM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air handling unit (AHU) is the heat exchanger used for data center cooling. This article developed a detailed dimple/protrusion enhanced AHU modeling process and studied the flow and thermal performance of AHU in the Reynold number range from 5 × 103 to 3.53 × 104. Elliptic cylindrical dimples (ECD) and spherical crown dimples (SCD) are applied to enhance heat transfer. The entire channel (EC) and typical unit (TU) simulation domains are compared. The EC simulation domain is more reliable as the TU causes the Nu and f prediction relative deviations as large as 20.53% and 24.03%, respectively. The flow patterns in the channels are analyzed. The results show that the bigger SCD depth and smaller ECD depth make the mainstream bends closer to the "S" shape and the v velocity near the dimple/protrusion wall larger. Also, the second flow vortex distribution pattern becomes more complicated, and the velocity gradient near the wall is increased. These flow patterns enhance heat transfer. The dimpled surface has smaller local convective heat transfer coefficient compared with the protrusion surface in the same channel. With the decrease of ECD depth and the increase of SCD depth, the area-average convective heat transfer coefficient is increased. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Radiomics-based image metrics are not used in the clinic despite the rapidly growing literature. We selected eight promising radiomic features and validated their value in decoding lung cancer heterogeneity. Methods: CT images of 236 lung cancer patients were obtained from three different institutes, whereupon radiomic features were extracted according to a standardized procedure. The predictive value for patient long-term prognosis and association with routinely used semantic, genetic (e.g., epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR)), and histopathological cancer profiles were validated. Feature measurement reproducibility was assessed. Results: All eight selected features were robust across repeat scans (intraclass coefficient range: 0.81–0.99), and were associated with at least one of the cancer profiles: prognostic, semantic, genetic, and histopathological. For instance, "kurtosis" had a high predictive value of early death (AUC at first year: 0.70–0.75 in two independent cohorts), negative association with histopathological grade (Spearman's r: − 0.30), and altered expression levels regarding EGFR mutation and semantic characteristics (solid intensity, spiculated shape, juxtapleural location, and pleura tag; all p < 0.05). Combined as a radiomic score, the features had a higher area under curve for predicting 5-year survival (train: 0.855, test: 0.780, external validation: 0.760) than routine characteristics (0.733, 0.622, 0.613, respectively), and a better capability in patient death risk stratification (hazard ratio: 5.828, 95% confidence interval: 2.915–11.561) than histopathological staging and grading. Conclusions: We highlighted the clinical value of radiomic features. Following confirmation, these features may change the way in which we approach CT imaging and improve the individualized care of lung cancer patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The multiferroic material Pb 3 Mn 7 O 15 exhibits a high resistivity arising from the orbital electrons localized around the manganese ions, which hinders its potential applications. Previous studies indicated that the resistivity of Pb 3 Mn 7 O 15 was influenced by its crystal structure and the distribution of Mn ions. Consequently, pressure-induced structural change are expected to represent a viable method for tuning the resistivity and other properties of this compound. In the present study, the pressure effect on the resistivity of Pb 3 Mn 7 O 15 was investigated up to 42 GPa. Furthermore, the X-ray diffraction and Raman spectroscopy techniques, along with the density functional theory calculations were employed to study the crystal structure evolution of Pb 3 Mn 7 O 15 under pressure. The results demonstrate an electronic semiconductor-metal phase transition in Pb 3 Mn 7 O 15 , accompanying an irreversible orthorhombic to monoclinic phase transition. Additionally, within the orthorhombic phase, an iso-structural phase transition is observed, originating from the magnetic moments collapse of manganese cations. This study provides compelling evidence that high-pressure processing can be employed to modulate the crystal structure and functional properties of multifunctional materials. • Pressure-induced metallization of Pb 3 Mn 7 O 15 (PMO). • The metallization of PMO accompanies a sequence of phase transitions. • The Pnma → P 2/ m phase transition of PMO is irreversible. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to investigate a D-lactic acid production process from cassava with high optical purity, high yield, and without by-products. In order to improve the lactic acid production capability of L. mesenteroides ZL01, the Plackett-Burman and Box-Behnken Design with Response Surface Methodology approach were employed to optimize the media composition. The lactic acid concentration in shake flask fermentation was 35.51 g/L using the optimized medium, which increased the production by 54.1% compared to 23.04 g/L using the unoptimized medium. In a 3-liter stirred bioreactor, substrate inhibition and product inhibition effects were found in the L. mesenteroides ZL01 lactic acid production using glucose as carbon sources. However, the use of cassava starch hydrolysate as a raw material can alleviate these two inhibitory effects. The inhibition of substrate was alleviated by fed-batch fermentation and the inhibition of lactic acid was alleviated by adjusting pH during fermentation, which further improved the production of lactic acid. Under the optimal fermentation process, 136.2 g/L lactic acid was produced with a yield of 1 g/g. This is the highest D-lactic acid concentration reported from L. mesenteroides fermentation, which provides a promising pathway for the production of D-lactic acid from cassava. • D-lactic acid production with high optical purity from cassava. • The optimized medium achieves higher lactic acid productivity. • Cheap carbon sources are used for D-lactic acid production. • Increasing pH was used to reduce lactic acid inhibition and improve fermentation performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The timeliness of diagnostic testing after positive screening remains suboptimal because of limited evidence and methodology, leading to delayed diagnosis of lung cancer and over-examination. We propose a radiomics approach to assist with planning of the diagnostic testing interval in lung cancer screening.Methods: From an institute-based lung cancer screening cohort, we retrospectively selected 92 patients with pulmonary nodules with diameters ≥ 3 mm at baseline (61 confirmed as lung cancer by histopathology; 31 confirmed cancer-free). Four groups of region-of-interest-based radiomic features (n = 310) were extracted for quantitative characterization of the nodules, and eight features were proven to be predictive of cancer diagnosis, noise-robust, phenotype-related, and non-redundant. A radiomics biomarker was then built with the random survival forest method. The patients with nodules were divided into low-, middle- and high-risk subgroups by two biomarker cutoffs that optimized time-dependent sensitivity and specificity for decisions about diagnostic workup within 3 months and about repeat screening after 12 months, respectively. A radiomics-based follow-up schedule was then proposed. Its performance was visually assessed with a time-to-diagnosis plot and benchmarked against lung RADS and four other guideline protocols.Results: The radiomics biomarker had a high time-dependent area under the curve value (95% CI) for predicting lung cancer diagnosis within 12 months; training: 0.928 (0.844, 0.972), test: 0.888 (0.766, 0.975); the performance was robust in extensive cross-validations. The time-to-diagnosis distributions differed significantly between the three patient subgroups, p < 0.001: 96.2% of high-risk patients (n = 26) were diagnosed within 10 months after baseline screen, whereas 95.8% of low-risk patients (n = 24) remained cancer-free by the end of the study. Compared with the five existing protocols, the proposed follow-up schedule performed best at securing timely lung cancer diagnosis (delayed diagnosis rate: < 5%) and at sparing patients with cancer-free nodules from unnecessary repeat screenings and examinations (false recommendation rate: 0%).Conclusions: Timely management of screening-detected pulmonary nodules can be substantially improved with a radiomics approach. This proof-of-concept study's results should be further validated in large programs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multimorbidity is common, particularly among elderly people. Restructuring health service systems to better manage this public health issue requires knowledge regarding disease prevalence and patterns. We quantified the epidemiology characteristics of multimorbidity among adults in China to inform policy-making and resource allocation. We searched 10 databases for studies (January 2000–October 2023) reporting primary epidemiological multimorbidity data for adults in China. We included observational studies; we excluded duplicate publications and studies investigating a single comorbidity pattern, focused on specific population categories, using medical insurance reimbursement data, and with unclear/incomplete data. We assessed risk of bias using the STROBE checklist and estimated heterogeneity among studies. The prevalence was pooled using the random-effects method and sample size as weight. Of 13,998 records retrieved, 67 studies (30 in English, 37 in Chinese) were included. The prevalence (95% confidence interval) of multimorbidity was 25.4% (15.1%, 35.7%) among Chinese adults. Among 42 studies reporting age-specific prevalence, multimorbidity prevalence increased rapidly with age: 3.3% (0%, 15.2%) for age 18–29 years, 5.9% (0%, 12.9%) for 30–44 years, 17.6% (6.1%, 29.1%) for 45–59 years, 32.4% (16.1%, 48.7%) for 60–69 years, 38.5% (23.6%, 53.4%) for 70–79 years, and 40.2% (20.8%, 59.6%) for age ≥ 80 years. Overall prevalence of multimorbidity has increased in recent years, with regional disparity. The most common patterns included hypertension with hearing impairment (10.4% [95% CI: 4.3%, 16.5%]), dyslipidemia (8.9% [4.1%, 13.6%]), and diabetes (8.7% [3.7%, 13.8%]). Multimorbidity was present nearly one in four Chinese adults, with hypertensive diseases and other comorbidities being the most-observed pattern; the prevalence increased rapidly with increased age. There is huge variation in the prevalence of multimorbidity across China. Coordinated, comprehensive strategies are urgently needed to control the ongoing impact of multimorbidity. • The prevalence of multimorbidity was 25.4% [95% confidence interval (CI): 15.1%, 35.7%] among Chinese adults. • The prevalence of multimorbidity varied among different age groups, with an inflection point occurred at 60 years (32.4%, 95%CI: 16.1%, 48.7%). • Middle-aged (45–59 years) and elderly people (≥60 years) comprised the largest proportions of multimorbidity (39.1% and 46.2%, respectively). • Dyad patterns of multimorbidity (two chronic conditions cooccur) made up most cases of multimorbidity, with 65.6% (95% CI: 53.0%, 78.2%). • The most common patterns of multimorbidity involved hypertensive diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: Parathyroid carcinoma (PC) is a rare malignant neoplasm with a relatively poor prognosis. The loss of parafibromin expression or the presence of CDC73 mutation has been found to be remarkably associated with malignancy in parathyroid tumours. However, the prognostic role of them in PC has not yet been shown due to sampling limitations. We conducted a systematic review and meta‐analysis based on individual patient data to clarify the performance of parafibromin immunohistochemical staining and CDC73 gene sequencing in predicting outcomes for patients PC. Methods: Published studies from PubMed/MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane and Scopus Databases were searched using the terms 'parafibromin', 'CDC73', 'HRPT2' and 'parathyroid' to identify eligible studies. From the included studies, the survival data of patients with PC were extracted, and a Cox proportional hazards model was used to assess hazard ratio (HR) for disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS). Results: A total of 193 patients from 9 studies were included in this survival analysis. Negative immunohistochemical staining of parafibromin was shown to be a risk factor for recurrence/metastasis (HR 2.73, P =.002) and death (HR 2.54, P =.004). Patient age ≥ 50 years was significantly related to lower OS (HR 2.37, P =.004) but not to DFS. CDC73 mutation was not statistically related to DFS or OS. Conclusions: Negative parafibromin staining indicated a higher risk of recurrence/metastasis and mortality. The immunohistochemical staining of parafibromin seems to be more promising in predicting outcomes for patients with PC than the sequencing of CDC73. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objectives: A health industry standard recommending restrictive transfusion is to be in effect in China in April 2019. We aim to explore its potential economic and clinical impacts among surgical patients. Materials and Methods: A decision tree model was applied to compare cost‐effectiveness of current routine transfusion in China, a restrictive (transfusion at Hb < 8 g/dl or ischaemic symptoms) and a liberal (transfusion at Hb < 10 g/dl) strategy. Parameters were estimated from empirical data of 25 227 surgical inpatients aged ≥30 years in a multicenter study and supplemented by meta‐analysis when necessary. Results are shown for cardio‐cerebral‐vascular (CCV) surgery and non‐CCV (orthopaedics, general, thoracic) surgery separately. Results: Per 10 000 patients in routine, restrictive, liberal transfusion scenarios, total spending (transfusion and length of stay related) was 7·67, 7·58 and 9·39 million CNY (1 CNY × 0.157 = 1 US dollar) for CCV surgery and 6·35, 6·70 and 8·09 million CNY for non‐CCV surgery; infectious and severe complications numbered 354, 290, and 290 (CCV) and 315, 286, and 330 (non‐CCV), respectively. Acceptability curves showed high probabilities for restrictive strategy to be cost‐effective across a wide range of willingness‐to‐pay values. Such findings were mostly consistent in sensitivity and subgroup analyses except for patients with cardiac problems. Conclusion: We showed strong rationale, succeeding previous findings only in cardiac or joint procedures, to comply with the new standard as restrictive transfusion has high potential to save blood, secure safety, and is cost‐effective for a wide spectrum of surgical patients. Experiences should be further summarized to pave the way towards individualized transfusion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, flexible Cu2−xS films on nylon membranes are prepared by combining a simple hydrothermal synthesis and vacuum filtration followed by hot pressing. The films consist of Cu2S and Cu1.96S two phases with grain sizes from nano to submicron. Doping Se on the S site not only increases the Cu1.96S content in the Cu2−xS to increase carrier concentration but also modifies electronic structure, thereby greatly improves the electrical properties of the Cu2−xS. Specifically, an optimal composite film with a nominal composition of Cu2−xS0.98Se0.02 exhibits a high power factor of ~150.1 μW m−1 K−2 at 300 K, which increases by ~138% compared to that of the pristine Cu2−xS film. Meanwhile, the composite film shows outstanding flexibility (~97.2% of the original electrical conductivity is maintained after 1500 bending cycles with a bending radius of 4 mm). A four-leg flexible thermoelectric (TE) generator assembled with the optimal film generates a maximum power of 329.6 nW (corresponding power density of 1.70 W m−2) at a temperature difference of 31.1 K. This work provides a simple route to the preparation of high TE performance Cu2−xS-based films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The construction of the enhanced plate used in the AHU is proposed. • The highest enhanced effects are obtained for "H12-R10-h4" (PEC=1.45 at Re=5000). • All nine enhanced channels can enhance heat transfer at the same pressure drop. • The DMTD is proposed for the cross-flow AHU heat exchanger design. • The heat exchanger picked up is "H7.5-R10-h3" which has the maximum ratio of the heat exchange rate (40.5 kW) over the flow loss power (3.25 kW). In this paper, the construction process of the enhanced plate, the heat transfer and fluid flow characteristics, and the domain decomposition method for AHU performance estimation are presented. The AHU heat exchanger 3D model is built from plate modeling to heat exchanger assembling. The heat transfer plate modeling starts from a basic flat plate, elliptic cylindrical dimples (ECDs) are firstly added to the fixed location, and then spherical crown dimples (SCDs) are applied to the flat surface among the ECDs. For the enhanced channels, the effect of channel height is weaker than SCD depth on the Nusselt number and friction factors. For all enhanced channels, the PECs are larger than 1.1 within Re from 5000 to 35,355. The performance of a deeper depth of SCD is superior to that of a shallow one when the channel height is the same. Among the nine channels studied, the highest enhanced effects are obtained for "H12-R10-h4" (PEC=1.45 at Re=5000). And all nine enhanced channels can enhance heat transfer at the same pressure drop among the Reynolds number of 5000 to 35,355. The energy saving performance decreases with Re, and the channels with smaller SCD depth can save more energy when channel height is identical at the higher Reynolds number region. A decomposition thermal design method is proposed for the cross-flow AHU heat exchanger design, and the typical AHU design result is picked based on the heat exchange rate and flow loss power. The recommended heat exchanger is "H7.5-R10-h3" whose heat exchange rate is 40.5 kW when flow loss power is 3.25 kW. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The O-N-S co-doped hierarchical porous carbons are prepared by direct pyrolysis of kraft lignin which is the byproduct from papermaking black liquor. The proposed preparation method is extremely facile, green-environmental, and low-cost without any additional activating agents, additives or templates. The kraft lignin-derived carbon materials possess large specific surface areas (338−1307 m2 g−1), hierarchical porous structures and abundant multi-heteroatoms co-doping (9.84–19.91 wt%). Benefiting from above synergistic advantages, the as-fabricated symmetric supercapacitor in aqueous electrolyte delivers a high specific capacitance of 244.5 F g−1 at 0.2 A g−1, excellent rate-capability (81.8% retention of initial capacitance at 40.0 A g−1), and outstanding cycling stability (91.6% retention over 10000 cycles). Importantly, this device in aqueous electrolyte delivers an energy density of 8.5 W h kg−1 at a power density of 100 W kg−1. Furthermore, a remarkable energy density of 66.8 W h kg−1 at a power density of 1.75 kW kg−1 has been achieved and 32.2 W h kg−1 is still maintained even at an ultrahigh power density of 40.0 kW kg−1 when ionic liquid serves as electrolyte. This study demonstrates the successful conversion of low-valued natural biomass derivative into sustainable high-performance supercapacitor electrode materials with a simple, low-cost, and green-environmental production process. Image 1 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a new red phosphor with high color purity, Eu3+ ions doped Ba(Mg 1/3 Nb 2/3)O 3 phosphor has been prepared by wet chemical method. The structure analysis suggests BMN: x %Eu phosphors have a hexagonal phase and Ba2+ ions are replaced by Eu3+ ions in BMN. Upon excitation of NUV light, the BMN: x %Eu phosphors emit strong red light around 615 nm, derived from the 5D 0 -7F 2 transition of Eu3+ ions. The relationship between luminescent properties and structure of BMN: x %Eu was discussed. The Judd-Ofelt intensity parameters (Ω 2 , Ω 4) were calculated to analyze the asymmetry of the Eu3+ ions site occupancy further, and the quantum efficiency of BMN:3%Eu was found to be 77.26%. In addition, the decay curve indicates the decay time(τ) of BMN:3%Eu is determined to be 1.34 ms and Eu3+ ions occupy only one type of site. The CIE chromaticity coordinate (0.656,0.344) of BMN:3%Eu is quite close to the red phosphors standard value (0.670, 0.330), which indicates BMN: x %Eu can be a suitable red phosphor used in NUV-based white LEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract As in the case of supercapacitors, spinel NiCo 2 O 4 shows the main drawbacks of objectionable pseudocapacitive mechanism, low-voltage polarization effect and confined ion-reaction dynamics, which result in constrained development, narrow work voltage, and low loading mass. Herein we combined two strategies to address these issues. The first one is to design the flower-like NiCo 2 O 4 through Ostwald ripening of ultrathin Ni-Co layered double-hydroxide petals. And the second one is to balance the asymmetrical capacitance for further promoting capacitive behavior. With rationally designing the nano-/micro-structures, flower-like NiCo 2 O 4 shows highly porous ultrathin petals interconnected with each other and massive interspaces between the petals. This unique microstructure endows flower-like NiCo 2 O 4 with rapid electrolyte ions diffusion and mass transfer reaction. Consequently, the flower-like NiCo 2 O 4 electrodes exhibit a high capacity of ∼350 C g−1 even the loading mass of up to 9 mg cm−2. More importantly, the hybrid supercapacitors, assembled with flower-like NiCo 2 O 4 as cathode, deliver a high specific capacity of ∼85 F g−1 with capacitive ratio up to 74.3%, and a high working voltage of 1.55 V. The transformation of conventional battery-like materials into novel capacitive dominated materials through nano/micro-structural design and balance of asymmetrical capacitance is helpful to further understand the pseudocapacitive mechanism of transition metal oxides/sulfides and therefore will promote their practical application in next-generation of hybrid supercapacitors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The AC impedance of SrTiO3, Ca0.9Sr0.1TiO3, Ca0.7Sm0.2TiO3, and Ca0.7Sm0.3Ti0.7Al0.3O3 microwave dielectric ceramics with perovskite structures has been analyzed. The impedance spectroscopy results reveal the electrical properties of this series of samples vary significantly with the ceramic microstructure and electrical homogeneity. The εr values of grains for SrTiO3 and Ca0.9Sr0.1TiO3 ceramics are 193.8 and 138.1, respectively, confirming that dielectric response of the high‐εr microwave ceramics is contributed to the grains, at microwave frequencies. Impedance spectroscopy of Ca0.7Sm0.2TiO3 ceramic illustrates that electrical heterogeneous microstructures include interior grains and grain shells. The secondary phase existing in Ca0.7Sm0.2TiO3 ceramic causes deviation in bulk permittivity, resulting in a higher εr ~ 148 of grains than εr ~ 112 of bulk permittivity, measured at microwave frequencies. Grain and grain‐boundary impedance of Ca0.7Sm0.3Ti0.7Al0.3O3 ceramic cannot be separated completely. The permittivities of grains and grain boundaries in Ca0.7Sm0.3Ti0.7Al0.3O3 ceramic are εg ~ 17.8 and εgb ~ 20.8, and the combination of them is close to εr ~ 40 at microwave frequencies. The LogI−LogU curves of the ceramic system indicate that the conducting mechanism of grains and grain boundaries follows ohmic behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Identification of cancer driver mutations is critical for advancing cancer research and personalized medicine. Due to inter-tumor genetic heterogeneity, many driver mutations occur at low frequencies, which make it challenging to distinguish them from passenger mutations. Here, we show that a novel Bayesian hierarchical modeling approach, named rDriver can achieve enhanced prediction accuracy by identifying mutations that not only have high functional impact scores but also are associated with systemic variation in gene expression levels. In examining 3,080 tumor samples from 8 cancer types in The Cancer Genome Atlas, rDriver predicted 1,389 driver mutations. Compared with existing tools, rDriver identified more low frequency mutations associated with lineage specific functional properties, timing of occurrence and patient survival. Evaluation of rDriver predictions using engineered cell-line models resulted in a positive predictive value of 0.94 in PIK3CA genes. Our study highlights the importance of integrating multi-omic data in predicting cancer driver mutations and provides a statistically rigorous solution for cancer target discovery and development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crystal structures and microwave dielectric properties of (1- x ) LaGaO 3 - x SrTiO 3 ( x = 0.4, 0.5, 0.6) and 0.4SrTiO 3 0.6LaGaO 3 - y CeO 2 ( y = 0, 0.05, 0.1, 0.2) ceramics were investigated. As the x values increased, the orthorhombic changed to tetragonal perovskite structure at x = 0.6 in LaGaO 3 -SrTiO 3 system ceramics. However, numerous secondary phases were detected in LaGaO 3 - SrTiO 3 system ceramics. Surprisingly, CeO 2 additives could effectively suppress formation of secondary phases of 0.4SrTiO 3 -0.6LaGaO 3 ceramics as Ce ions could be incorporated into host crystal lattices, leading to significantly improvement of optimal Q × f values from 35,354 GHz to 62,150 GHz. The Raman spectra exhibited that the modes associated with CeO 2 phase became more obvious with increasing CeO 2 additives. The 0.4SrTiO 3 0.6LaGaO 3 -0.05CeO 2 ceramics, sintered at 1475 °C/4 h, exhibited superior microwave dielectric properties with ε r = 32.9, Q × f = 62,150 GHz and τ f = − 26.6 ppm/°C. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To portray the stage characteristics of lung cancers detected in CT screenings, and explore whether there’s universal stage superiority over other methods for various pathological types using available data worldwide in a meta-analysis approach. Materials and Methods: EMBASE and MEDLINE were searched for studies on lung cancer CT screening in natural populations through July 2015 without language or other filters. Twenty-four studies (8 trials and 16 cohorts) involving 1875 CT-detected lung cancer patients were enrolled and assessed by QUADAS-2. Pathology-confirmed stage information was carefully extracted by two reviewers. Stage I or limited stage proportions were pooled by random effect model with Freeman-Tukey double arcsine transformation. Results: Pooled stage I cancer proportion in CT screenings was 73.2% (95% confidence interval: 68.6%, 77.5%), with a significant rising trend (Ptrend<0.05) from baseline (64.7%) to ≥5 repeat rounds (87.1%). Relative to chest radiograph and usual care, the increased stage I proportions in CT were 12.2% (P>0.05), and 46.5% (P<0.05), respectively. Pathology-specifically, adenocarcinomas (66%) and squamous cell lung cancers (17%) composed the majority of CT-detected lung cancers, and had significantly higher stage I proportions relative to chest radiograph (bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinomas, 80.9% vs 51.4%; other adenocarcinomas, 58.8% vs 38.3%; squamous cell lung cancers, 52.3% vs 38.3%; all P<0.05). However, the percentage of small cell lung cancer was lower using CT than other detection routes, and no significant difference in limited stage proportion was observed (6.8% vs 10.8%, P>0.05). Conclusion: CT screening can detect more early stage non-small cell lung cancers, but not all of them could be beneficial as there are a considerable number of indolent ones such as bronchioloalveolar adenocarcinomas. Still, current evidence is lacking regarding small cell lung cancers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Widely used 18 F 2′-deoxy-2′-fluoro- d -glucose (FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) can be problematic with false positives in cancer imaging. This study aims to investigate the diagnostic accuracy of a candidate PET tracer, 18 F 2′,3′-dideoxy-3′-fluoro-2-thiothymidine (FLT), in diagnosing pulmonary lesions compared with FDG. Materials and methods After comprehensive search and study selection, a meta-analysis was performed on data from 548 patients pooled from 17 studies for evaluating FLT accuracy, in which data from 351 patients pooled from ten double-tracer studies was used for direct comparison with FDG. Weighted sensitivity and specificity were used as main indicators of test performance. Individual data was extracted and patient subgroup analyses were performed. Results Overall, direct comparisons showed lower sensitivity (0.80 vs. 0.89) yet higher specificity (0.82 vs. 0.66) for FLT compared with FDG (both p < 0.01). Patient subgroup analysis showed FLT was less sensitive than FDG in detecting lung cancers staged as T1 or T2, and those ≤2.0 cm in diameter (0.81 vs. 0.93, and 0.53 vs. 0.78, respectively, both p < 0.05), but was comparable for cancers staged as T3 or T4, and those >2.0 cm in diameter (0.95 vs. 1.00, 0.96 vs. 0.88, both p > 0.05). For benignities, FLT performed better compared with FDG in ruling out inflammation-based lesions (0.57 vs. 0.32, p < 0.05), and demonstrated greater specificity regardless of lesion sizes. Conclusions Although FLT cannot replace FDG in detecting small and early lung cancers, it may help to prevent patients with larger or inflammatory lesions from cancer misdiagnosis or even over-treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNA molecules that play important roles in gene regulation and translational repression. The mechanisms that facilitate miRNA target binding and recognition have been extensively studied in recent years. However, it is still not well known how the miRNA regulation is affected by the location and the flanking sequences of miRNA target sites. In this study, we systematically quantify the contribution of a wide spectrum of target sites on miRNA-mediated gene expression regulation. Our study investigates target sites located in four different gene regions, including 3' untranslated regions, coding sequences, 5′ untranslated regions and promoter regions. We have also introduced four additional non-canonical types of seed matches beyond the canonical seed matches, and included them in our study. Computational analysis of quantitative proteomic data has demonstrated that target sites located in different regions impact the miRNA-mediated repression differently but synergistically. In addition, we have shown the synergistic effects among non-canonical seed matches and canonical ones that enhance the miRNA regulatory effects. Further systematic analysis on the site accessibility near the target regions and the secondary structure of the mRNA sequences have demonstrated substantial variations among target sites of different locations and of different types of seed matches, suggesting the mRNA secondary structure could explain some of the difference in the miRNA regulatory effects impacted by these different target sites. Our study implies miRNAs might regulate their targets under different mechanisms when target sites vary in both their locations and the types of seed matches they contain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Motivation: A major goal in genomic research is to identify genes that may jointly influence a biological response. From many years of intensive biomedical research, a large body of biological knowledge, or pathway information, has accumulated in available databases. There is a strong interest in leveraging these pathways to improve the statistical power and interpretability in studying gene networks associated with complex phenotypes. This prior information is a valuable complement to large-scale genomic data such as gene expression data generated from microarrays. However, it is a non-trivial task to effectively integrate available biological knowledge into gene expression data when reconstructing gene networks.Results: In this article, we developed and applied a Lasso method from a Bayesian perspective, a method we call prior Lasso (pLasso), for the reconstruction of gene networks. In this method, we partition edges between genes into two subsets: one subset of edges is present in known pathways, whereas the other has no prior information associated. Our method assigns different prior distributions to each subset according to a modified Bayesian information criterion that incorporates prior knowledge on both the network structure and the pathway information. Simulation studies have indicated that the method is more effective in recovering the underlying network than a traditional Lasso method that does not use the prior information. We applied pLasso to microarray gene expression datasets, where we used information from the Pathway Commons (PC) and the Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) as prior information for the network reconstruction, and successfully identified network hub genes associated with clinical outcome in cancer patients.Availability: The source code is available at http://nba.uth.tmc.edu/homepage/liu/pLasso.Contact: Yin.Liu@uth.tmc.eduSupplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Abstract: As a typical industrial wastewater, coal gasification wastewater has poor biodegradability and high toxicity. In this paper, a laboratory-scale anaerobic–anoxic–oxic membrane reactor (A2O-MBR) system was developed to investigate the treatment ability of coal gasification wastewater. The removal capacity of each pollutants used in this system were determined at different hydraulic residence times (HRT) and mixed liquor recycle ratios (R). The experimental results showed that this system could effectively deal with COD and phenol removal and remain in a stable level when the operational parameters altered, while the nitrification was sensitive to operational conditions. The best performance was obtained at HRT of 48h and R of 3. The maximum removal efficiencies of COD, NH4 +-N and phenols were 97.4%, 92.8% and 99.7%, with final concentrations in the effluent of 71mg/L, 9.6mg/L and 3mg/L, respectively. Organics degradation and transformation were analyzed by GC/MS and it was found that anaerobic process played an important role in degradation of refractory compounds. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Highly efficient deep blue phosphorescent light emitting diodes were developed using a newly synthesized series of blue emitting tridentate platinum emitters. Devices employing a cohost of hole and electron transport materials yielded high external quantum efficiencies with low turn on voltage and low efficiency roll off. A maximum EQE of 15.7% and CIE coordinates of (0.16,0.13) was achieved in a device based on platinum(II) bis(N-methyl-imidazolyl)benzene chloride (Pt-16). [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A great number of obsolete larval neurons in the Drosophila central nervous system are eliminated by developmentally programmed cell death (PCD) during early metamorphosis. To elucidate the mechanisms of neuronal PCD occurring during this period, we undertook genetic dissection of seven currently known Drosophila caspases in the PCD of a group of interneurons (vCrz) that produce corazonin (Crz) neuropeptide in the ventral nerve cord. The molecular death program in the vCrz neurons initiates within 1 hour after pupariation, as demonstrated by the cytological signs of cell death and caspase activation. PCD was significantly suppressed in dronc-null mutants, but not in null mutants of either dredd or strica. A double mutation lacking both dronc and strica impaired PCD phenotype more severely than did a dronc mutation alone, but comparably to a triple dredd/strica/dronc mutation, indicating that dronc is a main initiator caspase, while strica plays a minor role that overlaps with dronc's. As for effector caspases, vCrz PCD requires both ice and dcp-1 functions, as they work cooperatively for a timely removal of the vCrz neurons. Interestingly, the activation of the Ice and Dcp-1 is not solely dependent on Dronc and Strica, implying an alternative pathway to activate the effectors. Two remaining effector caspase genes, decay and damm, found no apparent functions in the neuronal PCD, at least during early metamorphosis. Overall, our work revealed that vCrz PCD utilizes dronc, strica, dcp-1, and ice wherein the activation of Ice and Dcp-1 requires a novel pathway in addition to the initiator caspases. J. Comp. Neurol. 519:34-48, 2011. © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Novel absorption and fluorescence pH sensors based on 9-(cycloheptatrienylidene)fluorene (9-CHF) derivatives have been prepared by well-known Suzuki coupling reaction. 2,7-Bis(4-hydroxyphenyl)-9-CHF (4), 2-(4-hydroxyphenyl)-7-(naphthanlen-1-yl)-9-CHF (6) have the abilities to respond at both low (−1.0→2.0) and high (8.2→13.1) pH values and can be utilized in absorption, fluorescence, and wavelength ratiometric methods. They might be complements of the glass pH electrodes for pH measurement. More interestingly, 4 exhibts violet emission in low pH value range, blue emission in middle pH value range, and green emission in high pH value range, which presents a color tunable pH sensor. ▪ [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of π-conjugated compounds with bright blue photoluminescence property were designed and synthesized. The main structure comprises of fluorene as electron acceptor and thiophene as electron donor in order to increase the electron mobility. All the products were confirmed by proton, and carbon NMR, MS and elemental analysis as well. They might be widely applied as luminescent in organic light emitting diodes (OLED) which has been attracted much attention in recent years. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Focuses on the study of gene function via manipulation of mouse genome. The high homology between human and mouse genomes that allows a disease model to be formed; Use of a chemical mutagen ethylnitrosourea (ENU) to create germ cell mutations in male mice; Screening of the first generation of mutated mice for abnormal phenotypes on gross morphology, behavior, learning and memory, auditory brainstem response (ABR), electrocardiogram (ECG), electroetinogram (ERG), flash-visual evoked potential F-VEP), home mineral density, and blood sugar level; Number of mice with specific dominant abnormalities; High frequency of fur color changes, eye defects and hearing loss; Finding that abnormalities related to metabolism are least frequent; Sex preference observed in mice; Suggestion that behavior abnormalities of G1 mice are not inheritable because of multi-gene control; Implications of the research for cloning disease-related genes.

From the UV-Vis absorption spectra based on the variety acidity, a pH-dependent reversible equilibrium between 9-(cycloheptatrienylidene)fluorene (I) and its protonated form (I–H+) has been established in a mixture of concentrated sulfuric acid and ethanol system. Three clear isosbestic points (235, 258 and 316 nm) were observed in the UV-Vis spectra. It shows clearly that the structural change between I and I–H+ can serve as an effective candidate for pH-indicator, and might be used as pH-dependent molecular sensor. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Thermoelectric (TE) fibers are more suitable than films for portable or wearable devices. Herein, 2–3 nm thick poly (3,4‐ethylenedioxythiophene): poly (styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) layer‐coated tellurium nanowires (PC‐Te NWs) are in situ prepared by a hydrothermal method. Then a series of PEDOT: PSS/PC‐Te NWs composite fibers are prepared by wet spinning and post‐treatment. The nanolayer prevents the agglomeration of the Te NWs and makes the NWs and PEDOT:PSS matrix have good compatibility, which results in the PC‐Te NWs content to a high value of 70 wt% and the fibers still with flexibility. The high aspect ratio of the PC‐Te NWs and the stress from the inner wall of the needle during spinning make the NWs ordered align along the composite fiber. Due to the large content and orientational arrangement of the PC‐Te NWs, as well as effective post‐treatment, an optimized composite fiber shows a power factor of 385.4 µW m−1 K−2 at 300 K, which is ≈4.9 times as high as the highest value of previously reported PEDOT:PSS/Te NWs‐based composite fibers. In addition, the composite fiber has good flexibility. The flexible TE generators assembled have excellent output performance. This work provides an effective strategy for the preparation of high‐performance flexible TE composite fibers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, flexible thermoelectric (TE) generators (f-TEGs) have received a lot of attention. Compared with TE films on flexible substrates, self-supporting composite films prepared by combining TE materials with soft fabrics and thus retaining the inherent advantages of fabrics, such as stretchability, breathability, and flexibility, are more practical and may significantly expand the application of f-TEGs in smart wearable devices. Hence, in this work, a facile and rapid method for preparing ultra-flexible self-supporting Ag 2 Se/nylon composite films is developed. The composite films with both TE properties and flexibility were obtained by fast selenization of commercial Ag/nylon fiber fabrics in a short time (60 s) at room temperature and then hot pressing at 230 °C in a vacuum. The maximum power factor of an optimized composite film at room temperature can reach 73.7 μW m−1 K−2. Meanwhile, the film exhibits excellent flexibility with the Seebeck coefficient and electrical conductivity decreased by only 7.37 and 8.48% after being bent 4000 repetitions around a round bar with a radius of 4 mm, which exceeds most reported flexible TE films. The ultra-high flexibility is mainly attributed to its high content of the nylon matrix (∼85.05 wt%), the tight bonding between Ag 2 Se grains, and the good combination between the Ag 2 Se and nylon matrix. In addition, a 3-leg f-TEG assembled with the optimal film produces a maximum power of ∼1.524 μW (corresponding to a power density of ∼0.47 W m−2) at a temperature gradient of 40.6 K, verifying the good TE performance of the composite film. This f-TEG can also be used as a self-powered temperature sensor, showing potential applications in daily life. • Self-supporting Ag 2 Se/nylon composite films were prepared by a novel method. • The composite film is ultra-flexible mainly due to high content of nylon. • An optimized film shows a power factor of 73.7 μW m−1 K−2 at room temperature. • A flexible thermoelectric generator was assembled with the optimal film. • The generator exhibits high output performance near room temperature. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper-sulfide-based materials have attracted noteworthy attention as thermoelectric materials due to rich elemental reserves, non-toxicity, low thermal conductivity, and adjustable electrical properties. However, research on the flexible thermoelectrics of copper sulfide has not yet been reported. In this work, we developed a facile method to prepare flexible Mn-doped Cu2−xS films on nylon membranes. First, nano to submicron powders with nominal compositions of Cu2−xMnyS (y = 0, 0.01, 0.03, 0.05, 0.07) were synthesized by a hydrothermal method. Then, the powders were vacuum-filtrated on nylon membranes and finally hot-pressed. Phase composition and microstructure analysis revealed that the films contained both Cu2S and Cu1.96S, and the size of the grains was ~20–300 nm. By Mn doping, there was an increase in carrier concentration and mobility, and ultimately, the electrical properties of Cu2−xS were improved. Eventually, the Cu2−xMn0.05S film showed a maximum power factor of 113.3 μW m−1 K−2 and good flexibility at room temperature. Moreover, an assembled four-leg flexible thermoelectric generator produced a maximum power of 249.48 nW (corresponding power density ~1.23 W m−2) at a temperature difference of 30.1 K, and had good potential for powering low-power-consumption wearable electronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertension is a leading cause of death worldwide; data on hypertension among ethnic minorities in China are sparse. This study aimed to estimate hypertension prevalence, awareness, treatment, and control in a Kazakh population, and to assess the association between salt intake and the above measures. A cross-sectional survey was conducted among Kazakh adults (≥30 years old) in the town of Hongdun, Altay, Xinjiang. Survey procedures included a questionnaire, physical measurement, and laboratory tests. Of 1805 eligible individuals, 1668 (92.4%) were included in the analysis. After adjustment for gender, age, and occupation, prevalence of hypertension was 45.5%. The proportions with awareness, treatment, control, or medication-control were 61.0%, 28.8%, 2.9% and 10.1%, respectively. Higher prevalence was seen among nomads and farmers (50.7% and 44.6%, respectively). However, the proportions with treatment or control were lower than seen among urban citizens. Hypertension prevalence was higher in those with higher salt intake (p = 0.0008). In contrast, the proportions with awareness (p = 0.0389), treatment (p = 0.0010), control (p = 0.0503), and medication-control (p = 0.2012) reduced as salt intake increased. In conclusion, hypertension prevalence is high in this population, but the proportions with awareness, treatment, or control are sub-optimal. Public health interventions that improve hypertension prevention and control, particularly among nomads, is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a vital parameter in living cells and tissues, the micro-environment is crucial for the living organisms. Significantly, organelles require proper micro-environment to achieve normal physiological processes, and the micro-environment in organelles can reflect the state of organelles in living cells. Moreover, some abnormal micro-environments in organelles are closely related to organelle dysfunction and disease development. So, visualizing and monitoring the variation of micro-environments in organelles is helpful for physiologists and pathologists to study the mechanisms of the relative diseases. Recently, a large variety of fluorescent probes was developed to study the micro-environments in living cells and tissues. However, the systematic and comprehensive reviews on the organelle micro-environment in living cells and tissues have rarely been published, which may hinder the research progress in the field of organic fluorescent probes. In this review, we will summarize the organic fluorescent probes for monitoring the microenvironment, such as viscosity, pH values, polarity, and temperature. Further, diverse organelles (mitochondria, lysosome, endoplasmic reticulum, cell membrane) about microenvironments will be displayed. In this process, the fluorescent probes about the "off-on" and ratiometric category (the diverse fluorescence emission) will be discussed. Moreover, the molecular designing, chemical synthesis, fluorescent mechanism, and the bio-applications of these organic fluorescent probes in cells and tissues will also be discussed. Significantly, the merits and defects of current microenvironment-sensitive probes are outlined and discussed, and the development tendency and challenges for this kind of probe are presented. In brief, this review mainly summarizes some typical examples and highlights the progress of organic fluorescent probes for monitoring micro-environments in living cells and tissues in recent research. We anticipate that this review will deepen the understanding of microenvironment in cells and tissues and facilitate the studies and development of physiology and pathology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two novel indole-based, bipolar, host materials were designed and synthesized by introducing the triazine unit to the 5-position of indole moiety with a meta -linking strategy. The two host materials exhibited excellence bipolar transport abilities and the meta-linking analog presented a high T g value (>120 °C). Furthermore, their electrochemical and photo-physical properties were also fully characterized and all the results exhibited that the meta -linking strategy made a significant effect on the physical properties of the two hosts. Moreover, the PHOLED devices using 9-(4-(5-(3-(4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phenyl)- 1H -indol-1-yl) phenyl)- 9H -carbazole and 9-(4-(5-(4-(4,6-diphenyl-1,3,5-triazin-2-yl)phenyl)- 1H -indol-1-yl)phenyl)- 9H -carbazole as hosts were also fabricated to evaluate the practical utilities of host materials. The devices achieved the maximum external quantum efficiencies of 17.53% for para -linking compound and 14.53% for meta -linking analog, respectively. In particular, para -linking compound based device revealed the maximum external quantum efficiency was twice that of the device using 4,4′-bis( N -carbazolyl)-1,10-biphenyl as the host. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The incomplete resection of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) augments the risk of disease recurrence. Imaging-guided surgery by molecular probes represents a pivotal strategy for mitigating postoperative recurrence. Traditional optical molecular probes, primarily composed of antibodies/peptides targeting tumour cells and fluorescent groups, are challenged by the high heterogeneity of NMIBC cells, leading to inadequate probe sensitivity. We have developed a collagen-adhesive probe (CA-P) to target the collagen within the tumour microenvironment, aiming to address the issue of insufficient imaging sensitivity.The distribution characteristics of collagen in animal bladder cancer models and human bladder cancer tissues were explored. The synthesis and properties of CA-P were validated. In animal models, the imaging performance of CA-P was tested and compared with our previously reported near-infrared probe PLSWT7-DMI. The clinical translational potential of CA-P was assessed using human ex vivo bladder tissues.The distribution of collagen on the surface of tumour cells is distinct from its expression in normal urothelium. In vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of the CA-P to undergo a “sol-gel” transition upon interaction with collagen. In animal models and human ex vivo bladder specimens, CA-P exhibits superior imaging performance compared to PLSWT7-DMI. The sensitivity of this probe is 94.1%, with a specificity of 81%.CA-P demonstrates the capability to overcome tumour cell heterogeneity and enhance imaging sensitivity, exhibiting favorable imaging outcomes in preclinical models. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of CA-P in intraoperative navigation for NMIBC.Methods: The incomplete resection of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) augments the risk of disease recurrence. Imaging-guided surgery by molecular probes represents a pivotal strategy for mitigating postoperative recurrence. Traditional optical molecular probes, primarily composed of antibodies/peptides targeting tumour cells and fluorescent groups, are challenged by the high heterogeneity of NMIBC cells, leading to inadequate probe sensitivity. We have developed a collagen-adhesive probe (CA-P) to target the collagen within the tumour microenvironment, aiming to address the issue of insufficient imaging sensitivity.The distribution characteristics of collagen in animal bladder cancer models and human bladder cancer tissues were explored. The synthesis and properties of CA-P were validated. In animal models, the imaging performance of CA-P was tested and compared with our previously reported near-infrared probe PLSWT7-DMI. The clinical translational potential of CA-P was assessed using human ex vivo bladder tissues.The distribution of collagen on the surface of tumour cells is distinct from its expression in normal urothelium. In vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of the CA-P to undergo a “sol-gel” transition upon interaction with collagen. In animal models and human ex vivo bladder specimens, CA-P exhibits superior imaging performance compared to PLSWT7-DMI. The sensitivity of this probe is 94.1%, with a specificity of 81%.CA-P demonstrates the capability to overcome tumour cell heterogeneity and enhance imaging sensitivity, exhibiting favorable imaging outcomes in preclinical models. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of CA-P in intraoperative navigation for NMIBC.Results: The incomplete resection of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) augments the risk of disease recurrence. Imaging-guided surgery by molecular probes represents a pivotal strategy for mitigating postoperative recurrence. Traditional optical molecular probes, primarily composed of antibodies/peptides targeting tumour cells and fluorescent groups, are challenged by the high heterogeneity of NMIBC cells, leading to inadequate probe sensitivity. We have developed a collagen-adhesive probe (CA-P) to target the collagen within the tumour microenvironment, aiming to address the issue of insufficient imaging sensitivity.The distribution characteristics of collagen in animal bladder cancer models and human bladder cancer tissues were explored. The synthesis and properties of CA-P were validated. In animal models, the imaging performance of CA-P was tested and compared with our previously reported near-infrared probe PLSWT7-DMI. The clinical translational potential of CA-P was assessed using human ex vivo bladder tissues.The distribution of collagen on the surface of tumour cells is distinct from its expression in normal urothelium. In vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of the CA-P to undergo a “sol-gel” transition upon interaction with collagen. In animal models and human ex vivo bladder specimens, CA-P exhibits superior imaging performance compared to PLSWT7-DMI. The sensitivity of this probe is 94.1%, with a specificity of 81%.CA-P demonstrates the capability to overcome tumour cell heterogeneity and enhance imaging sensitivity, exhibiting favorable imaging outcomes in preclinical models. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of CA-P in intraoperative navigation for NMIBC.Conclusion: The incomplete resection of non-muscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC) augments the risk of disease recurrence. Imaging-guided surgery by molecular probes represents a pivotal strategy for mitigating postoperative recurrence. Traditional optical molecular probes, primarily composed of antibodies/peptides targeting tumour cells and fluorescent groups, are challenged by the high heterogeneity of NMIBC cells, leading to inadequate probe sensitivity. We have developed a collagen-adhesive probe (CA-P) to target the collagen within the tumour microenvironment, aiming to address the issue of insufficient imaging sensitivity.The distribution characteristics of collagen in animal bladder cancer models and human bladder cancer tissues were explored. The synthesis and properties of CA-P were validated. In animal models, the imaging performance of CA-P was tested and compared with our previously reported near-infrared probe PLSWT7-DMI. The clinical translational potential of CA-P was assessed using human ex vivo bladder tissues.The distribution of collagen on the surface of tumour cells is distinct from its expression in normal urothelium. In vitro studies have demonstrated the ability of the CA-P to undergo a “sol-gel” transition upon interaction with collagen. In animal models and human ex vivo bladder specimens, CA-P exhibits superior imaging performance compared to PLSWT7-DMI. The sensitivity of this probe is 94.1%, with a specificity of 81%.CA-P demonstrates the capability to overcome tumour cell heterogeneity and enhance imaging sensitivity, exhibiting favorable imaging outcomes in preclinical models. These findings provide a theoretical basis for the application of CA-P in intraoperative navigation for NMIBC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses extreme value theory and exponential generalised autoregressive score models to estimate the tail extremes of financial return series. The peak-over-threshold method based on the generalised pareto distribution is combined with the EGAS models and the nonparametric quantile method is used to determine the thresholds in the POT method, which is used to calculate the value-at-risk of financial markets and to perform backtesting. The empirical analysis was conducted on the soybean oil, rapeseed oil, and palm oil futures indices in the Chinese futures market. The study demonstrated that the EGAS-POT models based on nonparametric quantile thresholds can effectively characterise tail risk and provide a feasible measure of risk for investors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) materials have been regarded as promising host materials for fluorescent and phosphorescent guest materials to achieve high performance organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs). In this work, three molecules, PhCQ , m -PyCQ and p -PyCQ, using carbazole derivatives as donor and quinazoline units as acceptor were designed and synthesized. Both theoretical and experimental results showed that PhCQ , m -PyCQ and p -PyCQ possess TADF properties with higher triplet excited states than red phosphorescent guest, RD-1. When used as host materials for RD-1, it was found that the emission spectrum of PhCQ has the largest overlap with the absorption spectrum of RD-1, which is conducive to Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) between the host to the guest. As a result, red phosphorescent OLED device based on PhCQ host exhibited the best performances with the maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 37.2 %. When the brightness is 1000 cd/m2, the EQE is still as high as 33.0 %. [Display omitted] • Three TADF host materials, PhCQ , m -PyCQ and p -PyCQ, for red PhOLEDs were designed and synthesized. • Carbazole and quinazoline derivatives were employed to balance the carrier transport. • The maximum external quantum efficiency of the top-emitting device based on PhCQ was 37.16 %. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Flexible thermoelectric (TE) generators (f-TEGs) are promising candidates to power explosively growing wearable electronics by continually converting body heat into electricity. However, intrinsic brittleness, unscalability, and high costs hinder high-performance bulk TE materials from application as f-TEGs. Herein, we report a flexible and self-healable Ag 2 Se/terpineol composite film on a nylon membrane prepared by first one-pot synthesis of Ag 2 Se powder, then screen-printing, and finally low-temperature (473 K) heat treatment. Microstructure observations reveal that the film is dense and that it consists of nano to micron Ag 2 Se grains with coherent- and semicoherent grain boundaries and a very small amount of terpineol at nanopores and/or grain boundaries. Because of the unique microstructure and synergistic effect of the two components, an optimal film exhibits a high power factor of 1550 μW m−1 K−2 (corresponding zT ∼ 0.8) at room temperature and good mechanical properties (flexibility, anti-tensile property, and self-healing ability). A six-leg f-TEG assembled with the film shows a power density of 16.23 W m−2 at a temperature difference of 34.1 K and excellent flexibility. • Ag 2 Se/terpineol nanocomposite films were prepared by a screen-printing technique. • An optimal film exhibits a power factor of 1550 μW m−1 K−2 at room temperature. • The film possesses good flexibility, anti-tensile property, and self-healing ability. • A six-leg f-TEG assembled shows a high output property and excellent flexibility. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N-type Ag 2 Se/PVP composite film on nylon membrane with ultrahigh thermoelectric performance and excellent flexibility. [Display omitted] • Ag nanoparticle decorated Ag 2 Se nanostructures coated with PVP are prepared. • Ag 2 Se/PVP composite films are formed by vacuum filtration and then hot pressing. • An optimal film shows ultrahigh thermoelectric power factor and flexibility. • A thermoelectric generator is assembled using the optimal flexible film. • The generator exhibits an excellent output performance. Flexible thermoelectric (TE) generators (F-TEGs), able to harvest heat energy from the human body, are considered to be competitive energy supply devices for wearable and implantable electronics. Herein, we fabricate Ag 2 Se/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) films on nylon membranes via a novel nanoengineering approach: First, small amount Ag nanoparticles decorated Ag 2 Se nanowires (NWs) coated with a nanolayer of PVP are synthesized via a Se NW template method, and the Ag nanoparticles react with small amount Se residues at the core of the Ag 2 Se NWs during hot-pressing and form Ag 2 Se nanograins rich in defects embedded in big Ag 2 Se grains. The Ag 2 Se nanograin has a different orientation from the big Ag 2 Se grain; hence, the interface between the Ag 2 Se nanograin and the big Ag 2 Se grain enhances the phonon scattering but almost does not affect the transport of carriers. An optimized film exhibits a maximum power factor of 2478 ± 67 μW m−1 K−2 (corresponding ZT ∼ 1.05) at 300 K, which is one of the highest values reported for flexible Ag 2 Se films. The excellent TE properties of the film are attributed to its unique microstructure: highly densified, coherent/semi-coherent Ag 2 Se grains, embedded Ag 2 Se nanograins, and a very small amount of PVP located at nanopores. Besides, the film shows good flexibility: after 1500 times bending along a rod with a radius of 4.0 mm, the electrical conductivity still maintains 90.9 %. Furthermore, a 6-leg F-TEG assembled with the optimal film generates a maximum power of 4.58 μW (corresponding power density of ∼ 31.2 W m−2) at a temperature gradient of 38.7 K. This work provides an efficient strategy for the fabrication of ultrahigh-performance Ag 2 Se-based flexible TE films. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile method to prepare flexible n‐type Ag2Se/Se/polypyrrole (PPy) composite films is developed. First, Ag2Se nanostructures (NSs) are wet chemically synthesized; PPy is then in situ polymerized at the surface of the Ag2Se NSs; and finally, the Ag2Se/Se/PPy composite film on a porous nylon membrane is fabricated by a vacuum‐assisted filtration process followed by hot pressing. An optimal composite film shows an exceptionally high power factor of ≈2240 µW m−1 K−2 at 300 K, mainly because of the synergistic effect between well‐developed crystalline Ag2Se grains and a small amount of Se and PPy. The film also possesses outstanding flexibility (only about 6.5% decrease in electrical conductivity after 1000 times bending along a rod with a radius of 4 mm). Moreover, a flexible thermoelectric generator composed of six legs of the film outputs a voltage of 21.2 mV and a maximum power of 4.04 µW (corresponding power density of 37.6 W m−2) at a temperature difference of 34.1 K, verifying exceptionally high thermoelectric properties. This work shows the promise of the as‐prepared composite film for practical applications in wearable devices and will surely promote the research and development of flexible TE generators. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel Co3O4/Co(OH)2 heterostructure is obtained via electrodeposition on nickel (Ni) foam, forming sandwich‐like structure and freestanding electrode. The outer Co(OH)2 with layered structure can provide sufficient absorption sites and enable facile ion intercalation, meanwhile the presence of a conductive and robust interfacial Co3O4 layer between Ni foam and Co(OH)2 is found effectively minimizes the charge transfer resistance and stabilizes the interface, thus improving the electrode's rate and cycling performance with high capacity preserved synergistically. Furthermore, the structural evolution of Co(OH)2 and Co3O4 upon cycling are elucidated systematically using a series of in situ and ex situ techniques. The Co(OH)2 is found irreversibly changed to CoOOH upon first charge, which is then reversibly converted to CoO2 during the subsequent charge–discharge cycles. The Co3O4 exhibits negligible phase changes of the bulk upon cycling, indicating its good structural integrity that contributes to the significantly improved cyclability. In general, this work not only offers an ease and effective approach to optimize the charge storage properties of Co3O4/Co(OH)2 heterostructure via interfacial layer control, but also provides valuable insights in understanding their charge storage mechanisms, which may inspire the development of more heterostructures or extend to other applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spinel cobaltites are widely presented as promising pseudocapacitive materials, however, a fundamental understanding of their structure–property relationship at an atomic level remains vague. Herein, their geometrical‐site‐dependent charge storage capability is investigated by substituting Co with inactive Zn and redox‐active Mn. Experimental and theoretical analyses reveal that redox‐active cations in octahedral sites contribute to enhanced capacitance, intrinsically determined by the covalency competition between tetrahedral and octahedral sites. The Zn2+ incorporation leads to increased occupancy of Co in octahedral sites and 2.9× increased capacitance at 1 A g−1 current density, whereas the substituted Mn cations mainly sit in octahedral sites which can react with OH− upon cycling and separate on the spinel surface to reconstruct into δ‐MnO2 nanosheets, leading to 4× increased capacitance at 1 A g−1 current density with a detected K+ ion intercalation. Thus, the exposure of redox‐active cations in octahedral sites and their intrinsic properties are influential in determining spinel oxides' pseudocapacitive properties. This work provides a general principle to optimize the pseudocapacitive properties of spinel cobaltites by deliberately selecting cations for substitution and controlling their distribution in octahedral/tetrahedral sites. It also offers a fundamental understanding of geometrical‐site‐dependent activity, and can effectively guide the development of spinel oxides for enhanced pseudocapacitance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Three donor–acceptor (D–A) conjugated compounds consisted of carbazole and fluorene (Scheme 1) were synthesized via Wittig-Horner, Ullmann or Sonogashira reaction. Their photoluminescence properties were investigated in solution and solid state, respectively. Luminescence in various solvents revealed the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) process exists in these D–A molecules. Correlation between the Stokes’ shifts and solvent polarity parameters indicated that moderate large dipole moments exist in the excited states. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Room-temperature thermoelectric materials are important for converting heat into electrical energy. As a wide-bandgap semiconductor material, CuI has the characteristics of non-toxicity, low cost, and environmental friendliness. In this work, CuI powder was synthesized by a wet chemical method, then CuI film was formed by vacuum assisted filtration of the CuI powder on a porous nylon membrane, followed by hot pressing. The film exhibits a large Seebeck coefficient of 600 ÎĽV · Kâˆ'1 at room temperature. In addition, the film also shows good flexibility (∼95% retention of the electrical conductivity after being bent along a rod with a radius of 4 mm for 1000 times). A finger touch test on a single-leg TE module indicates that a voltage of 0.9 mV was immediately generated within 0.5 s from a temperature difference of 4 K between a finger and the environment, suggesting the potential application in wearable thermal sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]