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A new type of deuterated polymer microspheres with a much higher deuterium/carbon (D/C) atom ratio was designed and fabricated to produce high‐yield thermonuclear neutrons. Supramolecular deuterated polycyclooctene (D‐PCOE) with ~1.7 D/C atom ratio was synthesized, which well meets the requirements including higher D/C atom ratio, good solubility for processability, and excellent mechanical properties. Monodispersed D‐PCOE microspheres including shells and beads are fabricated by a microfluidic technique. The properties of the D‐PCOE materials and corresponding microspheres are analyzed and compared with those of the deuterated polystyrene microspheres (~1 D/C atom ratio), which have been widely used in laser‐driven spherically convergent plasma fusion experiments. This work expands the category of deuterated polymeric materials and provides a new type of deuterated polymer microspheres in the forthcoming high‐yield neutron experiments. Highlights: Supramolecular D‐PCOE with ~1.7 D/C atom ratio was successfully synthesized.Monodispersed D‐PCOE microspheres were successfully fabricated.The quality of D‐PCOE microspheres is also investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is an undisputed fact that aging increases the risk of low-temperature cracking in asphalt pavement. Previous studies on aging have focused on oxidative aging, but few studies on thermoreversible aging have been reported. The existing literature has shown that thermoreversible aging has the same effect as oxidative aging on cracking of asphalt pavement in cold region, so it is obvious that the study of thermoreversible aging is of great practical significance to improve cracking of asphalt pavement. This paper introduces the current status of thermoreversible aging research from the concept, mechanisms, characterisation methods and effects, presents the problems of existing research and indicates the direction of further research, which is important for accurately characterising the mechanical properties of asphalt binders, controlling the waste addition ratio and improving the durability of asphalt pavement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shrub encroachment in coastal wetlands leads to heterogeneous distribution of soil resources, which may affect soil particle size distribution (PSD). Fractal theory was widely used to quantify the characteristics of soil PSD. However, exploration on the spatial changes in PSD of deep soil layers due to shrub-encroached vegetation succession is limited. Multifractal theory and GIS spatial analysis tools were used to spatially quantify the changes in soil PSD at different soil layers (0–80 cm) in a coastal wetland landscape (100 × 120 m) encroached by a native shrub Tamarix chinensis in the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China. We also discussed the potential mechanisms of soil PSD changes contributed by shrub encroachment. The results showed that higher content of fine sand, medium sand and coarse sand, while lower content of silt and very fine sand in 0–10 cm were observed in T.chinensis patches than in single T. chinensis and bare land (p < 0.05). In 30–40 cm, however, T.chinensis patches have higher soil clay content (p < 0.05). The generalized dimensional spectrum and multifractal parameters indicated that soil PSD in shrub patch area exhibited greater width and higher heterogeneity. Multifractal method could explain the changes of soil PSD better than single fractal dimension (D), and the Capacity Dimension (D0) was the most effective one to quantify the soil PSD characteristics. The values of D0 showed a clear order of shrub patch > single shrub > bare land in each layer. In addition, the D0 suggested that influences of T.chinensis on soil PSD can remain 70 cm below the surface in our case. Considering the complex sedimentary process in the YRD, the processes of water and wind erosion mediated by shrub encroachment, the positive feedback based on plant preferences and the mixed effects of shrub and grass species might promote the redistribution of soil particle size. Encroachment in coastal wetland of the YRD caused changes in soil PSD, especially at the surface soil layer. Multifractal parameters could quantify subtle characteristics of soil PSD in shrub-encroached area. Our work indicates that shrub encroachment in coastal wetland plays a significant role in altering regional and even global soil environments.Highlights: The soil in Tamarix chinensis patches showed higher content of clay, fine sand, and medium sand than bare land as a result of shrub encroachment. Multifractal parameters, especially the capacity dimension (D0), were good indicators to reveal the characteristics of soil particle size distribution (PSD). The generalized dimensional spectrum indicated that soil PSD of T.chinensis patches have high heterogeneity. The impacts of shrub on soil PSD can extend up to 70 cm depth in this T.chinensis encroached area of the Yellow River Delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Yb3+/Er3+-doped Bi2(MoO4)3−z(WO4)z phosphors were synthesized via a hydrothermal method combined with subsequent calcination. Under the excitation of a light source of 980 nm, Bi2(MoO4)3:Yb3+/Er3+ phosphors exhibited strong upconversion green light and weak red light emissions. By doping WO42− in Bi2(MoO4)3:Yb3+/Er3+ phosphors, the upconversion luminescence intensity of the phosphors significantly enhanced, which is 42 times higher than that of the undoped WO42− phosphor. With an increase in WO42− doping content, the final color coordinates of Bi2(MoO4)3−z(WO4)z:Yb3+/Er3+ phosphors were (0.2352, 0.7274), which is closer to the standard green CIE coordinates. The maximum CP of WO42−-doped phosphors is as high as 116.68%, which is 74.44% higher than that of the undoped WO42− phosphor. Based on the thermally coupled energy levels (TCLs) of Er3+ (2H11/2/4S3/2 → 4I15/2) in Bi2(MoO4)2.7(WO4)0.3:14%Yb3+,3%Er3+ phosphor, the SR value reached a maximum of 0.0081 K−1 at 323 K and the SA value reached a maximum of 0.0099 K−1 at 398 K. The obtained Bi2(MoO4)3−z(WO4)z:Yb3+/Er3+ phosphors are suitable for upconversion luminescent materials for green displays and have potential advantages in optical temperature measurement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chromium is a common heavy metal element that is harmful to the ecosystem as well as human health, so sensitive detection of chromium ions in solution is important for life and health. In this paper, a series of Eu3+-doped KBi3F10 fluorescent powders were successfully synthesized by a one-step solvothermal method for the selective detection of Cr3+, CrO42− and Cr2O72− ions in an aqueous solution. When adjusting the pH value to 3 and adding PVP as an additive, the obtained KBi3F10:12%Eu3+ phosphor showed excellent red luminescence. Due to the competitive absorption and the inner filter effect of Cr3+, CrO42− and Cr2O72− ions, the red emission from Eu3+ ions produces fluorescence quenching, which can be used to detect them with good selectivity. And the detection limits are as low as 0.19 μM, 0.38 μM and 0.094 μM for Cr3+, CrO42− and Cr2O72− ions, respectively. Other metal ions and common anions showed little interference with chromium ion detection. The obtained fluorescent probe has good recyclability, accurate and reliable detection results, simple operation and low cost and is easy to promote, which make it an excellent three-in-one probe for chromium detection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the impact of granting forest certificates on farmer income. Linear regression and mediating effect models were used to analyze repeated survey data of 505 households in 50 villages in Jiangxi Province in 2017 and 2018. We examined the impacts of granting forest certificates on forestry income and the total income of rural households, taking into account forestland leases. We draw the following conclusions: first, granting forest certificates has a significant positive effect on total household income but not on forestry income. Second, farmers prefer forestland leasing in their behavior. Granting forest certificates can promote forestland lease out, but the effect on forestland lease in is not obvious. Third, granting forest certificates contributes to the increase in total household income through forestland lease out. Our analysis suggests that the government should increase the proportion of granted forest certificates and improve the policies related to the lease of forestland so as to realize an increase in farmer income. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thin‐walled polystyrene (PS) spheres are needed for preparing the targets in the inertial confined fusion (ICF). To prevent the occurrence of craze and crack in the fabrication of the spheres, a noncovalent interaction route is developed to improve the mechanical properties of thin‐walled polystyrene spheres based on a fullerene derivative, reducing the craze and crack yield. The introduction of phenyl‐C61‐butyric acid methyl ester (PCBM) into PS spheres not only improves the thermal stability, but also reduces the craze and crack yield, probably to the π–π interaction between PCBM and PS and the hydrophobicity of PCBM. The sphericity and surface finishing of the spheres also increase at the same time. Mechanism of how the PCBM improve the quality of the spheres is also discussed. Highlights: A noncovalent interaction route to improve properties of PS spheres is proposed.PS/PCBM spheres with good quality are successfully designed and fabricated.Mechanisms of how the PCBM improve properties of PS spheres are also discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Diabetic kidney disease (DKD) is a common and severe complication of diabetes that can lead to end-stage renal disease with no cure. The first-line drugs recommended by clinical guidelines fail to achieve satisfactory effects for people with DKD. A Chinese herbal medicine Tangshen Qushi Formula (TQF) shows preliminary efficacy and safety in preserving renal function for people with DKD, but the effects on comprehensive renal outcomes remain unclear. We will conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis to evaluate the effects of TQF herbs and their compounds identified from ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-MS/MS in diabetic animal models with renal outcomes. Methods: This protocol complies with the guideline Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis Protocols. We will include studies investigating the effects of TQF herbs and compounds on diabetic rats or mice with renal outcomes. Six electronic databases will be searched from their inception to February 2023. Quality assessment will be conducted using SYRCLE's risk of bias tool. Standardized or weighted mean differences will be estimated for renal outcomes (creatinine, urea, proteinuria, histological changes, oxidative stress, inflammation, and kidney fibrosis). Data will be pooled using random-effects models. Heterogeneity across studies will be expressed as I2. Sensitivity analyses will explore treatment effects in adjusted models and within subgroups. Funnel plots and Egger's test will be used to explore publication bias. Discussion: The results of this review will provide valuable insights into the potential effects of TQF in managing DKD. The limitation is that the included studies will be animal studies from specific databases, and the interpretation of the findings must be cautious. Systematic review registration: PROSPERO CRD42023432895. Registered on 19 July 2023 (https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ulcerative colitis (UC) is an inflammatory bowel disorder (IBD) characterized by relapsing chronic inflammation of the colon that causes continuous mucosal inflammation. The global incidence of UC is steadily increasing. Immune mechanisms are involved in the pathogenesis of UC, of which complement is shown to play a critical role by inducing local chronic inflammatory responses that promote tissue damage. However, the function of various complement components in the development of UC is complex and even paradoxical. Some components (e.g. C1q, CD46, CD55, CD59, and C6) are shown to safeguard the intestinal barrier and reduce intestinal inflammation, while others (e.g. C3, C5, C5a) can exacerbate intestinal damage and accelerate the development of UC. The complement system was originally thought to function primarily in an extracellular mode; however, recent evidence indicates that it can also act intracellularly as the complosome. The current study provides an overview of current studies on complement and its role in the development of UC. While there are few studies that describe how intracellular complement contributes to UC, we discuss potential future directions based on related publications. We also highlight novel methods that target complement for IBD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) outbreak has increased the work pressure of nurses worldwide, and managers must provide support and assistance for the transition period of newly graduated nurses. Method: A cross-sectional design was adopted to collect a sample of 318 newly graduated nurses from six hospitals in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Data were collected using a questionnaire that consisted of a demographic questionnaire, the Transition Shock Scale (2015), the Career Adapt-Ability Scale (2012), and the General Self-Efficacy Scale (2001). Results: The transition shock of newly graduated nurses was 3.77 ± 0.48 in China. Regression analysis showed that transition shock among newly graduated nurses was predicted by career adaptability, general self-efficacy, living with one's parents, and education level, which accounted for 37.7% of the variance in transition shock. Conclusion: Newly graduated nurses experienced a relatively high level of transition shock in China during the COVID-19 pandemic. Managers may offer continuing education to reduce the transition shock of newly graduated nurses based on the factors that affect their transition shock. [J Contin Educ Nurs. 2023;54(11):524–532.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Photocatalysis technology has the advantages of being green, clean, and environmentally friendly, and has been widely used in CO2 reduction, hydrolytic hydrogen production, and the degradation of pollutants in water. Cu2O has the advantages of abundant reserves, a low cost, and environmental friendliness. Based on the narrow bandgap and strong visible light absorption ability of Cu2O, Cu2O-based composite materials show infinite development potential in photocatalysis. However, in practical large-scale applications, Cu2O-based composites still pose some urgent problems that need to be solved, such as the high composite rate of photogenerated carriers, and poor photocatalytic activity. This paper introduces a series of Cu2O-based composites, based on recent reports, including pure Cu2O and Cu2O hybrid materials. The modification strategies of photocatalysts, critical physical and chemical parameters of photocatalytic reactions, and the mechanism for the synergistic improvement of photocatalytic performance are investigated and explored. In addition, the application and photocatalytic performance of Cu2O-based photocatalysts in CO2 photoreduction, hydrogen production, and water pollution treatment are discussed and evaluated. Finally, the current challenges and development prospects are pointed out, to provide guidance in applying Cu2O-based catalysts in renewable energy utilization and environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The grapevine trunk disease, Eutypa dieback (ED), causes significant vine decline and yield reduction. For many years, the fungus Eutypa lata was considered the main pathogen causing ED of grapevines in Australia. Recent studies showed other Diatrypaceous fungi were also associated with vines exhibiting dieback symptoms but there is limited information on how these fungal pathogens spread in vineyards. Thus, information on the spore dispersal patterns of Diatrypaceous fungi in different wine regions will assist in identifying high-risk infection periods in vineyards. Using more than 6800 DNA samples from airborne spores collected from eight wine regions in south-eastern Australia over 8 years using a Burkard spore trap, this study investigated the diversity and abundance of Diatrypaceous species, using multi-faceted molecular tools. A multi-target quantitative PCR (qPCR) assay successfully detected and quantified Diatrypaceous spores from 30% of the total samples with spore numbers and frequency of detection varying between regions and years. The high-resolution melting analysis (HRMA) coupled with DNA sequencing identified seven species, with E. lata being present in seven regions and the most prevalent species in the Adelaide Hills, Barossa Valley and McLaren Vale. Cryptovalsa ampelina and Diatrype stigma were the predominant species in the Clare Valley and Coonawarra, respectively while Eutypella citricola and Eu. microtheca dominated in the Hunter Valley and the Riverina regions. This study represents the first report of D. stigma and Cryptosphaeria multicontinentalis in Australian vineyards. This study further showed rainfall as a primary factor that triggers spore release, however, other weather factors that may influence the spore release in different climatic regions of Australia still requires further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The pollution of phenol wastewater is becoming worse. In this paper, a 2D/2D nanosheet-like ZnTiO3/Bi2WO6 S-Scheme heterojunction was synthesized for the first time through a two-step calcination method and a hydrothermal method. In order to improve the separation efficiency of photogenerated carriers, the S-Scheme heterojunction charge-transfer path was designed and constructed, the photoelectrocatalytic effect of the applied electric field was utilized, and the photoelectric coupling catalytic degradation performance was greatly enhanced. When the applied voltage was +0.5 V, the ZnTiO3/Bi2WO6 molar ratio of 1.5:1 had highest degradation rate under visible light: the degradation rate was 93%, and the kinetic rate was 3.6 times higher than that of pure Bi2WO6. Moreover, the stability of the composite photoelectrocatalyst was excellent: the photoelectrocatalytic degradation rate of the photoelectrocatalyst remained above 90% after five cycles. In addition, through electrochemical analysis, XRD, XPS, TEM, radical trapping experiments, and valence band spectroscopy, we found that the S-scheme heterojunction was constructed between the two semiconductors, which effectively retained the redox ability of the two semiconductors. This provides new insights for the construction of a two-component direct S-scheme heterojunction as well as a feasible new solution for the treatment of phenol wastewater pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Droplets encapsulating solid microparticles with a thin coating layer have extensive applications in the fields of biochemical, advanced materials, and inertial confinement fusion. In this work, the droplet break-up technique is employed to prepare solid–water–oil (S/W/O) conformal droplets with an ultra-thin coating layer. A microfluidic chip, consisting of a T-junction and a Y-junction, was designed and constructed for the controlled preparation of ultra-thin S/W/O conformal droplets by generating–splitting integration. The flow pattern, regime, and dynamic mechanisms of the S/W/O droplet break-up were also experimentally investigated. The results show that there are three break-up regimes: breakup, non-breakup, and transition. Two different modes are observed in the break-up regime: without solid core stagnation and with solid core stagnation. In the case of the solid core without stagnation, the neck goes through three stages: squeezing, transition, and pinch-off. When the solid core stagnates, the neck goes through one more solid core stagnation stage after squeezing. The stagnation percentage decreases as the dispersed phase capillary number increases and increases as the continuous phase capillary number increases. The coating thickness of the S/W/O droplet increases and then decreases as the continuous phase flow rate increases. The coating thickness of the daughter S/W/O droplet was significantly reduced and was less affected by the continuous phase flow rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study had three objectives: (1) to consolidate poverty alleviation achievements and connect them with the current rural vitalization strategy; (2) to inaugurate agricultural modernization development in rural areas of the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone, an important grain production area in China, during the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan in China (2021–2025); and (3) to assess the ecological function area and economic development highland in Jiangxi Province. This study aimed to examine cultivated land multifunctionality (economic, social, and ecological functions) and explore its evolution and coordination in the context of increasingly serious contradiction between man and land in China. This study established an index system based on a mechanical model to evaluate cultivated land multifunctionality, the spatiotemporal pattern of multifunctionally cultivated land, and the coordination among sub-functions in different periods. Its results were as follows: (1) the cultivated land's multifunctional value generally increased from 2016 to 2020, with spatial characteristics of highland surrounding a lake; (2) the cultivated land functions' coordination values were generally better in 2020 than in 2016, showing a generally positive development trend; (3) changes in cultivated land function were concentrated in Quadrants Ⅰ, Ⅱ, and Ⅵ; and (4) the ecological function had the advantage in the study areas. Study conclusions were as follows: (1) the development of cultivated land multifunctionality has achieved notable successes through the significant benefits of an ecological economy; (2) the coordination of the cultivated land's economic, social, and ecological functions has increased dramatically; (3) the ecological significance in the Poyang Lake Ecological Economic Zone, whose ecological economy was flourishing, was outstanding; and (4) most importantly, it supports implementing the rural vitalization strategy in the Fourteenth Five-Year Plan in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polymer microspheres can be used as fuel containers for laser inertial confinement fusion (ICF) due to their low atomic number, low density, and high thermal stability. The thin‐walled polymer microspheres are prone to cracking due to an increase in the diameter to thickness ratio (diameter/wall thickness). The effect of polystyrene (PS) and Poly (α‐methyl styrene) (PAMS) materials commonly used in ICF experiments on the quality of thin‐walled microspheres is investigated. PS hollow microspheres show better sphericity, smoother surface, and lower cracking rate than PAMS microspheres. Moreover, the heat treatment of solidified PS microspheres can improve the strength so that the cracking rate of the microspheres decreases. The relative mechanism of how the molecular structure affect the quality is also discussed. This study provides some guidance for the preparation of thin‐walled polymer microspheres with high quality for ICF experiments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Facial paralysis is a common clinical disease, it was named intractable facial paralysis when the clinical course more than 2 months. Intractable facial paralysis will produce anxiety and depression, which will seriously affect patients' life and work. Electric acupuncture has been widely used in the treatment of intractable facial paralysis. However, the results of clinical studies on the efficacy and safety have been inconsistent. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of electric acupuncture for intractable facial paralysis patients by systematic review and meta-analysis, so as to provide clinical decision-making based on evidence-based medicine. Methods: The following databases will be searched by electronic methods: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, VIP Database, Wan-fang Data and Chinese Biomedical Database. All of them will be retrieved from the establishment date of the electronic database to March 2022, all included studies will be evaluated risk of bias by the Cochrane Handbook. The total effective rate will be the primary outcome. The systematic review will be conducted with the use of the RevMan5.3 software in this study. Results: This study will obtain efficacy and safety of electric acupuncture for the treatment of intractable facial paralysis. Discussion: This study will provide clinical decision-making based on evidence-based medicine that whether electric acupuncture could be used to treat intractable facial paralysis, and when and how it might be more effective and safety. It will help standardize electric acupuncture treatment strategies for intractable facial paralysis. PROSPERO registration number: CRD42021278541. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Correction for 'Construction of energy transfer channels from [SbCl6]3− to Ln3+ (Ln3+ = Ho3+, Er3+) in Cs2NaGdCl6 for advanced anti-counterfeiting materials' by Yanyang Li et al., J. Mater. Chem. C, 2024, 12, 12589–12597, https://doi.org/10.1039/D4TC02186J. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monodispersed poly(α-methylstyrene) (PAMS) microspheres using water-in-oil-in-water (W1/O/W2) composite double droplets as precursors are fabricated by microencapsulation. A rotating shear flow field where the droplets can be suspended is designed for the solidification. The stability and instabilities such as coalescence and aggregation of the double droplets during the solidification are studied. This work examines the effects of continuous phase viscosity on stability and dispersion of double droplets in a rotating shear flow field. Results show the continuous phase viscosity exerts a parabolic effect on stability of the double droplets. Experimental investigations combined numerical simulations have been conducted to discuss the mechanisms of this parabolic effect. Results show that coalescence occurs at lower continuous viscosity while aggregation occurs at higher continuous viscosity. Moreover, an increasing continuous viscosity promotes the collision between the droplets, leading an increasing aggregation between the droplets. In addition, the experimental investigations on the solidification show that the aggregation behavior always occurs in a percolation transition zone, where the oil phase concentration is 50–60%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Crop diseases are one of the important factors affecting crop yield and quality and are also an important research target in the field of agriculture. In order to quickly and accurately identify crop diseases, help farmers to control crop diseases in time, and reduce crop losses. Inspired by the application of convolutional neural networks in image identification, we propose a lightweight crop disease image identification model based on attentional feature fusion named DSGIResNet_AFF, which introduces self-built lightweight residual blocks, inverted residuals blocks, and attentional feature fusion modules on the basis of ResNet18. We apply the model to the identification of rice and corn diseases, and the results show the effectiveness of the model on the real dataset. Additionally, the model is compared with other convolutional neural networks (AlexNet, VGG16, ShuffleNetV2, MobileNetV2, MobileNetV3-Small and MobileNetV3-Large), and the experimental results show that the accuracy, sensitivity, F1-score, AUC of the proposed model DSGIResNet_AFF are 98.30%, 98.23%, 98.24%, 99.97%, respectively, which are better than other network models, while the complexity of the model is significantly reduced (compared with the basic model ResNet18, the number of parameters is reduced by 94.10%, and the floating point of operations(FLOPs) is reduced by 86.13%). The network model DSGIResNet_AFF can be applied to mobile devices and become a useful tool for identifying crop diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Existing object detection methods with many parameters and computations are not suitable for deployment on devices with poor performance in agricultural environments. Therefore, this study proposes a lightweight crop pest detection method based on convolutional neural networks, named YOLOLite-CSG. The basic architecture of the method is derived from a simplified version of YOLOv3, namely YOLOLite, and k-means++ is utilized to improve the generation process of the prior boxes. In addition, a lightweight sandglass block and coordinate attention are used to optimize the structure of residual blocks. The method was evaluated on the CP15 crop pest dataset. Its detection precision exceeds that of YOLOv3, at 82.9%, while the number of parameters is 5 million, only 8.1% of the number used by YOLOv3, and the number of computations is 9.8 GFLOPs, only 15% of that used by YOLOv3. Furthermore, the detection precision of the method is superior to all other commonly used object detection methods evaluated in this study, with a maximum improvement of 10.6%, and it still has a significant edge in the number of parameters and computation required. The method has excellent pest detection precision with extremely few parameters and computations. It is well-suited to be deployed on equipment for detecting crop pests in agricultural environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel approach was presented for controllable preparation of polyacrylonitrile (PAN) hollow microspheres, and PAN-derived graphite carbon microspheres were synthesized through a simple and facile method, overcoming the intrinsic non-graphitizable property of PAN under low temperatures. The pure PAN microspheres and PAN/M (M = Fe, Co, Ni) microspheres were fabricated by the microfluidic technique and solvent evaporation method. Subsequently, the graphitization process was performed for carbon growth of all PAN microspheres at carbonization temperatures of 800 °C, 1000 °C,1200 °C, and 1400 °C, respectively. The effects of transition metals on the stability of compound droplets, monodispersity, and morphology of microspheres were investigated. The carbon resides was given by TG analysis, and the degree of graphite was characterized by the Raman spectra, XRD patterns, and TEM image. The results showed that the three transition metals exhibited different catalytic graphitization effects, leading to a different degree of catalytic graphitization. Understanding the catalytic graphitization effect of Fe, Co, and Ni on PAN microspheres offers new strategies for converting polymer-derived microspheres to invaluable synthetic graphite carbon, which has potential application in upcycling of waste plastics, catalysis, absorption, thermally conductive materials, and energy conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. To investigate the preventive effects of Ilex cornuta aqueous extract (ICAE) on high-fat diet (HFD)-induced fatty liver of mice and its mechanisms. Materials and Methods. Twenty-six male KM (Kunming) mice were divided into 3 groups, including the control group (n = 9), fed with normal diet; HFD group (n = 9), fed with HFD; ICAE + HFD group (n = 8), fed with HFD and administered with ICAE (3 g·kg−1·d−1) at the same time for 10 weeks. Body weight, liver weight, intra-abdominal and subcutaneous fat weight, serum triglyceride (TG), total cholesterol (TC), and blood glucose were determined to evaluate the preventive effects of ICAE on obesity. The average 24 h food consumption of the mice was monitored for 5 times in the 9th week of the experiment to investigate the effects of ICAE on food intake. Serum alanine transaminase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) were assayed to observe the influences of HFD and ICAE on liver function. HE staining was adopted to observe the influence of ICAE on the morphology of adipose tissue and liver tissue. Hepatic TG and TC content assay and oil red O staining were used to evaluate the influences of ICAE on HFD-induced fatty liver, and the protein expression of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptors γ (PPARγ) and adipose differentiation-related protein (ADRP) in liver were examined by immunoblotting. Results. ICAE treatment significantly reduced the increase of body weight, intra-abdominal, and subcutaneous fat and liver weight induced by HFD (P < 0.001), but has no influence on food intake; ICAE treatment attenuated the elevation of serum TG, TC, and glucose, as well as serum ALT and AST (P < 0.01 , P < 0.05 , P < 0.001) and dramatically decreased the content of TG in liver (P < 0.01), but has no influence on hepatic TC content. HE staining and oil red O staining showed that ICAE significantly reduced HFD-induced white adipocyte hypertrophy and significantly inhibited lipid accumulation in liver. Immunoblotting showed that the protein levels of PPARγ and ADRP were significantly increased by HFD induction, which can be dramatically reduced by ICAE treatment (P < 0.05 , P < 0.0001). Conclusion. ICAE has preventive effects on HFD-induced obesity and fatty liver in mice, exerted beneficial effects upon HFD-induced hepatic injury. The preventive effects of ICAE on fatty liver are concerned with the downregulation of PPARγ and ADRP protein expression in liver. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Inflammatory cytokines are proposed as modulators for the pathogenesis of anxiety and depression (anxiety/depression), and anxiety/depression are frequently existed in non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) survivors. However, no published study has explored the association of inflammation cytokines with anxiety/depression in NSCLC survivors. Objectives: We aimed to evaluate serum tumor necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1 beta (IL‐1β), interleukin‐6 (IL‐6), interleukin‐17 (IL‐17) levels, and their correlations with anxiety/depression in NSCLC survivors. Methods: Totally, 217 NSCLC survivors and 200 controls were recruited. Then, inflammatory cytokines in serum samples were detected by enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Besides, their anxiety/depression status was assessed by Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS). Results: HADS‐anxiety score, anxiety rate, anxiety severity, HADS‐depression score, depression rate, and depression severity were all increased in NSCLC survivors compared with controls (all P < 0.001). Regarding inflammatory cytokines, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, and IL‐17 levels were higher (all P < 0.01), while IL‐6 (P = 0.105) level was of no difference in NSCLC survivors compared with controls. Furthermore, TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐17 were all positively associated with HADS‐A score (all P < 0.05), anxiety occurrence (all P < 0.05), HADS‐D score (all P < 0.05), and depression occurrence (all P < 0.05) in NSCLC survivors, while the correlation‐coefficients were weak. Additionally, multivariate logistic regression analyses disclosed that TNF‐α (both P < 0.05) and IL‐1β (both P < 0.001) were independently correlated with increased anxiety and depression risks in NSCLC survivors. Conclusion: Serum TNF‐α, IL‐1β, IL‐6, and IL‐17 are related to increased anxiety and depression risks to some extent in NSCLC survivors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: Visual outcomes after cataract surgery in diabetic patients with retinal or visual pathway disease are difficult to predict as the fundus may be obscured, and assessment of visual potential is challenging. This study assessed the value of visual electrophysiology as a prognostic indicator of visual recovery in diabetic patients with cataract, prior to cataract surgery. Methods: Forty-one diabetic patients (aged 52–80; 74 eyes) and 13 age-matched non-diabetic control patients (21 eyes) were examined prior to cataract surgery. Pre-surgical examinations included best-corrected visual acuity (BCVA), slit-lamp bio-microscopy, ISCEV-standard full-field electroretinography (ffERG), and flash visual evoked potential (flash VEP) testing. Electrophysiological assessments included quantification of the DA and LA ERG, oscillatory potentials (OPs; OP1, OP2, OP3, OP4) and flash VEP P1, P2, and P3 components. Post-operative BCVA was measured in all cases and the diabetic patients grouped according to the severity of visual acuity loss: mild (logMAR ≤ 0.1), moderate (0.1 < logMAR < 0.5), or severe (logMAR ≥ 0.5). A fourth group included those without diabetes. The pre-surgical electrophysiological data was compared between the four groups by analysis of variance. Results: The severity of post-surgical visual acuity loss in the diabetic patients was classified as mild (N=22 eyes), moderate (N=31 eyes), or severe (N=21 eyes). In the group without diabetes, post-surgical visual impairment was classified as mild (N=21 eyes). The pre-operative DA 10.0 ERG a-wave amplitudes, DA 3.0 ERG OP2 amplitudes, and the LA 3.0 a- and b-wave amplitudes showed best significant differences among the four groups. The flash VEP did not show significant difference between groups. Conclusion: Electrophysiological assessment of diabetic patients with cataract can provide a useful measure of retinal function. Full-field ERG components, including the DA 10.0 ERG a-wave, DA 3.0 ERG OP2 component, and the LA 3.0 a- and b-wave amplitudes, are of prognostic value in predicting post-surgical visual acuity, and may inform the surgical management of cataract patients with diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The objective of our study was to assess the association between lymphocyte percentage (LY%), fibrinogen (FIB), fibrinogen-to-lymphocyte percentage ratio (FLR) and the tumor staging and the clinical outcome role in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients with chemotherapy or surgery combined with chemotherapy. Patients and Methods: Between August 2013 and October 2020, 375 patients initially diagnosed with NSCLC and 201 healthy subjects were enrolled in the retrospective study. The concentrations of LY%, FIB, and FLR were compared between the case group and the control group by using the Mann–Whitney U-test or Kruskal–Wallis test, and then these biomarkers were compared in terms of the tumor category and PTNM stage of the test group, etc. The cutoffs of LY%, FIB, and FLR were determined using X-tile software. The prognostic roles of LY%, FIB, and FLR were identified by the Kaplan–Meier curve and Cox regression model. The biological markers on overall survival (OS) were analyzed. Results: The study showed that the concentration levels of LY%, FIB, and FLR in the stage III–IV group were significant difference from those in the stage I–II group (P< 0.001), indicating that three biomarkers (LY%, FIB, and FLR) were significantly correlated with tumor staging. Pretreatment high FIB and FLR and low LY% indicated an increased risk of death in NSCLC patients. Also, it was found that the clinical outcome of low FLR patients with chemotherapy or chemotherapy combined with surgery was superior to high FLR patients. Conclusion: Our findings demonstrated that FLR could be used to predict NSCLC staging and was an independent prognosis factor within NSCLC patients receiving chemotherapy or chemotherapy combined with surgery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The study aimed to explore the effect of reminiscence therapy‐based care program (RTCP) on anxiety, depression, quality of life (QoL), and survival profiles in post‐operational non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) patients. Methods: In this randomized, controlled study, a total of 192 newly diagnosed post‐operational NSCLC patients were randomly assigned to control care program (CCP) group (N = 96) or RTCP group (N = 96), and both groups experienced 12‐month intervention and 36‐month follow‐up without intervention. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS) and European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer Quality of Life Questionnaire (QLQ‐C30) were evaluated at baseline (M0), month (M)3, M6, and M12. Results: Reduced HADS‐anxiety score at M6 and M12, anxiety rate at M12, and anxiety severity at M6 and M12 were observed in RTCP group compared with CCP group. Additionally, HADS‐depression score was decreased at M6 and M12, while both depression rate and severity were of no difference at each time point between two groups. Furthermore, QLQ‐C30 global health status score at M6 and M12, QLQ‐C30 functions score at M12 were increased, while QLQ‐C30 symptoms score was of no difference at each time point in RTCP group compared with CCP group. Regarding survival profiles, Kaplan–Meier curves indicated that disease‐free survival and overall survival were of no difference between two groups, further multivariate Cox's proportional hazard regression analysis also observed the same trends. Conclusion: RTCP effectively relieves anxiety and depression, improves QoL, but did not prolong survival, suggesting its value as a non‐pharmacological approach for post‐operational NSCLC management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoimmune diseases generally result from the loss of self-tolerance (i.e., failure of the immune system to distinguish self from non-self), and are characterized by autoantibody production and hyperactivation of T cells, which leads to damage of specific or multiple organs. Thus, autoimmune diseases can be classified as organ-specific or systemic. Genetic and environmental factors contribute to the development of autoimmunity. Recent studies have demonstrated the contribution of innate immunity to the onset of autoimmune diseases. Natural killer (NK) cells, which are key components of the innate immune system, have been implicated in the development of multiple autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, type I diabetes mellitus, and autoimmune liver disease. However, NK cells have both protective and pathogenic roles in autoimmunity depending on the NK cell subset, microenvironment, and disease type or stage. In this work, we review the current knowledge of the varied roles of NK cell subsets in systemic and organic-specific autoimmune diseases and their clinical potential as therapeutic targets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Deuterated polymer microspheres can be used as a neutron source in conjunction with lasers because thermonuclear fusion neutrons can be produced efficiently by collisions of the resulting energetic deuterium ions. A new type of solid deuterated polymer microsphere with a carbon hydrogen–carbon deuterium (CH-CD) multilayer has been designed for preparing the target for inertial confinement fusion (ICF) experiments. To fabricate these solid CH-CD multilayer microspheres, CH beads are first fabricated by a microfluidic technique, and the CD coating layer is prepared by a plasma polymerization method. Both polystyrene (PS) and poly(α-methylstyrene) (PAMS) are used as the material sources for the CH beads. The effects of the PS and PAMS materials on the quality of the solid CH beads and the resulting CH-CD multilayer polymer microspheres are investigated. The solid PS beads have better sphericity and a smoother surface, but large vacuoles are observed in solid PS-CD multilayer microspheres owing to the presence of residual fluorobenzene in the beads and a glass transition temperature of the solid PS beads that is lower than the temperature of plasma polymerization. Therefore, solid PAMS beads are more suitable as a mandrel for fabricating solid CH-CD multilayer polymer microspheres. Solid CH-CD multilayer microspheres with specified size have been successfully prepared by controlling the droplet size and the CD deposition rate and deposition time. Compared with the design value, the diameter deviation of the inner CH beads and the thickness deviation of the CD layer can be controlled within 20 µm and 2 µm, respectively. Thus, an approach has been developed to fabricate solid CH-CD multilayer microspheres that meet the physical design requirements for ICF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Tetramethylpyrazine (TMP) is an alkaloid extracted from the root and stem of the traditional Chinese herbal medicine called Chuanxiong. The present study aims to study the effects of TMP on hypoxic respiratory depression in rats. Materials and methods. The effects of TMP on respiratory responses of rats induced by hypoxia were observed by diaphragm electromyogram (EMG) recording. The effects of TMP on the protein expression of FOS and acid sensing ion channel1a (ASIC1a) in the brainstem induced by hypoxia were investigated by immunohistochemistry. Results. The respiration of rats was first excited and then depressed during hypoxia treatment, while TMP pretreatment could significantly antagonize the respiratory depression induced by hypoxia P < 0.01 . Hypoxia obviously induced the protein expression of FOS P < 0.01 and ASIC1a P < 0.05 in the brainstem, which can be also significantly inhibited by TMP pretreatment. Conclusions. TMP has protective effects on hypoxic respiratory depression, and the mechanisms might be concerned with its downregulation of FOS and ASIC1a in the brainstem induced by hypoxia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three boron-pyridyl-isoindoline-1-one based dyes (B1, B2, and B3) with varied side groups were facilely synthesized. Detailed analyses were carried out concerning the crystal conformation, structure dependent photophysical properties and mechanochromic fluorescence (MCF). The MCF behaviours and solid-state emission were demonstrated to be correlated to the different side groups. Upon grinding, the emission of B1 exhibited little changes, whereas reversible MCF with a distinct colour change was observed for B2 and B3. B3 possessing sterically hindered triphenyl amine (TPA) groups showed the most prominent MCF effect. For instance, mechanical grinding resulted in a red-shift of fluorescence from 600 nm to 650 nm. The electronic and steric effects of the donating substituents were found to play important roles in modulating the intramolecular charge-transfer effect and intermolecular interactions. These sensitively and readily tunable mechano-responsive behaviors of the boron-pyridyl-isoindoline-1-one based dyes make them potential candidates for smart fluorescent materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: With the advance of medical care, chronic non-communicable diseases, like chronic kidney disease (CKD), have become the predominant diseases around the world. With heavy society and economy burden, we shall make full use of chronic disease management, including precision therapies. And the prerequisite for implementing precision medicine is to fully understand the characteristics of patients. Being the basis of the Knowledge-Attitude-Practice Model, patient’s awareness is essential to conduct individualized treatments. However, there have been no validated questionnaires specific to the awareness of patients with CKD. Therefore, this study aims to develop and validate an awareness questionnaire for patients with CKD. Methods: From March 2013 to September 2014, a cross-sectional study was conducted at Guangdong Provincial Hospital of Chinese Medicine. Age 18 or above were enrolled in the study. After signing the informed consent, they received a self-developed questionnaire to evaluate their CKD-related awareness. Then we collected their demographic data for further analyses. We also conducted item analyses/ validity and reliability analysis to filter out improper items and to retain the eligible ones. Results: We totally distributed 110 copies of the questionnaires and 100 of them were returned. After item analyses, 2 items were excluded because of Cronbach’s Alpha analysis. In total, 18 items were retained, comprising the final set of the questionnaire. For validity analysis, 4 components could explain the cumulative 73.966% extraction sums of the squared loadings; for reliability analysis, the Guttman Split-Half coefficient was 0.918. Conclusions: This awareness questionnaire has favorable validity and reliability. It is a sound method for evaluating and measuring levels of disease-related awareness in CKD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this article is to investigate the effects of channel sizes on the traffic of S/W compound droplets through a vertical channel. Compared with the horizontal channel, a vertical channel can effectively inhabit the contact of compound droplets with the channel wall, thus improving the survival rate. It is also found that the effects of tube length on droplet traffic are always dependent on the oil phase flow rate. In a short tube (L = 2.0 cm), the survival rate increases as the oil phase flow rate increases. This may be due to significant prevention of coalescence among S/W compound droplets under a high oil phase flow rate. However, in a long tube (L = 7.5 cm), the survival rate decreases with increasing oil phase flow rate, because disturbance of a water droplet can peel off the water phase coated on the surface of the solid particles. During the traffic process, the distance between water droplets and S/W compound droplets decreases linearly with time because of the larger diameter of the compound droplets. These study results can provide a useful guide for the preparation of high-throughput S/W compound droplets in a controllable and reproducible manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Liver fibrosis is the excessive accumulation of extracellular matrix proteins, resulting from maladaptive wound healing responses to chronic liver injury. γδT cells are important in chronic liver injury pathogenesis and subsequent liver fibrosis; however, their role and underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. The present study aims to assess whether γδT cells contribute to liver fibrosis regression. Using a carbon tetrachloride (CCl4)-induced murine model of liver fibrosis in wild-type (WT) and γδT cell deficient (TCRδ−/−) mice, we demonstrated that γδT cells protected against liver fibrosis and exhibited strong cytotoxicity against activated hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). Further study show that chronic liver inflammation promoted hepatic γδT cells to express NKp46, which contribute to the direct killing of activated HSCs by γδT cells. Moreover, we identified that an IFNγ-producing γδT cell subset (γδT1) cells exhibited stronger cytotoxicity against activated HSCs than the IL-17-producing subset (γδT17) cells upon chronic liver injury. In addition, γδT cells promoted the anti-fibrotic ability of conventional natural killer (cNK) cells and liver-resident NK (lrNK) cells by enhancing their cytotoxicity against activated HSCs. The cell crosstalk between γδT and NK cells was shown to depend partly on co-stimulatory receptor 4-1BB (CD137) engagement. In conclusion, our data confirmed the protective effects of γδT cells, especially the γδT1 subset, by directly killing activated HSCs and increasing NK cell-mediated cytotoxicity against activated HSCs in CCl4-induced liver fibrosis, which suggest valuable therapeutic targets to treat liver fibrosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reduction of α-pinene by NaBH4 was achieved using NiCl2•6H2O in PEG-800/ethanol system under room temperature. Under the optimized conditions, the conversion of α-pinene and the selectivity of cis-pinane reached 97% and 98%, respectively. On the basis of TEM and a series of poisoning experiments, the nature of the active catalytic species for the reaction was discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Two aryl‐substituted tetraphenylfurans (TPF‐1 and TPF‐2) and the corresponding ring‐opened (Z)‐1,4‐enedione derivatives (TPBD‐1 and TPBD‐2) have been successfully synthesized. Although all the molecules adopt propeller‐like configurations, experimental results revealed that the tetraphenylfurans (TPFs) were aggregation‐caused quenching (ACQ) fluorophores whereas the 1,4‐enediones (TPBDs) were aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) active. Additionally, the TPFs and TPBDs exhibited contrasting “turn‐on” mechanochromic behavior, with an unusual blueshift of mechanochromic fluorescence for the TPFs and a remarkable redshifted mechanochromism for the TPBDs. Both of these solid‐state optical properties were proven to be highly dependent on the mode of molecular packing and substituent effects. In particular, in addition to the tunability of the fluorescent properties through aggregation and mechanical force, ground TPF‐1 was found to be efficiently sensitive to light. On the basis of these findings we constructed a smart film with ground TPF‐1 and demonstrated its utility in data encryption and decryption well controlled by UV light. Therefore, this work not only provides an insight into the mechanism of AIE as well as mechanochromic effects, but also paves the way towards the development of multifunctional stimuli‐responsive materials and devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SiO-based phase change composites were prepared by sol-gel method using different phase change materials (PCMs), including stearic acid (SA), paraffin, and polyethylene glycol (PEG), and the effects of various mass fractions of PCMs were comprehensively investigated. The structures and thermal properties of these composites were characterized and analyzed by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy, and nitrogen adsorption-desorption measurements. The XRD and DSC results showed that the crystallinity and thermal enthalpy of paraffin in composite were the best among the three types of PCMs confined in SiO. However, PEG in composites showed poor crystallinity and thermal enthalpy. After the extraction of the PCMs, the pore size distribution of SiO matrix and SEM images showed that SA/SiO composites possessed mesopores (20 nm) and macropores (50-150 nm), paraffin/SiO composites possessed mesopores and very large pores (2 μm), and PEG/SiO composites contained only mesopores. Among the three types of composites, paraffin/SiO composites exhibited the least mesopore volume. Presence of more mesopores in the composite led to worse crystallinity and thermal enthalpy of PCMs in composites. The crystallinity and thermal enthalpy of PCMs in composites were affected by the pore size and volume. Graphical Abstract: Mesopores confined the crystallization and thermal behavior. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of molecular weight on the thermal degradation behavior of poly(α-methyl styrene) (PAMS) was investigated by pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry (Py-GC/MS) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The Py-GC/MS analysis results showed that the degradation of PAMS with different molecular weights in nitrogen produced only the monomer, alpha-methylstyrene. The TGA results showed a pronounced reduction in the decomposition temperature with increasing molecular weight. The degradation kinetic parameters, calculated by the Kissinger and the Coats–Redfern methods, further revealed that the activation energy and the pre-exponential factor decreased with increasing molecular weight. Most importantly, the degradation order of the PAMS in nitrogen remained around 1, independent of the molecular weight, suggesting the maintenance of the depolymerization mechanism. All the above results provided an insight into the effects of molecular weight on the thermal degradation behavior of PAMS. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Boron carbide is one of the hardest materials known, with diamond-like mechanical properties and excellent chemical stability. It is wildly used in military defense area, nuclear industry, aerospace technology, etc. Precursor-derived ceramics have made it easier to produce pure boron carbide in processed forms and expand its applications. The challenge of this method is the synthesis of precursor polymer with high-ceramic-yield. The aim of the present work is to develop a new poly(6-norbornenyldecaborane-co-decaborane) [P(ND-co-D)] copolymer, which was successfully synthesized via ring-opening metathesis polymerization of 6-norbornenyldecaborane and tandem hydroboration with decaborane. The obtained light-yellow powder displayed good solubility, and was fully characterized by NMR, FT-IR and GPC analysis. Thermogravimetric analysis demonstrated that the char yield was up to 79%. The polymer-to-ceramic transformation process and pyrolysis mechanism has shown that the rearrangement of carbon chains of P(ND-co-D) mainly occurred in the temperature range of 350 °C~470 °C. Furthermore, the crystallization behavior and microstructures of derived ceramics were studied by XRD and SEM. Nano-sized boron carbide powders were prepared by pyrolysis of P(ND-co-D) under argon at 1400 °C for 2 h, while the structure and morphologies of the obtained rhombohedral B4C were investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To achieve the integrity of solid particles coated by water phase (S/W/O) compound droplets, it is important to investigate the transport process of the compound droplets in the horizontal straight channel. The experimental results show that the integrity is significantly influenced by the flow rates and density difference. The water (W) phase is observed to be peeled off from the surface of the particles (polystyrene (PS) shells), mainly caused by the slip velocity of the W phase and the density mismatching among three phases. During the peeling off process, a relative motion between the solid (S) and W phases initially occurs, causing a decrease of the distance (δ) between them, and then, the PS shell is driven to pass through the W/O interface under the action of drag force and net gravity. It is also found that increasing flow rates of both phases contributes to obtaining integrated compound droplets. A boundary that separates the integrated from damaged compound droplets also exits when the fluid properties are fixed. Above the line of the boundary, compound droplets with integrity are prepared. Moreover, the absolute optimum density matching between the S and W phases is less than 0.003 g/cm3, while that between the W and oil (O) phases is less than 0.005 g/cm3. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]