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We investigate an interlayer of 6,6'-bis(4-(bis(4-methoxyphenyl)amino)phenyl)-[1,1'-binaphthalene]-(2,2'-diyl)bis(oxy)bis(propane-3,1-diyl)bis(phosphonic acid) (BINOL-PA) with undoped poly[bis(4-phenyl)(2,4,6-trimethylphenyl)amine] (PTAA) coverage. The incorporation of the 1,10-bi-2-naphthol central core enhances π-π stacking and reduces charge recombination at the interface. Compared to PTAA alone (0.95 eV), BINOL-PA/PTAA exhibits a shorter distance from the Fermi energy ( E F ) to the valence-band maximum (VBM) (0.36 eV). Two phosphoric acid units in BINOL-PA fine-tune the molecular dipoles. Theoretical calculations reveal electrostatic surface potential differences between BINOL-PA and PTAA in their backbone structure. Open-circuit voltage decay (OCVD) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) results suggest suppressed interface recombination. The photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE), short-circuit current density ( J SC ), open-circuit voltage ( V OC ), and fill factor (FF) for the BINOL-PA/PTAA device are measured as 21.02%, 22.67 mA cm -2 , 1.12 V, and 82.8%, respectively, all higher than those achieved by the PTAA device with a PCE of 18%. BINOL-PA/PTAA significantly elevates V OC and FF values compared with dopant-free PTAA alone. The champion device retains over 89% of its initial PCE after being exposed to an ambient environment without encapsulation for more than 30 days. The thermal aging test conducted under a nitrogen atmosphere demonstrates that the efficiency retention rate for BINOL-PA/PTAA displays 60% of its initial efficiency after 1500 h.

Carbazole-based self-assembled molecules (SAMs) are widely applied in inverted perovskite solar cells (iPSCs) due to their unique molecular properties. However, the symmetrical structure of the carbazole-based SAMs makes it difficult to finely regulate their performance, which impedes the further enhancement of the efficiency and stability of iPSCs. This work shows that by building an asymmetric carbazole core, the crucial properties of SAM molecules can be effectively regulated. It has been confirmed that the hybrid thieno[2,3-b]thiophene unit of this asymmetric core governs the energy level, the surface wettability, and the defect passivation capability of the SAMs, while the substituent of core has a greater impact on the molecular dipole and device stability. The synergistic effects from thieno[2,3-b]thiophene and fluorine lead to the KF-derived iPSC demonstrating a certified power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.17% and excellent operational stability. This hybrid design concept offers a promising approach for the further structural modification of SAMs in iPSCs., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

The selective oxidation of amines to imines under mild conditions has attracted much attention. Our study reveals that copper phenylacetylide (PhC 2 Cu) could serve as an efficient photocatalyst for imine synthesis under visible-light irradiation (>400 nm). Utilizing benzylamine as a model reactant, PhC 2 Cu achieves an imine yield of 50.4%, which is 5 times higher than that of P25 under the same conditions and comparable to the yield obtained by the 3 wt % Au/P25 photocatalyst (55.4%). Further loading 3.9 nm TiO 2 onto PhC 2 Cu through tetrabutyl titanate hydrolysis increases the imine yield to 84.7%, with a Ti:Cu atomic ratio of 3.65%. Control experiments, photoluminescence (PL) spectra, optical pump terahertz probe (OPTP) spectra, and electron spin resonance (ESR) tests confirm that the optimized TiO 2 modification promotes the separation of excited carriers and electron transfer in PhC 2 Cu and facilitates the activation of surface oxygen, thereby enhancing the formation of superoxide radicals, a key active oxygen species in the reaction system. This work presents a promising strategy for efficient imine synthesis via amine coupling and expands the application field of PhC 2 Cu-based photocatalysts.

The two-step sequential deposition strategy has garnered widespread usage in the fabrication of high-performance perovskite solar cells based on FAPbI 3 . However, the rapid reaction between FAI and PbI 2 during preparation often leads to incomplete reactions, reducing the device efficiency and stability. Herein, we introduced a multifunctional additive, 2-thiophenyl trifluoroacetone (TTA), into the FAI precursor. The incorporation of TTA has proven to be highly effective in slowing the reaction rate between FAI and PbI 2 , resulting in increased perovskite formation and improved efficiency and stability of the devices. TTA's CF 3 groups interact with FAI via hydrogen bonding, effectively suppressing FA + defects. The S and C═O groups share lone pair electrons with uncoordinated Pb 2+ , leading to a reduction in perovskite film defects and suppressing nonradiative recombination. Additionally, the CF 3 groups impart hydrophobicity, protecting the perovskite film from moisture-induced erosion. As a result, the TTA-modified perovskite film achieves a Champion efficiency of 23.42% compared to the control's 21.52, with 20.58% efficiency for a 25 cm 2 solar module. Remarkably, the unencapsulated Champion device retains 86% of its initial PCE after 1080 h under dark conditions (60 ± 5 °C, 35 ± 5% RH), indicating enhanced long-term stability. These findings offer a promising and cost-effective tactic for high-quality perovskite film fabrication.

Two spiro-bifluorene-based dopant-free HTMs (X22 and X23) have been synthesized by facilely condensing spiro-bifluorene diamine with 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT)-5,7-dicarbonyl dichloride and 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-terephthaloyl dichloride, respectively. In the X22 molecule, lone pairs of electrons on the sulfur (S) and oxygen (O) functional groups interact with the perovskite materials. The hole mobility (μ h ) of X22 (3.9 × 10 -4 cm 2 V -1 S 1- ) is more than twice that of X23 (1.4 × 10 -4 cm 2 V -1 S 1- ). The conductivity (σ 0 ) of X22 is 2.73 × 10 -4 S cm -1 , which is also higher than that of X23 (2.39 × 10 -4 S cm -1 ). The EDOT moiety benefits the contact angle of CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 precursor solutions on HTMs as low as 24°. The X22-based device with an indium-doped tin oxide/hole transport material (HTM)/CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 /phenyl-C 61 -butyric acid methyl ester (PC 61 BM)/bathocuproine/Ag structure achieves a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.18%. The PCE of the device based on X23 containing fluorine is 18.70%, and the contact angle between HTM and the perovskite precursor solution is 32°. The X22- and X23-based devices at ambient temperature (≈25 °C) in N 2 retain 86% and 79% of the initial PCE after 150 days. The effect of S, O, and F heteroatoms plays an important role in the side chain modification of HTMs, improving defect passivation in HTM/CH 3 NH 3 PbI 3 interfaces by multiple functional groups.

Groundwater resources in tropical regions are largely dependent on recharge by rainwater infiltration through soil layers with variable time. However, the rainwater infiltration through soil is a serious concern in urban tropics where it interacts with landfills at the dumpsites, potentially contaminating adjoining groundwater. In this study, the stable isotopic compositions of oxygen and hydrogen (δ 18 O and δ 2 H, respectively) in groundwater and leachates, adjoining municipal dumpsites in urban tropics (Bangalore, Kolkata and Durgapur located in diverse rainfall zonation of India), were analyzed to investigate their recharge sources and trace the possible mixing of leachate contaminants under three diverse climatology. The measured values of δ 18 O and δ 2 H suggested that the groundwater in these sites reflects higher recharge by rainwater. However, the d-excess values indicated secondary effects suggesting the groundwater has experienced significant modifications. The end member analysis using δ 18 O-d-excess relation pinpointed an additional leachate contribution from adjoining dumpsites. The critical fraction of leachate infiltration to groundwater quantified using two component mixing model ranged between (i) 1 and 33% in Bangalore, (ii) 5 and 13% in Kolkata and (iii) 18 and 76% in Durgapur, with its variability dependent on seasonality and aquifer connectivity. This information is crucial for groundwater management to secure water quality and to quantify potential hydrological contaminants particularly in drier seasons and drier regions, when and where the demand for groundwater is high, respectively., (© 2024. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature.)

Organic semiconductors with noncovalently conformational locks (OSNCs) are promising building blocks for hole-transporting materials (HTMs). However, lack of satisfied neighboring building blocks negatively impacts the optoelectronic properties of OSNCs-based HTMs and imperils the stability of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). To address this limitation, we introduce the benzothieno[3,2-b]thiophene (BTT) to construct a new OSNC, and the resulting HTM ZS13 shows improved intermolecular charge extraction/transport properties, proper energy level, efficient surface passivation effect. Consequently, the champion devices based on doped ZS13 yield an efficiency of 24.39 % and 20.95 % for aperture areas of 0.1 and 1.01 cm 2 , respectively. Furthermore, ZS13 shows good thermal stability and the capability of inhibiting I - ion migration, thus, leading to enhanced device stability. The success in neighboring-group engineering can triggered a strong interest in developing thienoacene-based OSNCs toward efficient and stable PSCs., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) aggregate-deposited counter electrodes (CEs) were applied to bifacial dye-sensitized solar cells with a cobalt complex electrolyte. The high transparency and excellent electrochemical activity of PEDOT CEs result in an impressive cell bifaciality of 0.92 under standard test conditions (AM 1.5G, 100 mW cm -2 ), and maximum power production of 11.3% under realistic conditions with an effective albedo of 50%.

Representations of the changing global carbon cycle under climatic and environmental perturbations require highly detailed accounting of all atmosphere and biosphere exchange. These fluxes remain unsatisfactory, as a consequence of only having data with limited spatiotemporal coverage and precision, which restrict accurate assessments. Through the nature of intimate coupling of global carbon and oxygen cycles via O 2 and CO 2 and their unique triple oxygen isotope compositions in the biosphere and atmosphere, greater insight is available. We report analysis of their isotopic compositions with the widest geographical and temporal coverage (123 new measurements for CO 2 ) and constrain, on an annual basis, the global CO 2 recycling time (1.5 ± 0.2 year) and gross primary productivities of terrestrial (~ 170-200 PgC/year) and oceanic (~ 90-120 PgC/year) biospheres. Observed inter-annual variations in CO 2 triple oxygen isotopic compositions were observed at a magnitude close to the largest contrast set by the terrestrial and oceanic biospheres. The seasonal cycles between the east and west Pacific Ocean were found to be drastically different. This intra-annual variability implies that the entire atmospheric CO 2 turnover time is not much longer than the tropospheric mixing time (less than ~ 5 months), verifying the derived recycling time. The new measurements, analyses, and incorporation of other global data sets allow development of an independent approach, providing a strong constraint to biogeochemical models., (© 2023. The Author(s).)

Background: Currently, most researchers mainly analyzed coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pneumonia visually or qualitatively, probably somewhat time-consuming and not precise enough., Purpose: This study aimed to excavate more information, such as differences in distribution, density, and severity of pneumonia lesions between males and females in a specific age group using artificial intelligence (AI)-based computed tomography (CT) metrics. Besides, these metrics were incorporated into a clinical regression model to predict the short-term outcome., Materials and Methods: The clinical, laboratory information and a series of HRCT images from 49 patients, aged from 20 to 50 years and confirmed with COVID-19, were collected. The volumes and percentages of infection (POIs) among bilateral lungs and each bronchopulmonary segment were extracted using uAI-Discover-NCP software (version R001). The POI in three HU ranges (i.e., <-300, -300-49, and ≥50 HU representing ground-glass opacity [GGO], mixed opacity, and consolidation) were also extracted. Hospital stay was predicted with several POI after adjusting days from illness onset to admission, leucocytes, lymphocytes, C-reactive protein, age, and gender using a multiple linear regression model. A total of 91 patients aged 20-50 from public database were selected., Results: Right lower lobes had the highest POI, followed by left lower lobes, right upper lobes, middle lobes, and left upper lobes. The distributions in lung lobes and segments were different between the sexes. Men had a higher total POI and GGO of the lungs, but less consolidation than women in initial CT (all p < 0.05). The total POI, percentage of consolidation on initial CT, and changed POI were positively correlated with hospital stay in the model. A total of 91 patients aged 20-50 years in the public database were selected, and AI segmentation was performed. The POI of the lower lobes was obviously higher than that in the upper lobes; the POI of each segment of the right upper lobe in the males was higher than that in the females, which was consistent with the result of the 49 patients previously., Conclusion: Both men and women had characteristic distributions in lung lobes and bronchopulmonary segments. AI-based CT quantitative metrics can provide more precise information regarding lesion distribution and severity to predict clinical outcome., (© 2022 American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Exploring polymeric hole-transporting materials (HTMs) with passivation functions represents a simplified and effective approach to minimize the perovskite defect density. To date, most of reported polymeric HTMs were applied to fabricate n-i-p regular perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The polymers compatible for p-i-n inverted PSCs were very limited. Moreover, the passivation polymers were devoted to passivate the uncoordinated Pb 2+ . However, the MA + cation defect has profound unwanted effect on device efficiency and long-term stability. In order to synchronously passivate the Pb 2+ and MA + defects in p-i-n inverted PSCs, a new nonfused polymer was intentionally explored via mild polymerization. The aromatic bridge instead of long alkyl chains enabled polymer BN-12 to achieve excellent thermal stability and good wettability of perovskite precursor. Furthermore, the incorporation of chemical anchor sites ("C═O" and "F") strongly controlled the crystallization of perovskite and restrained the MA + ion migration. As a result, a significant fill factor (FF) of 82.9% and an enhanced power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 20.28% were achieved for MAPbI 3 -based devices with the dopant-free BN-12, exceeding those with the commercial HTM PTAA (FF = 81.7%, PCE = 19.51%). More importantly, the unencapsulated devices based on BN-12 realized outstanding long-term stability, maintaining approximately 95% of its initial efficiency after stored for 85 days. By contrast, the PTAA-based device showed rapid decrease which retained only 50% of its initial value after 45 days.

Nitrogen fertilizers result in high crop productivity but also enhance the emission of N 2 O, an environmentally harmful greenhouse gas. Only approximately a half of the applied nitrogen is utilized by crops and the rest is either vaporized, leached, or lost as NO, N 2 O and N 2 via soil microbial activity. Thus, improving the nitrogen use efficiency of cropping systems has become a global concern. Factors such as types and rates of fertilizer application, soil texture, moisture level, pH, and microbial activity/diversity play important roles in N 2 O production. Here, we report the results of N 2 O production from a set of chamber experiments on an acidic sandy-loam agricultural soil under varying levels of an inorganic N-fertilizer, urea. Stable isotope technique was employed to determine the effect of increasing N-fertilizer levels on N 2 O emissions and identify the microbial processes involved in fertilizer N-transformation that give rise to N 2 O. We monitored the isotopic changes in both substrate (ammonium and nitrate) and the product N 2 O during the entire course of the incubation experiments. Peak N 2 O emissions of 122 ± 98 μg N 2 O-N m -2 h -1 , 338 ± 49 μg N 2 O-N m -2 h -1 and 739 ± 296 μg N 2 O-N m -2 h -1 were observed for urea application rate of 40, 80, and 120 μg N g -1 . The duration of emissions also increased with urea levels. The concentration and isotopic compositions of the substrates and product showed time-bound variation. Combining the observations of isotopic effects in δ 15 N, δ 18 O, and 15 N site preference, we inferred co-occurrence of several microbial N 2 O production pathways with nitrification and/or fungal denitrification as the dominant processes responsible for N 2 O emissions. Besides this, dominant signatures of bacterial denitrification were observed in a second N 2 O emission pulse in intermediate urea-N levels. Signature of N 2 O consumption by reduction could be traced during declining emissions in treatment with high urea level., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2022 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Numerous predictive formulas based on different ethnics have been developed to determine continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) for patients with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) without laboratory-based manual titrations. However, few studies have focused on patients with OSA in China. Therefore, this study aimed to develop a predictive equation for determining the optimal value of CPAP for patients with OSA in China., Methods: 526 pure moderate to severe OSA patients with attended CPAP titrations during overnight polysomnogram were spited into either formula derivation (419 patients) or validation (107 patients) group according to the treatment time. Predictive model was created in the derivation group, and the accuracy of the model was tested in the validation group., Results: Apnea hypopnea index (AHI), body mass index (BMI), longest apnea time (LAT), and minimum percutaneous oxygen saturation (minSpO 2 ) were considered as independent predictors of optimal CPAP through correlation analysis and multiple stepwise regression analysis. The best equation to predict the optimal value of CPAP was: CPAPpred = 7.581 + 0.020*AHI + 0.101*BMI + 0.015*LAT-0.028*minSpO 2 (R 2  = 27.2%, p < 0.05).The correlation between predictive CPAP and laboratory-determined manual optimal CPAP was significant in the validation group (r = 0.706, p = 0.000). And the pressure determined by the predictive formula did not significantly differ from the manually titrated pressure in the validation cohort (10 ± 1 cmH 2 O vs. 11 ± 3 cmH 2 O, p = 0.766)., Conclusions: The predictive formula based on AHI, BMI, LAT, and minSpO 2 is useful in calculating the effective CPAP for patients with pure moderate to severe OSA in China to some extent., (© 2022. The Author(s).)

Objectives: Cigarette smoke may play a direct role in proliferation of human pulmonary artery smooth muscle cells (HPASMCs). However, the mechanism involved and the effect of interventions remain unclear. We aimed to evaluate the effect of cigarette smoke extract (CSE) on HPASMCs, explore the role of inflammation and oxidative stress, and the effects of Tempol and PDTC in this process., Materials and Methods: HPASMCs were subjected to normal control (NC), CSE, CSE+Tempol (CSE+T), and CSE+PDTC (CSE+P) groups. Proliferation of HPASMCs was measured by CCK-8 and Western blot. TNF-α, IL-6, MDA, and SOD levels were determined by ELISA and commercial kits. Nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 was evaluated by western blot., Results: 1%, 2.5%, and 5% CSE all promoted proliferation of HPASMCs, and effect of 1% CSE was the most significant, however, 7.5% and 10% CSE inhibited viability of cells (all P <0.05). Compared with the NC group, TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA levels increased, SOD activity decreased (all P <0.05), and NF-κB p65 expression in nuclei increased ( P =0.04) in the CSE group. Tempol and PDTC inhibited the proliferation of HPASMCs induced by CSE (all P <0.05). And compared with the CSE group, TNF-α, IL-6, and MDA levels in CSE+T and CSE+P groups decreased, while SOD activity increased (all P <0.05). Tempol reduced the expression of NF-κB p65 in nuclei but did not achieve a significant difference ( P =0.08). PDTC inhibited the nuclear translocation of NF-κB p65 ( P =0.03)., Conclusion: CSE stimulates HPASMCs proliferation in a certain concentration range. The CSE-induced proliferation of HPASMCs involved excessive inflammatory response and oxidative stress. Tempol and PDTC attenuate these effects of CSE on HPASMCs., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare.

Previous studies suggested that the Amazon, the largest rainforest on Earth, changes from a CO 2 sink to a CO 2 source during the dry/fire season. However, the biospheric contributions to atmospheric CO 2 are not well understood during the two main seasons, the dry/fire season and the wet season. In this article, we utilize Orbiting Carbon Observatory 2 (OCO-2) Solar-Induced Fluorescence (SIF) to explore photosynthetic activity during the different seasons. The spatiotemporal variability of OCO-2 SIF, OCO-2 CO 2 , precipitation, and burned area are investigated over the Amazon from September 2014 to December 2019. Averaging over the entire Amazon region, we found a positive temporal correlation (0.94) between OCO-2 SIF and Global Precipitation Climatology Project precipitation and a negative temporal correlation (-0.64) between OCO-2 SIF and OCO-2 CO 2 , consistent with the fact that precipitation enhances photosynthesis, which results in higher values for SIF and rate of removal of CO 2 from the atmosphere above the Amazon region. We also observed seasonality in the spatial variability of these variables within the Amazon region. During the dry/fire (August-October) season, low SIF values, low precipitation, high vapor pressure deficit (VPD), large burned areas, and high atmospheric CO 2 are mainly found over the southern Amazon region. In contrast, during the wet season (January-March), high SIF values, high precipitation, low VPD, smaller burned areas, and low CO 2 are found over both the central and southern Amazon regions. The seasonal difference in SIF suggests that photosynthetic activity is reduced during the dry/fire season relative to the wet season as a result of low precipitation and high VPD, especially over the southern Amazon region, which will contribute to more CO 2 in the atmosphere during the dry/fire season., (© 2021 The Authors. Earth and Space Science published by Wiley Periodicals LLC on behalf of American Geophysical Union.)

Although the relationship between biodiversity and ecosystem functioning has been extensively studied, it remains unclear if the relationships of biodiversity with productivity and its spatial stability vary along productivity gradients in natural ecosystems. Based on a large dataset from 2324 permanent forest inventory plots across northeastern China, we examined the intensity of species richness (SR) and tree size diversity (Hd) effects on aboveground wood productivity (AWP) and its spatial stability among different productivity levels. Structural equation modeling was applied, integrating abiotic (climate and soil) and biotic (stand density) factors. Our results demonstrated that both SR and Hd positively affected AWP and its spatial stability, and the intensity of these positive effects decreased with increasing productivity. At low productivity levels, SR and Hd increased spatial stability by reducing spatial variability and increasing mean AWP. At high productivity levels, stability increased only through mean AWP increase. Moreover, temperature and stand density affected the AWP directly and indirectly via biodiversity, and the strength and direction of these effects varied among different productivity levels. We concluded that biodiversity could simultaneously enhance productivity and its spatial stability in temperate forests, and that the effect intensity was uniform along productivity gradients, which provided a new perspective on relationships within biodiversity-ecosystem functioning., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Vehicular catalytic converters are used to regulate, reduce, and convert toxic and environmentally unfriendly compounds in exhaust gases into relatively inert and less harmful chemical species. The efficiency, however, is largely affected by the operating temperature of the converter which is set by the hot exhaust gas released from the combustion chamber. A major gas released during combustion is CO 2 , and its multiply substituted isotopocule, namely, 13 C 16 O 18 O, provides a window of opportunity to probe directly the effective temperature of the converter in operation. Here, we report multiple isotopic measurements in exhaust CO 2 (δ 13 C, δ 17 O, δ 18 O, and Δ 47 ) of diesel (trucks and buses) and gasoline (sedans, trucks, and two-wheel motorcycles)-powered vehicles. For investigating the efficiency of a converter in reducing toxic compounds, we studied NO x processes through isotopic analysis of the exhaust N 2 O. We found that the degree of N 2 O reduction to N 2 in gasoline-powered vehicles is high when the temperature is above 200 °C (inferred by Δ 47 ). In contrast, diesel-powered vehicles produce N 2 O in abundance, probably a consequence of selective catalytic reduction of NO x , and the reduction efficiency depends on the converter temperature. In other words, the catalytic converters act as sinks and sources of N 2 O to the atmosphere in gasoline- and diesel-operated vehicles, respectively. We also report a new set of field data by measuring the isotopic compositions of CO 2 and N 2 O in the Hsuehshan tunnel, a ∼13 km long highway tunnel in Taiwan. Elevated N 2 O concentrations inside the tunnel indicate that the emission of N 2 O by heavy-duty diesel vehicles is much higher compared to the reduction by gasoline-operated passenger cars, making the vehicular exhausts a net source of N 2 O to the atmosphere. The combined study of clumped isotopes and N 2 O concentration in exhaust gases suggests that it is useful to probe the operational temperature of catalytic converters and monitor the pollution level in operation, thus providing an opportunity for manufacturers to optimize the catalytic efficiency to reduce the level of toxic pollutants to the environment.

Feitsui Reservoir, a freshwater body in Taiwan with minimal anthropogenic stress, meets the water demand for the population of more than five million living in Taipei city. In view of the biogeochemical processes controlling the long-term trophic status of this socio-economically and ecologically important aquatic system, probing the nitrogen cycle and its dynamics is essential. Here, we monitored the concentration and stable isotopic compositions (δ 15 N, δ 18 O, and Δ 17 O) of nitrate in the Feitsui Reservoir and in the atmospheric wet deposition at intervals of 1-2 weeks for a year, along with measurements of environmental data such as chlorophyll a, dissolved oxygen, and community respiration. Emphasis was laid on Δ 17 O (= δ 17 O - 0.52 × δ 18 O) because of the mass-conservative behavior of Δ 17 O during partial assimilation and denitrification. The present approach offered an effective method to quantify the gross nitrification and removal/uptake rates of nitrate in the reservoir. The atmospheric nitrate exhibited elevated Δ 17 O values ranging from 12.6‰ to 30.1‰ (23.3 ± 5.0‰), compared to the lower Δ 17 O values of ~0 to 4.6‰ (1.1 ± 0.7‰) recorded in the reservoir nitrate. Utilizing Δ 17 O for dissolved nitrates, we observed a seasonal trend of higher nitrification and removal rates during the summer than in the winter. Our estimates showed annually-averaged nitrification rate of 55 ± 11 mmol m -2 d -1 and removal/uptake rate of 57 ± 11 mmol m -2 d -1 (or a nitrate turnover time of ~2.5 months), representing the active nature of nitrogen cycling in this preserved subtropical reservoir., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Rationale: In 'clumped isotope paleothermometry' carbonates are reacted with anhydrous phosphoric acid to extract CO 2 that carries the isotopic signature of the reacting carbonates, and the amount of clumping in the product CO 2 is measured. Previous theoretical models for determining clumped isotopic fractionation in product CO 2 during acid digestion of carbonates are independent of the cations present in the carbonate lattice. Hence further study is required to understand the cationic effect., Methods: We studied the acid reaction mechanism based on the protonation of carbonates, calculated the acid fractionation factor for dolomite using the partition functions and vibrational frequencies obtained for the transition state structure, and determined the effect of cations on the acid fractionation factor. Experimentally, carbonates are reacted using the modified sealed vessel method and analyzed in the dual inlet of a ThermoFinnigan MAT 253 isotope ratio mass spectrometer., Results: The oretically obtained acid fractionation factor can be expressed as Δ 47 acid fractionation in dolomite  = -0.28563 + 0.49508 * (10 5 /T 2 ) - 0.08231 * (10 5 /T 2 ) 2 for a temperature range between 278.15 and 383.15 K. The theoretical slope of the dolomite-acid digestion curve is lower than that of the calcite-acid digestion curve obtained using the identical reaction mechanism. Our theoretical slope is consistent with the result from the common acid bath experiments but higher than the slope obtained in our experimental study using the modified sealed vessel method and in a previous theoretical study using the H 2 CO 3 model., Conclusions: The transition state structure, obtained in our study, includes the cations present in the carbonate minerals and provides distinct acid fractionation factors for calcite and dolomite. The observed gentler slope of the theoretically calculated dolomite-acid digestion curve than of the calcite curve is expected considering the stronger Mg-O bond. Our experimental approach invokes post-digestion isotopic exchange and agrees with the previous theoretical estimates where post-digestion isotopic fractionation was considered., (© 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The thermal physiology of non-avian dinosaurs, especially the endothermic/ectothermic nature of their metabolism, inferred indirectly using body mass, biophysical modelling, bone histology and growth rate, has long been a matter of debate. Clumped isotope thermometry, based on the thermodynamically driven preference of 13 C- 18 O bond in carbonate minerals of fossilized eggshells, yields temperature of egg formation in the oviduct and can delineate the nature of thermoregulation of some extinct dinosaur taxa. In the present study, the clumped isotope thermometry was applied to the eggshells of a few species of modern birds and reptiles to show that it is possible to obtain the body temperatures of these species in most of the cases. We then used this method to the fossil eggshells of Late Cretaceous sauropods and theropods recovered from western and central India. The estimated body temperatures varied between 29 °C and 46 °C, with an overall average of 37 °C, significantly higher than the environmental temperature (about 25 °C) of this region during the Late Cretaceous. The results also show that the theropod species with low body masses (~800 kg) had high body temperature (~38 °C), while some gigantic (~20000 kg) sauropods had low body temperatures that were comparable to or slightly higher than the environmental temperature. Our analyses suggest that these Late Cretaceous giant species were endowed with a capacity of variable thermoregulation to control their body temperature., (© 2020 The Authors.)

Air quality in the megacity Delhi is affected not only by local emissions but also by pollutants from crop residue burning in the surrounding areas of the city, particularly the rice straw burning in the post monsoon season. As a major burning product, gaseous CO 2 , which is rather inert in the polluted atmosphere, provides an alternative solution to characterize the impact of biomass burning from a new perspective that other common tracers such as particulate matters are limited because of their physical and chemical reactiveness. Here, we report conventional ([CO 2 ], δ 13 C, and δ 18 O) and unconventional (Δ 17 O) isotope data for CO 2 collected at Connaught Place (CP), a core area in the megacity Delhi, and two surrounding remote regions during a field campaign in October 18-20, 2017. We also measured the isotopic ratios near a rice straw burning site in Taiwan to constrain their end member isotopic compositions. Rice straw burning produces CO 2 with δ 13 C, δ 18 O, and Δ 17 O values of -29.02 ± 0.65, 19.63 ± 1.16, and 0.05 ± 0.02‰, respectively. The first two isotopic tracers are less distinguishable from those emitted by fossil fuel combustion but the last one is significantly different. We then utilize these end member isotopic ratios, with emphasis on Δ 17 O for the reason given above, for partitioning sources that affect the CO 2 level in Delhi. Anthropogenic fraction of CO 2 at CP ranges from 4 to 40%. Further analysis done by employing a three-component (background, rice straw burning, and fuel combustion) mixing model with constraints from the Δ 17 O values yields that rice straw burning contributes as much as ∼70% of the total anthropogenic CO 2 , which is more than double of the fossil fuel contribution (∼30%), during the study days., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

A photoanode fabricated with agglomerated zinc stannate nanoparticles was applied to dye sensitized solar cells (DSCs) based on cobalt complex mediators. The resultant devices yield an impressive power conversion efficiency of 8.1% under 100 mW cm -2 (AM1.5) light irradiation, which demonstrates the feasibility of use of zinc stannate photoanodes in iodine-free DSCs.

Air pollution resulted from fossil fuel burning has been an environmental issue in developing countries in Asia. Sulfur-bearing compounds, in particular, are species that are regulated and monitored routinely. To assess how the species affect at local and global scales, regional background level has to be defined. Here, we report analysis of sulfur isotopes in atmospheric sulfate, the oxidation end product of sulfur species, in particulate phase collected at the Lulin observatory located at 2862 m above mean sea level in 2010. The averaged sulfate concentration for 44 selected samples is 2.7 ± 2.3 (1-σ standard deviation) μg m -3 , and the averaged δ 34 S is 2.2 ± 1.6‰, with respect to the international standard Vienna Canyon Diablo Troilite. Regardless of the origins of air masses, no noticeable difference between the low-altitude Pacific and high-altitude free troposphere sulfate aerosols is observed. Also, no identifiable seasonal cycle in seen. Correlation analysis with respect to coal burning tracers such as lead and oil industry tracers such as vanadium shows sulfate concentration is in better correlation with vanadium (R 2  = 0.86, p-value < 0.001) than with lead (R 2  = 0.45, p-value < 0.001) but no statistically significant correlation is found in δ 34 S with any of physical quantities measured. We suggest the sulfate collected at Lulin can best represent the regional background level in the Western Pacific, a quantity that is needed in order to quantitatively assess the budget of sulfur in local to country scales.

The property of charge extraction at the contact between the perovskite and electron selective layer (ESL) is vital to the photovoltaic performance of perovskite solar cells (PSCs). The J-V hysteresis phenomenon is frequently observed when the PSC is limited by inefficient charge transfer across the perovskite/ESL interface. Drift-diffusion simulations are performed so as to correlate the hysteresis with the quality of the perovskite/ESL junction. A generalized charge exchange model is introduced into drift-diffusion equations for describing the dynamics of charge extraction at the perovskite/ESL contact. Our simulations demonstrate that inefficient charge extraction is one of the causes of j-V hysteresis. This is because limited charge transfer gives rise to a depletion domain in the ESL, and hence promotes the interfacial accumulation of charge carriers as well as movable ions. Furthermore, it is found that the incorporation of surface recombination into drift-diffusion simulations enables the loss in open circuit voltage to be simulated in PSCs with different charge transfer properties. The simulation results indicate that j-V hysteresis can be suppressed by improving the charge extraction property and suppressing surface recombination.

With perovskite-based solar cells (PSCs) now reaching efficiencies of greater than 20 %, the stability of PSC devices has become a critical challenge for commercialization. However, most efficient hole-transporting materials (HTMs) thus far still rely on the state-of-the-art methoxy triphenylamine (MOTPA) donor unit in which methoxy groups usually reduce the device stability. Herein, a carbazole-fluorene hybrid has been employed as a methoxy-free donor to construct organic HTMs. The indeno[1,2-b]carbazole group not only inherits the characteristics of carbazole and fluorene, but also exhibits additional advantages arising from the bulky planar structure. Consequently, M129, endowed with indeno[1,2-b]carbazole simultaneously exhibits a promising efficiency of over 20 % and superior long-term stability. The hybrid strategy toward the methoxy-free donor opens a new avenue for developing efficient and stable HTMs., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The triple oxygen isotope signature Δ 17 O in atmospheric CO 2 , also known as its " 17 O excess," has been proposed as a tracer for gross primary production (the gross uptake of CO 2 by vegetation through photosynthesis). We present the first global 3-D model simulations for Δ 17 O in atmospheric CO 2 together with a detailed model description and sensitivity analyses. In our 3-D model framework we include the stratospheric source of Δ 17 O in CO 2 and the surface sinks from vegetation, soils, ocean, biomass burning, and fossil fuel combustion. The effect of oxidation of atmospheric CO on Δ 17 O in CO 2 is also included in our model. We estimate that the global mean Δ 17 O (defined as Δ 17 O = ln ( δ 17 O + 1 ) - λ RL · ln ( δ 18 O + 1 ) with λ RL = 0.5229) of CO 2 in the lowest 500 m of the atmosphere is 39.6 per meg, which is ∼20 per meg lower than estimates from existing box models. We compare our model results with a measured stratospheric Δ 17 O in CO 2 profile from Sodankylä (Finland), which shows good agreement. In addition, we compare our model results with tropospheric measurements of Δ 17 O in CO 2 from Göttingen (Germany) and Taipei (Taiwan), which shows some agreement but we also find substantial discrepancies that are subsequently discussed. Finally, we show model results for Zotino (Russia), Mauna Loa (United States), Manaus (Brazil), and South Pole, which we propose as possible locations for future measurements of Δ 17 O in tropospheric CO 2 that can help to further increase our understanding of the global budget of Δ 17 O in atmospheric CO 2 ., (©2019. The Authors.)

Background: Reconstruction of hemiglossectomy defects requires careful flap design to avoid adverse functional and aesthetic outcomes., Methods: Hemitongue specimens were obtained from minipigs to study the three-dimensional anatomy and to define anatomic landmarks for precise measurements of flap requirement. The concept developed in animal models was then applied to hemiglossectomy reconstruction in clinical practice. Sixty-one patients were randomly enrolled into the following two groups: a "five-point eight-line segment" (FIPELS) flap design group (28 patients) and a conventional group (33 patients). Functional and aesthetic outcomes were compared between the two groups., Results: All flaps designed with the FIPELS technique matched the hemiglossectomy defects without the need for flap trimming, thus reducing the operating time (P = .03). Swallowing functions, speech intelligibility, and aesthetic outcomes were superior in the FIPELS group than that in the conventional group (P < .05)., Conclusions: The FIPELS flap design for hemiglossectomy reconstruction yields improved functional and aesthetic outcomes compared to a conventional flap design., (© 2018 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

The isotopic composition of water vapour provides integrated perspectives on the hydrological histories of air masses and has been widely used for tracing physical processes in hydrological and climatic studies. Over the last two decades, the infrared laser spectroscopy technique has been used to measure the isotopic composition of water vapour near the Earth's surface. Here, we have assembled a global database of high temporal resolution stable water vapour isotope ratios (δ 18 O and δD) observed using this measurement technique. As of March 2018, the database includes data collected at 35 sites in 15 Köppen climate zones from the years 2004 to 2017. The key variables in each dataset are hourly values of δ 18 O and δD in atmospheric water vapour. To support interpretation of the isotopologue data, synchronized time series of standard meteorological variables from in situ observations and ERA5 reanalyses are also provided. This database is intended to serve as a centralized platform allowing researchers to share their vapour isotope datasets, thus facilitating investigations that transcend disciplinary and geographic boundaries.

Purpose: To assess the efficacy of applying bandage contact lens (BCL) in reducing the fibrotic healing response of flap margins following femtosecond laser in situ keratomileusis (FS-LASIK)., Methods: In this prospective, randomized, interventional, observer-masked trial, 41 patients (82 eyes) with myopia and/or myopic astigmatism were scheduled to undergo FS-LASIK. After surgery, patients were fitted with a BCL in one eye (BCL eyes, n =41) but not in the contralateral eye (control eyes, n =41), following randomized allocation of the BCL to the left or right eye of each patient. The BCL was left in place overnight and removed the following morning. All eyes subsequently received standardized postoperative treatments. Patients were followed up for 6 months. We evaluated patients' self-reported postoperative symptom scores for pain, photophobia, tearing, and foreign-body sensation. At 6 months after surgery, we examined the corneal flap margin and adjacent regions, and photographed them using slit-lamp biomicroscopy, to subjectively evaluate the wound healing response., Results: Postoperative pain and photophobia were milder in the BCL group than in the control group ( P =0.041 and P =0.003, respectively), but patients felt more foreign-body sensation in the eye with a BCL than in the control eye ( P =0.001). There was no significant difference in tearing score between BCL eyes and control eyes ( P =0.118). Regarding the fibrotic healing response of the flap margin, control eyes showed a wide, bright peripheral circumferential band with a spiculated edge and high reflectivity; conversely, BCL eyes showed a markedly narrower and smoother peripheral circumferential band, with a less spiculated edge and lower reflectivity ( P < 0.001)., Conclusion: Patients felt less discomfort in eyes treated with a BCL after FS-LASIK than in control eyes. BCL-treated eyes also had a less intense wound healing response at the flap margins than control eyes in some of patients. BCLs may merit consideration as a treatment option after FS-LASIK for special patients. This trial is registered with ChiCTR1800016579.

Four new hole transporting materials (HTMs), M107-M110, based on thieno[3,2-b]indole cores have been designed and employed in perovskite solar cells. The perovskite solar cells based on M109 exhibit a leading efficiency of 18.14% with a photovoltage over 1.11 V.

Objective: To study the pharmacokinetic profile of phentolamine mesylate injection in healthy Chinese volunteers., Methods: A total of 16 healthy volunteers were randomly divided into two groups, each receiving anterior teeth submucosal infiltration anesthesia and inferior alveolar nerve block anesthesia, respectively. The participants were injected with 0.9 mL, 1.8 mL, and 3.6 mL of 2% lidocaine HCl with 1∶100 000 epinephrine over three periods sequentially, followed by corresponding sequential injection of 0.2 mg, 0.4 mg, 0.8 mg of phentolamine mesylate at the same sites 30 min later.Blood samples were drawn from 5 min before injection to 15 h post the injection of phentolamine mesylate (16 time points). Adverse events were closely observed all the time. Plasma phentolamine mesylate was detected using UPLC-MS/MS with isotope as internal standard. WinNolin 6.1 software was used to calculate the pharmacokinetic parameters., Results: Time to peak concerntration ( T max ) ranged from 12 to 13 min. Half-time of elimination ( t 1/2 ) ranged from 3.84 to 4.07 h, with a clearance ( CL ) of 190 L/h. Peak concentration ( C max ), area under concentration-time curves from 0 to t hour and from 0 to infinite time ( AUC 0-t and AUC 0-∞ ) increased proportionally in the dose range of 0.2 mg to 0.8 mg. The results of confidence interval analysis showed nearly linear dynamic characteristics for the injection of phentolamine mesylate. All participants experienced mild adverse events, including pain at the injection point, dizziness, and palpitations. These adverse events disappeared without treatments., Conclusions: Phentolamine mesylate injection is effective for reversing oral local anesthetic effects., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

To assess sources and processes that affect the variability of CO 2 at local to regional scales, we have analyzed the mixing ratio [CO 2 ] and stable isotopic compositions (δ 13 C and δ 18 O) of atmospheric CO 2 for three years (2014-2016) in urban and sub-urban areas in Taipei, Taiwan. The data are compared with those from some background sites, viz., Lulin, Mauna Loa, and Minamitorishima, to evaluate how local emissions affect CO 2 level regionally. [CO 2 ] over the urban and sub-urban stations are significantly higher than that observed at the three aforementioned remote sites mainly due to local emissions, which partly mask the seasonal cycle caused by photosynthesis and respiration. Likewise, significantly low δ 13 C and δ 18 O values observed at two Taipei stations also point to anthropogenic emissions. The seasonal cycles in [CO 2 ] and in the isotopic compositions are retrieved using the ensemble empirical mode decomposition method. Regional impact is assessed using CO 2 products from the Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 satellite, the NOAA/EARL CarbonTracker project, and meteorological data from European Centre for Medium range Weather Forecast-Interim. We found that besides local emissions, Taiwan is largely affected by external CO 2 in winter and spring originated from north, west and southwest landmasses. In winter air masses with elevated CO 2 concentrations, originated in eastern China influence Taipei. In spring season, about 2 ppmv enhancement in CO 2 observed at the top of Lulin, a high mountain station (2.8 km), could be linked to CO 2 produced by biomass burning in the southeast Asian countries and transported to the region by easterly winds.

The core plays a crucial role in achieving high performance of linear hole transport materials (HTMs) toward the perovskite solar cells (PSCs). Most studies focused on the development of fused heterocycles as cores for HTMs. Nevertheless, nonfused heterocycles deserve to be studied since they can be easily synthesized. In this work, we reported a series of low-cost triphenylamine HTMs (M101-M106) with different nonfused cores. Results concluded that the introduced core has a significant influence on conductivity, hole mobility, energy level, and solubility of linear HTMs. M103 and M104 with nonfused oligothiophene cores are superior to other HTMs in terms of conductivity, hole mobility, and surface morphology. PSCs based on M104 exhibited the highest power conversion efficiency of 16.50% under AM 1.5 sun, which is comparable to that of spiro-OMeTAD (16.67%) under the same conditions. Importantly, the employment of M104 is highly economical in terms of the cost of synthesis as compared to that of spiro-OMeTAD. This work demonstrated that nonfused heterocycles, such as oligothiophene, are promising cores for high performance of linear HTMs toward PSCs.

Deafness, the most common auditory disease, has greatly affected people for a long time. The major treatment for deafness is cochlear implantation (CI). However, till today, there is still a lack of objective and precise indicator serving as evaluation of the effectiveness of the cochlear implantation. The goal of this EEG-based study is to effectively distinguish CI children from those prelingual deafened children without cochlear implantation. The proposed method is based on the functional connectivity analysis, which focuses on the brain network regional synchrony. Specifically, we compute the functional connectivity between each channel pair first. Then, we quantify the brain network synchrony among regions of interests (ROIs), where both intraregional synchrony and interregional synchrony are computed. And finally the synchrony values are concatenated to form the feature vector for the SVM classifier. What is more, we develop a new ROI partition method of 128-channel EEG recording system. That is, both the existing ROI partition method and the proposed ROI partition method are used in the experiments. Compared with the existing EEG signal classification methods, our proposed method has achieved significant improvements as large as 87.20% and 86.30% when the existing ROI partition method and the proposed ROI partition method are used, respectively. It further demonstrates that the new ROI partition method is comparable to the existing ROI partition method.

Silver nanowires with high yield, uniform size and high aspect ratio were successfully synthesized by a simple and effective polyol method under low temperature and quiescent conditions, adopting CuCl2·2H2O as the nucleation control agent for the first time. The synthesized silver nanowires were characterized by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and UV-Vis diffuse reflectance spectroscopy (DRS). The results indicate that the silver nanowires were composed of face-centered cubic structure of pure metallic silver with high crystallinity. And the silver nanowires have an average length of 80~100 μm and an average diameter of 40~80 nm. Thus, the aspect ratio of the nanowires was greater than 1000. In addition, the influence on the morphology and structure of the silver nanowires were investigated for reaction temperature, mole ratio of PVP:AgNO3, molecular weight of PVP and mole ratio of control agent CuCl2 · 2H2O:AgNO3. Finally, the optimum reaction condition were obtained for the preparation of the silver nanowires with high aspect ratio.

Aim: This study aimed to compare the outcomes of pelvic floor muscle training (PFMT) between postpartum and non-postpartum women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI) and to detect potential factors that may influence these outcomes., Methods: A total of 54 and 79 participants were recruited into postpartum (PP group) and non-postpartum (non-PP group) groups, respectively. A physiotherapist treated the participants twice a week for 6-8 weeks. At baseline and 6 and 12 months after treatment, the 1-h pad weight test (PWT), vaginal contraction pressure (VCP), and Incontinence Impact Questionnaire Short Form (IIQ-7) were assessed by an evaluator or physiotherapist. The primary outcome was PWT improvement. The participants whose PWT improvement reached a >50% reduction relative to baseline were considered responders. Secondary outcomes included VCP, IIQ-7 score, and patient satisfaction rate., Results: The PWT improvement was 87.04% (95%CI: 0.78, 0.96) in the PP group at 1-year follow-up, which was significantly better than the 72.15% improvement (95%CI: 0.62, 0.82) in the non-PP group (OR = 2.591, 95%CI: 1.018, 6.595, P = 0.041). Changes in VCP and BMI were significant predictors of responders in the regression analysis. As the change in VCP increased by 1 cmH 2 O, the efficiency increased by 4.2% (OR = 1.042, 95%CI: 1.010, 1.070). The change in BMI increased by 1 kg/m 2 , and the efficiency decreased 23.0% (OR = 0.770, 95%CI: 0.633, 0.937)., Conclusions: The outcome of PFMT in postpartum participants with SUI was better than that in non-postpartum participants. Women with more improvements in VCP and weight loss showed better amelioration of SUI symptoms after PFMT., (© 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.)

Objective: To establish a method for the determination of 5-hydroxy tryptamine (5-HT),adrenalin (AD) and noradrenalin (NA) in human plasma using pre-column derivatization HPLC-MS/MS. Methods Derivatives of the plasma samples were produced with dansyl chloride under pH 10.5,and then extracted and enriched with ethyl acetate. The detected chemicals were separated using Ultimate C₁₈ (50 mm×4.6 mm,5 μm) with acetonitrile-water-formic acid=95∶5∶0.05 ( V∶V∶V ) at 0.2 mL/min. The HPLC-MS//MS system was operated under a multiple reaction monitoring mode (MRM) using the electrospray ionization technique in positive mode., Results: Linear range of the calibration curve appeared in 250-2.5 ng/mL. The method had a less than 9% intra- and inter-assay relative standard deviation ( RSD ),95.44%-109.71% recoveries,and 4.86%-12.81% matrix effects., Conclusion: This method is simple,accurate,and suitable for detection of 5-HT,AD and NA in human plasma., (Copyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

Self-assembly of organic sensitizer layers in cobalt complex-based DSCs was studied to elucidate its role in reducing the loss of charge recombination. DSCs with various dye loadings were fabricated by dye desorption without the aid of basic solvent. The FT-IR and UV results indicate the deprotonation of the anchoring organic sensitizers, which influences the conduction band of TiO 2 remarkably by changing the surface potential. Positive band edge shifts and a decrease of the recombination rate constant are demonstrated to be the main factors affecting energy loss at open circuit. In contrast, absorbed photon conversion efficiency (APCE) analyses illuminate the crucial role of the packing of the anchoring sensitizer in reducing recombination loss at short circuit. This is further supported by numerical simulations, which show that APCE is primarily dependent on the recombination rate constant rather than the band edge shift at short circuit. These results highlight the importance of self-assembly of sensitizers with insulating groups in retarding charge recombination by forming overlapping molecular layers.

Objective: To compared the differences in pharmacokinetics of phosphate retagliptin tablets in patients with varying degrees of renal dysfunction., Methods: A total of 32 patients were categorized into five groups according to their renal function: normal,mild dysfunction, moderate dysfunction,severe dysfunction,and end stage renal dysfunction (ESRD). All of the patients took a single dose of 50 mg phosphate retagliptin tablet. Their plasma and urinary concentrations of phosphate retagliptin (SP2086) and phosphate retagliptin acid (SP2086 acid) were determined using LC-MS/MS methods. The plasma pharmacokinetic parameters were calculated using WinNolin 6.1 software., Results: Peak concentrations ( C max ) of SP2086 reached at (1.07±0.35) h in the patients with mild renal dysfunction,(1.50±0.89) h in the patients with moderate renal dysfunction,(1.67±2.16) h in the patients with severe renal dysfunction,(2.42±2.15) h in the patients with ESRD,and (1.75±1.21) h in the normal participants,with a clearance ( CL/F ) of (23.50±6.01) ,(12.90±4.34) ,(6.70±1.55) ,(3.10±0.48) ,and (30.50±10.70) L/h,respectively. With the increasing damages in renal function presented an incease in C max ,time to reach C max ( T max ),and area under curve ( AUC ), a decrease in CL/F , of SP2086 and SP2086 acid. The 0-96 hurine cumulative excretion percentage (Ae%) of SP2086 ranged from 0.441% to 4.530%. The Ae% of SP2086 acid reached (71.7±14.3) % in the patients with mild renal dysfunction, (59.5±22.7) % in the patients with moderate renal dysfunction, (63.3±13.9) % in the patients with severe renal dysfunction, (34.1±20.0) % in the patient with ESRD,and (74.2±14.6) % in the normal participants, with a renal clearance (CL/R) of (220.0±51.2),(105.0±64.5),(54.5±7.6),(13.5±7.8),and (289.0±73.7) mL/min,respectively. Compared with the participants with normal renal function,the AUC s of SP2086 and SP2086 acid were 1.44 times and 2.32 times higher in the patients with moderate renal dysfunction,2.20 times and 4.39 times higher in the patients with severe renal dysfunction, and 2.83 times and 9.28 times higher in the patients with ESRD., Conclusion: The dosage of phosphate retagliptin tablet is recommended at 100 mg/d for patients with normal renal function and those with mild renal dysfunction,at 50 mg/d for patients with moderate renal dysfunction,and at 25 mg/d for patients with severe renal dysfunction. No phosphate retagliptin tablet is recommended for patients with ESRD., (CopyrightCopyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

Objective: To develop a high performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC-MS/MS) method for the determination of voriconazole in human plasma and its bioequivalence., Methods: 48 healthy male volunteers received a single dose of 200 mg voriconazole tablets in a two period (with two preparations) and randomized crossover bioequivalence study. Their plasma voriconazole was determined using HPLC-MS/MS. The pharmacokinetic parameters and bioequivalence of the two preparations were calculated with WinNonlin ® 6.1., Results: The calibration curve of voriconazole ranged from 1 to 5 000 ng/mL. The HPLC-MS/MS method had less than 11% intra- and inter-day relative standard deviation ( RSD ),with 100.00% to 109.73% accuracies. The RSD of the matrix effect of voriconazole adjusted with internal standard was less than 15%. The extract recoveries exceeded 50% with good stability. The 90% confidence intervals for the peak concentration ( C max ) and the area under the curve (AUC 0-t and AUC 0-∞ )of voriconazole fell into the bioequivalence range of 80.00%-125.00%. There was no significant difference in peak time ( T max ) between the two preparations., Conclusion: HPLC-MS/MS can be used for determination of voriconazole in human plasma. The two tested preparations of voriconazole are bioequivalent., (CopyrightCopyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

Objective: To develop a liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS) method for detecting tenofovir in human plasma., Methods: Twenty four healthy male volunteers received a single oral dose of 300 mg tenofovir disoproxil fumarate tablets under fasting and high-fat diet conditions in a randomized four-way crossover bioequivalence study with two preparations of tablets. Plasma samples were taken and analyzed using the LC-MS/MS method. The pharmacokinetic parameters of the two preparations were calculated and compared statistically to evaluate their bioequivalence using Phoenix Winnonlin6.3., Results: Linear detection responses were obtained for tenofovir at the range from 3.13 to 500 ng/mL. The intra- and inter-day precisions were high,with lower than 5.43% [relative standard deviation ( RSD )%],high recovery and good stability. The 90% confidence intervals of peak concentration ( C max ) of tenofovir and its area under the curve (AUC 0-t and AUC 0-∞ ) all fell within the bioequivalence limit 80.00%-125.00% under both fasting and high-fat diet conditions. No significant difference in peak time ( T max ) was demonstrated between the two preparations ( P >0.05) ., Conclusion: The LC-MS/MS method can be used for simultaneous determination of tenofovir in human plasma. The two preparations of tablets are bioequivalent., (CopyrightCopyright© by Editorial Board of Journal of Sichuan University (Medical Science Edition).)

Hetrombopag olamine (hetrombopag) is a novel small-molecule, orally bioavailable, non-peptide thrombopoietin (TPO) receptor agonist that is being developed as the treatment for thrombocytopenia. Two randomized, placebo-controlled phase I studies were conducted in 72 healthy individuals to assess the safety, tolerability, pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of hetrombopag. Hetrombopag was orally administered with a single dose in five dose cohorts (5 mg, 10 mg, 20 mg, 30 mg or 40 mg) in the first study, and given once daily for 10 days in three dose cohorts (2.5 mg, 5.0 mg or 7.5 mg) in the second study, respectively. Hetrombopag was well tolerated, and the majority of adverse events associated with medicine were platelet elevations significantly above the normal range in healthy individuals. The single dose-escalation study revealed a T max of approximate 8 hr, and a t 1/2 of 11.9 hr to 40.1 hr in a dose-prolonged manner. A dose-proportional increase in maximum concentration (C max ) of hetrombopag was observed, with area under the curve (AUC) increasing in a greater than dose-proportional manner. The plasma concentration of hetrombopag reached the steady-state after 7 days. The steady-state AUC 0-24 hr and C max were dose-proportionally elevated from the 5.0 mg to 7.5 mg dose level. The potent pharmacological effect of the hetrombopag-induced platelet elevation was observed in a time- and dose-dependent manner. Furthermore, the thrombopoietic response was significantly (p < 0.0001) correlated to the plasma exposure level of hetrombopag in single and multiple administration studies. Taken together, results of this study support further clinical development of hetrombopag in patients with thrombocytopenia., (© 2017 Nordic Association for the Publication of BCPT (former Nordic Pharmacological Society).)

The abundance variations of near surface atmospheric CO 2 isotopologues (primarily 16 O 12 C 16 O, 16 O 13 C 16 O, 17 O 12 C 16 O, and 18 O 12 C 16 O) represent an integrated signal from anthropogenic/biogeochemical processes, including fossil fuel burning, biospheric photosynthesis and respiration, hydrospheric isotope exchange with water, and stratospheric photochemistry. Oxygen isotopes, in particular, are affected by the carbon and water cycles. Being a useful tracer that directly probes governing processes in CO 2 biogeochemical cycles, Δ 17 O (=ln(1 + δ 17 O) - 0.516 × ln(1 + δ 18 O)) provides an alternative constraint on the strengths of the associated cycles involving CO 2 . Here, we analyze Δ 17 O data from four places (Taipei, Taiwan; South China Sea; La Jolla, United States; Jerusalem, Israel) in the northern hemisphere (with a total of 455 measurements) and find a rather narrow range (0.326 ± 0.005‰). A conservative estimate places a lower limit of 345 ± 70 PgC year -1 on the cycling flux between the terrestrial biosphere and atmosphere and infers a residence time of CO 2 of 1.9 ± 0.3 years (upper limit) in the atmosphere. A Monte Carlo simulation that takes various plant uptake scenarios into account yields a terrestrial gross primary productivity of 120 ± 30 PgC year -1 and soil invasion of 110 ± 30 PgC year -1 , providing a quantitative assessment utilizing the oxygen isotope anomaly for quantifying CO 2 cycling.

Asymmetric 8H-thieno[2',3':4,5]thieno[3,2-b]thieno[2,3-d]pyrrole (TTP) unit has been synthesized and used as a rigid and coplanar π-bridge to construct four new metal-free sensitizers W05-08. These dyes sensitized solar cells exhibit high photocurrent due to strong light harvesting capability. Among these dyes, the W05-based cell in conjunction with cobalt(II/III) redox shuttle exhibits the best power conversion efficiency up to 9.22%.

Abnormal glucose metabolism in the brain is recognized to be associated with cognitive decline. Because grapes are rich in polyphenols that produce antioxidative and blood sugar-lowering effects, we investigated how grape consumption affects the expression and/or phosphorylation of neurodegeneration-related brain proteins in aged rats fed a high-fructose-high-fat (HFHF) diet. Wistar rats were maintained on the HFHF diet from the age of 8 weeks to 66 weeks, and then on an HFHF diet containing either 3% or 6% grape powder as an intervention for 12 weeks. Western blotting was performed to measure the expression/phosphorylation levels of several cortical and hippocampal proteins, including amyloid precursor protein (APP), tau, phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK), receptor for advanced glycation end products (RAGEs), erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) and brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF). Inclusion of up to 6% grape powder in the diet markedly reduced RAGE expression and tau hyperphosphorylation, but upregulated the expression of Nrf2 and BDNF, as well as the phosphorylation of PI3K and ERK, in the brain tissues of aged rats fed the HFHF diet. Thus, grape powder consumption produced beneficial effects in HFHF-diet-fed rats, exhibiting the potential to ameliorate changes in neurodegeneration-related proteins in the brain., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Thiophene derivatives, including thieno[3,2-b][1]benzothiophene (TBT), benzo[b]thiophene (BT), 2-phenylthieno[3,2-b]thiophene (PTT) and 2-phenylthiophene (PT), have been introduced as donors for the construction of triarylamine organic dyes (M52, M53, M56, M57 and M52A). The absorption, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties as well as the stabilities of these dyes are systematically investigated and compared with the reference dye (M55), whose donor is composed of the hexyloxybenzene (HOB) unit. It is found that introducing the TBT, BT, PTT or PT donors positively shifted the HOMO and LUMO levels of the organic dyes, providing a larger driving force for regeneration and reducing the energy loss for electron injection. In addition, we found that M52, which contains the TBT unit, exhibited better photovoltaic performance and photostability as compared to the reference dye. In contrast, M53 displayed the lowest efficiency and stability of these dyes, indicating that the BT unit is not a good building block for donors. Interestingly, upon the incorporation of the mixed donor (TBT-HOB), M52A achieved a desirable driving force for regeneration without a loss in light absorption, thus resulting in a further improved photovoltaic performance with respect to that of M52. This work demonstrates that introducing donors based on thiophene derivatives is a good strategy for tuning the energy levels and thereby enhancing the efficiency of the resulting devices.

Cellular senescence as a result of organismal aging or progeroid diseases leads to stem cell pool exhaustion hindering tissue regeneration and contributing to the progression of age related disorders. Here we discovered that ectopic expression of the pluripotent factor NANOG in senescent or progeroid myogenic progenitors reversed cellular aging and restored completely the ability to generate contractile force. To elicit its effects, NANOG enabled reactivation of the ROCK and Transforming Growth Factor (TGF)-β pathways-both of which were impaired in senescent cells-leading to ACTIN polymerization, MRTF-A translocation into the nucleus and serum response factor (SRF)-dependent myogenic gene expression. Collectively our data reveal that cellular senescence can be reversed and provide a novel strategy to regain the lost function of aged stem cells without reprogramming to the pluripotent state. Stem Cells 2017;35:207-221., (© 2016 AlphaMed Press.)

Quantification of contributions from various sources of CO 2 is important for understanding the atmospheric CO 2 budget. Considering the number and diversity of sources and sinks, the widely used proxies such as concentration and conventional isotopic compositions (δ 13 C and δ 18 O) are not always sufficient to fully constrain the CO 2 budget. Additional constraints may help in understanding the mechanisms of CO 2 production and consumption. The anomaly in triple oxygen isotopes or 17 O excess (denoted by Δ 17 O) and molecules containing two rare isotopes, called clumped isotopes, are two recently developed tracers with potentials to independently constrain some important processes that regulate CO 2 in the atmosphere. The clumped isotope for CO 2 , denoted by Δ 47 , is the excess of 13 C 16 O 18 O over a random distribution of isotopes in a CO 2 molecule. We measured the concentrations of δ 13 C, δ 18 O, Δ 17 O, and Δ 47 in air CO 2 samples collected from the Hsuehshan tunnel (length: 12.9 km), and applied linear and polynomial regressions to obtain the fossil fuel end-members for all these isotope proxies. The other end-members, the values of all these proxies for background air CO 2 , are either assumed or taken as the values obtained over the tunnel and ocean. The fossil fuel (anthropogenic) CO 2 end-member values for δ 13 C, δ 18 O, Δ 17 O, and Δ 47 are estimated using the two component mixing approach: the derived values are -26.76 ± 0.25‰, 24.57 ± 0.33‰, -0.219 ± 0.021‰, and 0.267 ± 0.036‰, respectively. These four major CO 2 isotope tracers along with the concentration were used to estimate the anthropogenic contribution in the atmospheric CO 2 in urban and suburban locations. We demonstrate that Δ 17 O and Δ 47 have the potential to independently estimate anthropogenic contribution, and the advantages of these two over the conventional isotope proxies are discussed.