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A new myxomycete species, Arcyria similaris, was reported herein. The specimens were found and collected in the field on dead bark from Jingangtai National Geopark in Henan Province of China. This species has distinct and unique morphological characteristics, including dark grayish olive sporothecae that fade to smoke gray with age, shallow saucer-shaped cups with marked reticulations and thick papillae on the inner surface, a netted capillitium with many bulges, uniformly marked with low, dense, and irregular reticulations, and spores (8.0–)9.3–10.1(–10.9) μm in diameter, marked with sparse small warts and grouped prominent warts. Apart from a comprehensive morphological study, partial sequences of the nuclear 18S rDNA and elongation factor-1 alpha (EF-1α) genes were also provided in this study. This new species was described and illustrated morphologically. The specimens are deposited in the Herbarium of Fungi of Nanjing Normal University (HFNNU). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two-dimensional (2D) covalent organic framework (COF) membranes featuring well-aligned and programmable vertical nanochannels have emerged as a promising candidate for advanced nanofluidic devices and showcased vast potential in the fields of smart-gating, ion-separation, and energy-harvesting. However, the transverse interlayer nanochannels with a height of sub-nanometer-scale in 2D-COF membranes have scarcely been studied in comparison. Here, we report the ion transport characteristics in 2D interlayer nanochannels of protonated COF membranes. The distinct surface-charge-governed ionic conductance in domination of electrolyte concentration below 10−3 M as well as the exceptional anion/cation (Cl−/K+) selectivity is revealed due to the pronounced charge and nano-confinement effects. Additionally, evident ion current rectification is witnessed when incorporating asymmetric geometry into the system, which is attributed to the dynamic process of ion enrichment and dissipation within the protonated nanochannels. This work offers immense prospects for 2D-COF membranes in the fields of biomimetic nanofluidic devices and cutting-edge electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Compared to other settings, COVID-19 infection and death rates in Hong Kong were very low until 2022, due to top-down interventions (e.g. quarantines, 'mask mandates') and community activation. However, in addition to these epidemiological circumstances, Hong Kong has also undergone significant social and political change stemming from the social movement beginning in 2019 through the enacting, and aftermath, of the National Security Law. We draw on registered birth and marriage data from 2015 through 2021 to explore how fertility and nuptiality changed after the social movement followed by the first four waves of the COVID pandemic. We describe how fertility and marriage rates have changed in Hong Kong and to what extent the changes are associated with the social movement and the COVID pandemic. We further disaggregate the fertility and nuptiality trends by Hong Kong-born and non-Hong Kong-born population, with a specific focus on migrants from the Mainland. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, the efficiency of fertilizers was improved by coating the fertilizers with a hydrogel formed by the polymerization of itaconic acid (IA), maleic acid (MA), acrylic acid (AA), and potassium persulfate (KPS) to form a synergistic fertilizer and improve its slow-release performance. The effect of synergistic fertilizers on the changes in soil nutrients in wheat fields was studied through field and soil column experiments using ordinary and commercial synergistic fertilizers as controls and different application rates of 'synergistic fertilizers as treatments. The results revealed that the alkali-hydrolyzed nitrogen (N) and total N contents were significantly higher in T1 than that in CK, and the treatments were ranked as T3 > T2 > T5 > T1 > CK > T4. The difference in the alkali-hydrolyzed N and total N contents between CK and T3 was significant. In terms of available phosphorus (P) and potassium (K) contents, the treatments were ranked as T1 > T4 > T2 > CK > T3 in all soil layers and T3 > T2 > T5 > T1 > CK > T4 in the soil column. The treatments were ranked as T4>CK>T3>T1>T2 in terms of soil organic matter (SOM) content. Compared with ordinary fertilizers, synergistic fertilizers could significantly increase the soil total N, alkali-hydrolyzed N, available P, and available K contents. Compared with ordinary slow-release fertilizers in the market, the effect of synergistic fertilizers is better in improving the use efficiency of fertilizers. By slowly releasing nutrients, synergistic fertilizers can continuously provide nutrients for the growth and development of wheat and improve the use efficiency of fertilizer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ideal family sizes remain at or above two in most low-fertility settings, but sub-replacement fertility ideals have been reported for urban China. The presence of restrictive family planning policies has led to a debate as to whether such ideals are genuine. This study exploits the ending of the one-child policy and the beginning of a universal two-child policy in October 2015 to investigate whether relaxing the restrictions led to an increase in ideal family size. We apply difference-in-differences and individual-level fixed-effect models to longitudinal data from a near-nationwide survey. For married individuals aged 20–39, relaxing the restrictions from one to two children increased the mean ideal family size by around 0.2 and the proportion who desired two or more children by around 19 percentage points. Findings suggest that although reported ideal family sizes have been reduced by policy restrictions, sub-replacement ideal family sizes in urban China appear to be genuine. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study focused on casual sex motivation to explore why some users tend to have more sexual partners and are more likely to take risks in sexual practices, thereby raising their chances of contracting sexually transmitted infections (STIs). Methods: We recruited Chinese heterosexual dating app users (N = 582) online to investigate the serial mediation model. Results: Casual sex motivation for dating app use was not directly related to the diagnoses of STIs. Number of sexual partners and frequency of risky sexual behavior serially mediated the relationship between casual sex motivation and STI diagnoses. Conclusions: Using dating apps for casual sex motivation is not necessarily associated with higher incidences of STIs, provided that users do not engage in risky sexual practices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development and repair of dentin are strictly regulated by hundreds of genes. Abnormal dentin development is directly caused by gene mutations and dysregulation. Understanding and mastering this signal network is of great significance to the study of tooth development, tissue regeneration, aging, and repair and the treatment of dental diseases. It is necessary to understand the formation and repair mechanism of dentin in order to better treat the dentin lesions caused by various abnormal properties, whether it is to explore the reasons for the formation of dentin defects or to develop clinical drugs to strengthen the method of repairing dentin. Molecular biology of genes related to dentin development and repair are the most important basis for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) are posing great threats to global health within this century. Studies have suggested that estrogen and estrogen receptors (ERs) play important roles in many physiological processes in the kidney. For instance, they are crucial in maintaining mitochondrial homeostasis and modulating endothelin-1 (ET-1) system in the kidney. Estrogen takes part in the kidney repair and regeneration via its receptors. Estrogen also participates in the regulation of phosphorus homeostasis via its receptors in the proximal tubule. The ERα polymorphisms have been associated with the susceptibilities and outcomes of several renal diseases. As a consequence, the altered or dysregulated estrogen/ERs signaling pathways may contribute to a variety of kidney diseases, including various causes-induced AKI, diabetic kidney disease (DKD), lupus nephritis (LN), IgA nephropathy (IgAN), CKD complications, etc. Experimental and clinical studies have shown that targeting estrogen/ERs signaling pathways might have protective effects against certain renal disorders. However, many unsolved problems still exist in knowledge regarding the roles of estrogen and ERs in distinct kidney diseases. Further research is needed to shed light on this area and to enable the discovery of pathway-specific therapies for kidney diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulative studies showed that tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-like weak inducer of apoptosis (TWEAK) was up-regulated in the blood and urine from patients diagnosed with lupus nephritis (LN) and that it might be used as a novel biomarker for active LN. This meta-analysis aimed to determine the diagnostic value of TWEAK in active LN. We searched the Cochrane Library, Embase, PubMed, Springer, Wanfang and CNKI databases for articles published up to 20 August 2020. The diagnostic capacity of TWEAK for active LN was assessed using pooled sensitivity and specificity, positive and negative likelihood ratios (PLR and NLR), diagnostic odds ratio (DOR), and area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC). Quality assessment and publication bias were also evaluated. STATA 11.0 and Meta-Disc 1.4 were used to perform these analyses. Nine cross-sectional studies were included in this meta-analysis. The overall pooled sensitivity of TWEAK for the diagnosis of active LN was 0.69 (95% CI, 0.63–0.75), and specificity was 0.77 (95% CI, 0.71–0.82). The overall pooled PLR and NLR were 3.31 (95% CI, 2.05–5.35) and 0.38 (95% CI, 0.26–0.55), respectively, with a DOR of 10.89 (95% CI, 6.73–17.63) and AUC (SE) of 0.8276 (0.0289). Deeks' funnel plot revealed that the publication bias was insignificant in the study (p =.32). Our results suggest that TWEAK might be a potential biomarker for patients with active LN. Future cross-sectional and longitudinal studies are needed to confirm its diagnostic value, as well as to establish more definite cutoff for active LN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The application of nanomaterials in agriculture has considerable advantages, but its impact on the dynamic change of soil nutrients is still unclear. In the two-year experiment, the effects of nanocarbon (NC) and nano calcium carbonate (NCC) on the dynamic changes of soil nutrients in the wheat field were studied by setting the ratio of different nanomaterials and fertilizers. All treatments with NC and NCC applications positively affected soil nutrient effectiveness at 0–35 d after wheat anthesis, and the effect of NC+NCC was more significant. At 35 days after anthesis, soil available phosphorus (P), available potassium (K), organic matter (OM), and alkaline hydrolysis nitrogen (N) were elevated by 77.9%, 21.9%, 11.7%, and 7.0%, respectively, in the first year and 44.3%, 10.2%, 9.0%, and 7.6%, respectively, in the second year of treatment with 100% CF (complex fertilizer) + 50% NC + 50% NCC compared with control. The treatment with reduced fertilizer application also demonstrated a greater advantage. At 35 d after anthesis, 70% CF + 35% NC + 35% NCC had 54.3%, 11.5%, 8.4%, and 5.8% higher soil available P, available K, OM, and alkaline hydrolysis N, respectively, compared with the control, and 41.05%, 6.4%, 7.8%, and 5.4% higher the following year, respectively. In acidic soils, positively charged NC and NCC have a lasting effect on maintaining soil nutrients by adsorbing acid ions. Therefore, NC and NCC with compound fertilizer have favorable effects in maintaining soil nutrient content and improving fertilizer utilization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ceramic-based absorbing composite is irreplaceable in high-temperature conditions. This work has fabricated a novel biomass–derived porous SiCnw/SiC composite for structure–function integrated electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption through selective laser sintering (SLS) 3D printing and carbothermal reduction. SLS processed the biomass-derived wood precursor with unique porous microstructures. The structure–function properties were controlled by changing the SiO carbothermal reduction temperatures, which facilitated the growth of SiC nanowires for effective EMW absorption. The 3D printed porous SiCnw/SiC composite shows efficient EMW absorption abilities with a minimum reflection loss of −49.01 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.1 GHz. The bulk density and flexural strength of porous SiCnw/SiC composite are respectively 0.73 ± 0.001 g/cm3 and 6.21 ± 0.66 MPa. Despite a high open porosity of 75.58 ± 0.31%, the porous SiCnw/SiC composite demonstrates excellent thermal conductivities of 3.21∼4.99 W/(m·K) and superior fire-resistant ability. The 3D printed SiCnw/SiC composite integrates structure and functions, indicating wide applications in specific harsh environments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To establish and validate a risk stratification scoring system (we name it as PreOp-BFS, which represents Pre-Operative Brain Fragility Score) for postoperative cognitive impairment containing postoperative cognitive dysfunction (POCD) and postoperative delirium (POD) in elderly patients undergoing non-cardiac surgery. We searched for relevant literatures and reviews reported in PubMed and ScienceDirect databases from January 1994 to December 2017. We performed a preoperative risk factor for cognitive impairment in elderly patients (age ≥ 60 years) who underwent non-cardiac surgery, and finally constructed a risk scoring system to predict postoperative cognitive impairment. The test data included 49 patients with postoperative cognitive impairment and 31 patients without postoperative cognitive impairment. The postoperative risk scale score ranged from 0 to 8 points. The incidence of postoperative cognitive impairment was 16.2%, 62.9% and 96.2% in the low (0–2 scores), medium (3–4 scores) and high (5–8 scores) risk groups, respectively. In addition, the risk of postoperative cognitive impairment was significantly higher in high and medium risk groups than in low risk group. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of the risk scoring system was 0.862 [95% CI 0.784–0.941]. The preoperative risk stratification scoring system (PreOp-BFS) established in this study had a good prediction effect, which was helpful for rapid identification and screening of high-risk susceptible patients with early postoperative cognitive impairment, and for performing targeted perioperative prevention. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]