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Cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia have drawn widespread attention. Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) can modulate cognitive processes by altering neuronal excitability. Previous studies have found that interim testing can enhance spatial route learning and memory in patients with schizophrenia. However, there has been limited research on the combined effects of these two methods on spatial route learning in these patients. To investigate whether the combination of tDCS and interim testing can effectively contribute to the maintenance of spatial route memory in patients with schizophrenia. The study involved conducting route learning using interim testing after anodal tDCS treatment on the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (L-DLPFC). Ninety-two patients with schizophrenia were recruited and divided into groups receiving anodal, sham, or no stimulation. The anodal group received L-DLPFC tDCS treatment 10 times over 5 days (twice daily for 20 min). After treatment, spatial route learning was assessed in interim testing. Correct recall rates of landmark positions and proactive interference from prior learning were compared among the groups. Regardless of stimulation type, the interim testing group outperformed the relearning group. Additionally, recall scores were higher following anodal stimulation, indicating the efficacy of tDCS. Both tDCS and interim testing independently enhance the ability to learn new information in spatial route learning for patients with schizophrenia, indicating that tDCS of the left DLPFC significantly improves memory in these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The study investigated the differences in cardiac structure and clinical features among Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation. • The researchers analyzed data from over 3000 patients and found significant differences in gender, age, smoking history, comorbidities, and cardiac parameters among the ethnic groups. • Han patients had a lower proportion of dilated cardiomyopathy and heart failure, while Hui patients had the highest proportion of comorbid diabetes. Han patients also had lower levels of certain blood markers compared to Hui patients. Global nonvalvular AF rises, impacting health severely. In Qinghai, China's diverse setting, studying AF among varied ethnic groups is crucial The purpose of this study was to compares cardiac features in AF among Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients to develop tailored prevention and treatment strategies for this region, the goal was to enhance the understanding of AF and provide an empirical basis for developing prevention and treatment strategies specific to this region This study included a total of 3445 Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients diagnosed with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation and treated at the Qinghai Cardiovascular and Cerebrovascular Specialist Hospital, China, between January 2019 and January 2021. We analyzed the differences in cardiac structure, comorbidities, and other influencing factors among the different ethnic groups We found significant differences in gender, age, smoking history, lone atrial fibrillation, left heart failure, dilated cardiomyopathy, and diabetes between Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients (P < 0.05). Tibetan, Han, and Hui patients also differed with regard to left ventricular end-diastolic volume, left ventricular ejection fraction, fractional shortening, NT-proBNP, glycated hemoglobin, red blood cell distribution width, platelet count, platelet hematocrit, platelet distribution width, homocysteine (Hcy), C-reactive protein, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) (P < 0.05) Our study revealed variations in comorbidities, cardiac structure, and blood indexes among Tibetan, Han, and Hui AF patients, highlighting distinct patterns in complications and biomarker levels across ethnic groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper is concerned with non-fragile output-feedback control for time-delay neural networks with persistent dwell time (PDT) switching in a continuous-time setting. The main purpose is to design an output-feedback controller subject to gain fluctuations, guaranteeing both asymptotic stability and L 2 -gain of the closed-loop control system. To achieve reduced conservatism, the controller is formulated to depend not only on the system mode but also on a time scheduler constructed based on the PDT switching rule and minimum time span. A criterion for the asymptotic stability and L 2 -gain analysis is established through the application of the Gronwall–Bellman inequality and mathematical induction. Then, a numerically tractable design approach for the desired controller is proposed, utilizing a four-section piecewise time-dependent Lyapunov–Krasovskii functional and several nonlinearity decoupling techniques. For comparative purposes, a simple case, independent of the time scheduler, is also investigated, and the corresponding controller design approach is presented. Finally, a simulation example is given to illustrate the effectiveness and superiority of the proposed system mode and time scheduler dual-dependent controller design approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Proton exchange membrane (PEM) water electrolysis is a kind of green and sustainable hydrogen production technology. However, it is limited by sluggish kinetics of anodic oxygen evolution reaction (OER), and it is necessary to develop efficient, stable and economical catalysts. In this manuscript, amorphous mixed Ir–Mn oxide catalysts (IrMnO x) with different Mn contents are synthesized by simple low-temperature calcination. IrMnO x catalysts have poor crystallinity and abundant surface hydroxyl defects, which helps improve catalytic activity and electrochemical stability for acidic OER. Compared with commercial rutile IrO 2 , they show lower overpotential and higher current density. Among the prepared catalysts, Ir 0·6 Mn 0.4 O x and Ir 0·7 Mn 0.3 O x perform best, and overpotentials are only 212 mV at the current density of 10 mA/cm2 and 263 mV at 100 mA/cm2, and there is no obvious activity decay after the 8-h stability experiment. IrMnO x catalysts reported provide hope for high-efficiency oxygen evolution reaction in PEM water electrolysis. • Prepare catalysts for reducing the overpotential of oxygen evolution reaction. • Amorphous mixed Ir–Mn oxide catalysts have abundant surface hydroxyl defects. • Doping Mn into Ir oxide can save noble metal and make better use of it. • Ir 0·6 Mn 0.4 O x catalyst shows the best catalytic activity and durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The exploration of highly efficient and low-cost bifunctional electrocatalyst is essential for overall water splitting, especially for industrial application under alkaline conditions. Herein, we propose a controllable structural engineering strategy of constructing heterogeneous layered electrocatalyst with wetting surface for hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction. Heterogeneous layered NiFe LDH (layered double hydroxide)/CoFeP/NF (Ni foam) with superhydrophilic surfaces is successfully fabricated by successive electrodeposition, phosphorization and solvothermal method. The NiFe LDH/CoFeP/NF for hydrogen evolution achieves a low overpotential of 198 mV at 50 mA cm−2 in 1.0 M KOH. An overpotential of 269 mV is required at 50 mA cm−2 for oxygen evolution. Meanwhile, the practical utilization of NiFe LDH/CoFeP/NF as bifunctional electrocatalysts for overall water splitting yields 1.73 V at 50 mA cm−2 in the two-electrode cell. Moreover, NiFe LDH/CoFeP/NF can retain over 50 h without an obvious degradation at 10 mA cm−2. The satisfactory operating stability and high activity of NiFe LDH/CoFeP/NF in alkaline solution can be attributed to the heterogeneous layered structure and excellent hydrophilic surface. The study provides a strategy to engineering heterogeneous layered structures with wetting surface for excellent electrocatalytic activities toward overall water splitting. Based on the unique heterogeneous layered structure and superhydrophilic surface, NiFe LDH/CoFeP/NF exhibits excellent catalytic performance and good stability for both hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction in 1.0 M KOH alkaline solution. [Display omitted] • NiFe LDH/CoFeP/NF requires a cell voltage of 1.73 V at high 50 mA cm−2. • NiFe LDH/CoFeP/NF can retain over 50 h without an obvious decay at 10 mA cm−2. • The heterogeneous layered structure reduces the charge transfer resistance. • The superhydrophilic properties enable electrolyte-electrode contact and reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]