Search

BackgroundThe highly heterogeneous pathogenesis of depression and limited response to current antidepressants call for more objective evidence for depression subtypes. Reactive and endogenous depression are two etiologically distinct subtypes associated with different treatment responses. This study aims to explore the potential biomarkers that differentiate reactive and endogenous depressions.MethodsThe clinical manifestations and biological indicators of 64 unmedicated mild-to-moderate depression patients (32 reactive depression patients and 32 endogenous depression patients) and 21 healthy subjects were observed. The 24-item Hamilton rating scale for depression (HAMD-24) was used to evaluate the severity of depression. Serum levels of depression-related biological indicators were measured by using the enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.ResultsThe NLRP3 level of reactive depression was significantly lower than those of endogenous depression and healthy controls. There was a significant negative correlation between the BDNF level and the HAMD-24 total scores for patients with reactive depression.ConclusionOur findings suggested the serum NLRP3 and BDNF levels could be potential biomarkers for detecting and evaluating the severity of reactive depression.

By systematic Rayleigh–Ritz variation calculations, the energies are reported for the core-excited states 1s2s2p2 5P and 1s2p3 5So in the Be-like isoelectronic sequence (Z = 11–20). Energy corrections, including the restricted variational method, mass polarisation, and relativistic effect, are considered to improve the accuracy of energy. The oscillator strengths and transition wavelength between these states are also reported. Computational data on hyperfine structures presented in this paper are calculated for the first time.

An environmental friendly waterborne polyurethane (WPU) dispersion was synthesized from polyethylene glycol (PEG), hexamethylene diisocyanate (HDI), diethylene glycol (DEG) and dimethylol propionic acid (DMPA). Solid polymer electrolytes based on WPU and LiTFSI were fabricated via an organic solvent free process. The LiTFSI salts were found to be dissolved in WPU by the coordination of Li+ ion with carbonyl and ether group in WPU. The as-prepared WPU showed a semi-crystalline structure and became amorphous after adding lithium salts. The ionic conductivities increased with the increase of salt concentration and followed the Arrhenius behavior. The 20 wt% LiTFSI in WPU electrolyte showed a superior comprehensive performance with an ionic conductivity of 7.3 × 10−4 and 2.2 × 10−3 S cm−1 at 60 °C and 80 °C. All-solid-state LiFePO4/SPE/Li cell using this electrolyte exhibited an initial discharge capacity of 151 mAh g−1 at 0.1C under 60 °C. All of these results demonstrate that this new WPU-based solid polymer electrolyte is a promising environmentally friendly candidate for all-solid-state lithium ion batteries. Keywords: Solid polymer electrolyte, Lithium ion batteries, Waterborne polyurethane, Polyethylene glycol

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a pollutant exits in an enormous amount in wastewater effluent resulted from the rapid industrialization. Advanced oxidation technology (AOP) based on solar photocatalysis can be employed to solve this issue. This study will focus on adopting photocatalyst graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) with potassium niobate (KNbO3) via a simple sol-gel synthesis method. The different weight percentages 0.5, 1.0 and 1.5 wt% g-C3N4, were adopted to formed KNbO3/g-C3N4composites. The physicochemical properties of the created KNbO3/g-C3N4composites were characterized with advanced analysis methods to unveil this composite’s ability to enhance the photodegradation of BPA under sunlight irradiation. It was found that 1.0 wt% KNbO3/g-C3N4composites exhibited the highest photocatalytic degradation of 69.39% in 5 h. This superior photodegradation of BPA was achieved resulted from the presence of g-C3N4that enhances light-harvesting, especially in the visible light spectrum. The increase of light-harvesting enables the composite to excite more electrons and holes leading to the massive formation of active radicals. These massive active radicals will then enhance the redox reaction and further improve the efficacy of the photodegradation of BPA. Hence, the outcome of this study path an alternative solution for eliminating complex organic pollutants in wastewater treatment.

Nonrelativistic energies and wave functions of the 1s22s2p 3Po states of Be isoelectronic sequence (Z = 11–18) are calculated using the full core plus correlation method (FCPC). To obtain the accurate energy level, the relativistic corrections and mass polarization effect are included by using the first-order perturbation theory. The calculated excitation energies (relative to the 1s22s2 ground state) are compared with the experiment. Most of the calculated [Formula: see text] energies agree with the experiment to within a few inverse centimetres. The calculated hyperfine coupling constants are in good agreement with the latest theoretical data in the literature. Our results may provide valuable reference data for spectral analysis and identification in the future.

In order to control the growth of Microcystis in aquaculture ponds and reduce its adverse effect on water quality and aquaculture, a production-scale experiment of deep well circulation treatment was carried out in an aquaculture pond with water surface area of 63,000 m2 and water depth of 1.6–2.0 m. Compared with the control pond, the experiment pond had better water quality as indicated by 64.2% reduction in chlorophyll a, and 81.1% reduction in algal cells. The chemical oxygen demand, total nitrogen, and total phosphorus concentration were reduced by 55.1%, 57.5%, and 50.8%, respectively. The treatment efficiency is mainly due to the growth control of Microcystis (i.e. cell reduction of 96.4%). The gas vesicles collapsing because of the water pressure was suggested to be the mechanism for Microcystis suppression by the deep well circulation treatment. The Microcystis lost its buoyancy after gas vesicles collapsed and it settled to the bottom of the aquaculture pond. As a result, the algae reproduction was suppressed because algae could only grow in the area with enough sunlight (i.e. water depth less than 1 m).

Theoretical calculations are reported for energy levels and transition probabilities of the K-shell excited sextet series 6Se,o(m) and 6Po,e(m) (m = 1–7) for the astrophysically important element sulfur. Energy levels, fine structure splittings, and transition parameters of the high-lying sextet series 6Se,o(m) and 6Po,e(m) (m = 1–7) in boron-like sulfur ion are calculated with the multi-configuration Rayleigh–Ritz variation method. To obtain the accurate energy level, the relativistic corrections and mass polarization effect are included by using the first-order perturbation theory. Configuration structures of these sextet series are assigned according to the energies, percentage contributions of basis states to the eigenvector, relativistic effect corrections, and verification of fine structure splittings. The oscillator strengths, transition probabilities, and wavelengths of electric-dipole transitions between 6So,e(m) and 6Pe,o(m) (m = 1–7) states are also systematically calculated and discussed.

The energies of the high-lying multi-excited states 1s22s2pnl and 1s22p2nl 4Pe,o (n ≥ 2) for B-like C+, N2+, F4+, and Mg7+ ions are calculated using Rayleigh–Ritz variation method with multiconfiguration interaction, and the inclusion of mass polarization and relativistic corrections. The fine structure and hyperfine structure for these systems are investigated using first-order perturbation theory. The configuration structure of the high-lying multi-excited series is identified not only by energy, but also by its contribution to normalization of the angular spin components, and it is further tested by the addition of relativistic corrections and fine structure splittings. Transition wavelengths including the quantum electrodynamic effects and higher-order relativistic corrections are determined.

The energies, fine structure splittings, transition rates, and lifetimes of inner-shell excited sextet states 1s2s2p2nl, (n = 2–7; l = s, p, d) and 1s2p33p of the boron isoelectronic sequence (Z = 8–13) are investigated using the multi-configuration Rayleigh–Ritz variation method. The mass polarization effect and relativistic corrections are included by first-order perturbation theory. Configuration structures of the high-n inner-shell excited sextet series 6Se,o(m) and 6Pe,o(m) (m = 1–5) of boron-like Na6+ ion are assigned. The wavelengths and transition rates of electric-dipole transitions between 6Pe(m) and 6Po(m) (m = 1–5) states are calculated. The quantum electrodynamics (QED) effects and higher order relativistic corrections are also considered to obtain more accurate transition wavelengths. The predicted transition wavelengths agree well with the available theoretical and experimental data. The lifetimes for the inner-shell excited sextet states 6Pe(m) (m = 1–5) are also reported and discussed with the increase of nuclear charge number, Z. These theoretical data are useful for the identification of spectral lines in experiments and the design of XUV and soft X-ray lasers.

In this study, we built a novel handheld array photoacoustic probe by integrating multiple optical components with a transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) transducer array. The optical components deliver laser energy and TRUS is used for photoacoustic signal detection. Compared to the previously reported probe, the new photoacoustic probe utilizes an optimized light illumination scheme to enhance the utilization-efficiency of the laser energy, thus improving the imaging sensitivity of the probe. In addition, the new probe is compact and easy to handle for clinicians. We validated the use of this photoacoustic probe for prostate cancer imaging through both phantom studies and in vivo canine model study, which mimics the prostate cancer conditions. The results showed that the probe is suitable for clinical use and can be used in the clinics for several potential clinical applications, including early diagnosis of prostate cancer, targeted image-guided biopsy, and image-guided intra-operative procedure.

The optimal photoacoustic probe design is the key to obtain highest imaging sensitivity in photoacoustic computed tomography. Two commonly used probe design types are dark- and bright-field designs. We proposed a design for photoacoustic probe called quasibright-field illumination and compared the performance of all three kinds of probes theoretically and experimentally. Our conclusion is that the proposed quasibright-field illumination photoacoustic probe is superior compared to the existing probe designs as demonstrated. However, each type of illumination should still have its own advantages under certain circumstances. The dark-field illumination is capable of minimizing surface interference signals and reducing their contributions to the background of deeper signals. Hence, it should perform better when imaging samples with high optical absorbance at the surface layer. The bright field may perform better under circumstance when phase distortion is less. We also designed and fabricated three kinds of probes using a single multimode optical fiber for laser energy delivery instead of fiber bundle. Single fiber probes are low cost, transmit laser energy efficiently, and are compact for easy handling. Thus, our study not only provides a method for probe design but also a guidance for cost-effective transducer array-based photoacoustic probe design and manufacturing in the future.

Microbial effects on phosphorus release were studied for the sediments of Tianjin source water by controlling DO and pH. The results show that: (1) In sterilised water, phosphorus began to release when pH = 9.1 and the stable release rate was 9.51 mg/(d·m2). It indicates that microorganisms may utilise anaerobic iron respiration to release Fe-P. (2) With unsterilised water, phosphorus release rate is 2.14 mg/(d·m2) when pH = 6.5, 8.60 mg/(d·m2) when pH is uncontrolled, and gets to 8.51 mg/(d·m2) when pH = 9.1. This indicates that microorganisms can dissolve insoluble phosphates to accelerate the ion exchange of OH− and PO43−, which are derived from iron-bound ortho-P and aluminium-bound ortho-P.

Energy levels of the core-excited high-spin Rydberg states (4,5,6L, L = S, P) in boron atom (ion) are calculated by the Rayleigh-Ritz variation method with using large-scale multi-configuration wave functions. The important orbital-spin angular momentum partial waves are selected based on the rule of configuration interaction. The computational convergence is discussed by the example of the contribution from each partial wave in the non-relativistic energy calculations of the high-spin state 1s2s2p2 5Pe in B+ ion. To saturate the wave functional space and improve the non-relativistic energy, the restricted variational method is used to calculate the restricted variational energy. Furthermore, the mass polarization effect and relativistic energy correction are included by using a first-order perturbation theory. The quantum electrodynamic effects and higher-order relativistic contributions to the energy levels are also calculated by the screened hydrogenic formula. Then, the accurate relativistic energy levels of these high-spin states of B atom (ion) are obtained by adding the non-relativistic energy and all corrections. The fine structure splitting of these high-spin states is also calculated by the Breit-Pauli operators in the first-order perturbation theory. Compared with other theoretical results, our calculation results are in good accordance with the experimental data. The absorption oscillator strengths, emission oscillator strengths, absorption rates, emission rates, and transition wavelengths of the electric-dipole transitions between these high-spin states of B atom (ions) are systematically calculated by using the optimized wave functions. The oscillator strengths and transition rates are obtained in both the length and velocity gauges. By comparing the two gauge results of oscillator strength, we find that there is a good consistency between them when fl 0.3, and a reasonable consistency is obtained when fl 0.3. The accordance between the length and the velocity gauge results reflects that the calculated wave functions in this work are reasonably accurate. The calculated transition data are also compared with the corresponding experimental and other theoretical data. Good agreement is obtained except the wavelengths for two transitions: 1s2p4p 4Se1s2p3d 4P and 1s2p4d 4P1s2p3p 4Pe. The relative differences between our theoretical results and experimental data are 0.7% and 0.3%, respectively. They need to be verified by further theoretical and experimental studies. For some core-excited high-spin states, the related energy levels and transition data are reported for the first time. Our calculation results will provide valuable data for calculating the spectral lines in the relevant experiments.

We found increased expression of GRP94, the 94-kDa glucose-regulated protein, in HeLa cells 24 h after treatment with luteolin. Luteolin increased the levels of GRP94 mRNA and protein, but it did not increase the expression of unfolded protein response (UPR)-regulated genes. In addition, luteolin also enhanced GRP94 promoter activity, suggesting that it enhances the expression of GRP94 at the transcriptional level, not via the UPR signaling pathway.

A new method (NMM, using acetic acid fiber filter and 90% ethanol) was established to determine chlorophyll in freshwater algae, and it was compared with US standard method (USM, using glass fiber filter and 90% acetone) and the method recommend by EPA of China (CHM, using acetic acid fiber filter and 90% acetone). The precision and repeatability of NMM is equivalent to that of USM, but NMM is safer to laboratory workers than USM and CHM because ethanol was used as solvent in NMM instead of acetone used in USM and CHM, and time and money were also greatly saved by the new method. The precision and repeatability of CHM was much less than USM and NMM, and the advice improving the method was proposed that the extraction time must be prolonged.

The hyperspherical method is used to study the electron correlation energy，radiative transition rate and Auger transition rate of the highly-doubly-excited states of He-like oxygen.All these doubly-excited Rydberg states are designated by quantum numbers K，T，A.The results show that properties such as the energy，radiative and Auger transition rate regularly change along with the quantum numbers K，T，A.

The Rayleigh-Ritz variational method is used with a multiconfiguration-interaction function to study the energies of singly excited and doubly excited Rydberg series in helium atom, including the mass polarization and relativistic corrections. The oscillator strengths, the transition rates, and the wavelengths are also calculated. The results are compared with other theoretical and experimental data in the literatures.

The saddle-point variational method is used with restricted variation method to obtain the energies of the core-excited states 1s2smd4De(m=3—7) and 1s2pnd4Do(n=3—5) for lithium, including the mass polarization and relativistic corrections. Oscillator strengths, transition rates, lifetimes and wavelengths are also calculated. The results are compared with other theoretical and experiment data in the literature.

The Rayleigh-Ritz variational method is used with a multiconfiguration-interaction function and restricted variation method to obtain the energies of 1s22s2 1S, 1s22s2p1P0, 1s22s2p3P0 and 1s22p2 3P in beryllium-like boron, including the mass polarization and relativistic corrections. Fine structure, oscillator strengths, transition rates and wavelengths are also calculated. The results are compared with other theoretical and experiment data in the literature.

The energies , fine structures and lifetimes of the 2s2s2p2P0 and 2s2p2p2D triply excited states of the Li isoelectronic sequence are calculated using multichannel saddle-point and saddle-point complex-rotation methods. A restricted variational method is used to extrapolate a better nonrelativistic energy. The relativistic corrections are calculated with first-order perturbation theory. The shifts and widths are studied with one open channel at a time as well as fully coupled open channels. The radiative transition rates and the fine-structure splittings for the 2P0 and 2D states are also calculated. These results are compared with the existing theoretical and experimental data in the literature.

The radiative and Auger rates are calculated for doubly excited intersh-ell states of Ar16+. We adopt the conventional infiguration interraction CI app-roach, bul each state is labelled using the n(K,T)NA2s+1Lπ designation. lt is shown that, to intrashell states which all have A = +1, these states decay prima-rily by auger process and radiative decay contributed significantly only for the hi-ghest states within a given manifoid, but to intershell states the Auger widths are much smaller tor A =-1 and A = 0 states. For these states the flourescence yield may become non-negligible. The approximate selection rule v=- 0,±1 for radiative decay holds for these states as well.