Search

Background: Bromadiolone is a wide-use long-acting anticoagulant rodenticide known to cause severe coagulation dysfunction. At present, there have been no detailed reports of acute kidney injury (AKI) resulting from bromadiolone poisoning. Case presentation: A 27-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital due to severe coagulopathy and severe AKI. Coagulation test revealed a prothrombin time exceeding 120 s and an international normalized ratio (INR) greater than 10. Further examination for coagulation factors showed significantly reduced level of factors II, VII, IX and X, indicating a vitamin K deficiency. The AKI was non-oliguric and characterized by gross dysmorphic hematuria. Following the onset of the disease, the patient's serum creatinine rose from 0.86 to 6.96 mg/dL. Suspecting anticoagulant rodenticide poisoning, plasma bromadiolone was identified at a concentration of 117 ng/mL via gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. All other potential causes of AKI were excluded, except for the presence of a horseshoe kidney. The patient's kidney function fully recovered after the coagulopathy was corrected with high doses of vitamin K and plasma transfusion. At a follow-up 160 days post-discharge, the coagulation function had normalized, and the serum creatinine had returned to 0.51 mg/dL. Conclusion: Bromadiolone can induce AKI through a severe and prolonged coagulation disorder. Kidney function can be restored within days following treatment with high-dose vitamin K1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, the spatial evolution characteristics of high-level Grade A tourist attractions in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) urban agglomeration, from 2001 to 2021, are studied by comprehensively applying the nearest neighbor index, kernel density analysis, standard deviation ellipse, and spatial autocorrelation. High-level Grade A tourist attractions are investigated using the random forest model as the driving mechanism of the spatial pattern. Results show that 1) the spatial distribution of high-level Class A tourist attractions in the YRD city cluster has grown to be an agglomeration, and the high-density areas have evolved from "point-like dispersion to regiment-like combination," gradually forming a B-shaped core density structure. 2) The spatial distribution comprises an overall "northwest–southeast" direction, a small counterclockwise rotation, the distribution of the center of gravity to the southwest migration, and the center of gravity from the territory of Suzhou City to the territory of Huzhou City. 3) The high-level Class A tourist attractions in the YRD city cluster as a whole show a strong positive spatial correlation, and the significantly clustered areas include three types: high-high (H-H), low-low (L-L), and low-high (L-H). 4) The spatial distribution of high, A-level tourist attractions in the YRD city cluster results from the combined action of the natural environment, resource endowment, socioeconomy, and policy background. Each element has a nonlinear and complex influence on the distribution of scenic spots. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil nitrite (NO2−) is an important reactive intermediate in many nitrogen transformation processes, but it is unstable under acidic conditions and may be lost as gaseous N. The canonical extraction method of soil NO2− using a potassium chloride (KCl) solution greatly underestimates its concentration. To reflect the concentration more accurately, we optimized the extraction method of soil NO2− for three agricultural soils differing in soil texture and pH, an alkalic fluvo-aquic soil and acidic Mollisol and Ultisol soils, respectively. Both extractable soil ammonium (NH4+) and nitrate (NO3−) were systematically investigated to optimize the simultaneous extraction of soil inorganic nitrogen. The effects of different extractants (deionized water (DIW), un-buffered 2 mol L−1 KCl, and pH-buffered 2 mol L−1 KCl), shaking time (10 and 30 min), and storage duration of the extracts (stored at −20 °C for 1 day, and at 4 °C for 1, 3, and 6 days) on the determination of soil inorganic nitrogen were investigated. The results showed that the un-buffered KCl extractant significantly underestimated soil NO2− concentration compared to DIW. The highest recovery of NO2− was obtained by extracting with DIW at 10 min of shaking for all three soils. Compared with DIW, the concentration of NH4+ and NO3− in soil extracted from the KCl solution increased significantly. Furthermore, the soil inorganic nitrogen content of extracts stored at 4 °C for one day was closer to the direct measurements of fresh samples than with the other storage methods. Overall, the recommended analysis method for soil NO2− was extraction by DIW, shaking for 10 min, and filtering with a 0.45 µm filter, while soil NH4+ and NO3− were extracted with a KCl solution and shaken for 30 min. The extract should be stored at 4 °C and analyzed within 24 h. Our study provides an efficient extraction method for soil NO2− and supports studies on the biogeochemical nitrogen cycle, e.g., in the investigation of soil nitrous acid (HONO) and nitric oxide (NO) emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filter cloth brush-coating (FCBC), using soft filter cloth as a brush-coating medium, in conjunction with viscous silver nanowire (AgNW) conductive solution, is used to prepare AgNW conductive films. The density and uniformity of AgNWs deposited on the substrate are controlled by the interplay between the filter cloth aperture, the conductive solution viscosity, and the brush-coating speed. Further, with appropriate AgNW concentration and flow rate, uniform AgNW transparent conductive film with sheet resistance of 18 Ω sq−1 and transmittance of 94% at 550 nm is acquired by FCBC. Due to the precise control of the coating process in FCBC, large-area uniform AgNW conductive film fabricated on printing paper has a low non-uniformity factor of 1.2% at a sheet resistance of 19.0 Ω sq−1. The resultant paper-based AgNW film heater shows sensitive and stable heating performance. FCBC shows great potential in producing large-area uniform AgNW films on various substrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Persistent chronic inflammation of the lungs and airway remodeling are important pathological features that cannot be ignored in patients with chronic asthma. Apigenin (API) is a natural small molecule compound with good anti‐inflammatory and antioxidant activity that has been widely reported in recent years, but its role in chronic asthma is not well defined. Our study began with oral gavage intervention using API (10, 20 mg/kg) or dexamethasone (DEX, 2 mg/kg) in a BALB/c mouse model of ovalbumin (OVA) sensitization. Different doses of API intervention effectively reduced airway resistance in the administered group. Additionally, inflammation was downregulated, mucus secretion was reduced, and airway remodeling was inhibited in the API intervention group compared with the model group. Asthma‐related inflammatory cytokines, such as IgE, IL‐4, IL‐5, IL‐13, and IL‐17, were downregulated in alveolar lavage fluid. Moreover, the apoptosis level of the administered group was found to be lower than that of the model group in the Tunel staining experiment. By analyzing transcriptome sequencing results, we found that API may exert anti‐inflammatory and anti‐apoptotic effects by inhibiting the MAPK pathway. Our subsequent results supported this conclusion, showing that the phosphorylation levels of ERKs, JNKs, and p38 MAPKs were inhibited in the administered group relative to the model group. Downstream expression of the apoptosis‐related protein B‐cell lymphoma‐2 (Bcl‐2) was upregulated, and the expression of Bcl‐2‐associated × protein (Bax) and cleaved caspase‐3 was downregulated. To further investigate the specific mechanism by which API acted, we established an in vitro model with house dust mite (HDM) stimulation, using API (10, 20 μM) for administration intervention. The results showed that API was able to improve cell viability, inhibit ROS production, and reverse HDM‐induced decreases in mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP) and apoptosis in airway epithelial cells via the MAPK pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple method is demonstrated in this study by applying random corrugated structures into the polymer emitting layer via soft nanoimprint technology to enhance the light out-coupling efficiency of polymer light-emitting diodes (PLEDs). The device with the random corrugated structures presents high efficiency and stable emission close to the Lambertian pattern. Compared with the flat device, about 52% efficiency enhancement is achieved in the PLEDs with the random corrugated structures, which can be understood by extraction of waveguide mode and surface plasmon polariton mode losses simultaneously. With these advantages, the simple random corrugated structures have the potential to stimulate the development of low-cost and large-area flexible PLEDs with high efficiency in the applications of solid-state light sources and full-color displays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensory processing issues are one of the most common issues observed in autism spectrum disorders (ASD). Technologies that could address the issue serve a more and more important role in interventions for ASD individuals nowadays. In this study, a sensory management recommendation system was developed and tested to help ASD children deal with atypical sensory responses in class. The system employed sensor fusion and machine learning techniques to identify distractions, anxious situations, and the potential causes of these in the surroundings. Another novelty of the system included a sensory management strategy making a module based on fuzzy logic, which generated alerts to inform teachers and caregivers about children's states and risky environmental factors. Sensory management strategies were recommended to help improve children's attention or calm children down. The evaluation results suggested that the use of the system had a positive impact on children's performance and its design was user-friendly. The sensory management recommendation system could work as an intelligent companion for ASD children that helps with their in-class performance by recommending management strategies in relation to the real-time information about the children's environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abiotic and biotic releases of nitrous acid (HONO) from soils contribute substantially to the missing source of tropospheric HONO and hydroxyl radicals (OH). However, global and regional patterns of soil HONO emissions are rarely quantified, and the contributions of such emissions to atmospheric oxidization capacity are unclear. Here, we present that the best estimate of global soil HONO emissions in 2017 was 9.67 with a range of 7.36–11.99 Tg N yr−1, and cropland soils accounting for ∼79%. The analyses also indicate that regional soil HONO emissions enhanced ground OH concentrations by 10%–60% and ozone concentrations by 0.5–1.5 ppb in daytime in the ambient area of Shanghai, China. The impact of soil HONO emissions on OH budgets was more significant in rural than urban areas. These findings suggest that the soil HONO emissions, especially from cropland, could quicken photochemical reactions, and aggravate air pollution in rural areas. Key Points: The best estimate of global soil HONO emissions in 2017 was 9.67 (7.36–11.99) Tg N yr−1, where cropland soils accounting for ∼79%Soil HONO emissions enhanced ground OH concentrations by 10%–60% and ozone concentrations by 0.5–1.5 ppb in daytimeThe impact of soil HONO emissions on OH budgets was more significant in rural than urban areas [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents a coil-based liquid lens (CLL) with a mature and simple fabrication process. A tunable focal length is achieved by changing the liquid–liquid interface curvature using electrowetting on dielectric (EWOD). The lens cavity is a coil wound or stacked by a particular structure named EWOD wire, which is made by coating a soft insulating dielectric layer on a flexible conductive core. As a result, requirements for different lens designs can be achieved, and coating an insulating dielectric layer in complex cavities is not required. The optical performance of the CLL is measured with a clear aperture of 8 mm, which shows that the tunable range for the focal length is (−∞, −35 mm] ∪ [78 mm, +∞) at a voltage of 0–235 V, and the response time is less than 40 ms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A large number of people in China have been affected by Autism Spectrum Disorders (ASDs). However, different factors associated with current barriers to accessing external support by ASD individuals in China have been identified. Assistive technologies are believed to help address the barriers. To obtain an in-depth understanding of the need and barriers of Chinese individuals with ASD in using assistive technologies, this study surveyed parents of ASD children, ASD professionals, as well as technology developers in the field. This study found that people in China have lower awareness and utilization of assistive technologies but similar demands for technologies when compared to those in the United Kingdom. Monitoring and informing systems, therapeutic recommendation systems and social skill training applications are major forms of assistive technologies desired by the participants in the interviews. Concerns about affordability, public exposure, confidentiality breaches and possible side-effects are considered as barriers that may prevent ASD individuals in China from using assistive technologies. The paper further discussed potential orientations of assistive technology development in China. Considering Chinese individuals may suffer intense stigma and heavy financial burden on mental disabilities, affordable mobile applications that help reduce the stigma would be more acceptable by Chinese ASD individuals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper identifies a structural break in exchange rate returns from July 2005 to May 2020 using the iterated cumulative sums of squares (ICSS) algorithm. Then we explore the changing effect of determinants on exchange rates based on the time-varying parameter structural Vector AutoRegression (TVP-SVAR) model. Empirically, we find a single break based on exchange rate returns and caused by regime reform. Further analysis suggests a significant change in the shocks to inflation, foreign exchange reserves, oil prices, and short-term interest rates. In addition, the domestic and international determinants of exchange rates are heterogeneous over different periods in the short and long run. In the short run, the relation between exchange rates and inflation, the interest rate, foreign exchange reserves, and oil price, is significantly negative before August 2015. However, since August 2015, the relationship between inflation and exchange rates in China has been positive. Only short-term interest rates are affected by structural changes. This study can guide policy makers in formulating the appropriate exchange rate regime to attain sustainable market efficiency over the long run. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxydifunctionalization of olefins represents a powerful tool and yet poses a challenging task. Previous methods have usually required a stoichiometric amount of a strong oxidant and an expensive transition-metal catalyst. This work describes the first example of the electrochemical oxysulfuration reaction of olefins with thiols and nucleophilic oxygen sources. This electrochemical difunctionalization reaction is conducted under catalyst- and oxidant-free conditions, and shows good substrate generality, affording thio-substituted alcohols, ethers and γ-lactones in good chemical yields and with excellent regioselectivities. This work represents a new and green strategy for the difunctionalization of olefins, and also provides a complementary and highly valuable prospect for current methodologies for the synthesis of thio-substituted compounds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present work, an asymmetric copper‐catalyzed radical multi‐component cascade reaction of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborate, and DABCO⋅(SO2)2 (DABSO) has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of sulfonyl lactones. In this reaction, this SO2 surrogate, DABSO was applied for the first time in the construction of chiral compounds. This multiple‐step asymmetric radical reaction was carried out under mild conditions and tolerated a wide range of substrates, resulting in the corresponding sulfonyl lactones with up to 95% chemical yields and 88% ee. The current reaction enriches the research contents of DABSO, and provides a new and efficient strategy to chiral functionalized lactones bearing quarternary stereogenic center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In the present work, an asymmetric copper‐catalyzed radical multi‐component cascade reaction of an unsaturated carboxylic acid, aryldiazonium tetrafluoroborate, and DABCO⋅(SO2)2 (DABSO) has been developed for the enantioselective synthesis of sulfonyl lactones. In this reaction, this SO2 surrogate, DABSO was applied for the first time in the construction of chiral compounds. This multiple‐step asymmetric radical reaction was carried out under mild conditions and tolerated a wide range of substrates, resulting in the corresponding sulfonyl lactones with up to 95% chemical yields and 88% ee. The current reaction enriches the research contents of DABSO, and provides a new and efficient strategy to chiral functionalized lactones bearing quarternary stereogenic center. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we report the experimental observation of negative differential resistance (NDR) and hysteresis phenomena in graphene-based OLEDs and their effects on device performance. Our results reveal that the NDR and hysteresis mainly originate from the poly(methyl methacrylate) residue resting on graphene. We further demonstrate that current annealing is a facile and effective technique to remove the polymeric residue and eliminate the NDR, leading to the dramatically enhanced luminous efficiency from 30.9 to 41.6 cd A−1, and to 89.2 cd A−1 when equipped with a high index half-ball lens. The demonstrated pretreatment process of graphene establishes a new path for the construction of a wide variety of high performance optoelectronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we report high-performance blue organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) based on evaporated silver nanoclusters (SNCs) located near the aluminum cathode. We investigate the influence of localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) and trapping effects of SNCs on the performances of blue OLEDs depending on the size, distribution, and location of the SNCs. The research results reveal when the SNCs are located in the electron transporting layer, the serious trapping effect would cause reduced current density and efficiency of our blue OLEDs. Fortunately, when the SNCs are close to the cathode, owing to the electric field coupling effect between the LSPR of SNCs and the surface polarization of aluminum cathode, the resonant electric field is concentrated near the cathode, thereby enhancing the electron injection. The balanced carrier injection and transport processes improve the performance of blue OLEDs. The optimized device with SNCs located 2 nm away from the aluminum cathode achieves the highest current efficiency of 40.7 cd/A, enhancing by 15% compared to the control device without SNCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sindbis virus (SV) can be rendered neurovirulent for adult mice by a double substitution within the E2 glycoprotein, including replacing Gln at position 55 of E2 with a His (E2-55: Gln–His) and E2-70: Glu to Lys. However, the mutant Sindbis-like virus XJ-160 with the double substitution (BR-E5570) does not show neurovirulence for adult mice, although the mutant apparently reduced the average survival time of neonatal mice. To produce an XJ-160 virus neurovirulent for adult mice, the BR-E5570 virus containing the double substitution was provided with another substitution in the nsP1 region (nsP1-173: Thr–Ile), which could enhance viral infectivity and neurovirulence for neonatal mice. The mutant containing these three substitutions was accordingly designated as BR-5570-ns173. Like the BR-XJ160 virus derived from the wild-type clone, BR-E5570 and BR-E5570-ns173 were both virulent for newborn mice, between which BR-E5570-ns173 virus showed the greatest neurovirulence. Furthermore, only BR-E5570-ns173 virus was fully neurovirulent for 14-day-old mice, and this fatal adult mouse-virulence was dependent on the E2 double substitutions at positions 55 and 70. Compared with BR-XJ160, both the mutants showed a higher capacity for propagation both in cultured cells and in the mouse brain. In particular, BR-E5570-ns173 virus showed a more persistent existence and higher titer in the brains of 7-day-old mice. These findings indicate that the substitution at nsP1-173 combination with a double substitution in the E2 region renders the XJ-160 virus fully neurovirulent for adult mice, and this neurovirulence may be related to the increased efficiency and persistence of propagation of this virus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Eugenol is known for its analgesic, local anesthetic, anti-inflammatory, antibacterial, and hair growing effects, the application of which, however, is limited by its low solubility, liability of sublimating, and its pungent smell. Compared to eugenol, its glycosylated derivate [eugenol α-glucoside ( α-EG)] has more advantages in application. Objective: The biosynthesis of α-EG by Xanthomonas maltophilia Hugh (Xanthomonadaceae) BT-112 and the optimum conditions for α-EG production are investigated here. Materials and methods: The α-EG was obtained by fermentation using Xanthomonas maltophilia BT-112 and purified by macroporous absorption resin. The identity of α-EG is confirmed by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) and nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR). Results: The maximum yield of α-EG reached 10.62 g/L broth when the suspension of Xanthomonas maltophilia strain was incubated at 30°C with 70 mM eugenol and 1.0 M maltose. Discussion and conclusion: Bio-fermentation was applied in this work to get α-EG with a high mole conversion, which is a potentially efficient and highly promising approach to modify phenolic compounds into glucosides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ag nanocubes coated with SiO 2 shell were synthesized and incorporated into the emission layer of blue organic light-emitting diodes to improve the device performance. The thickness of SiO 2 shell was changed to adjust the distance between Ag NCs and excitons to investigate the coupling of the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) of Ag NCs and the radiation of excitons. In addition, the host materials with different carrier transporting properties are used to study the correlation between the LSPR enhanced exciton radiation and the exciton recombination zone in emission layer. Research findings demonstrate the thickness of SiO 2 shell and the exciton recombination zone together affect the coupling of LSPR and exciton radiation. Using the Ag NCs coated with 15 nm SiO 2 shell and the bipolar host material of 2,6-bis(3-(carbazol-9-yl)phenyl)pyridine (26DCzPPy), the blue OLED achieved an very high improvement in the current efficiency. The maximum peak current efficiency of the blue OLED with Ag NCs reached to 97 cd/A, being nearly 4 times of that of the device without Ag NCs. Image 1 • The blue OLED based on SiO2 coated Ag nanocubes (Ag@SiO2 NCs) achieved a very high current efficiency of 97 cd/A. • The Ag NCs generated strong LSPR effect, and the SiO2 shell formed an appropriate distance between Ag NCs and excitons. • The bipolar host material of 26DCzPPy formed a wide exciton recombination zone around the Ag NCs. • The strong coupling between Ag NCs and excitons contributed to the high device performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biomimetic nanostructures like butterfly wing's scale were fabricated with an anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) nanoimprint lithography technique. This bio-inspiration nanostructure exhibits an intrinsic hydrophobic property and thus was applied as a flexible encapsulation layer in organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) to improve device's lifetime. A ∼80% enhancement on lifetime was obtained with simply imprinting the biomimetic nanostructures onto the flexible substrates. Our work provides a simple encapsulation approach for OLEDs, especially for flexible OLEDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]