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Craving and cognitive deficits are potential treatment targets for methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). Previous studies implied that transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) and cognitive training respectively improve these symptoms, but the combined effect is unknown. In this study, we investigated the combined effects of tDCS over dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) and computerized cognitive addiction therapy (CCAT) on cue-induced craving and cognitive functions among female individuals with MUD. Seventy-five patients with MUD were randomly assigned to three groups: CCAT + tDCS group, CCAT + sham tDCS group and the control group. The former two groups received 20 sessions of cognitive training combined 1.5 mA active/sham tDCS over DLPFC (20min/session, 5times/week), while the control group received usual care which includes routine medical care, health education, physical exercises and psychological support related to relapse prevention. The cue-induced craving and cognitive functions were tested at the baseline, the end of 2nd week and 4th week. The CCAT + tDCS group showed a significant reduction in cue-induced craving after 4-week intervention. Moreover, the craving score of the real CCAT + tDCS group was significantly lower than that of the CCAT + sham tDCS group and that of the control group at the end of 4th week. A significant improvement in accuracy of TWOB task was only observed in the CCAT + tDCS group at the end of 4th week when compared to baseline. Unexpectedly, participants who received CCAT plus active or sham tDCS did not change their discounting, whereas those in the control group performed more impulsively over time. The study found that the intervention of tDCS over DLPFC combined with CCAT may have potential benefit in improving treatment outcome in patients with MUD. More research is needed to explore the underlying mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While the potential future role of virtual agents (VAs) in treating addiction is promising, participants’ attitudes toward the use of VAs in psychotherapy remain insufficiently investigated. This lack of investigation could pose barriers to the adoption of VA-led psychotherapy for people with substance use disorders (SUD). This research aims to explore the acceptability and usability of VAs for people with methamphetamine use disorder.Following a single session of psychotherapy led by VAs through the Echo-app, a group of 49 individuals actively seeking treatment for current DSM-V substance dependence (with a mean age of 39.06 ± 8.02) completed self-administered questionnaires and participated in focus group interviews. These questionnaires aimed to investigate participants’ preference regarding the type of psychotherapy and their willingness to engage in VA-led psychotherapy, taking into account their diverse psychological needs.Quantitative data were subjected to analysis through both descriptive and inferential statistical methods. Interestingly, participants exhibited a significantly higher acceptability for traditional face-to-face psychotherapy compared to email-based psychotherapy (p = 0.042), but there was no statistically significant difference between their acceptance of traditional psychotherapy and VA-led psychotherapy (p = 0.059). The questionnaire outcomes indicated participants’ willingness to engage in VA-led psychotherapy for purposes such as relapse prevention intervention, addressing emotional issues, managing somatic experiences, and facilitating social and family functional recovery. Furthermore, the participants’ attitudes toward VA-led psychotherapy were predicted by factors including the need for anxiety-focused psychotherapy (p = 0.027; OR [95%CI] = 0.14[0.03,0.80]), the presence of chronic somatic diseases (p = 0.017; OR [95%CI] = 13.58[1.59,116.03]), and marital status (p = 0.031; OR [95%CI] = 5.02[1.16,21.79]).Through the interviews, the study uncovered the factors that either supported or hindered participants’ experiences with VA-led psychotherapy, while also gathering suggestions for future improvements. This research highlights the willingness and practicality of individuals with SUD in embracing VA-led psychotherapy. The findings are anticipated to contribute to the refinement of VA-led tools to better align with the preferences and needs of the users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low-grade heat energy is enormous and widely distributed around the world, but it cannot be effectively converted to electricity owing to the small temperature difference and fluctuating heat source. As a promising technology that can convert low-grade heat energy into electricity while obtaining additional freshwater, thermo-osmotic energy conversion has attracted attentions of numerous researchers. However, traditional thermo-osmotic energy conversion technologies lack the utilization of the accompanying variation in salinity gradients throughout the process. In this study, a hybrid system was presented to achieve simultaneous freshwater production and electricity generation by combining thermo-osmosis system with a salinity gradient power recovery module. Continuous operation of the thermo-osmosis system will naturally produce a range of salinity differences, which will then be converted into electricity by the salinity gradient power recovery module. Our results show that this hybrid system can optimally increase the electricity output by ∼0.99 W m−2 over the conventional thermo-osmotic energy conversion system. Overall, our research demonstrates a promising device to harvest low-grade waste heat for co-generation of electricity and freshwater. This innovative approach has the potential to broaden the application possibilities of thermo-osmosis technology. • Salinity gradient recovery combined thermal-osmosis hybrid system was proposed. • A theoretical model was developed to predict electricity output of the system. • Comparing to traditional TOEC, increasing electricity output by ∼0.99 W m−2. • Co-generation of freshwater and electricity was achieved under real seawater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This review aims to identify whether risky decision-making is increased in substance users, and the impact of substance type, polysubstance use status, abstinence period, and treatment status on risky decision-making. Methods: A literature search with no date restrictions was conducted to identify case-control studies or cross-sectional studies that used behavioral tasks to measure risky decision-making in substance users. A random-effects model was performed. GRADE criteria was used to assess the quality of evidence. Results: 52 studies were enrolled. The result showed that the difference in risky decision-making performance between user groups and control groups was significant (SMD = − 0.590; 95%CI = − 0.849 to − 0.330; p < 0.001; I2 = 93.4%; Pheterogeneity < 0.001). Subgroup analysis showed that users in the subgroups of alcohol (p < 0.001), tobacco (p < 0.01), cocaine (p < 0.001), opioid (p < 0.001), mixed group (p < 0.01), adult users (p < 0.001), small sample size (p < 0.001), large sample size (p < 0.01), low education (p < 0.001), high education (p < 0.001), short-abstinence period (p < 0.001), long-abstinence period (p < 0.001), without current polysubstance dependence (p < 0.001), and with treatment (p < 0.001) had increased risky decision-making when compared to the controls. On the other hand, elderly substance users with short-abstinence period showed increased risky decision-making. Moreover, current treatment status and polysubstance use may not influence the level of decision-making in substance users. Conclusions: The results show that substance use is associated with impaired risky decision-making, indicating that interventions targeting risky decision-making in substance users should be developed for relapse prevention and rehabilitation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Dysfunction in brain network dynamics has been found to correlate with many psychiatric disorders. However, there is limited research regarding resting electroencephalogram (EEG) brain network and its association with cognitive process for patients with methamphetamine use disorder (MUD). This study aimed at using EEG microstate analysis to determine whether brain network dynamics in patients with MUD differ from those of healthy controls (HC). Methods: A total of 55 MUD patients and 27 matched healthy controls were included for analysis. The resting brain activity was recorded by 64-channel electroencephalography. EEG microstate parameters and intracerebral current sources of each EEG microstate were compared between the two groups. Generalized linear regression model was used to explore the correlation between significant microstates with drug history and cognitive functions. Results: MUD patients showed lower mean durations of the microstate classes A and B, and a higher global explained variance of the microstate class C. Besides, MUD patients presented with different current density power in microstates A, B, and C relative to the HC. The generalized linear model showed that MA use frequency is negatively correlated with the MMD of class A. Further, the generalized linear model showed that MA use frequency, scores of Two-back task, and the error rate of MA word are correlated with the MMD and GEV of class B, respectively. Conclusions: Intracranial current source densities of resting EEG microstates are disrupted in MUD patients, hence causing temporal changes in microstate topographies, which are correlated with attention bias and history of drug use. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyrolysis of Trichosporon fermentans biomass, a type of oleaginous yeast from the fermentation of refined soybean oil wastewater, was studied in the present work. Based on the TG/DTG curves, the activation energy values for the thermal decomposition of Trichosporon fermentans biomass were evaluated by the KAS method (111.69 kJ/mol) and FWO method (116.93 kJ/mol), respectively. The pyrolysis behavior was represented by considering the parallel degradation of four components, namely carbohydrates, proteins, lipids, and others, and the fitting degree of the simulated curve was over 0.99. According to the FTIR spectra of the end-products, the increasing hydrocarbons at a temperature around 400 °C indicated the lipid degradation. Biocrude oil was collected from a fixed bed reactor and the chemical composition was characterized by GC-TOF/MS. The yield of hydrocarbons in the bio-oil was identified as being over 28% when the pyrolysis temperature was higher than 500 °C, whilst the content of nitrogen compounds was less than 18%. The fractional yield distributions of the end-products at different pyrolysis temperatures were compared and the maximum yield of bio-oil was achieved (around 42%) at 500 °C. This study proposed a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method for the preparation of biofuel from oleaginous yeast pyrolysis. Image 1 • Oleaginous yeast from wastewater treatment was a potential feedstock of pyrolysis. • Activation energy of oleaginous yeast pyrolysis was estimated by KAS and FWO methods. • The simulated DTG was obtained by Gaussian fitting method and R2 > 0.99 at 20 °C/min. • The hydrocarbon content in the bio-oil of oleaginous yeast was greater than 28%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sympatric speciation remains a central focus of evolutionary biology. Although some evidence shows speciation occurring in this way, little is known about the gene expression evolution and the characteristics of population genetics as species diverge. Two closely related Gymnocypris fish (Gymnocypris chui and Gymnocypris scleracanthus), which come from a small glacier lake in the Tibetan Plateau, Lake Langcuo, exist a possible incipient sympatric adaptive ecological speciation. We generated large amounts of RNA-Seq data from multiple individuals and tissues from each of the two species and compared gene expression patterns and genetic polymorphisms between them. Ordination analysis separated samples by organ rather than by species. The degree of expression difference between organs within and between species was different. Phylogenetic analyses indicated that the two closely related taxa formed a monophyletic complex. Population structure analysis displayed two distinctly divergent clusters of G. chui and G. scleracanthus populations. By contrast, G. scleracanthus population genetic diversity is higher than that of G. chui. Considerable sites of the two populations were differentiated with a coefficient of F ST = 0.25–0.50, implying that a small proportion of loci nevertheless exhibited deep divergence in two comparisons. Concomitantly, putatively selected genes during speciation revealed functional categories are enriched in bone morphogenesis, cell growth, neurogenetics, enzyme activity, and binding activity in G. chui population. In contrast, nutrition and localization were highlighted in G. scleracanthus. Collectively, morphological traits and dietary preference combine with genetic variation and expression variation, probably contributed to the incipient speciation of two sympatric populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

CaO–Al 2 O 3 –SiO 2 –TiO 2 glass ceramic filler with high crystallinity was used for joining alumina ceramic. The influence of joining temperature and crystallization treatment on the microstructure and flexural strength of joints was studied. The results demonstrated that a joining temperature higher than the melting temperature of crystals was essential to obtain dense joints. Furthermore, the formation of CaAl 2 Si 2 O 8 at the alumina/glass filler interface decreased the flexural strength of joints due to the mismatch of coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE) between CaAl 2 Si 2 O 8 and substrate. The maximum flexural strength of 256 MPa at room temperature was achieved when the joining temperature was 1260 °C. After crystallization treatment, a large number of fine CaTiSiO 5 was precipitated in the brazing seam. The flexural strength of joints after crystallization at room temperature was 221 MPa, and increased to 242 MPa at 800 °C. These results can be attributed to the change of CTE value of the brazing seam. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accumulated studies in substance use disorders indicated that the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit and executive control circuit played interactive roles in the cue-reactivity and gamma oscillatory in the cortex, as well as autonomic nervous activity was associated with it. This study aimed to explore the mechanism of processing drug-related cues. Sixty methamphetamine users were recruited and exposed to the drug-related virtual reality (VR) environments. Self-reported craving was assessed and skin conductance level (SCL) and heart rate variability were used to measure the autonomic nervous reactivity. With source estimation, gamma current density was used to measure the activity of medial prefrontal cortex/orbitofrontal cortex (MPFC/OFC) and dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) which are responsible for the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit and the executive control circuit. The VR drug-related cue induced an increased craving and SCL compared with the neutral condition. Gamma activity in MPFC/OFC and right DLPFC were decreased after cue exposure and predicted the SCL changes. However, no association was found between self-reported craving and electrophysiological response. Cue-reactivity in cortex and ANS, as well as their association, were observed in this study. Cue-induced electrophysiological responses were related to gamma activity in the mesocorticolimbic reward circuit and the executive control circuit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time perspective (TP) is a significant factor in the development of gaming disorder (GD), alongside self-esteem, social support, depression, and anxiety. However, the interactions between TP and these risk factors in influencing GD remain unclear. This study utilized network analysis to investigate the intercorrelations between TP and other risk factors and compared these intercorrelations between high-risk and low-risk gaming subgroups consisting of 605 college students who completed self-reported questionnaires. The findings highlighted the central roles of past negative TP and perceived social support from others in the network, as they exhibited the highest strength and expected influence centrality. Additionally, individuals at high risk for GD displayed weaker network strength and a distinct network structure compared to their low-risk counterparts, indicating compromised network stability and connection tightness. Notably, they exhibited reduced connections with present hedonistic and present fatalistic TP, as well as perceived social support from family and friends. These findings underscore the significance of addressing past negative experiences and an excessive focus on the present while expanding social support beyond online sources, in the clinical management of GD. Targeted interventions that target specific nodes in the network have the potential to improve treatment outcomes for individuals with GD. • Constructed a network between time perspective and other risk factors related to gaming disorder. • Compared the interplay difference between high-risk and low-risk gaming subgroups. • High-risk individuals had weaker network strength and distinct structure compared to low-risk ones in GD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: The purpose of the study is to evaluate the efficacy and safety of buprenorphine/naloxone sublingual tablets for the treatment of opioid dependence in Chinese adults. Methods: This multicenter, double‐blind, placebo‐controlled study included four periods: induction (3‐5 days), stabilization (7‐21 days), randomization/treatment (6 weeks), and postmedication follow‐up (1 week). A total of 442 participants with opioid dependence were enrolled; 260 were randomized to buprenorphine/naloxone or placebo. The primary outcome was retention in treatment, defined as the time from randomization to treatment completion or treatment failure. Secondary outcomes included maximum consecutive days of abstinence from opioids, self‐reported craving and opioid withdrawal symptoms, and urine drug screen results. Safety assessments included adverse event reporting, electrocardiograms, clinical laboratory tests, vital signs, and prior/concomitant medications. Results: The median treatment retention time (95% confidence internal) with buprenorphine/naloxone was 32 days (26‐38) versus 6 days (5‐8) for placebo, with a Cox hazard ratio of 0.28 (95% confidence interval, 0.21‐0.38; P < 0.0001). The median maximum consecutive days of abstinence (95% confidence interval) was: buprenorphine/naloxone, 21 days (26‐38); placebo, 5 days (5‐8) with a Cox hazard ratio of 0.38 (95% confidence interval, 0.25‐0.60; P < 0.0001). Withdrawal and craving symptoms were significantly milder with buprenorphine/naloxone versus placebo (P < 0.001). Urine drug screen results indicated significantly lower opioid usage in the buprenorphine/naloxone group compared with placebo (P < 0.001). The most commonly reported adverse events in the buprenorphine/naloxone group during treatment were aspartate aminotransferase increased and nasopharyngitis. Discussion: Efficacy and safety results from this clinical trial support a positive benefit‐risk ratio for buprenorphine/naloxone sublingual tablet use in the treatment of an opioid‐dependent Chinese population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aims: To describe the polysubstance use patterns of heroin‐dependent patients and to understand the impact of polysubstance use patterns on relapse during the 5 years after completing compulsory rehabilitation programmes. Design In this secondary analysis, the baseline data of 503 heroin‐dependent patients were linked with their 5‐year follow‐up data from official records. Setting: Four compulsory rehabilitation centres in Shanghai, China. Participants: A total of 564 heroin‐dependent patients who were discharged from Shanghai compulsory rehabilitation facilities in 2007 and 2008 were recruited. Among these, 503 patients with available follow‐up records were included in this analysis. Measurements The baseline measurements included the Addiction Severity Index, the Temperament and Character Inventory and the Medical Outcomes Study Social Support Scale. Relapses after discharge from the compulsory rehabilitation centres were extracted monthly from the official electronic record system. Latent class analysis was used to identify different polysubstance use patterns. Associations between the identified latent classes and heroin use and the factors related to relapse during the 5‐year follow‐up were analysed with the Cox regression model. Findings Three latent classes were identified in this cohort: (1) alcohol polydrug users (APU; 13.7%), (2) low polydrug users (LPU; 76.5%) and (3) amphetamine‐type stimulant polydrug users (ASPU; 9.7%). During the 5‐year follow‐up, 298 heroin patients relapsed, and the three groups showed different relapse rates (ASPU 69.4 versus LPU 60.5 versus APU 44.9%, P = 0.02). The average durations of abstinence for the three groups differed (ASPU 31.27 ± 3.41 months versus LPU 36.77 ± 1.19 months versus APU 42.46 ± 2.81 months, P = 0.02). Multivariate Cox regression analyses found that the LPU [hazard ratio (HR) = 1.63, 1.06–2.51] and ASPU (HR = 2.10, 1.24–3.56) classes were positively associated with the risk of heroin relapse. Conclusion: Polydrug use patterns differ among heroin‐dependent patients in compulsory rehabilitation programmes in China. A history of polydrug use may predict heroin relapse risk among patients in those compulsory rehabilitation programmes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Previous studies have demonstrated brain gray matter reduction in methamphetamine (MA) users; however, little is known about longitudinal brain structural alternations during abstinence. Method Brain volumes were compared among 30 MA-dependent patients (average 6.3 years of drug use) at 6 months' abstinence and 27 drug-naïve controls by voxel-based morphometry. A longitudinal analysis of MA subjects was performed from 6 to 12 months' abstinence, and multiple regression analyses were performed between drug use patterns and gray matter volumes (GMV) at 6 months' abstinence. Results Compared with drug-naïve subjects, subjects with 6 months' abstinent of MA showed significantly lower GMV in the precentral gyrus, caudate head, fusiform gyrus, and cerebellum. Compared to 6 months' abstinence, GMV was greater in the cerebellum and lower in the cingulate gyrus at 12 months' abstinence. Accumulated years of MA use negatively correlated with GMV in the right superior frontal gyrus, the right superior temporal cortex, and the right caudate nucleus (significant at the whole brain level, p < 0.001; FWE cluster-corrected p < 0.05). Conclusion The present study suggested that heavy MA users' GMV could show dynamic alterations in different brain regions at different time lengths of abstinence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A lightweight, flexible, and highly efficient energy management strategy is highly desirable for flexible electronic devices to meet a rapidly growing demand. Herein, Ni–Co–S nanosheet array is successfully deposited on graphene foam (Ni–Co–S/GF) by a one‐step electrochemical method. The Ni–Co–S/GF composed of Ni–Co–S nanosheet array which is vertically aligned to GF and provides a large interfacial area for redox reactions with optimum interstitials facilitates the ions diffusion. The Ni–Co–S/GF electrodes have high specific capacitance values of 2918 and 2364 F g−1 at current densities of 1 and 20 A g−1, respectively. Using such hierarchical Ni–Co–S/GF as the cathode, a flexible asymmetric supercapacitor (ASC) is further fabricated with polypyrrple(PPy)/GF as the anode. The flexible asymmetric supercapacitors have maximum operation potential window of 1.65 V, and energy densities of 79.3 and 37.7 Wh kg−1 when the power densities are 825.0 and 16100 W kg−1, respectively. It's worth nothing that the ASC cells have robust flexibility with performance well maintained when the devices were bent to different angles from 180° to 15° at a duration of 5 min. The efficient electrochemical deposition method of Ni–Co–S with a preferred orientation of nanosheet arrays is applicable for the flexible energy storage devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The demand of highly efficient energy storage system has significantly increased along with the rapid development of electric vehicles and hybrid electric vehicles. However, the energy and power density of standard energy storage devices, such as Li-ion batteries or supercapacitors still cannot meet the requirement of the state-of-the-art electric vehicles. Herein, free-standing Li 4 Ti 5 O 12 /graphene foam (LTO/GF) composite is synthesized via a hydrothermal method, and applied as anode material for Li-ion hybrid supercapacitor. The as-synthesized LTO/GF delivers specific capacities of 186, 179 and 175 mAh g −1 at 0.2, 0.5 and 1 C, respectively. Li-ion hybrid supercapacitors have been assembled with LTO/GF as anodes and activated carbon as cathodes, which have energy densities of 46 and 26 Wh kg −1 at power densities of 625 and 2500 W kg −1 , respectively. Furthermore, the hybrid supercapacitor exhibits a superior cycle performance with capacity retention of 83% after 4000 cycles at 1 A g −1 . GF sponge substrate can speed up ions and electrons transport with short diffusion lengths and large electrode/electrolyte contact area. Hierarchically structured LTO/GF electrode is lightweight, flexible, and is promising for energy storage applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• CCR2 has long been considered as a promising target for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). • CCR2 exhibits different effects in RA. • Further understanding of the role of CCR2 could promote the development of its targeted drugs and provide new ideas for improving CCL2-mediated inflammatory diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multisystemic and inflammatory autoimmune disease characterized by joint destruction. The C–C motif chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) is mainly expressed in monocytes and T cells, initiating their migration to sites of inflammation, ultimately leading to cartilage damage and bone destruction. CCR2 has long been considered a prospective target for treating autoimmune diseases. However, clinical studies on inhibitors or neutralizing antibodies against CCR2 in RA have exhibited limited efficacy. Recent evidence indicates that CCR2 may play different roles in RA. Hence, a comprehensive understanding regarding the role of CCR2 may facilitate the development of targeted drugs and provide novel insights for improving CCL2-mediated inflammatory diseases. This review summarizes the biological characteristics of CCR2, the related signaling pathways, and recent developments in CCR2-targeting therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The extraction of phenolic compounds from biomass is an important way to replace chemical synthesis techniques, and catalytic pyrolysis of biomass is an effective method to obtain phenolic compounds with high selectivity. In this work, cobalt-modified montmorillonite K-10(CMT) catalyst was prepared by using cobalt salt and montmorillonite K-10(MMT), and used to catalyze the pyrolysis of corn stalk(CS) to produce phenol-rich bio-oil. The catalytic pyrolysis characteristics reflected by the liquid and gaseous components were compared using gas chromatography-mass spectrometry(GC-MS) and online mass spectrometry(online MS), and the catalytic pyrolysis behavior of corn stalk was analyzed by using the thermogravimetric analyzer(TGA). The addition of catalyst resulted in the increase of apparent activation energy of pyrolysis process but increased selectivity for phenolic compounds. Compared with the blank sample, the relative content of phenolic compounds in bio-oil increased by 11.99 %, and the selectivity of alkyl-phenols was stronger. In addition, the results also showed that the synthesized catalyst promoted the production of H 2 and CH 4 during the catalytic pyrolysis. The optimum ratio of the prepared catalyst was 6%Co/15%MMT. These works provide an alternative approach to upgrading bio-oil product. • A catalyst that effectively improves the selectivity of phenols is synthesized. • A 11.99 % increase in phenols is obtained by adding 6%Co/15%MMT catalyst. • The reforming of oxygenates to form phenolic compounds is enhanced. • A pathway for producing phenols via biomass catalytic pyrolysis is presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A hybrid system was designed to achieve simultaneous generation of fresh water and electricity. • A water yield of 1.55 kg m-2 h−1 and an 19.5 % improvement of output power were obtained under 3-sun irradiation. • Night working mode was achieved by recycling the latent heat of condensation. • An additional 6 W m−2 peak electricity output power were obtained at night. The photovoltaic (PV) cooling system based on solar-driven interfacial water evaporation (SIWE) system can effectively reduce the temperature of PV panels and obtain fresh water, but it cannot work at night during which there is no heat source input. In this work, we proposed a novel SIWE-based PV cooling systems with optimized performance that can achieve all-day working. In this hybrid system, the heat generated by the PV panel is extracted as the form of vaporization latent heat through membrane distillation (MD). Then it transferred along with the condensation of water vapor and stored in Phase Change Material (PCM), which is used to achieve electric power generation by thermoelectric effect at night. The hybrid system can achieve an 19.5 % improvement of output power compared with that without cooling method. Additionally, a 1.55 kg m-2 h−1 fresh water output with a salt rejection rate more than 99.9 % are realized under 3-sun irradiation. At the same time, it can also achieve a peak power output of 6 W m−2 at night by the release of latent heat stored in PCM. This hybrid system may provide a new idea to broaden application scenarios of traditional SIWE-based PV cooling systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Higher working temperatures could help to improve the solar-electricity efficiency of concentrating solar power plant. However, the high temperature also induces structure variations and optical degradation of solar absorbers, and how the structure evolutions affect the optical performances remains largely unclear. To address the problems, we conducted cyclic heat-treatment on the AlCrSiO-based solar selective absorbers at a temperature of 650 °C. Then the microstructures and optical properties of the absorbers before and after annealing were systematically investigated. Finite-Difference Time-Domain simulations were used to establish the relationships between the microstructures and optical properties. The results showed that the absorber can maintain its multilayered structure after cyclic heat-treatment at 650 °C in air with a solar selectivity of 0.928/0.171. Oxidation of micro-droplets on surface can enhance solar absorption in the UV–Vis region due to the reduction of backscattering. The weak oxidation of the absorbing layers would lead to the enhancement of interference effects in the whole solar spectrum. The combination of the above effects can actually enhance the solar absorptance. The diffusion of carbon from the substrate into the infrared reflective Cr layer would slightly improve the thermal emittance. These results suggested the AlCrSiO-based solar selective absorber can be a possible candidate for applications in the next-generation concentrating solar power plant system. • AlCrSiO-based solar absorber exhibited thermal stability at 650 °C in air with a selectivity of 0.93/0.17. • Oxidation of micro-droplets on absorber surface enhanced solar absorption in UV–Vis region. • Weak oxidation of absorbing layers led to enhancement of interference effects in whole solar spectrum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract : Addiction is associated with high impulsivity. Behavioral impulsivity sets the vulnerability in addiction formation, facilitates drug use, and acts as one most important risk factors for relapse. However, the pattern of individual heterogeneity across addictive disorders for precision medicine is still unclear. We performed network-based analysis using the clinical data of trait impulsivity from 1687 subjects with stimulant and heroin use disorders, as well as Internet gaming disorder (IGD). Based on Barratt Impulsivity Scale (BIS) measurements, the trait impulsivity networks and individual differential impulsivity networks (IDINs) were constructed. The three types of addiction respectively accompany different core impulsivity traits. The global network strength in stimulant use disorder was significantly higher than that in other addiction types, and non-planning impulsivity connections in heroin subjects differed from the rest groups. Based on the individual differential impulsivity networks, these subjects were clustered into three types, as deviated from control subjects. The three deviation patterns were related to addiction type, age, education, and addiction duration. These findings indicated different core impulsivity traits across addictions and heterogeneity of individual trait impulsivity patterns, which supports individualized medicine in managing impulsivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a brain stimulation and modulation electrophysiological technique, it can change cortical excitability of target brain region, modulate neuron plasticity and brain connections. Previous researches indicated that rTMS could reduce cue-induced craving in drug addiction.Objective: In this study, we employed real and sham rTMS of the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to test whether it could reduce cue-induced craving for methamphetamine (MA) and influence cognitive function in a randomised clinical trial.Methods: Thirty MA-addicted patients were randomized to receive 5 sessions of 8min sham or 10Hz rTMS to the left DLPFC. Subjects rated their craving at baseline, after exposed to MA-associated cues and after rTMS sessions.Results: Real rTMS over the left DLPFC reduced craving significantly after 5 sessions of rTMS as compared to sham stimulation. Furthermore, real rTMS improved verbal learning and memory and social cognition in MA-addicted patients.Conclusions: The present study suggests that 10Hz rTMS of the left DLPFC may reduce craving and have no negative effects on cognitive function in MA-addicted patients, supporting the safety of rTMS in treating MA addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A capillary-driven seawater desalination method is presented in this study. The core part of the system is an open heat pipe which distinguishes from the regular heat pipe is that no freshwater flows back to the evaporator, but feeds with seawater instead. An experimental prototype is designed and established, which has proved that nearly 91.8 g/h of freshwater could be produced at 42 °C of heat source with an effective evaporation area of 50.24 cm 2 . The total dissolvable solids (TDS) of the produced freshwater is about 30 mg/L, far beyond the standard for drinking water. An industrial desalination unit has been established at Guangdong Yudeam power plant (Guangdong, China). The low temperature steam around 60 °C extracted from #2 steam turbine is considered as the heat source for the desalination unit anticipating a fresh water production rate of 45.7 kg/h. For wide operation temperature adaptability, particularly at lower temperatures, the presented desalination technique may have huge potentials for the applications of low-cost and low-grade waste heat. Advantages of this capillary-driven desalination are discussed and results from the experimental prototype and industrial unit are presented to demonstrate the feasibility of the novel method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To determine the prevalence, associated factors and treatment status of alcohol use disorders (AUDs) in psychiatric patients in China. Methods We asked 24,379 consecutive patients aged ≥ 18 years who presented at the psychiatric departments in eight hospitals in 2013 whether they had consumed alcoholic beverages in the previous month. Of the 2964 (12.2%) patients who answered yes and were then screened with the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT), 1304 (5.3%) screened positive (AUDIT ≥ 7) and, based on DSM-IV criteria, were diagnosed with AUDs by psychiatrists. The treatments prescribed for them were also recorded. Logistic regression was used to identify AUDs associated factors. Results The prevalence of AUDs was 2.4% (95% CI: 2.2–2.6%). None of the patients diagnosed with AUDs had got medical treatment for preventing relapse. The risk factors for AUDs were middle-aged or elderly (OR = 1.86, 95% CI: 1.23–2.80), and consuming beverages with high degree of alcohol content (OR = 2.92, 95% CI: 2.11–4.06). Conclusions The prevalence of AUDs in psychiatric patients in China was not high, but the rate of treatment was dramatically low, indicating the serious neglect of AUDs. Our study suggests an urgent need to improve the situation of unmet need for treatment of psychiatric patients with AUDs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The hybrid system of TOEC and electrokinetic module was designed to obtain co-generation of fresh water and electricity. • Improved water production and promising output power density were obtained by optimizing the parameters of the hybrid system. • Excellent desalination performance of the common salt ions was achieved. Harvesting low-grade heat energy for simultaneous desalination and power generation is a meaningful and valuable work to address the energy and fresh water crisis. Here we report a novel hybrid system for co-generation of fresh water and electricity by coupling thermal osmosis unit and an electrokinetic power generator. Pressured fresh water will be produced in the confined cold side by the temperature difference across the hydrophobic PTFE membrane, based on the principle of membrane distillation. Pressured driven fresh water flows into the electrokinetic module and through the microchannels from one reservoir to the other, electricity will then be generated based on the ion selection effect at the microchannel walls. Fresh water production rate of 18.46 kg m−2 h−1 and output power density of 1.12 W m−2 were simultaneously obtained by this device at a temperature difference of 50 °C. This study combined the recovery of latent heat energy and desalination, which may expand the application approaches of low-grade heat energy recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GABA system genes have been implicated in neurotrophy and neurogenesis, which play pivotal roles in an individual's variation in vulnerability to amphetamine addiction or amphetamine-induced psychosis (AIP). We hypothesized that common genetic variants in the GABA system genes may be associated with amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder. In our study, thirty-six single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the GABA system genes were genotyped in 400 amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder patients and 400 amphetamine use disorders patients (AUP) (not including those categorized as psychosis) in the Han Chinese population. In this study, 51.88% of the Han Chinese amphetamine-type substance use disorder patients met the criteria of amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder, and 79.5% amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder patients had auditory hallucinations, while 46.5% had delusions of reference. The allele frequency of rs1129647 showed nominal association with AIP in the Han Chinese population ( P = 0.03). Compared with AUP group patients, T allele frequency of AIP group patients was significantly increased. The adjustment for age and gender factors in the AIP and AUP patients was executed using unconditional logistic regression under five inheritance models. The genotype frequency of rs1129647 showed nominal association with AIP in the log-additive model ( P = 0.04). The genotype frequency of rs2290733 showed nominal association with AIP in the recessive model ( P = 0.04). Compared with female AIP patients, male patients were more likely to have the CC genotype of rs17545383 ( P = 0.04). Moreover, we determined that more male patients carried the T allele of rs2290733 in the AIP group ( P = 0.004). Unfortunately, the significant differences did not survive Benjamini-Hochberg false discovery rate correction (adjusted P > 0.05). No association between the SNPs of the GABA system genes and amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder risk was identified. No haplotype of the GABA system genes affected amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder risk. This report describes the first association study between the GABA system genes and amphetamine-induced psychotic disorder in the Han Chinese population. Our data may provide a reference for future research. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, Ag-TiO2 nanofibers were prepared by a simple electrospinning and photoreduction method. A mechanism for the synthesis of the Ag-TiO2 nanofibers was proposed on the basis of XRD, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), SEM, and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) results. The photocatalytic activities of the nanofibers were characterized for the degradation of aqueous solutions of methyl orange (MO) and hydrogen evolution from water with methyl alcohol as a sacrificial reagent under the simulated sunlight irradiation. The results indicate that the Ag-modified TiO2 nanofibers are efficient and stable photocatalysts for dye degradation and hydrogen evolution. Compared with pure TiO2 nanofibers, the Ag-TiO2 composite nanofibers have higher photocatalytic activities, and the best load of Ag was 5 mol-%. The Ag nanoparticles serve as charge-transfer sites and broaden the spectral absorption band of the catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Growing evidence suggests abnormalities in brain morphology including hippocampal structure in patients with methamphetamine (MA) dependence. This study was performed to examine hippocampal volume in abstinent MA users, and to further explore its relationship with cognitive function. 30 abstinent MA users (20 males and 10 females) with average 5.52 months of duration of abstinence and 29 healthy controls (19 males and 10 females) age 18–45 years old were recruited for clinical assessment and imaging scan. FreeSurfer was used to segment the hippocampus bilaterally, and hippocampal volumes were extracted for group and gender comparisons. Cognitive function was measured using the CogState Battery Chinese language version (CSB-C). Analysis of covariance (ANCOVA) controlling for education showed a significant group by gender interaction for the right hippocampal relative volume adjusted for total brain size ( p = 0.020); there was a significant difference between male controls and female controls ( p < 0.001), but such a difference did not exist between male patients and female patients ( p = 0.203). No significant correlations were found between hippocampal volume and cognitive measures. There seems to be a gender difference in how MA affects hippocampal volume in abstinent MA users. Hippocampus might be an important treatment target for cognitive improvement and functional recovery in this patient population, especially in females. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose -- This paper aims to deduce a set of theory computational formula, and optimize and improve the heat conductivity of vias in printed circuit boards of electrical power apparatus. Design/methodology/approach -- The authors adopted numerical simulation and experimental measurement to verify the reliability of this formula. Findings -- Research result showed that 0.45 mm was the optimal bore diameter of vias; the conductivity had no obvious improvement when filling material was FR4 or Rogers, but if it was filled with texture of high thermal conductivity like soldering tine, the conductivity would improve a lot; the plating thickness of vias had a greater influence on thermal conductivity. Originality/value -- Through the theory computational formula, this paper studied the influence of aperture of vias, filled materials and thickness of copper plated on vias on thermal conductivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a co-segmentation method using saliency detection. The input image is first over-segmented into super-pixels, in which, their similarities are measured by the Bhattacharyya coefficients. The proposed method uses the combination of detection results of different detection methods on different types of color space to produce the originating regions, in which optimized linear coefficient combination is exploited. Experiments are performed on different image databases and results comparable to that of some current state-of-the-art methods are provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although first-episode drug naive patients with schizophrenia are known to show cognitive impairment, the cognitive performances of these patients, who suffer deficit syndrome, compared with those who suffer non-deficit syndrome is undetermined. The aim of this study was to compare cognitive performances in first-episode drug-naive schizophrenia with deficit syndrome or non-deficit syndrome. First-episode drug naive patients (n = 49) and medicated patients (n = 108) with schizophrenia, and age, sex, and education matched healthy controls (n = 57 for the first-episode group, and n = 128 for the medicated group) were enrolled. Patients were divided into deficit or non-deficit syndrome groups, using the Schedule for Deficit Syndrome. Cognitive performance was assessed using the CogState computerized cognitive battery. All cognitive domains in first-episode drug naive and medicated patients showed significant impairment compared with their respective control groups. Furthermore, cognitive performance in first-episode drug naive patients was significantly worse than in medicated patients. Interestingly, the cognitive performance markers of processing speed and attention, in first-episode drug naive patients with deficit syndrome, were both significantly worse than in equivalent patients without deficit syndrome. In contrast, no differences in cognitive performance were found between the two groups of medicated patients. In conclusion, this study found that first-episode drug naive schizophrenia with deficit syndrome showed significantly impaired processing speed and attention, compared with patients with non-deficit syndrome. These findings highlight processing speed and attention as potential targets for pharmacological and psychosocial interventions in first-episode schizophrenia with deficit syndrome, since these domains are associated with social outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Although amphetamine-type stimulant (ATS) use is an important issue that has caused growing concerns in China as well as other countries, the knowledge of long-term patterns of ATS use in China is limited. This study explored long-term patterns of ATS use in Shanghai, China, and compared the differences by ATS use trajectory groups, seeking to identify risk factors that have implications for the development of targeted intervention programs. Methods A total of 377 ATS users were recruited from the Compulsory Isolation Center for Drug Rehabilitation in Shanghai. Group-based trajectory modeling was applied to identify distinctive trajectories of ATS use over 8 years at the time of interviews conducted in 2012. The mean number of days using ATS per month over a year from years 2005 to 2012 was analyzed with a censored normal model. Results Three distinctive groups were identified: high-use (19.1%), low-use (66.0%), and increasing-use (14.9%). Relative to the low-use group, the high-use and increasing-use groups were more likely to report having used opiate-type drugs and to have more craving experiences. Psychiatric symptoms following ATS use were frequently reported, with ATS users in the increasing-use and high-use groups more likely to report depression symptoms and suicide behaviors compared to the low-use group. The low-use and increasing-use groups reported more months in drug abuse treatment programs compared to the high-use group. Conclusions Addressing ATS use should take into consideration patients’ use-related psychiatric symptoms as well as other risk factors, particularly among those with persistent high-level ATS use trajectories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical lithium extraction is an emerging and rising technology that can extract lithium from sea water and salt lake. In this work, we investigate the performance of lithium extraction under different discharge profiles during the extraction process. Our experiment results show that, the output purity, production rate and energy consumption depend sensitively on the extraction current and frequency, and have optimized values at the frequency of 0.5 Hz and current density of 0.5 mA cm−2 in raw solution with Li+/Na+/Mg2+ ion ratio of 1:1:1. More importantly, with the same average current, current profile with a decrease trend leads to higher lithium production, purity and lower energy consumption. Through simulation on dynamic ion diffusion, we demonstrate the current with decreasing trend reduces the concentration polarization of Li+ near the electrode and induce better performance. At last, we prove the concentration polarization also exist and can be relieved by current manipulation in Li+ extraction from real sea water. These results offer guidance for current operation in practical applications of electrochemical lithium extraction. • Relevance of concentration polarization on discharge profiles in electrochemical lithium extraction is investigated. • Pulse-current with decreasing trend shows better performance than other current profiles. • The output purity and energy consumption have optimal values with the variation of current frequency and magnitude. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• LSPR decay pathways in bimetallic core–shell structured nanoparticles are studied. • The non-plasmonic shell enables to weaken absorption channels of plasmonic core. • Fast inter-band electron transitions in shell preferentially dissipate LSPR energy. • A bigger imaginary part of the permittivity contributes to higher shell absorption. Exploring the energy transfer mechanisms and understanding the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) decay pathways of plasmas are of great importance for realizing effective composition adjustment and optimization of these novel solar energy materials. In this work, the absorption, scattering, and extinction decay channels of bimetallic core–shell nanostructures were calculated using the finite difference time domain method. Moreover, we separated the energy absorbed in the core and shell of the bimetallic nanoparticles to get a better understanding of the decay pathways of LSPR excited energy. Results indicated that the availability of fast inter-band electron transitions in shell metals is the way to preferentially dissipate the surface electric field energy of nanoparticles. It was supported in essence that the larger imaginary part of the permittivity value of the metal shell is crucial for accelerating the decay channel via the surface of the nanoparticle. This work provided a basic physical framework and transparent design principles for material selection of multifunctional LSPR nanoparticles in practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, SrMoO4 thin films have been prepared by chemical solution deposition using rapid thermal annealing. The results show that the thus-derived thin films are c-axis oriented, irrespective of the annealing temperature or the substrate orientation, indicating the self-assembled nature of the c-axis orientation, which is attributed to the combined effects of rapid thermal annealing, the lowest surface energy of the (001) plane, and the large anisotropic thermal expansion coefficient between the ab-plane and along the c-axis orientation in SrMoO4. Abnormal grain growth in thin films annealed under high temperatures or on substrates with large lattice/thermal expansion coefficient mismatch is observed and can be attributed to “strain-induced secondary recrystallization” or “strain annealing”. Bimodal-like rocking curves that are observed in some of the present thin films are attributed to the different interface structures, as confirmed by transmission electron microscopy observations. The photoluminescence properties show different characteristics due to the variations in the degree of orientation, the microstructure and the strain. The results will provide an instructive route to optimizing the properties of scheelite-structured molybdate thin films. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

The effects of different modeling and solving approaches on the simulation of a steam ejector have been investigated with the computational fluid dynamics (CFD) technique. The four most frequently used and recommended turbulence models (standard k-ε, RNG k-ε, realizable k-ε and SST k-ω), two near-wall treatments (standard wall function and enhanced wall treatment), two solvers (pressure- and density-based solvers) and two spatial discretization schemes (the second-order upwind scheme and the quadratic upstream interpolation for convective kinematics (QUICK) of the convection term have been tested and compared for a supersonic steam ejector under the same conditions as experimental data. In total, more than 185 cases of 17 different modeling and solving approaches have been carried out in this work. The simulation results from the pressure-based solver (PBS) are slightly closer to the experimental data than those from the density-based solver (DBS) and are thus utilized in the subsequent simulations. When a high-density mesh with y+ < 1 is used, the SST k-ω model can obtain the best predictions of the maximum entrainment ratio (ER) and an adequate prediction of the critical back pressure (CBP), while the realizable k-ε model with the enhanced wall treatment can obtain the best prediction of the CBP and an adequate prediction of the ER. When the standard wall function is used with the three k-ε models, the realizable k-ε model can obtain the best predictions of the maximum ER, and the three k-ε models can gain the same CBP value. For a steam ejector with recirculation inside the diffuser, the realizable k-ε model or the enhanced wall treatment is recommended for adoption in the modeling approach. When the spatial discretization scheme of the convection term changes from a second-order upwind scheme to a QUICK scheme, the effect can be ignored for the maximum ER calculation, while only the CBP value from the standard k-ε model with the standard wall function is reduced by 2.13%. The calculation deviation of the ER between the two schemes increases with the back pressure at the unchoked flow region, especially when the standard k-ε model is adopted. The realizable k-ε model with the two wall treatments and the SST k-ω model is recommended, while the standard k-ε is more sensitive to the near-wall treatment and the spatial discretization scheme and is not recommended for an ejector simulation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To understand the different patterns of cue-induced craving and physiological reactions among recently abstinent and long-abstinent heroin-dependent patients. Method: 26 healthy adult controls (HC), 29 long-abstinent (more than 1 year, LA), and 26 recently abstinent (less than 1 month, RA) heroin-dependent individuals were exposed to heroin-related and neutral video cues, one video per session, on different days in random order. Self-reported heroin craving by a 10-point visual analog scale (VAS), physiological reactions [skin conductance (SC), muscle electromyography (MEG), skin temperature (TEMP)] and cardiovascular arousal [heart rates (HR), systolic blood pressure (HBP) and diastolic blood pressure (LBP)] were assessed at baseline and after exposure. Results: Both heroin-abstinent groups showed increased heroin craving, SC, MEG, HR, SBP and LBP after exposure to heroin-related video, compared to the control group and compared to exposure to the neutral video. Except the RA group showed more HR changes, changes of heroin craving, SC, MEG, HR, SBP and LBP after exposure to the heroin cue video were not different between the LA and RA groups. Conclusions: Abstinent heroin-dependent patients had elevated craving and physiological reactions after exposure to videos containing heroin-related cues and the cue induced responses still occurred in long-abstinent patients. This phenomenon should be addressed in treatment and recovery services for heroin dependence. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aim of the study: The Chinese herbs of myrrh and frankincense are often combined for treating some inflammatory pain diseases with synergistic therapeutic effects. In this study, we investigated the effects of individual herbal extracts and combined extract on anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities in vivo and analyzed the potential bioactive components from the combination extract by ultra-performance liquid chromatography coupled with mass spectrum (UPLC–MS/MS). Materials and methods: The anti-inflammatory activities were investigated by utilizing the paw edema mice induced by formalin and carrageenan. In addition, we determined the levels of PGE2 and nitrite in the edema paw. The analgesic activity was examined against oxytocin-induced dysmenorrhea in mice. The effects of the administration of dolantin or indomethacin were also studied for references. The components in combination extract (CWE) were analyzed by UPLC–MS/MS. Results: The results showed that myrrh water extract (MWE) and the combined extract (CWE) at the 3.9g/kg, and 5.2g/kg showed inhibition of formalin-induced paw edema with inhibition rate of 30.44%, and 23.50%, respectively. The PGE2 production was inhibited significantly by all samples (P <0.01 or P <0.05). CWE showed stronger suppression on carrageenan-induced mice paw edema at 2 and 3h after administration of drugs. The inhibitory effect of CWE on nitrite production was between that of MWE and water extract of frankincense (FWE) at 5.2g/kg. The dysmenorrhea mice test showed MWE could remarkably reduce the writhing times (P <0.05) and prolong the latency period, while FWE showed no obvious effects on the writhing times. CWE significantly reduced the writhing times and prolong the latency period (P <0.01). Conclusion: These results demonstrated MWE, FWE, and CWE exhibited significant anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities. The findings suggest that CWE may be therapeutically more useful for mitigating inflammatory pain than individual herbal extract. In addition, 12 potential active compounds were identified from CWE. These data may support the fact the traditional application of this combined extract in treating various diseases associated with inflammatory pain. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

It is increasingly clear that microRNAs (miRNAs) play an important role in many diseases, including tumorigenesis. However, the mechanisms by which miRNAs regulate bladder cancer development remain poorly understood. Here, we evaluated the expression of microRNA-203 (miR-203) in bladder cancer tissues using real-time PCR, and defined the target genes and biologically functional effect using luciferase reporter assay, flow cytometry and western blot analysis. We first verified that the expression of miR-203 was decreased in bladder cancer tissues. Moreover, ectopic expression of miR-203 promoted the apoptosis of human bladder cancer cell lines and inhibited cell proliferation, whereas its depletion increased cell growth. We further verified that miR-203 directly targeted 3′-untranslated region of the bcl-w gene, and decreased its expression in vitro and in vivo. Western blot analysis also showed that the expression level of miR-203 was negatively correlated with bcl-w level in tumor tissues. These data suggest an important role for miR-203 in the molecular etiology of bladder cancer and implicate the potential application of miR-203 in bladder cancer therapy. We verified that the expression of microRNA-203 (miR-203) was decreased in bladder cancer tissues. Moreover, ectopic expression of miR-203 promoted the apoptosis of human bladder cancer cell lines. The expression of miR-203 decreased both in vitro and in vivo. Western blot analysis showed that the expression level of miR-203 was negatively correlated with bcl-w level in tumor tissues. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Patients with SUD have decrease glutamate levels in DLPFC. • Higher glutamate levels in MPFC and basal ganglia were showed in SUD patients. • Remission period and cumulative years of drug use had no effect on the glutamate levels. Animal studies have reported the brain glutamatergic dysfunction in substance dependence. However, proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) studies of glutamate in substance-dependent patients published contradicting results. In order to investigate the characteristics of brain glutamatergic alterations in substance-dependent patients, we conducted systematic reviews and meta-analyses of 1H-MRS studies that have investigated the glutamate, glutamine, and Glx (glutamate + glutamine) concentration in substance-dependent patients. Multiple databases were searched until Sep 10, 2020. Twenty-nine studies comprising 982 patients and 787 controls were included. There was significantly decreased glutamate level in dorsolateral prefrontal cortex in patients compared with controls. Higher glutamate levels in medial prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia region were also demonstrated in patients compared with controls. Subgroup analyses based on the substance type and abstinence period (short vs medium-term abstinence period) were performed. The results revealed Glx and glutamate concentrations in all investigated brain regions were not different in patients with any types of substance dependence compared with controls. The abstinence period had no effect on the glutamate levels. In summary, substance dependence is associated with glutamatergic dysfunction of prefrontal cortex and basal ganglia. Present findings partially support the hypothesis that addiction is associated with abnormal brain glutamatergic neurotransmission. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An important reason that restricts the evaporation rate of the solar-to-steam generator is the imbalance of water supply and demand in the solar absorber. Herein, a porosity-tunable evaporator (PTE) with submillimeter pores was introduced to accelerate water evaporation in terms of controlling the water supply velocity in the evaporation thin layer. The PTEs were composed of nanocarbon for light-absorbing and porous crosslinked polyvinyl alcohol for water supplying. The well-tailored apertures of PTE ensured adequate water supply velocity during evaporation, while excessive accumulation of water on the evaporation surface was prevented as a result of the dense skeleton of the upper surface layer. By adjusting the porosity and capillary height of PTE, a moderate water supply velocity was obtained. As a result, we received an evaporation rate of 1.67 kg m−2 h−1 under one sun illumination, which is the highest record so far for solar absorbers with submillimeter apertures. In addition, a long-term operation of PTE in 25% (w/w) NaCl solution showed an evaporation rate fluctuating around 1.59 kg m−2 h−1 within 3 h illumination, and maintaining to 1.34 kg m−2 h−1 after 6 h illumination. Having the advantages of controllable water supply velocity, fast evaporation rate, good salt resistance, together with its biocompatibility, acceptable cost (~58 $ m−2), and easy fabrication, PTE shows great potentials for its applications in the sustainable clean water production technologies. • Porosity-tunable evaporators were prepared by the simple yeast fermentation method. • Capillary water supply velocity during solar water evaporation was controlled. • Porous submillimeter evaporator first achieved an evaporation rate up to 1.67 kg m−2 h−1. • The evaporator was well operated in high-concentration (25%, w/w) NaCl solution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-T cell therapy has been shown to be an effective treatment for hematological tumors, but the treatment of solid tumors still lacks effectiveness. In the tumor microenvironment, macrophages are the innate immune cells with the highest infiltration rate. Tumor-associated macrophages (TAMs) stimulate angiogenesis, increase tumor invasion, and mediate immunosuppression. Because macrophages can infiltrate solid tumor tissue and interact with almost all cellular components in the tumor microenvironment (including tumor cells, immune cells such as T-cells, NK cells, DCs, and other resident non-immune cells), researchers are trying to use macrophages modified with CAR (CAR-M) against solid tumors. This review describes recent reports of CAR-M-based tumor treatments and summarizes their shortcomings and future applications. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The pyrolysis characteristics of thermal bitumen in semi-coke and extracted bitumen were analyzed and compared. • The extracting solvents (a mixture of ionic liquid [Bmim]Cl and NMP) were rarely used in the oil shale extraction. • Gaussian fitting method was used to evaluate the proportions of bond cleavages and their kinetic parameters. Fushun oil shale semi-coke and its extracted bitumen were prepared for analyzing their pyrolysis characteristics by TG–DTG, TG–FTIR, and Py–GC/MS. Semi-coke was the residue of oil shale pyrolyzed to 450 °C, and extracted bitumen was the organic matter extracted from semi-coke with [Bmim]Cl/NMP mixed solvents. Gaussian fitting method was used to analyze the proportions of bond cleavage reactions occured during the pyrolysis to 700 °C at a heating rate of 20 °C/min. Results showed that 3–4 kinds of bond cleavages were mainly involved. The outstanding pyrolysis behaviors were contributed by the cleavages of C al C al and weak bonds (including volatilization). The kinetic parameters based on Coats–Redfern method were calculated from the points for each pyrolysis stage and bond cleavage reaction. The evolution processes of typical gaseous products and distributions of flash pyrolysis products were displayed in detail, exhibiting the prominent roles of aliphatic compounds, CH 4 , and CO 2. Moreover, the releases of the typical gaseous products for semi-coke tended to occur at higher temperatures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lungfishes are the closest extant relatives of tetrapods and preserve ancestral traits linked with the water-to-land transition. However, their huge genome sizes have hindered understanding of this key transition in evolution. Here, we report a 40-Gb chromosome-level assembly of the African lungfish (Protopterus annectens) genome, which is the largest genome assembly ever reported and has a contig and chromosome N50 of 1.60 Mb and 2.81 Gb, respectively. The large size of the lungfish genome is due mainly to retrotransposons. Genes with ultra-long length show similar expression levels to other genes, indicating that lungfishes have evolved high transcription efficacy to keep gene expression balanced. Together with transcriptome and experimental data, we identified potential genes and regulatory elements related to such terrestrial adaptation traits as pulmonary surfactant, anxiolytic ability, pentadactyl limbs, and pharyngeal remodeling. Our results provide insights and key resources for understanding the evolutionary pathway leading from fishes to humans. • Chromosome-level assembly of the largest vertebrate genome reported to date • Continuous expansion of transposons contributed to the huge lungfish genome • Genetic changes enhanced respiration, locomotion, and anxiolytic ability • Three genetic innovation steps from bony fishes to lungfishes and then tetrapods Genome assembly and analysis of the massive African lungfish genome has shed light on genetic innovations required for the water-to-land transition [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rich fossil evidence suggests that many traits and functions related to terrestrial evolution were present long before the ancestor of lobe- and ray-finned fishes. Here, we present genome sequences of the bichir, paddlefish, bowfin, and alligator gar, covering all major early divergent lineages of ray-finned fishes. Our analyses show that these species exhibit many mosaic genomic features of lobe- and ray-finned fishes. In particular, many regulatory elements for limb development are present in these fishes, supporting the hypothesis that the relevant ancestral regulation networks emerged before the origin of tetrapods. Transcriptome analyses confirm the homology between the lung and swim bladder and reveal the presence of functional lung-related genes in early ray-finned fishes. Furthermore, we functionally validate the essential role of a jawed vertebrate highly conserved element for cardiovascular development. Our results imply the ancestors of jawed vertebrates already had the potential gene networks for cardio-respiratory systems supporting air breathing. • De novo reference genome assemblies of four non-teleost ray-finned fishes • Basal ray-finned fishes have key limb development regulatory elements • Lung-related genes in early ray-finned fishes hold the key for the lung origin • Cardio-respiratory systems' co-evolution during early air breathing evolution Comparative analyses of divergent lineages of ray-finned fishes reveal that that these species exhibit mosaic genomic features that have facilitated the adaptive evolution of phenotypes that contributed to the water-to-land transition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Methadone maintenance treatment (MMT) is effective in decreasing opioid use or facilitating abstinence. Previous studies using small opioid use disorder samples suggest that cognitive impairments including impulsivity and executive functions may partially improve on MMT, but a range of deficits may persist. However, systematic assessments with larger samples are needed to confirm the profile of cognitive functions on MMT.Methods: We assessed four types of impulsivity (delay discounting, reflection impulsivity, risk taking and motoric impulsivity), executive functioning (spatial working memory, paired associative learning and strategic planning) and drug cue-induced craving in a relatively large population (115 MMT patients, 115 healthy controls). The relationships between impulsivity, drug cue-induced craving and addiction-related variables were also assessed.Results: Delay discounting, as well as drug cue-induced craving was increased in patients, while motoric impulsivity was lower than in controls. Paired associative learning was additionally impaired, which was explained by increased depression and anxiety levels in patients. Within the MMT group, the delay discounting and drug-cue induced craving scores were positively correlated with self-reported urgency, but unrelated to methadone dosage, duration on methadone, withdrawal symptoms, or presence of nicotine dependence.Conclusions: Our findings highlight increased delay discounting and cue-induced craving in MMT patients suggesting a potential role for trait effects in delay discounting. Although previous smaller studies have shown impaired executive function, in our large sample size on chronic MMT we only observed impaired associative learning related to depressive and anxiety symptoms highlighting a role for managing comorbid symptoms to further optimize cognitive function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amphetamine-type stimulants are the second most commonly abused illicit drug worldwide, with no effective medical treatments currently available. Previous studies have demonstrated that high frequency repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) over the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) reduced cue-induced craving in patients with methamphetamine dependence. However, the neuroplastic mechanism underlying rTMS intervention in methamphetamine users remains to be elucidated. Sixty participants (40 males) with severe methamphetamine use disorder according to DSM-5 were randomized to receive either intermittent theta burst protocols (iTBS) (short bursts of 50 Hz rTMS repeated at a rate in the theta range (5 Hz), 2-sec on, 8-sec off for 5 min; 900 pulses) or sham rTMS over the DLPFC over four weeks (20 daily sessions). Resting state functional connectivity magnetic resonance imaging was acquired before and after rTMS intervention. Participants received drug related cue exposure and rated their craving before and after stimulation. Seed-based functional connectivity analysis was performed to probe rTMS-induced neuroplastic reorganization of brain functional networks. Results showed that twenty daily rTMS sessions decreased craving, increased functional connectivity between left DLPFC and inferior parietal lobule, and decreased functional connectivity between insula and inferior parietal lobule, medial temporal lobe and precuneus. Moreover, the increase of functional connectivity between DLPFC and inferior parietal lobule correlated with craving reduction. This study suggests that neuroplastic changes of frontoparietal functional connectivity contributes to craving reduction, shedding light on the therapeutic effect of rTMS on methamphetamine use disorder. This article is part of the special issue on Stress, Addiction and Plasticity. • rTMS reduce methamphetamine craving by neuroplastic mechanism. • Resting state functional connectivity reflects synchroplasticity in brain regions. • Changes of frontoparietal functional connectivity contribute to craving reduction. • Targeting DLPFC and insula provides potential solution to reduce craving. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven evaporation has attracted increasing interest due to its broad applications, including desalination, power generation, steam sterilization, and solar fuel production. Among them, electricity generation and water production are urgently required, especially in remote regions lacking electricity and fresh water. In this work, we designed a novel hybrid system of a solar photovoltaic (PV) panel backside coupled with a multistage membrane distiller (MD), for co-generation of electricity and fresh water. Within this hybrid PV-MD system, the generated heat in the PV panel is effectively removed by evaporation cooling to reduce the working temperature, thus leading to higher solar-to-electricity efficiency. In addition, the discharged heat can be recovered to drive the multistage MD for fresh water production. Under one sun, the hybrid system outputted electricity power of 66.6 W m−2 with a resistance of 10 Ω and produced fresh water with a rate of 1.11 kg m−2 h−1 with four stages. Thus, this system can be readily implemented in current photovoltaic modules as a retrofit to improve the PV efficiency and water production. • A PV-MD device was designed for co-generation of electricity and fresh water. • The PV efficiency could be efficiently improved by evaporation cooling of the MD. • A high water yield of 1.52 kg m−2 h−1 was achieved under one sun by latent heat recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• We genotyped six SNPs on five miRNA in 400 methamphetamin induced psychosis patients and 488 controls. • Rs10760371 within miR-181a showed marginal differences between cases and controls. • The expression of five miRNA was observed in 55 cases and 57 controls and an eQTL analysis was measured. • MiR-181a, miR-15b, miR-let-7e and miRlet-7d associated with MA induced psychosis. • No positive association with MA induced psychosis was found for eQTL analysis. Methamphetamine (MA) is an addictive psychostimulant substance that mainly leads to schizophrenia-like psychotic symptoms. The expression of miRNAs in brain plays an important role in neurological disorders and may affect by genetic variant(s) in the target site (MiRSNPs). In this study, we investigated whether polymorphisms in miRNAs are associated with MA disorder with psychosis. We carried out a case-control association study in 400 MA users with psychotic characters and 448 controls. Six MiRSNPs with predicted functional relevance miRNAs (miR-181b, miR-181a, miR-15b, miR-let-7e and miRlet-7d) were selected for genotyping. Allele and genotype frequencies were compared between MA users and healthy individuals. The expression of five miRNAs were measured by quantitative real-time RT-PCR in 55 cases and 57 controls. We also explored an expression Quantitative Trait Loci (eQTL) analysis based on the miRNAs expression and SNP genotype. The SNP rs10760371 within miR-181a was nominally associated with MA disorder (P = 0.046). For rs1099308, rs10760371 and rs10993081 in strong linkage disequilibrium (LD), no significant association had been detected from haplotype analysis. Discrepancy had been found between MA users and healthy individuals (P < 0.01) in terms of the expression of miR-181a, miR-15b, miR-let-7e and miR-let-7d. and no noticeable difference had been found from the eQTL analysis. Our findings suggest that rs10760371 within miR-181a may relate to the development of MA dependence with psychosis. The miRNAs expression is unlikely to be regulated by the SNPs within it. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new stable and cost-efficient solar absorber for solar-based applications. • Reveals the influencing factors of photothermal conversion efficiency of nanofluid. • The highest relative efficiency reaches 91.6% at 3 suns. For high-temperatures surfaces, surface absorbers possess a higher evaporation rate while volumetric receivers have a higher solar vapor generation efficiency by localizing high temperatures to the interior of the receiver and thus reduce surface losses. In this work, the solar vapor generation rates and efficiencies of several direct absorption solar collectors were compared by using reduced graphene oxide/graphene oxide and silver nanofluids as evaporators, two of which deserve to be noticed. One is the hybrid nanofluids containing reduced graphene oxide decorated with silver nanoparticles in volumetric solar absorbers and the other one is hybrid nanofluids containing reduced graphene oxide with silver floating on the surface, combining surface absorbers and volumetric ones. The results show that relative efficiency monotonously increases with the light density (e.g. correspondingly changes within 61.5% at 1 sun, 62% at 2 suns, 64% at 3 suns and 69% at 4 suns for 0.45 mg/ml reduced graphene oxide) and nanofluid concentration. The further experiments reveal that nanofluid-assisted vapor generation efficiencies of hybrid nanofluids containing reduced graphene oxide with silver floating on the surface were higher, reaching 91.6% at 3 suns, than the others due to its higher absorbance and plasmonic effect of the nanoparticles and high thermal conductivity of graphene nanosheets. This demonstration of hybrid nanofluids containing reduced graphene oxide with silver floating on the surface holds the promise of significantly expanding the potential applications in desalination, water treatment and power generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]