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This study performs empirical tests to show several behavioral patterns in managerial decision-making using Chinese data. Based on the outbreak of Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) in 2003, caused by the same family of viruses as COVID-19, we show that firms with board chairs that experienced SARS during their tenure as senior executives invested less in subsequent periods. This effect is evident for board chairs that personally experienced the pandemic and those who prominently perceived their neighbor's operating distress during the SARS outbreak. The impact persists and is amplified by other negative shocks, such as infectious diseases and economic uncertainty, which supports the validity of stimulus generalization theory in corporate finance. Firms with board chairs that experienced SARS invested even less during the COVID-19 pandemic but performed relatively better during this same period than during normal business operations. However, the benefit was somewhat smaller than the overall loss. This study supports the finding that the long-lasting impact of pandemic-induced operating distress can distort the real economy. Our findings have meaningful implications for assessing the long-term economic effects of COVID-19. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Given the idea that financial institutions can have a significant impact on environmental performance, green credit, which essentially involves capital allocation under environmental awareness, is worth to be explored and implemented by banking sectors worldwide. This paper explores the impact of environmental awareness on firms' loan rates, with a focus on borrowers who have a record of environmental penalties. Using a comprehensive loan dataset from one of China's "Big Five" banks between 2010 and 2013, we employ the volatility of particulate matter 2.5 (PM 2.5) as a proxy to measure environmental awareness. Our findings suggest that the volatility of air pollution has a positive effect on the floating ratio of the loan interest rate for firms with a history of environmental penalties. Furthermore, we find that this mechanism is particularly pronounced for private-owned enterprises (POEs), new loan customers, firms with low crediting ratings, and small-sized enterprises. We also confirm the role of environmental awareness in firms' loan costs by demonstrating that the volatility of air pollution is sensitive to variations in insolation duration, environmental attention, and PM2.5 monitoring stations. We suggest that the volatility of air pollution is a more meaningful indicator than the degree of air pollution, and that people's voluntary environmental awareness can transfer the environmental risk of firms to their internal operating costs. The significance of this study lies in its potential to aid policymakers and investors in advancing sustainable finance practices, as well as stimulating individual engagement with environmental awareness and prompting financial institutions to give greater importance to these issues. • Environmental awareness increases non-compliant firms' loan costs. • Environmental awareness can transfer the environmental risk of firms to their operating costs. • The mechanism more strongly impacts POEs and small-size firms. • Sensitivity of environmental awareness to insolation, attention, and PM 2.5 monitoring. • The volatility of air pollution is a more meaningful predictor than the degree of air pollution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Geometric parameters play a crucial role in determining the characteristics of metasurfaces, whereas studying the effect of each geometric parameter on the simulation results is a difficult and challenging problem. In this paper, we propose a framework to investigate the dynamic relationship between geometric parameters and transmission, which is based on multifractal detrended cross-correlation analysis (MF-DCCA) and light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM). The MF-DCCA algorithm analyzes the cross-correlation between the two columns of data, while the LightGBM model is used to solve machine learning regression problems. We found that the cross-correlation between geometric parameters and transmission is multifractal, with long-range correlation and generally fat-tailed as the source of multifractality. The regression coefficient (R2) of LightGBM model for predicting transmission is 0.984. This study not only provides a reference for the importance of geometric parameters in metasurface simulation but also provides a tool for feature screening in forward and inverse design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The emergence of metamaterials has brought a revolutionary way to manipulate the behavior of light on the nanoscale. However, there are still many problems in design process, such as time-consuming and many-to-one mapping. Here, we demonstrate the forward and inverse design of plasmonic metamaterial absorbers based on Light gradient boosting machine (LightGBM) and Extreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost). The inverse framework can use the input reflection value to design the metamaterial parameter structure. The experimental results show that XGBoost has better performance in forward and inverse design (Forward-R2: 0.956; Inverse-R2: 0.967). The framework is suitable for designing metamaterials on demand, and it can be used in zoom imaging, metamaterial absorbers, metamaterial filters, and other fields. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Genetic testing of UGT1A1 was used to facilitate the diagnosis of Gilbert syndrome, and analyze the distribution features of pathogenic variants in the Chinese population. Methods: DNA was extracted from whole blood samples of patients with unconjugated hyperbilirubinemia, and sequencing of the UGT1A1 gene was performed after PCR amplification. After alignment with reference sequences, the known pathogenic variants were identified, the variant spectrum was analyzed, and the pathogenicity of novel variants was predicted using online mutation prediction tools. Results: A total of 117 patients were confirmed with Gilbert syndrome by UGT1A1 genetic diagnosis, where the most common pathogenic variants included promoter A(TA)7TAA insertion and p.Gly71Arg missense variant. Following novel variants were also identified: p.Ala61Gly, p.Tyr67Phe, p.Leu166Alafs*16, p.Arg240Lys, p.Ser306Phe, p.Arg341Gln, and p.Glu424* variants. Conclusions: Genetic testing of UGT1A1 in clinical practices could facilitate confirming Gilbert syndrome and performing differential diagnosis. The pathogenic variant spectrum in the Chinese population was similar to other Asian populations. The novel pathogenic variants identified in this study require further investigation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The process of machine learning-assisted nanophotonicsinverse design has been plagued by the problem of non-uniqueness for a long time, which is a problem worth studying. In this paper, we present a novel methodology for the design of bowtie optical nanoantennas (BONAs) by employing a Bootstrap Sampling Style Ensemble Neural Network (BSENN) model. Our approach combines a bagging algorithm with a tandem neural network to address the non-uniqueness challenge inherent in the inverse design process of BONAs. By splitting the data, training in batches, and integrating the results, our BSENN model is able to provide reliable predictions and offer a solution to the non-uniqueness problem. The main objective of our work is to explore diverse BONAs design structures that yield identical spectral responses, thereby providing a broader range of alternatives for the design of optical nanoantennas. Through the utilization of the BSENN model, we aim to enhance the design process and offer increased flexibility and versatility in the field of optical nanoantenna design. • Using the bagging algorithm and Ensemble learning model, it can provide more possible solutions for the inversedesign of optical nano antennas. • On-demand inverse design can provide more design options. • Combines a tandem neural network and K-means algorithm to ensure a simple and reliable output. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A homochiral Zn–UDP coordination polymer with an alternating parallel ABAB sequence was constructed and studied by X-ray single crystal diffraction analysis. Its crystal structure shows that there are potentially open sites in the 2D layers. The activation of the sites makes the coordination polymer a fluorescent sensor for novel heterogeneous detection of amino acids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metasurfaces is one of the research hotspots in the field of micro/nanometer technologies during the last decade. Whereas, it remains challenging to inverse design optics devices according to desired physical response. Here we demonstrate an attempt to design a metasurface meta-atoms with machine learning approach. We use the metasurface structure parameters, nanofin material, phase, and transmission as model data of the deep neural networks (DNN) and light gradient boosting machine (LighGBM), and the mapping relationship between geometric parameters and phase and transmission is established. The two models are highly accurate in forward design, achieving the best regression coefficient of 0.969, while for the inverse design the best regression coefficient is 0.918. Using the trained inverse design network, the structural parameters and nanofin composition of the metasurface meta-atoms can be obtained for a given phase and transmittance, and the two models show strong generalization ability. This method may facilitate the viability of complex metasurface design and it can be also potentially applied in optical zoom imaging, perfect absorbers, metasurface filters, and other nanophysics fields. • The highlights of this paper are mainly the following three points. • We demonstrate the application of LightGBM and DNN algorithms in the forward and inverse design of metasurface meta-atoms. • The transmittance and phase are predicted in the forward design. • The nanofins and structural parameter of the metasurface meta-atoms is design by inverse design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Cubic sillenite-type and monoclinic bismuth phosphates were synthesized via hydrothermal methods. Structure and morphology of cubic Bi13.1PO δ and monoclinic BiPO4 were characterized with a variety of analytical methods including powder X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy methods and surface area measurements. The humidity sensing properties of both bismuth phosphate types were investigated with respect to their capacitance characteristics. Sillenite-type cubic bismuth phosphate exhibits better response behavior than monoclinic BiPO4. Cubic bismuth phosphate displays a capacitance change of up to 4 orders of magnitude over a relative humidity (RH) range from 11% to 95% together with a linear adsorption/desorption relationship. This promising humidity sensing behavior is related to the presence of a framework structure containing polarizable Bi3+ cations in combination with moderate phosphate doping. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Highly aligned arrays of ZnO/TiO2 core/shell nanorods were fabricated on glass substrates by hydrothermal growth of ZnO nanorods cores followed by the deposition of anatase TiO2 shells in a sol–gel process. The characterization of these composite materials with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Raman spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX) and transmission emission microscopy (TEM) points to the formation of crystalline ZnO nanorod cores that are coated with anatase TiO2 shells. Humidity sensors based on these core/shell nanorod arrays exhibit outstanding sensitivities with capacitances varying from 101 to 106 pF over a relative humidity (RH) range of 11%–95% at room temperature, which is 1.5 and 3 orders of magnitude higher than that of pristine TiO2 films and ZnO nanorods, respectively. Complex impedance analysis indicated that the enhanced humidity sensitivity is probably due to the high surface/volume ratio of this core/shell material in combination with the remarkable hydrophilicity of the TiO2 shell. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An ethanol gas sensor was fabricated based on Ti doped ZnO nanotetrapods which were prepared by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) of ZnO nanotetrapods followed by co-annealing with TiO2 powder. X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectra and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were used to characterize the morphology and structure of the as-obtained sample and the ethanol-sensing characteristics of the device were investigated. ZnO:Ti sensors show higher gas response than ZnO counterparts towards 100ppm ethanol gas at a temperature of 260°C. The recovery times of the devices are 3.1min for ZnO:Ti and 10.1min for ZnO, respectively. The enhancement of sensing properties of ZnO:Ti tetrapods indicates the potential application for fabricating low power and highly sensitive gas sensors. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• The innovative use of multi-headed neural networks in combination with tandem neural networks solves the non-uniqueness problem of Layered Photonic Structures. • A self-attentive mechanism is added to the front of the inverse network to improve the accuracy and problem-solving capability of the network-aided design. • The generalization capability of the forward network is improved using cross-validation, which results in a significant improvement in the overall network performance. Neural networks have proven to be an influential tool in assisting with the inverse design of nanophotonic structures. However, the issue of non-uniqueness poses a significant limitation to this approach, as disparate designs can produce nearly identical spectra. This problem can result in the neural network failing to converge or producing erroneous results. In this study, we propose a multi-headed tandem neural network (MTNN) approach to address this issue. This method enables the neural network to generate multiple sets of outputs and utilize tandem neural networks (TNNs), and self-attention mechanisms, among other techniques, to constrain the results, and let these multiple outputs be fitted separately to different results. This allows the neural network to converge without sacrificing the simplex solution in the face of multimodal solutions. We employ the MTNN approach to inverse engineer a multilayer photonic structure comprised of two sets of oxide films, and the multiple outputs provide numerous valuable solutions. Our approach presents an effective solution for the inverse design of photonic structures afflicted with non-uniqueness problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The nucleation and crystallization processes within solution‐processed deposition is key for obtaining perovskite films with high quality. Herein, the synergistic effect of Cs+, ligand solvent (tetramethylene sulfoxide, TMSO), and methylammonium ions (MA+) on nucleation and crystallization procedures of preparing perovskites films is studied. The results reveal that producing α‐phase nuclei in the intermediate‐phase film (a perovskite film formed by removing the solvent before annealing) is the key factor for obtaining α‐phase‐pure perovskites, wherein Cs+ is necessary for reducing the formation energy of the α‐phase. In addition, the nonvolatile ligand (TMSO) is used to inhibit rapid nucleation, because it can form a stable intermediate phase. Furthermore, the introduction of the volatile MA+ cations compound (MACl) combined with Cs+ contributed to the direct formation of α‐phase nuclei in the intermediate‐phase film, and ion exchange (between FA+ and MA+) occurs during the subsequent annealing process, which leads to the formation of large‐grain perovskite film with good crystallinity. Maximum power conversion efficiencies of 22.08% and 16.88% are obtained via this strategy for a perovskite solar cell on a small area (active area: 0.09 cm2) and a perovskite solar module (aperture area: 12.92 cm2), respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction and Aims. Bile acids play an essential role in the progression of nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). This study was aimed at investigating the association of the serum glycocholic acid- (GCA-) to-total bile acid (TBA) ratio with NAFLD in the general population. Materials and Methods. A total of 6708 subjects (2859 cases with NAFLD and 3849 controls) were enrolled in the development cohort and additional 1568 subjects (784 cases with NAFLD and 784 controls) in an independent validation cohort. Demographic characteristics and biochemical data were compared between subjects with NAFLD and controls. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was performed to determine the association of the GCA-to-TBA ratio with NAFLD. A novel model incorporating the GCA-to-TBA ratio was developed for screening NAFLD from the general population. Results. The serum TBA and GCA levels were significantly higher in subjects with NAFLD than in those without NAFLD (2.8 (2.0-4.2) μmol/L vs. 2.5 (1.8-3.7) μmol/L and 1.30 (1.10-1.53) μg/mL vs. 1.28 (1.08-1.50) μg/mL, respectively, all p ≤ 0.01), whereas the serum GCA-to-TBA ratio was significantly lower in subjects with NAFLD than in subjects without NAFLD (0.44 (0.33-0.60) vs. 0.48 (0.36-0.64), p ≤ 0.01). Logistic regression analysis showed that the GCA-to-TBA ratio was independently associated with NAFLD after adjustment for confounding factors (odds ratio: 0.81, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.71-0.92, p ≤ 0.01). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve of the novel developed GCA-to-TBA ratio score model in discriminating NAFLD was 0.84 (95% CI: 0.83-0.85) in the development cohort and was 0.91 (95% CI: 0.36-0.65) in the validation cohort. Conclusion. The serum GCA-to-TBA ratio is independently associated with NAFLD. A simple novel model incorporating the GCA-to-TBA ratio score has a good performance in discriminating NAFLD from the general population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, significant progress has been made in the research of metamaterial perfect absorbers for on-demand design based on deep learning methods, and how to improve the generalization ability and prediction accuracy of network models in inverse design has been a hot topic of recent research. In this paper, we propose a fully connected neural network (RFC-NN) based on the residual principle applied to the inverse design of perfect absorbers. We design the RFC-NN model by applying the residual network structure commonly used on convolutional neural networks to a fully connected neural network, and the regression coefficients of the predicted structural parameters and the corresponding absorption spectra in the inverse design are 0.988 and 0.923, respectively, which have better prediction performance and generalization ability than the ordinary fully connected neural network (FC-NN), tandem neural network (TNN), and one-dimensional residual convolutional neural network (1D-Resnet). Then, we successfully designed the metamaterial perfect absorber with an absorption bandwidth (the spectral range where the absorptivity is greater than 90%) of 1935 nm using the trained RFC-NN model, which corresponds to an average absorptivity of 93.70%. Meanwhile, we use the analysis method of the Pearson correlation coefficient to improve the accuracy of the RFC-NN model after inverse design. Our proposed design method proves to be very effective and can also be applied to the design of other types of functional nanophotonic devices. • We realize forward prediction and inverse design of perfect absorber based on deep learning. In the inverse design, we propose a fully connected neural network (RFC-NN) based on the residual principle, which is more accurate than the traditional neural network in the inverse design. • Using the trained RFC-NN model, we successfully perform the on-demand design of perfect absorbers with large absorption bandwidth. • We use Pearson's correlation coefficient to analyze the relationship between the structural parameters of the perfect absorber and the absorption spectrum and use the relationship between them to improve the accuracy of the RFC-NN model in inverse design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

1D metal halide perovskite (MHP) nanowires (NWs) have energized research interest owing to their unique characteristics; they are grain‐boundary‐free, efficiently transport axial carriers, in conjunction with strong radial spatial confinement. Herein, recent progress in the synthesis, integration, property characterization, and advanced optoelectronic applications of MHP NWs is systematically reviewed. The approaches to synthesize MHP NWs are mainly classified into solution‐phase and vapor‐phase methods, as well as the top‐down technique. Meanwhile, highly ordered patterns/templates‐assisted and surface‐guided alignment methods are utilized to integrate MHP NWs into NW arrays. The enhanced long‐term stability and superior optoelectronic properties of MHP NWs enable excellent optoelectronic device performance, where solar cells, photodetectors, image sensors, bionic eyes, light‐emitting diodes, resistive random‐access memories, and field‐effect transistors are mainly discussed. Finally, some perspectives for further direction of exploration to improve the device performance and path ways toward their practical applications are also provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organometallic trihalide perovskites are promising materials for photovoltaic applications, which have demonstrated a rapid rise in photovoltaic performance in a short period of time. We report a facile one-step method to fabricate planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells by chemical vapor deposition (CVD), with a solar power conversion efficiency of up to 11.1%. We performed a systematic optimization of CVD parameters such as temperature and growth time to obtain high quality films of CH3NH3PbI3 and CH3NH3PbI3-xClx perovskite. Scanning electron microscopy and time resolved photoluminescence data showed that the perovskite films have a large grain size of more than 1 micrometer, and carrier life-times of 10 ns and 120 ns for CH3NH3PbI3 and CH3NH3PbI3-xClx, respectively. This is the first demonstration of a highly efficient perovskite solar cell using one step CVD and there is likely room for significant improvement of device efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Slow light devices have important applications in many fields such as optical communication, optical storage, optical signal shaping and synchronization. Although a variety of high-performance slow light devices can be purchased in the market, it is still a worthwhile research topic to design slow light devices according to specific wavelengths and requirements. Here we employ machine learning method to inverse design electromagnetically induced transparency (EIT) based slow light devices in communication band using metal–dielectric hybrid metamaterials. Three characteristic points of transmittance as well as the group refractive index and bandwidth are chosen as input parameters. By replacing the complex fully connected layer with a one-dimensional convolutional neural network (1DCNN) layer to optimize the fully connected network, the proposed model can break the limitation of passive modulation and find the best slow light structure parameters. The slow light parameters could reach a bandwidth of 38.71 nm and average group refractive index of 10.51. In addition, the model can predict hybrid metamaterial structure parameters of slow light devices in the communication band from 1400 nm to 1600 nm. By combining active and passive modulation technologies, our proposed method improves the adjustment range of design parameters of slow light devices. The procedure can be potentially applied in the design of other nano optical devices. • The proposed model can find the optimal slow light structure parameters by utilizing a 1D convolutional neural network (1DCNN) layer to optimize the fully connected network. • By the prediction of the model, the slow light parameters could reach a bandwidth of 38.71 nm and average group refractive index of 10.51 in our metamaterial. • The model can predict hybrid metamaterial structure parameters of slow light devices in the communication band from 1400 nm to 1600 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to investigate the incidence of chromosome anomalies in different types of congenital gastrointestinal obstruction and assess pregnancy outcomes of fetuses with congenital gastrointestinal obstruction. Methods: A total of 64 cases with gastrointestinal obstruction between January 2014 and December 2020 were enrolled in this study. They were divided into three groups according to sonographic images. Group A: isolated upper gastrointestinal obstruction; Group B: isolated lower gastrointestinal obstruction; Group C: non-isolated gastrointestinal obstruction. The rate of chromosome anomalies in different groups was calculated. Pregnant women with amniocentesis were followed up by medical records and telephone. The follow-up included pregnancy outcomes and development of the live born infants. Result: From January 2014 to December 2020, there were 64 fetus with congenital gastrointestinal obstruction underwent chromosome microarray analysis(CMA), the overall detection rate of CMA testing was 14.1%(9/64). The detection rate of Group A, B and C were 16.2%, 0 and 25.0% respectively. 9 fetuses with abnormal CMA results were all terminated. Among 55 fetuses with normal chromosomes, 10(18.2%) fetuses were not found to have any gastrointestinal obstruction after birth. 17(30.9%) fetuses were diagnosed with gastrointestinal obstruction and underwent surgical treatment after birth, one of which had lower gastrointestinal obstruction combined with biliary obstruction and died due to liver cirrhosis. 11(20.0%) pregnancy were terminated due to multiple abnormalities. 5(9.1%) fetuses were intrauterine death. 3(5.5%) fetuses were neonatal deaths. 9(16.4%) fetuses were lost to follow-up. Conclusion: It is crucial to understand whether the gastrointestinal tract abnormality is isolated or associated to other findings. The risk of chromosomal abnormalities in fetuses with isolated lower gastrointestinal obstruction is lower than upper gastrointestinal obstruction. While genetic abnormalities excluded, a promising prognosis is expected for fetuses with congenital gastrointestinal obstruction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The base-pair sequences are the foundation for the biological processes of DNA or RNA, and base-pair mismatch is very important to reveal genetic diseases and DNA rearrangements. However, the lack of well-defined structural information about base-pair mismatch is obstructing the investigation of this issue. The challenge is to crystallize the materials containing the base-pair mismatch. Engineering the small-molecule mimics or model is an effective strategy to solve this issue. Here, six cytidine-5′-monophosphate (CMP) and 2′-deoxycytidine-5′-monophosphate (dCMP) coordination polymers were reported containing cytosine-cytosine base-pair mismatch (i-motif), and their single-crystal structures and chiralities were studied. The precise control over the formation of the i-motif was demonstrated, in which the regulating of supramolecular interactions was achieved based on molecular design. In addition, the chiralities of these coordination polymers were investigated according to their crystal structures and solution- and solid-state circular dichroism spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Six Cu(II) complexes containing the NO 2 donor tridentate asymmetrical aroylhydrazone ligand (E)-4-hydroxy-N′-((2-hydroxynaphthalen-1-yl)methylene)benzohydrazide ( HL ), namely, [Cu(L)Cl]·2H 2 O ( 1 ), [Cu(L)(CH 3 OH) 2 ]·NO 3 ( 2 ), [Cu(L)(NO 3 )(H 2 O)]·H 2 O ( 3 ), [Cu(L)(CH 3 OH)Cl]·CH 3 OH ( 4 ), [Cu(L)(SCN)(DMF)]·DMF ( 5 ) and {[Cu(L)(4,4′-bipy)]ClO 4 ·4DMF} n ( 6 ) have been synthesized and analysized by X-ray singal crystal diffraction. The structures of 1 – 6 are varied from zero-dimensional (0D) mononuclear complex to one-dimensional (1D) polymer based on the control of solvents, anions or auxiliary ligands, which can occupy the open coordination sites of Cu(II). Different hydrogen bonding interactions can also be observed in these complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preimplantation genetic diagnosis (PGD) has gained widespread application in clinical medicine and hence the health of PGD offspring needs to be systematically assessed. Given the critical role of the stress response in growth and health, assessments of the development and function of the stress system might help to clarify the health outcomes of PGD. In this study, we constructed a PGD-conceived mouse model and used naturally conceived mice as controls; we used this model to evaluate the potential effect of PGD procedures on the stress system of the offspring. Serum and tissues of stress organs, namely the hypothalamus, locus coeruleus and adrenal gland, were collected from 5-week-old mice in the basal state or after cold stress. The serum levels of stress-related hormones and the structural and functional indices of the stress organs were then examined. In the basal state, ultrastructural abnormalities and low expression of genes involved in steroid hormone synthesis were found in the adrenals of the PGD mice, which had low corticosterone and high epinephrine levels compared with those of control mice. After acute cold stress, the PGD mice continued to show structural and glucocorticoid secretion abnormalities resulting in a late response to the environmental change. Thus, our study indicates that PGD manipulations affect adrenal development, result in structural and functional abnormalities of the adrenals in the offspring and influence their reactivity and adaptability to cold stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Humidity sensors based on Aurivillius type Bi2MO6 (M=W or Mo) materials have been fabricated using the “Doctor Blade” method. The structure and morphology of the fabricated films were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The sensing properties were investigated with respect to both impedance and capacitance characteristics. The humidity sensing tests displayed ultrahigh sensitivities with impedance changes of 4–5 orders of magnitude with the increase of the relative humidity (RH) from 11 to 95%. The Bi2MO6 materials furthermore revealed a rapid response and recovery time with good reproducibility. The sensing properties of the Bi2WO6 sample are superior to those of the Bi2MoO6 materials due to their larger surface-to-volume ratio and different degrees of hydrophilicity. In addition, the sensing mechanism of the Bi2MO6 based sensors is discussed. These results open up promising applications of Aurivillius type oxides in electronic devices for highly sensitive environmental monitoring and humidity control. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Titanium oxide (TiO 2) and tin oxide (SnO 2) are the most commonly used electron transport materials for high-efficiency n-i-p perovskite solar cells (PSCs); however, several limiting properties of TiO 2 and SnO 2 adversely affect device performance. This study describes a facile method to synthesize SnO 2 :TiO 2 hybrid nanocrystals (NCs) to construct electron transport layers (ETLs) with the advantageous properties of both SnO 2 and TiO 2 for n-i-p PSCs. The optimized SnO 2 :TiO 2 ETL exhibited better surface morphology, well-matched band alignment, higher direct current conductivity, and enhanced electron extraction and transport compared to pristine TiO 2 and SnO 2 ETLs. Moreover, perovskite films deposited on SnO 2 :TiO 2 ETLs exhibited a higher crystallinity and lower trap-state density than those on TiO 2 or SnO 2 ETLs. Therefore, SnO 2 :TiO 2 -based devices showed high performance (with a power conversion efficiency of 23.19%) and stability (with more than 83% retention of the initial efficiency after 800 h of continuous illumination). This study provides a new method for developing low-cost and efficient ETLs for n-i-p PSCs and confirms that constructing SnO 2 :TiO 2 hybrid ETL is an effective method to fabricate high-efficiency and stable planar perovskite solar cells. [Display omitted] • A facile method was developed to synthesize SnO 2 :TiO 2 hybrid nanocrystals. • The SnO 2 :TiO 2 hybrid ETL exhibited the advantageous properties of both TiO 2 and SnO 2. • Perovskite films deposited on SnO 2 :TiO 2 ETLs exhibited a high crystallinity and low trap-state density. • SnO 2 :TiO 2 -based devices had a PCE of 23.19% with >83% retention after 800 h of continuous illumination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The fulminant form of hepatitis B-related acute liver failure (FHB-ALF) is a rare but highly fatal outcome of acute hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. Its related host factors have not been studied to our knowledge.Methods: To identify functionally relevant biological pathway(8) in FHB-ALF pathogenesis, pathway enrichment analysis was conducted on a data set of rare case-specific variants derived from exomic sequencing of 10 unrelated cases. Key variants in identified pathways were validated using 312 controls with HBV disease. Mechanistic studies of a recurrent Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 gene (TLR2) variant were performed in vitro and in vivo.Results: The TLR signaling pathway was highly enriched, with associated variants found in 9 of the 10 cases. Notably, a rare heterozygous single-nucleotide variation causing F679I mutation in TLR2 was identified in 2 unrelated cases. In vitro analysis demonstrated F679I to cause loss of function. In both heterozygous and homozygous TLR2 knockout mice, injection of HBV replicon plasmid resulted in more prominent alanine aminotransferase elevations and hepatic necroinflammation than in wild-type mice. Mechanistic analyses demonstrated reduced regulatory T-cell percentages in postexposure TLR2 knockout mice.Conclusions: TLR2 signaling is very likely impaired in patients with FHB-ALF. The recurrence of rare case-specific TLR2 variant strongly suggests mechanistic contribution to fulminancy in HBV infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A colorimetric and fluorescent sensor for trace water in methanol has been designed and characterized, which is a kind of aluminium-Schiff base coordination complex derived from diaminomaleonitrile. The fluorescence properties of this complex have been studied based on excited state intramolecular proton transfer (ESIPT) and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanism. The fluorescent emission of Al-L complex can be quenched by 0.1% water and distinguished by naked eyes. The detection limitation is 0.01% recognized by fluorescence spectra. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The device performance of CdS/CdTe solar cells largely depends on not only the back ohmic contact, but also the conformality of CdS window layer coating. In order to reduce the light absorption loss in CdS, the CdS thickness is usually less than 100 nm. However, pinholes in CdS and non-conformal coverage of CdS on transparent conducting oxide layer will cause shunting thus leading to device performance degradation and failure. In this paper, low-temperature and low-cost fabrication methods, i.e., chemical bath deposition and electrochemical deposition, were used to deposit CdS and CdTe, respectively. It was found that the yield of device was around 20 % due to shunting. In order to alleviate this problem, a compact layer of TiO was inserted between the fluorine-doped tin oxide and CdS as a buffer layer. The thickness effect of TiO was studied and showed that devices with thin (20 nm thickness) TiO performed better than the counterparts with thick layers. It was discovered that device yield improved to 80 % and stability in air substantially improved with TiO layer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Background: The response rate to antiviral therapy varies greatly among individuals, and its prediction is still very challenging. Objectives: To evaluate the usefulness of serum hepatitis B virus large surface protein (LHBs) levels compared with HBsAg in prediction of the antiviral treatment effect. Study design: Quantification of LHBs, HBsAg and HBV DNA was carried out at baseline and during antiviral therapy (weeks 4, 12, 24, 36 and 48) in HBeAg-positive patients treated with peginterferon alfa-2a (n =21) or entecavir (n =41). Results: The serum LHBs concentration was correlated positively with HBV DNA and HBsAg (r =0.635 and 0.588, respectively). LHBs and HBV DNA levels decreased significantly in a biphasic manner and HBsAg level tended to decrease slowly in both treatment groups. In peginterferon alfa-2a group, the cutoff of 88.46ng/ml in serum LHBs at week 4 gave the best AUC (=0.96) with positive and negative predictive values of 88.9% and 100%, in association with virological response (VR). Serum LHBs level at week 4 also showed an association with VR in entecavir group (AUC 0.78). The predictive model incorporating LHBs, HBsAg and HBV DNA could discriminate VR at baseline (AUC 0.79) and showed an association with serological response (SR) at week 12 (AUC 0.80) in peginterferon alfa-2a group. Conclusions: On-treatment quantification of serum LHBs may be a more useful parameter for predicting VR in patients on peginterferon alfa-2a than those on entecavir. Combining LHBs, HBsAg and HBV DNA can predict VR and SR more effectively and earlier. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Unique light-matter interaction at nanophotonic regimecan be harnessedfor designing efficient photonic and optoelectronic devices such assolar cells, lasers, and photodetectors. In this work, periodic photonnanowells are fabricated with a low-cost and scalable approach, followedby systematic investigations of their photon capturing propertiescombining experiments and simulations. Intriguingly, it is found thata proper periodicity greatly facilitates photon capturing processin the nanowells, primarily owing to optical diffraction. Meanwhile,the nanoengineered morphology renders the nanostructures with a broad-bandefficient light absorption. The findings in this work can be utilizedto implement a new type of nanostructure-based solar cells. Also,the methodology applied in this work can be generalized to rationaldesign of other types of efficient photon-harvesting devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ethnopharmacological relevance: Salvia miltiorrhiza Bunge named Danshen in China has been used for hundreds of years in both China and other countries. Danshen injection made from the aqueous extract of Danshen which is widely adopted in China is one of the traditional Chinese medicine injections for preventing and treating cardiovascular diseases in most of the time. The present study was carried out on re-evaluating the safety of Danshen injection by determining toxicity after acute and sub-chronic administration in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats. Materials and methods: In acute toxicity study, rats (10 males and 10 females) were intravenously administered Danshen injection dose of 32g/kg body weight, two times in one day. General behavior, adverse effects and mortality were recorded for up to 14days post treatment. In the sub-chronic study, Danshen injection was given intravenously at the doses of 0, 1.92, 5.76, and 19.20g/kg per day (n =15/group each sex) for 13weeks to rats. Animal body weight and food intakes were observed weekly. Hematological, biochemical parameters and organ weight were determined in all animals at the end of the 13-week administration and 2-week recovery. However, histological examinations were carried out in the control and high-dose groups only. Results: In acute study, the sign of struggling was observed in some animals at the moment of intravenous administration. No deaths and other signs of toxicity occurred in any of the animals tested during the 14days of the study. In sub-chronic study, Danshen injection did not result to death, adverse effects or dose-dependent changes in food consumption, but had an effect on body weight gain. Some statistically significant differences were observed in hematological and biochemical parameters, as well as in some organ weights of both male and female rats treated with Danshen injection. In these changes, the significant decrease in triglycerides and increase in total bilirubin were considered related to treatment, indicating the lipid-modulating activity of Danshen. Histopathological examinations of the injection site showed that Danshen injection could cause dose-dependent focal inflammation. There was no abnormality of other organs noted in both gross and histopathological examinations. Conclusions: The results showed that acute or sub-chronic administration of Danshen injection was low or non-toxic in male and female rats, and the no-observed-adverse-effect-level for sub-chronic administration of Danshen injection dose was 5.76g/kg bw/day, which was suggested that it was safe in clinical use. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A single device with a variety of capabilities is highly attractive for the increasing demands of complex and multifunctional optoelectronics. A hybrid heterojunction formed between CsPbBr3 halide perovskite and chalcogenide quantum dots is demonstrated. The heterojunction served as an asymmetric active layer allows not only charge separation/exciton dissociation in a benign process, but also carrier injection/recombination with the suppression of bulk and interfacial nonradiative recombination. An individual device incorporating such a heterojunction is therefore implemented with an integration of proof‐of‐concept functions, including a voltage controllable multicolor light‐emitting diode, an exceptionally high photovoltage energy‐harvesting device, and an ultrafast photosensitive detector. The figures of merit of the light‐emitting diode remarkably surpass those of the corresponding single‐active‐layer device, particularly in terms of its bright electroluminescence and superior long‐term stability. The asymmetric active layer concept provides a feasible route to design efficient multifunctional and monofunctional devices in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chromosomal abnormality is one of the major cause of spontaneous abortion. Most available guidelines suggest genetic testing after three miscarriages, which has been proved to be difficult to adhere to and somewhat of low cost-effectiveness. As chromosomal microarray analysis has been recommended to be applied on miscarriage products, we managed a retrospective study on our experience investigate the potential impact of this technique on previous guidelines and our present management on miscarried couples and products. Results: Of the 405 products of conceptions, the overall detection rate of pathogenetic results was 55.3% (224/405), including 7.1% (16/224) copy number changes which could be missed by conventional karyotyping analysis. Of the 222 natural conception samples, abnormal genetic results were found in 126 cases (56.8%). The detection rate in the assistant reproductive treatment group was 53.6% (98/183). No significant difference was found between these two groups (p = 0.645, OR = 1.110 with 95% CI: 0.713–1.726). The detection rate was 53.2% (75/141) in 141 product-of-conceptions (POCs) of mothers with adverse pregnancy histories. Of the 264 POC samples of mothers without abnormal pregnancy histories, 56.4% (149/264) were genetically abnormal. The detection rate and maternal age between these two groups were all compatible. Conclusions: Chromosomal microarray testing should be referred to couples at their first miscarriage regardless of the way how they get pregnant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]