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Introduction: The aim of this study was to determine the stage-specific incidence trend of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) among US adults. Methods: The age-adjusted incidence rate was extracted from Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results database for localized, regional, and distant HCC. Trend analyses were conducted in the overall population and stratified by demographic and sociodemographic variables. The annual percentage change (APC) in 2014–2019 was estimated to determine the stage-specific incidence trend. Results: Although the incidence of localized HCC significantly declined, the incidence for regional and distant HCC plateaued in 2014–2019 (APCs, 4.4% [95% CI, −0.2% to 9.3%] and −0.7% [95% CI, −1.8% to 0.5%], respectively) with age and race/ethnicity disparities. More pronounced increases for regional and distant HCC were observed among the elderly (APCs, 8.4% [95% CI, 4.8–12.2%] and 2.2% [95% CI, 1.7–2.7%] for regional and distant HCC, respectively), non-Hispanic white individuals (APCs, 4.0% [95% CI, 2.9–5.1%] and 1.5% [95% CI, 0.7–2.4%] for regional and distant HCC, respectively). Conclusions: Disparities in incidence trends may reflect the inequalities in access to primary health care. More efforts are still in great demand for the vulnerable population. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An efficient, compact 970 nm laser diode end-pumped Er:YSGG laser operating in continuous and pulsed modes is reported. In the continuous-wave regime, an output power of ∼1.6 W mid-infrared laser with 2.79 μm wavelength is obtained, corresponding to an optical efficiency of 19.6% and slope efficiency of 25.3%. In the pulsed regime, an energy of 144 mJ and a slope efficiency of 43.5% are achieved with a 30 at. % Er:YSGG crystal in 3×3×5 mm3 dimensions. The high-pulse energy and the high efficiency indicate that Er:YSGG lasers can potentially be used for blood sampling. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In terms of promising candidates for high‐performance fuel cells and water splitting electrocatalysts, two‐dimensional (2D) materials refer to a class of materials with high electrical conductivity along 2D conducting channels and possessing abundant active sites in the form of surface atoms and edge sites. Herein, we report an ammonia‐modulated method for the synthesis of nanosized bimetallic ZnCo‐ZIF, and owing to quantum effects, the nanosized ZnCo‐ZIF can be transformed into novel 2D nanosheet arrays, which can be used as a bifunctional electrocatalyst. The size of the ZnCo‐ZIF crystals can be controlled to less than 10 nm by increasing the ammonia amount. The products from the nanosized particles through calcination have a distinct structure from the microsized nanoparticles owing to quantum effects and appear to be well‐aligned 2D mono‐crystalline Co3O4‐embedded nitrogen‐doped porous carbon nanosheet arrays (2D‐MCo3O4‐NCNAs). These novel 2D nanosheet arrays lead to large active surface areas, enhanced mass/charge transport capability, numerous active sites, and strong structure stability. When used as bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the 2D‐MCo3O4‐NCNAs exhibit superior ORR activity as well as efficient OER activity in alkaline electrolyte, in comparison to the state‐of‐the‐art precious metal catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Central core disease is a rare inherited neuromuscular disorder caused by mutations in ryanodine receptortype 1 gene. The clinical phenotype of the disease is highly variable. We report a Chinese pedigree with central core disease confirmed by the gene sequencing. All 3 patients in the family presented with mild proximal limb weakness. The serum level of creatine kinase was normal, and electromyography suggested myogenic changes. The histologic analysis of muscle biopsy showed identical central core lesions in almost all of the muscle fibers in the index case. Exon 90-106 in the C-terminal domain of the ryanodine receptor type 1 gene was amplified using polymerase chain reaction. One heterozygous missense mutation G14678A (Arg4893Gln) in exon 102 was identified in all 3 patients. This is the first report of a familial case of central core disease confirmed by molecular study in mainland China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In terms of promising candidates for high-performance fuel cells and water splitting electrocatalysts, two-dimensional (2D) materials refer to a class of materials with high electrical conductivity along 2D conducting channels and possessing abundant active sites in the form of surface atoms and edge sites. Herein, we report an ammonia-modulated method for the synthesis of nanosized bimetallic ZnCo-ZIF, and owing to quantum effects, the nanosized ZnCo-ZIF can be transformed into novel 2D nanosheet arrays, which can be used as a bifunctional electrocatalyst. The size of the ZnCo-ZIF crystals can be controlled to less than 10 nm by increasing the ammonia amount. The products from the nanosized particles through calcination have a distinct structure from the microsized nanoparticles owing to quantum effects and appear to be well-aligned 2D mono-crystalline Co 3 O 4 -embedded nitrogen-doped porous carbon nanosheet arrays (2D-MCo 3 O 4 -NCNAs). These novel 2D nanosheet arrays lead to large active surface areas, enhanced mass/charge transport capability, numerous active sites, and strong structure stability. When used as bifunctional catalysts for oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER), the 2D-MCo 3 O 4 -NCNAs exhibit superior ORR activity as well as efficient OER activity in alkaline electrolyte, in comparison to the state-of-the-art precious metal catalysts., (© 2018 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)