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2D materials possess great potential to serve as gas-sensing materials due to their large, specific surface areas and strong surface activities. Among this family, transition metal chalcogenide materials exhibit different properties and are promising candidates for a wide range of applications, including sensors, photodetectors, energy conversion, and energy storage. Herein, a high-shear mixing method has been used to produce multilayered MoS2 nanosheet dispersions. MoS2 thin films were manufactured by vacuum-assisted filtration. The structural morphology of MoS2 was studied using ς-potential, UV–visible, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and Raman spectroscopy (RS). The spectroscopic and microscopic analyses confirm the formation of a high-crystalline MoS2 thin film with good inter-sheet connectivity and relative thickness uniformity. The thickness of the MoS2 layer is measured to be approximately 250 nm, with a nanosheet size of 120 nm ± 40 nm and a number of layers between 6 and 9 layers. Moreover, the electrical characteristics clearly showed that the MoS2 thin film exhibits good conductivity and a linear I–V curve response, indicating good ohmic contact between the MoS2 film and the electrodes. As an example of applicability, we fabricated chemiresistive sensor devices with a MoS2 film as a sensing layer. The performance of the MoS2-chemiresistive sensor for NO2 was assessed by being exposed to different concentrations of NO2 (1 ppm to 10 ppm). This sensor shows a sensibility to low concentrations of 1 ppm, with a response time of 114 s and a recovery time of 420 s. The effect of thin-film thickness and operating temperatures on sensor response was studied. The results show that thinner film exhibits a higher response to NO2; the response decreases as the working temperature increases.

Large-scale production of graphene nanosheets (GNSs) has led to the availability of solution-processable GNSs on the commercial scale. The controlled vacuum filtration method is a scalable process for the preparation of wafer-scale films of GNSs, which can be used for gas sensing applications. Here, we demonstrate the use of this deposition method to produce functional gas sensors, using a chemiresistor structure from GNS solution-based techniques. The GNS suspension was prepared by liquid-phase exfoliation (LPE) and transferred to a polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) membrane. The effect of non-covalent functionalization with Co-porphyrin and Fe-phthalocyanines on the sensor properties was studied. The pristine and functionalized GNS films were characterized using different techniques such as Raman spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), atomic force microscopy (AFM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), and electrical characterizations. The morphological and spectroscopic analyses both confirm that the molecules (Co-porphyrin and Fe-phthalocyanine) were successfully adsorbed onto the GNSs surface through π-π interactions. The chemiresistive sensor response of functionalized GNSs toward the low concentrations of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) (0.5–2 ppm) was studied and compared with those of the film of pristine GNSs. The tests on the sensing performance clearly showed sensitivity to a low concentration of NO2 (5 ppm). Furthermore, the chemical modification of GNSs significantly improves NO2 sensing performance compared to the pristine GNSs. The sensor response can be modulated by the type of adsorbed molecules. Indeed, Co-Por exhibited negative responsiveness (the response of Co-Por-GNS sensors and pristine GNS devices was 13.1% and 15.6%, respectively, after exposure to 0.5 ppm of NO2). Meanwhile, Fe-Phc-GNSs induced the opposite behavior resulting in an increase in the sensor response (the sensitivity was 8.3% and 7.8% of Fe-Phc-GNSs and pristine GNSs, respectively, at 0.5 ppm NO2 gas).

Abstract This study aimed to identify potential markers that can predict Parkinson’s disease with mild cognitive impairment (PDMCI). We retrospectively collected general demographic data, clinically relevant scales, plasma samples, and neuroimaging data (T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) data as well as resting-state functional MRI [Rs-fMRI] data) from 173 individuals. Subsequently, based on the aforementioned multimodal indices, a support vector machine was employed to investigate the machine learning (ML) classification of PD patients with normal cognition (PDNC) and PDMCI. The performance of 29 classifiers was assessed based on various combinations of indicators. Results demonstrated that the optimal classifier in the validation set was composed by clinical + Rs-fMRI+ neurofilament light chain, exhibiting a mean Accuracy of 0.762, a mean area under curve of 0.840, a mean sensitivity of 0.745, along with a mean specificity of 0.783. The ML algorithm based on multimodal data demonstrated enhanced discriminative ability between PDNC and PDMCI patients.

To precisely forecast the power of a tower combined diamond circular saw blade during material sawing, a model for sawing power was established using the average thickness of an undeformed chip from a single grinding grain of an individual saw blade within the combination saw as a medium. This model was then refined to enhance accuracy. A fast and accurate prediction model, requiring only a small number of samples, was developed. Sawing power was measured through various parameter combinations via sawing experiments, and model coefficients were obtained by fitting the data using multivariate linear regression techniques. An optimization model was subsequently established, with sawing parameters as optimization variables. The objectives of this model were to minimize sawing specific energy and reduce sawing time. An optimized particle swarm algorithm was adopted to solve the model. The experimental results reveal that the parameter model can comprehensively elucidate the influence of various sawing parameters on sawing power, with the model accurately forecasting the sawing power under different saw blade combinations. The improved particle swarm algorithm demonstrates strong optimization performance, with optimized parameters contributing to significant reductions in sawing power.

When the rusted diamond circular saw blade works, there will be some problems such as reduced sawing stability. In response to this phenomenon, models are established through the structural parameters of saw blades with different corrosion degrees, and modal analysis of saw blades with different corrosion degrees is carried out. This analysis takes sawing vibration as a reference index of stability and studies the influence of saw blade corrosion on stability. Experiments verify the accuracy of the results. The results show that the vibration modes of the corroded saw blade more are more than 6 orders different from those of the original saw blade, and the difference in adjacent natural frequencies reduces by 8.56 % in the frequency range of 640 to 1,280 Hz. With the increase of corrosion degree, the saw blade is more prone to resonance. Corrosion at the important position has a great influence on the sawing stability of the saw blade. Reducing surface defects can reduce corrosion and its influence on the sawing stability of the saw blade. This study provides guidance for the practical use and rust prevention technology of diamond circular saw blades.

Purpose: A few observational studies have indicated that Parkinson's disease (PD) risk may be higher in those with hearing loss, but the two's causal relationship is yet unknown. Using Mendelian randomization (MR) methods, this study sought to explore the causal link between hearing loss and the risk of PD. Methods: We identified single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) linked to hearing loss (P-value

This paper delves into the impact of the damage accumulation effect, which leads to the degradation of material strength and stiffness, on the seismic resistance of transmission towers. Building upon the elastic–plastic finite element theory, a mixed hardening constitutive model is derived for circular steel tubes, standard elements in transmission towers, incorporating the damage accumulation effect. A user material subroutine, UMAT, is created within the LS–DYNA framework. The program’s validity and reliability are established through axial constant–amplitude loading tests on single steel tubes. The subroutine is employed to conduct the incremental dynamic analysis (IDA) of an individual transmission tower and to contrast it with the structure utilizing the Plastic Kinematic material model, assessing the discrepancies in tower top displacements and segment damage indices (SDIs) at both macroscopic and microscopic scales. The results shows that the Plastic Kinematic model inflates the seismic performance of the transmission tower. When considering the damage accumulation effect in structural failure, the damage index of the members increases, leading to a reduction in both the structural strength and stiffness. The dynamic response in the plastic phase becomes more pronounced, and the onset of structural failure is accelerated. Consequently, structural analysis under seismic conditions should account for the damage accumulation process. Through the delineation of member and segment damage, the extent of damage to transmission tower segments can be quantitatively assessed. Subsequently, the ultimate load–bearing capacity and the most vulnerable location of the transmission tower can be ascertained. Finally, this paper provides a detailed analysis of the transmission tower collapse process under seismic action and summarizes the mechanism of collapse for the structure.

Abstract In growing children, growth plate cartilage has limited self-repair ability upon fracture injury always leading to limb growth arrest. Interestingly, one type of fracture injuries within the growth plate achieve amazing self-healing, however, the mechanism is unclear. Using this type of fracture mouse model, we discovered the activation of Hedgehog (Hh) signaling in the injured growth plate, which could activate chondrocytes in growth plate and promote cartilage repair. Primary cilia are the central transduction mediator of Hh signaling. Notably, ciliary Hh-Smo-Gli signaling pathways were enriched in the growth plate during development. Moreover, chondrocytes in resting and proliferating zone were dynamically ciliated during growth plate repair. Furthermore, conditional deletion of the ciliary core gene Ift140 in cartilage disrupted cilia-mediated Hh signaling in growth plate. More importantly, activating ciliary Hh signaling by Smoothened agonist (SAG) significantly accelerated growth plate repair after injury. In sum, primary cilia mediate Hh signaling induced the activation of stem/progenitor chondrocytes and growth plate repair after fracture injury.

Hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is a fatal malignancy that has limited treatment options. This study focused on the potential therapeutic effects of curcumin (CUR) and berberine (BBR) on the miR-221/SRY-box transcription factor 11 (SOX11) axis in HCC. We investigated the combined effects of CUR and BBR on HEPG2 and Huh7 cell survival and miR-221 expression using Cell Counting Kit-8 assays and RT-qPCR, respectively. Western blotting was used to detect changes in the apoptosis-related caspase-3/9 protein levels. We performed bioinformatics analysis and dual-luciferase assays and measured apoptotic protein levels to assess the role of the miR-221/SOX11 axis in mediating the effects of CUR-BBR. Both CUR and BBR suppressed HCC cell growth in a dose-dependent manner, with the most potent combined effect observed at a 2:1 ratio. CUR-BBR treatment significantly downregulated miR-221 expression, and miR-221 overexpression partially reversed the CUR-BBR-mediated decrease in cell survival. In addition, SOX11 was found to be a direct target of miR-221. CUR-BBR treatment upregulated SOX11 expression, and overexpression of SOX11 restored the inhibitory effects of CUR-BBR on cell growth, migration, and invasion and promoted apoptosis in the presence of miR-221. Furthermore, CUR-BBR activated pro-apoptotic proteins caspase-3/9 through the miR-221/SOX11 axis. The combined effect of CUR-BBR played an important role in inhibiting the growth of HCC cells. This combined effect was achieved by regulating the miR-221/SOX11 axis and activating the synthesis of pro-apoptotic proteins. Our findings highlight a promising combined therapeutic approach for HCC and underscore the importance of targeting the miR-221/SOX11 axis.

A study concerning the influence of flow on the Herschel–Quincke duct is presented here, which includes the numerical model, the acoustic source and the absorption condition called the Perfectly Matched Layer. For the excitation of a sound field, a normal mode wave is placed at the inlet of the tube. The function of PML is to simulate the infinite tube and avoid the reflection of acoustic wave. To investigate the influence of flow field on sound field, a coupled calculation method combining the finite element method and computational fluid dynamics is used to solve the linearized Euler equation, named the Galbrun equation. Firstly, the influence of the cross-section of the tube on the acoustic field is considered. Secondly, the effects of flow on the acoustic field is also investigated. Lastly, a comparative analysis of the simulation results reveals the influence of flow and other parameters of the tube on sound propagation. Both the Mach number and the cross-section ratio have an influence on the acoustic resonance, and the resonance frequency decreases with the increase in the cross-section ratio.

Abstract Background The cranial region is a complex set of blood vessels, cartilage, nerves and soft tissues. The reconstruction of cranial defects caused by trauma, congenital defects and surgical procedures presents clinical challenges. Our previous data showed that deficiency of the proteoglycan (PG) form of dentin matrix protein 1 (DMP1-PG) could lead to abnormal cranial development. In addition, DMP1-PG was highly expressed in the cranial defect areas. The present study aimed to investigate the potential role of DMP1-PG in intramembranous ossification in cranial defect repair. Methods Mouse cranial defect models were established by using wild- type (WT) and DMP1-PG point mutation mice. Microcomputed tomography (micro-CT) and histological staining were performed to assess the extent of repair. Immunofluorescence assays and real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT‒qPCR) were applied to detect the differentially expressed osteogenic markers. RNA sequencing was performed to probe the molecular mechanism of DMP1-PG in regulating defect healing. Results A delayed healing process and an abnormal osteogenic capacity of primary osteoblasts were observed in DMP1-PG point mutation mice. Furthermore, impaired inflammatory signaling pathways were detected by using RNA transcription analysis of this model. Conclusions Our data indicate that DMP1-PG is an indispensable positive regulator during cranial defect healing.

Low temperatures significantly affect the growth and yield of peanuts. Temperatures lower than 12 °C are generally detrimental for the germination of peanuts. To date, there has been no report on precise information on the quantitative trait loci (QTL) for cold tolerance during the germination in peanuts. In this study, we developed a recombinant inbred line (RIL) population comprising 807 RILs by tolerant and sensitive parents. Phenotypic frequencies of germination rate low-temperature conditions among RIL population showed normally distributed in five environments. Then, we constructed a high density SNP-based genetic linkage map through whole genome re-sequencing (WGRS) technique and identified a major quantitative trait locus (QTL), qRGRB09, on chromosome B09. The cold tolerance-related QTLs were repeatedly detected in all five environments, and the genetic distance was 6.01 cM (46.74 cM - 61.75 cM) after taking a union set. To further confirm that qRGRB09 was located on chromosome B09, we developed Kompetitive Allele Specific PCR (KASP) markers for the corresponding QTL regions. A regional QTL mapping analysis, which was conducted after taking the intersection of QTL intervals of all environments into account, confirmed that qRGRB09 was between the KASP markers, G22096 and G220967 (chrB09:155637831–155854093), and this region was 216.26 kb in size, wherein a total of 15 annotated genes were detected. This study illustrates the relevance of WGRS-based genetic maps for QTL mapping and KASP genotyping that facilitated QTL fine mapping of peanuts. The results of our study also provided useful information on the genetic architecture underlying cold tolerance during germination in peanuts, which in turn may be useful for those engaged in molecular studies as well as crop improvement in the cold-stressed environment.

Abstract Deep learning (DL) is currently revolutionizing peptide drug development due to both computational advances and the substantial recent expansion of digitized biological data. However, progress in oligopeptide drug development has been limited, likely due to the lack of suitable datasets and difficulty in identifying informative features to use as inputs for DL models. Here, we utilized an unsupervised deep learning model to learn a semantic pattern based on the intrinsically disordered regions of ~171 known osteogenic proteins. Subsequently, oligopeptides were generated from this semantic pattern based on Monte Carlo simulation, followed by in vivo functional characterization. A five amino acid oligopeptide (AIB5P) had strong bone-formation-promoting effects, as determined in multiple mouse models (e.g., osteoporosis, fracture, and osseointegration of implants). Mechanistically, we showed that AIB5P promotes osteogenesis by binding to the integrin α5 subunit and thereby activating FAK signaling. In summary, we successfully established an oligopeptide discovery strategy based on a DL model and demonstrated its utility from cytological screening to animal experimental verification.

Ischemic stroke is one of the world’s leading causes of death and disability. It has been established that gender differences in stroke outcomes prevail, and the immune response after stroke is an important factor affecting patient outcomes. However, gender disparities lead to different immune metabolic tendencies closely related to immune regulation after stroke. The present review provides a comprehensive overview of the role and mechanism of immune regulation based on sex differences in ischemic stroke pathology.

The striatin-interacting phosphatase and kinase (STRIPAK) complexes integrate extracellular stimuli that result in intracellular activities. Previously, we discovered that STRIPAK is a key machinery responsible for loss of the Hippo tumor suppressor signal in cancer. Here, we identified the Hippo-STRIPAK complex as an essential player in the control of DNA double-stranded break (DSB) repair and genomic stability. Specifically, we found that the mammalian STE20-like protein kinases 1 and 2 (MST1/2), independent of classical Hippo signaling, directly phosphorylated zinc finger MYND type–containing 8 (ZMYND8) and hence resulted in the suppression of DNA repair in the nucleus. In response to genotoxic stress, the cyclic GMP-AMP synthase/stimulator of IFN genes (cGAS/STING) pathway was determined to relay nuclear DNA damage signals to the dynamic assembly of Hippo-STRIPAK via TANK-binding kinase 1–induced (TBK1-induced) structural stabilization of the suppressor of IKBKE 1– sarcolemma membrane–associated protein (SIKE1-SLMAP) arm. As such, we found that STRIPAK-mediated MST1/2 inactivation increased the DSB repair capacity of cancer cells and endowed these cells with resistance to radio- and chemotherapy and poly(ADP-ribose)polymerase (PARP) inhibition. Importantly, targeting the STRIPAK assembly with each of 3 distinct peptide inhibitors efficiently recovered the kinase activity of MST1/2 to suppress DNA repair and resensitize cancer cells to PARP inhibitors in both animal- and patient-derived tumor models. Overall, our findings not only uncover what we believe to be a previously unrecognized role for STRIPAK in modulating DSB repair but also provide translational implications of cotargeting STRIPAK and PARP for a new type of synthetic lethality anticancer therapy.

Summary: Background: Diabetes mellitus (DM) is associated with different clinical complications. The aim of this study was to explore the prevalence of RLS in people with diabetes mellitus and compare the risk of restless leg syndrome (RLS) between diabetic and non-diabetic population. Methods: We searched for studies of RLS prevalence in DM through PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science. Two authors independently completed the literature screening, data extraction, and bias risk assessment of eligible studies. All observational studies that assessed the prevalence or risk of RLS in DM were included, where the diagnosis of RLS was based on the International Restless Legs Syndrome Study Group (IRLSSG). Percentages, odds ratio (OR) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) were used to assess pooled estimates of RLS prevalence and risk based on random-effects models. Newcastle-Ottawa-scale (NOS) or a modified NOS were used to evaluate the quality of studies. Findings: A total of 42 studies, including 835,986 participants, met the eligibility criteria for the meta-analysis. Among them, 30 studies were included in meta-analysis to analyze the prevalence of RLS. A second meta-analysis was conducted using 31 studies to determine RLS risk between diabetes and non-diabetes. The results indicate that between 25% (95% confidence interval 21%-29%) of people with diabetes showed signs of RLS, and people with diabetes had an increased risk of developing RLS compare to people without diabetes (OR 1.98, 95%CI 1.66- 2.34, p < 0.001). However, the available evidence was limited due to potential risk of bias and variability between studies (I2>75%), all of observational design. Interpretation: Our study suggests that the prevalence and risk of RLS might be higher in DM patients than in non-diabetes population. However, given limitations in the analysis and study design, the findings need to be corroborated in future studies. Funding: This work was supported by the Basic Conditions Platform Construction Project of Sichuan Science and Technology Department (2019JDPT0015), and the “1・3・5 project for disciplines of excellence, West China Hospital, Sichuan University” (ZYJC18003).

Ascorbate peroxidases (APXs) maintain cellular reactive oxygen species (ROS) homeostasis through their peroxidase activity. Here, we report that OsAPX1 also promotes ROS production such that a delicate cellular ROS homeostasis is achieved temporally after Magnaporthe oryzae infection. OsAPX1 specifically induces ROS production through increasing respiratory burst oxidase homologs (OsRBOHs) expression and can be inhibited by DPI, a ROS inhibitor. The time-course experiment data show that the simultaneous induction of OsAPX1 and OsRBOHs leads to ROS accumulation at an early stage; whereas a more durable expression of OsAPX1 leads to ROS scavenging at a later stage. By the temporal switching between ROS inducer and eliminator, OsAPX1 triggers an instant ROS burst upon M. oryzae infection and then a timely elimination of ROS toxicity. We find that OsAPX1 is under the control of the miR172a-OsIDS1 regulatory module. OsAPX1 also affects salicylic acid (SA) synthesis and signaling, which contribute to blast resistance. In conclusion, we show that OsAPX1 is a key factor that connects the upstream gene silencing and transcription regulatory routes with the downstream phytohormone and redox pathway, which provides an insight into the sophisticated regulatory network of rice innate immunity.

Abstract Background Rectal cancer (RC) surgery often results in permanent colostomy, seriously limiting the quality of life (QOL) in patients in terms of bowel function. This study aimed to examine defecation function and QOL in RC patients who underwent non-ostomy or ostomy surgery, at different time-points after surgery. Methods In total, 82 patients who underwent an ostomy and 141 who did not undergo an ostomy for the treatment of RC at our colorectal surgery department between January 2013 and January 2015 were enrolled. Surgical methods, tumor distance from the anal margin (TD), anastomosis distance from the anal margin (AD) and complications were compered between the non-ostomy and ostomy surgery groups. QOL was compared between the two groups at years 2, 3, and 4 after surgery. The Wexner score and the validated cancer-specific European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer (EORTC QLQ-CR30) questionnaire scores were assessed for all patients in January 2017. SPSS 21.0 was utilized for all data analyses. Results Surgical methods, TD, and AD significantly differed between the non-ostomy and ostomy surgery groups (all P

Trapped modes that exist in the waveguide have different engineering applications. Excited acoustic modes are due to the interaction between acoustic and flow fields. To further study the influence of nonpotential flow on trapped modes for a two-dimensional cavity–duct system, a numerical simulation method that combines the finite-element method (FEM) associated with a mixed formulation of the Galbrun equation and computational fluid dynamics (CFD) is proposed. The calculation model is composed of a two-dimensional waveguide with cavities and perfectly matched layers (PMLs) to limit the computational domain. The effects of the Mach number and different cavity lengths on the resonance modes are investigated.

In this paper, we study the finite-time stability of permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSMs) with noise perturbation. To eliminate the chaos in a PMSM and allow it to reach a steady state more quickly within a finite time, we propose a novel adaptive controller based on finite-time control theory. Finite-time stability implies optimal convergence time and better robustness. Finally, numerical simulations are performed to demonstrate the effectiveness and feasibility of our new results.

Objective. To investigate the differences of candidate cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) biomarkers associated with multiple system atrophy (MSA) and Parkinson’s disease (PD). Method. Here, a systematic review and meta-analysis were conducted on studies related to CSF biomarkers associated with MSA and PD obtained from PubMed, Web of Science, Embase, and Cochrane databases. Data were pooled where appropriate and used to calculate standardized mean differences (SMDs) with 95% confidence intervals (CI). Heterogeneity was assessed using the I2 statistic while Egger’s test was used to test for existing publication bias. Results. MSA patients had higher CSF t-tau (SMD=0.41, 95% CI: 0.10 to 0.72) and YKL-40 (SMD=0.63, 95% CI 0.12 to1.15) as well as DJ-1 (SMD=1.05, 95% CI 0.67 to 1.42) levels than PD patients, while CSF p-tau (SMD=−0.17, 95% CI, -0.31 to -0.02) and Aβ-42 (SMD=−0.33, 95% CI, -0.55 to -0.12) levels in MSA patients were lower than those in PD patients. There were no differences in CSF’s GFAP and Flt3 ligand levels in both MSA and PD patients. Conclusion. The study revealed the differences in CSF biomarker levels between MSA and PD cohorts that can be further explored to clinically distinguish MSA from PD.

Due to the abuse application of antibiotics in the recent decades, a high level of antibiotics has been let out and remains in our environment. Electrochemical sensing is a useful method to sensitively detect antibiotics, and the key factor for a successful electrochemical sensor is the active electrode materials. In this study, a sensitive electrochemical sensing platform based on a metal-organic framework (MOF) of MIL-53 (Fe) was facilely fabricated. It shows highly selective and sensitive detection performance for trace tetracycline. Differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) was applied to analyze the detection of tetracycline. The linear range of tetracycline detection was 0.0643 μmol/L-1.53 μmol/L, and the limit of detection (LOD) is 0.0260 μmol/L. Furthermore, the MOF-enabled sensor can be effectively used in actual water bodies. The results indicate that the electrochemical sensor is a high potential sensing platform for tetracycline.

No visible light activity is the bottle neck for wide application of TiO2, and Boron doping is one of the effective way to broaden the adsorption edge of TiO2. In this study, several Boron doped TiO2 materials were prepared via a facile co-precipitation and calcination process. The B doping amounts were optimized by the degradation of rhodamine B (Rh B) under visible light irradiation, which indicated that when the mass fraction of boron is 6% (denoted as 6B-TiO2), the boron doped TiO2 materials exhibited the highest activity. In order to investigate the enhanced mechanism, the difference between B-doped TiO2 and bare TiO2 including visible light harvesting abilities, separation efficiencies of photo-generated electron-hole pairs, photo-induced electrons generation abilities, photo-induced charges transferring speed were studied and compared in details. h+ and ·O2- were determined to be the two main responsible active species in the photocatalytic oxidation process. Besides the high degradation efficiency, 6B-TiO2 also exhibited high reusability in the photocatalysis, which could be reused at least 5 cycles with almost no active reduction. The results indicate that 6B-TiO2 has high photocatalytic degradation ability toward organic dye of rhodamine B under visible light irradiation, which is a highly potential photocatalyst to cope with organic pollution.

Abstract Purpose Tissue carcinoembryonic antigen (t‐CEA) and serum carcinoembryonic antigen (s‐CEA) expression profiles are the most useful tumor markers for the diagnosis and evaluation of colorectal cancer (CRC) worldwide; however, their roles in CRC progression remain controversial. This study aimed to compare the prognostic values of both s‐CEA and t‐CEA in CRC. Methods A total of 517 patients from January 2006 to December 2010 with stages I‐III CRC were retrospectively examined, with 5‐year postoperative follow‐up and death as end‐points. T‐CEA expression, s‐CEA expression, and clinical pathological parameters were inputted into the SPSS 21.0 software. The Kaplan‐Meier method was used to analyze the 5‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) rate of patients in different tumor node metastasis (TNM) stages based on t‐CEA and s‐CEA expression. Results Tumor differentiation and the number of positive lymph node harvests were significantly different among the t‐CEA groups (P

Background: Essential tremor (ET) is one of the most common movement disorders, and it has been associated with anxiety and depression, but risk factors for these mental symptoms are unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the prevalence and potential risk factors of depression and anxiety in ET patients in China.Methods: This cross-sectional study involved 245 Han Chinese patients with ET. Depression was assessed using the Hamilton Depression Rating Scale-24 Items, and anxiety was assessed using the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale. Clinico-demographic characteristics were compared between patients with or without depression or anxiety.Results: We revealed that 63.3% of patients had at least mild anxiety and 54.3% had at least mild depression. Severity of anxiety or depression was correlated with lower Mini-Mental State Exam score (P = 0.028 and P = 0.002, respectively), higher self-report functional disability score (P = 0.027 and P = 0.003, respectively), as well as the presence of tremor in the neck (both P < 0.001), face (P = 0.025 and P < 0.001, respectively), or voice (both P < 0.001). Binary logistic regression identified female sex, presence with cranial tremor, and greater functional disability score as risk factors of anxiety; the last two factors were also the determinants of depression. Neither anxiety nor depression correlated with physician-assessed severity of arm or leg tremor.Conclusion: Chinese ET patients show high prevalence of depression and anxiety. ET patients should be screened for these mental symptoms, especially women and those with cranial tremor and self-reported functional disability.

In this work, we propose an optimized transition structure to realize smooth and high efficiency conversion from the guided wave supported by a conventional rectangular waveguide (CRW) to the domino plasmon polaritons (DPPs) supported by a domino plasmonic waveguide (DPW) and vice versa in the X-band (8.2GHz∼12.4GHz). This transition structure consists of two tapered CRWs connected by a gradient domino array with optimized gradient heights and lateral widths. Experimental results of the S-parameters show excellent agreement with the simulations and the optimization scheme can be readily extended to other bands. Furthermore, a domino plasmonic power divider is implemented to demonstrate the application of the transition structure in the integration of conventional microwave circuits with plasmonic devices.