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X‐ray radiography, playing a crucial role in the daily life of humans, extends the application landscapes of perovskites. Lead halide perovskites remain superior candidates because of strong X‐ray absorption and effective conversion of X‐ray to visible photons. Unfortunately, the perovskites exhibiting efficient band‐edge emission (3D, quasi‐2D or 2D) usually suffer from severe self‐absorption, while the perovskites showing broadband emission with large Stokes shift (0D, 1D or 2D) usually have low quantum yield, long afterglow or poor solution‐processability. Halide‐intercalated perovskites, with incorporated halides in organic layers, exhibit attractive optoelectronic properties due to reduced confinement of excitons, but their development falls far behind due to limited molecular design strategies and wet‐chemistry methods. Here, the use of universal‐wet‐chemistry‐synthesized novel halide‐intercalated perovskites as an efficient X‐ray scintillator for X‐ray imaging is reported. These novel perovskites exhibit superior luminescence by exploiting both free and self‐trapped excitons via halide intercalation. Accordingly, such perovskite scintillators present higher radioluminescence performance compared with conventional perovskite scintillators through enhanced radiative recombination and suppressed self‐absorption simultaneously. With such a scintillator screen, high‐performance X‐ray imaging is demonstrated. The results not only represent a universal synthesis route for the development of perovskites, but also provide valuable guidance for high‐performance X‐ray radiography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper‐based halides have emerged as promising scintillator materials for X‐ray imaging due to their favorable photophysical characteristics, such as negligible self‐absorption, high light output, and fast decay. Among these materials, Cs3Cu2I5, a blue emitter, currently delivers the highest scintillation light output under steady‐state X‐rays. However, there is a significant spectral mismatch between its emission band and the spectral responsivity of regular flat‐panel photodiode arrays. In this study, a comprehensive analysis of the physical properties of the CsCu2I3 scintillator is conducted, and its perfect spectral compatibility is discovered, which results in a higher photodiode signal despite its relatively lower light output compared to typical Cs3Cu2I5 scintillators. Furthermore, CsCu2I3 exhibits faster light decay properties, making it especially suitable for Computed Tomography (CT) X‐ray imaging. High‐quality X‐ray cone beam computed tomography (CBCT) imaging is successfully demonstrated using the fast‐decaying CsCu2I3 scintillator screen. Additionally, the flexibility of the scintillator allows for non‐planar imaging, showcasing advantages not available with traditional rigid scintillators. These results not only highlight the significant promise of the CsCu2I3 scintillator but also emphasize the necessity of considering spectral compatibility when designing novel scintillator materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional scintillator‐based X‐ray imaging typically captures the full spectral of X‐ray photons without distinguishing their energy. However, the absence of X‐ray spectral information often results in insufficient image contrast, particularly for substances possessing similar atomic numbers and densities. In this study, an innovative multi‐energy X‐ray linear‐array detector is presented that leverages side‐illuminated X‐ray scintillation using the emerging metal halide Cs3Cu2I5. The negligible self‐absorption characteristic not only improves the scintillation output but is also beneficial for improving the energy resolution for the side‐illuminated scintillation scenarios. By exploiting Beer's law, which governs the absorption of X‐ray photons with different energies, the incident X‐ray spectral can be reconstructed by analyzing the distribution of scintillation intensity when the scintillator is illuminated from the side. The relative error between the reconstructed and measured X‐ray spectral is < 5.63%. This method offers an additional energy‐resolving capability for X‐ray linear‐array detectors commonly used in computed tomography (CT) imaging setups, surpassing the capabilities of conventional energy‐integration approaches, all without requiring extra hardware components. A proof‐of‐concept multi‐energy CT imaging system featuring eight energy channels is successfully implemented. This study presents a simple and efficient strategy for achieving multi‐energy X‐ray detection and CT imaging based on emerging metal halides. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal halide crystals are bright but hygroscopic scintillator materials that are widely used in X‐ray imaging and detectors. Precipitating them in situ in glass to form glass ceramics (GCs) scintillator offers an efficient avenue for large‐scale preparation, high spatial resolution, and excellent stability. However, precipitating a high fraction of metal halide nanocrystals in glass to maintain high light yield remains a challenge. Herein, an ionic‐covalent hybrid network strategy for constructing GCs scintillator with high crystallinity (up to ≈37%) of BaCl2: Eu2+ nanocrystals is presented. Experimental data and simulations of glass structure reveal that the Ba2+‐Cl− clustering promotes the high crystallization of BaCl2 nanocrystals. The ultralow phonon energy (≈200 cm−1) of BaCl2 nanocrystals and good Eu reduction effect enable high photoluminescence inter quantum efficiency (≈80.41%) in GC. GCs with varied crystallinity of BaCl2: Eu2+ nanocrystals demonstrate efficient radioluminescence and tunable scintillator performance. They either outperform Bi4Ge3O14 single crystal by over 132% steady‐state light yield or provide impressive X‐ray imaging resolutions of 20 lp mm−1. These findings provide a new design strategy for developing bright transparent GCs scintillators with a high fraction of metal halide nanocrystals for X‐ray high‐resolution imaging applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmentally friendly metal halides have emerged as emitters in lighting and X‐ray imaging applications. However, the conventional scintillator fabrication process involves high‐temperature sintering or powder grinding, resulting in large bulk crystals or agglomerates, which hamper flexible device integration and processability. Here, large‐area flexible scintillation screen films containing (C24H20P)2MnBr4 nanocrystals are prepared in situ, which prevents the generation of agglomerated powders or large bulk crystals, and the preparation duration and cost are reduced. The film exhibits good mechanical stability and homogeneity, and the photoluminescence quantum yield is over 85%. Moreover, the film presents excellent scintillation performance with detection limit as low as 0.608 μGyair s−1 and 14.5 lp mm−1 X‐ray imaging resolution. This excellent performance and simple preparation method are expected to favor industrial mass production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Xibe is the fifth largest minority population of Liaoning province. Predominately they live in Liaoning province (69.52%), followed by Xinjiang (18.06%), Heilongjiang (3.99%), Jilin (1.63%) and Inner Mongolia provinces (1.57%). To provide an updated and precise population database on an extended set of Y STRs not available before and explore the forensic characteristics of 26 Y chromosomal STRs. In this study, we genotyped 406 unrelated Xibe male individuals from Liaoning province using Goldeneye® 26Y System kit and calculated the forensic parameters of these 26 Y STRs loci. All haplotypes generated for 406 Xibe samples using Goldeneye® 26Y kit were unique with a discrimination capacity (DC) of 1. On restricting the haplotypes to the Y-filer® set of 17 Y-STRs, we observed 392 haplotypes. Among them 93.53% (380) were unique with a DC of 0.9655 and haplotype diversity (HD) of 0.9998, showing high discrimination power of the extended set of markers in this population. Allelic frequencies ranged from 0.0024 to 0.7684 across 26 Y STRs loci. DYS385 showed the highest gene diversity (0.9691) among all markers. According to pairwise RST genetic distances among Xibe populations from China, the Liaoning Xibe population showed the closest genetic distance (0.0035) followed by Xinjiang Xibe population (0.0218). Multidimensional scaling (MDS) analysis among Xibe and 29 other Chinese populations showed that local populations such as Manchu from Liaoning and Han from Beijing had a close affinity while Tibetans from Aba, China, were most distant from Xibe populations. Moreover, 12 individuals showed a null allele at DYS448 in Xibe population samples. We submitted Y-STRs data in the Y-Chromosome Haplotype Reference Database (YHRD) for future forensic and other usage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • MAPbBr 3 NCs are in-situ space-confined encapsulated in metal–organic frameworks. • bMOF⊃MAPbBr 3 realizes room-temperature scintillation and exceptional X-ray imaging. • bMOF⊃MAPbBr 3 shows enhanced stability against various stimuli and X-rays. • The role of the MOF and the mechanism of improved performance are elucidated. The development of perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) based composites with enhanced stability and exceptional photoelectric properties is of great significance for their application in scintillators for X-ray imaging, but it remains challenging. Herein, we demonstrate a novel and stable scintillator, achieved through a host–guest strategy involving the confinement of perovskite NCs, e.g., MAPbBr 3 NCs, in metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). The host MOF, bio-MOF-100 (denoted as bMOF), facilitates the in-situ space-confined formation of MAPbBr 3 NCs while providing quantum confinement, surface passivation, and protection to these guests. This host–guest strategy results in high exciton binding energy, bright and efficient luminescence, and significantly enhancing their stability against various factors such as air, heat, UV, solvents and X-ray irradiation. Consequently, this advancement prompts the transition of their application scenarios from the colloidal state to the solid state. The bMOF⊃MAPbBr 3 scintillator exhibits a linear response to X-ray with a detection limit determined to be 170 nGy air s−1. Moreover, the bMOF⊃MAPbBr 3 –PMMA scintillator screen demonstrates high-quality X-ray imaging with an impressive spatial resolution of 14.7 lp mm−1. This work provides a new avenue for the development of perovskite NCs-based host–guest composites and paves the way for the broader implementation in solid-state optoelectronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biogas production and its derived hydrogen production technology have broad application prospects. In this paper, an integrated biogas power generation system with solid oxide fuel cells is proposed, which mainly consists of four units: a solar thermal energy storage unit, a biogas production and hydrogen generation unit, a SOFC-MGT unit, and a waste heat utilization unit. The presented system is first studied using energy, exergy, economic, and life cycle environmental analyses and the survey results are contrasted with those of renewable energy systems discussed in the references. Besides, a parametric study is conducted to explore the effect of thermodynamic parameters of solar irradiance, ambient temperature, work fluid temperature, reforming temperature, inlet H 2 O/CH 4 ratio of the reformer, and the current density of SOFC. Results indicate that the proposed system's energy efficiency, exergy efficiency, electric power output and exergy destruction are 43.29%, 37.4%, 414.16 kW (net power generation is 351.43 kW) and 1434.59 kW, respectivily. Moreover, the system's levelized cost of electricity and carbon emission factor are $0.076/kWh and 335.6gCO 2 eq/kWh, having good economic and environmental benefits simultaneously. The parametric study shows that PTSC can be designed shorter with more solar irradiance and high ambient temperature. Besides, the increase of inlet H 2 O/CH 4 ratio and reforming temperature make the system's energy efficiency fall by 2.5% and 20%. For every 300 A/m2 increase in the current density of SOFC, the system efficiency rises by 1.01%. • A novel biogas-fueled solid oxide fuel cell hybrid power system assisted with solar thermal energy storage is designed. • The energy, exergy, economic, life cycle environmental analyses of the proposed system are carried out. • The influence of key parameters on system performance is discussed. • Performance of the proposed system is compared with similar systems in literature. • Solar thermal energy storage unit improves the system's adaptability to cold climates at high altitudes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Air pollution data is variable and vulnerable, and it is difficult to capture the changing pattern of air pollution data. In this study, multiple novel hybrid models are proposed which combine fuzzy time series (FTS) with mode decomposition to achieve stationarity and improve the effectiveness of the forecasting process. More specifically, air pollution data are first processed using the mode decomposition technique, and sample entropy is used to recombine the subseries, then, the information granularity is utilized for fuzzification. Complementary ensemble empirical mode decomposition-sample entropy-probabilistic weights FTS (CEEMD-SE-PWFTS) is the model that best captures the variation pattern of air pollution data. The experimental results verified that: Among all the proposed novel models, CEEMD-SE-PWFTS gets the highest forecasting accuracy of Air Quality Index (AQI). Air pollution datasets from five cities in China (Shanghai, Nanjing, Lianyungang, Beijing, and Guangzhou) were used for the tests, and the best MAPE in their prediction results were 2.78%, 3.43%, 5.61%, 3.63% and 2.31% respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Colorectal disease is a digestive tract disease of high incidence worldwide. Its preliminary diagnosis methods such as anal digital diagnosis and enteroscopy are somewhat subjective. Moreover, it is difficult to locate precisely the lesions and their infiltration boundaries for an accurate diagnosis of disease. This study combines endoscope with electrodes placed on the inner wall of the intestine to obtain both the traditional image of the intestine lumen and its electrical impedance tomography (EIT). The spatial impedance distribution image is reconstructed from the data collected by different combination of excitation and detection electrodes. The multidimensional and multiparameter intestinal physiological and pathological changes can thus be analyzed by EIT. This study mainly consists of the following three contributions: (a) construct certain physical models that reflect corresponding characteristics of intestinal tissue and its pathological changes; (b) optimize targeted signal acquisition methods suitable for data processing and analysis of intestinal cavity; and (c) establish a method of image reconstruction that conforms to the morphological characteristics of the intestinal cavity, so that comparative analysis can be applied by using different algorithms for image reconstruction. Through the extraction and analysis of impedance information for intestinal characteristics, we aim to make this tool a supplementary diagnosis method of high sensitivity and specificity for related diseases. This may lay a foundation for more accurate clinical screening of high‐risk population, more precise diagnosis and localization of lesion characteristics, and thus better treatment guidance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Mode decomposition, sample entropy and TR model are combined. • The TR-based hybrid models are used for load prediction ranging from 4h-24h. • The impact of different mode decomposition algorithms is verified. • Analysis is provided to validate the proposed model. Short-term load forecasting (STLF) is an essential part of energy plan, and it is very meaningful for energy management. Recently, some deep learning models have been popular in load forecasting. This study focuses on the Transformer (TR) model which can solve the long memory loss problem by introducing the attention mechanism. A hybrid model incorporating Complete Ensemble Empirical Mode Decomposition with Adaptive Noise (CEEMDAN), sample entropy (SE) and TR is proposed which is named CEEMDAN-SE-TR. To demonstrate the superiority of the proposed CEEMDAN-SE-TR model, a variety of machine learning models are used as comparison models, the one with the best performance is used to compare with the TR model and the proposed CEEMDAN-SE-TR model. Meanwhile, the Empirical Mode Decomposition (EMD) technique is used to compare with CEEMDAN and validate the superiority of CEEMDAN-SE-TR. In this study, STLF (4h, 8h, 12h, and 24h, respectively) is performed for New York city. The results show that the CEEMDAN-SE-TR gets the best forecasting results of all the comparison models, taking the forecasting result of 24h as an example, mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) is 4.80%, root mean square error (RMSE) is 1.26, R2 is 0.80, and mean absolute error (MAE) is 0.95. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scintillators are essential for high‐energy radiation detection in a variety of potential applications. However, due to complex fabrication processes and nanocrystal homogeneity, conventional scintillators are challenging to meet the need for cost‐effective, environmentally friendly, and flexible X‐ray detection. Here, monodisperse nanocrystals (NCs) with small grain size and colloidal stability are obtained by adjusting the doping concentration of Zn2+ ions and controlling the morphology uniformity of Cs3Cu2I5 NCs. The photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) for the optimal doping concentration is as high as 92.8%, which is a 28.5% improvement compared to nondoped NCs. Density functional theory calculations reveal that the Zn2+ dopant inclines to occupy Cu sites and the I‐rich condition suppresses the formation of I vacancy, enriching the excited electron density at the band‐edge to enhance the self‐trapped exciton emission. Moreover, high luminescence performance and flexible X‐ray scintillator films are prepared using Zn2+‐doped Cs3Cu2I5 NCs, with a spatial resolution of up to 15.7 lp mm–1. This work provides an effective strategy for the development of environmentally friendly, low‐cost, and efficient blue‐emitting 0D all‐inorganic metal halides, as well as shows their great potential for high‐performance flexible lead‐free and low‐toxicity X‐ray detector applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solvent-induced nanocrack formation on polystyrene surface is investigated experimentally. Solubility parameter and diffusion coefficient of alcohols are employed to elucidate the swelling and cracking processes as well as the crack size. Experimental results show that the crack size increases with the heating temperature, heating time, and the concentration and volume of the alcohols. A guideline on fabricating single smaller nanocracks on polymers by solvent-induced method is provided. Nanocracks of approximately 64 nm in width and 17.4 nm in depth were created and replicated onto PDMS (polydimethylsiloxane) slabs to form nanochannels. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The influence of albuminuria and urinary pH on the development of contrast-induced acute kidney disease (CI-AKI) in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after elective coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) is unknown. Methods: CI-AKI was defined as an increase in serum creatinine >26.4 µmol/L or ≥50% of baseline value within 48 hours after contrast media exposure. Demographics, traditional risk factors, clinical outcomes and CI-AKI incidence were compared between groups. Univariate analysis and multivariate logistic regression were performed to assess risk factors of CI-AKI. Results: We observed 597 patients with T2DM after CAG or PCI. Patients were divided into 3 groups based on early morning urinary albumin: negative group (urine dipstick negative, n = 483), trace group (urine dipstick trace, n = 60), and positive group (urine dipstick ≥1+, n = 54). CI-AKI occurred in 33 (5.5%) patients, including 19 (3.9%) in the negativealbuminuria group, 4 (6.7%) in the trace group, and 10 (18.5%) in the positive group (p< 0.001), respectively. After adjusting for potential confounding risk factors, positive albuminuria (OR = 3.8, 95% CI: 1.5 to 9.2, p = 0.004) and urinary pH<6 (OR = 2.4, 95% CI: 1.1 to 5.1, p = 0.020) remained significantly associated with CI-AKI. Conclusion: Preprocedural albuminuria and urinary pH <6 are independent risk factors of CI-AKI in patients with T2DM undergoing elective cardiac catheterization, and may be used to identify patients at high risk of post-procedural CI-AKI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background 14,15-Epoxyeicosatrienoic acids (14,15-EETs) generated from arachidonic acid by cytochrome P450 epoxygenases have beneficial effects in certain cardiovascular diseases, and increased 14,15-EET levels protect the cardiovascular system. 14,15-EETs are rapidly hydrolyzed by soluble epoxide hydrolase (sEH) to the corresponding 14,15- dihydroxyeicosatrienoic acids (14,15-DHETs), which are generally less biologically active but more stable metabolite. A functionally relevant polymorphism of the CYP2J2 gene is independently associated with an increased risk of coronary heart disease (CHD), and the major CYP2J2 product is 14,15-EETs. 14,15-DHETs can be considered a relevant marker of CYP2J2 activity. Therefore, the aim of the present study was to evaluate the plasma 14,15- DHET levels to reflect the 14,15-EET levels in an indirectly way in patients with CHD, and to highlight the growing body of evidence that 14,15-EETs also play a role in antiinflammatory and lipid-regulating effects in patients with CHD. This was achieved by investigating the relationship between 14,15-DHETs and high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) and blood lipoproteins. Methods Samples of peripheral venous blood were drawn from 60 patients with CHD and 60 healthy controls. A 14,15-DHET enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kit (14,15-DHET ELISA kit) was used to measure the plasma 14,15-DHET levels. Hs-CRP, total cholesterol, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and low-density lipoprotein-cholesterol levels were measured. Results 14,15-DHET levels (2.53 ± 1.60 ng/mL) were significantly higher in patients with CHD as compared with those of the healthy controls (1.65 ± 1.54 ng/mL, P < 0.05). There was a significant positive correlation between 14,15-DHETs and hs-CRP levels (R = 0.286, P = 0.027). However, there was no significant correlation between 14,15-DHETs and blood lipoproteins (all, P > 0.05). Conclusions Increased plasma 14,15-DHET levels reflect the decreased of 14,15-EET levels in an indirectly way . Indicated that decreased plasma 14,15-EET levels might be involved in the inflammatory reaction process in atherosclerosis [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper addresses the augmentation of a conventional plane electrode arrays electrical impedance tomography (EIT) system to form a combined electrode arrays EIT system. This enhances the system performs of providing more accordant information of objects. The system is built up of 65 electrodes, composing of 4 horizontal and 8 axial intercrossing image planes. A phantom experiment has been taken and the measurements been processed by Tikhonov Regularization algorithm and reconstructed by the data obtained from the corresponding model. From comparing the reconstructed volume of anomaly with the target, the results indicate that the described method augments the EIT 3-D rebuilding to a distinguishable level. The qualitative results illustrate the feasibility of this composite approach in exploiting sensitivity in 3-D space with expectable spatial resolution and positioning accuracy. Moreover, this method effectively reduces the amount of computation and demonstrates the practical potential of EIT for clinical inspection and monitoring. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present case report presents the case of exstrophy-epispadias complex (EEC) with the widest separation of the symphysis pubis to date. A 33-year-old male was referred to hospital with previously unreconstructed EEC malformation. The diagnosis established was of EEC with separation of the symphysis pubis and left inguinal hernia with adenocarcinoma of the bladder. The patient underwent radical cystectomy plus an ileal conduit and an expanded local lymphadenectomy. Osteotomy was not performed, and instead the defect of the pelvis and abdominal wall was repaired using meshes and a lower abdominal island skin flap. At 1 year after surgery the patient recovered well, with no indications of mesh distortion or major complications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

GlobalFiler™ Express amplification kit incorporates 21 commonly used autosomal short tandem repeat (STR) loci and three gender determination loci. In this study, we analyzed GlobalFiler STR loci on 1006 unrelated individuals sampled of the Han population from Xiamen city, Fujian province, China. No deviations from Hardy–Weinberg equilibrium were observed. The combined probability of exclusion (CPE) for all 21 STR loci were >0.99999999771. A comparison of the allele frequencies in the population under study has been performed with other published from East Asian population for the same loci. Multiple STR loci showed significant differences between Han population from Xiamen and Korea, as well as Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

POPULATION: Chinese Han. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lead halide perovskites possess heavy elements and excellent mobility‐lifetime (µτ) product, becoming desirable candidates for X‐ray detectors. However, current perovskite photoconduction detectors (PCDs) with vertical geometry, where electronic signals and mobile ions share the same conduction path, are facing with extremely challenging ion‐migration issue. Herein, a hybrid X‐ray detector device structure, in which perovskite is vertically stacked onto an indium oxide (In2O3) transistor with lateral transport geometry is designed, perovskite mainly acts as X‐ray sensitizer to activate In2O3 conduction channel, the actual electrical signal is conducted and collected in the lateral metal‐oxide device. With the decoupled ionic and electronic transportation, hybrid detectors are insensitive to the ionic motion of perovskite, hence demonstrating no hysteresis and almost no shifting of baseline that are often observed in PCDs, hybrid detectors also exhibit reduced dark current, improved response time, and four times higher photocurrent signals. Finally, array integration of hybrid detectors and preliminary X‐ray imaging is realized. The work provides an effective device strategy in addition to the mere material alternations to attain high‐performance perovskite‐based X‐ray detectors and arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The traditional way to stabilize α‐phase formamidinium lead triiodide (FAPbI3) perovskite often involves considerable additions of methylammonium (MA) and bromide into the perovskite lattice, leading to an enlarged bandgap and reduced thermal stability. This work shows a seed‐assisted growth strategy to induce a bottom‐up crystallization of MA‐free perovskite, by introducing a small amount of α‐CsPbBr3/DMSO (5%) as seeds into the pristine FAPbI3 system. During the initial crystalization period, the typical hexagonal α‐FAPbI3 crystals (containing α‐CsPbBr3 seeds) are directly formed even at ambient temperature, as observed by laser scanning confocal microscopy. It indicates that these seeds can promote the formation and stabilization of α‐FAPbI3 below the thermodynamic phase‐transition temperature. After annealing not beyond 100 °C, CsPbBr3 seeds homogeneously diffused into the entire perovskite layer via an ions exchange process. This work demonstrates an efficiency of 22% with hysteresis‐free inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs), one of the highest performances for MA‐free inverted PSCs. Despite absented passivation processes, open‐circuit voltage is improved by 100 millivolts compared to the control devices with the same stoichiometry, and long‐term operational stability retained 92% under continuous full sun illumination. Going MA‐free and low‐temperature processes are a new insight for compatibility with tandems or flexible PSCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Deep regional hyperthermia might have an additional effect on radiotherapy in treating locally advanced rectal cancer (LARC). This study aimed to investigate the role of hyperthermia combined with modern preoperative concurrent chemoradiotherapy (CRT) for LARC. Methods and materials: From 2012 to 2018, 152 consecutive patients with LARC treated with neoadjuvant chemoradiation were enrolled and analyzed retrospectively. Pelvic radiotherapy (45–50 Gy) was delivered as volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT), concurrently with capecitabine chemotherapy. Fifty patients received hyperthermia combined with CRT (HCRT group) twice a week. Treatment response and outcomes were compared between the two groups. Furthermore, the relationships between peripheral blood neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) and lymphocyte-to-monocyte ratio (LMR) in response to hyperthermia were analyzed. Results: Patients treated with hyperthermia had a significantly higher T-downstaging rate than those without hyperthermia (82.0 vs. 62.7%; p ¼ .016). Hyperthermia was an independent favorable predictor of T-downstaging (odds ratio [OR] ¼ 2.473; 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.050–5.826; p ¼ .038). In the HCRT group, a pre-therapeutic elevated NLR (3) was associated with a higher T-downstaging rate (100.0 vs. 73.5%, p ¼ .043). However, NLR was not associated with the T-downstaging rate in the CRT group. Five-year rates of locoregional recurrence-free survival (96.8 vs. 94.7%, p ¼ .959), disease-free survival (DFS; 61.4 vs. 79.3%, p ¼ .242), and overall survival (OS; 92.7 vs. 89.8%, p ¼ .831) were not statistically different between the CRT and HCRT groups. Conclusions: Hyperthermia can improve preoperative treatment response in LARC. Pretreatment NLR may be a predictive factor for hyperthermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Complex environmental conditions can significantly affect bacterial genome size by unknown mechanisms. The So0157-2 strain of Sorangium cellulosum is an alkaline-adaptive epothilone producer that grows across a wide pH range. Here, we show that the genome of this strain is 14,782,125 base pairs, 1.75-megabases larger than the largest bacterial genome from S. cellulosum reported previously. The total 11,599 coding sequences (CDSs) include massive duplications and horizontally transferred genes, regulated by lots of protein kinases, sigma factors and related transcriptional regulation co-factors, providing the So0157-2 strain abundant resources and flexibility for ecological adaptation. The comparative transcriptomics approach, which detected 90.7% of the total CDSs, not only demonstrates complex expression patterns under varying environmental conditions but also suggests an alkaline-improved pathway of the insertion and duplication, which has been genetically testified, in this strain. These results provide insights into and a paradigm for how environmental conditions can affect bacterial genome expansion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Plants and animals recognize microbial invaders by detecting pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) through pattern-recognition receptors (PRRs). This recognition plays a crucial role in plant immunity. The newly discovered protein in plants that responds to bacterial flagellin, i.e., flagellin-sensitive 2 (FLS2), is ubiquitously expressed and present in many plants. The association of FLS2 and BAK1, facilitated by a highly conserved epitope flg22 of flagellin, triggers such downstream immune responses as activated MAPK pathway and elevated reactive oxygen species (ROS) for bacterial defense and plant immunity. Here we study the intrinsic dynamics and conformational change of FLS2 upon the formation of the FLS2–flg22–BAK1 complex. The top intrinsic normal modes and principal structural fluctuation components are very similar, showing two bending modes and one twisting mode. The twisting mode alone, however, accounts for most of the conformational change of FLS2 induced by binding with flg22 and BAK1. This study indicates that flg22 binding suppresses FLS2 conformational fluctuation, especially on the twisting motion, thus facilitating FLS2–BAK1 interaction. A detailed analysis of this sensing mechanism may aid better design on both PRR and peptide mimetics for plant immunity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Interstitial permanent radioactive seed implantation delivers a high local dose to tumors and sharply drops off at surrounding normal tissues. Radioactive seeds implanted via ultrasound or computed tomography(CT) guidance are minimally invasive and facilitate quick recovery. Transrectal ultrasound-guided 125I seed implantation assisted by a transperineal plane template is standard for early-stage prostate carcinoma, with a highly consistent target volume dose distribution. The postplan dose evaluation is consistent with the preplan evaluation. Until now, there was no workflow for seed implantation elsewhere in the body, and it was difficult to effectively preplan for seed implantation because of patients’ position changes, organ movement, and bone structure interference. Along with three-dimensional (3D) printing techniques and seed implantation planning systems for brachytherapy, coplanar and X Y axis coordinate templates were created, referred to as 3D-printed coplanar templates(3D-PCT). 125I seed implantation under CT guidance with 3D-PCT assistance has been very successful in some carcinomas. Preplanning was very consistent with postplanning of the gross tumor volume. All needles are kept parallel for 3D-PCT, with no coplanar needle rearrangement. No standard workflow for 3D-PCT-assisted seed implantation exists at present. The consensus topics for CT-assisted guidance compared to 3D-PCT-assisted guidance for seed implantation are as follows: Indications for seed implantation, preplanning, definition of radiation doses and dosimetry evaluation, 3D-PCT workflow, radiation protection, and quality of staff. Despite current data supporting 125I seed implantation for some solid carcinomas, there is a need for prospectively-randomized multicenter clinical trials to gather strong evidence for using 125I seed implantation in other solid carcinomas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: We compared the three-dimensional printed non-coplanar template (3DPNCT) plans with 3D-printed coplanar template (3DPCT) plans for radioactive seed implantation (RSI) in lung cancer and explored the differences between the two technologies. Material and methods: 33 patients with peripheral lung cancer that received 3DPCT-assisted RSI in our department between June 2017 and February 2018 were analyzed. A 3DPNCT plan was re-designed for all patients. The prescribed dose and seed activity in the new plan were the same as the 3DPCT plan. The data in the two plans were compared, including seed number, needle number, number of needles needed to cross the ribs, and dosimetry parameters. Dosimetry parameters included D90, Dmean, MPD (minimum peripheral dose), V100, V150, CI (conformity index), EI (external index), HI (homogeneity index) of target volume, D2cc of spinal cord and aorta, and V20 of affected side lung. We used a paired t-test and two groups of related non-parameters tests to examine statistical significance. A p value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: We found no significant difference in dosimetry parameters (p > 0.05), except MPD. The mean MPD of the 3DPNCT plan was significantly higher than the 3DPCT plan (88.5 Gy and 81.8 Gy, respectively, p = 0.017). The number of needles used in the 3DPNCT plan and the number of needles needed to cross the ribs were significantly less compared with the 3DPCT plan (p = 0.000). Conclusions: The dose distributions of the two 3DPCT plans were similar. 3DPNCT plan had a higher dose in target volume margin, with fewer needles and fewer breaks to the ribs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Data encryption of sensor nodes is very important in body area networks (BANs) since the physiological data of an individual are highly sensitive. However, past encryption methods have small key space, which makes them vulnerable to attacks. In this paper, we propose a new encryption algorithm based on combined chaos. Firstly, Logistic and Kent chaotic mappings are introduced to produce two sub-matrices, and then a combined matrix is generated to perform XOR operation with the original data for encryption. The experimental results indicate that the proposed algorithm has a large key space, high key sensitivity and excellent attack resistance ability, and is feasible in privacy protection of BAN system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD) is the leading cause of death and it has been confirmed that increased low density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) is an independent risk factor for atherosclerosis. Recently, the increasing evidence has showed that hypertriglyceridemia is associated with incremental ASCVD risk. But the proatherogenic mechanism of triglyceride (TG) remains unclear. Therefore, this article focuses on the clinical studies and proatherogenic mechanism related to hypertriglyceridemia, in order to provide reference for the prevention and treatment of ASCVD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Estrogen was reported to protect against obesity, however the mechanism remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the impact of 17β-estradiol (17β-E2) on triglyceride metabolism in adipocytes with or without lipopolysacchride (LPS) stimulating, providing novel potential mechanism for estrogen action. Methods: 3T3-L1 adipocytes were cultured and differentiated into mature adipocytes in vitro. The differentiated 3T3-L1 cells were divided into six groups: (i) control group, treated with 0.1% DMSO alone; (ii) 17β-E2 group, treated with 1, 0.1, or 0.001 μM 17β-E2 for 48 h; (iii) 17β-E2 plus MPP group, pre-treated with 10 μM MPP (a selective ERα receptor inhibitor) for 1 h, then incubated with 1 μM 17β-E2 for 48 h; (iv) 17β-E2 plus PHTPP group, pre-treated with 10 μM PHTPP (a selective ERβ receptor inhibitor), then incubated with 1 μM 17β-E2 for 48 h; (v) LPS group, pre-treated with 100 ng/mL LPS for 24 h, then cells were washed by PBS for 3 times and incubated with 0.1% DMSO alone for 48 h; (vi) 17β-E2 plus LPS group, pre-treated with 100 ng/mL LPS for 24 h, then cells were washed by PBS for 3 times and incubated with 1 μM 17β-E2 for 48 h. The levels of triglyceride and adipose triglyceride lipase (ATGL) in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells and the concentrations of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in culture medium were measured. Results: Comparing with control group, 1 μM and 0.1 μM 17β-E2 decreased the intracellular TG levels by about 20% and 10% respectively (all P < 0.05). The triglyceride-lowing effect of 17β-E2 in differentiated 3T3-L1 cells was abolished by ERα antagonist MPP but not ERβ antagonist PHTPP. Comparing with control group, the IL-6 levels were significantly higher in the culture medium of the cultured differentiated 3T3-L1 cells in LPS group and 17β-E2 + LPS group (all P < 0.05). And, the IL-6 levels were similar in LPS group and 17β-E2 + LPS group (P > 0.05). There was no significant difference in the triglyceride contents of differentiated 3T3-L1 cells among control group, LPS group and 17β-E2 + LPS group (all P > 0.05). ATGL expression in 17β-E2 group was significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05), which was abolished by ERα antagonist MPP or LPS. Conclusions: 17β-E2 increased ATGL expression and lowered triglycerides in adipocytes but not in LPS stimulated adipocytes via estrogen ERα. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We investigated whether high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) levels were associated with contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) and long-term mortality after coronary angiography (CAG). Patients (N = 2133) undergoing CAG with preprocedural hsCRP were consecutively enrolled. High-sensitivity C-reactive protein was measured before angiography. Median follow-up was 2.3 years. The overall incidence of CIN was 2.77% (59 of 2133). There was a positive trend of hsCRP quartiles (Q) with rates of CIN: 0.9% for Q1 (<1.6 mg/L), 0.9% for Q2 (1.6-3.9 mg/L), 2.4% for Q3 (4.0-11.3mg/L), and 6.8% for Q4 (>11.3 mg/L; P < .05). The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis showed that the cutoff point of hsCRP was 7.3 mg/L for predicting CIN with a 72.7% sensitivity and a 67.0% specificity (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.742, 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.672-0.810; P < .05). The predictive value of hsCRP was similar to the Mehran score for CIN (AUChsCRP = 0.742 vs AUCMehran = 0.801; P = .228). After adjustment for other potential risk factors, hsCRP >7.3 mg/L still was an independent predictor of CIN (odds ratio [OR] = 2.83, 95% CI: 1.44-5.58; P = .003). Furthermore, hsCRP >7.3 mg/L was associated with higher mortality (OR = 2.04, 95% CI: 1.30-3.19; P = .002). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous studies demonstrated that herpes simplex virus thymidine kinase (HSVtk) could phosphorylate non-toxic gancyclovir (GCV) efficiently to produce phosphorylated products that result in cell apoptosis, to kill tumor cells. The present study aimed to construct a plasmid vector, pcDNA3.1-pAFP-TK, carrying the suicide gene driven by the alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) promoter, to investigate the cytotoxicity of HSVtk/GCV suicide gene system on hepatoma carcinoma cells. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction and western blotting results demonstrated that the HSVtk gene was effectively expressed in HepG2 hepatoma carcinoma cells transfected with pcDNA3.1-pAFP-TK plasmid, whereas HSVtk gene expression was not detected in normal HL-7702 liver cells. In addition, MTT assays indicated that cell viability of HepG2 cells with the plasmid pcDNA3.1-pAFP-TK decreased in a dose-dependent manner following treatment with GCV for 48 h. Flow cytometry also revealed that the cell apoptosis rate and mitochondrial membrane potential reduction rate in the HepG2 cells treated with HSVtk/GCV suicide gene system were significantly higher than in the control group. Apoptosis rates in the control group and the pcDNA3.1-pAFP-TK group were (1.00±0.62%) and (38.70±6.03%), respectively. Mitochondrial membrane potential reduction rates in the control group and the pcDNA3.1-pAFP-TK group were (0.57±0.11%) and (22.84±5.79%), respectively. Caspase-3 staining demonstrated that activated caspase-3 increased significantly in the HepG2 cells treated with HSVtk/GCV suicide gene system, whereas in the control group activated caspase-3 increase was not observed. The results of the present study, therefore, indicated that HSVtk suicide gene was obviously expressed in the HepG2 cells and that the HSVtk/GCV system was effective at killing HepG2 hepatoma carcinoma cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Microbial secondary metabolism is regulated by a complex and mostly-unknown network of global and pathway-specific regulators. A dozen biosynthetic gene clusters for secondary metabolites have been reported in myxobacteria, but a few regulation factors have been identified. Results: We identified a transcription regulator Esi for the biosynthesis of epothilones. Inactivation of esi promoted the epothilone production, while overexpression of the gene suppressed the production. The regulation was determined to be resulted from the transcriptional changes of epothilone genes. Esi was able to bind, probably via the N-terminus of the protein, to an inverted repeat sequence in the promoter of the epothilone biosynthetic gene cluster. The Esi-homologous sequences retrieved from the RefSeq database are all of the Proteobacteria. However, the Esi regulation is not universal in myxobacteria, because the esi gene exists only in a few myxobacterial genomes. Conclusions: Esi binds to the epothilone promoter and down-regulates the transcriptional level of the whole gene cluster to affect the biosynthesis of epothilone. This is the first transcription regulator identified for epothilone biosynthesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed a fast, simple, eco-friendly method for obtaining highly sensitive and uniform surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) of silver (Ag) nanotextured substrates decorated with silver nanoparticles in open air. By splitting conventional femtosecond pulses (subpulse delay Δt = 0 ps) into pulse trains (subpulse delay Δt = 3 ps), the mean diameter of Ag nanoparticles was reduced by almost half and the amount of Ag nanoparticles with a diameter ranging from 20 to 60 nm was increased by more than 11 times. The substrate fabricated by femtosecond pulse trains has four main merits as follows: (1) High sensitivity: the maximum SERS enhancement factor is 1.26 × 10; (2) High efficiency: the fabrication rate can be up to 1600 μm/s, which is 20-40 times faster than femtosecond photochemical reduction; (3) Good reproducibility: the relative standard deviation of the Raman signal intensity is 10.7%, which is one-third of that for conventional femtosecond laser; (4) Eco-friendly fabrication: neither chemical reagents nor vacuum conditions are needed during the fabrication process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Due to different physical and biological mechanisms behind ultrasound hyperthermia and phonophoresis, the requirement for ultrasound power, frequency and control modes varies.Objective: This paper introduces an adaptive ultrasonic physiotherapy system based on real-time surveillance over physiological characteristics of the patients, which in turn assists the individual treatment and dose limitation in auxiliary rehabilitation.Methods: The method essentially takes advantage of distinctive characteristics of two different phases (systole and diastole) of the human cardiac cycle as a medium for modulation. The abundance of blood flow during systole enables energy exchange for hyperthermia while blood flow insufficiency caused by diastole assists in drug penetration. Said method could improve the adjuvant therapy as it provides partial drug penetration and therapeutic dosage control.Results: By adjusting time window and intensity of multi-frequency ultrasound, it is possible to reduce the irradiation dosage to around 22% of that during continuous irradiation at 1 MHz. The method shows high potential in clinical practice.Conclusion: Frequency-tuning ultrasound therapy would be more efficient regarding drug penetration and improve the therapeutic efficacy of hyperthermia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Collecting duct carcinoma (CDC), which is also known as Bellini duct carcinoma, accounts for less than 1% of all renal cell carcinoma, which has a poor prognosis. Predominantly, clinicians recognize this disease due to past experience and case reports, and a standard treatment is yet to be established. The present case report describes a 57-year-old male patient with CDC who was successfully treated with a left laparoscopic radical nephrectomy without any adjuvant therapy and compares the present patient's clinical presentation with previously reported cases. By analyzing the differences between these cases, the findings of the present case report and literature review suggested that surgery alone remains the only suitable choice for patients with advanced CDC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Primary pleuropulmonary and mediastinal synovial sarcomas (PPMSSs) are extremely rare. The authors present the largest series in an Asian population. Methods: Between 2000 and 2015, 26 genetically confirmed PPMSSs were included. The clinicopathologic features of all of the cases were reviewed. Immunohistochemical staining was carried out using the following antibodies: TLE1, cytokeratin (AE1/AE3), EMA, CD99, Bcl-2, CK7, CD34, S-100 protein, and Ki-67. The chromosomal translocation t(X;18)(p11.2;q11.2) was detected by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) and reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). We compared the clinical, pathologic, immunohistochemical, and molecular features of this series with that of the previous series and soft tissue synovial sarcomas. Results: This series included 17 males and nine females. The median age was 36.5 years (range, 16-72 years). The tumors involved the lung (76.9 %), pleura (15.4 %), and mediastinum (7.7 %). The median tumor size was 6 cm (range 2.3 ~ 24 cm). The majority of the tumors were well-circumscribed. The tumors were classified as monophasic (84.6 %), biphasic (3.8 %), and poorly differentiated (11.5 %) types. The tumors were graded as French Federation of Cancer Centers (FNCLCC) grade 2 (62.5 %) and FNCLCC 3 (37.5 %). Diffuse immunostaining for TLE1, BCL-2, and CD99 was identified in 91.7, 95.7, and 56.0 % of the tumors, respectively. Focal positivity was seen with EMA (84.6 %), CK7 (55. 6 %), cytokeratin (AE1/AE3) (68.0 %), CD34 (5.0 %), and S-100 protein (21.7 %). A high Ki-67 index (≥10 %) was observed in 91.3 % of the tumors. The fusion transcripts included SS18-SSX1 (15/22, 68.2 %), SS18-SSX2 including variants (6/22, 27.3 %), and SS18-SSX4 (1/22, 4.5 %) fusions. The remaining four cases showed positivity for SS18 rearrangement by FISH. Surgical excision of tumors or lobectomy were performed in 20 patients, and seven of the patients underwent adjuvant therapy. Clinical follow-up was available in 73.1 % cases, with a median follow-up of 12.0 months. The median survival time was 14.5 months. Tumor resection (p = 0.024) and no residual tumor (p = 0.004) were associated with an improved overall survival time. Conclusions: PPMSS is a highly aggressive neoplasm. Extensive surgical resection of the tumor and more effective adjuvant therapy should be advocated. PPMSS must be differentiated from similar diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Contrast-induced nephropathy (CIN) has not been systematically studied in high-risk patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) for chronic total occlusion (CTO).Methods: We prospectively observed 515 consecutive patients with CKD undergoing PCI. Patients were divided into three groups: patients who underwent attempted PCI for CTO (group A, n = 85), patients who did not receive PCI for CTO (group B, n = 45) and patients without CTO (group C, n = 385).Results: CIN developed in 55 patients (10.68 %). Group A patients received a larger CM dose than group B or group C (p = 0.024). The intravenous hydration volume, age and CIN Mehran score were not significantly different between the three groups. The incidence of CIN was 9.4 % for group A, 6.7 % for group B and 11.4 % for group C (p = 0.344). In-hospital mortality and required renal replacement therapy (p = 0.325) were not significantly different between the groups. Multivariate analysis showed that after adjusting for potential confounding factors, the odds ratio for CIN was 1.03 (p = 0.944) for group A and 0.64 for group B (p = 0.489) compared to group C.Conclusions: Attempts to achieve recanalization of CTO in patients with CKD might not increase the risk of CIN if appropriate preventative measures are taken.Key Points: • Contrast-induced nephropathy can increase morbidity and mortality • Chronic kidney disease patients are at the greatest risk of CIN • Patients with CKD undergoing CTO-PCI are common • Incidence of CIN has not been reported in CKD patients • CTO-PCI in CKD patients might not increase the risk of CIN. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Estrogen had been found to be negatively associated with serum triglyceride (TG) levels. Apolipoprotein A5 (APOA5), a novel member of apolipoprotein family, was reported to have a strong ability to decrease serum concentrations of TG. Clinical data found concentrations of APOA5 were higher in woman than that in men, and the negative relationship between APOA5 and TG levels was more significant in woman. These suggests APOA5 may involve in estrogen actions. Therefore, we hypothesize estrogen up-regulates serum concentrations of APOA5 and subsequently decreases serum TG levels. We will design the following experiments to test this hypothesis. (1) We will treat wild and APOA5-defeted ovariectomized hamster with or without estrogen to examine if estrogen could up-regulate concentrations of APOA5 and decrease TG levels. (2) We will treat HepG2 cells with estrogen and investigate the possible mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Workability of concrete can be improved by using magnesium slag. • Compressive strength of concrete was not reduced with magnesium slag content up to 30%. • Use of magnesium slag can improve the long-term properties of the concrete. Magnesium slag is a byproduct of the magnesium industry. It has not been commonly used in the construction industry due to the poor hydration reactivity and soundness risk induced by a high content of MgO. However, magnesium slag has hydraulic potential for similar mineral compositions to Portland cement. This study aims to investigate the potential use of magnesium slag as a mineral admixture in cement concrete. The influence of magnesium slag content and fineness on the workability, mechanical properties and durability of concrete was discussed. Results showed that the concrete fluidity increased with increasing magnesium slag content. The fineness of magnesium slag in this study showed a slight influence on the fluidity. Magnesium slag was not beneficial to the early strength development of the concrete due to the retarding effect on hydration, but it had a positive effect on the later strength. It could also optimize the long-term properties of concrete with reduced drying shrinkage and an improvement of sulfate- and frost- resistant properties. Finally, as a mineral admixture in concrete, magnesium slag with an optimum content of 30% and a specific surface area of 485 m2/kg was suggested. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

POPULATION: Chinese Han, Thai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• V O s were introduced in TiO 2 nanotubes by fs-laser processing with anodization. • TiO 2- x nanotubes formed on microcone's surface, leading excellent light absorption. • Self-doping of oxygen vacancies significantly narrowed the bandgap (1.95 eV). • TiO 2- x electrodes performed 15-time photocurrent and double photodegration rate. • The as-prepared photoelectrodes show great potential in photocatalytic application. Titanium dioxide (TiO 2) photoelectrodes that offer high light absorption and efficient charge separation hold great promise in photocatalysis. In this study, a simple and controllable method for fabricating hierarchical TiO 2− x photoelectrodes by coupling femtosecond laser processing and anodization is proposed. The fabricated photoelectrodes consist of microcones (approximately 150,000 per square centimetre) covered with large quantities of nanotubes. The hierarchical structures possess significant light-trapping effect, meanwhile, oxygen vacancies were simultaneously introduced through laser processing with anodization, which can be attributed to the fs-laser mediated lattice phase transformation (polycrystalline and amorphous layer) of titanium. With the synergistic effects of hierarchical structures and oxygen vacancies, the hierarchical TiO 2− x electrode exhibited a narrowed bandgap (1.95 eV) and remarkable light absorption. Especially under visible light, this photoelectrode demonstrated 15-fold photocurrent enhancement and double the usual photodegradation rate of methylene blue. This morphological control and defect introduction method may be extensively used in efficient solar utilisation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The inhibited mechanism of the nano-SiO 2 on the efflorescence of geopolymer was analyzed. • A negative effect of the efflorescence on compressive strength of geopolymer was found. • The nano-SiO 2 could improve the transport property of geopolymer. To inhibit the efflorescence of geopolymers, nano-SiO 2 particles were used as an additive to modify an alkali-activated metakaolin mortar. In this work, the effect of the nano-SiO 2 on the compressive strength, pore structure and ion leaching of geopolymers was investigated. Based on these results, the inhibitory mechanism of the nano-SiO 2 on the efflorescence of the geopolymer mortar was analyzed. The results showed that the nano-SiO 2 improved the compressive strength and inhibited the efflorescence of the geopolymer mortar. The nano-SiO 2 decreased the efflorescence by consuming excessive alkali ions in the pore solution to form an amorphous gel phase, and the negative effect of the efflorescence on the compressive strength was also verified. Moreover, the pore structure and transport properties of the geopolymer were also improved by the addition of the nano-SiO 2 , which reduced the diffusion rate and leaching of the ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Time reversal symmetry (TRS) is a key symmetry for classification of unconventional superconductors, and the violation of TRS often results in a wealth of novel properties. Here we report the synthesis and superconducting properties of the partially filled skutterudite Pr1 − δPt4Ge12. The results from x-ray diffraction and magnetization measurements show that the [Pt4Ge12] cage-forming structure survives and bulk superconductivity is preserved below the superconducting transition temperature Tc = 7.80 K. The temperature dependence of both the upper critical field and the electronic specific heat can be described in terms of a two-gap model, providing strong evidence of multi-band superconductivity. TRS breaking is observed using zero field muon-spin relaxation experiments, and the magnitude of the spontaneous field is nearly half of that in PrPt4Ge12. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amorphous molybdenum sulfide (a‐MoSx) is regarded as a promising electrocatalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) due to its disorder structures with a significant number of defect‐rich active sites. Here, a green, one‐step, and controllable method is developed to photoregulate the chemical reactions and synthesize nanosized a‐MoSx by temporally shaped femtosecond laser ablation of ammonium tetrathiomolybdate aqueous solution. By adjusting the laser energy and pulse delay to control photoinduced and/or photothermal‐induced reduction/oxidation, the S to Mo ratio x can be modulated from 1.53 to 3.07 and the ratio of the MoV defect species, bridging S22−, and terminal S22− ligands can be controlled. The optimized a‐MoSx catalysts (x = 2.73) exhibit high catalytic activity with a low Tafel slope of 40 mV dec−1, high double‐layer capacitance of 74.47 mF cm−2, and large current density of 516 mA cm−2 at an overpotential of 250 mV. The high catalytic activity can be mainly attributed to MoV defect species and bridging S22− ligands, or most likely dominated by the MoV defect species. This study not only provides an alternatively controllable method to prepare a‐MoSx as efficient HER catalysts but also contributes to the understanding of the origin of its catalytic activity. For the first time, various material compositions of nanosized amorphous MoSx (from amorphous MoS2 to amorphous MoS3) are successfully synthesized through photomodulation of the reaction mechanisms (from photothermal‐induced to photoinduced reduction/oxidation). The catalysts with optimized ratios of active sites of MoV defect species, bridging S22− ligands, and terminal S22− ligands exhibit excellent catalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]