Search

Abstract Background Asthma is a common immune disease with high morbidity in children. Type 2 inflammation is the center of asthma development, and mainly mediated by a subset of CD4 + T cells, T helper 2 (Th2) cells. Excess Th2 differentiation was generally associated with asthmatic attack. Casitas B-lineage lymphoma (c-CBL) was reported to involved in T cell development and databank showed its decreased expression in CD4 + T cells from peripheral blood of asthmatic children. This study aims to investigate the role of c-CBL in childhood asthma and Th2 differentiation, and explore the underlying mechanism. Methods We collected peripheral blood samples from clinical childhood asthma cases and healthy controls, and determined c-CBL expression in CD4 + T cells. Asthma was induced in neonatal mice by ovalbumin (OVA) intraperitoneal injection and aerosol inhalation, and c-CBL expression in CD4 + T cells from peripheral blood and spleen was measured. Gain-of-function experiments was performed to confirm the effects of c-CBL on Th2 differentiation in vitro. Finally, c-CBL was delivered into asthmatic mice via lentivirus infection to verify its effects on experimental asthma. Results c-CBL was lowly expressed in CD4 + T cells from asthmatic children than those of healthy controls. Similarly, it was downregulated in CD4 + T cells from peripheral blood and spleen of asthma mice. Overexpression of c-CBL restrained lung pathological injury and type 2 inflammation in experimental asthmatic mice. Gain-of-function experiments demonstrated that c-CBL inhibited Th2 differentiation of CD4 + T cells from healthy children, and mediated the ubiquitination of lymphocyte cell-specific protein-tyrosine kinase (LCK). LCK acted as a kinase to phosphorylate and activate c-JUN, which was predicted to bind promoter sequence of CD28 by bioinformatic analysis. Dual-luciferase reporter assay verified that c-JUN and ETS1 synergically enhanced transcription of CD28, and this transcription activation was aggravated by LCK overexpression. Conclusion c-CBL alleviated asthma and suppressed Th2 differentiation by facilitating LCK ubiquitination, interrupting c-JUN activation and CD28 expression in vivo and in vitro. c-CBL/LCK/c-JUN/ETS1/CD28 axis was partially involved in childhood asthma, and may provide novel insights for clinical treatment for asthma.

Background/purpose: While there are numerous reports on surgical techniques and materials for bone grafting, limited methods are available to enhance the body's inherent capacity to heal bones. Here we investigated microRNA-199a (miR-199a), a molecular that promotes osteoblast differentiation and bone healing. Materials and methods: To construct a miR-199a delivery complex, miR-199a-5p mimics were coated with mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSNs) following modified with polyethyleneimine (PEI) and peptide WEAKLAKALAKALAKHLAKALAKALKACEA (KALA) to obtain 199a-5p-loaded MSN-PEI-KALA. Nanoparticle complexes are assessed for particle size and zeta potential using transmission electron microscopy and dynamic light scattering. Then MC3T3-E1 cells are exposed to MSN_miR-199a-5p @PEI-KALA. The impact of MSN_miR-199a-5p@PEI-KALA at varying concentrations on cell viability is assessed using Cell Counting Kit-8. Cell uptake and distribution were analyzed by double fluorescent staining with fluorescein amidite-labeled MSN_miR-199a@PEI-KALA and lysosome labeling. On day 7 after osteogenic induction, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining was conducted. Results: The findings indicated that the nanoparticle complexes encapsulating PEI and peptide exhibited an augmentation in both particle size and zeta potential. At a dosage of 10 μg/mL, MSN_miR-199a@PEI-KALA displayed the lowest cytotoxicity compared to the control group. MC3T3-E1 cells treated with MSN_miR-199a-5p@PEI-KALA exhibited intensified ALP staining and elevated mRNA expression levels of ALP, runt-related transcription factor 2, and osteopontin, suggesting the involvement of miR-199a-5p-loaded MSN-PEI-KALA in osteogenic differentiation. Conclusion: The successful construction of the delivering complex MSN_miR-199a@PEI-KALA in present research highlights the promise of this biomaterial carrier for the application of miRNAs in treating bone defects.

Objectives: The present study aimed to determine the diagnostic value of sonographic signs in patients who have experienced an acute injury of the anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL), and provide diagnostic evidence for improving the classification of ATFL injuries. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed a total of 158 ATFL injuries, confirmed by surgery or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), in 157 patients (one patient had bilateral ankle injury). A group of senior radiologists, along with two junior radiologists, identified the direct and indirect sonographic signs of ATFL injuries on ultrasound (US) images, and determined the ATFL injury classification. We then compared the diagnostic accuracy of the ATFL injury classifications, as well as the consistency of sonographic sign identification, between the senior radiologist group and the two junior radiologists. The sonographic signs identified by the senior radiologist group were used as the standard by which we analyzed the diagnostic efficacy of each sonographic sign for ATFL injury classification. Results: The diagnostic accuracy for complete ATFL tears was 88.5 % in the senior radiologist group, which was higher than that for the two junior radiologists (72.3 % and 67.7 %). Compared to the senior radiologist group, the consistency between the two junior radiologists in identifying all sonographic signs of ATFL injuries was low (kappa value 80 %. Direct sonographic signs were further combined with indirect sonographic signs to improve the diagnostic specificity and positive predictive value for the diagnosis of ATFL injuries. Conclusions: High-frequency US is the first choice for the diagnosis of ATFL injuries; however, radiologists with different levels of experience may classify ATFL injuries differently. Refined sonographic signs, especially ligament tension, clarity, and continuity, are helpful in the classification and diagnosis of ATFL injuries and provide guidance for the treatment and management of ankle injuries in clinical practice.

Carbendazim (methyl benzimidazol-2-ylcarbamate, CBZ) is a systemic benzimidazole carbamate fungicide and can be used to control a wide range of fungal diseases caused by Ascomycetes, Basidiomycetes and Deuteromycetes. It is widely used in horticulture, forestry, agriculture, preservation and gardening due to its broad spectrum and leads to its accumulation in soil and water environmental systems, which may eventually pose a potential threat to non-target organisms through the ecological chain. Therefore, the removal of carbendazim residues from the environment is an urgent problem. Currently, a number of physical and chemical treatments are effective in degrading carbendazim. As a green and efficient strategy, microbial technology has the potential to degrade carbendazim into non-toxic and environmentally acceptable metabolites, which in turn can dissipate carbendazim from the contaminated environment. To date, a number of carbendazim-degrading microbes have been isolated and reported, including, but not limited to, Bacillus, Pseudomonas, Rhodococcus, Sphingomonas, and Aeromonas. Notably, the common degradation property shared by all strains was their ability to hydrolyze carbendazim to 2-aminobenzimidazole (2-AB). The complete mineralization of the degradation products is mainly dependent on the cleavage of the imidazole and benzene rings. Additionally, the currently reported genes for carbendazim degradation are MheI and CbmA, which are responsible for breaking the ester and amide bonds, respectively. This paper reviews the toxicity, microbial degradation of carbendazim, and bioremediation techniques for carbendazim-contaminated environments. This not only summarizes and enriches the theoretical basis of microbial degradation of carbendazim, but also provides practical guidance for bioremediation of carbendazim-contaminated residues in the environment.

Abstract Background Aquatic exercise (AE) is becoming ever more popular as a physical therapy, while it is unclear what precise improvements it will produce and how effective it will be in comparison with other non-surgical therapies. The study aimed to assess whether AE positively impacts chronic musculoskeletal disorder patients in terms of pain, physical function, and quality of life. Methods PRISMA guidelines were followed, and our study protocol was published online at PROSPERO under registration number CRD42023417411. We searched PubMed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane library databases for English-language articles published before April 11, 2023, including studies from all relevant randomized controlled trials (RCTs). After screening, we ultimately included 32 RCTs with a total of 2,200 participants. We also performed subgroup analyses for all included studies. This meta-analysis calculated standardized mean difference (SMD) with 95% confidence interval (CI), and the variance was estimated using a random-effects model. The quality of the included studies was assessed by using the Cochrane collaborative "risk of bias" assessment tool (version 2.0). Thus ensuring that the literature included is of high quality. Results This meta-analysis included 32 trials with 2,200 participants; these patients were all between the ages of 38–80. The study showed that compared to the no exercise (NE) group, patients in the AE group experienced a remarkable reduction in pain (SMD: -0.64, P

Abstract Background Lipid metabolism has a crucial role in neural repair in neurodegenerative diseases. We recently revealed that lipogenesis-mediated interleukin-33 (IL-33) upregulation lead to blood–brain barrier (BBB) repair after ischemic stroke. However, manipulating the key enzyme fatty acid synthase (FASN) to enhance lipogenesis was very challenging. Glyceryl triacetate (GTA) was used as a donor of acetate and precursor of acetyl coenzyme A, the key substrate for de novo lipogenesis catalyzed by FASN. Therefore, we hypothesized that GTA would promote lipogenesis the peri-infarct after ischemic stroke and contribute to the BBB repair through IL-33. Methods Middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) was performed on C57BL mice and GTA was gavage administrated (4 g/kg) on day 2 and 4 after MCAO. Lipogenesis was evaluated by assessment of the protein level of FASN, lipid droplets, and fatty acid products through liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry in the peri-infarct area on day 3 after MCAO, respectively. BBB permeability was determined by extravasation of Evans blue, IgG and dextran, and levels of tight junction proteins in the peri-infarct area on day 7 after MCAO, respectively. Infarct size and neurological defects were assessed on day 7 after MCAO. Brain atrophy on day 30 and long-term sensorimotor abilities after MCAO were analyzed as well. The inhibitor of FASN, C75 and the virus-delivered FASN shRNA were used to evaluate the role of FASN-driven lipogenesis in GTA-improved BBB repair. Finally, the therapeutic potential of recombinant IL-33 on BBB repair and neurological recovery was evaluated. Results We found that treatment with GTA increased the lipogenesis as evidenced by lipid droplets level and lauric acid content, but not the FASN protein level. Treatment with GTA increased the IL-33 level in the peri-infarct area and decreased the BBB permeability after MCAO. However, infarct size and neurological defect score were unchanged on day 7 after MCAO, while the long-term recovery of sensorimotor function and brain atrophy were improved by GTA. Inhibition of lipogenesis using C75 or FASN shRNA reversed the beneficial effect of GTA. Finally, exogenous IL-33 improved BBB repair and long-term functional recovery after stroke. Conclusion Collectively, we concluded that treatment with GTA improved the BBB repair and functional recovery after ischemic stroke, probably by the enhancement of lipogenesis and IL-33 expression. Graphical Abstract

Abstract Background Whether cesarean section (CS) is a risk factor for asthma in offspring is controversial. The purpose of this study was to investigate the association between CS and asthma in children/adolescents. Methods Pubmed, Embase, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library electronic databases were searched for cohort studies on the relationship between mode of delivery and asthma in children/adolescents up to February 2023. Birth via CS was considered an exposure factor. Asthma incidence was taken as a result. Results Thirty-five cohort studies (thirteen prospective and twenty-two retrospective cohort studies) were included. The results showed that the incidence of asthma was higher in CS offspring (odds ratio (OR) = 1.18, P

Abstract Neuroinflammation manifests following injury to the central nervous system (CNS) and M1/M2 polarization of microglia is closely associated with the development of this neuroinflammation. In this study, multiple databases were used to collect targets regarding luteolin and microglia polarization. After obtaining a common target, a protein–protein interaction (PPI) network was created and further analysis was performed to obtain the core network. Molecular docking of the core network with luteolin after gene enrichment analysis. In vitro experiments were used to examine the polarization of microglia and the expression of related target proteins. A total of 77 common targets were obtained, and the core network obtained by further analysis contained 38 proteins. GO and KEGG analyses revealed that luteolin affects microglia polarization in regulation of inflammatory response as well as the interleukin (IL)-17 and tumor necrosis factor (TNF) signaling pathways. Through in vitro experiments, we confirmed that the use of luteolin reduced the expression of inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), IL-6, TNF-α, p-NFκBIA (p-IκB-α), p-NFκB p65, and MMP9, while upregulating the expression of Arg-1 and IL-10. This study reveals various potential mechanisms by which luteolin induces M2 polarization in microglia to inhibit the neuroinflammatory response.

Protein loop modeling is a challenging yet highly nontrivial task in protein structure prediction. Despite recent progress, existing methods including knowledge-based, ab initio, hybrid, and deep learning (DL) methods fall substantially short of either atomic accuracy or computational efficiency. To overcome these limitations, we present KarmaLoop, a novel paradigm that distinguishes itself as the first DL method centered on full-atom (encompassing both backbone and side-chain heavy atoms) protein loop modeling. Our results demonstrate that KarmaLoop considerably outperforms conventional and DL-based methods of loop modeling in terms of both accuracy and efficiency, with the average RMSDs of 1.77 and 1.95 Å for the CASP13+14 and CASP15 benchmark datasets, respectively, and manifests at least 2 orders of magnitude speedup in general compared with other methods. Consequently, our comprehensive evaluations indicate that KarmaLoop provides a state-of-the-art DL solution for protein loop modeling, with the potential to hasten the advancement of protein engineering, antibody–antigen recognition, and drug design.

In order to adhere to the consolidation of household contracted management, innovate and improve the dual management system combining centralization and decentralization (DMS), and give full play to the function and role of rural collective organizations in the centralization of small farmers, the status of economic development of 47 rural collective organizations and 4 practical models that can be copied and promoted in Guangxi were studied by adopting methods such as literature combing, field survey, case demonstration and clustering and comparison and statistical analysis. The research found that in recent years, although the village collectives in Guangxi have completed the equity reform of collective assets, and the collective incomes have increased, the overall operation vitality is still relatively weak, the organization and service degree for small farmers is relatively low, and the adhesion between village and household in production and operation is small. The 4 practical models analyzed show that, compared with capital-oriented business entities such as enterprises, village collective economic organizations have stronger adaptability to the management of small farmers, being important new business entities to organize and serve small farmers. Therefore, it is suggest that it should be made good use of the results of the "three transformations" reform of rural collective assets, to carry out the pilot of the innovative development of the DMS, to speed up the supply of laws and regulations of village collective economic organizations, to establish a mechanism of financial investment to cover village collectives and to extend to small farmers preferentially, and to develop the village collective economy with the support of village-equity economic cooperatives so as to organize and drive small farmers to integrate into the development of modern agricultural industrialization.

In this study, a novel family of single-phase, bridgeless, three-level power factor correction (PFC) topologies was proposed based on the embedded construction scheme. These technologies combined bridgeless PFC circuits and multilevel technology. These topologies are highly suitable for applications with high efficiency and high power density requirements. This family has six topologies. The derivation, operating principle, mathematical model, and circuit performance of the proposed topologies were analyzed. Furthermore, for this family of topologies, a four-carrier phase disposition pulse width modulation (FCPD-PWM) method and a system design method were proposed. Finally, an experimental prototype with an output power of 1 kW was designed. The circuit can work in the PFC mode under the rated working conditions and reflects the characteristics of three levels. The circuit can respond quickly and work normally under a variety of complex working conditions and can work in a diode rectification mode when the driving voltage signal is lost. The experimental results demonstrated the feasibility of the topology derived from the proposed embedded construction scheme and the effectiveness of the FCPD-PWM method for driving the proposed three-level conversion circuit.

Abstract Objective During PCL reconstruction surgery, precise and personalized positioning of the graft tunnel is very important. In order to obtain patient‐specific anatomical data, we established a three‐dimensional knee joint fusion model to provide a unified imaging strategy, as well as anatomical information, for individualized and accurate posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) reconstruction. Methods This is an exploration study. From January 2019 to January 2020, 20 healthy adults randomly were enrolled and assessed via CT and MRI imaging. A three‐dimensional fusion model of the knee joint was generated using the modified MIMIMICS and image fusion software. On the fused image, the areas of the femoral and tibial PCL footprint of both knees were measured. The anatomical center of the PCL footprint was measured at the femoral and tibial ends. The relevant bony landmarks surrounding the PCL femoral and tibial attachment were also measured. Paired t‐tests were employed for all statistical analyzes, and p

BackgroundAccumulating evidence suggests that trigeminal neuralgia (TN) causes structural and functional alterations in the brain. However, only a few studies have focused on cerebral blood flow (CBF) changes in patients with TN. This study aimed to explore whether altered cerebral perfusion patterns exist in patients with TN and investigate the relationship between abnormal regional CBF (rCBF) and clinical characteristics of TN.Materials and methodsThis study included 28 patients with TN and 30 age- and sex-matched healthy controls (HCs) who underwent perfusion functional MRI (fMRI) of the brain using pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL) in the resting state. The regions of significantly altered CBF in patients with TN were detected using group comparison analyses. Then, the relationships between the clinical characteristics and abnormal rCBF were further investigated.ResultsCompared to the control group, patients with TN exhibited increased rCBF, primarily in the thalamus, middle frontal gyrus (MFG), and left insula. Furthermore, the CBF values of the thalamus were negatively correlated with the pain intensity of TN and positively correlated with pain duration in patients with TN.ConclusionPrimary alterations in rCBF in patients with TN occurred in different brain regions related to pain, which are involved in cognitive-affective interaction, pain perception, and pain modulation. These results indicate that non-invasive resting cerebral perfusion imaging may contribute complementary information to further understanding the neuropathological mechanism underlying TN.

BackgroundCholinergic basal forebrain (BF) plays an important role in sleep-wake regulation and is implicated in cortical arousal and activation. However, less is known currently regarding the abnormal BF-related neuronal circuit in human patients with insomnia disorder (ID). In this study, we aimed to explore alterations of functional connectivity (FC) in subregions of the BF and the relationships between FC alterations and sleep and mood measures in ID.Materials and methodsOne hundred and two ID patients and ninety-six healthy controls (HC) were included in this study. Each subject underwent both resting-state fMRI and high-resolution anatomical scanning. All participants completed the sleep and mood questionnaires in ID patients. Voxel-based resting-state FC in each BF subregion (Ch_123 and Ch_4) were computed. For the voxel-wise FC differences between groups, a two-sample t-test was performed on the individual maps in a voxel-by-voxel manner. To examine linear relationships with sleep and mood measures, Pearson correlations were calculated between FC alterations and sleep and mood measures, respectively.ResultsThe ID group showed significantly decreased FC between the medial superior frontal gyrus and Ch_123 compared to HC. However, increased FC between the midbrain and Ch_4 was found in ID based on the voxel-wise analysis. The correlation analysis only revealed that the altered FC between the midbrain with Ch_4 was significantly negatively correlated with the self-rating anxiety scale.ConclusionOur findings of decreased FC between Ch_123 and medial superior frontal gyrus and increased FC between midbrain and Ch4 suggest distinct roles of subregions of BF underlying the neurobiology of ID.

ObjectiveThis study aimed to detect the cerebral blood flow (CBF) values changes in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to evaluate the correlation between the CBF values and the specific clinical characteristics.Materials and methodsForty-eight patients with AS (43 male and 5 female) and 42 healthy controls (HCs) (38 male and 4 female) were recruited. Three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (3D-pCASL) was performed on a 3.0T magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). CBF values were obtained on the Philips post-processing workstation based on arterial spin labeling (ASL) data. The two-sample t-test was used to compare CBF differences. The correlation between CBF values and specific clinical characteristics of AS was evaluated.ResultsThe AS group showed increased CBF values in the right precentral gyrus, the left inferior frontal gyrus, and the left temporal pole compared with HCs the AS group also showed decreased CBF values in the left precuneus and the left superior occipital gyrus compared with HCs. There were no significant correlations between the CBF values and the clinical characteristics including total back pain (TBP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP).ConclusionPatients with AS displayed CBF changes compared with HCs using 3D-PCASL. These results may enhance our understanding of the neural substrates of AS and provide evidence of AS-related neurological impairment.

Abstract 2D–3D mixed tin halide perovskites are outstanding candidate materials for lead‐free perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to their improved stability and decreased trap density in comparison with their pure 3D counterparts. However, the mixture of multiple phases may lead to poor charge transfer across the films and limit the device efficiency. Here, a stacked quasi‐2D (down)–3D (top) double‐layered structure in perovskite films prepared via vacuum treatment is demonstrated, which can result in a planar bilayer heterojunction. In addition, it is found that the introduction of guanidinium thiocyanate (GuaSCN) additive can improve the crystallinity and carrier mobility in the 2D perovskite layer and passivate defects in the whole film, leading to a long carrier lifetime (>140 ns) in photoluminescence measurements. As a result, the PSCs show a high open circuit voltage (VOC) up to 1.01 V with a voltage loss of only 0.39 V, which represents the record values ever reported for tin‐based PSCs. The champion device exhibits a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 13.79% with decent stability, retaining 90% of the initial PCE for 1200 h storage in N2‐filled glovebox.

Children exposed to common aeroallergens may develop asthma that progresses into adulthood. Inflammation regulated by T helper 2 (Th2) cells, a specific subpopulation of CD4+ T lymphocytes, is involved in asthmatic injury. Herein, our microarray data indicated that microRNA-451a-5p (miRNA-451a) expression decreased by 4.6-fold and ETS proto-oncogene 1 (ETS1) increased by 2.2-fold in the peripheral blood lymphocytes isolated from asthmatic children (n = 4) as compared to control individuals (n = 4). The negative correlation between miRNA-451a and ETS1 was further validated in 40 CD4+ T cell samples (10 healthy vs. 30 asthmatic samples). In vitro, naïve CD4+ T cells isolated from control individuals were cultured under Th2 cell polarizing condition. miRNA-451a expression decreased while ETS1 increased in CD4+ T cells in the setting of Th2 cell polarization. Moreover, miRNA-451a knockdown enhanced Th2 cell polarization – cells positive for both GATA3 (GATA binding protein 3, a Th2-transcription factor) and CD4 increased, and the generation of Th2 cell cytokines, interleukin (IL)5 and IL13, increased. In contrast, miRNA-451a overexpression inhibited Th2 cell differentiation. Interestingly, dual-Luciferase assay proved ETS1 as a novel target of miRNA-451a. Moreover, enforced expression of ETS1 partially restored miRNA-451a-induced inhibition of IL5 and IL13, and increased the GATA3+CD4+ cell population. Collectively, our work demonstrates that downregulation of miRNA-451a upregulates ETS1 expression in CD4+ T cells, which may contribute to Th2 cell differentiation in pediatric asthma.

BackgroundSingle-sex children have been regarded as one of the best subjects to understand the abnormal development patterns of autism spectrum disorders (ASDs). However, the functional connectivity (FC) behind their symptoms is still unknown.MethodsBased on FC analysis, the acquired resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) data sets, including 86 boys with ASD and 54 normal controls (NC), were used to detect the neural synchronous activity between brain regions. Pearson correlation analysis was used to evaluate the relationship between the abnormal FC value and clinical features.ResultsIndividuals with ASD showed enhanced FC between the right calcarine and the right lingual gyrus (LG). The right medial orbital frontal cortex also showed increased FC with bilateral inferior temporal gyrus (ITG) [two-tailed, voxel-level p < 0.001, gaussian random field (GRF) correction, cluster-level p < 0.05]. We did not find a correlation between the abnormal FC value and clinical scales.ConclusionOur study reveals a possible relationship between atypical visual attention and poor learning ability in subjects with ASD, and delayed social language development may be a secondary symptom to ASD.

With the rapid expansion of Industrial Internet of Things, cloud computing and artificial intelligence, many intelligent information services have been developed in smart factories. One of the most important applications is helping factory managers predict the quality of assembled products. Traditional prediction methods of assembly quality mainly focus on building classification or regression models with high accuracy. However, less attention is paid to high-dimensional and imbalanced data, which is a special but common scenario at real-life assembly quality prediction. In this paper, we first use random forest to reduce dimension and analyze critical-to-quality characteristics. Then, a SMOTE-Adaboost method with jointly optimized hyperparameters is proposed for imbalanced data classification in assembly quality prediction. In addition, edge computing is introduced to improve the efficiency and flexibility of quality prediction. Finally, the practicality and effectiveness of the proposed method are verified by a case study of wheel bearing assembly line, and the experimental results show that the proposed method is superior to other classification methods in assembly quality prediction.

The Cu2Ni0.05Zn0.95Sn(S,Se)4 (CNZTSSe) films were synthesized by sol-gel combined with selenidation treatment. To further enhance the crystal quality of the film, the selenidation conditions were optimized, and the effects of selenidation time on the properties of the CNZTSSe films and devices were systematically studied. The results show that the crystallinity of the films increased remarkably with the increase of selenidation time. Under the optimum selenidation time of 15 min, smooth and dense films were obtained. Through the analysis of EDS results, it is found that Se occupies more S positions with the increase of selenidation time, which decreases the band gap of the film from 1.14 eV to 1.0 eV. In addition, the formation of Zn-related defects is effectively suppressed by Ni doping to enhance the open circuit voltage (Voc) of the CNZTSSe solar cells. When the selenidation time is 15 min, the CNZTSSe film has the highest carrier concentration of 1.68 × 1016 cm−3, and the best efficiency of the device prepared based on the film as the absorption layer is 5.0%, and the Voc is 337 mV.

Cu2ZnSn(S,Se)4 (CZTSSe) films are considered to be promising materials in the advancement of thin-film solar cells. In such films, the amounts of S and Se control the bandgap. Therefore, it is crucial to control the concentration of S/Se to improve efficiency. In this study, Cu2MnxZn1−xSnS4 (CMZTS) films were fabricated using the sol-gel method and treated in a Se environment. The films were post-annealed in a Se atmosphere at various temperature ranges from 300 °C to 550 °C at intervals of 200 °C for 15 min to obtain Cu2MnxZn1−xSn(S,Se)4 (CMZTSSe). The elemental properties, surface morphology, and electro-optical properties of the CMZTSSe films were investigated in detail. The bandgap of the CMZTSSe films was adjustable in the scope of 1.11–1.22 eV. The structural propeties and phase purity of the CMZTSSe films were analyzed by X-ray diffraction and Raman analysis. High-quality CMZTSSe films with large grains could be acquired by suitably changing the selenization temperature. Under the optimized selenization conditions, the efficiency of the fabricated CMZTSSe device reached 3.08%.

Abstract Tin (Sn)‐based perovskites with favorable optoelectronic properties and ideal bandgaps have emerged as promising alternatives to toxic lead (Pb)‐based perovskites for photovoltaic applications. However, it is challenging to obtain high‐quality Sn‐based perovskite films by solution process. Here, liquid‐exfoliated 2D transition‐metal dichalcogenides (i.e., MoS2, WS2, and WSe2) with smooth and defect‐free surfaces are applied as growth templates for spin‐coated FASnI3 perovskite films, leading to van der Waals epitaxial growth of perovskite grains with a growth orientation along (100). The authors find that WSe2 has better energy alignment with FASnI3 than MoS2 and WS2 and results in a cascade band structure in resultant perovskite solar cells (PSCs), which can facilitate hole extraction and suppress interfacial charge recombination in the devices. The WSe2‐modified PSCs show a power conversion efficiency up to 10.47%, which is among the highest efficiency of FASnI3‐based PSCs. The appealing solution phase epitaxial growth of FASnI3 perovskite on 2D WSe2 flakes is expected to find broad applications in optoelectronic devices.

Cu2Ni0·05Zn0·95Sn(S,Se)4 (CNZTSSe) films were synthesized on Mo-coated glass substrates by the simple sol–gel means combined with the selenization process, and CNZTSSe-based solar cells were successfully prepared. The effects of selenization temperature on the performance and the photoelectric conversion efficiency (PCE) of the solar cells were systematically studied. The results show that the crystallinity of films increases as the selenization temperature raises based on nickel (Ni) doping. When the selenization temperature reached 540 °C, CNZTSSe films with a large grain size and a smooth surface can be obtained. The Se doping level gradually increased, and Se occupied the S position in the lattice as the selenization temperature was increased so that the optical band gap (Eg) of the CNZTSSe film could be adjusted in the range of 1.14 to 1.06 eV. In addition, the Ni doping can inhibit the deep level defect of SnZn and the defect cluster [2CuZn + SnZn]. It reduces the carrier recombination path. Finally, at the optimal selenization temperature of 540 °C, the open circuit voltage (Voc) of the prepared device reached 344 mV and the PCE reached 5.16%.

ObjectivesThe study was aimed at investigating the alterations of local spontaneous brain activity in preschool boys with autism spectrum disorders (ASD).MethodsBased on regional homogeneity (ReHo), the acquired resting state functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) data sets, which included 86 boys with ASD and 54 typically developing (TD) boys, were used to detect regional brain activity. Pearson correlation analysis was used to study the relationship between abnormal ReHo value and the Childhood Autism Rating Scale (CARS), Autism Behavior Checklist (ABC), developmental quotient, and age.ResultsIn the ASD group, we found increased ReHo in the right calcarine as well as decreased ReHo in the opercular part of the left inferior frontal gyrus, the left middle temporal gyrus, the left angular gyrus, and the right medial orbital frontal cortex (p < 0.05, false discovery rate correction). We did not find a correlation between the results of brain regions and the CARS, ABC, and age.ConclusionsOur study found spontaneous activity changes in multiple brain regions, especially the visual and language-related areas of ASD, that may help to further understand the clinical characteristics of boys with ASD.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) mainly affects the axial skeleton and is an important factor leading to chronic lower back pain in young individuals. However, few studies have explored alterations of brain gray matter volume in AS patients. The purpose of the present study was to describe brain gray matter abnormalities associated with AS pain. A total of 61 AS patients and 52 healthy controls (HCs) were included in this study. Using voxel-based morphometrics, we detected abnormal gray matter volume in AS patients. Based on the voxel-wise analysis, the gray matter volume in the left putamen of the AS group was increased significantly compared with that of the HC group. In addition, we found that the gray matter volume of the left putamen was positively correlated with the duration of AS and total back pain scores, whereas it was not significantly correlated with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index scores, C-reactive protein, or erythrocyte sedimentation rate in AS patients. Taken together, our findings improve our understanding of the neural substrates of pain in AS and provide evidence of AS-related neurological impairment. Hence, further investigation of the pathophysiology of the left putamen in AS is warranted.

Codeine-containing cough syrups (CCS) have become one of the most popular drugs of abuse in young population worldwide. However, the neurobiological mechanisms underlying CCS-dependence are yet ill-defined. Therefore, understanding the brain abnormalities in chronic users of CCS is crucial for developing effective interventions. The present study depicted the intrinsic dysconnectivity pattern of whole-brain functional networks at the voxel level in chronic users of CCS. In addition, the degree centrality (DC) changes were correlated to the Barratt Impulsiveness Scale (BIS-11) total score, dose, duration of CCS use, and the age at first use of cough syrups. The current study included 38 chronic CCS users and 34 matched control subjects. All patients were evaluated using the BIS-11. Next, resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) datasets were acquired from these CCS users and controls. Whole-brain connectivity was analyzed using a graph theory approach: degree centrality (DC). CCS-dependent individuals exhibited low DC values in the left inferior parietal lobule and the left middle temporal gyrus, while high DC values were noted in the right pallidum and the right hippocampus (P

Accumulating evidence from neuroimaging studies has supported that chronic pain could induce changes in brain function. However, few studies have focused on the dynamic regional homogeneity (dReHo) of trigeminal neuralgia (TN). In this study, twenty-eight TN patients and 28 healthy controls (HC) were included. Based on the resting-state fMRI (rsfMRI), we detected abnormalities in dReHo in the TN patients. Patients with TN had decreased dReHo in the left middle temporal gyrus, superior parietal lobule, and precentral gyrus, and increased dReHo in the thalamus. Furthermore, the increase in dReHo in the thalamus was positively correlated with duration of TN (r = 0.485, p = 0.012). These results provide compelling evidence for abnormal resting-state brain activity in TN and suggest that the duration of TN may play a critical role in brain function.

Objectives: The present study explored the changes in spontaneous regional activity in post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) patients, who experienced severe traffic accidents. Methods: 20 drug-naive PTSD patients and 18 healthy control subjects were imaged using resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging (rs-fMRI) and analyzed by the algorithm of regional homogeneity (ReHo). Results: Compared to the healthy control group, the PTSD group showed decreased ReHo values in the right angular gyrus. In addition, a negative correlation was found between the activity level of the angular gyrus and the CAPS score. Conclusion: The dysfunctions were found in the memory- and emotion-related areas, suggested a possible mechanism of memory dysregulation that might be related to the intrusive memory symptoms of PTSD. These results provided imaging evidence that might provide an in-depth understanding of the intrinsic functional architecture of PTSD. Keywords: PTSD, Angular gyrus, fMRI, Traffic accidents

The Min River is the largest river in Fujian Province in southeastern China. The construction of a series of dams along the upper reaches of the Min River, especially the Shuikou Dam, which started filling in 1993, modified the flow processes at the lower Min River, leading to the significant increase in low-flows and slightly decrease in flood-flows. At the same time, reservoirs have more effects on the sediment transport process than flow process by trapping most sediment in the reservoirs, and greatly reduced the amount of sediment transporting downstream. Increase in vegetation cover also contributes to the decrease in sediment yield. The reduction in sediment together with excessive sand mining in the lower Min River resulted in the severe downward erosion of the riverbed. Using a reformulated elasticity approach to quantifying climatic and anthropogenic contributions to sediment changes, the relative contribution of precipitation variability and human activities to sediment reduction in the lower Min River are quantified, which shows that the sediment reduction is fully caused by human activities (including land use/land cover changes and dam construction).

Purpose: Primary insomnia (PI) is the second most common mental disorder. However, the topologic alterations in structural brain connectome in patients with PI remain largely unknown.Methods: A total of 44 PI patients and 46 age-, gender-, and education level matched healthy control (HC) participants were recruited in this study. Diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and resting state MRI were used to construct structural connectome for each participant, and the network parameters were employed by non-parametric permutations to evaluate the significant differences between the two groups. Relationships between abnormal network metrics and clinical characteristics, including the disease duration, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), the Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), the Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), and the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), were investigated with Spearman’s correlation analysis in PI patients.Results: PI patients demonstrated small-world architecture with lower global (P = 0.005) and local (P = 0.035) efficiencies compared with the HC group. The unique hub nodal properties in PI patients were mainly in the right limbic cortico-basal-ganglia circuit. Five disrupted subnetworks in PI patients were observed in the limbic cortico-basal-ganglia circuit and left default-mode networks (DMN) (P < 0.05, NBS corrected). Moreover, most unique hub nodal properties in the right limbic cortico-basal-ganglia circuit were significantly correlated with disease duration, and clinical characteristics (SAS, SDS, ISI scores) in PI processing.Conclusion: These findings suggested the abnormal anatomical network architecture may be closely linked to clinical characteristics in PI. The study provided novel insights into the neural substrates underlying symptoms and neurophysiologic mechanisms of PI.

Background: End-stage renal disease (ESRD) is a serious public health problem, which can often lead to multiorgan dysfunction, such as cerebrovascular disease and cognitive damage. It is essential to understand cognitive impairment in patients with ESRD to develop better ESRD treatment and prevent further cognitive impairment. Cognitive impairment is believed to be related to structural abnormalities in the brain.Purpose: To investigate white matter microstructural abnormalities in patients with ESRD using TBSS analysis of DTI and to explore the possible mechanisms underlying the impaired cognitive function.Materials and Methods: A TBSS analysis of DTI data was to investigate the microstructural changes in their WM over the whole brain. We chose the white matter tracts or regions with significantly reduced FA as the regions of interest (ROIs), Pearson's correlations were performed between clinical indicators (Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), digit span task scores, serum creatinine, blood urea nitrogen and hemodialysis duration) and the mean FA value of the ROIs in the ESRD patients.Results: Lower FA and higher MD, AD and RD values were observed in widespread and symmetrical WM in ESRD patients than healthy controls (HCs), Pearson correlation analysis revealed a significantly positive correlation between the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) scores and FA values in the right corona radiata and left anterior thalamic radiation (ATR) and demonstrated a significantly negative correlation between FA values and the serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen in the ATR (P < 0.01) in addition, digit span task scores positively correlate with the FA value in the left anterior rather than in the corona radiata. No cluster survived when we adopted the False Discovery Rate (FDR) correction to multiple comparisons.Conclusion: Our study indicate widespread impairment of the white matter in ESRD patients. Damage to the thalamic radiation and corona radiata may affect cognitive function in ESRD patients, the reduced integrity of ATR may tend to affect the working memory while the damage to the corona radiata may involve the executive function impaired in ESRD patients. The accumulation of serum creatinine and blood urea nitrogen may contribute to the WM impairment.

Accumulating evidence from neuroimaging studies suggests that primary insomnia (PI) affects interregional neural coordination of multiple interacting functional brain networks. However, a complete understanding of the whole-brain network organization from a system-level perspective in PI is still lacking. To this end, we investigated in topological organization changes in brain functional networks in PI. 36 PI patients and 38 age-, sex-, and education-matched healthy controls were recruited. All participants underwent a series of neuropsychological assessments and resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. Individual whole-brain functional network were constructed and analyzed using graph theory-based network approaches. There were no significant differences with respect to age, sex, or education between groups (P > 0.05). Graph-based analyses revealed that participants with PI had a significantly higher total number of edges (P = 0.022), global efficiency (P = 0.014), and normalized global efficiency (P = 0.002), and a significantly lower normalized local efficiency (P = 0.042) compared with controls. Locally, several prefrontal and parietal regions, the superior temporal gyrus, and the thalamus exhibited higher nodal efficiency in participants with PI (P

BACKGROUND:Little is known about connectivity within the default mode network (DMN) in heroin-dependent individuals (HDIs). In the current study, diffusion-tensor imaging (DTI) and resting-state functional MRI (rs-fMRI) were combined to investigate both structural and functional connectivity within the DMN in HDIs. METHODS:Fourteen HDIs and 14 controls participated in the study. Structural (path length, tracts count, (fractional anisotropy) FA and (mean diffusivity) MD derived from DTI tractography)and functional (temporal correlation coefficient derived from rs-fMRI) DMN connectivity changes were examined in HDIs. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to compare the structural/functional indices and duration of heroin use/Iowa gambling task(IGT) performance in HDIs. RESULTS:HDIs had lower FA and higher MD in the tract connecting the posterior cingulate cortex/precuneus (PCC/PCUN) to right parahippocampal gyrus (PHG), compared to the controls. HDIs also had decreased FA and track count in the tract connecting the PCC/PCUN and medial prefrontal cortex (MPFC), as well as decreased functional connectivity between the PCC/PCUN and bilateral PHG and MPFC, compared to controls. FA values for the tract connecting PCC/PCUN to the right PHG and connecting PCC/PCUN to the MPFC were negatively correlated to the duration of heroin use. The temporal correlation coefficients between the PCC/PCUN and the MPFC, and the FA values for the tract connecting the PCC/PCUN to the MPFC were positively correlated to IGT performance in HDIs. CONCLUSIONS:Structural and functional connectivity within the DMN are both disturbed in HDIs. This disturbance progresses as duration of heroin use increases and is related to deficits in decision making in HDIs.

The vigorous development of the human cyber-physical system (HCPS) and the next generation of artificial intelligence provide new ideas for smart manufacturing, where manufacturing quality prediction is an important issue in the manufacturing system. However, the small-scale data from humans in emerging HCPS-enabled manufacturing restrict the development of traditional quality prediction methods. To address this question, a data augmentation-based manufacturing quality prediction approach in human cyber-physical systems is proposed in this paper. Specifically, a Data Augmentation-Gradient Boosting Decision Tree (DA-GBDT) model is developed for quality prediction under the HCPS context. In addition, an adaptive selection algorithm of data augmentation rate is designed to balance the trade-off between the training time of the prediction model and the prediction accuracy. Finally, the experimental results of automobile covering products demonstrate that the proposed method can improve the average prediction error of the model compared with the prevailing quality prediction methods. Moreover, the predicted quality information can provide guidance for product optimization decisions in smart manufacturing systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]