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Electro-catalytic water splitting is widely viewed as an efficient and viable strategy for green hydrogen production. Herein, we designed nanostructured nickel–cobalt alloy grown on the reduced graphene oxide-single walled carbon nanotube (rGO-SWCNT) thin film by means of electro-deposition, which was used to catalyze water splitting for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) in an alkaline medium. It was found that the HER performance of nickel–cobalt alloys was determined by the Co/Ni ratio and better than their corresponding single components Co and Ni. Nickel–cobalt alloy with a Co/Ni ratio of 2 (CoNi21) exhibited the most notable HER efficiency with an overpotential of 83.5 mV and 291.8 mV vs. reversible hydrogen electrode at 10 mA cm−2 and 100 mA cm−2, respectively. Furthermore, the significantly lower Tafel slope (112.6 mV dec−1) of CoNi21 indicates that the HER kinetics of the nickel–cobalt alloy is accelerated due to the synergistic effect of Ni and Co. The charge-transfer resistance of CoNi21 is significantly low compared to any single component, validating the intensified interfacial charge transfer. Besides, CoNi21 has the highest active surface area of 147.1 mF cm−2 on the basis of the ECSA measurements, which can be beneficial for providing rich active sites. The CoNi21 catalyst offered excellent durability for HER in the alkaline medium. This work provides a combinatorial method integrating rich interfaces of Co–Ni alloy on highly conductive carbon substrate to design efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts for improving the HER performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Heat conduction in perforated laminated plate by elliptical holes is solved using formulated special elements. • Special fundamental solutions are derived using Stroh formula and conformal mapping. • Special element containing a rotated elliptical hole is formulated in the concept of hybrid finite element. • Meshing effort around hole region is greatly alleviated and element boundary integration is featured. • The accuracy, efficiency and flexibility of the present special element are demonstrated. The high-efficient and accurate analysis of anisotropic composite media weakened by a large amount of holes or cuts is still a great challenge in practical composite engineering. In this work, specially-proposed polygonal finite element enclosing an arbitrarily oriented elliptical hole in general anisotropic composite media is formulated for thermal analysis in the framework of hybrid finite element theory. Two independent temperature field approximations are defined for the present special element: Intra-element temperature field and element frame temperature field. The former defined inside the element is written in the form of truncated summation of the weighted special fundamental solutions, which are derived using the Stroh complex theory and conformal mapping whilst the latter is implemented by the conventional shape function interpolation. Then the hybrid variational functional is employed to combine them together to generate an element stiffness equation with respect to nodal temperature and an optional relationship between the interpolation coefficients. The element stiffness matrix is symmetric and involves element boundary integrals only. Compared to the traditional finite element, the distinctive element-boundary-integral and enclosed-elliptical-hole features make the present element significantly improve the meshing effort around an elliptical hole by reducing the number of elements and decreasing the meshing difficulty, and more importantly, effectively capture the critical variation of physical fields around the elliptical hole without locally-refined meshes. Moreover, the present special element can be incorporated directly into the conventional finite element system without any difficulty for extensive analysis. Finally, several typical examples are simulated by the present special elements to demonstrate their effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adjoint operators have been found to be effective in the exploration of CNN's inner workings (Wan and Choe, 2022). However, the previous no-bias assumption restricted its generalization. We overcome the restriction via embedding input images into an extended normed space that includes bias in all CNN layers as part of the extended space and propose an adjoint-operator-based algorithm that maps high-level weights back to the extended input space for reconstructing an effective hypersurface. Such hypersurface can be computed for an arbitrary unit in the CNN, and we prove that this reconstructed hypersurface, when multiplied by the original input (through an inner product), will precisely replicate the output value of each unit. We show experimental results based on the CIFAR-10 and CIFAR-100 data sets where the proposed approach achieves near 0 activation value reconstruction error. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical approaches are useful for studying the electronic and spin structure of materials. Here, based on the tight-binding model and linear response theory, we investigate the magneto-optical Kerr and Faraday effects in two-dimensional second-order topological insulators (SOTI) with external magnetization. We find that orbital-dependent Zeeman term induces band crossings for SOTI phase, which are absent for trivial phase. In the weak-magnetization regime, these crossings give rise to giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity) for SOTI phase. In the strong-magnetization regime, we find that two nearly flat bands are formed at the high-symmetry point of Brillouin zone of SOTI phase. These flat bands give rise to two successive giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity). These phenomena provide new possibilities to characterize and detect the two-dimensional SOTI phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

β-Ga2O3, with excellent bandgap, breakdown field, and thermal stability properties, is considered to be one of the most promising candidates for power devices including field-effect transistors (FETs) and for other applications such as Schottky barrier diodes (SBDs) and solar-blind ultraviolet photodetectors. Ohmic contact is one of the key steps in the β-Ga2O3 device fabrication process for power applications. Ohmic contact techniques have been developed in recent years, and they are summarized in this review. First, the basic theory of metal–semiconductor contact is introduced. After that, the representative literature related to Ohmic contact with β-Ga2O3 is summarized and analyzed, including the electrical properties, interface microstructure, Ohmic contact formation mechanism, and contact reliability. In addition, the promising alternative schemes, including novel annealing techniques and Au-free contact materials, which are compatible with the CMOS process, are discussed. This review will help our theoretical understanding of Ohmic contact in β-Ga2O3 devices as well as the development trends of Ohmic contact schemes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract The biosynthesis of functional sugars has gained significant attention due to their potential health benefits and increasing demand in the food industry. Enzymatic synthesis has emerged as a promising approach, offering high catalytic efficiency, chemoselectivity, and stereoselectivity. However, challenges such as poor thermostability, low catalytic efficiency, and food safety concerns have limited the commercial production of functional sugars. Protein engineering, including directed evolution and rational design, has shown promise in overcoming these barriers and improving biocatalysts for large-scale production. Furthermore, enzyme immobilization has proven effective in reducing costs and facilitating the production of functional sugars. To ensure food safety, the use of food-grade expression systems has been explored. However, downstream technologies, including separation, purification, and crystallization, still pose challenges in terms of efficiency and cost-effectiveness. Addressing these challenges is crucial to optimize the overall production process. Despite the obstacles, the future outlook for functional sugars is promising, driven by increasing awareness of their health benefits and continuous technological advancements. With further research and technological breakthroughs, industrial-scale production of functional sugars through biosynthesis will become a reality, leading to their widespread incorporation in various industries and products. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical approaches are useful for studying the electronic and spin structure of materials. Here, based on the tight-binding model and linear response theory, we investigate the magneto-optical Kerr and Faraday effects in two-dimensional second-order topological insulators (SOTI) with external magnetization. We find that orbital-dependent Zeeman term induces band crossings for SOTI phase, which are absent for trivial phase. In the weak-magnetization regime, these crossings give rise to giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity) for SOTI phase. In the strong-magnetization regime, we find that two nearly flat bands are formed at the high-symmetry point of Brillouin zone of SOTI phase. These flat bands give rise to two successive giant jumps (peaks) of Kerr and Faraday angles (ellipticity). These phenomena provide new possibilities to characterize and detect the two-dimensional SOTI phase. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To investigate the effects of propofol and sevoflurane on neurological recovery of traumatic brain injury (TBI) patients in the early postoperative stage. We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of TBI patients who underwent craniotomy or decompressive craniectomy. Generalized additive mixed model (GAMM) was used to analyze effects of propofol and sevoflurane on Glasgow Coma Scale (GCS) on postoperative days 1,3, and 7. Multivariate regression analysis was used to analyze effects of the two anesthetics on Glasgow Outcome Scale (GOS) at discharge. A total of 340 TBI patients were enrolled in this study. There were 110 TBI patients who underwent craniotomy including 75 in the propofol group and 35 in the sevoflurane group, and 134 patients who underwent decompressive craniectomy including 63 in the propofol group and 71 in the sevoflurane group. It showed no significant difference in GCS at admission between the propofol and the sevoflurane groups among craniotomy patients (β = 0.75, 95% CI : –0.55 to 2.05, p = 0.260). However, elevation in GCS from baseline was 1.73 points (95% CI : –2.81 to –0.66, p = 0.002) less in the sevoflurane group than that in the propofol group on postoperative day 1, 2.03 points (95% CI : –3.14 to –0.91, p < 0.001) less on day 3, and 1.31 points (95% CI : –2.43 to –0.19, p = 0.022) less on day 7. The risk of unfavorable GOS (GOS 1,2, and 3) at discharge was higher in the sevoflurane group (OR = 4.93, 95% CI : 1.05 to 23.03, p = 0.043). No significant difference was observed among two-group decompressive craniectomy patients in GCS and GOS. Compared to propofol, sevoflurane was associated with worse neurological recovery during the hospital stay in TBI patients undergoing craniotomy. This difference was not detected in TBI patients undergoing decompressive craniectomy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we propose a secure multi-party summation based on single photons. With the help of a semi-honest third party, n participants can simultaneously obtain the summation result without revealing their secret inputs. Our protocol uses single photon states as the information carriers. In addition, each participant with secret input only performs simple single-particle operators rather than particle preparation and any complex quantum measurements. These features make our protocol more feasible to implement. We demonstrate the correctness and security of the proposed protocol, which is resistant to participant attack and outside attack. In the end, we compare in detail the performance of the quantum summation protocol in this paper with other schemes in terms of different indicators. By comparison, our protocol is efficient and easy to implement. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

From ancient rouge and powder to modern cosmetics, cosmetic culture has been a part of Chinese women culture, powder box as a container of rouge and powder has shown different features in different periods. The form of powder box has evolved with the times, and reflected the aesthetic orientations of people at different cultural backgrounds, as well as the historical and cultural tendency of the day. This paper collected and analyzed powder boxes of various dynasties, explored cultures and aesthetic points of different periods from the perspective of powder box form, and also the effect of form evolution and development of powder box on modern cosmetics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Sevoflurane triggers neuronal cell death and LDH release in a time-dependent fashion. • Knockdown of RIPK3, but not RIPK1, abolished MLKL mediated neuronal necroptosis. • Sevoflurane exposure causes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release into the cytosol. • ZBP1 senses cytosolic mtDNA and consequently activates RIPK3/MLKL signaling. • RIPK3 inhibitor GSK'872 attenuates sevoflurane-induced spatial and emotional deficits. Developmental sevoflurane exposure leads to widespread neuronal cell death known as sevoflurane-induced neurotoxicity (SIN). Receptor-interacting protein kinase-3 (RIPK3) and mixed lineage kinase domain-like (MLKL)-driven necroptosis plays an important role in cell fate. Previous research has shown that inhibition of RIPK1 activity alone did not attenuate SIN. Since RIPK3/MLKL signaling could also be activated by Z-DNA/RNA binding protein 1 (ZBP1), the present study was designed to investigate whether ZBP1-mediated and RIPK3/MLKL-driven necroptosis is involved in SIN through in vitro and in vivo experiments. We found that sevoflurane priming triggers neuronal cell death and LDH release in a time-dependent manner. The expression levels of RIPK1, RIPK3, ZBP1 and membrane phosphorylated MLKL were also dramatically enhanced in SIN. Intriguingly, knockdown of RIPK3, but not RIPK1, abolished MLKL-mediated neuronal necroptosis in SIN. Additionally, inhibition of RIPK3-mediated necroptosis with GSK'872, rather than inhibition of apoptosis with zVAD, significantly ameliorated SIN. Further investigation showed that sevoflurane treatment causes mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) release into the cytosol. Accordingly, ZBP1 senses cytosolic mtDNA and consequently activates RIPK3/MLKL signaling. This conclusion was reinforced by the evidence that knockdown of ZBP1 or depleting mtDNA with ethidium bromide remarkably improved SIN. Finally, the administration of the RIPK3 inhibitor GSK'872 relieved sevoflurane-induced spatial and emotional disorders without influence on locomotor activity. Altogether, these results illustrate that ZBP1 senses cytosolic mtDNA to induce RIPK3/MLKL-driven necroptosis in SIN. Elucidating the role of necroptosis in SIN will provide new insights into understanding the mechanism of anesthetic exposure in the developing brain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simple Summary: The western flower thrips, Frankliniella occidentalis (Pergande) (Thysanoptera: Thripidae) is an economically damaging invasive pest that is difficult to control due to their resistance to insecticides. Utilizing plant-induced defense responses is a new strategy to increase plant resistance to F. occidentalis. A growing number of studies have shown that calcium plays an important role in enhancing plant resistance to pest-induced stresses. In this study, we found that exogenous calcium treatment could alter the composition of volatile compounds in kidney bean plants, repelling F. occidentalis while attracting its natural enemy, Orius similis Zheng (Hemiptera: Anthocoridae), and reducing the oviposition preference choice of F. occidentalis. This study provides a theoretical basis for the control of F. occidentalis. Frankliniella occidentalis is a destructive pest of horticultural plants, while Orius similis is a natural enemy of thrips. It has been demonstrated that exogenous calcium could induce plant defenses against herbivore attack. We examined whether CaCl2 supplementation altered the volatile emissions of kidney bean plants, which influence the oviposition preference of F. occidentalis. We also assessed the influence of volatile cues on O. similis. Using Y-tube olfactometer tests, we found that exogenous CaCl2 treatment inhibited the selectivity of F. occidentalis but attracted O. similis. In addition, CaCl2 treatment reduced the oviposition preference of F. occidentalis. Gas chromatography–mass spectrometry analyses revealed that CaCl2 treatment altered the number and relative abundance of the volatile compounds in kidney bean plants and that (E)-2-hexen-1-ol, 1-octen-3-ol, β-lonone, and (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal might be potential olfactory cues. Furthermore, the results of the six-arm olfactometer test indicated that 1-octen-3-ol (10−2 μL/μL), β-lonone (10−2 μL/μL), and (E,E)-2,4-hexadienal (10−3 μL/μL) repelled F. occidentalis but attracted O. similis. Overall, our results suggested that exogenous CaCl2 treatment induced defense responses in kidney bean plants, suggesting that CaCl2 supplementation may be a promising strategy to enhance the biological control of F. occidentalis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

There are several methods in the exploration of Convolutional Neural Networks' (CNNs') inner workings. However, in general, finding the inverse of the function performed by CNNs as a whole is an ill-posed problem. In this paper, we propose a method based on adjoint operators to reconstruct, given an arbitrary unit in the CNN (except for the first convolutional layer), its effective hypersurface in the input space. Since the reconstructed hyperplane (each point on the hypersurface) resides in the input space, we can easily visualize it. Our results show that the reconstructed hyperplane, when multiplied by the original input image, would give nearly the exact output value of that unit. We find that the CNN unit's decision process is largely conditioned on the input, and the corresponding reconstructed hypersurfaces are highly sensitive to adversarial noise, thus providing insights on why CNNs are susceptible to adversarial attack. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Blood-based proteomic analysis is a routine practice for detecting the biomarkers of human disease. The results obtained from blood alone cannot fully reflect the alterations of nerve cells, including neurons and glia cells, in Alzheimer's disease (AD) brains. Therefore, the present study aimed to investigate novel potential AD biomarker candidates, through an integrated multi-omics approach in AD. We propose a comprehensive strategy to identify high-confidence candidate biomarkers by integrating multi-omics data from AD, including single-nuclei RNA sequencing (snRNA-seq) datasets of the prefrontal and entorhinal cortices, as wells as serum proteomic datasets. We first quantified a total of 124,658 nuclei, 8 cell types, and 3701 differentially expressed genes (DEGs) from snRNA-seq dataset of 30 human cortices, as well as 1291 differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) from serum proteomic dataset of 11 individuals. Then, ten DEGs/DEPs (NEBL, CHSY3, STMN2, MARCKS, VIM, FGD4, EPB41L2, PLEKHG1, PTPRZ1, and PPP1R14A) were identified by integration analysis of snRNA-seq and proteomics data. Finally, four novel candidate biomarkers (NEBL, EPB41L2, FGD4, and MARCKS) for AD further stood out, according to bioinformatics analysis, and they were verified by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) verification. These candidate biomarkers are related to the regulation process of the actin cytoskeleton, which is involved in the regulation of synaptic loss in the AD brain tissue. Collectively, this study identified novel cell type-related biomarkers for AD by integrating multi-omics datasets from brains and serum. Our findings provided new targets for the clinical treatment and prognosis of AD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Wilson's disease (WD) currently lacks a promising indicator that could reflect neurological impairment and monitor treatment outcome. We aimed to investigate whether serum neurofilament light chain (sNfL) functions as a candidate for disease assessment and treatment monitoring of WD. Methods: We assessed preclinical and manifested WD patients' sNfL levels compared to controls and analyzed the differences between patients with various clinical symptoms. We then explored the correlation between clinical scales and sNfL levels. And repeated measurements were performed in 34 patients before and after treatment. Results: WD patients with neurological involvement had significantly higher sNfL levels than both hepatic patients and controls. Positive correlations were found between Unified Wilson's Disease Rating Scale scores and sNfL and between semiquantitative magnetic resonance imaging scales and sNfL levels in WD patients. However, in the treatment follow‐up analysis, the trend of sNfL before and after treatment disaccorded with clinical response. Conclusion: These findings suggest that sNfL levels can be an ideal indicator for the severity of neurological involvement but fail to evaluate change in disease condition after treatment. © 2022 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A novel liposoluble modified oligomeric proanthocyanidin (MOPA) was prepared. • MOPA restricts deep-frying oil oxidation, equivalent to commercial antioxidants. • MOPA inhibits the formation of heterocyclic amines in food during deep frying. Chinese quince (Chaenomeles sinensis) fruit is an underutilized resource, rich in proanthocyanidins with antioxidant ability but poor lipid solubility. In this study, a novel modified oligomeric proanthocyanidin (MOPA) was prepared, which exhibited favorable lipid solubility (354.52 mg/100 g). It showed higher radical scavenging abilities than commercial antioxidant-BHA (butylated hydroxyanisole), both at 0.4–0.5 mg/mL. The addition of MOPA (0.04 %wt.) significantly increased the oxidative stability index of the soybean oil from 5.52 to 8.03 h, which was slightly lower than that of BHA (8.35 h). Analysis of the physicochemical properties and composition of oil during deep-frying showed that MOPA demonstrated significant antioxidant effects and effectively restricted the oil oxidation. This inhibition also delays the formation of heterocyclic amines (HAs) in fried food, thereby reducing the migration of HAs from food to deep-frying oil. Therefore, MOPA is a promising novel liposoluble antioxidant for protecting the quality of deep-frying oil. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diffusion characteristics of three different granular materials in moving beds with different pipe arrangements are studied and compared. Diffusivities of glass beads are always the highest and coarse sands the lowest in all the zones in the beds with aligned pipes. The main flow diffusivity is 1.13 × 10−6, 5.49 × 10−7 and 1.78 × 10−7 m2/s for glass beads, corundum beads and coarse sands. In contrast, the main flow diffusivities of coarse sands and corundum beads are significantly enhanced in the beds with staggered pipes, but the change of glass beads is slight. The diffusivity of coarse sands is up to 5.95 × 10−6 m2/s. In addition, low diffusivity always remains in the region above pipes. Further studies of the dimensionless diffusivities for different materials show that the granular diffusion in aligned beds could be explained by the shear–induced diffusion theory. While the diffusion mechanisms are diversified in the staggered beds. [Display omitted] • The flow fields of three granular materials in two different beds are measured. • The granular diffusivities of different materials in different beds are studied. • The order of diffusivity is in accordance with flowability in the aligned bed. • The staggered pipes greatly affect the diffusion of granules with low flowability. • The dimensionless diffusivities are further calculated and analyzed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RigidCare is an electrolysis-based device that recently obtained approval from the US's FDA to sterilise microorganisms and remove proteins for orthokeratology (O-K) lenses. The study was conducted to investigate the device's performance in varied clinical circumstances. Trial lenses and private lenses were employed by O-K lens wearers from five hospitals for an evaluation of disinfection and sterilisation and an assessment of protein removal, respectively. Menicon multipurpose solution and protein remover were selected for use with the control group. Following the instructions, pre-cleaning lens samples, post-cleaning lens samples and residual solution samples of trial lenses of the experimental and control groups were collected for microorganism examinations by an experienced third-party testing organisation. The levels of protein deposition for these two approaches were rated by senior O-K experts. Categorical variables were analysed using statistical tests, such as the chi-squared test and Fisher's exact test. The microbial positive rate detected from the pre-cleaning and post-cleaning lens samples and the residual solution of the trial lenses for the experimental and control group was 4/76 vs 1/74 (P = 0.37), 1/76 vs 0/74 (P = 1.00) and 0/76 vs 8/74 (P = 0.006), respectively. Following protein removal, the experimental group exhibited a significantly higher overall proportion of lenses rated as 'clean' or with a 'mild deposit' (96.4 %, 79/82) compared to the control group (85.7 %, 66/77), with a significant difference (P < 0.05). This multi-center study demonstrated that RigidCare exhibited superior efficacy in disinfection, sterilisation and protein removal as compared to Menicon multipurpose solution and protein remover. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acyl chloride is an important functional group in acylation reactions, though its compounds are difficult to store and transport due to their high reactivity. In this research, phenanthro[9,10-d]imidazole is introduced into an acyl chloride agent of TPEPCl to enhance the stability via the delocalization effect. Meanwhile, rarely reported acyl chloride crystals have been achieved which could further prove its stability. The tetraphenylethylene group is also employed to visually monitor the changes of TPEPCl via fluorescent variation with the help of aggregation-induced emission (AIE) characteristics. The reactivity of TPEPCl could be stimulated by a strong alkaline solution or high temperature. Crystallography analyses of acyl TPE-PI derivatives are also discussed and the relationship between the delocalization structure and stability is determined. These findings help to stabilize, control and monitor the reactivities of active functional materials for applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

(E) Patient's left-hand dystonia manifested in 2021. gl The patient was first seen in 2015 for intermittent fatigue, anorexia, and lower extremity edema for 3 years without any neurological symptoms at that time. Emerging neurological symptoms after liver transplantation: A 6-year follow-up of an adolescent patient with Wilson's disease Keywords: liver transplantation; neurological symptoms; Wilson's disease EN liver transplantation neurological symptoms Wilson's disease 788 791 4 04/07/22 20220501 NES 220501 Dear Editor, Liver transplantation (LT) is a promising treatment modality for patients with Wilson's disease (WD).1 According to AASLD, the indication of LT for WD patients is acute liver failure or decompensated cirrhosis unresponsive to chelation treatment.2 It is generally believed that LT can benefit patients with hepatic WD and also improve patients with severe neurological symptoms or mixed type WD, but the survival rate of the latter is lower than that of patients with simple hepatic WD.3,4 And the efficacy and prognosis of LT in patients with neurological WD are always open to debate,5-7 and we found that a patient with hepatic WD developed neurological symptoms less than a year after successfully receiving LT for acute liver failure at a young age, and that the patient's neurological symptoms continued to worsen over the next 6 years of regular follow-up and treatment. [Extracted from the article]

Purpose: To explore the high-risk period of the occupation of suicide after diagnosis; and clarify the risk factors of suicidal behaviors (suicidal ideation, suicide attempt, and suicidal death) behind the lung cancer patients during the cancer cure process. Methods: This scoping review was conducted through the whole month of April 2021. We extracted data of the suicide mortality after diagnosis and latent risk factors of suicidal behaviors among lung cancer patients where we used to study from the two online databases which are PubMed and Web of Science. Two online databases were searched and written in English without age restriction. To note that the standardized mortality ratio (SMR), person-years, and odds ratio (OR) associated with lung cancer were documented. Results: Out of 570 records, 23 studies mentioned suicidal behaviors and lung cancer met the included criteria. Eleven (n = 47.8%) of the selected publications reported changes in suicide mortality. None of them reported suicidal ideation or suicide attempt after diagnosis. The individuals with lung cancer have significantly higher rates of suicidal death (SMR, 2.04–13.4) during the first years after diagnosis and decrease over subsequent years (SMR, 0.66–3.17). The median time from cancer diagnosis to suicide death was around 7 months. Across all studies with the 22 studies that examined factors, we extracted the data of the suicidal ideation (n = 3), suicide attempt (n = 1), and suicidal death (n = 18) in individuals. For patients with suicidal ideation, there was a significantly higher incidence in males than in females. Among patients who attempted suicide, the incidence of mental illness is greater than the incidence of physical illness. Factors for suicidal death, including gender (male, 56.3–100%), prognosis tumors (poor, 25.8–66.3%), marital status (widowhood or unmarried, 19–75.7%), and age of patients (> 70 years, 24.5–47%) with lung cancer, play a vital role. Treatment of lung cancer is expected to affect a patient in his/her mental state. Conclusion: Overall, our finding indicates that lung cancer patients have been presented with a higher incidence of suicide death in a specific period, especially the early years after diagnosis. Discovering risk factors for suicide helps prevent potential suicide. It is essential to screen lung cancer patients for suicidal ideation, especially those with high-risk factors. Future prospective studies are necessary to confirm these findings to support care. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the popularization of higher education, China's higher education has moved from the stage of elite education to the stage of universal education, and the number of graduates is also increasing. At present, college students are facing tremendous pressure on employment. One is the huge number of jobs, the other is the difference in professional needs, and the third is the spread of job information, which makes it difficult for college students to find a job that suits them. In order to solve this dilemma, this paper analyzes the related technologies and in-depth basic theories of data mining. After introducing several traditional recommendation algorithms, the traditional convolutional network method is improved from three aspects: activation function, pooling strategy, and loss function. Finally, using the hybrid convolutional neural network, a career recommendation model for college students based on deep learning and machine learning is proposed, and simulation experiments are carried out on it. The main research work is as follows: (1) a hybrid convolutional neural network is proposed, which uses convolution operation to learn high-level features to achieve personalized employment recommendation; (2) the training optimization strategy of the hybrid convolutional neural network is studied, aiming at the activation function, pooling processing, and loss function, and the feasibility of the optimization method is verified through simulation experiments; (3) finally, according to the evaluation index of the recommendation algorithm (recall rate and F1-Score), the recall rate of the algorithm in this paper is nearly 15% higher than that of the DNN model. The experiment is compared with the traditional commonly used recommendation algorithm, and the comparative analysis of the experimental results proves the effectiveness of the algorithm for the employment recommendation of college students. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glutathione (GSH) as one most abundant thiol, acts as important roles in regulating cellular redox activities, and various diseases are closely related with its abnormal levels. Thus, monitoring intracellular GSH levels is essential for understanding cellular metabolism of many related diseases. In this work, we firstly reported a new fluorescence turn-on sensor, which was capable of selectively, sensitively and rapid sensing GSH over other thiols, especially cysteine and homocysteine in solutions and living cells. A meso -aryltellurium boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) was firstly designed and synthesized, which showed silenced emission due to an efficient photoinduced electron transfer (PET) process from electron-rich Te to BODIPY, and then upon exposure to GSH, the meso -Te-C bond could be rapidly cleaved by the thiol group of GSH, thus resulting in an obvious fluorescence "turn-on" phenomenon through inhibition of the PET effect. This probe exhibited excellent selectivity and sensitivity towards GSH with a short response time of 2 min, showing a remarkable fluorescence enhancement observed at 541 nm with a large fluorescence quantum yield increase from nearly 0 to 0.73 upon excitation at 500 nm in PBS/CH 3 CN (9/1, v/v). The detection limit towards GSH was further calculated to be 1.7 nM by the linear fluorescence change at 541 nm in the GSH-concentration ranging from 0 to 4 μM. Furthermore, its sensing mechanism was validated by using mass spectrometry, confirming the rapid cleavage of the Te–C bond by GSH. Finally, cell imaging experiments demonstrated that this probe could successfully detect GSH in living cells, highlighting its potential for rapid and sensitive detection of intracellular GSH level changes. Therefore, a new meso -aryltellurium-BODIPY fluorescence turn-on sensor was firstly developed, which could selectively, sensitively and fast detect cellular GSH over other thiols based on the rapid cleavage of the meso Te–C bond. Herein, we report for the first time a novel meso -aryltellurium-BODIPY-based fluorescent probe for selective, sensitive and fast detection of GSH over other thiols with an absolutely fluorescent "turn-on" phenomenon through the substitution reaction in solutions and living cells. [Display omitted] • A meso -aryltellurium boron dipyrromethene (BODIPY) was rationally designed and synthesized. • This probe could selectively, sensitively and fast detect GSH over other thiols with an absolute fluorescence turn-on effect. • It sensing mechanism was based on the rapid cleavage of the meso Te–C bond by GSH. • Cell imaging experiments confirmed its potential for sensitive and rapid detection of intracellular GSH level changes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article titled "Molecular Engineering to Boost AIE-Active Free Radical Photogenerators and Enable High-Performance Photodynamic Therapy under Hypoxia" in the journal Advanced Functional Materials contains a correction regarding the use of incorrect images in the original publication. The authors mistakenly used certain images for lung and kidney staining that did not correspond to the correct treatment groups. However, this correction does not impact the overall findings, discussions, and conclusions of the study. The authors apologize for any inconvenience caused. [Extracted from the article]

This paper presents an experimental study of the flexural performance of reinforced concrete (RC) beams externally bonded with hybrid fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) laminates made of carbon and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fibers. Ten beam specimens were subjected to four-point bending tests, with a focus on assessing the effects of the stacking sequence and the elastic modulus of hybrid carbon-PET FRP laminates on the flexural performance of the strengthened beams. The failure modes, load-bearing capacities, displacement ductility of the specimens and strain distributions in the FRP laminates were examined and discussed. The experimental results showed that the load-carrying capacities of the FRP-strengthened specimens were significantly increased by 10.18∼27.98%, while the displacement ductility decreased by 51.36∼77.85%. The peak load and ductility of the beam specimens strengthened with PC (i.e., PET-C FRP) and CPC (i.e., C-PET-C FRP) stacking sequences were higher than those of their counterparts strengthened with two or three layers of hybrid FRP laminates. The accuracy and reliability of the calculation methods specified in ACI 440.2R-17, CNR DT 200 R1/2014 and GB 50608–2020 for estimating the flexural strengths of the strengthened RC beams were evaluated through a comparison of theoretical predictions with experimental results. The average predicted-to-tested ratios for the flexural strengths of the strengthened beams using ACI 440.2R-17, CNR-DT 200 R1/2014 (based on PE debonding failure), CNR-DT 200 R1/2014 (based on IC debonding failure), and GB 50608–2020 are 0.994, 0.704, 0.946, and 0.930, respectively. • Flexural behavior of RC beams strengthened with hybrid carbon-PET FRP laminates was studied. • Effects of the stacking sequence and the elastic modulus of hybrid FRP laminates were examined and compared. • The hybrid FRPs achieved a significant increase in load-carrying capacity accompanying with a displacement ductility reduction. • The design methods specified in current guidelines reasonably predicted the flexural strengths of the tested specimens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• An ISSS positioning algorithm based on Bluetooth AOA technology is proposed, and the Angle estimation effect of this algorithm for uniform linear array (ULA) and uniform rectangular array (URA) antennas is experiment. • To account for two common sources of indoor interference. We reduce the coherent interference with signals using the spatial smoothing technique and the interference of transient occlusion with signals using the DBSCON technique, respectively. The layout of positioning device in different indoor Spaces and the algorithm of location calculation under different layout are discussed. The positioning accuracy of these algorithms is evaluated by the experimental data. This paper investigates the Bluetooth direction finding technique and combines it with the improved signal subtraction subspace (ISSS) algorithm for precise indoor positioning. First, the phase offset caused by the electronic switch is solved by the phase compensation algorithm. Then, the ISSS algorithm is proposed by combining the spatial smoothing techniques algorithm, the density-based spatial clustering of applications with noise (DBSCON) techniques and the signal subtraction subspace (SSS), which reduces the interference of coherent signals and caused by moving between people in the room. Finally, different placement methods for receivers in different spatial shapes are proposed. In this paper, the positioning accuracy of the algorithm is tested using Silicon Labs' Bluetooth device. The results show that the average positioning errors are 0.92 m for single receivers and 0.30 m for dual receivers in a room size of 3 m * 3 m. Therefore, the method has a promising application in achieving accurate indoor positioning. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aceruloplasminemia (ACP) is a rare disorder of iron overload resulting from ceruloplasmin (CP) variants. Because of its rarity and heterogeneity, the diagnosis of ACP is often missed or misdiagnosed. Here, we aim to present a clinical spectrum of ACP and raise more attention to the early diagnosis. Whole exome sequencing (WES) was performed in a Chinese female patient suspected with ACP and her clinical data were collected in detail. The PubMed databases was searched for published ACP patients within the last decade, and we present a systematic review of their clinical features with data extracted from these researches. A novel pathogenic variant (c.2689delC) and a known pathogenic variant (c.606dupA) within ceruloplasmin gene were identified in our patient and confirmed the diagnosis of ACP. Then we reviewed 51 ACP patients including the case we reported here. A possible timeline of symptoms was discovered, anemia appears first (29.7 years old on average), followed by diabetes (37.3 years old) and finally neurological symptoms (50.7 years old). The delay in diagnosis was significantly shortened in patients without neurological symptoms. Biochemical triad including anemia, low to undetectable serum ceruloplasmin, low serum iron and/or hyperferritinemia, showed better sensitivity in diagnosis than clinical triad including diabetes, neurological symptoms, and retinal degeneration. Due to the variable symptom spectrum, patients with ACP often visit different departments, which can lead to misdiagnosis. Clinical attention needs to be paid to symptoms and tests that have a warning effect. Prompt diagnosis in the early stage of the disease can be beneficial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, the incidence of thyroid cancer (TC) patients has gradually increased, and it ranks first among all endocrine tumors. TC has no obvious characteristics at the initial stage of onset. Thyroid tumors (TT) have formed when they are discovered, and they are easy to see when they are diagnosed. The disease is confused, so it is necessary to rely on imaging methods for tumor diagnosis. Contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS), as the most commonly used imaging method in current clinical testing, is simple, safe, highly sensitive, can accurately display tumor conditions, and has high clinical value in the judgment of TC tumors. This article uses meta-analysis to select 63 published studies on CEUS to determine benign and malignant (BAM) TT to analyze and explore its clinical application value. This article understands the analysis of BAM TT and its diagnostic methods, clarifies the diagnostic efficiency of CEUS for TT, imaging methods, and imaging characteristics, and uses statistical analysis to analyze its heterogeneity. In this paper, the meta-analysis of CEUS in judging BAM TT is mainly based on references. The sensitivity, specificity, and difference of CEUS in diagnosing BAM TT are analyzed. Real-time elastography (RTE) is the comparison experiment object, and CEUS is used to compare the diagnostic efficiency, pathological results, and diagnostic efficiency of thyroid nodules in CEUS mode. The results of the study show that the nodule with higher diagnostic sensitivity is the echo feature, with a sensitivity of 97.73%, followed by the halo feature, with a sensitivity of 86.36%. In terms of diagnostic specificity, the boundary feature is the most specific. The specificity is 89.47%. In the judgment of BAM tumor nodules, the most obvious difference is the echo feature, which is as high as 14.09, followed by the acoustic halo feature, and the difference is 10.65. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monodisperse ZrO2 ceramic beads with size larger than 1 mm have been prepared by an improved micro‐droplet spray forming process, through which a compressor and a dispenser were employed to produce droplets continuously. Furthermore, the slurry recipe and drying temperature have been optimized to enhance the sphericity and smoothness of the beads. The sintered ZrO2 ceramic beads present promising mechanical performance, including a relative density of 84.6%, a crush strength of 256.2 ± 36.6 N as well as a Vickers hardness of 1344.4 ± 58.3 HV. Such procedure reveals great potential in mass production of ceramic beads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] P 2-type layered oxides for rechargeable sodium-ion batteries have drawn a lot of attention because of their excellent electrochemical performance. However, these types of cathodes usually suffer from poor cyclic stability. To overcome this disadvantage, in this work, novel ball-shaped concentration-gradient oxide Na 0.67 Ni 0.17 Co 0.17 Mn 0.66 O 2 with P 2 structure modified by Mn-rich surface is successfully prepared using co-precipitation method. The concentration of Mn increased from the inner core to the surface, endowing the material with an excellent cyclic stability. The cathode exhibits enhanced electrochemical properties than that of the sample synthesized by solid-state method and concentration-constant material. It shows 143.2 mAh/g initial discharge capacity and retains 131 mAh/g between 2 V and 4.5 V after 100 rounds. The significant improvement in the electrochemical properties of the sample benefits from the unique concentration-gradient structure, and the Mn-rich surface that effectively stabilizes the basic P 2 structure. The relatively higher Ni content in the core leads to a slight improvement in the discharge capacity of the sample. This strategy may provide new insights for preparing layered cathodes for sodium-ion batteries with high electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Practical Application Heterocyclic amines (HCAs) have potential carcinogenic and mutagenic activity and are generated in cooked protein‐rich foods. Adding proanthocyanidins (PAs) to these foods before frying is an effective way to reduce HCAs. In this study, polymeric PAs (PPA) and ultrasound‐assisted acid‐catalyzed/catechin nucleophilic depolymerized PAs (UAPA, a type of oligomeric PA) were prepared from Chinese quince fruits (CQF). Different levels of PPA and UAPA (0.05%, 0.1%, and 0.15%) were added to chicken meatballs and tofu; then these foods were fried, and the content of HCAs in them after frying was investigated. The results showed that PPA and, particularly, UAPA significantly inhibited the formation of HCAs in fried meatballs and tofu, and this inhibition was dose‐dependent. The inhibition of HCAs by both PPA and UAPA was stronger in the chicken meatballs than in fried tofu. The level of total HCAs was significantly reduced by 57.84% (from 11.93 to 5.03 ng/g) after treatment of meatballs with 0.15% UAPA, with inhibition rates of 78.94%, 50.37%, and 17.81% for norharman, harman, and 2‐amino‐1‐methyl‐6‐phenylimidazo[4,5‐b]pyridine (PhIP), respectively. Of note, there was a negative correlation between water, lipid, protein, creatine, and glucose content and HCA content in the crust, interior, and whole (crust‐plus‐interior) measurements of all fried samples. Interestingly, PPA and UAPA were found more effective in inhibiting HCAs in the exterior crust than in the interior of the fried chicken meatballs. These results provide evidence that further studies on the reduction of the formation of harmful HCAs in fried foods by adding CQF PAs could be valuable to the fried food industry.Chinese quince proanthocyanidins treatments significantly inhibited the generation of heterocyclic amines (HCAs) in chicken meatballs and tofu when deep‐fried. These results suggest that Chinese quince proanthocyanidins can be used as natural food additive for reducing HCAs in fried foods, laying the foundation for using Chinese quince fruit proanthocyanidins for HCA inhibition in the food industry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Current computing systems rely on Boolean logic and von Neumann architecture, where computing cells are based on high-speed electron-conducting complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) transistors. In contrast, ions play an essential role in biological neural computing. Compared with CMOS units, the synapse/neuron computing speed is much lower, but the human brain performs much better in many tasks such as pattern recognition and decision-making. Recently, ionic dynamics in oxide electrolyte-gated transistors have attracted increasing attention in the field of neuromorphic computing, which is more similar to the computing modality in the biological brain. In this review article, we start with the introduction of some ionic processes in biological brain computing. Then, electrolyte-gated ionic transistors, especially oxide ionic transistors, are briefly introduced. Later, we review the state-of-the-art progress in oxide electrolyte-gated transistors for ionic neuromorphic computing including dynamic synaptic plasticity emulation, spatiotemporal information processing, and artificial sensory neuron function implementation. Finally, we will address the current challenges and offer recommendations along with potential research directions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shortages of nurses and unequal distribution of nursing staff have been huge challenges for global health services. The aim of our study was to evaluate the impact of the National Nursing Development Plan on nursing human resources in China. An interrupted time series design was used in this study. The data for this study were extracted from the National Health Statistics Yearbook from 1978 to 2021. The Ministry of Health issued the National Nursing Development Plan (2005–2010) in July 2005. Subsequently, the strategic plan was issued every 5 years: the National Nursing Development Plan (2011–2015), the National Nursing Development Plan (2016–2020), and the National Nursing Development Plan (2021–2025). This study used five indicators including 1) the number of registered nurses (RNs) in China, 2) the number of RNs per 1000 population in China, 3) the proportion of RNs in health technical personnel in China, 4) the doctor–nurse ratio and 5) the number of nurses working in primary medical institutions to evaluate the changing trend of nursing human resources in China from 1978 to 2021. Interrupted time series analysis showed that after the implementation of the National Nursing Development Plan (2005–2010), the building of nurses in China was gradually strengthening, and the number of RNs in China increased by 0.198 million per year (95%CI 0.174–0.223; P < 0.001); the number of RNs per 1000 population (Coefficient = 0.139; 95%CI 0.123–0.154; P < 0.001); the proportion of RNs in the total number of health professionals in China has increased from 29.6 % to 44.6 % (Coefficient = 0.010; 95%CI 0.009–0.010; P < 0.001); in China, the doctor–nurse ratio increased by 0.024 (95%CI 0.019–0.029; P < 0.001). In 2021, the number of RNs working in primary medical institutions increased by approximately 0.86 million compared with that in 2005, and the proportion of RNs in the country increased by 1.4 %. The development of nurses is especially tilted to the primary level to meet the health and nursing needs of the primary level. The implementation of the National Nursing Development Plan has greatly expanded the scale of nursing human resources in China and significantly optimized the efficiency of allocation. The implementation of the National Nursing Development Plan (2011–2015) and the National Nursing Development Plan (2016–2020) well continued the strategic plan from 2005 to 2010, further expanded the nursing workforce and further optimized the allocation efficiency. The implementation of the National Nursing Development Plan has greatly expanded the scale of nursing human resources in China and significantly optimized the efficiency of allocation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A series of impact tests were conducted on 26 RAC-FST members and 25 RAC-FST K-joints on a drop hammer rig. • The structural performance under combined effects of chloride corrosion, sustained loading and lateral impact was analyzed. • Finite element (FE) models were established to study the structural behaviour and effects of parameters. • Simplified models were proposed for the dynamic flexural capacities of the RAC-FST members and chords under impact loads. A series of tests are conducted on 26 recycle aggregate concrete (RAC)-filled steel tubular (FST) members and 25 RAC-FST K-joints on a drop hammer rig. Salient parameters considered in the experimental program include the axial load ratio, the replacement ratio of recycled coarse aggregate (RCA), the height of the hammer and the application of combined corrosion and sustained loading, et al. The shrinkage and creep deformation of core RAC is measured for 185 days, and the influence of key parameters on the structural performance of both RAC-FST members and K-joints are analyzed. A finite element (FE) model is established and verified against the test results. Considering the effects of combined chloride corrosion and sustained loading, the FE model is successively employed to investigate the behaviour of RAC-FST members and K-joints under lateral impact, including the failure mode, the time history relationships of impact load and deflection, the distribution of internal force and stress, et al. The axial compression performance of the member and the chords of K-joints after being subjected to combined loading is evaluated. On the basis of the parametric analysis, simplified models considering the effects of chloride corrosion and sustained loading are obtained to calculate the dynamic flexural capacity of the RAC-FST members and the chords of RAC-FST K-joints under impact loads. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Waste cooking oil is produced in enormous quantities every year, and may have negative effect on people's health and environment in case of improper treatment. However, it is also a potential feedstock for production of bio-based materials. In this work, a low-temperature glycerolysis process had been established to convert waste cooking oil to monoglycerides which was found to be of excellent surface activity with surface tension of 29 mN/m at cmc of 3.5 × 10−4 mol/L. Meanwhile, monoglycerides could form stable O/W emulsion even under saturated brine conditions, implying its great potential in high salinity environment. Compared to the traditional method for monoglyceride production under high temperature and atmosphere of nitrogen, our method is easy-handling and low energy-consuming. Abbreviations: MG: Monoglyceride; O/W emulsion: Oil in Water emulsion; GT: Glycerolysis product of Triglyceride; GC-MS: Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry; CTAB: Cetyl Trimethyl Ammonium Bromide; SDS: Sodium Dodecyl Sulfonate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Maintaining coherence of a qubit is of vital importance for realizing a large-scale quantum computer in practice. In this work, we study the central spin decoherence problem in the XXX central spin model (CSM) and focus on the quantum states with different initial entanglement, namely intra-bath entanglement or system–bath entanglement. We analytically obtain their evolutions of fidelity, entanglement, and quantum coherence. When the initial bath spins constitute an N-particle entangled state (the Greenberger–Horne–Zeilinger-bath or the W-bath), the leading amplitudes of their fidelity evolutions both scale as O (1 / N) , which is the same as the case of a fully polarized bath. However, when the central spin is maximally entangled with one of the bath spins, the amplitude scaling of its fidelity evolution declines from O (1 / N) to O (1 / N 2) . That implies appropriate initial system–bath entanglement is contributive to suppress central spin decoherence. In addition, with the help of system–bath entanglement, we realize quantum coherence-enhanced dynamics for the central spin where the consumption of bath entanglement is shown to play a central role. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The severe hypoxia in solid tumors and the vicious aggregation‐caused fluorescence quenching (ACQ) of conventional photosensitizers (PSs) have limited the application of fluorescence imaging‐guided photodynamic therapy (PDT), although this therapy has obvious advantages in terms of its precise spatial–temporal control and noninvasive character. PSs featuring type I reactive oxygen species (ROS) based on free radicals and novel aggregation‐induced emission (AIE) characteristics (AIE‐PSs) could offer valuable opportunities to resolve the above problems, but molecular engineering methods are rare in previous reports. Herein, a strategy is proposed for generating stronger intramolecular charge transfer in electron‐rich anion‐π+ AIE‐active luminogens (AIEgens) to help suppress nonradiative internal conversion and to promote radiative and intersystem crossing to boost free radical generation. Systematic and detailed experimental and theoretical calculations prove the proposal herein: the electron‐donating abilities are enhanced in collaborative donors, and the AIE‐PSs exhibit higher performance in near‐infrared fluorescence imaging‐guided cancer PDT in vitro/vivo. This work serves as an important reference for the design of AIE‐active free radical generators to overcome the ACQ and tumor hypoxia challenges in PDT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Limiting by classic donor–acceptor (D–A) strategy based on charge transfer (CT) process dominated emission, the high‐efficiency organic deep/near infrared red (DR/NIR) emitters with desirable photoluminescence quantum yields (PLQYs) and satisfactory excitons utilization efficiencies (EUEs) are still a challenge. Herein, three new DR/NIR luminogens (TNZPPI, TNZtPPI and TNZ2tPPI) based on naphtho[2,3‐c][1,2,5]thiadiazole (NZ) group are synthesized. Their interesting characterization of hybrid excited states containing tuned local excited (LE) and CT components are confirmed, and the effective high‐lying reverse intersystem crossing (RISC) channel might be activated because of their larger T2–T1 energy gap and smaller T4–S2 energy splitting. Thanks for their higher fluorescence quantum yields in film (24–38%), the TNZPs‐based non‐doped devices exhibit bright NIR emission with higher maximum radiance of 21447–36027 mW Sr−1 m−2, whose performance are better than most reported pure organic NIR devices. Enjoying deep analysis of their solvation effect and aggregation‐induced emission (AIE)‐activity, the doped organic light emitting diodes (OLEDs) are fabricated, whose performances are very good with identical National Television System Committee saturated red‐emitting behaviors. The results in TNZPs show that the electronic effect of molecule structure and intermolecular interactions all are relative to their performance, and which is very important for the design high‐efficiency NZ‐based OLED materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: To assess whether vitamin D receptor (VDR) gene polymorphisms influence the susceptibility to periodontitis. Methods: We retrieved 34 relevant studies, comprising a total of 3848 subjects suffering from periodontitis and 3470 controls for this meta-analysis. The pooled data were analyzed using STATA software. Results: Among all ethnic groups examined, the VDR BsmI polymorphism was associated with periodontitis under the recessive model (odds ratio [OR] = 0.722, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.532–0.980, p = 0.037). There was also a link between the VDR FokI polymorphism and periodontitis in the overall population (dominant model: OR = 1.459, 95% CI: 1.050–2.028, p = 0.025 and allelic model: OR = 1.386, 95% CI: 1.026–1.874, p = 0.034) and in Chinese participants (dominant model: OR = 1.813, 95% CI: 1.185–2.774, p = 0.006; allelic model: OR = 1.602, 95% CI: 1.044–2.459, p = 0.031) when stratified by race. The FokI variant was also correlated with aggressive periodontitis (AP) (dominant model: OR = 2.204, 95% CI: 1.148–4.231, p = 0.018; allelic model: OR = 2.017, 95% CI: 1.365–2.980, p = 0.000; and recessive model: OR = 2.903, 95% CI: 1.520–5.542, p = 0.001). We also showed a correlation between the VDR TaqI variant and periodontitis susceptibility in Caucasian populations (dominant model: OR = 0.525, 95% CI: 0.318–0.866, p = 0.012). The results revealed that there was no relationship between the VDR ApaI gene polymorphism and periodontitis. Conclusions: There was a link between the VDR BsmI and FokI gene polymorphisms and periodontitis in the overall population. In addition, the FokI polymorphism was correlated with AP. There was a link between the TaqI polymorphism and periodontitis in the Caucasian population. The VDR Apal variant, however, was not correlated with periodontitis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Selenium (Se) is a micronutrient that becomes toxic when present at higher concentrations in fish tissues. Allium mongolicum Regel flavonoids (AMRF) have been documented to possess antioxidant, immunoenhancement and anti-inflammation properties. The aim of this study was to investigate the protective effects and potential mechanisms of dietary supplementation of AMRF and Se exposure on oxidative stress, immune responses and immune-related genes expression in Channa argus. A total of 480 C. argus were randomly divided into eight groups housed in twenty-four 200 L glass aquarium (3 tanks per group, 20 fish per tank). The fish were exposed for 56 days to waterborne Se at 0, 50, 100 and 200 μg/L and/or dietary AMRF at 40 mg/kg. The result indicated that AMRF exerted significant protective effects by preventing alterations in the levels of bioaccumulation, malondialdehyde, lysozyme, complement C3 and immunoglobulin M. AMRF also assists in the elevation of catalase and glutathione peroxidase in the liver and spleen while regulating the expression of immune-related genes including NF-κB p65, IκB-α, TNF-α, IL-1β, IL-8, HSP70, HSP90, and glucocorticoid receptor after 56 days of Se exposure. Our results suggest that administration of AMRF (40 mg/kg) has the potential to combat Se toxicity in C. argus. • Exposure to waterborne Se induced significant bioaccumulation in specific tissues. • Antioxidant and immune responses were affected following exposure to waterborne Se. • AMRF supplementation effectively attenuated Se-induced toxicity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sensitive detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is of great importance for early cancer diagnosis. However, the number of CTCs is very rare in the peripheral blood. Therefore, there is an urgent demand to develop new methods to efficiently isolate and detect trace amount of CTCs. Among various methods and analytical platforms, micro/nanofluidic technologies have been demonstrated as a great promising approach in both CTCs isolation and subsequent cell culture as well as downstream assays. In this review, we summarize the current advances in micro/nanofluidics based technologies for CTCs isolation and detection. The characterizations of CTCs are firstly introduced, and then the micro/nanofluidic technologies for isolation and release of CTCs based on various principles are summarized. After that we discuss the detection methods including fluorescence, Raman, electrochemical detection, and the downstream characterization of CTCs. Finally, we provide a perspective on the future of innovative microfluidic platforms for CTCs study. • Sensitive isolation and detection of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) is of great importance for early cancer diagnosis. • Micro/nanofluidic technologies for isolation and release of CTCs based on various principles are summarized.. • Different CTCs detection methods are discussed including fluorescence, Raman, and electrochemical methods. • The perspective on the future of innovative micro/nanofluidic platforms for CTCs study is provided. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Patients with non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) are routinely treated with the platinum‐based chemotherapeutics such as cisplatin. The drug exerts anticancer effects via multiple mechanisms, including DNA double‐strand breaks (DSBs). Enhanced DNA DSB repair capacity would be associated with innate or acquired drug resistance. However, despite strong evidence for the role of the chromokinesin kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A) in DSB repair, the relationship between the chromokinesin and cisplatin sensitivity of human NSCLC cells remains unknown. Furthermore, little is known regarding the effect of targeting KIF4A on the function of DSB repair‐related proteins in these cells. In the current study, we demonstrated that cisplatin treatment stimulated the expression of KIF4A protein in human NSCLC cells. Depletion of KIF4A by small interfering RNA significantly enhanced cisplatin‐induced cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M phases and cytotoxicity in human NSCLC cells. Furthermore, we found that KIF4A inhibition suppressed the ability of cisplatin to induce BRCA2 and Rad51 focus formation and limits the further increase in poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase 1 activity induced by cisplatin treatment in human NSCLC cells. These studies thus identify the chromokinesin KIF4A as a novel modulator of cisplatin sensitivity that is significantly enhanced by the chromokinesin in human NSCLC cells via multiple mechanisms. Cisplatin treatment stimulates the expression of kinesin family member 4A (KIF4A) protein in human non‐small‐cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cells. KIF4A knockdown suppresses the formation of BRCA2 and Rad51 foci and limits the further increase in poly(ADP‐ribose) polymerase 1 activity, thereby enhancing cisplatin‐induced cell cycle arrest in S and G2/M phases and cytotoxicity in human NSCLC cells. KIF4A functions as a novel modulator of cisplatin sensitivity in human NSCLC cells via multiple mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transparent metallic Mo-doped In2O3 nanowires arrays with three dimensionally branched morphology are epitaxially grown on undoped In2O3 microwires by the vapor-liquid-solid growth mode. The room-temperature resistivity and failure-current density of individual degenerately doped nanowire are measured to be 1.43×10-4 Ω cm and 1.57×107 A/cm2, respectively. The breakdown mechanism of the nanowires at high current density is due to resistive heating and melting. Lateral vacuum electron field emission properties of individual nanowire tip are investigated and an ultralow turn-on voltage of 1.28 V and a large field enhancement factor of 1.02×103 are obtained. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract China's rapid urbanization has aggravated its air pollution problems and subsequently results in increased interests in the relationship between urbanization and PM 2.5 concentrations. Currently, research on the ways that urbanization directly influences air quality are comparatively mature; however, quantification of the spillover effect of urbanization on PM 2.5 concentrations in adjacent regions remains understudied. Additionally, urbanization is a multi-dimensional phenomena in China and it is important to distinguish the ways in which the multiple aspects of urbanization influence PM 2.5 concentrations. Taking the Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Urban agglomeration of China as an example, this study explored the spatio-temporal change and spatial dependence pattern of PM 2.5 concentrations, and further examined and compared the unique impacts of the multiple dimensions of urbanization on PM 2.5 concentrations. The results showed that spatial dependence of PM 2.5 generally took place over the range of 200 km in the study area. Economic urbanization had a much stronger influence on air quality than land urbanization or population urbanization; it was determined to be the best indicator to represent the impact of urbanization, especially the spillover effect of urbanization on PM 2.5 concentrations in adjacent regions. Over the period 2000–2010, the impacts from both local and neighboring economic urbanization on PM 2.5 concentrations increased significantly. In contrast, land urbanization mainly exerted influence on air quality in focal regions. Population urbanization showed no significant direct or spillover effects on PM 2.5 concentrations in the whole urban agglomeration. This study provides evidence that the influence of urbanization within and across cities must be considered when conducting joint air pollution control in an urban agglomeration. PM 2.5 taxes based on the diffusion and transfer of environment pressures are one possible policy mechanism that could help to account for the spillover effect of economic urbanization on air quality. System-based approaches and flow-centered governance are two suggested ways to coordinate the management of both urbanization and air quality. Highlights • Spatial dependence of PM 2.5 concentrations occurs over the range of 200 km in BTH. • Spillover effect of urbanization on PM 2.5 occurs through various approaches. • Development of economic, land, population urbanization is inconsistent in BTH. • Economic urbanization can best indicate the impact of urbanization on PM 2.5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spin crossover and structural phase transition in three pairs of homochiral and heterochiral [Fe(pybox)2]2+ diastereomers were investigated through magnetic and crystallographic studies. Herein, we show that the spin transition properties of these compounds are strongly related to the homochiral or heterochiral assembly of the ligands and structural phase transition. Our work demonstrates that chirality is a feasible factor to modulate and influence the molecular geometry and thus the spin-crossover properties of complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract This paper reviews the previous studies on bond behaviour of concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST) and recycled aggregate concrete-filled steel tubes (RAC-FST). The bond behaviour between the steel tube and the recycled aggregate concrete (RAC) of RAC-FST is experimentally investigated then. A series of push-out tests on 56 RAC-FST specimens are conducted with parameters of cross-section type, cross-sectional dimension, strength of RAC, replacement rate of recycled coarse aggregate and interface treatment (i.e. oilin, polishing). Mechanism of the effects of chemical adhesion, micro-interlocking and macro-interlocking on the bond strength is discussed and investigated based on the testing results. The analytical results show that the cross-section type and cross-sectional dimension are two main parameters that influence the bond strength between the steel tube and the RAC core. It can be concluded that, in general, the bond behavior of the RAC-FST is similar to that of the steel-concrete surface in concrete-filled steel tubes (CFST). Finally, empirical formulas are proposed for the calculations of the bond strength between the core concrete and the outer steel tubes. Highlights • A series of push-out tests on 56 RAC-FST specimens were conducted. • Mechanism analysis was carried out and the bond mechanism was thoroughly interpreted. • The influences of important parameters on bond strength were analyzed. • Empirical formulas were proposed for bond strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT) expressing retinal amacrine cells are present across vertebrates. These interneurons play important roles in the development of retinal projections to the brain and in motion detection, specifically in generating direction‐selective responses to moving stimuli. ChAT amacrine cells typically comprise two spatially segregated populations that form circuits in the 'ON' or 'OFF' synaptic layers of the inner retina. This stereotypic arrangement is also found across the adult human retina, with the notable exception that ChAT expression is evident in the ON but not OFF layer of the fovea, a region specialized for high‐acuity vision. We thus investigated whether the human fovea exhibits a developmental path for ON and OFF ChAT cells that is retinal location‐specific. Our analysis shows that at each retinal location, human ON and OFF ChAT cells differentiate, form their separate synaptic layers, and establish non‐random mosaics at about the same time. However, unlike in the adult fovea, ChAT immunostaining is initially robust in both ON and OFF populations, up until at least mid‐gestation. ChAT expression in the OFF layer in the fovea is therefore significantly reduced after mid‐gestation. OFF ChAT cells in the human fovea and in the retinal periphery thus follow distinct maturational paths. Human cholinergic (ChAT) amacrine cells are first observed in the fovea at early‐gestation around fetal week (Fwk) 10, and become evident across the retina with age. Characteristic ON and OFF populations of ChAT cells with processes stratifying in separate bands in the synaptic neuropil emerge in the fovea by Fwk 11, and are present as late as mid‐gestation (Fwk 20). Previous work, however, demonstrate very few, if any, OFF ChAT‐immunoreactive cells in the adult human fovea (Rodieck & Marshak,). Thus, mechanisms must act to regulate ChAT expression differentially in the ON and OFF populations as the retina matures beyond mid‐gestation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Heat transfer behaviors of methane hydrate are studied in a Cuboid Pressure Vessel. • Hydrate dissociation is affected by various heat flows in the deposit. • Different hydrate dissociation driving forces are compared. • The heat loss during gas production is calculated and analyzed. Abstract The dissociation of natural gas hydrate is an endothermic reaction closely related with the heat transfer characteristics in porous media. This study mainly focuses on the three-dimensional heat transfer behaviors during hydrate dissociation by depressurization and thermal stimulation based on the experiments in a Cuboid Pressure Vessel (CPV). The evolution of various heat flows (including the heat transferred from the boundaries Q B , the injected heat from the well Q inj , the heat consumed by the hydrate dissociation Q H , and the sensible heat change of the deposit Q S) and their relationships during hydrate dissociation are obtained through numerical simulation. The heat loss Q L during gas production is calculated and analyzed for the first time. It is found that the hydrate dissociation is mainly promoted by the driving forces of depressurization (F dep) and thermal stimulation (F ths), which are dependent on the heat flows of Q B and Q inj , respectively. The effect of F dep will be weakened under higher F ths. Part of Q inj and Q B are absorbed and stored as Q S by the porous media and the fluids of the deposit. Once Q B becomes negative, it starts to make contribution to the heat loss instead of the hydrate dissociation, resulting in a sharp increase of Q L. In addition, a proper thermal stimulation rate q and production pressure P W should be selected so that the hydrate dissociation rate could be significantly enhanced while the thermal efficiency and energy efficiency are still favorable when compared with using single depressurization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose. To assess the changes and the diurnal variation of visual quality after orthokeratology in myopic children. Methods. Forty-four eyes of 22 subjects with a mean age of 10.55 ± 1.53 years (8 to 14 years) were enrolled in this prospective study. Their spherical equivalent ranged from −1.25 to −4.25 diopters (D) and astigmatism was less than 1.00 D. Parameters including corneal curvature, ocular objective scatter index (OSI), the modulation transfer function (MTF), root mean square of ocular and corneal wavefront aberrations, and contrast sensitivity function (CSF) were measured before and at two time points during the same day after 1 month of orthokeratology. Results. After orthokeratology, uncorrected visual acuity (UCVA) and spherical equivalent were significantly improved from baseline (P<0.001), and their diurnal variation was not significant (P=0.083,0.568). OSI increased from 0.29 ± 0.15 to 0.65 ± 0.31 (P<0.001). MTF decreased significantly (P<0.01). Corneal curvature and ocular total aberration decreased (P<0.001), while the ocular and corneal higher-order aberration increased significantly (P<0.01). The CSF under photopic condition decreased at 3 cpd (P=0.006) and increased at 18 cpd (P=0.012). The diurnal variation of CSF at 18 cpd under mesopic and high glare conditions and at 12 cpd under photopic condition was significant (P=0.002,0.01,0.017). Conclusions. Orthokeratology can effectively improve UCVA and high spatial frequency CSF by decreasing the low-order aberrations. However, MTF and CSF at low spatial frequency decreased because of the increase of intraocular scattering and high-order aberrations. Meanwhile, CSF at high spatial frequency fluctuates significantly at two times during the same day after 1 month orthokeratology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]