Search

We reported a simple technique allowing accurate and precise Nd and Hf isotope measurements of samples with low contents using a Neptune Plus MC-ICP-MS and an Apex Omega membrane de-solvating system. By employing a highly sensitive jet sample cone and X skimmer cone, our protocol achieved a low oxide level (<0.05%) at high ion transmission (∼880 V ppm−1 for Nd and 850 V ppm−1 for Hf) and was found to have little effect on the mass fractionation of Nd and Hf. This was accomplished by simple adjustments of the sweep gas of the membrane de-solvating system and the sample gas of the nebulizer. Instrumental sensitivities were enhanced by a factor exceeding tenfold, in comparison to those of standard measurements with wet plasma. Long term measurements of 1 ng Nd solution standards yielded 143Nd/144Nd ratios of 0.512117 ± 0.000032 (2SD, n = 24) and 0.512227 ± 0.000036 (2SD, n = 42) for Jndi-1 and JMC-Nd solutions, respectively, while analysis of 1 ng JMC475 Hf gave 176Hf/177Hf ratios of 0.282163 ± 0.000027 (2SD, n = 21). These results are in agreements with their reference values. Potential interfering elements Ce and Sm are found to have an insignificant influence on 143Nd/144Nd ratios. Lu and Yb have a remarkable effect on 176Hf/177Hf ratios. Improved correction performance can be achieved by using Lu and Yb ratios obtained by analyzing pure Lu and Yb solutions. Five chemically purified rock reference materials are measured with the presented method and the results are consistent with their recommended values. Relative to other approaches, this protocol is rapid and accurate and can be widely applied in Nd and Hf isotope analysis of samples with trace amounts of Nd and Hf (<10 ng). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detrital zircon U–Pb chronology database of Precambrian deposits provides a context for the interpretation of the origin and evolution of ancient crust. Here, we tried to summarize the published literature containing detrital zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotope data of Precambrian deposits in South China and then established a database, which contains details of information, such as reference, sample ID, locality, rock type, research institution, GPS coordinates, U–Pb ages and εHf(t) values. The data statistics of this paper rely on the OneSediment Working Group of The Deep‐time Digital Earth program (DDE). By November 2022, 610 samples with 38,278 U–Pb ages and 8,798 Lu‐Hf isotope data were collected from 136 papers, and these data can be downloaded from DDE Data Publish & Repository website, https://repository.deep‐time.org/. The purpose of the establishment of the dataset is to provide guidance and convenience for the research direction of future generations in South China and to improve the previous studies through the integrated data to avoid the waste of resources caused by a large number of repeated studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In recent years, deep learning has become integral to short-term precipitation forecasting through radar echo extrapolation. However, as the extrapolation time increases, radar echo intensity diminishes, leading to a significant decline in forecast accuracy, particularly for strong echoes. To address these challenges, we propose a novel diffusion radar echo extrapolation algorithm, DiffREE. This algorithm integrates spatio-temporal information from radar echo frames using a conditional encoding module and employs a Transformer encoder to automatically extract these features. The extracted features then guide a conditional diffusion model to reconstruct the current radar echo frame. Validation experiments demonstrate that DiffREE produces high-precision and high-quality radar echo forecasts. When compared to four other models using public datasets, DiffREE significantly improves the critical success index, equitable threat score, Heidke skill score, and probability of detection by 21.5%, 27.6%, 25.8%, and 21.8%, respectively, underscoring its superiority. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pancreatic fibrosis (PF) is primarily characterized by aberrant production and degradation modes of extracellular matrix (ECM) components, resulting from the activation of pancreatic stellate cells (PSCs) and the pathological cross‐linking of ECM mediated by lysyl oxidase (LOX) family members. The excessively deposited ECM increases matrix stiffness, and the over‐accumulated reactive oxygen species (ROS) induces oxidative stress, which further stimulates the continuous activation of PSCs and advancing PF; challenging the strategy toward normalizing ECM homeostasis for the regression of PF. Herein, ROS‐responsive and Vitamin A (VA) decorated micelles (named LR‐SSVA) to reverse the imbalanced ECM homeostasis for ameliorating PF are designed and synthesized. Specifically, LR‐SSVA selectively targets PSCs via VA, thereby effectively delivering siLOXL1 and resveratrol (RES) into the pancreas. The ROS‐responsive released RES inhibits the overproduction of ECM by eliminating ROS and inactivating PSCs, meanwhile, the decreased expression of LOXL1 ameliorates the cross‐linked collagen for easier degradation by collagenase which jointly normalizes ECM homeostasis and alleviates PF. This research shows that LR‐SSVA is a safe and efficient ROS‐response and PSC‐targeted drug‐delivery system for ECM normalization, which will propose an innovative and ideal platform for the reversal of PF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The association between heart failure (HF) and intestinal inflammation caused by a disturbed intestinal microbiota in infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) was investigated. Methods: Twenty infants with HF and CHD who were admitted to our hospital between October 2021 and March 2022 were included in this study. Twenty age- and sex-matched infants without HF at our hospital were selected as the control group. Faecal samples were obtained from each participant and analysed by enzyme-linked immunoassay and 16 S rDNA sequencing to assess intestinal inflammatory factors and the microbiota. Results: The levels of intestinal inflammatory factors, including IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17 A and TNF-α, were greatly increased, while the levels of IL-10 were significantly decreased in the HF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The intestinal microbial diversity of patients in the HF group was markedly lower than that in the control group (p < 0.05). The abundance of Enterococcus was significantly increased in the HF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05), but the abundance of Bifidobacterium was significantly decreased in the HF group compared to the control group (p < 0.05). The diversity of the intestinal microbiota was negatively correlated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the intestinal tract but was positively correlated with that of IL-10. The abundance of Enterococcus was positively associated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the intestinal tract but was negatively correlated with that of IL-10. NT-proBNP was positively associated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the HF group but was negatively correlated with that of IL-10. The heart function score was positively associated with the levels of IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6 and TNF-α in the HF group but was negatively correlated with that of IL-10. Conclusions: Infants with CHD-related HF had a disordered intestinal microbiota, decreased diversity of intestinal microbes, increased levels of pathogenic bacteria and decreased levels of beneficial bacteria. The increased abundance of Enterococcus and the significant decrease in the diversity of the intestinal microbiota may exacerbate the intestinal inflammatory response, which may be associated with the progression of HF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to clarify the occurrence of Solenopsis invicta in Quanzhou area and screen out the effective prevention and control agents suitable for the local Solenopsis invicta, the field control effects of 1% thiamethoxam amine granules, 1.8% abamectin cream, 0.05% indoxacarb bait and 5% rotenone soluble concentrate on the red fire ants were determined by investigating the habitat environment, living habits and transmission routes of the local Solenopsis invicta, in order to screen the best prevention and control agents. The results showed that the Solenopsis invicta in Quanzhou area were mainly distributed in the grassland (lawn), nursery, park, farmland, orchard and green belt, of which the suitable active temperature was 19-32°C. And they had mixed feeding distance habits, strong adaptability and various modes of spreading and diffusion. The field pharmacodynamic test showed that 1% thiamethoxam amine granules and 0.05% indoxacarb bait had good quick-acting property and durable effect on the active ant nests and active ergates. Although the 5% rotenone soluble concentrate had slightly slow quick-acting property, it had good persistence, while the quick-acting property and durable effect of 1.8% abamectin cream were both poor. Therefore, 1% thiamethoxam amine granules, 0.05% indoxacarb bait and 5% rotenone soluble concentrate were suitable for being promoted and applicated in the field. The results of this study could provide technical support and scientific basis for formulating the targeted prevention and control measures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Complete atrioventricular septal defect is a complicated congenital heart malformations, and surgical correction is the best treatment, the severe tricuspid stenosis is a rare long-term complication after the surgery. Case presentation: We report a case with the complication of severe tricuspid stenosis 7 years after the surgical correction of complete atrioventricular septal defect in a child. Then the patient underwent tricuspid mechanical valve replacement, Glenn, atrial septostomy, and circumconstriction of the right pulmonary artery. Conclusions: The patient recovered successfully with good short-term. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyclo[18]carbon has received considerable attention thanks to its novel geometric configuration and special electronic structure. Superalkalis have low ionization energy. Doping a superalkali in cyclo[18]carbon is an effective method to improve the optical properties of the system because considerable electron transfer occurs. In this paper, the geometry, bonding properties, electronic structure, absorption spectrum, and nonlinear optical (NLO) properties of superalkaline M 3O (M = Li, Na)-doped cyclo[18]carbon were studied by using density functional theory. M 3O and the C18 rings are not coplanar. The C18 ring still exhibits alternating long and short bonds. The charge transfer between M 3O and C18 forms stable [ M 3O]+[C18]− ionic complexes. C18 M 3O (M = Li, Na) shows striking optical nonlinearity, i.e., their first- and second-order hyperpolarizability (β vec and γ ||) increase considerably at λ = 1907 nm and 1460 nm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate delineation of individual agricultural plots, the foundational units for agriculture-based activities, is crucial for effective government oversight of agricultural productivity and land utilization. To improve the accuracy of plot segmentation in high-resolution remote sensing images, the paper collects GF-2 satellite remote sensing images, uses ArcGIS10.3.1 software to establish datasets, and builds UNet, SegNet, DeeplabV3+, and TransUNet neural network frameworks, respectively, for experimental analysis. Then, the TransUNet network with the best segmentation effects is optimized in both the residual module and the skip connection to further improve its performance for plot segmentation in high-resolution remote sensing images. This article introduces Deformable ConvNets in the residual module to improve the original ResNet50 feature extraction network and combines the convolutional block attention module (CBAM) at the skip connection to calculate and improve the skip connection steps. Experimental results indicate that the optimized remote sensing plot segmentation algorithm based on the TransUNet network achieves an Accuracy of 86.02%, a Recall of 83.32%, an F1-score of 84.67%, and an Intersection over Union (IOU) of 86.90%. Compared to the original TransUNet network for remote sensing land parcel segmentation, whose F1-S is 81.94% and whose IoU is 69.41%, the optimized TransUNet network has significantly improved the performance of remote sensing land parcel segmentation, which verifies the effectiveness and reliability of the plot segmentation algorithm. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a frequent complication of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP). Previous investigations have revealed the involvement of FTO alpha-ketoglutarate-dependent dioxygenase (FTO) and aquaporin 3 (AQP3) in AKI. Therefore, the aim of this study is to explore the association of FTO and AQP3 on proximal tubular epithelial cell damage in SAP-induced AKI. Methods: An in-vitro AKI model was established in human proximal tubular epithelial cells (PTECs) HK-2 via tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) induction (20ng/mL), after which FTO and AQP3 expression was manipulated and quantified by quantitative real-time PCR and Western blotting. The viability and apoptosis of PTECs under various conditions, and reactive oxygen species (ROS), superoxide dismutase (SOD), and malonaldehyde (MDA) levels within these cells were measured using commercial assay kits and flow cytometry. Methylated RNA immunoprecipitation and mRNA stability assays were performed to elucidate the mechanism of FTO-mediated N6-methyladenosine (m6 A) modification. Western blotting was performed to quantify β-catenin protein levels in the PTECs. Results: FTO overexpression attenuated the TNF-α-induced decrease in viability and SOD levels, elevated apoptosis, increased levels of ROS and MDA, and diminished TNF-α-induced AQP3 expression and reduced β-catenin expression, but its silencing led to contradictory results. FTO negatively modulates AQP3 levels in RTECs in an m6 A-depednent manner and compromises AQP3 stability. In addition, all FTO overexpression-induced effects in TNF-α-induced PTECs were neutralized following AQP3 upregulation. Conclusion: FTO alleviates TNF-α-induced damage to PTECs in vitro by targeting AQP3 in an m6 A-dependent manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Except for gene fusions, FGFR2 genetic alterations in intrahepatic cholangiocarcinomas (ICCs) have received limited attention, leaving patients harboring activating FGFR2 gene mutations with inadequate access to targeted therapies. Experimental design: We sought to survey FGFR2 genetic alterations in ICC and pan-cancers using fluorescence in situ hybridization and next-generation sequencing. We conducted an analysis of the clinical and pathological features of ICCs with different FGFR2 alterations, compared FGFR2 lesion spectrum through public databases and multicenter data, and performed cellular experiments to investigate the oncogenic potential of different FGFR2 mutants. Results: FGFR2 gene fusions were identified in 30 out of 474 ICC samples, while five FGFR2 genetic alterations aside from fusion were present in 290 ICCs. The tumors containing FGFR2 translocations exhibited unique features, which we designated as the "FGFR2 fusion subtypes of ICC". Molecular analysis revealed that FGFR2 fusions were not mutually exclusive with other oncogenic driver genes/mutations, whereas FGFR2 in-frame deletions and site mutations often co-occurred with TP53 mutations. Multicenter and pan-cancer studies demonstrated that FGFR2 in-frame deletions were more prevalent in ICCs (0.62%) than in other cancers, and were not limited to the extracellular domain. We selected representative FGFR2 genetic alterations, including in-frame deletions, point mutations, and frameshift mutations, to analyze their oncogenic activity and responsiveness to targeted drugs. Cellular experiments revealed that different FGFR2 genetic alterations promoted ICC tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis but responded differently to FGFR-selective small molecule kinase inhibitors (SMKIs). Conclusions: FGFR2 oncogenic alterations have different clinicopathological features and respond differently to SMKIs. Highlights: The findings presented in this study highlight the importance of identifying FGFR2 fusion subtypes and mutations in ICCs for both diagnosis and potential therapeutic interventions. The distinct characteristics observed in FGFR2 fusion subtypes, such as mass-forming histopathological type and CD56 positivity, can aid in accurate histopathological classification of ICC. The observation that different FGFR2 mutants in ICC nearly all promote tumor growth, invasion, and metastasis but respond differently to FGFR-selective small molecule kinase inhibitors (SMKIs) implies the need for personalized treatment strategies based on the specific FGFR2 mutation profile of each patient. These findings emphasize the potential clinical utility of targeted therapies that inhibit FGFR signaling pathways in ICC, but also underscore the importance of selecting the appropriate SMKI based on the specific FGFR2 mutation present. These findings may contribute to improved diagnosis, risk stratification, and development of targeted therapies tailored to the individual patient. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to summarize the early clinical results and surgical experience of repairing the right common carotid artery and the right internal jugular vein after ECMO treatment in neonates. Methods: We retrospectively collected the clinical data of 16 neonates with circulatory and respiratory failure who were treated with ECMO via the right common carotid artery and the right internal jugular vein in our hospital from June 2021 to December 2022. The effects of repairing the common carotid artery and internal jugular vein were evaluated. Results: All 16 patients successfully underwent right cervical vascular cannulation, and the ECMO cycle was successfully established. Twelve patients were successfully removed from ECMO. The right common carotid artery and the right internal jugular vein were successfully repaired in these 12 patients. There was unobstructed arterial blood flow in 9 patients, mild stenosis in 1 patient, moderate stenosis in 1 patient and obstruction in 1 patient. There was unobstructed venous blood flow in 10 patients, mild stenosis in 1 patient, and moderate stenosis in 1 patient. No thrombosis was found in the right internal jugular vein. Thrombosis was found in the right common carotid artery of one patient. Conclusion: Repairing the right common carotid artery and the right internal jugular vein after ECMO treatment in neonates was feasible, and careful surgical anastomosis techniques and standardized postoperative anticoagulation management can ensure early vascular patency. However, long-term vascular patency is still being assessed in follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective A nontargeted metabolomics approach was established to characterize serum metabolic profile in type 3c diabetes mellitus (T3cDM) secondary to chronic pancreatitis and compare with T2DM. Methods Forty patients were recruited for metabolite analysis based on liquid chromatography-mass spectrometry. Cluster heatmap and KEGG metabolic pathway enrichment analysis were used to analyze the specific and differential metabolites. The receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) were generated and correlation analysis with clinical data was conducted. Results Metabolites including sphingosine, lipids, carnitine, bile acid, and hippuric acid were found to be different between T2DM and T3cDM, mainly enriched in bile acid biosynthesis, fatty acid biosynthesis, and sphingolipid metabolic pathways. The ROCs were generated with an area under the curve of 0.907 (95% confidence interval, 0.726–1) for the model with 15 metabolites. Conclusion T3cDM is characterized by increased sphingosine, carnitine, bile acid, and most lipids, providing novel biomarkers for clinical diagnosis and a future direction in research on pathophysiological mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) syndrome is the basic unit of TCM treatment, which help clinicians assess the disease progression and treatment preoperative of tumor patients. However, the prognostic significance of TCM syndrome is still unclear. This study aims to detect the differences in overall survival between different TCM syndrome and further develop a new nomogram with TCM syndrome for predicting overall survival in colorectal cancer. Methods: A total of 324 patients with colorectal cancer were enrolled and categorized into three groups based on TCM syndrome: deficiency, excess, and deficiency-excess. The prognosis of colorectal cancer patients with different TCM syndromes was evaluated using Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression analysis. Results: The proportion of advanced stage and lymph metastasis in the patients with deficiency syndrome was higher, and the overall survival was shorter than other syndromes. Meanwhile, the TCM syndrome (P < 0.001), tumor invasion depth (P < 0.001), lymph metastasis (P = 0.018), organic metastasis (P = 0.005) and tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage (P = 0.029) were the independent prognostic factor. Then, a new nomogram with TCM syndrome was established and assessed. 324 colorectal cancer patients were randomly divided into training (n = 215) and validation cohorts (n = 109). A nomogram incorporating preoperative TCM syndrome, gender, age, T, N, and M status was developed, which had good discrimination and calibration. Conclusion: Taken together, our results indicated that TCM syndrome could assess the prognosis of colorectal cancer. The nomogram incorporating TCM syndromes and tumor information is helpful for risk stratification and prognostic predictions in colorectal cancer preoperatively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of a preoperative nutritional support programme on improving preoperative nutritional status and promoting postoperative recovery in neonates undergoing cardiac surgery. Methods: The clinical data of neonates undergoing cardiac surgery who received preoperative nutritional support therapy in our hospital from March 2021 to December 2021 were collected, and the clinical data of neonates undergoing cardiac surgery who did not receive preoperative nutritional support therapy in our hospital from February 2020 to February 2021 were selected as the control. The nutritional status and postoperative recovery of the two groups were compared. Results: A total of 30 neonates who received nutritional support before cardiac surgery were included in this study. A total of 28 neonates who did not receive nutritional support before cardiac surgery were included in the control group. There were no significant differences in general information or the nutritional status at birth between the two groups. The duration of nutritional support in the intervention group was 16.8 ± 7.1 days. Before the operation, the intervention group was significantly better than the control group in terms of body weight, albumin, prealbumin and haemoglobin, which indicated that the nutritional status of the intervention group was better than that of the control group. The intensive care time, ventilator time and hospital stay time in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group. Conclusion: Nutritional support plans after birth for neonates with severe congenital heart disease can effectively improve the nutritional status of patients before surgery and accelerate the speed of postoperative recovery. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on examination of syntype specimens deposited at P, the lectotype for the name Deutzia setchuenensis Franch. is designated here. By consulting literature and specimen records, the type locality of D. setchuenensis var. longidentata Rehder, ‘Chin-Ting shan’ in the protologue is likely a misspelling of ‘Chiuting shan’ which is now called Jiuding shan located in southern Mao county, Sichuan province. In addition, a new variety, Deutzia setchuenensis var. macrocarpa Q.L.Gan, Z.Y.Li & S.Z.Xu from western Hubei, Central China, is described and illustrated. It differs from other varieties of D. setchuenensis Franch. by the orange anthers, broader outer filaments, obtuse inner filaments, and larger fruits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A new species Veronica hongii, from western Hubei Province, Central China is described and illustrated. The species is morphologically similar to V. henryi Yamazaki, but mainly differs in the glabrous plant, except pedicels, broadly ovate leaf blades, glandular-pubescent pedicels, obovate calyx lobes, smaller corolla, broadly ovate capsule and much smaller seeds. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose and Methods: A global search for the lowest energy structure of CoB192− clusters was conducted. Results: Its ground state is a quasi-planar structure with the Co atom surrounded by a B8 ring. The central Co atom has an oxidation state of +1 with d8 electron configuration. The wave function analysis showed that the Co–B interaction is not a covalent bond. The bonding strength of peripheral B–B bonds is stronger than that of inner ones. The inner B8 ring bonds with outer boron atoms via σ- and π-type bonds. Conclusion: CoB192− shows remarkable aromatic character. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of applying telehealth education to home care of infants after congenital heart disease (CHD) surgery. Methods A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted from July 2020 to February 2021 in Fujian Children's Hospital to compare the home care condition of infants after CHD surgery between the intervention group and the control group. Results At 3 months after discharge, parents' caring ability and CHD knowledge in the intervention group were significantly better than those in the control group and were significantly improved compared with those at discharge time (P  < 0.05). The parental care burden in the intervention group was significantly lower than that in the control group and was significantly lower than that at discharge time (P  < 0.05). During the follow-up period, the rate of loss of follow-up and complications in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P  < 0.05). Conclusion Telehealth education via WeChat can effectively improve the knowledge of disease and home care ability of parents of infants after CHD surgery and reduce their home care burden, which can effectively reduce the incidence of complications and lost to follow-up rate after discharge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Monitoring aspartate aminotransferase (AST) has been demonstrated to be a sensitive sign of liver dysfunction and an essential method for determining the health status of the living body. The quantitative analysis of AST in vivo/vitro is still challenged by complicated processes, expensive equipment, and/or limited sensitivity. A colorimetric assay using multicolored fluorescent nanomaterials holds great promise in vivo/vitro sensing for visual and highly sensitive disease diagnosis. However, achieving a one-step synthesis of multicolored fluorescence (FL) GQDs probe presents challenges. Herein, we successfully designed novel multicolored GQDs with a high quantum yield (QY) of 60.7 % via a simple nitrogen-induced intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) approach. Leveraging the non-toxic and color-tunable properties of N-GQDs, we developed an innovative N-GQDs-based FL test paper for sensitive colorimetric on-site detection of AST, employing the FL colorimetric method based on the transamination reaction. The FL quenching intensity demonstrated an excellent linear relationship with the concentration of AST within the range of 2.0−60.0 U/L, achieving an impressively low limit of detection (LOD) as low as 0.065 U/L. Moreover, the N-GQDs were utilized for AST in vivo detection and FL imaging in living zebrafish, further showcasing their potential in various applications such as liver disease diagnosis, assessment of myocardial damage, and monitoring of drug and toxic poisonings. • Multicolor N-GQDs with high QY were successfully fabricated via one-step method. • The color-tunable property of N-GQDs was demonstrated by the ICT mechanism. • The N-GQDs-based test strip was developed for AST in vitro ultrasensitive sensing. • The N-GQDs were utilized for in vivo FL sensing of AST in zebrafish. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

MnO x Z-scheme heterojunction exhibits a strong redox capacity, thereby it has great potential in the field of photocatalysis for gaseous benzene oxidation to address environmental pollution. However, the self-oxidation of MnO x due to the accumulation of photogenerated holes severely restricts its practical application. Herein, a highly coupled MnO 2 /Mn 5 O 8 Z-scheme heterojunction modified by Co 3 O 4 co-catalyst grown on ammoniated carbon cloth (MnO x /Co 3 O 4 @ACC) was constructed through electrodeposition and applied for efficient photocatalytic benzene degradation. The optimized MnO x /Co 3 O 4 @ACC presents high-efficient degradability, mineralization rate and high stability after 60 cycles (30 h). Co 3 O 4 served as a hole collector to promote the extraction of photogenerated holes from the MnO x surface, suppressing the photocorrosion of MnO x. Additionally, the by-product CO was more easily absorbed and activated on MnO x /Co 3 O 4 @ACC surface due to the introduction of Co 3 O 4. The electrodeposition-photocatalysis strategy developed in this work shows great application prospects for environmental contaminant remediation. [Display omitted] • Highly coupled MnO 2 /Mn 5 O 8 Z-scheme heterojunction modified by Co 3 O 4 co-catalyst are prepared (MnO x /Co 3 O 4 @ACC). • The formation of MnO 2 /Mn 5 O 8 Z-scheme heterojunction is proved. • The role of Co 3 O 4 in promoting photocatalytic stability was deeply investigated. • Co 3 O 4 extracts the photogenerated holes from MnO x surface, suppressing the photocorrosion of MnO x. • MnO x /Co 3 O 4 @ACC presented a high-efficient degradability, mineralization rate and stability after 60 cycles. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen (H) adsorption strengths on oxygen-terminated (000 1 ¯) surfaces of pure and doped wurtzite ZnO are investigated under varying H surface coverage conditions. Consistent with the prediction of the classical electron counting rules, a 1 2 monolayer (ML) of adsorbed H changes the electronic structure of pure ZnO (000 1 ¯) surface from metallic to semiconductor state by saturating unpaired electrons of surface oxygen atoms. This closed-shell electron configuration of the ZnO (000 1 ¯) surface significantly reduces the adsorption strengths of subsequent H atoms, making the dissociative adsorption of a H 2 molecule endothermic. We apply a simple electron counting model to predict and tune the coverage-dependent H adsorption strengths on general polar semiconductor surfaces. This model is confirmed by our investigations of H adsorption on (000 1 ¯) surfaces of ZnO with a series of dopant elements (Na, Mg, Al, Ti, Fe, Sn, etc.). It can also be applied to H adsorption on other similar polar semiconductors, such as ZnO (000 1 ¯ ) containing O vacancies, wurtzite GaN (000 1 ¯), and zincblende ZnS (1 ¯ 1 ¯ 1 ¯) surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sepsis is a systemic inflammatory response syndrome with high mortality. Acute liver injury is an independent predictor for poor prognosis in septic patients. Polygonatum sibiricum polysaccharides (PSP) have been reported to possess anti-inflammatory and hepatoprotective activities. To evaluate the effects of PSP on septic liver injury and demonstrate the potential molecular mechanisms, the septic acute liver injury (SALI) model was established in BALB/c mice via intraperitoneal injection of lipopolysaccharide (LPS). We found that PSP treatment could remarkably reduce the 48 h mortality rate of septic mice; alleviate liver histopathologic damage; lower the activity of neutrophil infiltration marker MPO in liver tissue; and decrease the levels of liver function indexes AST, ALT, ALP, and TBIL, inflammatory cytokines TNFα and IL-6, and pyroptosis-related inflammatory cytokines IL-18 and IL-1β in serum. TUNEL staining and detecting GSDMD-NT protein expression level in liver tissue revealed that PSP could restrain excessive pyroptosis. In addition, PSP treatment reversed the upregulations of mRNA expression levels of the NLRP3/GSDMD signals in the liver. Our results indicated the potential protective role of PSP against SALI by inhibiting pyroptosis via NLRP3/GSDMD signals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An n-GaO x thin film is deposited on a single-crystal boron-doped diamond by RF magnetron sputtering to form the pn heterojunction. The n-GaO x thin film presents a small surface roughness and a large optical band gap of 4.85 eV. In addition, the band alignment is measured using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to evaluate the heterojunction properties. The GaO x /diamond heterojunction shows a type-II staggered band configuration, where the valence and conduction band offsets are 1.28 eV and 1.93 eV, respectively. These results confirm the feasibility of the use of n-GaO x as a termination structure for diamond power devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to explore the effect of telehealth education on improving the parental care ability and postoperative nutritional status of infants after congenital heart disease surgery. Methods A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted at a provincial maternal and child hospital in southeastern China. A total of 84 infants were enrolled in the study, with 42 infants in the intervention group and 42 infants in the control group. Results Body weight, albumin, prealbumin, and hemoglobin of infants in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group one month after discharge (P<0.05). The STRONGkids score of infants in the intervention group was significantly higher than that of those in the control group one month after discharge (P<0.05). The Family Caregiver Task Inventory score of infants in the intervention group was significantly lower than that of those in the control group one month after discharge (P<0.05). Conclusion Performing telehealth education about home feeding and care guidance for parents of infants after congenital heart disease surgery can greatly improve parental care ability so that infants get better feeding and care, which can effectively improve the postoperative nutritional status of the infants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The surface passivation layer coating on zero-valent iron (ZVI) particles impedes the electron transfer from ZVI to nitrate. To enhance the efficiency of nitrate reduction by Fe(0), we tested the chemical process and the thickness of the iron oxide film on the surface of Fe(0) particles, utilizing Fe2+ aq in aqueous solution and wheat straw as ligands. A novel principal surface catalyzing reaction was formulated as follows: NO 3 − + 0.67 Fe 2 + + 2.2 Fe 0 + 2.33 H 2 O → NH 4 + + 1.18 Fe 3 O 4 + 0.64 OH − . When Fe2+ aq concentration increased from 0 - 200 mg·L−1, the NO 3 - removal rate increased from 6.95% to 82.6% respectively during 12 h and it was 48%, 72%, 79% and 94% respectively in Fe0/WS ratio of 0, 0.25, 0.5 and 1 system. Uniform surface iron oxide films formed around the Fe(0) particles within 12 h after the adding Fe2+ aq or wheat straw to the Fe(0) system. The composition and thickness of these films were dependent on the quantity of added materials. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis revealed that surface oxide iron mainly consisted of Fe2+ or Fe3+ oxides, with Fe 3 O 4 being predominant. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) etching indicated that the addition of Fe(0)/straw at mass ratios of 1 or system with 20 mg·L−1 Fe2+ aq resulted in the thinnest surface iron oxide layer. The study demonstrated that reducing the oxide layer's thickness was achieved through partial catalysis and enhanced complexation capacity. This reduction was facilitated by the introduction of Fe2+ aq or wheat straw into the Fe(0) system, potentially improving proton dissociation and promoting the ligand-assisted dissolution of Fe3+ oxides. The Journal of Hazardous Materials focuses on novel and urgent research in environmental science. This manuscript aligns well with the journal's standards for scientific merit, as our research offers a fresh perspective on surface interface reactions for the treatment of groundwater. Nitrate (NO 3 −) is a toxic environmental contaminant. The reduction of nitrate using zero-valent iron (Fe0) is a primary technique for treating groundwater. The surface passivation layer coating on Fe0 particles hinders the transfer of electrons from iron to nitrate. The study is to enhance the efficiency of nitrate reduction through Fe0 and alleviate the adverse effects of iron oxides. [Display omitted] • Increased dosage of Fe2+ aq enhances dissolution of passivated oxide layers. • Reduction in oxide layer thickness with Fe2+ aq and wheat straw. • Fresh Fe(0) was typically observed within 15 s by etching the surface oxide. • Fe2+ aq promotes corrosion of passivation film on iron particles. • Wheat straw as a viable alternative to Fe2+ aq for enhanced NO 3 - Removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Polymer functionalized melamine sponge was used as a novel matrix clean-up agent. • An efficient purification method was developed for antipsychotic drug analysis. • Polymer functionalized sponge is a viable alternative for matrix purification. The prohibition of antipsychotic drugs in animal foodstuffs has raised significant concerns. In this study, a novel matrix purification adsorbent comprising a polymer (polyaniline and polypyrrole)-functionalized melamine sponge (Ms) was employed for the high performance liquid chromatography-diode array detector (HPLC-DAD) detection of three phenothiazines (chlorpromazine, thioridazine, and promethazine), and a tricyclic imipramine in milk. The as-prepared functionalized Ms was characterized using scanning electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and water contact angle measurements. Excellent linearity with a coefficient of determination (R2) of 0.999 was achieved for all drugs within the concentration range of 0.01–47.00 μg mL−1. The recoveries of the four analytes ranged from 92.1 % to 106.9 % at the three spiked levels. These results demonstrate the successful application of the proposed method for the determination of the four drugs. Cost-effective polymer-functionalized Ms is a viable alternative for matrix purification, enabling rapid determination of drug residues in diverse food samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a novel bio-based benzoxazine-terminated hyperbranched polyester (HB-Dfa) was designed and synthesized using renewable diphenolic acid and furfurylamine as raw materials through self-polymerization and Mannich condensation reaction. Meanwhile, the copolymers based on HB-Dfa and benzoxazine monomer (P-ddm) were prepared to investigate the effect of HB-Dfa on the properties of traditional benzoxazine. The chemical structure of HB-Dfa was elucidated by fourier transform infrared (FTIR) and nuclear magnetic resonance (1H NMR) spectroscopies. The curing behavior and curing kinetics were investigated by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC), showing that it possessed a low temperature of exothermic peak and activation energy value compared with the P-ddm. Hence, the curing process of P-ddm was facilitated by the introduction of HB-Dfa. The thermomechanical and thermal properties of P-ddm/HB-Dfa copolymers were determined by dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), respectively. Compared with the pure P-ddm resin, the introduction of HB-Dfa remained most of glass transition temperature (T g), cross-linking density and thermal stability, which could promote the curing reaction and reduce the curing temperature of the copolymers. In addition, HB-Dfa exhibited a low dielectric constant (2.46 ≥ k ≥ 2.16) and a low dielectric loss (f ≤ 0.05) at frequencies range of 2–18 GHz, which could effectively modify the dielectric properties of the copolymer system. [Display omitted] • Fully bio-based benzoxazine-terminated hyperbranched polyesters was prepared. • HB-Dfa exhibits low activation energy and and soluble in various organic solvents. • Poly(HB-Dfa)s shows low dielectric constant at frequencies range of 2–18 GHz. • Copolymers with low cure temperature and dielectric constant and improved toughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this hydrological study, we developed a Transformer-based model to forecast urban river discharges and predict flood peaks, crucial for flood mitigation in urban areas prone to inundation. Utilizing daily precipitation data from 63 meteorological stations and flow data from hydrological stations, we established a correlation using the Random Forest method to determine the lag time between precipitation and flow. The model, enhanced with alternative loss functions – Weighted MSE Loss (WMSE), Huber Loss (Hloss), and Quantile Loss (Qloss) – instead of traditional Mean Squared Error (MSE), aims to project daily flow rates for seven days. Our findings indicate that Hloss significantly reduces absolute errors in peak value predictions, while WMSE improves linear correlation in forecasting. The accuracy remains stable for the initial four days, with a decrease from the fifth day. This approach, integrating diverse loss functions, presents a novel method for accurately predicting river discharges, offering vital insights for proactive flood management. • Unique loss functions tailored to amplify peak flow event prediction accuracy. • Novel integration of DSW preprocessing with Transformer for hydrology forecasting. • Lag time optimization using Random Forest, enhancing input data synchronization. • Advanced seven-day flow forecasting leveraging data from 63 meteorological stations. • Dynamic model update strategy proposed for long-term hydrological shifts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The analysis of the implementation effect of the supply-side reform (SSR) in the industrial sector of China's provinces and the reasons behind them are of great significance for China to formulate relevant policies in the future. However, this work has not yet been carried out. Industrial development performance is closely related to energy and environmental efficiency (EEE), and the effect of the SSR implementation is directly reflected in EEE. This study fills this gap by analyzing the EEE of 30 provinces in China from 2012 to 2017 using data envelopment analysis and Malmquist index methods. The results show that the positive effect of China's implementation of SSR has emerged. This positive effect is mainly reflected in the implementation of measures such as reducing overcapacity, which has promoted the technological innovation of enterprises. However, the low management level and resource-allocation efficiency hinder the further improvement of the implementation effect of the SSR, which should be paid special attention to in China's future supply-side reform. In addition, we believe that in the context of China's high-quality development and carbon neutrality goals, the SSR should be given more connotations, which are to increase the requirements for strengthening green and low-carbon development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Many studies have shown that parents of children with congenital heart disease have more stress, anxiety and depression. This study was aimed to explore the effect of implementing WeChat-assisted health education and preoperative care on parents of children with the restrictive ventricular septal defect to improve the psychological state. A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted in a provincial hospital in China. Participants were randomly divided into an intervention group and a control group to explore the psychological state of parents of children with the restricted ventricular septal defect. Before surgery, the state-trait anxiety inventory scale score (STAI) of the WeChat group were 26.8 ± 8.2 and 27.3 ± 7.0, which were significantly higher than those of the leaflet group (37.6 ± 12.9 and 39.3 ± 11.7). Compared with the STAI score at the first visit, the WeChat group preoperative score was significantly lower (P < 0.05). The rate of loss to follow-up in the WeChat group (0%) was significantly lower than that of the leaflet group (14.3%). The complication of the leaflet group was significantly higher than that of the WeChat group. Health education and preoperative care for parents of children with restrictive ventricular septal defect through WeChat can effectively improve the parents' mental state and reduce the incidence of complications and the rate of loss to follow-up. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study proposed an event-triggered quantized model predictive control (ETQMPC) method for the dynamic docking of unmanned underwater vehicles (UUVs) and human-occupied vehicles (HOVs). The proposed strategy employed a non-periodic control approach that initiated the non-linear model predictive control (NMPC) optimization and state sampling based on tracking errors and deviations from the predicted optimal state, thereby enhancing computing performance and system efficiency without compromising the control quality. To further conserve communication resources and improve information transfer efficiency, a quantitative feedback mechanism was employed for sampling and state quantification. The simulation experiments were performed to verify the effectiveness of the method, demonstrating excellent docking trajectory tracking performance, robustness against bounded current interference, and significant reductions in computational and communication burdens. The experimental results demonstrated that the method outperformed in the docking trajectory tracking control performance significantly improved the computational and communication performance, and comprehensively improved the system efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study was to summarize the clinical experience with laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure of the internal ring using an epidural needle for inguinal hernias in girls. A total of 462 girls with inguinal hernias participated in this study from January 2013 to June 2019. Laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure of the internal ring via an epidural needle was used to treat these patients. All 462 girls with an inguinal hernia successfully underwent laparoscopic surgery. The operative times for unilateral and bilateral inguinal hernias were 15 (11–25) minutes and 23 (18–33) minutes, respectively. All patients were discharged 1–2 days after the operations. During the hospitalization and follow-up periods, none of the following complications were observed: hernia recurrence, umbilical hernia, abdominal wall vascular injury, intestinal injury or bladder injury. However, there were six patients with complications: two cases of poor healing of the umbilical incision, three cases of suture granulomas and one case of groin traction pain and discomfort. Laparoscopic percutaneous extraperitoneal closure of the internal ring using an epidural needle is a safe and feasible method for the treatment of inguinal hernias in girls. This method has the advantages of limited trauma, no scarring and a good cosmetic effect. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Helical polymers have attracted a great deal of attention and been extensively investigated due to their various applications. One of the most important applications of helical polymers is chiral recognition and resolution of enantiomers for the reason that a pair of enantiomers is commonly with different physiological and toxicological behaviors in biological systems. Helical polymers usually present unexpected high chiral recognition ability to a variety of racemic compounds. What's more, the chiral recognition and resolution abilities of the system are dependent on the highly ordered helical structures of the helical polymers. This mini review mainly focuses on the recent progress in chiral recognition and resolution based on helical polymers. The synthetic methodology for helical polymers is firstly discussed briefly. Then recent advances of chiral recognition and resolution systems based on helical polymers, especially polyacetylenes and polyisocyanides, are described. We hope this mini review will inspire more interest in developing helical polymers and encourage further advances in chiral-related disciplines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The potash-bearing deposit was located in the Vientiane Basin of Laos where exists one of eastern Tethys metallogenic belt. The water-insoluble of Thongmang mining area in this basin were selected as carrier, through leaching and analysis, showed the water-insoluble minerals mainly include anhydrite, boracite, hilgardite, carbonate, quartz and muscovite, in which anhydrite, boracite and muscovite were dominant minerals. Mineralogical and morphological analyses of the water-insoluble minerals from different borehole-derived potash mineral strata have elucidated the evolution process of brine salt formation and restore the paleo-potassium deposit environment. The water-insoluble minerals revealed that the sedimentary environment in the late stage of salinity belongs to the shallow water disturbing environment. Accompanied by the fluvial influx and the influence continued, under the strong influence of terrestrial water body in the late salt-forming period, the evolution process of salt-forming brine will inevitably be affected. And the displacement of sedimentary center occurred during the metallogenic stage. Thus, this studies show that the characteristics of the water-insoluble can be used to retrieve the evolution process of brine salt formation and refect environment changes of the paleo-potassium deposits. In a word, the characteristics of water-insoluble minerals can provide effective information indicating the changes of sedimentary environments at the late stage of brine evolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, we describe an unusual new species, Lysimachia brevianthera X.W. Li, in Lysimachia subgen. Idiophyton from China. It has the filaments longer than the basifixed anthers, at the base fused into a narrow ring connate with the corolla; leaves congested at the upper part of the stem; and grayish black capsules. Lysimachia brevianthera is similar to L. laxa in having a winged stem and the free part of filaments longer than 2 mm, but differs from it by the unbranched stems (vs. many branched stems), larger flowers and grayish black capsules (vs. light brown capsules). A phylogenetic analysis supports the placement of L. brevianthera in subgen. Idiophyton. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An intriguing solid-state all-carboatomic ring, cyclo[18]carbon was observed recently in experiment. In this paper, the structures, bonding characters and electronic properties of Be- and Mg-doped cyclo[18]carbon ( BeC 18 and MgC 18 ) were studied using density functional theory. The most stable structures of BeC 18 and MgC 18 are still ring-like configurations. Bond order analysis shows the characteristic of alternative bond length for the doped C 18 . Compared with primitive C 18 ring, the long C–C bond length of doped C 18 became longer and the bond order became smaller on the whole. However, the short C–C bond gets shorter and the bond order gets larger. The features of frontier molecular orbital of BeC 18 and MgC 18 were different from that of primitive C 18 . The results of bond order, electron difference density, localized orbital locator, binding energies and metal–carbon bonding interactions revealed that the structure of BeC 18 is more stable than MgC 18 . Both BeC 18 and MgC 18 are weak aromaticity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of using telemedicine to improve the quality of life of parents of infants with congenital heart disease surgery after discharge.Methods: A prospective randomized controlled study was conducted in a provincial hospital in China from November 2020 to April 2021 to compare the quality of life of parents of infants with congenital heart disease surgery after discharge between the WeChat follow-up group and the outpatient follow-up group. A total of 84 patients (42 in each group) and 168 parents (84 in each group) participated in this study.Results: One month after discharge, the SAS and SDS scores of parents in the intervention group were significantly lower than those in the control group (P<0.05). Compared with the SAS and SDS scores at discharge, the scores of parents in the intervention group were significantly lower at one month after discharge (P<0.05), while the scores of parents in the control group were similar at one month after discharge (P>0.05). At discharge, in both the intervention group and the control group, the SAS and SDS scores of the mothers were higher than those of the fathers (P<0.05). One month after discharge, in the control group, the SAS and SDS scores of the mothers were higher than those of the fathers (P<0.05). One month after discharge, in the intervention group, the SAS and SDS scores of the mothers were similar to those of the fathers (P>0.05). The comparison of the SAS and SDS scores of parents with different education levels showed that in both the intervention group and control group, the lower the parents' educational levels were, the higher their SAS and SDS scores were (P<0.05). One month after discharge, in the control group, the lower the parents' education levels were, the higher their SAS and SDS scores (P<0.05). One month after discharge, in the intervention group, the SAS and SDS scores were similar among parents with different educational levels. The results of the WHOQOL-BREF scale showed that the scores of the physiological, psychological, social and environmental fields at one month after discharge in the intervention group were significantly higher than those in the control group (P<0.05).Conclusion: Providing health education and medical support to the parents of infants with congenital heart disease surgery after discharge via telemedicine can effectively relieve the parents' anxiety and depression and improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The study of stable neutral metal endohedral cyclo[n]carbon is helpful for discovering single-molecule devices. Extensive structural search and density functional theory calculations performed here indicate that the perfect planar alkaline metal-doped complexes Sr@C 14 possess the well-defined global minima of the system with the metal atom located exactly at the center of the carbon ring. The configuration and bonding properties of C 14 are different from those of pristine cyclo [14]carbon. The significant stabilization when forming Sr@C 14 predominantly originates from the electrostatic interaction between Sr2+ and C 14 2−. The detailed molecular orbital, nucleus-independent chemical shift (NICS), and ring current analyses indicate that Sr@C 14 is aromatic in nature. The NICS values of Sr@C 14 are considerably larger than those of benzene. Ab initio molecular dynamics simulations at different temperatures reveal that this system exhibits certain stability at low or moderate temperatures. The findings of this study effectively enrich the chemical structures and bonding patterns of metal-doped cyclo[n]carbon and provide the knowledge required to obtain novel structures of Sr@C 14 in future experiments. The ground state of neutral Sr@C 14 compounds are metal-centered monocyclic carbon ring structures. Charge transfer between strontium and C 14 forms stable [Sr]2+[C 14 ]2− ionic complexes. Sr@C 14 exhibits significant aromaticity and thermodynamic stability. [Display omitted] • The ground state of neutral Sr@C 14 compounds are metal-centered monocyclic carbon ring structures. • Charge transfer between strontium and C 14 forms stable [Sr]2+[C 14 ]2− ionic complexes. • Sr@C 14 exhibits significant aromaticity and thermodynamic stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Acute kidney injury occurs frequently in the perioperative setting. The renal medulla often endures hypoxia or hypoperfusion and is susceptible to the imbalance between oxygen supply and demand due to the nature of renal blood flow distribution and metabolic rate in the kidney. The current available evidence demonstrated that the urine oxygen pressure is proportional to the variations of renal medullary tissue oxygen pressure. Thus, urine oxygenation can be a candidate for reflecting the change of oxygen in the renal medulla. In this review, we discuss the basic physiology of acute kidney injury, as well as techniques for monitoring urine oxygen tension, confounding factors affecting the reliable measurement of urine oxygen tension, and its clinical use, highlighting its potential role in early detection and prevention of acute kidney injury. • Acute kidney injury occurs frequently in the perioperative setting. • The renal medulla is susceptible to the imbalance between oxygen supply and demand. • PuO 2 is proportional to the variations of renal medullary tissue oxygen pressure. • PuO 2 can resemble the changes in oxygen in the renal medulla. • PuO 2 has a potential role in early detection and prevention of acute kidney injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to solve the problem that artificial selection of high-quality seeds is limited to the external characteristics of seeds and inefficient, this paper develops a new method to identify the internal defects Ginkgo biloba seeds by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance (LF-NMR) technology and convolution neural network. First, 4500 images reflecting the internal characteristics of ginkgo seeds are collected by low-field nuclear magnetic resonance system. Region of interest segmentation, mean enhancement algorithm, and proportional enhancement algorithm are used to preprocess the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of Ginkgo biloba seeds. Then, the Alex-Net model is improved to create a new SE_AlexNet_MiniConv (SAMC) model, including one depth texture network and three attention modules of the squeeze–excitation network. Furthermore, transfer learning is applied to improve the model performance of Ginkgo biloba seeds classification. Lastly, adjustments are made to the network structure, and the SAMC model hyper-parametric is adjusted. The data set is divided into training set, verification set, and test set according to the ratio of 7:2:1. The result shows that the classification accuracy of SAMC model for three kinds of defects (rotten, normal, and embryo absent) reaches to 96.92%, which is higher than other four common models, including Alex-Net, VggNet-16, ResNet-18, and ResNet-50. In addition, gradient class activation mapping (Grad-CAM) is used to analyze the attention area of the SAMC model for each category. This research demonstrates that MRI based on feature adaptive learning achieves high precision, recall, and F1 scores. LF-NMR technology is feasible and effective for detecting internal defects of Ginkgo biloba seeds non-destructively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: This study aimed to explore the effect of implementing pre‐operative WeChat‐assisted health education for parents of children with restrictive ventricular septal defects to improve their quality of life. Methods: A prospective randomised controlled study was conducted in a provincial hospital in China. Participants were randomly divided into the intervention group (WeChat group, n = 35) and the control group (leaflet group, n = 35). The quality of life of parents of children with restricted ventricular septal defects was studied. Results: Compared with the leaflet group, the WeChat group had a significantly lower score for the pre‐operative Self‐Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) (P < 0.05). The pre‐operative SAS score in the WeChat group was significantly lower than that at the first visit (P < 0.05). However, the SAS score in the leaflet group was similar at the time of preoperation and the first visit (P > 0.05). The pre‐operative scores of the World Health Organization Quality of Life‐BREF (WHOQOL‐BREF) scale in the physiological, psychological, social, and environmental fields and the total life quality score in the WeChat group were significantly higher than those of the leaflet group (P < 0.05). Conclusion: Implementing pre‐operative WeChat‐assisted health education for parents of children with restrictive ventricular septal defects can effectively relieve their anxiety and improve their quality of life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The formation energies of native point defects in crystalline α-Al2O3 were investigated by combining first principles-based methods and theoretical models in a grand canonical framework. For defect formation reactions in this framework, the chemical potentials of chemical species and electrons can be constrained by the conditions of aqueous electrochemical systems, where liquid water is thermodynamically stable. Activation relaxation technique (ART) simulations using an empirical interatomic potential were implemented to discover candidates for stable configurations of point defects. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations were then used to confirm the accurate energetics of the candidate defect configurations. The results show that, except Al vacancies, the most stable defect configurations are generated by simply adding/removing atoms at particular high-symmetry sites. We also investigated the stability of these point defects as a function of the chemical potentials of both electron and oxygen. The results reveal that, at the conditions of thermodynamic stability for liquid water in aqueous electrochemical systems, Al vacancies as the most stable point defects in α-Al2O3 can be generated in exothermic defect formation reactions with negative formation energies. These thermodynamic tendencies provide critical insights into the nature of passive films formed under aqueous electrochemical conditions, particularly explaining of the formation of amorphous structures of passive alumina. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: During the COVID-19 pandemic, parents of infants having medical problem face challenges of insufficient medical resources at home. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of WeChat-based telehealth services on the preoperative follow-up of infants with congenital heart disease (CHD) during the COVID-19 pandemic.Methods: This study retrospectively analyzed the medical records of 190 infants with CHD who underwent remote follow-up via WeChat from December 2019 to May 2020 in Fujian Maternity and Child Health Hospital, Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University. In addition, the psychological benefits of WeChat on the parents of these infants were analyzed.Results: In total, 190 infants were involved in this study, including 72 cases of ventricular septal defects, 42 cases of patent ductus arteriosus, 55 cases of atrial septal defects, 3 cases of tetralogy of Fallot, 2 cases of endocardial cushion defects, 12 cases of pulmonary stenosis, 2 cases of total anomalous pulmonary venous connection and 2 cases of aortic arch constriction. During the follow-up period, 48 infants who received surgical indications were hospitalized in time for surgical treatment. It was recommended that 10 infants with respiratory tract infections be treated in local hospitals through the WeChat platform. We provided feeding guidance to 28 infants with dysplasia through the WeChat platform. The psychological evaluation results of parents showed that the median score and range of Self-Rating Depression Scale scores were 42 and 32-58, respectively. Nine parents (4.7%) were clinically depressed, while the majority had mild depression. The median score and range of Self-Rating Anxiety Scale scores were 44 and 31-59, respectively. Twenty parents (10.5%) had clinical anxiety, while the rest had mild anxiety.Conclusion: During the COVID-19 pandemic, follow-up management and health services for infants with CHD prior to surgery through the WeChat platform were useful in identifying the state of an infant's condition as well as in identifying and relieving care pressure, anxiety and depression in the parents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This work aims to analyze the passivation and pitting corrosion behaviors of laser beam welded R60702 zirconium alloy in neutral and acidic chloride‐containing electrolytes. Potentiodynamic polarization and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy measurements are carried out to investigate the electrochemical performance of the welding joint. Scanning electron microscope, X‐ray diffraction, and three‐dimensional profile digital microscope are utilized to reveal the microstructures and corrosion morphologies. The electrochemical results show that the heat‐affected zone (HAZ) and weld zone have nearly equal corrosion performance, and both of them are more corrosion‐resistant than the base metal. The corrosion morphologies suggest that the HAZ has the lowest sensitivity to pitting corrosion. Moreover, it is unraveled that, in chloride‐containing electrolytes, the quantity and distribution of Zr(Fe,Cr)2 particle phases are the main factors that determine the different corrosion performances of the welding joint. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The reference evapotranspiration (ETo) is essential for water-consuming in agriculture and land-water cycle research. The synoptic data from meteorological stations can provide reliable ground data for ETo estimation with the FAO-56 Penman-Monteith equation. However, the five primary variables this equation needs, including maximum temperature (Tmax), minimum temperature (Tmin), sunshine duration (SSD), wind speed (Wind), and relative humidity (RH), often experience severe data loss due to force majeure events in synoptic data. The data loss would directly introduce severe data gaps to the complex records for ETo. Machine learning algorithms can fill various data gaps with low error rates, however, to achieve high data quality, the algorithms must be selected properly to deal with the distinct types of data loss and train independently. Here, based on the data characters, we investigated and classified data gaps from the synoptic dataset into 2 major types: the common, minor data loss gaps including Tmax loss/Tmin loss/SSD loss/Wind loss/RH loss/Wind and SSD loss/Wind and RH loss, and the other 19 types of data loss which is more severe in information loss but barely occurred. Our results show that the XGBoost model achieved the best accuracy in all 3 machine learning models with high statistic levels. For the other 19 types of data gaps, the LSTM models were trained separately for each site and achieved average R², RMSE, and nRMSE at 0.9, 0.5 mm d-1, and 38 % for the total 2419 stations. Thus, we propose a high-quality, gap-filled daily ETo dataset during 1951–2021 for China with the proportion of large errors (the data with daily ETo errors more than 1.5 mm d-1) below 0.2 %. Our results also reveal that the entanglement degree between synoptic variables varies a lot from region to region in China. Although most research indicates that wind speed is not very important for ETo estimation with machine learning models, our findings reveal that wind speed played a more significant role in ETo estimation in most areas of China during the years before the 21st century. Still, the impact of wind speed on ETo has also been alleviated in recent years. This ETo dataset for China is available online at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.11496932 (Zhou et al., 2024). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coronaviruses have evolved a variety of strategies to optimize the cellular microenvironment for efficient replication. In this study, we report the induction of AP-1 transcription factors by coronavirus infection based on genome-wide analyses of differentially expressed genes in cells infected with the avian coronavirus infectious bronchitis virus (IBV). Most members of the AP-1 transcription factors were subsequently found to be upregulated during the course of IBV and porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection of cultured cells as well as in IBV-infected chicken embryos. Further characterization of the induction kinetics and functional roles of cFOS in IBV replication demonstrated that the upregulation of cFOS at early to intermediate phases of IBV replication cycles suppresses IBV-induced apoptosis and promotes viral replication. Blockage of the nuclear translocation of cFOS by the peptide inhibitor nuclear localization signal peptide (NLSP) suppressed IBV replication and apoptosis, ruling out the involvement of the cytoplasmic functions of cFOS in the replication of IBV. Furthermore, knockdown of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) and inhibition of Jun N-terminal protein kinase (JNK) and p38 kinase activities reduced cFOS upregulation and IBV replication. This study reveals an important function of cFOS in the regulation of coronavirus-induced apoptosis, facilitating viral replication. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Taking the advantage of "parity kicks" pulses, we investigate the non-classical correlation dynamics and quantum state transfer in an atom–cavity–fiber system, which consists of two identical subsystems, each subsystem comprising of multiple two-level atoms trapped in two remote single-model optical cavities that are linked by an optical fiber. It is found that the non-classical correlations and the fidelity of quantum state transfer (between the atoms) can be greatly improved by the parity kicks pulses. In particular, with decrease of the time intervals between two consecutive pulses, perfect non-classical correlation transfer and entangled state transfer can be achieved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study describes an improved alkaline fusion technique for the Re–Os dating of molybdenite. The molybdenite sample was digested in a zirconium crucible with NaOH and carbonized flour at 700 °C. The flour can reduce Os from a high oxidation state to a lower oxidation state during the high-temperature digestion so that isotope equilibration can be reached between the spike and the sample. Less amount of NaOH was used compared with the previously reported technique, lowering the procedure blank. Rhenium was separated by kinetic absorption with an anion exchange resin, and Os was purified by distillation with aqua regia and H2O2. Both Re and Os isotope compositions were measured via inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. The results obtained for the molybdenite reference material, JDC, were in good agreement with certified values, demonstrating that the proposed method is efficient for the Re–Os dating of molybdenite. Compared with Carius tube and high-pressure asher sealed acid digestion methods, the improved alkaline fusion method yields comparable Os blanks but has a more simple, quick, and secure procedure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]