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A series of GdIG ceramics with good infrared transparency have been fabricated by a hot-press sintering process with vacuum/oxygen atmosphere. The effects of the powder synthesizing temperature and the ceramic sintering temperature on the phase structure and microstructure of the GdIG ceramics were examined and analyzed. The GdIG ceramic sample sintered at 1275 °C from the Gd 2 O 3 and Fe 2 O 3 powders pre-synthesized at 1000 °C demonstrated an exceptionally high infrared transmittance, it is ≥ 68% within the wavelength range of 1500–5000 nm (t = 0.5 mm). Furthermore, the magnetic and magneto-optic property of the GdIG ceramic samples were investigated and discussed. When a saturation external magnetic field of ∼50 mT acting on the GdIG ceramic sample, the specific Faraday rotation angles are about 104 deg./cm and 51 deg./cm at 1064 and 1550 nm wavelength respectively. It exhibits a good faraday effect of GdIG ceramics which is rarely reported until now. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Infrared transparent Ce‐doped Y3Fe5O12 (Ce: YIG, CexY3‐xFe5O12, x = 0, 0.12, 0.24, 0.36) ceramics were successfully produced by the solid‐state reaction using a hot‐press sintering process from the Y2O3, Fe2O3, and CeO2 powders. The phase structure, microstructure, infrared transmittance, and magnetic and magneto‐optical properties of the Ce‐doped Y3Fe5O12 ceramics were measured and analyzed. The in‐line transmittances of the Ce‐doped Y3Fe5O12 ceramics with the x = 0, 0.12, 0.24 (L = 0.5 mm) at 1550 nm were about 72%, 66.5%, and 57.6%, respectively. In the state of saturation magnetization, the Faraday rotation angle per centimeter (θF) of CexY3‐xFe5O12 (x = 0, 0.12, 0.24) ceramics measured by the light extinction method was 182.5, −410.4, and −958.3 deg./cm, respectively. The change of the θF was about −142.5 deg./cm when per 1at.% Ce was substituted in the dodecahedral site of YIG materials. The (Ce0.24Y2.76)Fe5O12 ceramics were determined as the optimized composition for its excellent infrared optical and magneto‐optical properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Clarifying the response of soil microbial communities to vegetation restoration is essential to comprehend biogeochemical processes and ensure the long-term viability of forest development. To assess the variations in soil microbial communities throughout the growth of Pinus armandii plantations in the karst region, we utilized the “space instead of time” approach and selected four P. armandii stands with ages ranging from 10 to 47 years, along with a grassland control. The microbial community structure was determined by conducting Illumina sequencing of the 16 S rRNA gene and the ITS gene, respectively. The results demonstrated that afforestation with P. armandii significantly influenced soil microbial communities, as indicated by notable differences in bacterial and fungal composition and diversity between the plantations and the control. However, soil microbe diversity did not display significant variation across stand ages. Moreover, the bacterial community exhibited higher responsiveness to age gradients compared to the fungal community. Soil physicochemical factors play a critical role in elucidating microbial diversity and community composition variations during restoration processes. TN, AN, TP, AP, SOC, AK, and pH were the most significant influencing factors for the composition of bacterial community, while TC, SOC, pH, and TCa were the most significant influencing factors for the composition of fungal community. Our findings indicate substantial changes in soil bacterial and fungal communities across successive stages of development. Additionally, the changes in dominant bacteria and fungi characteristics across the age gradient were primarily attributed to variations in the prevailing soil conditions and chemical factors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the clinic value between the transcervical resection of myoma (TCRM) and laparoscopic myomectomy (LM), and investigate the favourable surgical approaches in women with intramural uterine myomas. Methods: From January 1, 2007 to December 31, 2011, 236 women undergoing TCRM (hysteroscopy group) and 392 women undergoing LM (laparoscope group) were studied retrospectively in The Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University. The patients' general information, peri -operative characteristics, postoperative muscle healing, and pregnancy outcome were compared and analyzed. Results: The average operation time, the average intraoperative blood loss and the reduce perioperative hemoglobin level of hysteroscopic group and laparoscopic group were compared respectively, the difference had statistical significance (P <0.05). The transfer laparotomy operation rate, postoperative fever rate and menstrual period rate of hysteroscopic group and laparoscopic group were compared. There was no significant difference (P>0.05). In the follow-up of 181 cases of hysteroscopy group and 336 cases of laparoscopic group of patients, the muscular complete healing rate of postoperative 1 month, 3 months, 6 months were respectively comparison, the difference had statistical significance (P<0.05). The muscular complete healing rate of postoperative 12 months was no statistically significant difference (P=0.709). The postoperative pregnancy from fibroids weed out of time for the first time of hysteroscopic group and laparoscopic group was statistically significant difference (P<0.05). All patients with postoperative pregnancy appeared no pregnant uterine rupture. Conclusions: For intramural myoma, two kinds of operation modes are safe and reliable. The intraoperative bleeding and postoperative recovery by TCRM is better than the patientes treated by LM, so hysteroscopy surgery is superior to the laparoscopic surgery for the patients with intramural uterine myoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Priority conservation areas are the key areas of biodiversity maintenance and ecosystem conservation. Based on a Maxent model, this study predicted the potential distribution of Pseudotsuga sinensis under the current climate and future climate change scenarios in Guizhou province, and then, assessed three kinds of priority conservation area under climate change. The results were as follows: (1) The AUC (Area Under the Curve) values showed excellent prediction accuracy of the model. (2) The areas of the potential habitats of P. sinensis forests under the current climate and future climate change scenarios were 22,062.85 km2 and 18,395.92 km2, respectively. As for their spatial distribution, the potential habitats of P. sinensis forests were distributed in the Bijie, Zunyi, Tongren, Liupanshui and Xingyi regions under the current climate, and in the Kaili region, in addition to the above-mentioned cities, under future climate change scenarios. (3) The total area of priority conservation areas under climate change was 25,350.26 km2. The area of the predicted sustainable potential habitats was 15,075.96 km2, of the vulnerable potential habitats was 7256.59 km2 and of the derivative potential habitats was 3017.71 km2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Au@PIL-cerasome is a stable nanocomposite with stereo biomimetic membrane. • Au@PIL-cerasome has better conductivity compared with single cerasome. • Direct electron transfer of HRP was achieved on the Au@PIL-cerasome/GCE. • The current was enhanced by the synergistic effect of Au@PIL and cerasome. • The electrochemical platform can be devoted to investigate the signal transduction. A novel liposomal nanocomposite, Au@PIL-cerasome, with biocompatibility and conductivity was fabricated via the self-assembly of cerasomes and gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) stabilized by poly(ionic liquid)s (PILs). The surface charge, morphology and chemical composition of the nanocomposites were characterized by the zeta potential, UV–vis, TEM, SEM and EDS. The nanocomposites exhibited structural stability directly on the surface of solid electrodes, without fusion. Electrochemical impedance experiments demonstrated that the nanocomposites had an enhanced conductivity compared with unmodified cerasomes. Horseradish peroxidase (HRP), as a reporter, was immobilized on the nanocomposites without denaturation or inactivation. The direct electron transfer of HRP was achieved, and the HRP/Au@PIL-cerasome/GCE exhibited an amplified current and improved electrocatalytic activity. Activity towards H 2 O 2 displayed a linear range over 10–70 μM and a detection limit of 3.3 μM. Activity towards NO 2 − displayed linear ranges over 1–5 mM and 5–1280 mM, and the limit of detection was 0.11 mM. In addition, the electrode was stable and reproducible, with 6% RSD. Such multi-component liposomal nanocomposites with an enhanced electrical performance pave a better way for building novel and straightforward 3D stereo biomimetic electrochemical platforms and even molecular communication systems to investigate information transduction between cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Trials on assessing the benefits of EGFR inhibitors in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) patients have gradually been published. Nevertheless, the benefits of gefitinib in advanced HNSCC are still unknown. Methods. The Cochrane library, PubMed, and EMBASE databases were systematically searched from the inception dates to 17 July 2017, 18 July 2017, and 19 July 2017, respectively. The keywords "head and neck" and gefitinib were used to retrieve in articles and abstracts. An additional search for recently published randomized trials was performed from July 17, 2017, to April 18, 2018. Then we assessed the risk of bias of the included studies based on the Cochrane "Risk of Bias" tool. Quantitative analysis was carried out to evaluate the overall survival (OS), progression free survival (PFS), overall response rate (ORR), and grade 3-4 adverse effects by Review Manager 5.0.2 and the quality-of-life was analyzed in the included studies. Results. Seven randomized controlled trials and a total number of 1287 patients were involved. There were no significant differences in OS, PFS, or ORR between gefitinib and no gefitinib group (HR 1.07, 95% CI 0.93 to 1.22, and P=0.35; HR 0.84, 95% CI 0.69 to 1.04, and P=0.11; RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.90 to 1.20, and P =0.60, respectively). However, gefitinib alone was equivalent to chemotherapeutics (i.e., methotrexate; methotrexate + fluorouracil) in ORR in patients with recurrent HNSCC, and a trend of improvement in QOL in gefitinib group was showed. Toxicities revealed no differences except for diarrhea and skin toxicity (p=0.0003; p=0.03, respectively). Conclusion. For patients with advanced HNSCC, gefitinib cannot prolong the OS and PFS or improve ORR, and odds of skin toxicity and diarrhea increased. However, gefitinib alone is equivalent to methotrexate or methotrexate + fluorouracil and tends to improve QOL for recurrent patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]