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To improve the electrocatalytic transformation of carbon dioxide (CO2) to multi-carbon (C2þ) products is of great importance. Here we developed a nitrogen-doped Cu catalyst, by which the maximum C2þ Faradaic efficiency can reach 72.7% in flow-cell system, with the partial current density reaching 0.62 A cm-2. The in situ Raman spectra demonstrate that the *CO adsorption can be strengthened on such a N-doped Cu catalyst, thus promoting the *CO utilization in the subsequent C--C coupling step. Simultaneously, the water activation can be well enhanced by N doping on Cu catalyst. Owing to the synergistic effects, the selectivity and activity for C2þ products over the N-deoped Cu catalyst are much improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: This study assessed biomechanical properties of pedicle screws enhanced or revised with 3 materials. We aimed to compare the efficacy of these materials in pedicle augmentation and revision. Methods: One hundred twenty human cadaveric vertebrae were utilized for in vitro testing. Vertebrae bone density was evaluated. Allograft bone particles (ABP), calcium phosphate cement (CPC), and demineralized bone matrix (DBM) were used to augment or revise pedicle screw. Post the implantation of pedicle screws, parameters such as insertional torque, pullout strength, cycles to failure and failure load were measured using specialized instruments. Results: ABP, CPC, and DBM significantly enhanced biomechanical properties of the screws. CPC augmentation showed superior properties compared to ABP or DBM. ABP-augmented screws had higher cycles to failure and failure loads than DBM-augmented screws, with no difference in pullout strength. CPC-revised screws exhibited similar strength to the original screws, while ABP-revised screws showed comparable cycles to failure and failure loads but lower pullout strength. DBM-revised screws did not match the original screws' strength. Conclusion: ABP, CPC, and DBM effectively improve pedicle screw stability for pedicle augmentation. CPC demonstrated the highest efficacy, followed by ABP, while DBM was less effective. For pedicle revision, CPC is recommended as the primary choice, with ABP as an alternative. However, using DBM for pedicle revision is not recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Many peripheral inflammatory markers were reported to be associated with the prognosis of aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH). We aimed to identify the most promising inflammatory factor that can improve existing predictive models. Methods: The study was based on data from a 10 year retrospective cohort study at Sichuan University West China Hospital. We selected the well-known SAFIRE and Subarachnoid Hemorrhage International Trialists' (SAHIT) models as the basic models. We compared the performance of the models after including the inflammatory markers and that of the original models. The developed models were internally and temporally validated. Results: A total of 3,173 patients were included in this study, divided into the derivation cohort (n = 2,525) and the validation cohort (n = 648). Most inflammatory markers could improve the SAH model for mortality prediction in patients with aSAH, and the neutrophil-to-albumin ratio (NAR) performed best among all the included inflammatory markers. By incorporating NAR, the modified SAFIRE and SAHIT models improved the area under the receiver operator characteristics curve (SAFIRE+NAR vs. SAFIRE: 0.794 vs. 0.778, p = 0.012; SAHIT+NAR vs. SAHIT: 0.831 vs. 0.819, p = 0.016) and categorical net reclassification improvement (SAFIRE+NAR: 0.0727, p = 0.002; SAHIT+NAR: 0.0810, p < 0.001). Conclusion: This study illustrated that among the inflammatory markers associated with aSAH prognosis, NAR could improve the SAFIRE and SAHIT models for 3 month mortality of aSAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electroreduction of CO² is a sustainable approach to produce syngas with tunable CO/H² ratios, which are required as specific reactants for the optimization of desired products. Herein, ZnO-d and ZnO-n nanomaterials were derived from zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) precursors with different morphologies, which exhibit good performance for CO² electroreduction to syngas when using 1-butyl- 3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate ([Bmim]PF6, 30 wt%)/acetonitrile/water (H²O, 5 wt%) as the supporting electrolyte. Regulation of the number of oxygen vacancies in different ZnO samples and the applied potentials during electrolysis can obviously affect the CO/H² ratios in syngas, which would be changed from 1/3 to 8.5/1. Meanwhile, ZnO-n with abundant oxygen vacancies displays the highest CO faradaic efficiency (FE) of 73.2% with the total current density of 9.8 mA cm-2 at -1.9 V vs. Ag/Ag+. More oxygen vacancies and higher electrochemical specific surface area of ZnO-n can provide more active sites and facilitate the adsorption of CO2 and its intermediates. The smaller charge transfer impedance of ZnO-n can accelerate the electron and proton transfer, and thus improve the catalytic activity and the selectivity of products. In addition, the good synergistic effect between the [Bmim]PF6- containing electrolyte and ZnO-n can enhance the formation of syngas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Smoking is associated with increased mortality in patients with cancer. However, there are limited data on the impact of smoking on the survival of patients with brain metastases. Therefore, this study aimed to evaluate whether smoking was associated with survival and whether smoking cessation was beneficial to these patients. Methods: This study used lung cancer with a brain metastasis cohort of the West China Hospital of Sichuan University from 2013 to 2021. Patients were stratified according to smoking history; the distribution, clinical characteristics, and survival data of each group were estimated. Kaplan-Meier analysis and risk analysis were performed for the survival endpoint. Results: Of the 2,647 patients included in the analysis, the median age was 57.8 years, and 55.4% were men. Among them, 67.1% had no smoking history, 18.9% still smoked, and 14% reported quitting smoking. Compared with never smokers, current smokers [HR, 1.51 (95% CI, 1.35-1.69), p < 0.01] and former smokers [HR, 1.32 (95% CI, 1.16-1.49), p<0.01] had an increased risk of death. However, quitting smoking was not associated with improved survival [HR, 0.90 (95% CI, 0.77-1.04), p = 0.16]. The overall survival increased with the increase of smoking cessation years. Conclusions: In lung cancer patients with brain metastases, smoking was associated with an increased risk of death, but quitting smoking was not associated with improved survival. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study further compared the endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) and laparoscopic transcystic common bile duct exploration (LTCBDE) approaches in the treatment of common bile duct stones (CBDS) from the perspective of efficacy, safety and economy. Methods: The therapeutic efficacy and safety of ERCP and LTCBDE approaches were retrospectively compared. Cost-effectiveness analysis of clinical economics was performed to analyze and evaluate the two approaches. Results: There was no significant difference in the success rate of surgery and bile stone residue between ERCP and LTCBDE group. The incidence of postoperative complications in ERCP group was significantly higher than that in the LTCBDE group; while the incidence of pancreatitis in the ERCP group was significantly higher than that in the LTCBDE group. There was no significant difference in biliary infection, bile leakage and sepsis between ERCP and LTCBDE groups. In terms of cost, the costs of surgery and nursing were significantly lower, the costs of treatment and sanitary materials were significantly higher in the ERCP group than that in the LTCBDE group. There was no significant difference in the costs of medical examination, laboratory test, medicine cost and total cost between ERCP group and LTCBDE group. The total length of hospital stay, length of hospital stay before surgery and duration of surgery in the ERCP group were significantly lower than that in the LTCBDE group; there was no significant difference in length of hospital stay after surgery between the ERCP and LTCBDE group. The cost-effectiveness ratio of ERCP group was 34171.25, and the cost-effectiveness of LTCBDE group was 34524.25. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER) of the two groups was 51415. Conclusion: ERCP and LTCBDE approaches had similar therapeutic efficacy in the treatment of CBDS. The safety of LTCBDE approach is superior to that of ERCP approach for the treatment of CBDS. ERCP approach is more economical in the treatment of CBDS than LTCBDE approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Low back pain is a major cause of disability worldwide that declines the quality of life; it poses a substantial economic burden for the patient and society. Intervertebral disc (IVD) degeneration (IDD) is the main cause of low back pain, and it is also the pathological basis of several spinal degenerative diseases, such as intervertebral disc herniation and spinal stenosis. The current clinical drug treatment of IDD focuses on the symptoms and not their pathogenesis, which results in frequent recurrence and gradual aggravation. Moreover, the side effects associated with the long-term use of these drugs further limit their use. The pathological mechanism of IDD is complex, and oxidative stress and inflammation play an important role in promoting IDD. They induce the destruction of the extracellular matrix in IVD and reduce the number of living cells and functional cells, thereby destroying the function of IVD and promoting the occurrence and development of IDD. Phytochemicals from fruits, vegetables, grains, and other herbs play a protective role in the treatment of IDD as they have anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties. This article reviews the protective effects of phytochemicals on IDD and their regulatory effects on different molecular pathways related to the pathogenesis of IDD.Moreover, the therapeutic limitations and future prospects of IDD treatment have also been reviewed. Phytochemicals are promising candidates for further development and research on IDD treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The diverse, multifunctional properties of polymers and composites have made them popular for developing improved materials and new products. Versatile recyclable polyhemiaminal dynamic networks (PHDNs) were prepared from paraformaldehyde and p-phenylenediamine via in situ polymerization at low temperatures. The as-prepared thermosetting polymer exhibited excellent solvent resistance, thermal resistance, and Young's modulus. The composites reinforced with functionalized carbon nanotubes showed better properties than the original polymer. The thermosetting polymer and its composites are potential precursors for the design of high-performance electrochemical active materials for supercapacitors with excellent electrochemical reversibility and charge--discharge properties. These superior properties demonstrated that the polymers and composites are multipurpose materials suitable for automotive, aerospace, and energy devices and in other related fields. The PHDN could be repeatedly depolymerized and the original monomers recovered completely at low pH and room temperature in a short time, which makes them promising candidates for various applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A noticeable challenge for a multi-load wireless power transfer system is to achieve stable power transfer under a dynamic change in coupling conditions. It was proposed that the parity-time symmetric wireless power transfer (PT-WPT) system can achieve stable output efficiency for a single receiver when tuned at the purely real eigenfrequency. However, in the case of higher order, PT symmetric systems usually cannot maintain the real eigenfrequency. To address the issue, a highorder PT-WPT model was established using coupled mode theory (CMT) theory in this paper, and the eigenfrequency of the multi-load PT-WPT system was analyzed. Here, we propose that, theoretically, the system can work at the purely real eigenfrequency by impedance matching. The transfer efficiency of the multi-load PT-WPT system when the system works at the real eigenfrequency was analyzed. The results of the numerical simulation show that the multi load PT-WPT system can maintain stable output efficiency under a dynamic change in coupling conditions. In the long run, our work provides a new possibility for the stable transmission of the multi-load wireless power transfer system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Neural stem cells (NSCs) have emerged as a promising treatment for spinal cord injuries. However, the increasing expression of bone morphogenetic proteins (BMPs) in spinal cord injury lesion sites seems to have contributed to the limited oligodendroglial differentiation and the majority of the astroglial differentiation of NSCs. In the present study, we demonstrate that BMPs promote NSCs differentiation toward astrocytes and prevent them from differentiating into oligodendrocytes. This effect is accompanied by the increasing expression of Id2 and the reduction in Oilg1/2 expression. Treatment with bone marrow stromal cells (BMSCs) can enhance the development of oligodendrocytes in the presence of BMPs. The analysis of Id2, as well as Olig1 and Olig2 gene expression, reveals that the effect of BMPs on these gene expressions is reversed with the addition of BMSCs. In sum, these data strongly suggest that BMSCs can promote the differentiation of NSCs into oligodendrocytes through mediating Id2 and Olig1/2 expression by blocking the BMP/Smad signaling pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The objective of this study was to determine the rate of acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS) in Zhejiang province and to identify specific factors associated with progression of this disease. Methods: This study utilized a retrospective cohort to identify the specific factors involved in the progression of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) to AIDS. We collected data of patients existing in care between 2008 and 2012 from the national surveillance system databases. We performed our analyses using a multivariate Cox proportional hazards model. Results: This study included 9216 HIV-positive patients (75.6 % male), which yielded 12,452 person-years (py) of follow-up-data. The AIDS progression rates were 33.9 % (2008), 33.6 % (2009), 38.1 % (2010), 30.6 % (2011) and 25.9 % (2012). We observed a significant reduction in the rate of progression Of HIV to AIDS post-2010 (Pearson χ2= 4341.9, P < 0.001). The cumulative AIDS progression incidence rates were 33.4, 35.4, 36.4, 37.0 and 37.04 per 100 py in 1 each of the 5 years of follow-up. This study found that age was an independent risk factor for the progression of HIV to AIDS. Compared with patients infected with HIV by homosexual transmission, patients infected with HIV by heterosexuals transmission or blood transfusion had a reduced hazard ratio (HR) for progression to AIDS (heterosexual transmission: HR = 0.695, 0.524, P = 0.007; blood transfusion: HR = 0.524, P = 0.015). Diagnosed with HIV from 2011 to 2012 and having a higher CD4+ cell count (350-500 cells/mm3; or >500 cells/mm3) at baseline were independently associated with lower rates of HIV progression to AIDS [HR = 0.382, 0.380, 0.187, P < 0.001]. Patients with a CD+ T-cell count of 200-350 cells/mm3 or greater than 350 cells/mm3 were less likely to develop AIDS following HIV diagnosis than were those patients without HAART treatment. Conclusion: This study found a high progression rate from HIV to AIDS in HIV patients residing within Zhejiang province from 2008 to 2010. This rate decreased after 2010, which coincided with the new criteria for HAART treatment, which likely contributed to the observed reduction in the rate of progression. Initiation of HAART with higher CD4+ T-cell count may reduce rate of AIDS progression. Based on our results, we conclude that efficient strategies for HIV screening, as well as early diagnosis and treatment are necessary to reduce the progression of HIV to AIDS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Novel vesicles formed spontaneously from the micelle solution of DTAB, a single-tailed surfactant (STS), mediated by a rough glass surface (RGS) without any additives. The obtained STS vesicles displayed good stability upon long-term storage, exposure to high temperatures, and freeze-thawing after the removal of RGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To examine outcomes of a peer-led, community-based intervention providing rapid HIV testing and case management for linkage to care for untested men who have sex with men (MSM) in China. Methods: Rapid HIV testing was performed by trained peer volunteers of a community-based organisation (CBO) in three cities of Jiangsu province at MSM-oriented venues. MSM screened positive were referred and accompanied to local government health agencies (Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)) for confirmatory HIV testing and provided social support for up to 1 month. Data for the programme were compared with sentinel surveillance surveys of MSM conducted by the national and provincial CDC in the province during the same year to assess differences in the populations reached, in HIV positivity, and linkage to HIV care. Results: A total of 512 previously untested MSM were tested by the CBO programme in 6 months. Compared with those in the surveillance surveys, MSM tested by the CBO were significantly more likely to be younger, single, non-resident of the province, more educated and used condoms less frequently. Higher proportions of HIV-positive MSM screened by the CBO received their confirmatory test results (98.1% vs 72.6%, p<0.001) and linked to care (90.4% vs 42.0%, p<0.001). Conclusions: Trained peers providing rapid HIV testing with social support and case management through the early period following diagnosis can efficiently expand HIV testing and improve linkage to care among MSM in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategy for inhibiting aggregation of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets is proposed in this work, which is important to understand the physical chemistry of the stability of GO and related factors. First, GO nanosheets (1.5-2.5 μm wide and 1.0 nm thick) were prepared by a modified Hummers' method. Then layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of polyelectrolytes on GO nanosheets was carried out to obtain nanocapsules, whose premise is aggregation inhibition of GO based on the Debye-Hückel theory by considering the polyelectrolyte chain length and salt concentration. Low molecular weight polyelectrolytes and 0.5 mol L[sup -1] NaCl solution proved to be essential to inhibit the aggregation of GO nanosheets. On the basis of the aggregation inhibition, GO loaded with a hydrophobic drug, paclitaxel (PTX), were encapsulated by polyelectrolytes, showing a high loading capability of 0.4 mg mg[sup -1] and good dispersion stability. By assembling gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the shell, PTX was released rapidly from these nanocapsules under near infrared (NIR) irradiation. The strategy for successful aggregation inhibition of GO nanosheets in a polyelectrolyte matrix, as well as the stable loading and controlled rapid release of hydrophobic drugs, paves new paths for GO-based advanced nanomaterials and pharmaceutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A strategy for inhibiting aggregation of graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets is proposed in this work, which is important to understand the physical chemistry of the stability of GO and related factors. First, GO nanosheets (1.5-2.5 µm wide and 1.0 nm thick) were prepared by a modified Hummers' method. Then layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly of polyelectrolytes on GO nanosheets was carried out to obtain nanocapsules, whose premise is aggregation inhibition of GO based on the Debye-Hückel theory by considering the polyelectrolyte chain length and salt concentration. Low molecular weight polyelectrolytes and 0.5 mol L-1 NaCl solution proved to be essential to inhibit the aggregation of GO nanosheets. On the basis of the aggregation inhibition, GO loaded with a hydrophobic drug, paclitaxel (PTX), were encapsulated by polyelectrolytes, showing a high loading capability of 0.4 mg mg-1 and good dispersion stability. By assembling gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) in the shell, PTX was released rapidly from these nanocapsules under near infrared (NIR) irradiation. The strategy for successful aggregation inhibition of GO nanosheets in a polyelectrolyte matrix, as well as the stable loading and controlled rapid release of hydrophobic drugs, paves new paths for GO-based advanced nanomaterials and pharmaceutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microcapsules with an average diameter of 3.3 µm are obtained through the layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly technique by using MnCO3microparticles with voids and pores as the template core. MnCO3enriches the electrically neutral europium complex Eu(DBM)3Phen (DBM = dibenzoylmethane, Phen = 1,10-phenanthroline) both in the shell and inside the microcapsules. About 6 times more intense fluorescence emission is thus observed for microcapsules from MnCO3compared to those obtained from a melamine formaldehyde (MF) core. The microcapsules exhibit two characteristic fluorescence peaks of the europium complexes at 596 and 612 nm, the latter sharp peak encompasses high monochromaticity. The assembly of fluorescence-enhanced microcapsules with Eu(DBM)3Phen show a new concept to enrich functional molecules by the LbL technique and has application potential in simultaneous multicolor bioassays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Analyzes the background, connotations and strategies of the indigenization of educational sociology in China. Indigenization of educational sociology as a natural product of the indigenization of disciplines; Need for devotion of attention to society and social change.

Examines the state and trends of educational sociology in Mainland China. Documentary analysis; Examination of the subjects of educational research; Analyses of the structure of textbooks; International comparative studies.

The article reports on Devonian bivalves in Guangxi, South China. It mentions the systemic paleontological research to its life-habits and biodiversity towards depositional environment reconstruction and interpretation. An overview of the analysis on its fossils and psudoplanktonics is also presented.