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Drug addiction is a chronic condition, marked by compulsive drug use. In previous research, cue exposure and biofeedback technologies proved effective in drug psychotherapy sessions; however, the focus has generally been on the awareness of cravings and the identification of cues. There has been relatively little research on methods aimed at facilitating therapist-patient communication, particularly from a user-centered perspective. In this paper, we describe a qualitative technology probe study exploring the means by which patients identify cues and perceive cravings as well as the way that they communicate with therapists. Our analysis considers the difficulties in cue identification and craving perception, the interactions between the two, and the means by which these characteristics could impact the design of VR support systems in the future.

Depression is the most common mental health problem in older adults; however, a lack of understanding in the interaction between physical and social causes hinders effective treatment. Unique issues such as age-specific increases in comorbid physical problems and alienation from social contact can make it difficult for health providers to identify instances of depression. These also make it difficult for depressed older adults to communicate with their social resources, such as friends, family, and health providers. Integrating technology-assisted collaboration with members of patients' social network to observe and manage multi-dimensional factors in depressed older adults' states is a potential way to improve the quality of practitioners' treatment-planning around these multi-dimensional factors, as well as provide assistance for family and friends' involvement in managing the depression. We conducted an interview study on stakeholders' perceptions of depression and communication to understand the opportunities and challenges involved in implementing such collaborative design. Interviewees included 16 depressed older adult patients, 10 of their family members, and two psychiatrists. Our findings reveal new insights into 1) patients' and families' social values and understandings of patients' condition, as well as 2) how these values and understandings influenced decision-making on communicating with each other and acting on depression. These insights have implications for the consideration of information and communication systems to aid depressed older adults' recovery and engagement with social network members.

Behavioral weight loss programs often prescribe physical activity (PA) goals in terms of minutes/week of moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA) and steps/day. However, the impact of meeting each type of goal prescription on weight loss is unclear, particularly in digitally-based (eHealth/mHealth) programs. This secondary analysis of a randomized trial examined the effects of meeting steps-based and minutes-based goals on weight loss in an eHealth behavioral weight control program.Adults in the control arm received a 6-month online behavioral weight loss intervention with prescribed weekly goals for daily steps and minutes of MVPA. The number of weeks steps-based and minutes-based goals were met (≥100% and ≥75% thresholds) based on self-reported PA were examined as predictors of 6-month weight loss among those providing weight outcomes (Participants (BMI 35.6 kg/mGreater attainment of PA goals prescribed as steps and minutes of MVPA independently contribute to similar weight loss outcomes in a 6-month online behavioral weight loss intervention. Future research should determine whether promoting adherence to combined steps-based and minutes-based goals produces better weight loss than utilizing either goal alone and identify strategies that improve adherence.

This study investigates the relationship between household utilization of food services and retailers and the healthfulness of purchases using data from the 2013 Food Acquisition and Purchase Survey. Overall, our findings suggest that the associations between food service or retailer utilization and the healthfulness of purchases are limited. Thus, interventions may need to be targeted to specific households based on patterns of utilization. We also find evidence for an interdependent relationship between food at home and away from home food shopping behaviors with implications for the healthfulness of purchases.

Pre-deformation is usually indispensable to obtain an appropriate balance between microstructure and mechanical properties of Al-Cu-Li alloys. In this paper, the effect of pre-deformation degree on the evolution of strength, fracture toughness, and precipitates during artificial aging processes of a novel Al-Cu-Li alloy was studied. The results indicated that the amount of T1 phase increased remarkably while the precipitation of θ' phase was inhibited with the increase of pre-deformation degree. The change in the average size of T1 phase indicated that the increase in nucleation sites suppressed the full growth of T1 phases. The fracture toughness could be related to the strength difference between intragranular and intergranular. Based on the matching of properties, a reasonable pre-deformation parameter was proposed.

Cronkhite-Canada syndrome (CCS) is a rare hamartomatous polyposis syndrome with a proposed association with chronic autoimmune inflammation. To date, genetic background of patients with CCS remains less investigated. In this study we aimed to explore the genomic landscape of CCS.Whole exome sequencing was performed on peripheral blood samples extracted from 18 patients with CCS. Potential function-impacting germline variants were filtered by R software. Through systematic data analysis, a number of genetic variants were identified. Enrichment analysis was performed using the R package ClusterProfiler.Overall, 3960 low-frequency (0.05 or not reported in the Exome Aggregation Consortium East Asian, 1000 Genomes, or ESP6500 database) potentially function-impacting germline variants were identified, with 18 genes (FDFT1, LOC400863, MUC3A, MUC4, ZNF806, GXYLT1, MUC6, PABPC3, PSPH, ZFPM1, CIC, LOC283710, ARSD, GOLGA6L2, LOC388282, SLC25A5, TMEM247, WDR89) involved over half the patients. Functional enrichment of these genes revealed several biological processes in relation to innate immune responses and glycosylation. Only one likely pathogenic germline variant of an hamartomatous polyposis syndrome-associated gene, PTCH1, was detected in one patient.CCS has genomic alteration patterns completely distinct from those of traditional hamartomatous polyposis syndrome. The germline mutation landscape indicates potential roles of innate immune responses and glycosylation in the pathogenesis of CCS.

Technology abuse among adolescents refers to the problematic use of technology devices, and the negative impact it can have on lifestyle and one's physical and mental health. This paper reports on in-depth interviews with 15 dyads of adolescent patients, their parents, and four experts with the objective of unraveling the issue of technology abuse. We conducted qualitative analysis aimed at unpacking the contextual factors affecting technology abuse, and differences between adolescents and their parents pertaining to this issue. Our discussions led us to formulate solutions to technology abuse: (1) motivating adolescents by sending timely reminders and providing interactive micro-incentives; (2) promoting communication between adolescents and their parents by sharing usage data related to device usage; and (3) incorporating social supports to complement parental support, while fulfilling the adolescent's social needs. This paper provides valuable insights into the design of technological solutions aimed at mediating technology abuse.

Damaged lysosomes can be repaired by calcium release-dependent recruitment of the ESCRT machinery. However, the involvement of annexins, another group of calcium-responding membrane repair proteins, has not been fully addressed. Here, we show that although all ubiquitously expressed annexins (ANXA1, A2, A4, A5, A6, A7, and A11) localize to damaged lysosomes, only ANXA1 and ANXA2 are important for repair. Their recruitment is calcium-dependent, ESCRT-independent, and selective towards lysosomes with large injuries. Lysosomal leakage was more severe when ANXA1 or ANXA2 was depleted compared to that of ESCRT components. These findings suggest that ANXA1 and ANXA2 constitute an additional repair mechanism that serves to minimize leakage from damaged lysosomes.

While a large body of literature investigates the bidirectional relationship between retirement and health, few have analyzed the mechanism through which retirement affects health which will provide important policy instrument insights. Using three waves of National Social Life, Health, and Aging Project, we examine the mediating role of the social network in the relationship between retirement and health in USA. We address the endogeneity and reverse causality through panel instrumental fixed-effect methods. We apply both single and parallel mediation analyses to identify the potential mechanism by which social network characteristics mediate the impact of retirement on health. Findings reveal that retirement adversely affects physical and mental health outcomes, and a considerable portion of these effects are explained by social network changes post-retirement. Specifically, 58% of reduction in the probability of reporting good physical health and 4.5% of increment in chances of having depression symptoms post-retirement can be explained by shrinkage in the size of social network in retirees. Using parallel mediation identification to account for dependencies among social network features, we find that social network size induces 79.5% reduction in probability of reporting good physical health and 18.6% increase in probability of having depression in retirees as compared to non-retirees. Findings in this paper suggest that investing in social network of the elderly can buffer the adverse health effect of retirement and can be an effective policy target for promoting healthy aging.

To enhance the rate of argon–oxygen refining of ferroalloys, this article is based on the physical and chemical reactions of the smelting process as well as the actual smelting data. A mechanistic model of the rate of change of oxygen supply and carbon content in the smelting process and the temperature of the reaction fluid in the furnace is established. An expert internal model control framework with furnace temperature and carbon content as output and oxygen supply rate as input is constructed. An adaptive parameter adjustment mechanism is added to the control framework by combining data on the maximum gas supply rate and temperature threshold of the stage in the actual production process. The method improves smelting speed and smelting accuracy compared to the general method. It is also able to adjust the furnace temperature according to the actual smelting situation. The actual smelting was carried out according to this method, the improved method reduced the smelting time by 12.79% compared to the general method, and the furnace temperature was controlled below 1950 K.

Chimeric antigen receptor-T (CAR-T) cell therapy based on functional immune cell transfer is showing a booming situation. However, complex manufacturing processes, high costs, and disappointing results in the treatment of solid tumors have limited its use. Encouragingly, it has facilitated the development of new strategies that fuse immunology, cell biology, and biomaterials to overcome these obstacles. In recent years, CAR-T engineering assisted by properly designed biomaterials has improved therapeutic efficacy and reduced side effects, providing a sustainable strategy for improving cancer immunotherapy. At the same time, the low cost and diversity of biomaterials also offer the possibility of industrial production and commercialization. Here, we summarize the role of biomaterials as gene delivery vehicles in the generation of CAR-T cells and highlight the advantages of in-situ construction in vivo. Then, we focused on how biomaterials can be combined with CAR-T cells to better enable synergistic immunotherapy in the treatment of solid tumors. Finally, we describe biomaterials’ potential challenges and prospects in CAR-T therapy. This review aims to provide a detailed overview of biomaterial-based CAR-T tumor immunotherapy to help investigators reference and customize biomaterials for CAR-T therapy to improve the efficacy of immunotherapy.

The application of drug delivery system (DDS) has achieved breakthroughs in many aspects, especially in the field of tumor treatment. In this work, polyethylene glycol (PEG)-modified hollow mesoporous manganese dioxide (HMnO

Two quasi-three-dimensional self-doped conjugated polyelectrolytes based on a triphenylamine skeleton are designed and employed as ETLs to modulate the cathode interface for efficient non-fullerene organic solar cells.

Although technology-assisted diabetes prevention programs (DPPs) have been shown to improve glycemic control and weight loss, information are limited regarding relevant costs and their cost-effectiveness. To describe a retrospective within-trial cost and cost-effectiveness analysis (CEA) to compare a digital-based DPP (d-DPP) with small group education (SGE), over a 1-year study period. The costs were summarized into direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs (i.e., times that participants spent engaging with the interventions), and indirect costs (i.e., lost work productivity costs). The CEA was measured by the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER). Sensitivity analysis was performed using nonparametric bootstrap analysis. Over 1 year, the direct medical costs, direct nonmedical costs, and indirect costs per participant were $4,556, $1,595, and $6,942 in the d-DPP group versus $4,177, $1,350, and $9,204 in the SGE group. The CEA results showed cost savings from d-DPP relative to SGE based on a societal perspective. Using a private payer perspective for d-DPP, ICERs were $4,739 and $114 to obtain an additional unit reduction in HbA1c (%) and weight (kg), and were $19,955 for an additional unit gain of quality-adjusted life years (QALYs) compared to SGE, respectively. From a societal perspective, bootstrapping results indicated that d-DPP has a 39% and a 69% probability, at a willingness-to-pay of $50,000/QALY and $100,000/QALY, respectively, of being cost-effective. The d-DPP was cost-effective and offers the prospect of high scalability and sustainability due to its program features and delivery modes, which can be easily translated to other settings.

A commercially available beaded activated carbon (KBAC) was selected for combination with a novel electrothermal swing system in examining the Joule heating effects on the physical and chemical properties of activated carbon and its adsorption regenerability at various regeneration temperatures (120, 140, and 160 °C) after saturation by toluene (TOL) and methylethylketone (MEK). The specific surface area (1278 m2 g− 1) and micropore volume (0.48 cm3 g− 1) for KBAC after one adsorption/desorption cycle were slightly reduced, while KBAC micropore surface area (1158 m2 g− 1) and micropore volume decreased significantly after six adsorption/desorption cycles. It can be inferred that the pores of KBAC, especially micropores, are blocked by heel buildup caused mainly by formation of cracked TOL and MEK coke generated by cyclic Joule heating. The desorption efficiencies of TOL-KBAC and MEK-KBAC (KBAC saturated with TOL and MEK, respectively) evaluated per the gravimetric method ranged from 55 to 80 and 85–90%, respectively, and both showed great correlation between regeneration temperature and desorption efficiency. Notably, the desorption efficiencies calculated from the integral method based on breakthrough curves were 8 and 16% lower than those directly obtained by the gravitational method for TOL-KBAC and MEK-KBAC, respectively. The larger difference in desorption efficiency evaluated by the two methods for MEK-KBAC is likely caused by the decomposition of MEK into CO or CO2, which was less prominent in TOL-KBAC. In the cyclic adsorption/desorption tests, the adsorption capacities of both TOL-KBAC and MEK-KBAC decreased after the 6-cycle electrothermal swing regeneration, such that TOL-KBAC adsorption capacity significantly reduced to around 50%, while that of MEK-KBAC retained around 70% of their respective original adsorption capacities. As aforementioned, heel buildup blocks the pores and leads to decreasing adsorption, especially for TOL.

After its discovery in the 1950 s, the autophagy research field has seen its annual number of publications climb from tens to thousands. The ever-growing number of autophagy publications is a wealth of information but presents a challenge to researchers, especially those new to the field, who are looking for a general overview of the field to, for example, determine current topics of the field or formulate new hypotheses. Here, we employed text mining tools to extract research trends in the autophagy field, including those of genes, terms, and topics. The publication trend of the field can be separated into three phases. The exponential rise in publication number began in the last phase and is most likely spurred by a series of highly cited research papers published in previous phases. The exponential increase in papers has resulted in a larger variety of research topics, with the majority involving those that are directly physiologically relevant, such as disease and modulating autophagy. Our findings provide researchers a summary of the history of the autophagy research field and perhaps hints of what is to come. Abbreviations: 5Y-IF: 5-year impact factor; AIS: article influence score; EM: electron microscopy; HGNC: HUGO gene nomenclature committee; LDA: latent Dirichlet allocation; MeSH: medical subject headings; ncRNA: non-coding RNA

Background Both theoretical and empirical evidence supports the potential of modest financial incentives to increase the reach of evidence-based weight control programs. However, few studies exist that examine the best incentive design for achieving the highest reach and representativeness at the lowest cost and whether or not incentive designs may be valued differentially by subgroups that experience obesity-related health disparities. Methods A discrete choice experiment was conducted (n = 1232 participants; over 90% of them were overweight/obese) to collect stated preference towards different financial incentive attributes, including reward amount, program location, reward contingency, and payment form and frequency. Mixed logit and conditional logit models were used to determine overall and subgroup preference ranking of attributes. Using the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey data sample weights and the estimated models, we predicted US nationally representative participation rates by subgroups and examined the effect of offering more than one incentive design. External validity was checked by using a completed cluster randomized control trial. Results There were significant subgroup differences in preference toward incentive attributes. There was also a sizable negative response to larger incentive amounts among African Americans, suggesting that higher amounts would reduce participation from this population. We also find that offering participants a menu of incentive designs to choose from would increase reach more than offering higher reward amounts. Conclusions We confirmed the existence of preference heterogeneity and the importance of subgroup-targeted incentive designs in any evidence-based weight control program to maximize population reach and reduce health disparities. National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of HealthUnited States Department of Health & Human ServicesNational Institutes of Health (NIH) - USANIH National Heart Lung & Blood Institute (NHLBI) [1R21HL097308-01A2] Published version Research reported in this publication was supported by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute of the National Institutes of Health under award number 1R21HL097308-01A2. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the sponsoring agencies.

To study the effects of dynamic precipitation and processing parameters on the dynamic recrystallization (DRX) behavior of 2195 Al-Cu-Li alloy, the hot deformation process was investigated comprehensively with the temperature range of 300-500°C and strain rate range of 0.001-10 s-1. An Arrhenius-type constitutive equation and DRX kinetics model were established based on the corrected stress-strain data to unveil the relationship between processing parameters, flow stress and DRX behavior. The shape of flow curves was associated with the dynamic softening mechanism and the DRX softening fraction gradually increased with the decrease of Zener-Hollomon parameter (Z). Then, the microstructure evolution was further analyzed to elucidate the DRX mechanisms at various Z values. The primary softening mechanism was dynamic recovery (DRV). However, when temperature set between 300 and 400°C, T1 and cubic phases significantly impeded DRV and promoted the occurrence of discontinuous dynamically recrystallization (DDRX) by a strong pinning effect and considerable driving force. As Z value decreased, the recrystallization mechanism transformed from DDRX into continuous dynamic recrystallization (CDRX) attributed to the higher mobility for dislocations. Due to the reduced stored energy and the hindrance of precipitates, grain boundaries were hard to migrate, making it difficult for DDRX grains to grow continuously.

The electron transport layer (ETL) exerts a dramatic influence on the power conversion efficiency (PCE) of the nonfullerene organic solar cells (NOSCs). Currently, the majority of the organic ETLs possess a relatively poor conductivity, which is not conducive to carrier transport and collection. Herein, we design and develop a novel hyperbranched conjugated polyelectrolyte (CPE) based on n-type perylene diimide (PDI) as the center core and quaternary ammonium salt as the side polar groups. The lone pair electrons of the nitrogen atoms can transfer to the electron deficient PDI core and endow the molecule with an efficient n-type self-doping effect. Moreover, the hyperbranched structure makes the molecule functionalized with more side polar groups, favoring forming more dipoles and stronger dipole moments. Therefore, the CPE PTPAPDINO possesses a high conductivity and can notably decrease the work function (WF) of the electrode, contributing to the carrier transport and collection of the device. The NOSC with PTPAPDINO as ETL delivers an excellent PCE of 15.62%, which is even superior to the device using the classical PDINO ETL. Moreover, the PCE can retain 82.6% of the optimal device when the thickness has been increased to 28 nm. These results manifest that it is a feasible strategy to design an n-type self-doping hyperbranched CPE as efficient ETL, and PTPAPDINO is a promising alternative ETL for high performance NOSCs.

The Yangtze River Economic Belt is one of the major strategic development regions in China. It is of great significance to clarify the characteristics and sources of heavy metal pollution in farmland soil of the Yangtze River Economic Belt for the prevention and control of heavy metal pollution and to ensure safe agricultural production. After collecting extensive literature data, we analyzed the pollution characteristics, environmental risk, and potential sources of heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Hg, As, Pb, Cu, Zn, and Ni) in farmland soil of the Yangtze River Economic Belt through the integrated use of spatial and geo-accumulation index analyses. The results showed that:① the proportion of soil samples exceeding the risk screening values for soil contamination of agricultural land of Cd, Cu, Pb, Hg, Zn, and As were 39.8%, 18.5%, 8.3%, 6.9%, 6.9%, and 6.4%, respectively. Compared with the risk standard, soil Cd had the highest rate of exceeding the standard. ② The contents of Cr, Cu, Zn, and Ni in the upper reaches were higher than those in the middle and lower reaches, and the contents of Cd, As, and Pb in the middle reaches were higher than those in the upper and lower reaches. ③ The results of the geo-accumulation index analysis showed that the contamination degree of the eight heavy metals decreased in the order of Cd(0.42)Hg(-0.28)Pb(-0.32)Zn(-0.39)Cu(-0.42)Cr(-0.7)As(-0.81)Ni(-0.73), where the accumulation risk of soil Cd and Hg was relatively higher. ④ Higher environmental background and mining activities were the main factors affecting the accumulation of heavy metals in soils in the upper and middle reaches. By contrast, rapid urbanization, industrial production, and intensive agricultural activities were the main factors affecting the heavy metal accumulation in soils in the middle and lower reaches. In view of the current status and control needs of heavy metal pollution in the Yangtze River Economic Belt, it is recommended to strengthen source prevention and control and to also carry out hierarchical control and regional classification management of heavy metal pollution in farmland soils according to the degree of heavy metal pollution, geological background, and quality of agricultural products. The ultimate objective of this research was to archive the farmland soil environmental quality safety and agricultural green sustainable production in the Yangtze River Economic Belt.

BackgroundSpasticity is a common motor disorder resulting from upper motor neuron lesions. It has a serious influence on an individual's motor function and daily activity. Repetitive peripheral magnetic stimulation (rPMS) is a non-invasive and painless approach developed for therapeutic intervention in clinical rehabilitation. However, the effectiveness of this intervention on spasticity in patients with spastic paralysis remains uncertain.ObjectiveThis study aimed to investigate the effectiveness of rPMS on spasticity, motor function, and activities of daily living in individuals with spastic paralysis.MethodsPubMed, PEDro, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science were searched for eligible papers with date up to March 31, 2022. Two independent researchers conducted study screening, data extraction, and methodological quality assessment. RCTs that explored the effects of rPMS on spasticity, motor function, and activities of daily living in patients with spastic paralysis were included for review. The Cochrane collaboration tool was used to assess methodological quality. The cumulative effects of available data were processed for a meta-analysis using Reedman software.ResultsEight studies with 297 participants were included. Most of the studies presented low to moderate risk of bias. Compared with the control group, the results showed that rPMS had a significant effect on spasticity (all spasticity outcomes: standardized mean difference [SMD] = −0.55, 95% confidence interval [CI]: −0.94 to −0.16, I2 = 40%, and P = 0.006, Modified Ashworth Scale: mean difference [MD] = −0.48, 95% CI: −0.82 to −0.14, I2 = 0%, and P = 0.006), motor function (Fugl–Meyer Assessment: MD = 4.17, 95% CI: 0.89 to 7.46, I2 = 28%, and P = 0.01), and activities of daily living (Barthel Index: MD = 5.12, 95% CI: 2.58 to 7.67, I2 = 0%, and P < 0.0001). No side effect was reported.ConclusionThe meta-analysis demonstrated that the evidence supported rPMS in improving spasticity especially for passive muscle properties evaluated with Modified Ashworth Scale/Ashworth Scale, as well as motor function and daily activity of living in individuals with spastic paralysis.Study registrationThe reviewed protocol of this study is registered in the international prospective register of systematic reviews (PROSPERO) (CRD42022322395).Systematic review registrationhttps://www.crd.york.ac.uk/PROSPERO/#recordDetails, identifier CRD42022322395.

Optimization of forging process to improve the microstructure and mechanical properties of 2195 Al–Cu–Li alloy forgings is an urgent issue. In this study, a homogenized 2195 alloy ingot was subjected to multi-directional forging (MDF), annealing, and forging at 500 °C, 420 °C, and 240 °C with a 50% reduction in cross-sectional area, followed by a T8 heat treatment (involving solution, quenching, cold compression, and aging). The microstructural evolution during the process and the final mechanical properties in three orthogonal directions were examined. The results showed that the grain structures of the alloy were significantly refined after MDF by dynamic recrystallization (DRX), but the structure was thermally unstable and formed coarse grains during subsequent annealing by static recrystallization (SRX). The T8-treated samples forged at 500 °C, 420 °C, and 240 °C obtained fine and uniform grain structures by DRX, inhomogeneous grain structures by partial SRX, and uniform, equiaxed grain structures by full SRX, respectively. The average grain size of the forging increased with decreasing forging temperature because more significant SRX occurred for the forging that was deformed at lower temperatures. The grain structures had minimal influence on precipitation behavior and strength but had a significant influence on elongation. The fine and uniform grain structures improved the elongation; whereas, the inhomogeneous grain structures, which contained extremely large grains, significantly deteriorated the elongation. The uniform, equiaxed grain structures decreased the anisotropy in three orthogonal directions and maintained fine elongation even though the average grain size of the forging was the largest.

To investigate the contaminant characteristics of heavy metals in soils and vegetables surrounding a lead-zinc mine in Huize County, Yunnan Province, thirty surface soil samples and vegetable sampl...

To investigate the quenching sensitivity of the 2195 Al–Li alloy rolled sheet and guide the design of the quenching process, the time–temperature-property (TTP) curves of this material were researched through interrupted quenching experiments. The differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and transmission electron microscope (TEM) were used to characterize the evolution of precipitates during isothermal treatment. The results of this essay demonstrated that the nose temperature of 2195 Al–Li alloy is around 370 °C and the temperature range of quenching sensitivity is 340 °C to 400 °C. The microstructure observation revealed that the T1 particles precipitate and grow rapidly at the temperature from 340 to 400 °C, which is due to the high nucleation rate of phase and fast solute diffusion kinetics, especially at the nose temperature. The needle-shaped θ′/θ″ and T1 particles grow up quickly as the isothermal preservation time prolonged, leading to the decrease of the supersaturated solid solution of the matrix. This will reduce the number of the age-induced precipitate and weaken the subsequent age hardening effect. Therefore, the rate of cooling should be increased in the quenching sensitivity range (340–400 °C) to inhibit the precipitation of the second phase and obtain excellent mechanical properties. While in other temperature ranges, the cooling rate should be decreased appropriately to reduce residual stress. The appropriate average cooling rate is recommended to be around 13 °C s−1 at the temperature from 340 to 400 °C.

Hamartomatous polyposis syndromes (HPS) are a heterogeneous spectrum of diseases that are characterized by diffuse hamartomatous polyps lining the gastrointestinal (GI) tract together with extra-GI manifestations. Classical HPS includes juvenile polyposis syndrome, Peutz-Jeghers syndrome, PTEN hamartoma tumor syndrome and hereditary mixed polyposis syndrome. Patients with HPS have a higher risk of GI and extra-GI malignancies than the general population, although the underlying mechanisms remain unclear and are obviously different from the carcinogenesis of classical adenocarcinoma and colitis-associated malignancy. In this review we aimed to clarify the risks, possible mechanism and endoscopic surveillance of HPS-associated GI malignancies.

In this study, mechanistic models of the carbon content reduction, oxygen supply rate, and temperature rise were established. In actual control, the mean square deviation of carbon content is relatively large, which makes this model unable to fully meet the requirements of AOD furnace smelting low-carbon ferrochrome production accuracy when using traditional open-loop control methods. For this reason, a closed-loop control method was constructed. In this paper, an outer-loop internal model control (IMC) framework was constructed, with the carbon content as the output and the oxygen supply rate as the input. On this basis, a control channel in the IMC was established for an actual industrial smelting process. Meanwhile, the maximum oxygen supply rate and temperature change were regarded as the two constraints of the IMC–expert controller design. Finally, a new end-point carbon content control system of an argon–oxygen refining low-carbon ferrochromium alloy was formed. The simulation results showed that the system could eliminate the influence of external unmeasurable disturbances, reduce smelting time, and improve the accuracy of the smelting end-point.

Ultrathin titanate nanosheet is one kind of important material for wide applications, but the efficient strategy and lucid mechanism for controllable preparing ultrathin titanate nanosheet with considerable size is still a challenge. Herein, an improved strategy is described for the production of ultrathin titanate nanosheets using macromolecule tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) intercalation. Reaction parameters such as alkali carbonate source, molar ratio of Cs2CO3 and TiO2, calcination temperature are studied systematically. The products are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), ultraviolet–visible absorbance (UV–vis), Fourier-transform infrared (FT-IR), and Raman spectroscopic. The formation mechanism of titanate nanosheet is investigated. The host layer is of lepidocrocite-type in which TiO6 octahedral are combined via edge sharing to produce a two-dimensional sheet of composition Ti2−x/4□x/4O4x- (x ~0.7; □, vacancy), while Cs+ is located interlayer. The elevated calcined temperature can promote the degree of solid-state reaction, enabling the lateral size of the two-dimensional sheet to become larger, therefore the exfoliated nanosheet has a larger considerable size. It has been found that when the calcination temperature is 1100 °C, the alkali carbonate is Cs2CO3, the molar ratio of Cs2CO3 and TiO2 is 1:5.3, ultrathin monolayer titante nanosheet with a considerable size is prepared successfully. Three variable systems of alkali carbonate source, molar ratio of Cs2CO3 and TiO2, calcined temperature are studied systematically and the ultrathin monolayer titante nanosheet with a considerable size is prepared successfully, which is benefit of in-depth theoretical research and application for ultrathin 2D titanate nanosheet in the future.

BACKGROUND: Many studies document associations between low health literacy (HL) and poor health behaviors and outcomes. Yet, HL is understudied among adolescents, particularly from underserved, rural communities. We targeted rural adolescents in this cross-sectional study and explored relationships between HL and (1) energy-balance-related health behaviors and (2) body mass index (BMI) and quality of life (QOL). METHODS: Surveys were administered to 7th graders across 8 middle schools in rural Appalachia. HL was assessed using the Newest Vital Sign. Energy-balance-related behaviors and QOL were assessed using validated instruments. Height and weight were objectively measured. Analyses were conducted using the Hodges-Lehmann nonparametric median difference test. RESULTS: Of the 854 adolescent students (mean age = 12; 55% female), 47% had limited HL. Relative to students with higher HL, students with lower HL reported significantly lower frequency of health-promoting behaviors (water, fruit and vegetable intake, physical activity, sleep), higher frequency of risky health behaviors (sugar-sweetened beverages, junk food, screen time), and had higher BMI percentiles and lower QOL (all p < .05). CONCLUSIONS: Low HL is associated with energy-balance-related behaviors, BMI, and QOL among rural, Appalachian adolescents. Findings underscore the relevance of HL among rural middle school students and highlight implications for school health.

Study Design: Systematic Review. Objectives: To review the literature surrounding the cost-effectiveness of implanting spinal cord stimulators for failed back surgery syndrome. Methods: A systematic review was conducted inclusive of all publications in the Medline database and Cochrane CENTRAL trials register within the last 10 years (English language only) assessing the cost-effectiveness of Spinal Cord Stimulator device implantation (SCSdi) in patients with previous lumbar fusion surgery. Results: The majority of reviewed publications that analyzed cost-effectiveness of SCSdi compared to conventional medical management (CMM) or re-operation in patients with failed back surgery syndrome (FBSS) showed an overall increase in direct medical costs; these increased costs were found in nearly all cases to be offset by significant improvements in patient quality of life. The cost required to achieve these increases in quality adjusted life years (QALY) falls well below $25 000/QALY, a conservative estimate of willingness to pay. Conclusions: The data suggest that SCSdi provides both superior outcomes and a lower incremental cost: effectiveness ratio (ICER) compared to CMM and/or re-operation in patients with FBSS. These findings are in spite of the fact that the majority of studies reviewed were agnostic to the type of device or innervation utilized in SCSdi. Newer devices utilizing burst or higher frequency stimulation have demonstrated their superiority over traditional SCSdi via randomized clinical trials and may provide lower ICERs.

Objective:The objective of the current study was to identify factors across the socio-ecological model (SEM) associated with adolescents’ sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) intake.Design:This cross-sectional study surveyed adolescents using previously validated instruments. Analyses included descriptive statistics, ANOVA tests and stepwise nonlinear regression models (i.e., two-part models) adjusted to be cluster robust. Guided by SEM, a four-step model was used to identify factors associated with adolescent SSB intake – step 1: demographics (i.e., age, gender), step 2: intrapersonal (i.e., theory of planned behaviour (attitudes, subjective norms, perceived behavioural control, behavioural intentions), health literacy, media literacy, public health literacy), step 3: interpersonal (i.e., caregiver’s SSB behaviours, caregiver’s SSB rules) and step 4: environmental (i.e., home SSB availability) level variables.Setting:Eight middle schools across four rural southwest Virginia counties in Appalachia.Participants:Seven hundred ninety seventh grade students (55·4 % female, 44·6 % males, mean age 12 (sd0·5) years).Results:Mean SSB intake was 36·3 (sd42·5) fluid ounces or 433·4 (sd493·6) calories per day. In the final step of the regression model, seven variables significantly explained adolescent’s SSB consumption: behavioural intention (P< 0·05), affective attitude (P< 0·05), perceived behavioural control (P< 0·05), health literacy (P< 0·001), caregiver behaviours (P< 0·05), caregiver rules (P< 0·05) and home availability (P< 0·001).Conclusions:SSB intake among adolescents in rural Appalachia was nearly three times above national mean. Home environment was the strongest predictor of adolescent SSB intake, followed by caregiver rules, caregiver behaviours and health literacy. Future interventions targeting these factors may provide the greatest opportunity to improve adolescent SSB intake.

On-skin displays are emerging as a wearable form factor for the display of information; however, the perception of using such devices in public could determine whether they are eventually adopted or rejected. This study investigated the means by which on-skin notification displays are perceived by the general public. We adopted a mixed-methods approach to the analysis of results from an online survey (n = 254) and in-lab interviews (n = 36) pertaining to the novel form factor, device materiality, and envisioned use cases. The study was conducted in the US and Taiwan in order to examine cross-cultural attitudes toward device usage. The results of this structured examination provide valuable insights into the design of on-skin notification displays for everyday use across cultures.

Electrocatalytic seawater splitting has been considered as a transformative technology for industrial-scale hydrogen generation. However, the competition between the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and chlorine evolution reaction (CER) at the anode with sluggish kinetics is the main bottleneck. Herein, an organic-oxidation-assisted strategy has been demonstrated, in which the thermodynamically favorable methanol selective oxidation reaction (MSOR) is used to suppress the undesired OER/CER using carbon paper supported Pt–Co3O4 electrocatalysts (denoted as Pt–Co3O4/CP), leading to hydrogen and value-added formate generation simultaneously with significantly low energy consumption. In the integrated two-electrode electrolyzer using Pt–Co3O4/CP bifunctional electrocatalysts, the required cell voltage at 10 mA cm−2 is only 0.555 V when adding 2.0 M methanol, which is 1022 mV lower than that in alkaline seawater. The integrated cell also produces hydrogen and formate simultaneously with high faradaic efficiency and considerable durability. The findings in this work represent a new direction for energy-saving production of hydrogen from seawater.

Chemodynamic therapy (CDT), the ability to transform H2O2 into a highly toxic hydroxyl radical (˙OH) through a Fenton or Fenton like reaction to kill cancer cells, enables selective tumor therapy. However, the effect is seriously limited by the insufficiency of endogenous H2O2 in cancer cells. Additionally, the specific recognition of epitope imprinting plays an important role in targeting cancer cell markers. In this work, we prepared H2O2 self-supplying degradable epitope molecularly imprinted polymers (MIP) for effective CDT, employing fluorescent calcium peroxide (FCaO2) as an imaging probe and a source of H2O2, the exposed peptide in the CD47 extracellular region as the template, copper acrylate as one of the functional monomers and N,N‘-bisacrylylcystamine (BAC) as a cross-linker. MIP with recognition sites can specifically target CD47-positive cancer cells to achieve fluorescence imaging. Under the reduction of glutathione (GSH), the MIP were degraded and the exposed FCaO2 reacted with water to continuously produce H2O2 in the slightly acidic environment in cancer cells. The self-supplied H2O2 produced ˙OH through a Fenton like catalytic reaction mediated by copper ions in the MIP framework, inducing cancer cell apoptosis. Therefore, the MIP nano-platform, which was capable of specific recognition of the cancer cell marker, H2O2 self-supply and controlled treatment, was successfully used for targeted CDT.