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Objective: This study aimed to examine the volumes of thalamic nuclei and the intrinsic thalamic network in patients with Wilson's disease (WDs), and to explore the correlation between these volumes and the severity of neurological symptoms. Methods: A total of 61 WDs and 33 healthy controls (HCs) were included in the study. The volumes of 25 bilateral thalamic nuclei were measured using structural imaging analysis with Freesurfer, and the intrinsic thalamic network was evaluated through structural covariance network (SCN) analysis. Results: The results indicated that multiple thalamic nuclei were smaller in WDs compared to HCs, including mediodorsal medial magnocellular (MDm), anterior ventral (AV), central median (CeM), centromedian (CM), lateral geniculate (LGN), limitans-suprageniculate (L-Sg), reuniens-medial ventral (MV), paracentral (Pc), parafascicular (Pf), paratenial (Pt), pulvinar anterior (PuA), pulvinar inferior (PuI), pulvinar medial (PuM), ventral anterior (VA), ventral anterior magnocellular (VAmc), ventral lateral anterior (VLa), ventral lateral posterior (VLp), ventromedial (VM), ventral posterolateral (VPL), and right middle dorsal intralaminar (MDI). The study also found a negative correlation between the UWDRS scores and the volume of the right MDm. The intrinsic thalamic network analysis showed abnormal topological properties in WDs, including increased mean local efficiency, modularity, normalized clustering coefficient, small-world index, and characteristic path length, and a corresponding decrease in mean node betweenness centrality. WDs with cerebral involvement had a lower modularity compared to HCs. Conclusions: The findings suggest that the majority of thalamic nuclei in WDs exhibit significant volume reduction, and the atrophy of the right MDm is closely related to the severity of neurological symptoms. The intrinsic thalamic network in WDs demonstrated abnormal topological properties, indicating a close relationship with neurological impairment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: A novel FeCoNi carbon fiber (FeCoNi/CF) is obtained through an improved electrospinning technology, which greatly endows the fiber with strong magnetic property. The FeCoNi/CF exhibits an enhanced electromagnetic loss capability due to the construction of one-dimensional magnetic FeCoNi alloy. The designed one-dimensional FeCoNi/CF exhibits excellent performance, with a broad effective absorption band of 1.3 GHz in the low-frequency electromagnetic field at an ultrathin thickness of 2 mm, which provides a great potential for practical application in the future. Rational designing of one-dimensional (1D) magnetic alloy to facilitate electromagnetic (EM) wave attenuation capability in low-frequency (2–6 GHz) microwave absorption field is highly desired but remains a significant challenge. In this study, a composite EM wave absorber made of a FeCoNi medium-entropy alloy embedded in a 1D carbon matrix framework is rationally designed through an improved electrospinning method. The 1D-shaped FeCoNi alloy embedded composite demonstrates the high-density and continuous magnetic network using off-axis electronic holography technique, indicating the excellent magnetic loss ability under an external EM field. Then, the in-depth analysis shows that many factors, including 1D anisotropy and intrinsic physical features of the magnetic medium-entropy alloy, primarily contribute to the enhanced EM wave absorption performance. Therefore, the fabricated EM wave absorber shows an increasing effective absorption band of 1.3 GHz in the low-frequency electromagnetic field at an ultrathin thickness of 2 mm. Thus, this study opens up a new method for the design and preparation of high-performance 1D magnetic EM absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The design and optimization of one-dimension (1D) magnetic material are of great importance for the energy conversion, storage and spin electron devices, which remain a huge challenge. Herein, 1D porous Fe3O4 nanotubes (NTs) have been fabricated via a combined process of electrospinning and calcination. In the electrospinning precursors, by regulating the content ratio between two types of polyvinyl pyrrolidone with different molecular weight, porous Fe3O4 NTs with vortex-domain configuration have been fabricated. Based on the unique 1D nanotube structure encapsulated with multi-domains, the composite Fe3O4 NTs exhibit high complex permeability (μ′, μ″) values, and hold both strong magnetic storage and dissipation capacity. Our Fe3O4 NTs exhibit excellent microwave absorption (MA) performance with the maximum reflection loss value of −57.1 dB and the efficient absorption bandwidth of 12.0 GHz. The generated magnetic vortices make the crucial contribution to the spin-wave resonance which improves the MA dissipation under high-frequency. Related magnetic flux line distribution and magnetic domain moment were confirmed by the electron holography and micro-magnetic simulation, respectively, providing the deep insight to the microwave absorption mechanism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diabetic nephropathy (DN) seriously affects the people's life and health in China. This study aimed to investigate the effect of circRNA circ-ITCH on improving DN by regulating the miR-33a-5p/SIRT6 axis and the possible mechanism of action. High glucose (HG)-induced rat mesangial cells (RMCs) were used to simulate the DN in vitro. Reverse transcription-quantitative PCR (RT-qPCR) and western blot analysis were conducted to detect the gene or protein expression. Cell Counting Kit-8 (CCK-8) and wound healing assays were performed to estimate the cell viability and migration capability. Immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) were used to detect the α-Smooth Muscle Actin (α-SMA) expression and levels of inflammatory factors. The potential associations between circ-ITCH and miR-33a-5p, miR-33a-5p and SIRT6 in RMCs were measured via dual-luciferase reporter assay. Streptozotocin (STZ) was used to induce the diabetic mice. Blood glucose and serum insulin of mice were determined by corresponding kits, and blood urea nitrogen (BUN) and serum creatinine (SCr) were measured using an automatic biochemical analyzer. Hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) staining and periodic acid-Schiff (PAS) staining were applied to observe the degree of pathological injury and fibrosis of renal tissues. The results of the present study revealed that circ-ITCH expression was obviously decreased in HG-induced RMCs. In addition, circ-ITCH overexpression inhibited the viability, migration, fibrosis and inflammatory response of HG-induced RMCs. Further experiments confirmed that miR-33a-5p may be a direct target of circ-ITCH and SIRT6 may be a direct target of miR-33a-5p. Notably, the miR-33a-5p mimic or shRNA-SIRT6 were discovered to reverse the inhibitory effects of circ-ITCH on the proliferation, migration, fibrosis and inflammatory response of HG-induced RMCs. Furthermore, circ-ITCH overexpression ameliorated renal inflammation and fibrosis in STZ-induced diabetic mice. In conclusion, circ-ITCH alleviated renal inflammation and fibrosis in STZ-induced diabetic mice by regulating the miR-33a-5p/SIRT6 axis.Author names: Please confirm if the author names are presented accurately and in the correct sequence (given name, middle name/initial, family name). Author 1 Given name: [ChunYang] Last name [Xu]. Author 2 Given name: [DingBo] Last name [Xu]. Author 3 Given name: [YongHua] Last name [Liu]. Author 4 Given name: [Juanjuan] Last name [Jiang]. Also, kindly confirm the details in the metadata are correct.ok [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Three-dimension hierarchical core–shell Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites were successfully constructed via a fast MOF-based ligand exchange strategy. Abundant magnetic CoFe nanoparticles suspended within “nanotubes on microrods” matrix exhibited strong magnetic loss capability, confirmed by off-axis electron holography. Hierarchical Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites displayed remarkable microwave absorption value of − 53.5 dB.Hierarchical magnetic-dielectric composites are promising functional materials with prospective applications in microwave absorption (MA) field. Herein, a three-dimension hierarchical “nanotubes on microrods,” core–shell magnetic metal–carbon composite is rationally constructed for the first time via a fast metal–organic frameworks-based ligand exchange strategy followed by a carbonization treatment with melamine. Abundant magnetic CoFe nanoparticles are embedded within one-dimensional graphitized carbon/carbon nanotubes supported on micro-scale Mo2N rod (Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT), constructing a special multi-dimension hierarchical MA material. Ligand exchange reaction is found to determine the formation of hierarchical magnetic-dielectric composite, which is assembled by dielectric Mo2N as core and spatially dispersed CoFe nanoparticles within C/CNTs as shell. Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites exhibit superior MA performance with maximum reflection loss of − 53.5 dB at 2 mm thickness and show a broad effective absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz. The Mo2N@CoFe@C/CNT composites hold the following advantages: (1) hierarchical core–shell structure offers plentiful of heterojunction interfaces and triggers interfacial polarization, (2) unique electronic migration/hop paths in the graphitized C/CNTs and Mo2N rod facilitate conductive loss, (3) highly dispersed magnetic CoFe nanoparticles within “tubes on rods” matrix build multi-scale magnetic coupling network and reinforce magnetic response capability, confirmed by the off-axis electron holography. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: Benefiting from the possible “seed-germination” effect, the “seeds” Ni2+ grow into “buds” Ni nanoparticles and “stem” carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the enlarged “soil” of MXene skeleton. Compared with the traditional magnetic agglomeration, the MXene-CNTs/Ni hybrids exhibit the highly spatial dispersed magnetic architecture. 3D MXene-CNTs/Ni composites hold excellent microwave absorption performance (−56.4 dB at only 2.4 mm). Ti3C2Tx MXene is widely regarded as a potential microwave absorber due to its dielectric multi-layered structure. However, missing magnetic loss capability of pure MXene leads to the unmatched electromagnetic parameters and unsatisfied impedance matching condition. Herein, with the inspiration from dielectric-magnetic synergy, this obstruction is solved by fabricating magnetic CNTs/Ni hetero-structure decorated MXene substrate via a facile in situ induced growth method. Ni2+ ions are successfully attached on the surface and interlamination of each MXene unit by intensive electrostatic adsorption. Benefiting from the possible “seed-germination” effect, the “seeds” Ni2+ grow into “buds” Ni nanoparticles and “stem” carbon nanotubes (CNTs) from the enlarged “soil” of MXene skeleton. Due to the improved impedance matching condition, the MXene-CNTs/Ni hybrid holds a superior microwave absorption performance of − 56.4 dB at only 2.4 mm thickness. Such a distinctive 3D architecture endows the hybrids: (i) a large-scale 3D magnetic coupling network in each dielectric unit that leading to the enhanced magnetic loss capability, (ii) a massive multi-heterojunction interface structure that resulting in the reinforced polarization loss capability, confirmed by the off-axis electron holography. These outstanding results provide novel ideas for developing magnetic MXene-based absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is a crucial reaction for various energy conversion and storage devices, but the sluggish kinetics and the usage of noble metals greatly restrict its practical device applications. In this work, a well-designed high-performance catalyst for ORR was synthesized via a facile one-step Co-MOF carbonization method, in which Co-MOF was prepared using the cobalt acetate tetrahydrate and 2,2′-bipyridyl-5,5′-dicarboxylic acid (H2bpydc) as the only raw materials and H2bpydc as the favorable carbon and nitrogen source for in situ nitrogen doping and metallic cobalt reduction. The resultant 3D mesoporous carbon foam catalyst with embedded Co nanoparticles (CoN-CF) is enriched with nitrogen, which exhibits high specific surface area and abundant N-doping active sites for catalytic ORR. In particular, the optimized CoN-CF-700 sample displays the best catalytic performances including onset potential of 0.94 V, half-wave potential of 0.85 V, long-term durability and superior resistance to methanol poisoning. The demonstrated synthetic strategy provides a new insight into easy-synthesis and high-economy routes for metal-N-C catalysts and a deeper understanding of the effects of microstructures on catalytic mechanisms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A two-phase flow model for predicting sedimentation processes under wave and current conditions is presented. The model is based on solving the one-dimensional continuity and momentum equations for both fluid and solid phases through water column (1DV). The standard mixing length model is modified to take into account the buoyancy effect due to the gradient of suspended sediments near the seabed. The model is applied to study sedimentation processes on an erosional mudflat in the Yangtze River Delta, China, and intra-tide variations of flow properties and mud concentration are predicted and compared with field measurements. It was found that it is necessary to include the wave-induced shear stress in determining sediment erosion and the existence of a fluid mud layer can significantly influence both the flow structure and the distribution of sediment concentration in the water column. The turbulence dissipation induced by the fluid mud layer has the effect of increasing the duration of re-suspension during the early stage of the ebb. The overall good agreement between measured data and model results demonstrates the capability of the model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The aim of this study was to investigate the alterations in regional homogeneity assessed by fMRI in patients with migraine without aura (MWoA). Fifty-six eligible MWoA patients and 32 matched healthy volunteers were enrolled in this study. MWoA patients were divided into three groups according to the headache days per month within 3 months: infrequent episodic migraine (IEM) group, frequent episodic migraine (FEM) group, and chronic migraine (CM) group. Data collection and rest-state fMRI examination were performed in all cases. The ReHo method was used to analyze the blood oxygen level dependent (BLOD) signals of the adjacent voxels in the brain regions of each patient, and the consistency of their fluctuations in the sequences of same time. Compared with normal controls, ReHo values of bilateral thalami, right insula and right middle temporal gyrus increased and both precentral gyri decreased in the IEM group; ReHo values of bilateral thalami and the right middle temporal gyrus increased; ReHo values of both anterior cingulate cortex, precentral gyri and putamen decreased in the FEM group. Compared with control group, ReHo values of left olfactory cortex, right hippocampus, parahippocampal gyrus, suboccipital gyrus and precuneus increased, both precentral gyri, precuneus, putamen and anterior cingulate cortex decreased in the CM group. Compared with IEM group, ReHo values of both putamen, left middle frontal gyrus, right superior frontal gyrus increased, and the left precuneus decreased in the FEM group. Compared with FEM group, ReHo values of left olfactory and left precuneus increased, and the right superior frontal gyrus, insula, middle temporal gyrus, thalami, both superior temporal gyri decreased in the CM group. In the IEM group, the changes of function focus on the regions associated with coding, conduction and regulation of pain signals. In the FEM group, functional alterations mainly concentrated on the regions associated with pain regulation and emotion cognition. In the CM group, the changes focus on the regions related to spatial attention and cognition, affective disorders and pain feedback, which may be associated with migraine production, development and chronification. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]