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Ternary polymer solar cells (PSCs) are one of the most promising high-efficiency photovoltaic devices with advantages of simple solution fabrication and single-junction structure. Herein, we fabricated ternary PSCs with PC 71 BM as the third component, and ester-polymer PFTzTT-3TC as donor and ITIC as host acceptor. So after treatment-annealing, ternary devices based on PFTzTT-3TC: ITIC: PC 71 BM (1:1:0.05) exhibited a prominently increased V OC of 0.93 V and PCE of 8.87%. The optimal devices (1:1:0.30) delivers a state of art FF of 71.76%, which is over 22% higher than the value of 58.40% in binary devices. Ternary semitransparent solar cells (1:1:0.25, 15 and 20 nm Ag as cathode) produced a PCE of 6.49% and 7.18% and an AVT of 11.91% and 9.29%, respectively. Our work demonstrated that ternary strategy is a promising solution to improve photovoltaic parameters simultaneously though rational selection of matched fullerene and non-fullerene acceptors. [Display omitted] • The FF of ternary OSC was obviously improved by the additional PC 71 BM from 58.40% to 71.76%. • An enhanced PCE of 8.95% was achieved in the 30 wt% PC 71 BM incorporated ternary OSC. • Applying ester-polymer into ternary semitransparent PSCs was reported firstly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Designing and synthesizing new organic photovoltaic materials is an inexhaustible driving force for the development of polymer solar cells (PSCs). For an excellent molecular structure with a certain conjugated skeleton, studying its analogues is of considerable significance for fully exploiting its photovoltaic potential. In this work, naphtho[2,3- c thiophene-4,9-dione (NTD), an analogue of benzo [1,2-c:4,5-c']dithiophene-4,8-dione (BDD), was designed and synthesized. Based on this building block, alkoxy side chains and alkylthio side chains were grafted on NTD to build NTD-O and NTD-S unit respectively, and then two new D-A conjugated donor polymers, PBNO and PBNS, were synthesized with NTD-O and NTD-S units as acceptor units and asymmetric benzodithiophene unit (asy-BDTBP) as donor units. Later, the photoelectric properties of these two materials in fullerene PSCs were studied. Compared with BDD based benzodithiophene copolymer (asy-BDTBP-BDD), PBNO and PBNS show similar LUMO energy levels, −3.59 eV and −3.63 eV, respectively, PBNO and PBNS show higher HOMO energy levels, which are −5.25 eV and −5.37 eV, respectively. PBNO blended with fullerene acceptor PC 71 BM exhibited similar power conversion efficiency (PCE) compared to the copolymer asy-BDTBP-BDD (4.64%). The PCE is 4.71% with short-circuit current density (J SC) of 9.85 mA cm−2, open-circuit voltage (V OC) of 0.784 V and fill factor (FF) of 60.98%. Encouragingly, PBNS presented an obviously enhanced PCE in PC 71 BM system PSCs, and PCE boosted to 7.58% (J SC , 12.40 mA cm−2; V OC , 0.865 V; FF, 70.83%). This work shows that analogues of excellent molecules have huge photovoltaic potential, and that side-chain modification has a significant impact on improving the photovoltaic performance of PSCs. Image 1 • Asymmetric BDT-based D-A copolymer as donor material for organic solar cells. • NTD-unit side chain modification of alkoxy chain and alkylthio chain. • New donor material suitable for fullerene organic solar cells. • Compared with BDD-based copolymers, PCE is significantly improved. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, four wide-bandgap (WBG) conjugated polymers based on asymmetrical building block thieno [2,3f]benzofuran (TBF) and fluorobenzotriazole (BZ), are synthesized and applied as donor materials in polymer solar cells (PSCs). The effect of conjugated side chains (alkylthiothiophenyl, alkylthiophenyl, alkylphenyl and fluoroalkoxyphenyl) on the optical absorption, electrochemical and photovoltaic properties are investigated in detail. These polymers exhibit similar properties, strong absorption from 300 to 650 nm with wide bandgaps ranging from 1.87 to 1.96 eV, excellent thermal stability, the high and balanced carrier mobility. Notably, the open-circuit voltages (V OC) of PTS DO -BZ increases by 0.16 V compared with PT DO -BZ. Similarly, larger V OC changes have also occurred in PP EH -BZ and PPFO EH -BZ comparation. The enhanced V OC can be ascribed to the low-lying highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy level by incorporating sulfur and fluorine substituents on the conjugated side chains. The as-cast devices of PTS DO -BZ:ITIC exhibit the highest power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.66%, with a V OC of 0.88 V, a short-circuit current density (J SC) of 15.06 mA cm−2, and a fill factor (FF) of 65.12%. The results indicate that the modification of the side chains of the TBF unit can effectively lower the HOMO energy levels and thereby obtaining high V OC. Image 1 • Four new polymers based on thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran were reported. • Polymer containing sulfur and fluorine achieved the high V OC. • The photovoltaic results are good among thieno benzofuran based polymer. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, one novel asymmetric non-fullerene acceptor ITIC-3T was designed and synthesized. ITIC-3T molecule shows 1.58 eV E g , with −3.95 eV LUMO level. Utilizing P3 (one asymmetric 2D conjugated benzodithiophene polymer) as donor material, bulk heterojunction solar cells were fabricated. The optimal device yields a PCE of 6.47% with a V OC of 0.64 V, a FF of 55.5% and a high J SC of 18.18 mA cm−2, which may be attributed to the complementary optical absorption of active blend (P3 and ITIC-3T). In general, this work demonstrates that asymmetric polymer donor and non-fullerene acceptor active layer blend is potential for fabricating efficient photovoltaic cells. Image 1 • Novel asymmetric A-D-A type non-fullerene acceptor ITIC-3T was synthesized and firstly reported. • Solar cell device based on asymmetric BDT-based polymer and asymmetric non-fullerene acceptor shows PCE of 6.47%. • Extraordinary J SC was achieved based on asymmetric polymer donor and non-fullerene acceptor device of 18.18 mA cm−2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, one novel carbazole side chained benzodithiophene (BDT) monomer is designed and synthesized, and this new donor monomer based two D−A conjugated polymers with electron-withdrawing acceptor 4,7-di(4-(2-ethylhexyl)-2-thienyl)-5,6-difluoro-2,1,3-benzothiadiazole (DTffBT) (P5) and benzodithiophene-4,8-dione (BDD) (P7) are prepared. The polymers show 1.65–1.85 eV band gap, which is similar to the polymer with same backbone. The P5 based polymer solar cells show acceptable PCE around 8% and low enegy loss around 0.7 eV, which is similar to the fluorene side-chained polymer. P7 based polymer shows 1 V open-circuit voltage in both fullerene based and fullerene-free polymer solar cells. Molecular conformations, photophysical/electrochemical properties and film morphology of the device active layer blend films were also systematically investigated to reveal the structure−property relationships. This work suggests that carbazole unit is a promising π-conjugated side chain group for BDT monomer to construct efficient two-dimensional (2D) D−A conjugated photovoltaic polymers. Image 1 • First carbazole side chained benzodithiophene photovoltaic polymers is reported. • Polymer solar cells show high efficiency and low energy loss. • Benzodithiophene-4,8-dione (BDD) (P7) based devices show 1 V high Voc. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran based polymer show PCE of 7.15%. • Solar cells device show low E loss around 0.53 eV. • The devices do not need any pre/post-treatment, which is convenient for industrial application. A donor–acceptor (D–A) polymer, PTBF DO -BDD, based on thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran (TBF) with 4-dodecyl thienyl chains, was designed and synthesized. The optical, electrochemical, photovoltaic and device active layer morphology properties of the new polymer were investigated. With the structure of indium tin oxide (ITO)/poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS)/PTBF DO -BDD:ITIC/PDINO/Al, polymer solar cells device exhibited a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 7.15% (AM1.5G, 100 mW cm−2) with V OC of 0.803 V, J SC of 14.71 mA cm−2, and FF of 60.57%. This work demonstrates that thieno[2,3-f]benzofuran-based conjugated polymers are promising as polymer solar cells donor materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Coronary heart disease (CHD) represents a severe form of ischemic cardiac condition that necessitates timely and accurate diagnosis. Although coronary angiography (CAG) remains widely used to detect CHD, healthcare facilities, medical expenses, and equipment technology often limit its availability. Therefore, it is imperative to identify a non-invasive diagnostic approach with high accuracy for CHD., Methods: This cross-sectional research included patients with chest pain (≥ 18 years) hospitalized at Chengde Central Hospital between September 2020 and March 2024. Among the participants, 70% were split into the training, and 30% were randomly entered into the validation sets. In the training dataset, univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were rigorously employed to ascertain predictors of CHD. A model was formulated by incorporating these predictors in a nomogram, which was evaluated for accuracy using calibration curves. The model's discrimination was quantified by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, denoted as the area under the curve (AUC), and its clinical application value was determined through decision curve analysis (DCA). Finally, we compare our model against the pretest probability (PTP) calculated by the Update Diamond-Forrester Model (UDFM) as recommended by the ECS guidelines to comprehensively assess its performance., Results: This study included 1501 patients who presented with chest pain, with a mean age of 60.45 years, 865 males (57.60%). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed TyG index, MHR, male, age, diabetes, systolic blood pressure (SBP), regional wall motion abnormality (RWMA), ST-T changes, and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) as independent predictors of CHD. A novel nomogram incorporating these independent risk factors exhibited high accuracy and perfect consistency, with a training set AUC calculated to be 0.733 (95% CI: 0.698-0.768), and the validation set maintained a strong performance at 0.721 (95% CI: 0.663-0.779). The calibration curves and the Hosmer-Lemeshow test confirmed the well-fitting model (P = 0.576 and P = 0.694). ROC curve analysis and DCA demonstrated that the model has robust forecasting capability., Conclusion: The nomogram model in this study exhibited good discriminative ability, calibration, and a favorable net benefit. Its predictive performance exceeds that of the traditional PTP tool and may serve as a non-invasive and promising approach to aid clinicians in the early identification of CHD risk in patients presenting with chest pain., Competing Interests: Declarations. Ethics approval and consent to participate: This cross-sectional study conformed to the Declaration of Helsinki and was approved by the Ethics Committee of Chengde Central Hospital. Written informed consent was obtained from all the patients. Consent for publication: Not applicable. Competing interests: The authors declare no competing interests., (© 2025. The Author(s).)

In this study, a simple one-pot synthesis process is employed to introduce Pd dopant and abundant S vacancies into In 2 S 3 nanosheets. The optimized Pd-doped In 2 S 3 photocatalyst, with abundant S vacancies, demonstrates a significant enhancement in photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The joint modification of Pd doping and rich S vacancies on the band structure of In 2 S 3 result in an improvement in both the light absorption capacity and proton reduction ability. It is worth noting that photogenerated electrons enriched by S vacancies can rapidly migrate to adjacent Pd atoms through an efficient transfer path constructed by Pd-S bond, effectively suppressing the charge recombination. Consequently, the dual-defective In 2 S 3 shows an efficient photocatalytic H 2 production rate of 58.4 ± 2.0 μmol·h -1 . Additionally, further work has been conducted on other ternary metal sulfide, ZnIn 2 S 4 . Our findings provide a new insight into the development of highly efficient photocatalysts through synergistic defect engineering., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Photocatalytic nitrogen reduction is a promising green technology for ammonia synthesis under mild conditions. However, the poor charge transfer efficiency and weak N 2 adsorption/activation capability severely hamper the ammonia production efficiency. In this work, heteropoly blue (r-PW 12 ) nanoparticles are loaded on the surface of ultrathin bismuth oxychloride nanosheets with oxygen vacancies (BiOCl-OVs) by electrostatic self-assembly method, and a series of xr-PW 12 /BiOCl-OVs heterojunction composites have been prepared. Acting as a robust support, ultrathin two-dimensional (2D) structure of BiOCl-OVs inhibits the aggregation of r-PW 12 nanoparticles, enhancing the interfacial contact between r-PW 12 and BiOCl. More importantly, the existence of oxygen vacancies (OVs) provides abundant active sites for efficient N 2 adsorption and activation. In combination of the enhanced light absorption and promoted photogenerated carriers separation of xr-PW 12 /BiOCl-OVs heterojunction, under simulated solar light, the optimal 7r-PW 12 /BiOCl-OVs exhibits an excellent photocatalytic N 2 fixation rate of 33.53 µmol g -1 h -1 in pure water, without the need of sacrificial agents and co-catalysts. The reaction dynamics is also monitored by in situ FT-IR spectroscopy, and an associative distal pathway is identified. Our study demonstrates that construction of heteropoly blues-based heterojunction is a promising strategy for developing high-performance N 2 reduction photocatalysts. It is anticipated that combining of different defects with heteropoly blues of different structures might provide more possibilities for designing highly efficient photocatalysis systems., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2024 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

The 1H-benzo[f]indole (Bd[f]), a carbazole (Cz) isomer is first reported as the source of Cz-based phosphors in 2020. In this work, the novel carbazole isomers, 1H-benzo[g]indole (Bd[g]) based derivatives, are synthesized by a one-step solvent-free mechanical ball milling reaction, establishing a facile, efficient, and environmentally friendly method for the synthesis of new Cz isomer phosphorescent derivatives with high yields compared to previously reported multi-step solvent-based thermochemical synthesis routes of Bd[f] derivatives with low yields. Six Bd[g] derivatives with different substituents, namely OCH 3 -Bd, In-Bd, Bn-Bd, F-Bd, Cl-Bd, and Br-Bd, are synthesized, which exhibit distinctly different single-crystal structures and phosphorescent properties. After irradiation with 365 nm UV light, Bd[g] derivatives-doped poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) films exhibit photoactivated green room-temperature phosphorescence with ultra-long lifetimes up to 1.65 s. Interestingly, the phosphorescence is stable in seawater along with good bactericidal properties, which also provide new candidates for indole-based marine antifoulants. This study demonstrates that mechanical ball milling is an efficient method for the synthesis of benzoindole heterocycles. Bd[g], as new members of the benzoindole family, are new building units to construct carbazole isomer phosphorescent molecules besides Bd[f]., (© 2024 Wiley‐VCH GmbH.)

Image security faces increasing challenges with the widespread application of computer science and artificial intelligence. Although chaotic systems are employed to encrypt images and prevent unauthorized access or tampering, the degradation that occurs during the binarization process in chaotic systems reduces security. The chaos- and DNA-based image encryption schemes increases its complexity, while the integration of deep learning with image encryption is still in its infancy and has several shortcomings. An image encryption scheme with high security and efficiency is required for the protection of the image. To address these problems, we propose a novel image encryption scheme based on the lightweight VGG (LVGG), referred to as LVGG-IE. In this work, we design an LVGG network with fewer layers while maintaining a high capacity for feature capture. This network is used to generate a key seed, which is then employed to transform the plaintext image into part of the initial value of a chaotic system, ensuring that the chaos-based key generator correlates with the plaintext image. A dynamic substitution box (S-box) is also designed and used to scramble the randomly shuffled plaintext image. Additionally, a single-connected (SC) layer is combined with a convolution layer from VGG to encrypt the image, where the SC layer is dynamically constructed by the secret key and the convolution kernel is set to 1×2. The encryption efficiency is simulated, and the security is analyzed. The results show that the correlation coefficient between adjacent pixels in the proposed scheme achieves 10-4. The NPCR exceeds 0.9958, and the UACI falls within the theoretical value with a significance level of 0.05. The encryption quality, the security of the dynamic S-box and the SC layer, and the efficiency are tested. The result shows that the proposed image encryption scheme demonstrates high security, efficiency, and robustness, making it effective for image security in various applications.

Traditionally, extracting single, flat- or curved-rooted teeth through twisting is unfeasible. However, our clinical practice suggests that such teeth can be extracted efficiently through moderate twisting in a minimally invasive manner. Given the lack of studies on biomechanics of the tooth-periodontal ligament (PDL) complex during torsion, which has further constrained its application, we assessed the feasibility of the torsion method for extracting single-rooted teeth and evaluated its minimally invasive potential. Using three-dimensional finite element analysis, we examined the stress distribution of the tooth and PDL during torsion. Then, we examined changes in the optimal torsion angle (OTA) and stress distribution across various anatomical scenarios. During torsion loading, stress concentration was primarily observed on the sing-rooted tooth surface near the alveolar crest, whereas molars at the root furcation. The OTA was found to increase under conditions such as narrowing of root width, decrease in the root apical curvature, change from type I to IV bone, alveolar bone loss, and shortening of root length. Moreover, the clinically validated model demonstrated that 74% of outcomes fell within the standard OTA range. In conclusion, the decrease in PDL area necessitated a larger angle for complete PDL tearing. Single-rooted teeth with root width-to-thickness ratios of ≥0.42 and apical curvatures of ≤30°are suitable for extraction using the torsion method. This study confirms the feasibility of the torsion method for minimally invasive tooth extraction and expands its indications, laying the theoretical foundation and essential insights for its clinical application., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Xing, Zhang, Sun, Pan, Zhang, Liu, Li, He, Zhang, Wang, Luo and Zhang.)

Due to poor planarity and weak intermolecular interactions of acceptor units which have two-dimensional configuration, the development of related polymers is slow. In this work, we synthesized a dithieno[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline-based unit substituted with fluorinated thiophene, which can effectively expand the area of the acceptor unit. Then, it paired with three different benzodithiophene-based donor units, and three new polymers of PQTF-BT, PQTF-BTCl and PQTF-DTCl were obtained. PQTF-BT with thiophene side chain exhibits appropriate aggregation and crystallization performance, and the PQTF-BT:PY-IT all-polymer solar cells exhibit high device efficiency of 15.54 %. Meanwhile, PQTF-BTCl with chlorination strategy on thiophene side chain further enhances the open-circuit voltage of related devices. However, it has negative impact on the miscibility and charge transfer of the material, leading to a poor efficiency of 8.71 % in the PQTF-BTCl:PY-IT device. To reinforce miscibility, PQTF-DTCl with expanded backbone planarity was further studied. However, the big dihedral angles of the donor side chains disrupted the effective stacking of the molecules, resulting in great recovery of device performance to 13.42 %. This work provides research ideas for the design of polymers with two-dimensional configuration side chain and match selection of donor units., (© 2024 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Background: Mandibular genioplasty, a central procedure in oral and maxillofacial surgery, has traditionally relied on surgeon experience with potential limitations in precision. The advent of digital methods, particularly computer-aided design/computer-aided manufacturing (CAD/CAM), offers a promising alternative. This study aims to evaluate the efficacy of digital surgical guides in improving the precision of mandibular genioplasty., Methods: A prospective analysis of 50 patients undergoing genioplasty was performed, 30 in the experimental group using digital surgical guides and 20 in the control group using traditional methods. Three-dimensional reconstructions were obtained using cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT) and digital scans. Osteotomy guides were 3D-printed based on group assignment. Postoperatively, accuracy was assessed by measuring distances between landmarks., Results: The experimental group showed significantly reduced horizontal positioning errors in genioplasty advancement, with no significant differences in vertical errors. For genioplasty retraction, the experimental group showed fewer vertical positioning errors, while horizontal errors remained consistent., Conclusions: The use of digital surgical guides in mandibular genioplasty significantly improves surgical accuracy, resulting in improved outcomes and patient satisfaction. This study highlights the potential of digital methods in refining oral and maxillofacial surgical procedures., Level of Evidence Iii: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

Background: In recent years, the incidence of insulin resistance is increasing, and it can cause a variety of Metabolic syndrome. Ginsenosides have been clinically proven to improve fat metabolism and reduce insulin resistance, but their components and mechanism of action are still unclear., Objective: Ginsenoside, a bioactive compound derived from ginseng, exhibits significant potential in treating obesity, diabetes, and metabolic disorders. Despite evidence supporting its efficacy in ameliorating insulin resistance (IR) in obesity, the specific bioactive components and underlying mechanisms remain obscure. In this study, we endeavored to elucidate the potential molecular targets and pathways influenced by ginsenoside Rh3 (GRh3) to ameliorate IR in liver tissue. We employed a comprehensive approach that integrates system pharmacology and bioinformatics analysis., Materials and Methods: Our methodology involved the identification of candidate targets for GRh3 and the profiling of differentially expressed genes (DEGs) related to IR in individuals with insulin resistance. The coalescence of candidate targets and DEGs facilitated the construction of a "GRh3-targets-disease" network for each tissue type, ultimately yielding 38 shared target genes. Subsequently, we conducted pathway enrichment analysis, established protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks, and identified hub targets among the GRh3 targets and IR-related DEGs. Additionally, we conducted animal experiments to corroborate the role of these hub targets in the context of GRh3., Results: Our investigation identified a total of 38 overlapping targets as potential candidates. Notably, our analysis revealed crucial hub targets such as EGFR, SRC, ESR1, MAPK1, and CASP3, alongside implicated signaling pathways, including those related to insulin resistance, the FoxO signaling pathway, the PPAR signaling pathway, and the IL-17 signaling pathway. This study establishes a robust foundation for the mechanisms underlying GRh3's efficacy in mitigating IR. Furthermore, these results suggest that GRh3 may serve as a representative compound within the ginsenoside family., Conclusion: This study elucidates the potential molecular targets and associated pathways through which GRh3 ameliorates IR, showcasing its multifaceted nature, spanning multiple targets, pathways, and mechanisms. These findings establish a robust foundation for subsequent experimental inquiries and clinical applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Wang, Wu, Wang, Sun, Wang, Huang and Sun.)

Background and Aim: Diabetes retinopathy (DR) is a common microvascular complication of diabetes, and it is the main cause of global vision loss. The current observational research results show that the causal relationship between Vitamin D and DR is still controversial. Therefore, we conducted a Mendelian randomization study to determine the potential causal relationship between serum 25-hydroxyvitamin D 25(OH)D and DR., Methods and Results: In this study, we selected aggregated data on serum 25(OH)D levels (GWAS ID: ebi-a-GCST90000615) and DR (GWAS ID: finn-b-DM_RETINOPATHY) from a large-scale GWAS database. Then use MR analysis to evaluate the possible causal relationship between them. We mainly use inverse variance weighted (IVW), supplemented by MR Egger and weighted median methods. Sensitivity analysis is also used to ensure the stability of the results, such as Cochran's Q-test, MR-PRESSO, MR-Egger interception test, and retention method. The MR analysis results showed that there was no significant causal relationship between 25(OH)D and DR (OR = 1.0128, 95%CI=(0.9593,1.0693), P = 0.6447); Similarly, there was no significant causal relationship between DR and serum 25 (OH) D levels (OR = 0.9900, 95% CI=(0.9758,1.0045), P = 0.1771)., Conclusion: Our study found no significant causal relationship between serum 25(OH)D levels and DR, and vice versa. A larger sample size randomized controlled trial is needed to further reveal its potential causal relationship., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Background: Serum uric acid (SUA) and glycosylated hemoglobin (HbA1c) were closely related to the body's metabolism. This study aimed to investigate the relationship between HbA1c and SUA in adults., Methods: This study selected 7293 participants aged ≥20 from 2011 to 2020 in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). The multivariate linear regression model was used to test the association between HbA1c and SUA. Subgroup analysis was performed according to age, gender, race, and body mass index (BMI). This study solved the relationship between HbA1c and SUA by fitting a smooth curve. Finally, the inflection point in the nonlinear relationship was calculated by the recursive algorithm, and the relationship between HbA1c and SUA on both sides of the inflection point was analyzed by the two-segment piecewise linear regression model., Results: All 7293 participants found a negative correlation between HbA1c and SUA by completely adjusting the model ( β  = -7.93 and 95% CI: -9.49--6.37). In addition, when this study was stratified by gender, age, race, and BMI status, this negative correlation was still statistically significant. In the subgroup analysis, we found that the relationship between the two had different results due to gender differences. In men, HbA1c had a significant negative correlation with SUA. However, in women, the HbA1c value was positively correlated with SUA before 6.8%, and the HbA1c value was negatively correlated with SUA after 6.8%, which indicates that the relationship between HbA1c and SUA in women has changed in prediabetes and diabetes., Conclusion: This study shows that HbA1c is positively correlated with SUA in American adults before 7%. There is a negative correlation after the HbA1c value of 7%., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted without any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Huan Li et al.)

Benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene (BDT) and its derivatives have made important contributions to constructing high-performance polymers. However, it is difficult to clarify the real role of donor units due to the interference of strong electronegativity and crystallinity of acceptor units in the D-A copolymer. Here, we design a cyclohexane-substituted dithieno[3,2-f:2',3'-h]quinoxaline (DTQ)-based acceptor unit with successfully destroyed crystallinity and charge transport. Three donor-dominated materials PQH-BTF, PQH-BTCl, and PQH-BFCl are obtained. It is found that the materials exhibit obvious differences after destroying the crystallization and charge transport of the acceptor unit, and the real role of different two-dimensional donor units in designed polymers is confirmed. The backbone BDF exhibits much stronger intermolecular interactions compared to BDT, while the side chain ThF demonstrates a higher crystallization capacity than that of ThCl. More interestingly, it can be inferred that the molecular backbone is likely to construct miscible-phase crystallization (D-A crystal) while the side chain tends to demonstrate a capacity for pure-phase crystallization (D-D crystal) in a 2D donor system. Different crystallization leads to different exciton transport: pure-phase crystallization is conducive to the reduction of trap-assisted recombination, while miscible crystallization is beneficial to the reduction of bimolecular recombination. This work can help to choose donor units more accurately when preparing D-A copolymers.

Isocorydine (ICD) exhibits strong antitumor effects on numerous human cell lines. However, the anticancer activity of ICD against oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) has not been reported. The anticancer activity, migration and invasion ability, and changes in the cytoskeleton morphology and mechanical properties of ICD in OSCC were determined. Changes in the contents of reactive oxygen species (ROS), the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), ATP, and mitochondrial respiratory chain complex enzymes Ⅰ-Ⅳ in cancer cells were studied. ICD significantly inhibited the proliferation of oral tongue squamous cells (Cal-27), with an IC50 of 0.61 mM after 24 h of treatment. The invasion, migration, and adhesion of cancer cells were decreased, and cytoskeletal actin was deformed and depolymerized. In comparison to an untreated group, the activities of mitochondrial respiratory chain complex enzymes I-IV were significantly decreased by 50.72%, 27.39%, 77.27%, and 73.89%, respectively. The ROS production increased, the MMP decreased by 43.65%, and the ATP content decreased to 17.1 ± 0.001 (mmol/mL); ultimately, the apoptosis rate of cancer cells increased up to 10.57% after 24 h of action. These findings suggest that ICD exerted an obvious anticancer activity against OSCC and may inhibit Cal-27 proliferation and growth by causing mitochondrial dysfunction and interrupting cellular energy.

Liquid-crystal small molecule donor (LC-SMD) is a new type organic semiconductor, which is attractive not only for the easy synthesis and purification, well-defined chemical structures, etc., but also for the LC state that makes the crystallinity and aggregation state of molecules adjustable. Here, one new LC-SMD (a-BTR-H4) is synthesized with 1D alkoxyl and 2D thiophene-alkylthiol side-chained benzo[1,2-b:4,5-b']dithiophene core, trithiophene π-bridge, and 3-(2-ethylhexyl) rhodanine end group. a-BTR-H4 shows low LC transition temperature, 117 °C, however, counterpart material (a-BTR-H5) with the same main structure but 3-ethyl rhodanine terminal group does not show LC properties. Although a-BTR-H4/H5 show similar Ultraviolet-visible absorption spectrum and energy levels, a-BTR-H4 affords relatively high photovoltaic performances due to favorable blend morphology produced by the consistent annealing temperature of Y6-based accepters and liquid crystal temperature of donors. Preliminary results indicate that a-BTR-H4 gains a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.36% for Y6-based devices, which is ascribed to better light harvest as well as balanced carrier generation and transport, while a-BTR-H5 obtains 7.57% PCE. Therefore, some materials with unique nematic LC phase have great application potential in organic electronics, and further work to utilize a-BTR-H4 for high-performance device is underway., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Objectives: Congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) is a rare disorder that can cause masculinization of the external genitalia in females, usually evident in neonates. To present a case series of female patients with CAH by summarizing their clinical features and outcomes., Design: This retrospective study analyzed the clinical data of female patients with CAH admitted to the First Affiliated Hospital of Xiamen University from 1995 to 2019., Materials and Methods: Clinical characteristics, CAH subtype, treatments, and outcomes were summarized from the medical records and analyzed. Follow-up was conducted after drug therapy and surgical treatment and was censored in 2019., Results: Twenty-one female patients were diagnosed with CAH: 21-hydroxylase deficiency (21-OHD) in 17 patients and 17α-hydroxylase deficiency (17α-OHD) in four patients. The clinical manifestations of 21-OHD were clitoral hypertrophy, pigmentation, male secondary sexual development, genital malformation, sexual precocity, nausea, and vomiting. The clinical manifestations of 17α-OHD were hypertension, feminization, sexual infantilism, and pigmentation. The patients received hormone replacement therapy. When necessary, some patients underwent external genital organ orthomorphia or artificial periodic therapy. Twelve patients were followed up; their sexual development was improved, but seven patients had poor breast development due to late diagnosis and/or poor hormone treatment adherence., Conclusion: Female CAH patients are subject to genital deformities, virilizing signs, breast dysplasia, and other appearance defects. The purpose of this report is to improve plastic and esthetic surgeons' understanding of CAH.

The domino event caused by fire is one of the common accidents in hydrocarbon storage tank farms, which further expands the severity and scope of the accident. Due to the different failure sequence of the storage tanks in a domino accident, the radiant heat generated by the failed storage tank to the target tank is different. Based on the influence of this synergistic effect, this study combined the Monte Carlo algorithm and FSEM, and proposed a fast real-time probability calculation method for a fire domino accident in a storage tank area, for the first time. This method uses the Monte Carlo algorithm to simulate all accident scenarios, and obtains the evolution of multiple escalation fire domino accidents under the synergistic effect according to FSEM, and then calculates the real-time failure probability and risk. Based on a comprehensive analysis of the accident propagation path, this method avoids the problem of a large amount of calculation, and is conducive to the rapid and effective analysis of the fire risk in a storage tank area and the formulation of corresponding risk reduction measures. The effectiveness and superiority of the proposed method were proved by a case study.

In order to study the rehabilitation of dysphagia after stroke, this paper uses tomographic imaging technology and repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation rTMS therapy to verify the effect of this treatment method on the rehabilitation of dysphagia after stroke. In this study, the method of systematic review and meta-analysis are used to comprehensively collect the current published literature on the application of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation in post-stroke dysphagia, and to quantitatively synthesize and qualitatively analyze the data and opinions. This article aims to explore the therapeutic effect and mechanism of repeated transcranial magnetic stimulation in the treatment of dysphagia after stroke, and to evaluate its effectiveness, so as to better guide the application of repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation in the rehabilitation of dysphagia after stroke. The evaluation methods of rTMS for the clinical efficacy of PAS, FDS, VDS, DOSS, DD, and BI in patients with dysphagia after stroke are consistent. The influencing factors of rTMS on the swallowing function impairment of stroke include the choice of stimulation frequency, stimulation site, and stimulation time. Low-frequency stimulation of the contralateral hemisphere and high-frequency stimulation of the affected brain can reduce the excitability of the contralateral brain and enhance the excitability of the affected brain. The stimulation site is mainly in the pharyngeal cortex. Experiments show that rTMS can improve swallowing dysfunction after stroke within 2 weeks, and rTMS has no obvious side effects on swallowing dysfunction in patients with cerebral infarction., Competing Interests: The authors declare that there are no conflicts of interest with any financial organizations regarding the material reported in this manuscript., (Copyright © 2022 Jin Liu et al.)

A series of imide-based small molecules, namely NA, NAA, and NEA with simple structures, were designed and synthesized by introducing different amine side-chains into the benzene unit of imide, which were used as cathode interfacial materials in organic solar cells (OSCs). The amine side-chain substitution positions were systematically investigated with these small-molecule imides. Compared with NA without amide chains-NAA, and NEA, with 3-dimethylaminopropylamine and ethylenediamine chains, respectively-show bathochromic shifts in absorption, decreased band gaps, and higher highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) energy levels. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 15.04 % was obtained with the NEA-based as-cast OSCs with a high open-circuit voltage and fill factor for PM6 : Y6 blend and the maximum PCE of 15.80 % was reached for as-cast PM6 : Y6 : IT-M ternary OSCs. NEA exhibits better conductivity, higher electron mobility, and stronger the capability of lower work function of cathode among three molecules, affording OSCs with better photovoltaic performance. Additionally, these three molecules show excellent thermal stability both in solution and in films at 150 °C. The results indicate that imide-based small molecules are promising cathode interfacial materials for commercial OSCs., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

C 5 -glyceryl-methylcytosine (5gmC) is a novel DNA modification catalyzed by algal TET homologue CMD1 using vitamin C (VC) as co-substrate. Here, we report the structures of CMD1 in apo form and in complexes with VC or/and dsDNA. CMD1 exhibits comparable binding affinities for DNAs of different lengths, structures, and 5mC levels, and displays a moderate substrate preference for 5mCpG-containing DNA. CMD1 adopts the typical DSBH fold of Fe 2+ /2-OG-dependent dioxygenases. The lactone form of VC binds to the active site and mono-coordinates the Fe 2+ in a manner different from 2-OG. The dsDNA binds to a positively charged cleft of CMD1 and the 5mC/C is inserted into the active site and recognized by CMD1 in a similar manner as the TET proteins. The functions of key residues are validated by mutagenesis and activity assay. Our structural and biochemical data together reveal the molecular mechanism for the VC-derived 5gmC DNA modification by CMD1.

Tanshinone IIA nanoparticles were constructed and perfused in rabbit's right carotid after intimal denudation with ballon. Localization and retention at different time points of the coumarin-labeled drug nanoparticles were evaluated under laser confocal microscope. Nanoparticles were seen in the three layers of the cross-section artery. At 7 days, they were mainly deposited in the medial layer, while the deposition was generally observed in the adventitia and media at 14 days and 28 days. In the Tanshinone IIA nanoparticle study, a significant reduction of the neo-intimal hyperplasia was noted by comparing the intimal area and the intima-media ratio in the three groups. And the PLGA nanoparticles appeared to be fully biocompatible. As a result, the local administration of the nanoparticles with incorporated Tanshinone IIA showed not only the preventive effects, but aslo the high absorption and good biocompatability in the whole arterial wall.

A convenient approach to novel charged Ir polymers for optoelectronic devices to achieve red emission was developed. 2-(Pyridin-2-yl)benzimidazole units grafted into the side chains of macroligands (PFCz and PFP) served as ligands for the formation of charged Ir complex pendants with 1-phenylisoquinoline (1-piq). The charged Ir polymers (PFPIrPiq and PFCzIrPiq) showed exclusive Ir(1-piq)(2){N-[2-(pyridin-2-yl)benzimidazole]hexyl}(+)BF(4)(-) (IrPiq) emission, with the peak at 595 nm. The best device performances were obtained from PFCzIrPiq4 with the device configuration of ITO/PEDOT:PSS/PFCzIrPiq4+PBD (30 wt %)/TPBI/Ba/Al (PBD: 5-(4-tert-butylphenyl)-2-(biphenyl-4-yl)-1,3,4-oxadiazole; TPBI: 1,3,5-tris-(2-N-phenylbenzimidazolyl)benzene). A maximum external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 7.3 % and a luminous efficiency (LE) of 6.9 cd A(-1) with a luminance of 138 cd m(-2) were achieved at a current density of 1.9 mA cm(-2). The efficiencies remained as high as EQE=3.4 % and LE=3.3 cd A(-1) with a luminance of 3770 cd m(-2) at a current density of 115 mA cm(-2). The single-layer devices based on charged Ir polymers also showed high efficiency with the high work-function metal Ag as cathode. The maximum external quantum efficiencies of the devices were 0.64 % and 0.66 % for PFPIrPiq2 and PFPIrPiq10, respectively. A possible mechanism of an electrochemical cell associated with its electrochemical redox pathway for single-layer devices has been proposed. The results showed that the charged Ir polymers are promising candidate materials for polymer optoelectronic devices.