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The involvement of left-behind children (LBC) in school bullying has raised concern in China. However, the susceptibility of LBC to engage in bullying is controversial, and comprehensive, representative studies covering the entire country are lacking. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence and severity of school bullying among LBC. The Chinese National Knowledge Network, WanFang, VIP, PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, and EBSCO databases were searched for literature on being left-behind and bullying before April 2022. The effect size was measured by odds ratio (ORs), standard mean difference (SMD), and 95% confidence interval (CI). Random-effects or fixed-effects models were selected for meta-analysis, and subgroup analysis was used to explore the sources of heterogeneity. The meta-analysis included 25 studies of school bullying among LBC and non-LBC (NLBC). The prevalence of bullying perpetration and victimization among LBC were 18.58% (95% CI [3.72%, 33.44%], p <.05) and 40.62% (95% CI [25.47%, 55.78%], p <.05), respectively. Compared with NLBC, the risk of bullying perpetration and victimization among LBC increased 1.97 times (OR = 1.97, 95% CI [1.77, 2.20], p <.05) and 2.17 times (OR = 2.17, 95% CI [1.43, 3.29], p <.05), respectively. The severity of bullying experienced by LBC was higher than that of NLBC (SMD = 0.49, 95% CI [0.20, 0.79], p <.05). The prevalence and severity of school bullying were higher in LBC than in NLBC, and left-behindness was positively associated with school bullying. LBC are a crucial population to protect when developing bullying interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Accurate, detailed, and up-to-date information on cropland extent is crucial for provisioning food security and environmental sustainability. However, because of the complexity of agricultural landscapes and lack of sufficient training samples, it remains challenging to monitor cropland dynamics at high spatial and temporal resolutions across large geographical extents, especially for regions where agricultural land use is changing dramatically. Here we developed a cost-effective annual cropland mapping framework that integrated time-series Landsat satellite imagery, automated training sample generation, as well as machine learning and change detection techniques. We implemented the proposed scheme to a cloud computing platform of Google Earth Engine and generated a novel dataset of China's annual cropland at a 30 m spatial resolution (namely CACD). Results demonstrated that our approach was capable of tracking dynamic cropland changes in different agricultural zones. The pixel-wise F1 scores for annual maps and change maps of CACD were 0.79 ± 0.02 and 0.81, respectively. Further cross-product comparisons, including accuracy assessment, correlations with statistics, and spatial details, highlighted the precision and robustness of CACD compared with other datasets. According to our estimation, from 1986 to 2021, China's total cropland area expanded by 30 300 km 2 (1.79 %), which underwent an increase before 2002 but a general decline between 2002 and 2015, and a slight recovery afterward. Cropland expansion was concentrated in the northwest while the eastern, central, and southern regions experienced substantial cropland loss. In addition, we observed 419 342 km 2 (17.57 %) of croplands that were abandoned at least once during the study period. The consistent, high-resolution data of CACD can support progress toward sustainable agricultural use and food production in various research applications. The full archive of CACD is freely available at 10.5281/zenodo.7936885 (Tu et al., 2023a). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Although rosacea and seborrheic dermatitis share some symptoms of sensitive skin, whether they respond differently to lactic acid sting and capsaicin tests, common tests for diagnosis of sensitive skin, is unknown. Objectives: To reveal the cutaneous responses to lactic acid sting (LAST) and capsaicin test (CAT) in females with either rosacea vs. seborrheic dermatitis. Methods: A total of 60 patients with rosacea, 20 patients with seborrheic dermatitis and 40 normal controls were enrolled in the study. Their skin sensitivity to stimuli were evaluated following topical application of either 10% lactic acid solution or 0.001% capsaicin solution. Transepidermal water loss (TEWL) rates and erythema indexes were also measured on the face. Results: In comparison to normal controls, the positive rate to either LAST or CAT was significantly higher in subjects with rosacea (p < 0.001), but not in that with seborrheic dermatitis. Similarly, individuals with rosacea displayed a higher positive rate to both LAST and CAT than those with seborrheic dermatitis and normal controls (p < 0.001). In parallel, the LAST scores and CAT scores in individuals with rosacea were significantly higher than in that with either seborrheic dermatitis or normal controls (p < 0.001). The baseline TEWL rates and erythema indexes were higher in individual with rosacea than in normal controls (p < 0.001). But the baseline TEWL rates and erythema indexes did not differ significantly between subjects with rosacea and that with seborrheic dermatitis. Moreover, LAST scores and CAT scores correlated positively with TEWL (p < 0.0001). TEWL rates were higher in CAT positive than in CAT negative subjects (p < 0.0001). Finally, erythema index correlated positively with CAT scores (p < 0.0001), but not with LAST scores (p = 0.0842). Conclusions: Skin responses to LAST and CAT differ between individuals with rosacea and those with seborrheic dermatitis, possibly due to the differences in epidermal permeability barrier and the neurovascular hyperreactivity. The higher LAST and CAT scores, as well as positive rates of both LAST and CAT can be attributable to inferior permeability barrier and the neurovascular hyperreactivity in subjects with rosacea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cisplatin (CDDP) was considered as the milestone anticancer agent for the cancer treatment, however, the side effects were also a huge threat to human health. Pt(IV) prodrug with functional axial decoration has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy to minor the side effect. In this work, we have developed a dual mitochondrial and DNA‐targeting Pt(IV) prodrug with coumarin‐derivative decoration, and the experiment has illustrated that the prodrug Pt‐CMN could dramatically enhance the anticancer performance compared to CDDP. Prodrug Pt‐CMN could be activated in vitro by reducing reagent ascorbic acid in the periods of 6 h. Control prodrug Pt‐CM without the diethylamino group, showed much less cytotoxicity to cancer cells, which partially resulted from the hard reduction of prodrug Pt‐CM. Furthermore, prodrug Pt‐CMN could increase the Pt cellular uptake in MCF‐7 cells and destroy the functionality of mitochondria, including inducing the ROS generation, losing the mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP), and decreasing the ATP production. Moreover, prodrug Pt‐CMN could induce the intracellular DNA damage of MCF‐7 cells to activate apoptosis and arrest the cell cycle in the G2/M phase. This work not only demonstrated that prodrug Pt‐CMN could be a promising anticancer agent, but also provided a new strategy to enhance the anticancer performance through the subcellular organelle targeting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prinsepia utilis Royle, native to the Himalayan region, has a long history of use in traditional medicine for its heat-clearing, detoxification, anti-inflammatory, and analgesic properties. Oils extracted from P. utilis seeds are also used in cooking and cosmetics. With the increasing market demand, this extraction process generates substantial industrial biowastes. Recent studies have found many health benefits with using aqueous extracts of these biowastes, which are also rich in polysaccharides. However, there is limited research related to the reparative effects of the water extracts of P. utilis oil cakes (WEPUOC) on disruptions of the skin barrier function. This study aimed to evaluate the reparative efficacy of WEPUOC in both acute and chronic epidermal permeability barrier disruptions. Furthermore, the study sought to explore the underlying mechanisms involved in repairing the epidermal permeability barrier. Mouse models with induced epidermal disruptions, employing tape-stripping (TS) and acetone wiping (AC) methods, were used. The subsequent application of WEPUOC (100 mg/mL) was evaluated through various assessments, with a focus on the upregulation of mRNA and protein expression of Corneocyte Envelope (CE) related proteins, lipid synthase-associated proteins, and tight junction proteins. The polysaccharide was the major phytochemicals of WEPUOC and its content was determined as 32.2% by the anthranone-sulfuric acid colorimetric method. WEPUOC significantly reduced transepidermal water loss (TEWL) and improved the damaged epidermal barrier in the model group. Mechanistically, these effects were associated with heightened expression levels of key proteins such as FLG (filaggrin), INV (involucrin), LOR (loricrin), SPT, FASN, HMGCR, Claudins-1, Claudins-5, and ZO-1. WEPUOC, obtained from the oil cakes of P. utilis , is rich in polysaccharides and exhibits pronounced efficacy in repairing disrupted epidermal barriers through increased expression of critical proteins involved in barrier integrity. Our findings underscore the potential of P. utilis wastes in developing natural cosmetic prototypes for the treatment of diseases characterized by damaged skin barriers, including atopic dermatitis and psoriasis. [Display omitted] • The water extract of Prinsepia utilis oil cakes (WEPUOC) can repair epidermal barriers. • WEPUOC upregulates corneocyte envelope protein expression in the stratum corneum. • WEPUOC upregulates the expression of lipid synthases among corneocytes. • WEPUOC enhances the expression of tight junction proteins. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban land-use maps outlining the distribution, pattern, and composition of various land use types are critically important for urban planning, environmental management, disaster control, health protection, and biodiversity conservation. Recent advances in remote sensing and social sensing data and methods have shown great potentials in mapping urban land use categories, but they are still constrained by mixed land uses, limited predictors, non-localized models, and often relatively low accuracies. To inform these issues, we proposed a robust and cost-effective framework for mapping urban land use categories using openly available multi-source geospatial "big data". With street blocks generated from OpenStreetMap (OSM) data as the minimum classification unit, we integrated an expansive set of multi-scale spatially explicit information on land surface, vertical height, socio-economic attributes, social media, demography, and topography. We further proposed to apply the automatic ensemble learning that leverages a bunch of machine learning algorithms in deriving optimal urban land use classification maps. Results of block-level urban land use classification in five metropolitan areas of the United States found the overall accuracies of major-class (Level-I) and minor-class (Level-II) classification could be high as 91% and 86%, respectively. A multi-model comparison revealed that for urban land use classification with high-dimensional features, the multi-layer stacking ensemble models achieved better performance than base models such as random forest, extremely randomized trees, LightGBM, CatBoost, and neural networks. We found without very-high-resolution National Agriculture Imagery Program imagery, the classification results derived from Sentinel-1, Sentinel-2, and other open big data based features could achieve plausible overall accuracies of Level-I and Level-II classification at 88% and 81%, respectively. We also found that model transferability depended highly on the heterogeneity in characteristics of different regions. The methods and findings in this study systematically elucidate the role of data sources, classification methods, and feature transferability in block-level land use classifications, which have important implications for mapping multi-scale essential urban land use categories. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Core–shell structures with ZnO cores have been widely investigated due to their effectiveness in suppressing surface defects of ZnO nanostructures. As the surface defects are hugely dependent on the synthesis conditions, it is important to understand the interactions between shell material and ZnO with different surface chemistry. Here we produce well-aligned ZnO nanorods using two growth methods, leading to ZnO with different surface chemistries. A thin layer of TiO2 shell is applied via layer-by-layer adsorption method. The core–shell structure is confirmed via high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. The optical properties and chemical states of both bare nanorods and core–shell structures are investigated and compared using photoluminescence (PL) measurement and x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). Both PL and XPS results suggest surface defects are passivated by TiO2 shell coating. The shell coating has a stronger effect on ZnO synthesized in OH− rich environment, due to excessive hydroxyl groups provided during synthesis, which remain even after annealing-induced crystallization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Epidermal biophysical properties can be affected by many factors, including body site, age, gender, ethnicity, disease, temperature, humidity, and ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Information about variation of epidermal biophysical properties with seasons is still limited. In the present study, we determined seasonal variation of epidermal biophysical properties of women in Kunming, China. Materials and Methods: A total of 72 women, aged 22.96 ± 2.11 years, were enrolled in this study. Transepidermal water loss rates (TEWL), stratum corneum (SC) hydration, sebum content, melanin index (MI), erythema index (EI), and L*a* values were measured on the right cheek and the right forearm, using a non‐invasive skin physiological instrument in the spring, summer, autumn, and winter in Kunming, China. Results: On the cheek, TEWL, SC hydration, sebum, MI, and L*a* values varied greatly with seasons (P <.05). SC hydration, sebum, MI, and a*value peaked in the summer, but went lowest in winter. In contrast, TEWL and L*value went lowest in summer but peaked in winter. Similarly, SC hydration, MI, and L*value also varied with seasons on the forearm (P <.05). In addition, SC hydration, sebum, MI, EI, and a*value of the cheek were higher than that of the forearm (P <.001), but L*values of the cheek were lower than that of the forearm (P <.001). There were no correlations among TEWL and MI, EI, and L*a*values in any season (P >.05). Conclusions: Both epidermal permeability barrier function, sebum, and skin pigment in healthy women vary seasons in Kunming, China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Night-time lights (NTLs) collected from the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program's Operational Linescan System (DMSP-OLS) and the Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) of the Suomi National Polar Partnership satellite have been widely used in multiple disciplines. However, the defects of DMSP and VIIRS data itself, and the inconsistency between them, hinder their applications in long-term finer studies. Despite some effective efforts, existing relevant researches are still limited by the shortcomings of data inaccessibility, data deficiency neglection, and spatial resolution degradation. To resolve these issues, a novel cross-sensor calibration method was developed in this article by considering three Chinese metropolises (Beijing, Shanghai, and Guangzhou) as the study area. First, the original DMSP NTL images for 2000–2013 were calibrated through stepwise calibration, background noise removal and vegetation adjustment. Second, stable VIIRS annual composites for 2012–2019 were produced after seasonal noise removal, yearly aggregation, background noise removal, vegetation adjustment, and outliers correction. Third, a power regression model was applied to align pixel values of the processed DMSP and the processed VIIRS data for the overlapped years, and consistent NTLs for 2000–2019 were further generated using the regression results. The evaluations based on statistical coefficients, spatial patterns, profile curves, dynamic changes, and correlations with socioeconomic statistics, indicated the robustness and effectiveness of the proposed approach in filling the gaps between DMSP and VIIRS data. The consistent, continuous, and stable NTL time series could serve as input data for further applications, such as urban dynamics capture, economic growth estimation, and population distribution mapping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Background: Melasma is an acquired, common hyperpigmented disorder on the face. While many therapeutic approaches are available, their efficacy is moderate. Objective: To investigate the safety and efficacy of a cream containing herbal mixture for melasma. Methods: A total of 90 volunteers with melasma were enrolled in this randomized, double‐blind, controlled clinical study, and they were randomly divided into three groups (A, B, and C). Patients in group A were treated with a cream containing herbal mixture, while groups B and C were treated with arbutin cream and placebo, respectively, twice daily for 12 weeks. Melasma area and severity index (MASI) score, melanin index (MI), erythema index (EI), changes in density of inflammatory cells, and adverse events were evaluated every 4 weeks. Results: Although MASI scores declined significantly in both groups A and B (P < 0.05), a greater reduction was seen in group A (13.00−9.82 = 3.18 for group A; 12.65−10.84 = 1.81 for group B). Moreover, the cream containing herbal mixture, but not arbutin cream and placebo, significantly reduced EI and density of inflammatory cells after 12‐week treatment (P < 0.05). No adverse reactions were observed in either group A or group C. In group B, two subjects experienced mild erythema and itching, which disappeared after stop using the arbutin cream. Conclusion: The cream containing herbal mixture is safe and effective for melasma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Amyloid-β oligomers (AβO) have been identified as core biomarkers for early diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease (AD). For the first time, a "turn-on" unlabeled colorimetric aptasensor based on aptamer-polythymine (polyT)-polyadenine (polyA)-gold nanoparticles (pA-pT-apt@AuNPs) was developed for highly sensitive and specific detection of amyloid-β 1-40 oligomers (Aβ40-O). In this system, polyA sequence could preferentially anchor onto AuNPs surface as well as reduce the non-specific adsorption, and the aptamer could form upright conformation for the specific recognition of Aβ40-O. The aggregation of pA-pT-apt@AuNPs was induced by MgCl 2. However, the addition of Aβ40-O enabled the aptamer fold adaptively upon recognition and aptamer-Aβ40-O complex formed surrounding AuNPs, effectively stabilizing pA-pT-apt@AuNPs against salt-induced aggregation, therefore the color of pA-pT-apt@AuNPs solution still retained red. Based on this principle, the proposed aptasensor exhibited high sensitivity with the limit of detection of 3.03 nM and a linear detectable range from 10.00 nM to 100.0 nM. The superb sensitivity was achieved via the optimization of the length of polyA and polyT spacer. This pA-pT-apt@AuNPs based colorimetric aptasensor provides a rapid, cost-effective, highly sensitive detection method for Aβ40-O, which is valuable for the early diagnosis of AD. [Display omitted] • A pA-pT-apt@AuNPs-based colorimetric aptasensor was developed for Aβ40-O detection. • The proposed aptasensor avoided the non-specific adsorption on AuNPs surface. • The upright conformation of aptamers benefited the specific recognition of Aβ40-O. • Superb sensitivity was achieved with the limit of detection of 3.03 nM. • The aptasensor is simple, rapid (response time of 1.5 h) and cost-effective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The extra isopropanol, methanol or ethanol accelerated the crystallization of the AlPO-18 membranes. • The effect of IPA/DIPEA molar ratio was investigated for the preparation of AlPO-18 membranes. • Less DIPEA template was employed to prepare the AlPO-18 membrane. • The optimized AlPO-18 membrane showed high gas separation performance. The aluminophosphate (AlPO-n) materials are the potential candidates for the gas separations. And the characters of zeolite crystals on membrane commonly affected its separation properties. In this work, a co-solvent strategy was used to tune the crystal growth behaviors on the synthesis of AlPO-18 membrane. Isopropanol (IPA), served as the organic co-solvent, was adopted to prepare the AlPO-18 membrane. The effects of the IPA/DIPEA ratio and the synthesis time on the AlPO-18 membranes preparation were investigated. The crystallization of AlPO-18 membrane was accelerated when adding the extra isopropanol into the initial synthetic gel. A similar acceleration effect also occurred with the addition of methanol or ethanol into the initial gel. Under the same reaction condition, the morphology of the AlPO-18 crystals on membranes tends to develop from flake-like to bulk-like after the addition of the extra IPA, the size of AlPO-18 crystals increased with the increase of IPA/DIPEA molar ratio. Compared with the case of water as sole solvent, the synthetic time for the AlPO-18 membrane with good gas permeation properties was reduced to 12 h, where less template N-Ethyldiisopropylamine (DIPEA) was used. The optimized AlPO-18 membrane exhibited a CO 2 and N 2 permeance of (9.1, 0.79) × 10−7 mol/(m2∙s∙Pa) with the CO 2 /CH 4 (50/50) and N 2 /CH 4 (50/50) mixture selectivity of 91 and 5.0 at 298 K, 0.2 MPa. Those results may provide a strategy to prepare the AlPO-18 molecular sieve with reduced synthesis times. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under certain harsh environmental conditions, jacket structures supporting offshore wind turbines might be exposed to plunging breaking waves, causing slamming forces that affect the structural integrity and fatigue life. The slamming forces should thus be properly considered during the design, but a suitable force model specifically for jacket structures is currently in absence. In this study, a five-parameter force model is developed for estimating global slamming forces due to plunging breaking waves on jacket structures, based on statistical analyses of experimental data from the WaveSlam project. The force model is developed by considering a total of 176 individual breaking waves, under six wave conditions. For each individual breaking wave, the time history of the slamming force is calculated based on hammer test data in addition to wave test data, and the wave parameters are acquired from a wave elevation measurement. The acquired time histories and wave parameters are then used to determine the parameters involved in the force model, including two exponential parameters (i.e. α 1 and α 2 ) and three dimensionless coefficients for the expressions of wave-dependent parameters (i.e. duration coefficient ζ 1 , rising time coefficient ζ 2 , and peak force coefficient ζ 3 ). It is found that α 1 , α 2 , ζ 1 and ζ 2 are approximately constant, and ζ 3 follows a lognormal distribution. The quantile that determines ζ 3 should be carefully selected so as to provide a conservative prediction. A quantile of 95% is suggested in this paper, and it is found to be conservative based on the verification of the developed force model. Therefore, for a given sea state, this force model can give a deterministic and conservative prediction of the slamming force time history, regardless of the randomness of slamming forces. Challenges for the application of the force model are also addressed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Single-pass anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates were fabricated by a two-step anodization method on high-purity aluminum (Al) plate, which had an amorphous and highly ordered structure composed of hexagon cross-sectional nanotubes. The factors influencing the nanotube size and orderliness of the AAO template were studied and analyzed. The results showed that pretreatments on Al plates made good difference for the obtained nanotubes. It is interesting that compared to one-step anodization, using two-step anodization could get AAO templates with a better ordered and more uniform nanotube array, for which the average pore diameter kept a linear relation to the acidic treatment time in 75 min with a corrosion rate of 0.601 nm/min, and the same to the length of nanotubes reaped in 120 min, together with a nanotube growth rate of 0.28 µm/min. Also, the optimal concentration of electrolyte was determined as 0.3 mol/L. The results confirmed that a single-pass AAO template were successfully prepared, which makes the fabrication of polymer membrane with asymmetric and fibre-island structure to guide bone tissue regeneration possible in the following study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study investigates the global slamming forces due to plunging breaking waves on a jacket structure, based on the statistical analysis of the experimental data from the WaveSlam project. Hammer tests and wave tests were conducted in the project, and the data are used to reconstruct the time series of the global slamming force by employing a method based on linear regression. The used wave test data were acquired under one wave condition. A total of 3910 force time series are reconstructed and analyzed statistically to reveal the characteristics of the slamming force. For each force time series, six parameters are introduced to describe it, including the peak force, duration, impulse and rising time, etc. The variability and correlation of these parameters are investigated. The distribution of these parameters is modeled with various probability distributions. The results show the high variability of the slamming force and the importance of statistical analyses. Based on these statistical analyses, the slamming coefficient is estimated from the peak force. For a curling factor of 0.4, the mean slamming coefficient is about 1.29. When considering one standard deviation around the mean, the slamming coefficient varies from 0.70 to 6.78 for a curling factor ranging from 0.1 to 0.5. A representative time series of wave slamming force is obtained by averaging the individual force time series. Accordingly, a 3-parameter triangular force model and a 5-parameter exponential force model are proposed to describe the development of the slamming force in time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Tau aggregation correlates rigorously with the progression and severity of Alzheimer's disease (AD). However, it is extremely challenging to develop tau-selective imaging probes due to similar β-sheet structures shared with Aβ fibrils. Herein, three new donor-π-acceptor fluorophores (T1 - T3) composed of 3,5-dimethoxy-N,N-dimethylaniline-4-yl and quinoxaline, bridged by 1–3 C C bond are rationally designed for selectively imaging tau aggregates. For the first time, we demonstrated the side substitution on D-π-A skeleton is significant for improving the selectivity of tau probes. Molecular docking results revealed that the lateral methoxy groups on molecular rotors could act as antennas to interact with surrounding tau hydrophilic residues via hydrogen-bond and other kinds of intermolecular interactions, improving selective recognition for tau aggregates. Compared with its non-side-substitution precursor T02 , T2 exhibited 4.7 times higher tau-over-Aβ selectivity after introducing methoxy substituents. Owing to the improved selectivity, T2 was successfully applied to detect tau aggregates in cells and pathologically relevant regions of AD mice model. This work verifies the pivotal role of side substitution on D-π-A skeleton in increasing the selectivity of tau probes, which provides a rational strategy to design novel tau probes with high selectivity in future. • An innovative strategy to improve selective imaging of tau aggregates was suggested. • Three new compounds T1-T3 synthesized and characterized accordingly. • Introducing lateral substituents improved tau-over-Aβ selectivity (4.7 times). • Probe T2 performed well in intracellular tau aggregates imaging and tissue staining. • The pivotal role of lateral substituents was revealed by molecular docking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microporous aluminophosphates are promising materials for gas separation, but their industrial applications are still challenging due to the permeability-selectivity "trade-off" behavior. A new approach is now reported by the addition of single novel template N, N -diisopropylethylamine (DIPEA) into the gel precursor to prepare the pure AlPO-18 membrane with both high permeance and selectivity. It was identified that the AlPO-18 membrane possessed small plate-like crystals on support surface. The single and mixed CO 2 /CH 4 and N 2 /CH 4 gas separations were measured. The best membrane exhibited high CO 2 and N 2 permeances of 9.2, 0.91 × 10−7 mol m−2 s−1∙Pa−1 under the two-component gas mixture, and the mixture selectivities in CO 2 /CH 4 and N 2 /CH 4 were 93 and 6.0 at 303 K and 0.2 MPa, respectively. This strategy not only demonstrated a potential zeolite membrane material for gas separation but also furnished ideas for the preparation of high permeable thin films. [Display omitted] • High gas separation performance AlPO-18 membrane was obtained with DIPEA template. • The effect of DIPEA content was investigated. • The AlPO-18 membrane showed the CO 2 /CH 4 separation performance of 93 with the CO 2 permeance of 9.2 × 10−7 mol m−2 s−1∙Pa−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semiconductor manufacturing companies have constructed large fabs to enhance their competitive advantage. A large fab has many advantages, such as low cost, short cycle time and flexibility. Nevertheless, the advantages from the expansion of production capacity are not infinite, and a large fab scale increases the risk of production management. This work presents a model to determine the best capacity scale, where the production performance and cost are the major factors. Previous simulation experiments demonstrated that increasing the capacity scale improves the production cycle time significantly only when the utilization of the bottleneck machine is fixed. Therefore, the product cycle time is the major production performance index to determine the capacity scale of a fab. The GI/G/m queuing model is applied to build up the queue time equations of the bottleneck machine. Moreover, differentiation is used to find the number of bottleneck machines with queue times below the minimum required. The optimal number of bottleneck machines can be set based on the calculation result. Based on the performance result, the equipment cost per wafer can be taken into account for the final capacity scale determination. Additionally, an example is described and a simulation model is developed to validate the proposed model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Filopodia are narrow cell extensions involved in various physiological processes. Integrins mediate filopodia adhesion and likely transmit adhesive force to regulate filopodia formation and functions, but the force is extremely weak to study and remains poorly understood. Using integrative tension sensor (ITS), we imaged filopodia adhesive force at the single molecular tension level and investigated the force dynamics and sources. Results show that filopodia integrin tension (FIT) is generated in discrete foci (force nodes) along single filopodia with a spacing of ∼1 μm. Inhibitions of actin polymerization or myosin II activity markedly reduced FIT signals in force nodes at filopodia tips and at filopodia bases, respectively, suggesting differential force sources of FIT in the distal force nodes and proximal ones in filopodia. Using two ITS constructs with different force thresholds for activation, we showed that the molecular force level of FIT is greater at filopodia bases than that at filopodia tips. We also tested the role of vinculin and myosin X in the FIT transmission. With vinculin knockout in cells, filopodia and associated force nodes were still formed normally, suggesting that vinculin is dispensable for the formation of filopodia and force nodes. However, vinculin is indeed required for the transmission of strong FIT (capable of rupturing DNA in a shear conformation), as the strong FIT vanished in filopodia with vinculin knockout. Co-imaging of FIT and myosin X shows no apparent co-localization, demonstrating that myosin X is not directly responsible for generating FIT, despite its prominent role in filopodium elongation. • Filopodia force transmitted by integrins is imaged with single-molecule sensitivity • Filopodia integrin tensions are distributed in force nodes with 1 μm spacing • Vinculin is required for the transmission of high-level filopodia integrin tensions • Myosin X is not responsible for the generation of filopodia integrin tensions Tu et al. image filopodia adhesive force with single-molecule sensitivity. The force is distributed in a dot-like pattern with a spacing of ∼1 μm. Vinculin is dispensable for filopodia formation but required for the transmission of high-level molecular tensions in filopodia. Myosin X is not directly responsible for generating filopodia force. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A holistic assessment of greenspace exposure across space and scale in China. • Greenspace exposure assessment was conducted at province, city, county, town, and parcel levels. • Greenspace coverage rate overestimates greenspace exposure in East China and underestimates in West China. • Newly urbanized areas have better greenspace exposure than older urban areas. Greenspace exposure metrics can allow for comparisons of green space supply across time, space, and population groups, and for inferring patterns of variation in opportunities for people to enjoy the health and recreational benefits of nearby green environments. A better understanding of greenspace exposure differences across various spatial scales is a critical requirement for lessening environmental health disparities. However, existing studies are typically limited to a single city or across selected cities, which severely limits the use of results in measuring systemic national and regional scale differences that might need policy at above individual city planning level. To close this knowledge gap, our study aims to provide a holistic assessment of multi-scale greenspace exposure across provinces, cities, counties, towns, and land parcels for the whole of China. We mapped the nationwide fractional greenspace coverage at 10 m with Sentinel-2 satellite imagery, and then modeled population-weighted greenspace exposure to examine variation of greenspace exposure across scales. Our results show a prominent scaling effect of greenspace exposure across multi-scale administrative divisions in China, suggesting, as expected, an increase in heterogeneity with finer spatial scales. We also identify an asymmetric pattern of the difference between greenspace exposure and greenspace coverage, across a geo-demographic demarcation boundary (i.e., along the Heihe–Tengchong Line). In general, the greenspace coverage rate will overestimate more realistic human exposure to greenspace in East China while underestimating in West China. We further found that, in China, more recently urbanized areas have much better greenspace exposure than older urban areas. Our study provides a spatially explicit greenspace exposure metric for discovering multi-scale greenspace exposure difference, which will enhance governments' capacity to quantify environmental justice, detect vulnerable greenspace exposure risk hotspots, prioritize greenspace management at the supra-city scale, and monitor the balance between greenspace supply and demand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

RATIONALE: The azide method for measuring the stable isotope ratios of nitrate (NO3-) is easy to set up. However, the method requires spongy cadmium (Cd) or activated Cd powder which are not easy to prepare, and a toxic azide buffer is used. We aimed to use Cd powder directly to simplify preparation and to substantially reduce the azide dose. METHODS: The reaction conditions were optimized in order to maximize the NO3- reduction yield. The original azide buffer was diluted by 10- to 10000-fold with or without addition of sodium acetate to reduce O-exchange between nitrite (NO2-) and H2O. The isotope ratios of the produced nitrous oxide (N2O), used to examine the overall reaction performance, were measured using a purge and cryogenic trap system coupled to an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. RESULTS: It was found that Cd powder could be directly used to reduce NO3- to NO2-. A 100-fold diluted azide buffer could be used to reduce NO2- to N2O when only the δ15N value was measured, and the diluted azide buffer with sodium acetate when both δ15N and δ18O values were measured. Using the modified method, the standard deviations of the δ15N and δ18O measurements of international NO3- standards were 0.1 to 1.0 and often better than 0.3 (3 replicates). CONCLUSIONS: Compared with the original azide method, the techniques described here can reduce preparation time by using Cd powder without activation in the first reaction step and substantially (by >60-fold) reduce the dose of extremely toxic reagents containing azide by incorporating sodium acetate in the second reaction step. Our modified method is suitable for samples with small volume (5 mL), being different from previous methods in which 50 or 70 mL samples were used. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Undesirable physicochemical properties, low tumor targeting, insufficient cell internalization, acquired drug resistance, and severe side effects significantly limit the applications of anticancer drugs. In this study, to improve the tumor targeting and drug efficacy of the poorly water-soluble drug, doxorubicin (DOX), a novel drug delivery platform (PEG-ppTAT-DOX) was developed, which contained a polyethylene glycol (PEG), a matrix metalloproteinase 2 (MMP2)-sensitive peptide linker (pp), a cell penetrating peptide (TAT), and a model drug (doxorubicin). The prepared drug platform possessed several key features, including: (i) the nanoparticle formation via the self-assembly; (ii) prevention of the non-specific interaction via the PEGylation; (iii) tumor targeting via the MMP2-mediated PEG deshielding and exposure of the TAT; (iv) the TAT-mediated cell internalization; (v) the TAT-induced endosomal escape; (vi) the inhibition of P-glycoprotein mediated drug efflux; and (vii) the TAT-medicated nuclear translocation. These cooperative functions ensured the improved tumor targetability, enhanced tumor cell internalization, improved intracellular distribution, and potentiated anticancer activity. Compared to the multi-component nanocarriers, the proposed simple but multifunctional polymer-drug conjugate might have greater potential for tumor-targeted drug delivery and enhanced chemotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A thermosensitive artificial skin composed of gelatin–chitosan (Gel–CS) scaffold as dermis and poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (PNIPAAm) grafted microporous polyurethane (PU) membrane as epidermis bound together by gelatin was prepared, and its morphological structure, water vapor permeability rate (WVPR) and in vivo biological properties were investigated. The results showed that the as-prepared artificial skin showed a “Sandwich” structure and its WVPR was 804 g/m 2 day, close to those from commercial skin dressings (426–2047 g/m 2 day). The in vivo tests indicated that the “Sandwich” artificial skin could effectively accelerate wound closure in a rat model with full-thickness skin loss and the epidermis could easily peel off after wound healing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background and Objective: MicroRNA (miR)-499 rs3746444 polymorphisms may participate in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases, but the results remain conflicting. We further investigated this association using a meta-analysis. Methods: We conducted a retrieval of studies and obtained the eligible studies if they met inclusion criteria. Two researchers independently extracted the data from original articles. The genotype frequencies were analysed using Stata software. Results: We finally archived six eligible studies that included 1,118 cases and 1,673 controls. After pooling the data, the results indicated that homozygote TT had an overall association with autoimmune diseases (TC + CC vs. TT: odds ratio [OR] 1.31, 95 % CI 1.11-1.55, p = 0.001). The allele C, genotype TC and CC, may be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risks in Mediterranean populations (C vs. T: OR 2. 00, 95 % CI 1.37-2.91, p < 0.001; TC vs. CC + TT: OR 1.76, 95 % CI 1.27-2.44; p = 0.001; CC vs. TC + TT: OR 2.31, 95 % CI 1.24-4.27, p = 0.008; CC vs. TT: OR 2.92, 95 % CI 1.59-5.37 , p = 0.001; TC vs. TT: OR 1.98, 95 % CI 1.42-2.77). The genotype TT may decrease the risk of RA in Mediterranean populations (TC + CC vs. TT: OR 2.15, 95 % CI 1.57-2.94, p < 0.001) rather than in East Asians. Conclusions: This study suggested that miR-499 polymorphisms were associated with a significantly increased risk of RA in Mediterranean populations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Agricultural pesticides have been one of the most extensively used compounds throughout the world. The main sources of contamination for humans are dietary intake and occupational exposure. The impairments caused by agricultural pesticide exposure have been a significant global public health problem. Recent studies have shown that low-level agricultural pesticide exposure during the critical period of neurodevelopment (pregnancy and lactation) is closely related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). Inhibition of acetylcholinesterase, gut microbiota, neural dendrite morphology, synaptic function, and glial cells are targets for the effects of pesticides during nervous system development. In the present review, we summarize the associations between several highly used and frequently studied pesticides (e.g., glyphosate, chlorpyrifos, pyrethroids, and avermectins) and ASD. We also discusse future epidemiological and toxicological research directions on the relationship between pesticides and ASD. • Exposure to low-dose pesticide is closely related to autism spectrum disorder (ASD). • Gut microbiota dysbiosis induced by exposure to low-dose pesticide may be associated with ASD. • Exposure to low-dose pesticide causes changes in neuronal morphology, synapse, and glial cells observed in ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theranostic anticancer agents with dual functions of diagnosis and therapy are in highly demand for breast cancer. Herein, a triphenylphosphonium (TPP)-decorated aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based Pt(IV) prodrug ACPt was developed, which exhibited superior anticancer performance with novel anticancer mechanism of dual modulation of apoptosis and autophagy inhibition. The experimental data showed that ACPt induced increased reactive oxygen species (ROS), and decreased mitochondrial membrane potential (MMP). The morphology and function of mitochondria were also severely damaged and ACPt showed strong inhibition to both mitochondrial and glycolytic bioenergetics. Moreover, DNA damage and cell cycle arrest in the S-phase were also observed after the ACPt treatment, eventually leading to the apoptosis and autophagy inhibition of cancer cells. Furthermore, ACPt also indicated excellent anti-proliferation activity in 3D multicellular tumor spheroids (MCTSs), suggesting the potential to inhibit solid tumors in vivo. Our observation demonstrated that ACPt could serve as a promising anticancer theranostic agent toward breast cancers for prodrug activation monitoring and image-guided chemotherapy. An aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-based Pt(IV) prodrug exhibited high cytotoxicity against the human breast cancer cell through dual modulation of apoptosis and autophagy inhibition. [Display omitted] • Aggregation-induced emission Pt(IV) prodrug ACPt obtained for image-guided chemotherapy. • ACPt exhibited high cytotoxicity against the human breast cancer cell. • ACPt located in mitochondria, and induced severe mitochondrial damage. • Dual modulation of apoptosis and autophagy inhibition was observed. • ACPt indicated anti-proliferation activity to 3D multicellular tumor spheroids. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Conventional cell migration assays require time-lapse imaging of live cells to trace cell migration paths, consequently demanding cumbersome hardware setup and suffering from low data throughput. In this work, we developed an assay named Tracking Cells by Footprint (TCF) based on a mechano-optical biosensor that irreversibly becomes fluorescent when sensing local cell adhesive force. Cell migration paths are visualized and recorded as fluorescent footprints on glass or elastic substrates coated with such biosensor. From the footprints, cell migration ranges, speeds and persistence are analyzed and quantified without the need of time-lapse imaging. The feasibility of TCF assays was demonstrated with three types of cells with different migratory capabilities. TCF was then applied to evaluating cell motility affected by biochemical or biomechanical cues. The results show that fibroblast motility is reduced by blebbistatin and vinblastine but promoted by bFGF (basic fibroblast growth factor), and the motility correlates with the substrate rigidity. TCF is also compatible with 96-well plates which, combined with static imaging and large-area scanning, provides high data throughput with minimal additional effort. • Record cell footprints with a mechano-optical biosensor. • Extract cell migratory information from the fluorescent footprint. • Study cell migration without the need of time-lapse imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Detailed information on urban land uses has been an essential requirement for urban land management and policymaking. Recent advances in remote sensing and machine learning technologies have contributed to the mapping and monitoring of multi-scale urban land uses, yet there lacks a holistic mapping framework that is compatible with different end users' demands. Moreover, land use mix has evolved to be a key component in modern urban settings, but few have explicitly measured the spatial complexity of land use or quantitively uncovered its driving forces. Addressing these challenges, here we developed a novel two-stage bottom-up scheme for mapping essential urban land use categories. In the first stage, we conducted object-based land use classification using crowdsourcing features derived from multi-source open big data and an automated ensemble learning approach. In the second stage, we identified parcel-based land use attributes, including the dominant type and mixture mode, by spatially correlating land parcels with the object-based results. Furthermore, we investigated the potential influencing factors of land use mix using principal components analysis and multiple linear regression. Experimental results in Ningbo, a coastal city in China, showed that the proposed framework could accurately depict the distribution and composition of urban land uses. At the object scale, the highest classification accuracy was as high as 86% and 78% for the major (Level I) and minor (Level II) categories, respectively. At the parcel scale, the generated land use maps were spatially consistent with the object-based maps. We found larger parcels were more likely to be mixed in land use, and industrial lands were characterized as the most complicated category. We also identified multiple factors that had a collective impact on land use mix, including geography, socioeconomy, accessibility, and landscape metrics. Altogether, our proposed framework offered an alternative to investigating urban land use composition, which could be applied in a broad range of implications in future urban studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A rapid and facile strategy for AEI type AlPO-18 molecular sieves preparation was hydrothermally processed by dual templates of TEAOH (tetraethyl ammonium hydroxide) and low-cost DIPEA (N, N-diisopropylethylamine). Pure and high crystallinity AlPO-18 molecular sieve with the crystal size of 2 μm and the aspect ratio about 20 were obtained in a short period of 1 h under the dual-template strategy. The effect of single and binary templates on the growth process of AlPO-18 molecular sieve was compared in detail. TEAOH is conducive to the pure phase AEI formation since a long synthesis time is needed. DIPEA favors to the rapid formation of AEI structure, however the sole DIPEA template promotes to form the AFI type AlPO-5 impurities. The combined templates TEAOH/DIPEA work synergistically, and the 13C MAS NMR results showed that both the TEAOH and DIPEA templates were occluded in micropore space of AlPO-18 molecular sieves. In addition, the adsorption isotherms of CO 2 , CH 4 and N 2 on the samples synthesized by dual-template for 1 h were tested and compared with other AlPO-18 molecular sieves reported in the literature. The results showed that the current AlPO-18 molecular sieve is expected to be used as adsorbent for light gas separation. [Display omitted] • AlPO-18 molecular sieve with high crystallinity was synthesized by a dual-template strategy. • Successful rapid synthesis by conventional hydrothermal method in 1 h. • Investigated the effect of template strategies on AlPO-18 synthesis. • AlPO-18 molecular sieve is expected to be used as absorbent for light gas separation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The matched field processing approach was applied to horizontal and vertical vector arrays for 3D source location by using exhaustive search. The influence of pressure and particle velocity on the location performance was discussed and analyzed. The parameters leading to better performance were given for horizontal and vertical arrays respectively. For vertical array, the combination of acoustic pressure, cosinusoidal horizontal velocity and sinusoidal horizontal velocity or vertical velocity, sinusoidal horizontal velocity and cosinusiodal horizontal velocity was needed for 3D location, while for horizontal array, the combination of vertical velocity, cosinusoidal horizontal velocity and sinusoidal horizontal velocity is needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: An integration process to produce biohydrogen by rice straw hydrolysate and anaerobic fermentation was proposed in this study. The rice straw was used as the raw material to generate reducing sugar (RS) for the anaerobic fermentation to produce biohydrogen. During the hydrolysis process, the ratio of water:biomass:acid equals to 100:30:0.9 at 150°C for 1h. Sulfuric acid, nitric acid, hydrochloric acid, and deionized water (no acid added) were used as the catalyst and the chemical oxygen demand (reducing sugar, g/L) of the hydrolysates was 69.84 (36.70), 83.90 (63.4), 74.64 (66.37), and 31.67 (3.17)gCOD/L. Overliming treatment by Ca(OH)2 and activated carbon was used to remove the suppressors, such as the acetic acid and furfural, in the hydrolysate and the treated hydrolysate was used for biohydrogen production. At the initial reaction condition of 40°C, 150rpm, pH=6.5, and RS concentration=3g/L under 60mL working volume in a 200mL bottle, the maximum hydrogen yield without/with Endo solution (in mmolH2/g-rice straw) were 0.00260/0.00160 (no acid), 0.191/0.105 (H2SO4 catalyzed), 0.305/0.177 (HCl catalyzed), and 0.291/0.285 (HNO3 catalyzed), respectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Summary: Background: Ovarian cancer is commonly fatal and incidence has persistently risen in Taiwan over the past 20 years. Prevention strategies, however, are limited. Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) has been suggested to increase the risk of developing ovarian cancer, but the results of studies have been inconsistent. Therefore, we investigated whether PID increases the risk of developing ovarian cancer in a large, nationwide cohort. Methods: From the Longitudinal Health Insurance Database 2005 (LHID2005) in Taiwan, we obtained data for women aged 13–65 years for whom a diagnosis of PID, confirmed by multiple episodes, had been recorded between Jan 1, 2004, and Dec 31, 2005. We also obtained data for two controls per patient, matched for age and the year of first entry into the LHID2005. All patients were followed up from the date of entry in the LHID2005 until they developed ovarian cancer or to the end of 2006, whichever was earlier. We used Cox''s regression models to assess the risk of developing ovarian cancer, with adjustment for age, comorbid disorders, and socioeconomic characteristics. Findings: We identified 67 936 women with PID and 135 872 controls. Among these 90 had developed ovarian cancer during the 3-year follow-up period (42 patients with PID and 48 controls, incidence 2·78 and 1·44 per 10 000 person-years, respectively). The adjusted hazard ratio for ovarian cancer in patients with PID was 1·92 (95% CI 1·27–2·92) compared with controls, which rose to 2·46 (1·48–4·09) in women who had had at least five episodes of PID. The adjusted hazard ratio was slightly higher for women aged 35 years or younger with PID than in older women with PID (2·23, 1·02–4·79 vs 1·82, 1·10–3·04). Interpretation: We found an association between PID and ovarian cancer. PID might, therefore, be a useful marker for ovarian cancer, and early treatment could help to improve prognosis. Whether pelvic inflammation itself accelerates the growth of ovarian cancers or affects cancer-cell differentiation in ways that adversely alter prognosis needs to be investigated. Funding: None. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Context: Calcineurin (CN), a unique protein phosphatase, plays an important role in immune regulation. Our laboratory has established an effective molecular drug-screening model based on CN activity. Objective: Our aim is to search for an effective immunosuppressant from Glycyrrhiza uralensis (Leguminosae). Materials and methods: As guided by CN inhibitory test, an active compound was purified and identified as glycyrol. Immunosuppressive activity of glycyrol in vitro was assayed by T lymphocytes proliferation and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR). In addition, delayed-type hypersensitivity reaction (DTH) and skin allograft test in vivo were also carried out. Further, we have investigated the effect of glycyrol on phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA)/ionomycin (Io)-stimulated IL-2 expression in Jurkat cells. Results: The enzymatic assay showed glycyrol (IC50 = 84.6 μM) inhibited calcineurin activity in a dose-dependent manner. Glycyrol, at the non-cytotoxic concentration, significantly inhibited proliferation of murine spleen T lymphocytes induced by Concanavalin A (Con A) and mixed lymphocyte reaction (MLR) in vitro. In addition, mice treated with glycyrol had shown the dose-dependent decrease in delayed type hypersensitivity (DTH) and prolonged the graft survival by 59% compared to the control group (*p < 0.05). RT-PCR showed glycyrol suppressed IL-2 production in a concentration-dependent manner. Discussion and conclusion: Our results show the immunosuppressive activity of glycyrol and this activity should be due to its inhibitory effect on CN activity, thereby suppressing IL-2 production and regulating T lymphocytes. Thus, glycyrol could be a candidate for development as a novel immunomodulatory drug. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to capital intensive characteristics, R&D departments always share production equipment with manufacturing departments in the wafer foundry industry. The goal of key performance indicators (KPIs) among these two departments is contradictory, a situation that results in longer R&D cycle times and delays in time-to-market. To solve the problem, this study has adapted the concepts of X-factor theory to construct an R&D engineering lot management model. There are two KPIs adapted in this model. The first KPI, the X-factor, is applied to trace on-time delivery performance of the new R&D technology. The second KPI, F-factor, is regarded as an index that reflects the holding cost and manufacturability of R&D lots, and simultaneously evaluates the maturity of the technology. Furthermore, a set of real data from the Fab is applied to examine the effectiveness of this model. The results reveal that this model successfully improves operational performance and shortens the R&D cycle time, which ultimately enables a factory to achieve a global optimization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Photo-thermal-magnetic three-field coupling for enhanced CO 2 photo-reduction. • Nickel foam was used as nickel source and catalyst support. • 0.01 wt% Cu/Cu 2 O/HNF exhibited the best catalytic activity and CH 4 selectivity. • The heat of the reaction system came from magnetic-thermal and photo-thermal effects. Aiming at the bottleneck of thermodynamics, kinetics and reaction systems in photothermal catalytic CO 2 reduction conversion, a three-field coupling method based on the efficient utilization of solar energy and the application of a photo-thermal-magnetic three-field was proposed to achieve efficient and highly selective CO 2 conversion. The composite monolithic catalyst with three field response functions and multiple active reaction interfaces was prepared by using photoactive copper supported by nickel foam. The effect of an external alternating magnetic field on photocatalytic CO 2 reduction was studied using a range between 0.005 and 0.1 wt% Cu/Cu 2 O/Ni(OH) 2 /NF as catalysts. The results showed that 0.01 wt% Cu/Cu 2 O/Ni(OH) 2 /NF exhibited the best catalytic activity and CH 4 selectivity under alternating magnetic field enhanced photocatalysis. The main products were CO (6.76 μmol g−1) and CH 4 (167 μmol g−1). The selectivity of CH 4 was 96.1%. The yields of CH 4 using this method were 11 and 6 times higher than the yields obtained with photocatalysis (14.58 μmol g−1) and magnetic-thermal catalysis (26.75 μmol g−1), respectively. According to the analysis of temperature measurements and electrochemical measurements, the surface temperature of the three-field coupled catalyst reaches about 230 °C. Applying an alternating magnetic field can effectively reduce the recombination of photogenerated electron holes. Alternating magnetic field enhanced photocatalytic CO 2 reduction conversion provides a new and promising method for the efficient conversion and utilization of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The numerical solution of non-linear equations shows that the abnormal mode observed in our torsion pendulum experiments is an intrinsic mode of the pendulum. Further analysis shows that the amplitude of abnormal mode increasing with of swing modes can be suppressed with a magnetic damper effectively. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This study was aimed at evaluating the efficacy of non-contact mapping and ablation of non-incisional atypical right atrial (RA) flutters.The majority of atypical RA flutters were reported in patients after surgical incision of the RA.The study group consisted of 15 patients (61 ± 13 years, 8 males) with atypical atrial flutter (AFL). The RA activation during AFL was delineated using a non-contact mapping system (EnSite 3000 with Precision Software, Endocardial Solutions, St. Paul, Minnesota). The narrowest part of each reentrant circuit was targeted using radiofrequency energy.In all 15 patients, non-contact mapping showed AFLs confined to the RA with RA activation time accounting for 100% of the cycle length (210 ± 19 ms). During single-loop re-entry in seven patients, the activation wave front circulated around the central obstacle (CO) in the anterolateral wall with conduction through the channel between the CO and the crista terminalis (CT). During figure-of-eight re-entry in eight patients, simultaneous upper and lower loop re-entry through the conduction gap in the CT was found in four patients, and simultaneous upper loop and free-wall single-loop re-entry was observed in four patients. Radiofrequency ablation of the free-wall channel and/or CT gap was effective in eliminating these AFLs in 13 patients. During a follow-up of 16.8 ± 3.8 months, two patients had recurrence of left AFL, and one had recurrence of atrial fibrillation.Atypical RA flutters could arise from single-loop or double-loop figure-of-eight re-entry. Radiofrequency ablation of the free-wall channel and/or the CT gap was effective in eliminating these arrhythmias. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

: ObjectivesThe aim of the study was to investigate the conduction properties and anisotropy of the crista terminalis (CT) in patients with atrial flutter (AFL) using non-contact mapping.: BackgroundThe CT is a posterior barrier during typical AFL. However, the CT has transverse conduction capabilities in patients with upper loop re-entry (ULR).: MethodsTwenty-two patients (16 males, 63 ± 15 years) with typical AFL and ULR were included. Non-contact mapping of the right atrium during AFL and pacing from coronary sinus (CS) and low anterolateral right atrium (LARA) was performed to evaluate transverse conduction across the CT. During ULR, the longitudinal (CVL) and transverse (CVT) conduction velocity along and across the CT were measured. The width of the CT conduction gap was evaluated to guide radiofrequency ablation (RFA).: ResultsNo transverse CT gap conduction was found during typical AFL. Transverse CT gap conduction was found in three patients during CS pacing and in three patients during LARA pacing. During ULR, CVL was greater than CVT (1.28 ± 0.43 vs. 0.73 ± 0.30 m/s, p < 0.001). The CVL/CVT ratio was 1.95 ± 0.77, which was inversely related to the CT gap width (15.7 ± 6.8 mm) (p < 0.001). The RFA of the CT gap was successful in 18 patients. Four patients had recurrence of arrhythmias during the follow-up of 11 ± 3 months.: ConclusionsMost of the CT conduction gaps were functional and only appeared during ULR. The width of the CT gap was inversely related to the anisotropic ratio of the CT. The RFA of the CT gap was effective in eliminating ULR. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A sensitive and specific high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)-electrospray ionization multiple-stage mass spectrometry for the simultaneous separation and identification of 20 chemical constituents in the traditional Chinese medicinal preparation of the Shenbao tablet is established. The samples are separated with an Alltima C18 column (250 ¥ 4.6 mm, 5 µm) by linear gradient elution using water-acetic acid (A; 100:0.5, v/v) and acetonitrile (B; 0 min, 76:24; 15 min, 70:30; 40 min, 53:47; 50 min, 30:70; and maintain 10 min) as the mobile phase at a flow rate of 1.0 mL/min. The ion trap mass spectrometer is coupled to the HPLC system. Satisfactory results are obtained within 60 min for the simultaneous separation and identification of the 20 constituents. This is the first report on the analysis of main chemical constituents in the Shenbao tablet. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Noncontact Mapping of SVC Tachycardia. Introduction: Information about the activation patterns inside the superior vena cava (SVC) and entry and exit sites at the SVC-right atrial (RA) junction during SVC tachyarrhythmia is limited. Methods and Results: A detailed characterization of electrophysiologic mechanisms and ablation strategies was performed using a noncontact three-dimensional mapping system in two cases of SVC tachycardia. The first case demonstrated SVC tachycardia originating from an ectopic focus inside the SVC, with sustained depolarization and conduction to the atrium. Entry and exit sites across the SVC-RA junction were located very close to each other. The second case demonstrated two different reentrant circuits, one inside the SVC and the other into and out of the SVC-RA junction. The entry and exit sites were located far away from each other. Conclusion: Noncontact mapping may help to reveal the mechanism of SVC tachyarrhythmias and to locate entry and exit sites at the SVC-RA junction as a guide for catheter ablation.(J Cardiovasc Electrophysiol, Vol. 14, pp. 533-539, May 2003). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fever and diarrhea are key causes of malnutrition, growth and development disorders, and death among children. At present, most studies on the associated factors of fever and diarrhea in children are concentrated in African and South Asian countries, but relevant research in China is very limited. This study was aimed to analyze the two-week prevalence of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6–23 months in rural areas of Hunan Province and to explore the associated factors. The survey data of the Nutrition Improvement Program for Children in Poor Areas (NIPCPA) from 2016 to 2023 was used here. NIPCPA is a cross-sectional survey completed annually in Hunan to collect children's nutrition and health indicators. The two-week prevalence rates of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea among children aged 6–23 months were 12.2% (2066/16,985), 9.6% (1634/16,985), and 3.2% (542/16,985), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression analysis showed the risks of fever, diarrhea, and coexisting fever and diarrhea were higher among younger children. The high educational level of caregivers, effective consumption of Yingyangbao (a complementary food supplement containing iron, zinc, calcium, vitamins A, D, B1, B2, B12, folic acid, and other micronutrients), and complementary feeding meeting minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against fever in children, with adjusted odds ratios (aORs) of 0.87 (95%CI: 0.78–0.98), 0.78 (0.69–0.87), 0.73 (0.65–0.82), and 0.74 (0.66–0.84), respectively. Effective consumption of Yingyangbao, and complementary feeding meeting the minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against diarrhea in children, with aORs of 0.72 (95%CI: 0.63–0.83), 0.79 (0.70–0.91), and 0.80 (0.70–0.92), respectively. Effective consumption of Yingyangbao, and complementary feeding meeting the minimum dietary diversity and meeting minimum acceptable diet were protective factors against coexisting fever and diarrhea among children, with aORs of 0.53 (95%CI: 0.43–0.66), 0.71 (0.58–0.89), and 0.70 (0.56–0.88), respectively. Fever, diarrhea, and the coexisting fever and diarrhea affect one in eight, one in ten, and one in thirty children respectively in rural areas of Hunan. Effective interventions should be actively taken, such as improving the education level of caregivers, enhancing their scientific feeding skills for children, and promoting children's compliance with Yingyangbao consumption, to further reduce the prevalence of fever and diarrhea in children. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensitive skin is hypersensitive to various external stimuli and a defective epidermal permeability barrier is an important clinical feature of sensitive skin. Claudin‐5 (CLDN5) expression levels decrease in sensitive skin. This study aimed to explore the impact of CLDN5 deficiency on the permeability barrier in sensitive skin and the regulatory role of miRNAs in CLDN5 expression. Materials and methods: A total of 26 patients were retrospectively enrolled, and the CLDN5 expression and permeability barrier dysfunction in vitro were assessed. Then miRNA‐224‐5p expression was also assessed in sensitive skin. Results: Immunofluorescence and electron microscopy revealed reduced CLDN5 expression, increased miR‐224‐5p expression, and disrupted intercellular junctions in sensitive skin. CLDN5 knockdown was associated with lower transepithelial electrical resistance (TEER) and Lucifer yellow penetration in keratinocytes and organotypic skin models. The RNA‐seq and qRT‐PCR results indicated elevated miR‐224‐5p expression in sensitive skin; MiR‐224‐5p directly interacted with the 3'UTR of CLDN5, resulting in CLDN5 deficiency in the luciferase reporter assay. Finally, miR‐224‐5p reduced TEER in keratinocyte cultures. Conclusion: These results suggest that the miR‐224‐5p‐induced reduction in CLDN5 expression leads to impaired permeability barrier function, and that miR‐224‐5p could be a potential therapeutic target for sensitive skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since last decade, the cluster tool has been mainstream in modern semiconductor manufacturing factories. In general, the cluster tool occupies 60% to 70% of production machines for advanced technology factories. The most characteristic feature of this kind of equipment is to integrate the relevant processes into one single machine to reduce wafer transportation time and prevent wafer contaminations as well. Nevertheless, cluster tools also increase the difficulty of production planning significantly, particularly for shop floor control due to complicated machine configurations. The main objective of this study is to propose a short-term scheduling model. The noteworthy goal of scheduling is to maximize the throughput within time constraints. There are two modules included in this scheduling model—arrival time estimation and short-term scheduling. The concept of the dynamic cycle time of the product's step is applied to estimate the arrival time of the work in process (WIP) in front of machine. Furthermore, in order to avoid violating the time constraint of the WIP, an algorithm to calculate the latest time of the WIP to process on the machine is developed. Based on the latest process time of the WIP and the combination efficiency table, the production schedule of the cluster tools can be re-arranged to fulfill the production goal. The scheduling process will be renewed every three hours to make sure of the effectiveness and good performance of the schedule. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cell adhesive force, exerting on the local matrix or neighboring cells, plays a critical role in regulating many cell functions and physiological processes. In the past four decades, significant efforts have been dedicated to cell adhesive force detection, visualization and quantification. A recent important methodological advancement in cell adhesive force visualization is to adopt force-to-fluorescence conversion instead of force-to-substrate strain conversion, thus greatly improving the sensitivity and resolution of force imaging. This review summarizes the recent development of force imaging techniques (collectively termed as cell adhesive force microscopy or CAFM here), with a particular focus on the improvement of CAFM's spatial resolution and the biomaterial choices for constructing the tension sensors used in force visualization. This review also highlights the importance of DNA-based tension sensors in cell adhesive force imaging and the recent breakthrough in the development of super-resolution CAFM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With Ca and Ba substitutions for Sr, the photoluminescence evolution of Sr 2 MgSi 2 O 7 :0.05Eu2+ has been investigated and discussed. With spectra and crystal structure analysis, the photoluminescence intensity variation, the emission band shift, the chromaticity coordinate evolution and the thermal stability changes have been revealed. The corresponding physical mechanisms have been discussed. With Ca/Ba substitution, the emission spectra show entire red/blue shift; while the photoluminescence intensity are both quenched. The crystal structure and lattice parameter variations were refined. Based on the reflection spectra measurements, the forbidden band gap of the series of Sr 1.95- x (Ca/Ba) x MgSi 2 O 7 :0.05Eu2+ phosphors were calculated. Both for Ca and Ba substitution, the forbidden band gap is elevated. The regular emission band red/blue shifts are ascribed to the increased/decreased crystal splitting of the Eu2+ 5d electron. Based on the estimation of the crystal splitting intensity and the calculation of the forbidden band gap, the Eu2+ 5d electron transition process and the Ca/Ba substitution tuning process are illustrated. The thermal stability of Sr 2 MgSi 2 O 7 : Eu2+ is promoted with Ca/Ba substitution. The thermal quenching mechanism of this phosphor can be confirmed to self-ionization. This work proves cation substitution is a suitable route to tune the photoluminescence property of the phosphors. The revealed physical mechanisms are in favor of understanding the tuning process of the phosphors. Image 1 • This work reveals the physical mechanisms for the evolutions of the emission band, intensity and thermal stability. • The thermal quenching mechanism in this phosphor have been confirmed to self-ionization. • The forbidden band gap and the crystal field splitting intensity changes have been calculated, compared and illustrated. • This work provides a route to tune the photoluminescence properties of the phosphors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To analyze the status of non-response to hepatitis B vaccine and its related factors in children born to mothers infected with hepatitis B virus (HBV). Methods The children born to mothers with HBV infection reported in Hunan Province from January to December 2022 were selected. All the children received hepatitis B immunoglobulin injection and 3 doses of hepatitis B vaccination and were followed up to 7-12 months of age for detection of hepatitis B surface antigen (HB-sAg) and anti-HBs. Both HBsAg and anti-HBs were negative, indicating that there was no response to hepatitis B vaccine in children. Unconditional binary logistic regression model was used to analyze the related factors of non-response to hepatitis B vaccine in children. Results A total of 9 792 children born to mothers infected with HBV were analyzed. Among 9 792 children, the non-response rate of hepatitis B vaccine was 9.5% (928/9 792). Non-conditional binary Logistic regression analysis showed that the risk of non-response to hepatitis B vaccine in children born to HBeAg-positive mothers was 1.62 times higher than that in children born to HBeAg-negative mothers (OR=1.62, 95% CI: 1.40-1.88). The risk of non-response to hepatitis B vaccine in children with macrosomia (birth weight ≥ 4 000g) was 1.41 times higher than that in children with normal birth weight (OR = 1.41, 95% CI: 1.08-1.85). Maternal antiviral therapy (OR=0.59, 95% CI: 0.48-0.73) and child HepB standard vaccination (OR=0.66, 95% CI: 0.57-0.78) were the protective factors of non-response to hepatitis B vaccine in children. Conclusion The non-response rate of hepatitis B vaccine in children born to HBV infected mothers is high, and it is affected by maternal HBeAg positive, antiviral therapy during pregnancy, birth weight, and standard vaccination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Sensitivity skin (SS) is a common skin disorders, which have a various of clinical manifestation. Facial erythema is common objective symptom of SS. However, the reasons for the occurrence of erythema in sensitive skin are not fully understood. Aims: In this study, we preliminarily explain the possible factors inducing erythema of sensitive skin by evaluating facial erythematous reaction to lactic acid sting test (LAST) and capsaicin test (CAT) in subjects with sensitive skin. Methods: A total of 197 subjects were divided into five groups, that is, normal controls (NC), LAST‐positive (LAST+), both LAST and CAT positive (L+C+), both LAST and CAT negative (L−C−) and CAT‐positive (CAT+). Erythema index (EI), a* value, and tissue viability imaging (TIVI) were measured before and after LAST and CAT, The ΔEI, Δa*, and ΔTIVI before and after LAST and CAT were calculated, and the correlation between the scores of CAT, EI values, a* values, and TIVI values were analyzed to clarify the causes of facial erythema. Results: Our results showed that EI values and a* values were significantly higher in the L+C+ and CAT+ group than in NC group, TIVI values were higher in the L+C+ group than in NC group. ΔEI and Δa* values after LAST did not differ significantly among five groups. However, ΔEI values in L+C+ group were higher than that in L−C− group, while Δa* values were higher in CAT+ group than in NC. Moreover, ΔTIVI values in L+C+ group and CAT+ group were also significantly higher than that in NC group after capsaicin stimulation. CAT scores correlated positively with EI, a* and TIVI values. Conclusion: Our results suggest that sensitive skin subjects with positive CAT are more likely to experience erythema reactions, and vasodilation is more pronounced after capsaicin stimulation. Reducing vascular and neural hyperreactivity could be therapeutic target in management of facial erythema in subjects with sensitive skin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pyroptosis is an inflammatory programmed cell death (PCD) and is reported to be associated with N6-methyladenosine (m6A) modification. This study aimed to investigate the mechanism of m6A demethylase AlkB homolog 5 (ALKBH5) in pyroptosis in the process of chronic actinic dermatitis (CAD). Changes of m6A-related genes were evaluated between CAD and normal samples using quantitative reverse-transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Human keratinocytes (HaCaT cells) exposed to ultraviolet B (UVB; 10, 20, and 30 mJ/cm2), followed by evaluation of cell proliferation, cell apoptosis, inflammatory cytokines (interleukin (IL)-1β, IL-18, and tumor necrosis factor (TNF-α)), and pyroptosis-related proteins (gasdermin D (GSDMD), Caspase-1, and Caspase-4). Small interfering RNA (siRNA) targeting ALKBH5 was transfected into HaCaT cells to assess the effect of si-ALKBH5 on CAD. A CAD mice model was induced after exposure to UVB (250 mJ/cm2 per day) to confirm the role of ALKBH5 in CAD. AKKBH5 was highly expressed in CAD patients. UVB also promoted ALKBH5 expression, increased cell apoptosis, and induced the release of inflammatory cytokines (IL-1β, IL-18, and TNF-α) as well as pyroptosis-related proteins (GSDMD, Caspase-1, and Caspase-4). Silencing ALKBH5 repressed cell apoptosis and suppressed UVB-induced pyroptosis and inflammatory response. Meanwhile, silencing ALKBH5 attenuated UVB-induced skin damage of CAD mice, accompanied with the reduction in expression of inflammatory cytokines and pyroptosis-related proteins. This study helps to further understand the mechanism of ALKBH5 in CAD-induced pyroptosis and provides novel ideas for the research and management of CAD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Understanding distributions of urban land use is of great importance for urban planning, decision support, and resource allocation. The first mapping results of essential urban land use categories (EULUC) in China for 2018 have been recently released. However, such kind of national maps may not sufficiently meet the growing demand for regional analysis. To address this shortcoming, here we proposed a segmentation-based framework named EULUC-seg to improve the mapping results of EULUC at the city scale. An object-based segmentation approach was first applied to generate the basic mapping units within urban parcels. Multiple features derived from high-resolution remotely sensed and social sensing data were updated and then recalculated within each unit. Random forest was adopted as the machine learning algorithm for classifying urban land use into five Level I classes and twelve Level II classes. Finally, an accuracy assessment was carried out based on a collection of manually interpreted samples. Results showed that our derived map achieved an overall accuracy of 87.58% for Level I, and 73.53% for Level II. The accurate and refined map of EULUC-seg is expected to better support various applications in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Exponential growth and shrinkage of cities are two opposing trends in urban development. In this study, we analyze spatial growth and shrinkage at the regional level. We use the Guangzhou–Foshan region to identify the pattern and process of growth and shrinkage in the region with particular focus on cross-border areas. Specifically, we focus on how addressing shrinkage led to changes in urban planning with an in-depth discussion of its formation mechanism and the introduction of planning strategies. From the changes in light results during the period from 1985 to 2017 of the Guangzhou–Foshan region, stable areas are mainly concentrated in the old urban areas built before 2000, the largest urban area is of continuous growth type in line with the characteristics of urban expansion, and the area of shrinkage is small but concentrated in the cross-border areas. Particularly, since the 2008 financial crisis, extensive changes have been noted in the cross-border areas where such growing and shrinking areas coexist. Regional integration and the optimization of urban space would be effective methods to confront shrinkage. The findings may provide some reference for the urban shrinkage phenomenon that occurs in cross-border areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]