Enteral micronutrient supplementation and neurodevelopmental outcomes in preterm or low birth weight infants: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

The association of enteral micronutrient supplementation and the neurodevelopmental outcomes of preterm or low birth weight (LBW) infants is controversial. This research was prospectively registered (CRD42023454034). We searched MEDLINE, Embase, PsycInfo, ClinicalTrials. gov, and the Cochrane Library for randomised clinical trials (RCTs) or quasi-RCTs comparing any enteral micronutrients supplementation with placebo or no supplementation in preterm or LBW infants. The primary outcome was neurodevelopmental impairment (NDI), with secondary outcomes involving various neurodevelopmental tests and disabilities. There was no evidence of an association between enteral micronutrients supplementation and the risk of NDI (RR, 1.03; 95% CI, 0.93-1.14; moderate certainty evidence). There was no evidence that the supplemented groups enhanced cognitive (MD, 0.65; 95% CI, -0.37 to 1.67; low certainty evidence), language (SMD, -0.01; 95% CI, -0.11 to 0.09; moderate certainty evidence), or motor scores (SMD, 0.04; 95% CI, -0.06 to 0.15; very low certainty evidence) or IQ (SMD, -0.20; 95% CI, -0.53 to 0.13; very low certainty evidence). Subgroup analysis showed that multiple micronutrients supplementation improved expressive language score (MD, 1.42; 95% CI, 0.39-2.45), and zinc supplementation enhanced fine motor score (SMD, 1.70; 95% CI, 0.98-2.43). The overall heterogeneity was low. This study demonstrates that enteral micronutrient supplementation is associated with little or no benefits in neurodevelopmental outcomes for preterm or LBW infants. Well-designed RCTs are needed to further ascertain these associations.

Magnetotransport and magnetic properties of Cr-modified Mn2Sb epitaxial thin films.

High-quality Mn2-xCrxSb (x = 0.01, 0.04, and 0.1) epitaxial thin films were grown on SrTiO3 (STO) (001) single-crystal substrates using molecular beam epitaxy. Magnetotransport and magnetic measurements reveal that the x = 0.01 sample undergoes a quasi-ferrimagnetic (I) [Q-FIM(I)]-to-ferrimagnetic (II) [FIM(II)] spin reorientation (SR) transition and a giant magnetoresistance (MR) associated first-order ferrimagnetic(II)-to-antiferromagnetic (AFM) phase transition upon cooling, resulting in the AFM ground state with a weak in-plane net moment. Upon increasing the doping level from x = 0.01 to 0.1, both the SR transition and the first-order magnetic transition are suppressed. For x = 0.1, the former transition is suppressed, leaving only the Q-FIM(I)-to-AFM transition within the whole temperature region. TAFM-FIM shows almost similar changes upon the application of either in-plane or out-of-plane magnetic fields. TAFM-FIM values of the x = 0.01 and 0.04 samples are much higher than those of the Mn2-xCrxSb bulk with similar doping levels, which can be understood by the clamping effect from STO substrates. For each thin-film sample, the MR effect is observed near TAFM-FIM and disappears in the high temperature Q-FIM(I) phase and low temperature AFM phase, indicating that MR is related to the spin-dependent electron scattering during the first-order magnetic phase transition. Based on the magnetotransport and magnetic data, a magnetic phase diagram is established for the Mn2-xCrxSb films in the low doping level region.

Correction: Magnetotransport and magnetic properties of Cr-modified Mn2Sb epitaxial thin films.

Correction for 'Magnetotransport and magnetic properties of Cr-modified Mn2Sb epitaxial thin films' by Ting-Wei Chen et al., Phys. Chem. Chem. Phys., 2023, 25, 5785-5794, https://doi.org/10.1039/D2CP05442F.

The efficacy of a mindfulness-based exercise program in older residents of a long-term care facility in Taiwan.

Older people living in long-term care facilities remain largely inactive, and therefore promoting exercise in this population is necessary. This study evaluated the efficacy of a mindfulness-based exercise program in older residents of a long-term care facility in Taiwan. A convenience sample of 72 older residents of a long-term care facility were recruited and assigned to either an experimental group or a control group. The experimental group (n = 36) participated in an 8-week mindfulness-based exercise program, and the control group (n = 36) received routine care. The generalized estimating equation showed significantly larger improvements in a fear of falling, exercise self-efficacy, dynamic balance, and muscle strength in the experimental group than in the control group from baseline to the end of the intervention and 3 months after the end of the intervention. This study provides a reference for how to improve exercise practice in older people living in long-term care facilities.

Spontaneous giant vortices and circular supercurrents in a trapped exciton-polariton condensate.

We theoretically study an exciton-polariton condensate trapped in a harmonic potential with an annular pump. With a circular pump, predictions were made for a spontaneous rotating vortex lattice packed by singly quantized vortices. If the circular pump is replaced by an annular pump, singly quantized vortices are absorbed into the central hole and form a multiply quantized vortex. For a sufficiently narrow annular width, all vortices are absorbed into the central hole, ultimately forming a giant vortex with supersonic circular supercurrents flowing around it. Vortex-antivortex pairs can be generated if a defect is present in these supersonic circular supercurrents. We further discover that the motion of the vortex-antivortex pairs depends on the position at which they were generated. We suggest that this property can be used to control whether the velocity of the circular supercurrents is above or below the sound velocity.

FOXD2-AS1 promotes migration and invasion of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma and predicts poor prognosis.

Aim: To investigate the role of long noncoding RNA FOXD2-AS1 in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). Materials & methods: The expression and clinical significance of FOXD2-AS1 were analyzed using data from public databases. Transwell assays were used to examine the function of FOXD2-AS1 in HNSCC. The molecular mechanism of FOXD2-AS1 was probed by western blotting. Results: The expression of FOXD2-AS1 was upregulated in HNSCC; it was positively related with the pathological stage as well as with poor prognosis in HNSCC patients. FOXD2-AS1 silencing inhibited HNSCC cell migration and invasion, also influenced the expression of epithelial-mesenchymal transition-related molecules. Conclusion: FOXD2-AS1 was a prognostic marker in patients with HNSCC and may be a favorable novel treatment target for HNSCC.

Modified sandwich embolization technique for postpartum hemorrhage caused by uterine artery pseudoaneurysm: a case series.

PURPOSE: Uterine artery pseudoaneurysm (UAP) is rare but can cause life-threatening postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). To evaluate a novel sandwich embolization technique as a treatment for PPH caused by UAP. METHODS: This retrospective study included 10 patients with PPH caused by UAP who were treated using a modified sandwich embolization technique at the Radiology Department, Third Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between April 2009 and September 2018. Baseline clinical characteristics, intraoperative data (including treatment effectiveness) and postoperative data (including re-bleeding events and complications) were extracted from the medical records. RESULTS: Uterine arterial angiography showed cystic shadowing of the vascular wall during the arterial phase in all patients. Spraying of contrast agent into the pseudoaneurysm was observed for large UAPs, and the pseudoaneurysm disappeared in the venous phase. The pseudoaneurysm blood supply was from the uterine artery in 9 patients (90%) and the uterine, superior vesical, internal pudendal and nameless little arteries in 1 patient (10%). Bleeding symptoms were completely relieved in all patients after sandwich embolization. Eight patients experienced painful contractions in the perioperative period, but there were no other postoperative complications. During the 1-year postoperative follow-up, 9 patients (90%) had no re-bleeding symptoms/signs. One patient (10%), who had a pseudoaneurysm supplied by the uterine, superior vesical, internal pudendal and nameless little arteries, experienced re-bleeding 20 days after surgery and was treated by hysterectomy. CONCLUSION: Modified sandwich embolization is an effective treatment for PPH caused by UAP.

Ti-Ti σ bond at oxygen vacancy inducing the deep defect level in anatase TiO2 (101) surface.

Using the GW method within many-body perturbation theory, we investigate the quasiparticle structures of defects, including oxygen vacancy, Ti interstitial, and hydroxyl groups, in the anatase TiO2 (101) surface. We find that the deep defect state in this surface observed experimentally, which is 1 eV below the Fermi level, originates from the σ bond formed between 3d orbitals of the two under-coordinated Ti atoms at the surface oxygen vacancy. Different from the density functional theory modified with on-site Coulomb terms (DFT + U), the GW method predicts that the localized polaron in anatase (101) is a shallow defect state close to the conduction band bottom. Polaronic states play the role in pinning the Fermi level of anatase near the conduction band bottom. Our GW calculations can explain satisfactorily the coexistence of shallow and deep defect states in anatase as observed in experiments. We also find that the conduction band edge of anatase is drawn down greatly after the filling of original empty Ti 3d orbitals by excess electrons, making the calculated bandgap of the reduced anatase agree well with the experiments. This significant difference in the bandgap between the intact and the reduced anatase is missed in DFT + U.

Mediating both valence and conduction bands of TiO2 by anionic dopants for visible- and infrared-light photocatalysis.

Doping is an effective way to extend the optical absorption of TiO2 to the visible range. Doping of TiO2 by carbon has been found to enhance the water splitting efficiency significantly in experiment. However, the mechanism behind this is elusive. Using the ab initio many-body Green's function theory, we find that the C2 dimer formed on the TiO2 surface produces a shallow delocalized occupied Ti 3d state just below the bottom of the conduction bands. Therefore, band-gap narrowing in carbon-doped TiO2 is caused by the opposite shifts of both valence and conduction bands simultaneously, which is in contrast to the generally accepted idea that anionic dopants can only affect the valence band of TiO2. Optical absorption in the infrared region is also increased compared to reduced TiO2. The spatially well-separated photogenerated electrons and holes might help to reduce the recombination rate of carriers, in favor of improvement in photocatalysis efficiency. This novel behavior of anionic dopants is distinct from previous understandings and may guide the engineering of TiO2.

Variation of optical spectra of water clusters with size from many-body Green's function theory.

Water clusters are an important species in the environment and atmosphere and take part in various chemical and biological reactions. How their optical properties vary with size is still an open question. Using the GW method and Bethe-Salpeter equation within the ab initio many-body Green's function theory, we study the electronic excitations in a series of water clusters (H2O)n with n = 1-48. We find that their absorption peaks blueshift with increasing cluster size due to the reducing electron-hole binding energy which arises from the enhanced electronic screening and gradually delocalized excitonic spatial distribution. The position of the first absorption peak has a close relation to the average number of hydrogen bonds per molecule. Off-diagonal matrix elements of the self-energy operator have pronounced effects on the unoccupied electronic levels and optical absorption for small clusters with n ≤ 10 when using density functional theory as the starting point for GW calculations. Although the optical absorption is predominated by delocalized excitons, highly localized excitons on a single water molecule are always present on the cluster surface in the vicinity of the absorption edge. These localized excitons may facilitate the photodissociation of water molecules. This can provide inspiration on the excited-state dynamics and photolysis in water clusters.

Electronic structures of rutile (011)(2 × 1) surfaces: A many-body perturbation theory study.

Using the GW method within many-body perturbation theory, we investigate the electronic properties of the rutile (011) surfaces with different reconstruction patterns. We find that keeping the Ti:O ratio on the reconstructedsurface to 1:2 enlarges the bandgap of the rutile (011) surface to ca. 4.0 eV. Increasing the content of O atoms in the surface can turn rutile into a semi-metal. For some surfaces, it is important to apply self-consistent GW calculation to get the correct charge distributions for the frontier orbitals, which are relevant to the photocatalytic behavior of TiO2.

Optical properties of acene molecules and pentacene crystal from the many-body Green's function method.

Acene is a type of important organic semiconductor which has promising applications in various optoelectronic devices. The fission of a singlet to triplet in it has been expected to elevate the quantum efficiency of organic solar cells. However, the quantum efficiency is still very low and the fission process is still under debate. Controversies also exist on the energies of the singlet and triplet states in acene. Using the many-body Green's function theory, which includes the GW method and Bethe-Salpeter equation (BSE), we compared the electronic excited states of several kinds of acene molecules (naphthalene to pentacene) at geometries optimized by different approaches. The energies of both the singlet and triplet depend strongly on the geometries of the molecules and their stacking. The non-negligible contribution from the resonant and anti-resonant transition coupling can cause large errors of the Tamm-Dancoff approximation, and the full BSE is required to get accurate results which are consistent with experiments. We found that accurate ionization energies and exciton energies can only be obtained when the geometries optimized by the Hartree-Fock approach are used. Singlet fission may be realized in isolated molecules, clusters, and surfaces, but it is hard in perfect pentacene crystals energetically. We provide a methodology for future research on acene-based solar cells and other optoelectronic devices.

Stable gray soliton pinned by a defect in a microcavity-polariton condensate.

We study the spatially localized dark state, called dark soliton, in a one-dimensional system of the non-resonantly pumped microcavity-polariton condensate (MPC). From the recent work by Xue and Matuszewski [Phys. Rev. Lett. 112, 216401 (2014)], we know that the dark soliton in the pure MPC system is unstable. But we find that a dark soliton pinned by a defect in the impure MPC becomes a gray soliton and can be stabilized by the presence of a defect. Moreover, the stable regime of the gray soliton is given in terms of the defect strength and pump parameter.

Role of modulation frequency in a hybrid Q-switched Nd:LuVO4 laser with an acousto-optic modulator and a Cr4⁺:YAG saturable absorber.

This study presents a hybrid Q-switched Nd:LuVO4 laser with an acousto-optic modulator (AOM) and a Cr4⁺:YAG saturable absorber. The importance of the modulation frequency of the AOM in this dual-loss modulation system is examined with two distinct observations: (1) the periodic-ramp pulse characteristics with the modulation frequency, and (2) the existence of the intrinsic modulation frequency for minimizing the pulsewidth. The shortest pulsewidth and the highest peak power were 10.6 ns and 13.9 kW, respectively, at a pump power of 10 W. Compared with the passively Q-switched laser, which has a pulsewidth of 18.3 ns, the ratio of pulse compression reaches 42%. Finally, numerical simulations based on the rate equations are used to verify the experimental results.

The impact of population aging on FDI: A panel data analysis based on 27 segments in China's manufacturing industry.

Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) is an important part of China's new "double-cycle" development pattern. Among the many factors affecting FDI, will the aging population have an impact on manufacturing, the key industry for FDI? This paper examines the direct and indirect effects of an aging population on FDI using panel data from 27 manufacturing sub-industries in China between 2005 and 2020. It is found that (1) the deepening of the population's aging negatively affects FDI inflows and this result continues to hold after a series of robustness tests. (2) Using labor quantity and labor cost as mediating variables, it is found that the population's aging indirectly affects FDI by reducing labor quantity and increasing labor cost. (3) The heterogeneity analysis study finds that the deepening of the population's aging significantly inhibits FDI in labor-intensive and capital-intensive industries among manufacturing sub-industries, and the inhibitory effect on FDI in technology-intensive industries is not significant. This study provides meso-evidence to support the findings of existing studies and provides suggestions and insights for the government to formulate relevant policies to actively cope with aging.

The impact of China railway express on foreign direct investment inflows in Chinese central and western cities.

Capital needs transportation channels. Following successful communication and cooperation with Central Asian and European states, the China railway express (CRE) has been built by central and western cities. This new international freight service will greatly enhance the transport conditions in the central and western cities. Therefore, it is necessary to conduct an in-depth analysis of the impact of CRE operations on foreign direct investment (FDI) flows in the central and western regions. For analyses, a panel data of 152 Chinese cities from 2008 to 2020 is used and staggered difference in differences (DID) model is applied as a quasi-natural experiment. The results demonstrated that the operation of the CRE had a positive and significant impact on FDI inflows in the central and western cities, particularly in western cities, large cities, and non-resource based cities in China. Mechanism analysis shows that CRE operations can enhance the ability to attract foreign investment in the central and western regions through the promotion of industrial agglomeration and the expansion of market size. Therefore, the government should actively optimize the layout of CRE transportation routes and establish an inter-regional coordinating mechanism for freight sources, thus allowing the radiating effect of CRE central cities to reach out to peripheral cities.

Spatial network analysis of green electricity efficiency dynamics in the Yellow River Basin cities.

Improving the green electricity efficiency (GEE), is an important issue for China's high-quality economic development. This study presents a spatial correlation network of urban GEE in the Yellow River Basin from 2012 to 2021, constructed using an improved gravity model. Social network analysis and the quadratic assignment procedure method are employed to analyze the spatial correlation characteristics and influencing factors. The findings indicate that urban GEE in the Yellow River Basin exhibits complex and stable network characteristics. The spatial network analysis reveals that Jiayuguan City, Dongying City, Dingxi City, Zibo City, and Shizuishan City occupy central positions within the network. The results indicate that spatial adjacency, GDP per capita, industrial structure, and the level of science and technology expenditure are positively related to urban GEE, while environmental regulation and average temperature are negatively related. The findings of the study have led to policy recommendations aimed at enhancing urban GEE in the Yellow River Basin.

Two-Way FDI assists agricultural sustainable development: Based on digitalization and greening perspectives.

With the new challenges and crises facing agriculture, digitalization and green transformation have become important ways to solve the problems. This paper uses an international economics perspective to chart a new path for sustainable agricultural development. Specifically, it analyzes whether two-way international direct investment (FDI) can facilitate agricultural digital-green fusion(DGF)? Using a sample of 31 provinces (autonomous regions) from 2012 to 2021, this study finds: (1) Two-way FDI can significantly contribute to agriculture's DGF. (2) In the mechanism test, it is proved that two-way FDI can promote agriculture's DGF level by promoting green technology innovation capacity and overall regional technology innovation capacity. (3) The positive effects of two-way FDI are prominent in the eastern and central regions, coastal regions, and economically developed areas. (4) In the spatial Durbin model, the local two-way FDI growth improves agriculture's DGF level in the surrounding areas to a certain extent. The government is advised to prioritize openness, foster an environment for technological innovation, leverage spatial radiation for agricultural DGF, and advance digitally empowered agricultural modernization.

Adverse renal outcomes following targeted therapies in renal cell carcinoma: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Introduction: To clarify the prevalence of adverse renal outcomes following targeted therapies in renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Methods: A systematic search was performed in MEDLINE, EMBASE, and Cochrane Central Library. Studies that had reported adverse renal outcomes following targeted therapies in RCC were eligible. Outcomes included adverse renal outcomes defined as either renal dysfunction as evidenced by elevated serum creatinine levels or the diagnosis of acute kidney injury, or proteinuria as indicated by abnormal urine findings. The risk of bias was assessed according to Cochrane handbook guidelines. Publication bias was assessed using Funnel plot analysis and Egger Test. Results: The occurrences of the examined outcomes, along with their corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs), were combined using a random-effects model. In all, 23 studies including 10 RCTs and 13 observational cohort studies were included. The pooled incidence of renal dysfunction and proteinuria following targeted therapies in RCC were 17% (95% CI: 12%-22%; I2 = 88.5%, p < 0.01) and 29% (95% CI: 21%-38%; I2 = 93.2%, p < 0.01), respectively. The pooled incidence of both types of adverse events varied substantially across different regimens. Occurrence is more often in polytherapy compared to monotherapy. The majority of adverse events were rated as CTCAE grades 1 or 2 events. Four studies were assessed as having low risk of bias. Conclusion: Adverse renal outcomes reflected by renal dysfunction and proteinuria following targeted therapies in RCC are not uncommon and are more often observed in polytherapy compared to monotherapy. The majority of the adverse events were of mild severity. Systematic Review Registration: Identifier CRD42023441979.

Restoration of functional endometrium in an intrauterine adhesion rat model with endometrial stromal cells transplantation.

BACKGROUND: Intrauterine adhesion (IUA) as a prevalent gynecological disease is developed from infection or trauma. However, therapeutic strategies to repair damaged endometrium are relatively limited. Emerging studies have shed light on the crucial role of endometrial stromal cells (EnSCs) in the process of uterine endometrial regeneration. EnSCs isolated from the uterine endometrium have similar characteristics to mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs). However, it is still unknown whether EnSCs could be used as donor cells to treat IUA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the potential efficacy of EnSCs in treating rat IUA. METHODS: Human EnSCs were isolated from the endometrial tissue of healthy female donors and subjected to extensive expansion and culture in vitro. Immunofluorescence, flow cytometry, cell proliferation assay, trilineage differentiation experiment, and decidualization assay were used to characterize the biological properties of EnSCs. We evaluated the immunoregulatory potential of EnSCs by analyzing their secreted cytokines and conducting bulk RNA sequencing after IFN-γ treatment. After EnSCs were transplanted into the uterine muscle layer in IUA rats, their therapeutic effects and underlying mechanisms were analyzed using histological analysis, Q-PCR, fertility and pregnancy outcome assay, and transcriptome analysis. RESULTS: We successfully isolated EnSCs from the endometrium of human donors and largely expanded in vitro. EnSCs exhibited characteristics of mesenchymal stem cells and retained responsiveness to sex hormones. Following IFN-γ stimulation, EnSCs upregulated the anti-inflammatory cytokines and activated immunosuppressive molecules. Xenogeneic transplantation of EnSCs successfully repaired injured endometrium and significantly restored the pregnancy rate in IUA rats. Mechanistically, the therapeutic effects of EnSCs on IUA endometrium functioned through anti-inflammation, anti-fibrosis and the secretion of regeneration factor. CONCLUSIONS: Due to their large expansion ability, immunoregulatory properties, and great potential in treating IUA, EnSCs, as a valuable source of donor cells, could offer a potential treatment avenue for injury-induced IUA.