The Association between Default-mode Network Functional Connectivity and Childhood Trauma on the Symptom Load in Male Adults with Methamphetamine Use Disorder.

Objective: : The relationship between adverse childhood experiences and methamphetamine use disorder (MUD) has been shown in previous studies; nevertheless, the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. Childhood trauma is associated with aberrant functional connectivity (FC) within the default-mode network (DMN). Furthermore, within the DMN, FC may contribute to impaired self-awareness in addiction, while cross-network FC is critical for relapse. We aimed to investigate whether childhood trauma was associated with DMN-related resting-state FC among healthy controls and patients with MUD and to examine whether DMN-related FC affected the effect of childhood trauma on the symptom load of MUD diagnosis. Methods: : Twenty-seven male patients with MUD and 27 male healthy controls were enrolled and completed the Childhood Trauma Questionnaire. DMN-related resting-state FC was examined using functional magnetic resonance imaging. Results: : There were 47.1% healthy controls and 66.7% MUD patients in this study with adverse childhood experiences. Negative correlations between adverse childhood experiences and within-DMN FC were observed in both healthy controls and MUD patients, while within-DMN FC was significantly altered in MUD patients. The detrimental effects of adverse childhood experiences on MUD patients may be attenuated through DMN-executive control networks (ECN) FC. Conclusion: : Adverse childhood experiences were negatively associated with within-DMN FC in MUD patients and healthy controls. However, DMN-ECN FC may attenuate the effects of childhood trauma on symptoms load of MUD.

Ultrafast and Broad-Band Graphene Heterojunction Photodetectors with High Gain.

Graphene possesses an exotic band structure that spans a wide range of important technological wavelength regimes for photodetection, all within a single material. Conventional methods aimed at enhancing detection efficiency often suffer from an extended response time when the light is switched off. The task of achieving ultrafast broad-band photodetection with a high gain remains challenging. Here, we propose a devised architecture that combines graphene with a photosensitizer composed of an alternating strip superstructure of WS2-WSe2. Upon illumination, n+-WS2 and p+-WSe2 strips create alternating electron- and hole-conduction channels in graphene, effectively overcoming the tradeoff between the responsivity and switch time. This configuration allows for achieving a responsivity of 1.7 × 107 mA/W, with an extrinsic response time of 3-4 µs. The inclusion of the superstructure booster enables photodetection across a wide range from the near-ultraviolet to mid-infrared regime and offers a distinctive photogating route for high responsivity and fast temporal response in the pursuit of broad-band detection.

The prognostic significance of histologic variant on survival outcomes in patients with metastatic urothelial carcinoma receiving immune checkpoint inhibitor therapy.

BACKGROUND: While the treatment guidelines have been established for pure urothelial carcinoma (pUC), patients with variant type urothelial carcinoma (vUC) face limited effective treatment options. The effectiveness of immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) in patients with vUC remains uncertain and necessitates additional research. METHOD: We conducted a retrospective, multicenter study to explore the effectiveness of ICI in patients with pUC or vUC in Taiwan. We evaluated the overall response rate (ORR) through univariate logistic regression analysis and examined the overall survival (OS) and progression-free survival (PFS) using Kaplan-Meier analysis. Additionally, we employed univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazards models to analyze the data. RESULT: A total of 142 patients (116 pUC, 26 vUC) were included in our final analysis. The ORR was marginally higher in patients with pUC compared to those with vUC (34.5% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.26). Among all patients, 12.9% with pUC achieved a complete response (CR) after ICI treatment, while no vUC cases achieved CR (p = 0.05). There were no significant differences in PFS (median 3.6 months vs. 4.1 months, p = 0.34) or OS (median 16.3 months vs. 11.0 months, p = 0.24) when comparing patients with pUC or vUC. In the subgroup analysis, patients with pUC who underwent first-line ICI treatment exhibited significantly improved OS compared to those with vUC (24.6 months vs. 9.1 months, p = 0.004). CONCLUSION: The use of ICI as monotherapy is a feasible and effective treatment approach for patients with metastatic vUC.

The relationship between peripheral insulin resistance and social cognitive deficits among euthymic patients with bipolar disorder.

BACKGROUND: Despite extensive literature documenting emotion-related social-cognitive deficits in euthymic patients with bipolar disorder (BD), the factors contributing to these deficits have not been definitively established. To address this gap, the present study aimed to examine the association between peripheral insulin resistance (IR) and emotion-related social-cognitive abilities in BD patients and controls. METHOD: Sixty-five BD patients and 38 non-psychiatric controls were recruited, and their social cognitive ability and IR were measured using the Mayer-Salovey-Caruso Emotional Intelligence Test (MSCEIT) and the homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), respectively. RESULTS: The study found that the BD patients scored significantly lower than the non-psychiatric controls in the task of emotional management. The BD patients had a higher mean HOMA-IR value as compared with the controls but this result was not statistically significant (p = 0.051). The interaction between BD diagnosis and HOMA-IR value was significant on the MSCEIT Facilitating emotions branch and Facilitation subscale (p = 0.024, p = 0.010), and post-hoc analyses revealed that the BD patients in the higher HOMA-IR group had significantly lower scores than BD patients in the lower HOMA-IR group and the non-psychiatric controls in the higher HOMA-IR group on both the MSCEIT Facilitating emotion branch and Facilitation subscale. LIMITATIONS: Due to the cross-sectional nature of the study, causality could not be inferred. The study did not examine potential mediators or moderators between IR and social cognition. CONCLUSIONS: The results suggested that BD patients with IR experience additional impairment in specific domains of social cognition.

Potentials of organic tellurium-containing compound AS101 to overcome carbapenemase-producing Escherichia coli.

BACKGROUND: The issue of carbapenem-resistant Escherichia coli was aggravated yearly. The previous studies reported the varied but critical epidemiology of carbapenem-resistant E. coli among which the carbapenemase-producing strains were regarded as one of the most notorious issues. AS101, an organic tellurium-containing compound undergoing clinical trials, was revealed with antibacterial activities. However, little is known about the antibacterial effect of AS101 against carbapenemase-producing E. coli (CPEC). MATERIALS AND METHODS: The minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) of AS101 against the 15 isolates was examined using a broth microdilution method. The scanning electron microscopy, pharmaceutical manipulations, reactive oxygen species level, and DNA fragmentation assay were carried out to investigate the antibacterial mechanism. The sepsis mouse model was employed to assess the in vivo treatment effect. RESULTS: The blaNDM (33.3%) was revealed as the dominant carbapenemase gene among the 15 CPEC isolates, followed by the blaKPC gene (26.7%). The MICs of AS101 against the 15 isolates ranged from 0.5 to 32 µg/ml, and 99.9% of bacterial eradication was observed at 8 h, 4 h, and 2 h for 1×, 2×, and 4 × MIC, respectively. The mechanistic investigations suggest that AS101 would enter the bacterial cell, and induce ROS generation, leading to DNA fragmentation. The in vivo study exhibited that AS101 possessed a steady treatment effect in a sepsis mouse model, with an up to 83.3% of survival rate. CONCLUSION: The in vitro activities, mechanisms, and in vivo study of AS101 against CPEC were unveiled. Our finding provided further evidence for the antibiotic development of AS101.

Imaging-assisted Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy for diamond jewelry identification and evaluation.

Jewelry identification and evaluation are limited owing to interference from the surrounding metal mount and adjacent gemstones. To maintain transparency in the jewelry market, this study proposes imaging-assisted Raman and photoluminescence spectroscopy for jewelry measurement. The system can automatically measure multiple gemstones on a jewelry piece sequentially, using the image as a reference for alignment. The experimental prototype demonstrates the capability of noninvasive measurement for separating natural diamonds from their laboratory-grown counterparts and diamond simulants. Furthermore, the image can be used for gemstone color evaluation and weight estimation.

Joint Masked Face Recognition and Temperature Measurement System Using Convolutional Neural Networks.

With the outbreak of COVID-19, epidemic prevention has become a way to prevent the spread of epidemics. Many public places, such as hospitals, schools, and office places, require disinfection and temperature measurement. To implement epidemic prevention systems and reduce the risk of infection, it is a recent trend to measure body temperature through non-contact sensing systems with thermal imaging cameras. Compared to fingerprints and irises, face recognition is accurate and does not require close contact, which significantly reduces the risk of infection. However, masks block most facial features, resulting in the low accuracy of face recognition systems. This work combines masked face recognition with a thermal imaging camera for use as an automated attendance system. It can record body temperature and recognize the person at the same time. Through the designed UI system, we can search the attendance information of each person. We not only provide the design method based on convolutional neural networks (CNNs), but also provide the complete embedded system as a real demonstration and achieve a 94.1% accuracy rate of masked face recognition in the real world. With the face recognition system combined with a thermal imaging camera, the purpose of screening body temperature when checking in at work can be achieved.

Clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeats (CRISPR) technology and genetic engineering strategies for microalgae towards carbon neutrality: A critical review.

Carbon dioxide is the major greenhouse gas and regards as the critical issue of global warming and climate changes. The inconspicuous microalgae are responsible for 40% of carbon fixation among all photosynthetic plants along with a higher photosynthetic efficiency and convert the carbon into lipids, protein, pigments, and bioactive compounds. Genetic approach and metabolic engineering are applied to accelerate the growth rate and biomass of microalgae, hence achieve the mission of carbon neutrality. Meanwhile, CRISPR/Cas9 is efficiently to enhance the productivity of high-value compounds in microalgae for it is easier operation, more affordable and is able to regulate multiple genes simultaneously. The genetic engineering strategies provide the multidisciplinary concept to evolute and increase the CO2 fixation rate through Calvin-Benson-Bassham cycle. Therefore, the technologies, bioinformatics tools, systematic engineering approaches for carbon neutrality and circular economy are summarized and leading one step closer to the decarbonization society in this review.

Patterning and doping of transition metals in tungsten dichalcogenides.

Substitutional transition metal doping in two-dimensional (2D) layered dichalcogenides is of fundamental importance in manipulating their electrical, excitonic, magnetic, and catalytic properties through the variation of the d-electron population. Yet, most doping strategies are spatially global, with dopants embedded concurrently during the synthesis. Here, we report an area-selective doping scheme for W-based dichalcogenide single layers, in which pre-patterned graphene is used as a reaction mask in the high-temperature substitution of the W sublattice. The chemical inertness of the thin graphene layer can effectively differentiate the spatial doping reaction, allowing for local manipulation of the host 2D materials. Using graphene as a mask is also beneficial in the sense that it also acts as an insertion layer between the contact metal and the doped channel, capable of depinning the Fermi level for low contact resistivity. Tracing doping by means of chalcogen labelling, deliberate Cr embedment is found to become energetically favorable in the presence of chalcogen deficiency, assisting the substitution of the W sublattice in the devised chemical vapor doping scheme. Atomic characterization using scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) shows that the dopant concentration is controllable and varies linearly with the reaction time in the current doping approach. Using the same method, other transition metal atoms such as Mo, V, and Fe can also be doped in the patterned area.

Germanium-Tin (GeSn) Metal-Semiconductor-Metal (MSM) Near-Infrared Photodetectors.

Narrow-bandgap germanium-tin (GeSn) is employed to fabricate metal-semiconductor-metal (MSM) near-infrared photodetectors with low-dark currents and high responsivity. To reduce the dark current, the SiO2 layer is inserted in between the metal and semiconductor to increase the barrier height, albeit at the expense of photocurrent reduction. To couple more incident light into the absorption layer to enhance the responsivity, the distributed Bragg reflectors (DBRs) are deposited at the bottom of the GeSn substrate while placing the anti-reflection layer on the surface of the absorption layer. With the interdigital electrode spacing and width, both set at 5 µm and with 1 V bias applied, it is found the responsivities of the generic MSM control sample detector, the MSM with DBR, and the MSM with AR layer are 0.644 A/W, 0.716 A/W, and 1.30 A/W, respectively. The corresponding specific detectivities are 8.77 × 1010, 1.11 × 1011, and 1.77 × 1011 cm·Hz1/2/W, respectively. The measurement data show that these designs effectively enhance the photocurrent and responsivity. At 1 V bias voltage, normalized responsivity evinces that the photodetection range has been extended from 1550 nm to over 2000 nm, covering the entire telecommunication band. Incorporating GeSn as a sensing layer offers one of the new alternative avenues for IR photodetection.

Rapid screening of a photochromic Padparadscha-like sapphire using absorption spectroscopy.

The Padparadscha sapphire is attracting increasing interest due to its unique color combination of pink and orange. However, some Padparadscha sapphires exhibit an unstable orange color component; the stone turns from pink to orangey pink after longwave ultraviolet (UV) radiation, and the orange color fades out under a room light or halogen light source. This is of interest and concern since accuracy and consistency are important in colored stone identification services. This study investigates the UV visible (UV-Vis) absorption spectra of photochromic Padparadscha sapphires under illumination of different wavelengths between 250 and 600 nm. Our results show that shortwave UV induces the orange color more effectively than longwave UV, and Vis light near 450 nm reduces the orange color more effectively than a halogen light source. Based on these findings, we developed a prototype UV-Vis absorption spectroscopy device with two fiber-coupled light-emitting diodes at 265 and 455 nm. It can perform rapid screening of photochromic Padparadscha sapphires and has faster color recovery compared to current techniques.

Automatic Optical Inspection System for Wire Color Sequence Detection.

Given the huge demand for wire in today's society, the quality of the wire is especially required. To control the quality of the produced wire, the industry has a great desire for automated optical inspection technology. This technology is a high-speed and highly accurate optical image inspection system that uses mechanical sensing equipment to replace the human eye as the inspection method and simulates manual operation by means of a robotic arm. In this paper, a high-performance algorithm for the automated optical inspection of wire color sequence is proposed. This paper focuses on the design of a high-speed wire color sequence detection that can automatically adapt to different kinds of wires and recognition situations, such as a single wire with only one color, and one or two wires covered with aluminum foil. To be further able to successfully inspect even if the wire is short in the screen and the two wires are close to each other, we calculate the horizontal gradient of the wires by edge detection and morphological calculation and identify the types and color sequences of the wires in the screen by a series of discriminative mechanisms. Experimental results show that this method can achieve good accuracy while maintaining a good computation speed.

WSe2/WS2 Heterobilayer Nonvolatile Memory Device with Boosted Charge Retention.

A two-dimensional (2D) nonvolatile memory device architecture to improve the long-term charge retention with the minimum charge loss without compromising storage capacity and the extinction ratio for practical applications has been an imminent demand. To address the current issue, we adopted a novel type-II band-aligned heterobilayer channel comprising vertically stacked monolayer WSe2 nanodots on monolayer WS2. The band offset modulation leads to electron doping from WSe2 nanodots into the WS2 channel without any external driving electric field. As a result, the tested device outperformed with a memory window as high as 34 V and a negligible charge loss of 7% in a retention period of 10 years while maintaining a high extinction ratio of 106. The doping technique presented in this work provides a feasible route to modulate the electrical properties of 2D channel materials without hampering charge transport, paving the way for high-performance 2D memory devices.

Reversible photochromic effect in natural gemstone sapphires.

Photochromic sapphires show an optically controllable orange coloration under ambient temperatures, which strongly affects the color appearance and market value of gemstone sapphires. An in situ absorption spectroscopy technique using a tunable excitation light source has been developed to investigate the wavelength- and time-dependence of sapphire's photochromism. Excitations of ≤370 nm and ≥410 nm introduce and remove orange coloration, respectively, whereas there is a stable absorption band at 470 nm. Both the color enhancement and diminishing rates are proportional to the excitation intensity; hence, strong illumination can significantly accelerate the photochromic effect. Finally, the origin of the color center can be explained by a combination of the differential absorption and the opposite trends between the orange coloration and Cr3+ emission, indicating that the origin of this photochromic effect is related to a magnesium-induced trapped hole and chromium. The results can be used to minimize the photochromic effect and improve the reliability of color evaluation for valuable gemstones.

Architecture Design and VLSI Implementation of 3D Hand Gesture Recognition System.

With advancements in technology, more and more research is being focused on enhancing daily life quality and convenience. Along with the increase in the development of gesture control systems, many controllers, such as the keyboard, mouse, and other devices, have been replaced with remote control products, which are gradually becoming more intuitive for users. However, vision-based hand gesture recognition systems still have many problems to overcome. Most hand detection methods adopt a skin filter or motion filter for pre-processing. However, in a noisy environment, it is not easy to correctly extract interesting objects. In this paper, a VLSI design with dual-cameras has been proposed to construct a depth map with a stereo matching algorithm and recognize hand gestures. The proposed system adopts an adaptive depth filter to separate interesting foreground objects from the background. We also propose dynamic gesture recognition using depth and coordinate information. The system can perform static and dynamic gesture recognition. The ASIC design is implemented in TSMC 90 nm with about 47.3 K gate counts, and 27.8 mW of power consumption. The average accuracy of each gesture recognition is 83.98%.

Rapid detection of color-treated pearls and separation of pearl types using fluorescence analysis.

Pearl identification plays a key role to maintain transparency in the gem industry by disclosing potential color treatments and classifying pearl species. Current techniques for pearl identification have been limited by expensive instrumentations and long measurement time, severely restricting their use outside of major gemological laboratories. There is a strong demand for simple and inexpensive identification instruments designed for non-specialized users and small-scale gemological laboratories. For this purpose, we demonstrate a portable fluorescence spectroscopy for pearl treatment detection and species classification based on pearl's nacre fluorescence detection. This device can be used to rapidly separate naturally colored pearls from treated colored pearls, detect potential treatments applied to white colored pearls, and separate pearls between certain species in seconds, based on their differences in nacre fluorescence intensity. The system enables noninvasive testing of loose pearls, pearl strands, and mounted pearl jewelry under normal office lighting conditions. The experimental prototype demonstrates high accuracy for automatic pearl color treatment screening, referring 100% of the treated colored pearls. Furthermore, similar protocols can be applied to evaluate popular pearl enhancements such as bleaching and to extend its application to separate akoya pearls and their South Sea counterparts.

In vitro and in vivo assessments of inspired Ag/80S bioactive nanocomposites against carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae.

In 2017 the World Health Organization listed carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae as a critical priority for developing a novel antimicrobial agent. Here we report on our investigation of the antibacterial efficacy of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs), confined to a mesostructured material and designated as an Ag/80S bioactive nanocomposite, against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae. Results from a textural analysis indicate a 7.5 nm mesopore size and 307.6 m2/g surface area for Ag/80S. UV-Vis spectrum and transmission electron microscope images of Ag/80S revealed a uniform AgNP size distribution with an approximately 3.5 nm average. ICP-MS analysis demonstrated a significantly higher silver content in TSB (a protein-rich environment) compared to ultrapure water, suggesting a controllable release of Ag/80S and thus designated as the inspired Ag/80S. Minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values against 16 K. pneumoniae isolates ranged from 0.25 to 0.5% (2.5 to 5.0 mg/ml). NIH 3T3 fibroblast viability at 0.25% exceeded 80% and at 0.5% just under 70%, suggesting low cytotoxicity. Mechanistic study results indicate that the inspired Ag/80S attached to and deformed bacterial cells and induced a time-dependent accumulation of reactive oxygen species, leading to bacterial death. Further, inspired Ag/80S significantly extended median survival time in a Caenorhabditis elegans animal model infected with carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae ATCC BAA-1705. Combined, we found a novel Ag/80S which could prevent aggregation of AgNP and control its release via a specific environment for medical use against carbapenem-resistant K. pneumoniae.

Rapid gemstone screening and identification using fluorescence spectroscopy.

We demonstrate a gemstone screening device based on fluorescence spectroscopy. The device can be used to rapidly separate colorless and near-colorless (D to J color grades) natural diamonds from laboratory grown diamonds and diamond simulants, detect multi-treated pink diamonds, and identify certain colored gemstones, such as corundum, spinel, beryl, and zoisite. The device's reflection fiber probe enables testing of both loose and mounted gemstones with exposed facet faces that are larger than 0.9 mm. The experimental prototype demonstrates high accuracy for automatic diamond gemstone screening, referring 100% of the laboratory grown diamonds and simulants tested. The pink diamond screening algorithm can detect 100% of pink multi-treated diamonds and laboratory grown diamonds. Finally, the suitability of this device for the fluorescence analysis of corundum, beryl, spinel, zoisite, garnet, and topaz was evaluated.

Relationships between autistic traits, insufficient sleep, and real-world executive functions in children: a mediation analysis of a national epidemiological survey.

BACKGROUND: Although the literature documents low executive functions and sleep deficits in individuals with autism spectrum disorder or subclinical autistic traits, no study has simultaneously examined their relationships in the general child population. This study aimed to examine whether autistic traits impacted real-world executive functions through insufficient sleep in a nationally representative sample of children. METHODS: This was a national survey of 6832 primary and secondary school students, aged 8-14 years old, with equal sex distribution (3479 boys, 50.8%). Parents reported their child's nocturnal sleep duration and the need for sleep to maintain their daytime function and the Social Responsiveness Scale and the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) for their children's autistic traits and real-world executive functions, respectively. RESULTS: We found that autistic traits exerted indirect effects on real-world executive functions through sleep deficits, independent of sex, and age. Moreover, such an indirect effect was observed only from restricted and repetitive behaviors to executive functions through sleep deficits, but not in the other components of autistic traits (i.e. social communication and interaction). CONCLUSIONS: Our novel findings underscore the importance of sleep and autistic traits in executive functions and suggest potential mechanisms that may underlie the observed correlational structure among autistic behaviors, sleep deficits, and low executive function performance.

High-Performance Semitransparent Organic Photovoltaics Featuring a Surface Phase-Matched Transmission-Enhancing Ag/ITO Electrode.

In this study, we designed a surface phase-matched transmission enhancement top electrode-Ag/indium tin oxide (ITO) structure for highly efficient and aesthetic semitransparent organic photovoltaics (ST-OPVs). The purposed highly transparent back electrodes (Ag/ITO) could selectively decrease visible reflection and increase transparency accordingly. By altering the thicknesses of the Ag and ITO layers, we could control the transmittance curve and increase the transparency of the ST-OPV devices. Devices based on PTB7-Th:IEICO-4F and PM6:Y6:PC71BM displayed outstanding performance (8.1 and 10.2%, respectively) with high photopic-weighted visible light transmittance (36.2 and 28.6%, respectively). The outstanding visible and near-infrared light harvesting of PM6:Y6:PC71BM further allowed a new application: double-sided energy harvesting from solar and indoor illumination. The simple optical design of a top electrode displaying high transparency/conductivity has a wide range of potential applications in, for example, greenhouse photovoltaics, tandem cells, and portable devices.