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When catalytic reactions are interfered with by radiation sources, thorium clusters are promising as potential catalysts due to their superior radiation resistance. However, there is currently very little research on the design synthesis and catalytic application of radiation-stable thorium clusters. In this work, we have elaborately engineered and fabricated three high-nuclear thorium cluster catalysts denoted as Th12L3-MA12, Th12L3-MA6-BF6, and Th12L3-Fcc12, which did not undergo any significant alterations in their molecular structures and compositions after irradiation with 690 kGy γ-rays. We systematically investigated the photocatalytic/thermocatalytic properties of these radiation-resistant thorium clusters for the first time and found that γ-rays could not alter their catalytic activities. In addition, it was found that ligand engineering could modulate the catalytic activity of thorium clusters, thus expanding the range of catalytic applications of thorium clusters, including reduction reactions (nitroarene reduction) and some oxidation reactions (N-heterocyclic oxidative dehydrogenation and diphenylmethane oxidation). Meanwhile, all of these organic transformation reactions achieved a >80% conversion and nearly 100% product selectivity. Radiation experiments combined with DFT calculations showed that the synergistic catalysis of thorium-oxo core and ligands led to the generation of specific active species (H+, O2â¢-, or tBuO/tBuOOâ¢) and activation of substrate molecules, thus achieving superior catalytic performance. This work is not only the first to develop radiation-resistant thorium cluster catalysts to perform efficient redox reactions but also provides design ideas for the construction of high-nuclearity thorium clusters under mild conditions.
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Pleurisy can be categorized as primary or secondary, arising from immunological, tumorous, or microbial conditions. It often results in lung structure damage and the development of various respiratory issues. Among the different types, tuberculous pleurisy has emerged as a prominent focus for both clinical and scientific investigations. The IL-10 family, known for its anti-inflammatory properties in the human immune system, is increasingly being studied for its involvement in the pathogenesis of pleurisy. This review aims to present a detailed overview of the intricate role of IL-10 family members (specifically IL-10, IL-22, and IL-26) in human and animal pleuritic diseases or relevant animal models. These insights could serve as valuable guidance and references for further studies on pleurisy and potential therapeutic strategies.
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Interleucina-10 , Interleucina 22 , Interleucinas , Tuberculose Pleural , Animais , Humanos , Interleucina-10/metabolismo , Interleucinas/metabolismo , Interleucinas/imunologia , Pleurisia/imunologia , Pleurisia/diagnóstico , Pleurisia/metabolismo , Tuberculose Pleural/diagnóstico , Tuberculose Pleural/imunologia , Tuberculose Pleural/metabolismo , Tuberculose Pleural/tratamento farmacológicoRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The aim is to establish and verify reference intervals (RIs) for serum tumor markers for an apparently healthy elderly population in Southwestern China using an indirect method. METHODS: Data from 35,635 apparently healthy elderly individuals aged 60 years and above were obtained in West China Hospital from April 2020 to December 2021. We utilized the Box-Cox conversion combined with the Tukey method to normalize the data and eliminate outliers. Subgroups are divided according to gender and age to examine the division of RIs. The Z-test was used to compare differences between groups, and 95% distribution RIs were calculated using a nonparametric method. RESULTS: In the study, we observed that the RIs for serum ferritin and Des-γ-carboxy prothrombin (DCP) were wider for men, ranging from 64.18 to 865.80 ng/ml and 14.00 to 33.00 mAU/ml, respectively, compared to women, whose ranges were 52.58 to 585.88 ng/ml and 13.00 to 29.00 mAU/ml. For other biomarkers, the overall RIs were established as follows: alpha-fetoprotein (AFP) 0-6.75 ng/ml, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) 0-4.85 ng/ml, carbohydrate antigen15-3 (CA15-3) for females 0-22.00 U/ml, carbohydrate antigen19-9 (CA19-9) 0-28.10 U/ml, carbohydrate antigen125 (CA125) 0-20.96 U/ml, cytokeratin 19 fragment (CYFRA21-1) 0-4.66 U/ml, neuron-specific enolase (NSE) 0-19.41 ng/ml, total and free prostate-specific antigens (tPSA and fPSA) for males 0-5.26 ng/ml and 0-1.09 ng/ml. The RIs for all these biomarkers have been validated through our rigorous processes. CONCLUSION: This study preliminarily established 95% RIs for an apparently healthy elderly population in Southwestern China. Using real-world data and an indirect method, simple and reliable RIs for an elderly population can be both established and verified, which are suitable for application in various clinical laboratories.
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Biomarcadores Tumorais , Protrombina , Humanos , Masculino , Feminino , Idoso , Biomarcadores Tumorais/sangue , China/epidemiologia , Valores de Referência , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Idoso de 80 Anos ou mais , Neoplasias/sangue , Neoplasias/epidemiologia , alfa-Fetoproteínas/análise , Ferritinas/sangue , Antígeno CA-19-9/sangue , Antígeno Carcinoembrionário/sangue , Antígeno Ca-125/sangue , Fosfopiruvato Hidratase/sangue , Queratina-19/sangue , Precursores de Proteínas , BiomarcadoresRESUMO
Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) is a highly sensitive analytical detection method commonly employed in biochemical and environmental analysis. Nevertheless, the rapid movement of analytes and interfering components in flow systems can impact the real-time, online detection capability of Raman spectroscopy. To address this issue, we developed an innovative approach utilizing covalent organic framework (COF), a robust porous material with excellent water stability, to coat the surface of Ag nanowire (AgNW) for synthesizing AgNW@COF hybrid. The regular pores of the COF serve to effectively eliminate large interfering molecules while facilitating the efficient transport of specific analytes to SERS hot spots. Additionally, the fluid flow-induced scouring effect aids in excluding interfering molecules from the surface of AgNW. By incorporating AgNW@COF into a bifunctional filter membrane with simultaneous filtration and sensing capabilities, we had achieved efficient purification of organic pollutants as well as real-time identification of pollutant species and concentration.
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BACKGROUND: The grading of adult isocitrate dehydrogenase (IDH)-mutant astrocytomas is a crucial prognostic factor. PURPOSE: To investigate the value of conventional magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) in the grading of adult IDH-mutant astrocytomas, and to analyze the correlation between ADC and the Ki-67 proliferation index. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The clinical and MRI data of 82 patients with adult IDH-mutant astrocytoma who underwent surgical resection and molecular genetic testing with IDH and 1p/19q were retrospectively analyzed. The conventional MRI features, ADCmin, ADCmean, and nADC of the tumors were compared using the Kruskal-Wallis single factor ANOVA and chi-square tests. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were drawn to evaluate conventional MRI and ADC accuracy in differentiating tumor grades. Pearson correlation analysis was performed to determine the correlation between ADC and the Ki-67 proliferation index. RESULTS: The difference in enhancement, ADCmin, ADCmean, and nADC among WHO grade 2, 3, and 4 tumors was statistically significant (all P <0.05). ADCmin showed the preferable diagnostic accuracy for grading WHO grade 2 and 3 tumors (AUC=0.724, sensitivity=63.4%, specificity=80%, positive predictive value (PPV)=62.0%; negative predictive value (NPV)=82.5%), and distinguishing grade 3 from grade 4 tumors (AUC=0.764, sensitivity=70%, specificity=76.2%, PPV=75.0%, NPV=71.4%). Enhancement + ADC model showed an optimal predictive accuracy (grade 2 vs. 3: AUC = 0.759; grade 3 vs. 4: AUC = 0.799). The Ki-67 proliferation index was negatively correlated with ADCmin, ADCmean, and nADC (all P <0.05), and positively correlated with tumor grade. CONCLUSION: Conventional MRI features and ADC are valuable to predict pathological grading of adult IDH-mutant astrocytomas.
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Astrocitoma , Neoplasias Encefálicas , Imagem de Difusão por Ressonância Magnética , Isocitrato Desidrogenase , Antígeno Ki-67 , Gradação de Tumores , Humanos , Astrocitoma/diagnóstico por imagem , Astrocitoma/genética , Astrocitoma/patologia , Masculino , Feminino , Isocitrato Desidrogenase/genética , Antígeno Ki-67/metabolismo , Adulto , Pessoa de Meia-Idade , Neoplasias Encefálicas/diagnóstico por imagem , Neoplasias Encefálicas/genética , Neoplasias Encefálicas/patologia , Estudos Retrospectivos , Imagem de Difusão por Ressonância Magnética/métodos , Idoso , Mutação , Proliferação de Células , Adulto Jovem , Sensibilidade e EspecificidadeRESUMO
This study investigates the influence of aging-related genes on endometrial cancer, a prominent gynecological malignancy with rising incidence and mortality. By analyzing gene expression differences between cancerous and normal endometrial tissues, 42 aging-related genes were identified as differentially expressed. Utilizing the TCGA-UCEC sample, consensus clustering divided the samples into two molecular subgroups, Aging low and Aging high, based on their expression profiles. These subgroups showed distinct prognoses and survival rates, with the Aging high group associated with DNA repair and cell cycle pathways, and the Aging low group showing suppressed metabolic pathways and increased immune cell infiltration, suggesting a potential for better immunotherapy outcomes. Mutation analysis did not find significant differences in mutation frequencies between the groups, but a high Tumor Mutation Burden (TMB) correlated with better prognosis. A risk score model was also developed, showcasing significant prognostic power. Further analysis of the SIX1 gene revealed its overexpression in cancer cells. Drug sensitivity tests indicated that the low-risk group might respond better to chemotherapy. This research underscores the significance of aging-related genes in endometrial cancer, offering insights into their prognostic value and therapeutic potential, which could lead to personalized treatment approaches and enhanced patient management.
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The selective photoisomerization or photocyclization of stilbene to achieve value upgrade is of great significance in industry applications, yet it remains a challenge to accomplish both of them through a one-pot photocatalysis strategy under mild conditions. Here, a sevenfold interpenetrating 3D covalent organic framework (TPDT-COF) has been synthesized through covalent coupling between N,N,N,N-tetrakis(4-aminophenyl)-1,4-benzenediamine (light absorption and free radical generation) and 5,5'-(2,1,3-benzothiadiazole-4,7-diyl)bis[2-thiophenecarboxaldehyde] (catalytic center). The thus-obtained sevenfold interpenetrating structure presents a functional pore channel with a tunable photocatalytic ability and specific pore confinement effect that can be applied for selective stilbene photoisomerization and photocyclization. Noteworthily, it enables photogeneration of cis-stilbene or phenanthrene with >99% selectivity by simply changing the gas atmosphere under mild conditions (Ar, SeleCis. > 99%, SelePhen. < 1% and O2, SeleCis. < 1%, and SelePhen. > 99%). Theoretical calculations prove that different gas atmospheres possess varying influences on the energy barriers of reaction intermediates, and the pore confinement effect plays a synergistically catalytic role, thus inducing different product generation. This study might facilitate the exploration of porous crystalline materials in selective photoisomerization and photocyclization.
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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by progressive polyarthritis that leads to cartilage and bone damage. Pre-clinical RA is a prolonged state before clinical arthritis and RA develop, in which autoantibodies (antibodies against citrullinated proteins, rheumatoid factors) can be present due to the breakdown of immunologic self-tolerance. As early treatment initiation before the onset of polyarthritis may achieve sustained remission, optimize clinical outcomes, and even prevent RA progression, the pre-clinical RA stage is showing the prospect to be the window of opportunity for RA treatment. Growing evidence has shown the role of the gut microbiota in inducing systemic inflammation and polyarthritis via multiple mechanisms, which may involve molecular mimicry, impaired intestinal barrier function, gut microbiota-derived metabolites mediated immune regulation, modulation of the gut microbiota's effect on immune cells, intestinal epithelial cells autophagy, and the interaction between the microbiome and human leukocyte antigen alleles as well as microRNAs. Since gut microbiota alterations in pre-clinical RA have been reported, potential therapies for modifying the gut microbiota in pre-clinical RA, including natural products, antibiotic therapy, fecal microbiota transplantation, probiotics, microRNAs therapy, vitamin D supplementation, autophagy inducer-based treatment, prebiotics, and diet, holds great promise for the successful treatment and even prevention of RA via altering ongoing inflammation. In this review, we summarized current studies that include pathogenesis of gut microbiota in RA progression and promising therapeutic strategies to provide novel ideas for the management of pre-clinical RA and possibly preventing arthritis progression.
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Artrite Reumatoide , Doenças Autoimunes , Microbioma Gastrointestinal , MicroRNAs , Humanos , InflamaçãoRESUMO
In two-dimensional antiferromagnets, we find that the mixed Berry curvature can be attributed as the geometrical origin of the nonreciprocal directional dichroism (NDD), which refers to the difference in light absorption between opposite propagation directions. This Berry curvature is closely related to the uniaxial strain in accordance with the symmetry constraint, leading to a highly tunable NDD, whose sign and strength can be tuned via strain direction. We choose the lattice model of MnBi_{2}Te_{4} as a concrete example. The coupling between mixed Berry curvature and strain also suggests the magnetic quadrupole of the Bloch wave packet as the macroscopic order parameter probed by the NDD in two dimensions, which is distinct from the multiferroic order P×M or the spin toroidal and quadrupole order within a unit cell in previous studies. Our work paves the way for the Berry-curvature engineering for optical nonreciprocity in two-dimensional antiferromagnets.
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We propose a time-reversal-even spin generation in second order of electric fields, which dominates the current induced spin polarization in a wide class of centrosymmetric nonmagnetic materials, and leads to a novel nonlinear spin-orbit torque in magnets. We reveal a quantum origin of this effect from the momentum space dipole of the anomalous spin polarizability. First-principles calculations predict sizable spin generations in several nonmagnetic hcp metals, in monolayer TiTe_{2}, and in ferromagnetic monolayer MnSe_{2}, which can be detected in experiment. Our work opens up the broad vista of nonlinear spintronics in both nonmagnetic and magnetic systems.
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BACKGROUND: Fine particulate matter (PM2.5) is associated with increased incidence and severity of asthma. PM2.5 exposure disrupts airway epithelial cells, which elicits and sustains PM2.5-induced airway inflammation and remodeling. However, the mechanisms underlying development and exacerbation of PM2.5-induced asthma were still poorly understood. The aryl hydrocarbon receptor nuclear translocator-like protein 1 (BMAL1) is a major circadian clock transcriptional activator that is also extensively expressed in peripheral tissues and plays a crucial role in organ and tissue metabolism. RESULTS: In this study, we found PM2.5 aggravated airway remodeling in mouse chronic asthma, and exacerbated asthma manifestation in mouse acute asthma. Next, low BMAL1 expression was found to be crucial for airway remodeling in PM2.5-challenged asthmatic mice. Subsequently, we confirmed that BMAL1 could bind and promote ubiquitination of p53, which can regulate p53 degradation and block its increase under normal conditions. However, PM2.5-induced BMAL1 inhibition resulted in up-regulation of p53 protein in bronchial epithelial cells, then increased-p53 promoted autophagy. Autophagy in bronchial epithelial cells mediated collagen-I synthesis as well as airway remodeling in asthma. CONCLUSIONS: Taken together, our results suggest that BMAL1/p53-mediated bronchial epithelial cell autophagy contributes to PM2.5-aggravated asthma. This study highlights the functional importance of BMAL1-dependent p53 regulation during asthma, and provides a novel mechanistic insight into the therapeutic mechanisms of BMAL1. Video Abstract.
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Fatores de Transcrição ARNTL , Asma , Animais , Camundongos , Remodelação das Vias Aéreas , Fatores de Transcrição ARNTL/metabolismo , Asma/metabolismo , Autofagia , Células Epiteliais/metabolismo , Material Particulado/toxicidade , Material Particulado/metabolismo , Proteína Supressora de Tumor p53/metabolismoRESUMO
An equilibrium acidity (pKa) scale that comprises 16 Brönsted organic acids, including phenols, carboxylic acids, azoles, and phenylmalononitriles, was established in a choline chloride/EG-based deep eutectic solvent (DES) ([Ch][Cl]:2EG) by ultraviolet-visible (UV-Vis) spectroscopic methods. The established acidity scale spans about 6 pK units in the DES, which is similar to that for these acids in water. The acidity comparisons and linear correlations between the DES and other solvents show that the solvent property of [Ch][Cl]:2EG is quite different from those of amphiphilic protic and dipolar aprotic molecular solvents. The carbon dioxide absorption capabilities as well as apparent absorption kinetics for a series of anion-functionalized DESs ([Ch][X]:2EG) were measured, and the results show that the basicity of comprising anion [X] of choline salt is essential for the maximum carbon dioxide absorption capacity, i.e., a stronger basicity leads to a greater absorption capacity. The possible absorption mechanisms for carbon dioxide absorption in these DESs were also discussed based on the spectroscopic evidence.
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BACKGROUND: 5-Hydroxytryptamine (5-HT) and stem cells marker G-protein-coupled receptor 5 (LGR5) are associate with gastrointestinal inflammation and tumorigenesis. But the relationship between 5-HT and LGR5 is unclear. OBJECTIVE: To explore the expression and correlation of 5-HT and LGR5 in gastric mucosa of patients with gastritis and gastric cancer (GC). METHODS: A total of 41 patients with GC and 98 patients with chronic gastritis were included in this study. The expression of TPH1 mRNA, LGR5 mRNA and ß-catenin mRNA in gastric mucosa were explored by Real-time Quantitative polymerase chain reaction (qPCR). 5-HT-positive cells and LGR5-positive cells in gastric mucosa were detected by immunohistochemistry stains. The co-localization of 5-HT and chromogranin A (CgA), 5-HT receptor4 (5-HTR4) and LGR5 were detected by multiplex immunofluorescence. RESULTS: The expression of 5-HT and LGR5 in patients with GC was significantly higher than patients with chronic gastritis (p < 0.05). The positive rate of 5-HT and LGR5 increased sequentially in the patients with non-atrophic gastritis, intestinal metaplasia and GC, which were 18.52%, 35.56% and 75.61% for 5-HT, and 27.78%, 40.91% and 95.12% for LGR5, respectively. The expression of 5-HT and LGR5 was positively correlated in gastritis and GC patients (p < 0.05). Moreover, the expression level of TPH1 mRNA and LGR5 mRNA was also positively correlated in gastritis patients (r = 0.7377, p < 0.001). Besides, 5-HT was partially co-localized with CgA, and 5-HTR4 was co-localized with LGR5 in gastric mucosa. CONCLUSION: The increase of 5-HT synthesis in gastric mucosa may have an impact on LGR5-positive gastric epithelial stem cells.
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Gastrite Atrófica , Gastrite , Neoplasias Gástricas , Humanos , Neoplasias Gástricas/genética , Neoplasias Gástricas/metabolismo , Serotonina , Gastrite/metabolismo , Mucosa Gástrica/metabolismo , Gastrite Atrófica/metabolismo , Células-Tronco/metabolismo , RNA Mensageiro/genética , RNA Mensageiro/metabolismo , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/genética , Receptores Acoplados a Proteínas G/metabolismoRESUMO
Absence of spatial inversion symmetry allows a nonequilibrium spin polarization to be induced by electric currents, which, in two-dimensional systems, is conventionally analyzed using the Rashba model, leading to in-plane spin polarization. Given that the material realizations of out-of-plane current-induced spin polarization (CISP) are relatively fewer than that of in-plane CISP, but important for perpendicular-magnetization switching and electronic structure evolution, it is highly desirable to search for new prototypical materials and mechanisms to generate the out-of-plane carrier spin and promote the study of CISP. Here, we propose that an out-of-plane CISP can emerge in ferromagnetic transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers. Taking monolayer [Formula: see text] and [Formula: see text] as examples, we calculate the out-of-plane CISP based on linear-response theory and first-principles methods. We deduce a general low-energy model for easy-plane ferromagnetic transition-metal dichalcogenide monolayers and find that the out-of-plane CISP is due to an in-plane magnetization together with intrinsic spin-orbit coupling inducing an anisotropic out-of-plane spin splitting in the momentum space. The CISP paves the way for magnetization rotation and electric control of the valley quantum number.
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Structural exploration and functional application of thorium clusters are still very rare on account of their difficult synthesis caused by the susceptible hydrolysis of thorium element. In this work, we elaborately designed and constructed four stable thorium clusters modified with different functionalized capping ligands, Th6-MA, Th6-BEN, Th6-C8A, and Th6-Fcc, which possessed nearly the same hexanuclear thorium-oxo core but different capabilities in light absorption and charge separation. Consequently, for the first time, these new thorium clusters were treated as model catalysts to systematically investigate the light-induced oxidative coupling reaction of benzylamine and thermodriven oxidation of aniline, achieving >90% product selectivity and approximately 100% conversion, respectively. Concurrently, we found that thorium clusters modified by switchable functional ligands can effectively modulate the selectivity and conversion of catalytic reaction products. Moreover, catalytic characterization and density functional theory calculations consistently indicated that these thorium clusters can activate O2/H2O2 to generate active intermediates O2·-/HOO· and then improved the conversion of amines efficiently. Significantly, this work represents the first report of stable thorium clusters applied to photo/thermotriggered catalytic reactions and puts forward a new design avenue for the construction of more efficient thorium cluster catalysts.
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The refractive index (RI) is a fundamental physical property of materials. Although measurement of the RI of biological nanoparticles (BNPs) in aqueous media is of great importance to basic research and biomedical applications, it is hampered by their tiny size, large intrinsic heterogeneity, and weak scattering. Here, we report the development of a label-free technique that can determine the RI of individual viruses and small extracellular vesicles (sEVs) with high precision and an analysis rate up to 10â¯000 particles per minute. This was achieved via the combination of high-sensitivity light-scattering detection by nanoflow cytometry (nFCM) and the Mie theory calculation. With the measured RIs for T7 virions, T7 capsids, and sEVs, the concentrations of nucleic acid in viral particles and protein in the lumen of sEVs were estimated. Furthermore, building upon a simplified core-shell model, the RIs of sEVs ranging from 40 to 200 nm were obtained. By using these RIs, a statistically robust size distribution of sEVs was acquired in minutes with accuracy and resolution matched closely with those of cryo-TEM measurements. Our approach could become an important tool in the RI determination of single BNPs.
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Vesículas Extracelulares , Ácidos Nucleicos , Vírus , Citometria de Fluxo/métodos , RefratometriaRESUMO
We construct a semiclassical theory for the transport of topological Josephson junctions starting from a microscopic Hamiltonian that comprehensively includes the interplay among the Majorana qubit, the Josephson phase, and the dissipation process. With the path integral approach, we derive a set of semiclassical equations of motion that can be used to calculate the time evolution of the Josephson phase and the Majorana qubit. In the equations we reveal rich dynamical phenomena such as the qubit-induced charge pumping, the effective spin-orbit torque, and the Gilbert damping. We demonstrate the influence of these dynamical phenomena on the transport signatures of the junction. We apply the theory to study the Shapiro steps of the junction, and find the suppression of the first Shapiro step due to the dynamical feedback of the Majorana qubit.
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We propose an intrinsic nonlinear electric spin generation effect, which can dominate in centrosymmetric magnets. We reveal the band geometric origin of this effect and clarify its symmetry characters. As an intrinsic effect, it is determined solely by the material's band structure and represents a material characteristic. Combining our theory with first-principle calculations, we predict sizable nonlinear spin generation in single-layer MnBi_{2}Te_{4}, which can be detected in experiment. Our theory opens a new route for all-electric controlled spintronics in centrosymmetric magnets which reside outside of the current paradigm based on linear spin response.
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BACKGROUND: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic affects common diseases, but its impact on hand, foot, and mouth disease (HFMD) is unclear. Google Trends data is beneficial for approximate real-time statistics and because of ease in access, is expected to be used for infection explanation from an information-seeking behavior perspective. We aimed to explain HFMD cases before and during COVID-19 using Google Trends. METHODS: HFMD cases were obtained from the National Institute of Infectious Diseases, and Google search data from 2009 to 2021 in Japan were downloaded from Google Trends. Pearson correlation coefficients were calculated between HFMD cases and the search topic "HFMD" from 2009 to 2021. Japanese tweets containing "HFMD" were retrieved to select search terms for further analysis. Search terms with counts larger than 1000 and belonging to ranges of infection sources, susceptible sites, susceptible populations, symptoms, treatment, preventive measures, and identified diseases were retained. Cross-correlation analyses were conducted to detect lag changes between HFMD cases and search terms before and during the COVID-19 pandemic. Multiple linear regressions with backward elimination processing were used to identify the most significant terms for HFMD explanation. RESULTS: HFMD cases and Google search volume peaked around July in most years, excluding 2020 and 2021. The search topic "HFMD" presented strong correlations with HFMD cases, except in 2020 when the COVID-19 outbreak occurred. In addition, the differences in lags for 73 (72.3%) search terms were negative, which might indicate increasing public awareness of HFMD infections during the COVID-19 pandemic. The results of multiple linear regression demonstrated that significant search terms contained the same meanings but expanded informative search content during the COVID-19 pandemic. CONCLUSIONS: The significant terms for the explanation of HFMD cases before and during COVID-19 were different. Awareness of HFMD infections in Japan may have improved during the COVID-19 pandemic. Continuous monitoring is important to promote public health and prevent resurgence. The public interest reflected in information-seeking behavior can be helpful for public health surveillance.
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COVID-19 , Doença de Mão, Pé e Boca , Doenças da Boca , Humanos , COVID-19/epidemiologia , Pandemias , Japão/epidemiologia , Ferramenta de Busca , Doença de Mão, Pé e Boca/epidemiologia , InfodemiologiaRESUMO
BACKGROUND: The global public health and socioeconomic impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic have been substantial, rendering herd immunity by COVID-19 vaccination an important factor for protecting people and retrieving the economy. Among all the countries, Japan became one of the countries with the highest COVID-19 vaccination rates in several months, although vaccine confidence in Japan is the lowest worldwide. OBJECTIVE: We attempted to find the reasons for rapid COVID-19 vaccination in Japan given its lowest vaccine confidence levels worldwide, through Twitter analysis. METHODS: We downloaded COVID-19-related Japanese tweets from a large-scale public COVID-19 Twitter chatter data set within the timeline of February 1 and September 30, 2021. The daily number of vaccination cases was collected from the official website of the Prime Minister's Office of Japan. After preprocessing, we applied unigram and bigram token analysis and then calculated the cross-correlation and Pearson correlation coefficient (r) between the term frequency and daily vaccination cases. We then identified vaccine sentiments and emotions of tweets and used the topic modeling to look deeper into the dominant emotions. RESULTS: We selected 190,697 vaccine-related tweets after filtering. Through n-gram token analysis, we discovered the top unigrams and bigrams over the whole period. In all the combinations of the top 6 unigrams, tweets with both keywords "reserve" and "venue" showed the largest correlation with daily vaccination cases (r=0.912; P<.001). On sentiment analysis, negative sentiment overwhelmed positive sentiment, and fear was the dominant emotion across the period. For the latent Dirichlet allocation model on tweets with fear emotion, the two topics were identified as "infect" and "vaccine confidence." The expectation of the number of tweets generated from topic "infect" was larger than that generated from topic "vaccine confidence." CONCLUSIONS: Our work indicates that awareness of the danger of COVID-19 might increase the willingness to get vaccinated. With a sufficient vaccine supply, effective delivery of vaccine reservation information may be an important factor for people to get vaccinated. We did not find evidence for increased vaccine confidence in Japan during the period of our study. We recommend policy makers to share accurate and prompt information about the infectious diseases and vaccination and to make efforts on smoother delivery of vaccine reservation information.