Intestinal epithelial dopamine receptor signaling drives sex-specific disease exacerbation in a mouse model of multiple sclerosis.

Although the gut microbiota can influence central nervous system (CNS) autoimmune diseases, the contribution of the intestinal epithelium to CNS autoimmunity is less clear. Here, we showed that intestinal epithelial dopamine D2 receptors (IEC DRD2) promoted sex-specific disease progression in an animal model of multiple sclerosis. Female mice lacking Drd2 selectively in intestinal epithelial cells showed a blunted inflammatory response in the CNS and reduced disease progression. In contrast, overexpression or activation of IEC DRD2 by phenylethylamine administration exacerbated disease severity. This was accompanied by altered lysozyme expression and gut microbiota composition, including reduced abundance of Lactobacillus species. Furthermore, treatment with N2-acetyl-L-lysine, a metabolite derived from Lactobacillus, suppressed microglial activation and neurodegeneration. Taken together, our study indicates that IEC DRD2 hyperactivity impacts gut microbial abundances and increases susceptibility to CNS autoimmune diseases in a female-biased manner, opening up future avenues for sex-specific interventions of CNS autoimmune diseases.

Self-Rectifying All-Optical Modulated Optoelectronic Multistates Memristor Crossbar Array for Neuromorphic Computing.

Researching optoelectronic memristors capable of integrating sensory and processing functions is essential for advancing the development of efficient neuromorphic vision. Here, we experimentally demonstrated an all-optical controlled and self-rectifying optoelectronic memristor (OEM) crossbar array with the function of multilevel storage under light stimuli. The NiO/TiO2 device exhibits an ultrahigh (>104) rectifying ratio (RR) thus overcoming the presence of sneak current. The reversible conductance modulation without electric signal involvement provides a novel way to realize ultrafast information processing. The proposed OEM array realized synaptic functions observed in the human brain, including long-term potentiation (LTP), long-term depression (LTD), paired-pulse facilitation (PPF), the transition from short-term memory (STM) to long-term memory (LTM), and learning experience behaviors successfully. The authors present a novel OEM crossbar that possesses complete light-modulation capabilities, potentially advancing the future development of efficient neuromorphic vision.

Novel Three-Dimensional Artificial Neural Network Based on an Eight-Layer Vertical Memristor with an Ultrahigh Rectify Ratio (>107) and an Ultrahigh Nonlinearity (>105) for Neuromorphic Computing.

In recent years, memristors have successfully demonstrated their significant potential in artificial neural networks (ANNs) and neuromorphic computing. Nonetheless, ANNs constructed by crossbar arrays suffer from cross-talk issues and low integration densities. Here, we propose an eight-layer three-dimensional (3D) vertical crossbar memristor with an ultrahigh rectify ratio (RR > 107) and an ultrahigh nonlinearity (>105) to overcome these limitations, which enables it to reach a >1 Tb array size without reading failure. Furthermore, the proposed 3D RRAM shows advanced endurance (>1010 cycles), retention (>104 s), and uniformity. In addition, several synaptic functions observed in the human brain were mimicked. On the basis of the advanced performance, we constructed a novel 3D ANN, whose learning efficiency and recognition accuracy were enhanced significantly compared with those of conventional single-layer ANNs. These findings hold promise for the development of highly efficient, precise, integrated, and stable VLSI neuromorphic computing systems.

The Doping Effect on the Intrinsic Ferroelectricity in Hafnium Oxide-Based Nano-Ferroelectric Devices.

Hafnium oxide (HfO2)-based ferroelectric tunnel junctions (FTJs) have been extensively evaluated for high-speed and low-power memory applications. Herein, we investigated the influence of Al content in HfAlO thin films on the ferroelectric characteristics of HfAlO-based FTJs. Among HfAlO devices with different Hf/Al ratios (20:1, 34:1, and 50:1), the HfAlO device with Hf/Al ratio of 34:1 exhibited the highest remanent polarization and excellent memory characteristics and, thereby, the best ferroelectricity among the investigated devices. Furthermore, first-principal analyses verified that HfAlO thin films with Hf/Al ratio of 34:1 promoted the formation of the orthorhombic phase against the paraelectric phase as well as alumina impurities and, thus, enhanced the ferroelectricity of the device, providing theoretical support for supporting experimental results. The findings of this study provide insights for developing HfAlO-based FTJs for next-generation in-memory computing applications.

Application of double-tube negative pressure drainage in repair of refractory wounds.

OBJECTIVE: To observe the application effect of double-tube negative pressure drainage in the repair of refractory wounds. METHODS: From January 2020 to April 2023, 50 patients undergoing refractory wound repair in the Department of Burn and Plastic Surgery of Jingjiang People's Hospital, Jiangsu were selected. According to different treatment methods, they were divided into an observation group and a control group, with 25 patients in each group. The observation group was treated with double-tube negative pressure drainage inside and outside the wound, while the control group was treated with negative pressure drainage inside the wound. By two-week observation, the wound healing status and complication rate after treatment, as well as the wound bacterial clearance rate, wound pain score and patient satisfaction 3, 7 and 14 d after treatment were compared between the two groups. Statistical analysis was carried out to determine the efficacy. RESULTS: After treatment for two weeks, the observation group showed a higher grade A healing rate (92% vs. 60%, X2  = 7.018, P = 0.008), a higher wound bacterial clearance rate (100% vs. 76%, X2  = 6.818, P = 0.03), a lower pain score (1.44 ± 0.51 vs. 2.36 ± 0.49, t = -6.53, P < 0.01), a higher patient satisfaction score (8.48 ± 0.96 vs. 6.64 ± 0.95, t = 6.80, P < 0.01), and a lower complication rate (8% vs. 40%, X2 = 7.018, P = 0.008) compared with the control group. CONCLUSION: Double-tube negative pressure drainage has a significant application effect in the repair of refractory wounds. It can accelerate wound healing, shorten treatment time, effectively eliminate bacteria, relieve wound infection, reduce complications, alleviate pain and improve patient satisfaction. Therefore, the application, promotion and research of double-tube negative pressure drainage should be strengthened in clinical practice.

One double-loaded suture anchor is sufficient for all-inside arthroscopic anterior talofibular ligament repair.

PURPOSE: All-inside anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) repair using anchors is frequently used to manage chronic lateral ankle instability (CLAI) with satisfactory functional outcomes. It remains unclear whether there are differences in the functional results between the use of one or two double-loaded anchors. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 59 CLAI patients who underwent an all-inside arthroscopic ATFL repair procedure from 2017 to 2019. Patients were divided into two groups according to the number of anchors used. In the one-anchor group (n = 32), the ATFL was repaired with one double-loaded suture anchor. In the two-anchors group (n = 27), the ATFL was repaired with two double-loaded suture anchors. At the last follow-up time point, the Visual Analogue Scale (VAS) scores, American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) scores, Karlsson Ankle Function Score (KAFS), Anterior Talar Translation (ATT), Active Joint Position Sense (AJPS), and the rate of return to sports in both groups were compared. RESULTS: All the patients were followed up for at least 24 months. Improvement in the functional results (VAS, AOFAS, KAFS, ATT, and AJPS) were recorded at the final follow-up time point. No significant differences were observed regarding VAS, AOFAS, KAFS, ATT, and AJPS between the two groups. CONCLUSION: In patients with CLAI undergoing all-inside arthroscopic ATFL repair, the use of either one or two double-loaded suture anchors produces comparable and predictably good functional outcomes. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III.

Ultralow Power Wearable Organic Ferroelectric Device for Optoelectronic Neuromorphic Computing.

In order to imitate brain-inspired biological information processing systems, various neuromorphic computing devices have been proposed, most of which were prepared on rigid substrates and have energy consumption levels several orders of magnitude higher than those of biological synapses (∼10 fJ per spike). Herein, a new type of wearable organic ferroelectric artificial synapse is proposed, which has two modulation modes (optical and electrical modulation). Because of the high photosensitivity of organic semiconductors and the ultrafast polarization switching of ferroelectric materials, the synaptic device has an ultrafast operation speed of 30 ns and an ultralow power consumption of 0.0675 aJ per synaptic event. Under combined photoelectric modulation, the artificial synapse realizes associative learning. The proposed artificial synapse with ultralow power consumption demonstrates good synaptic plasticity under different bending strains. This provides new avenues for the construction of ultralow power artificial intelligence system and the development of future wearable devices.

Integrated In-Sensor Computing Optoelectronic Device for Environment-Adaptable Artificial Retina Perception Application.

With the development and application of artificial intelligence, there is an appeal to the exploitation of various sensors and memories. As the most important perception of human beings, vision occupies more than 80% of all the received information. Inspired by biological eyes, an artificial retina based on 2D Janus MoSSe was fabricated, which could simulate functions of visual perception with electronic/ion and optical comodulation. Furthermore, inspired by human brain, sensing, memory, and neuromorphic computing functions were integrated on one device for multifunctional intelligent electronics, which was beneficial for scalability and high efficiency. Through the formation of faradic electric double layer (EDL) at the metal-oxide/electrolyte interfaces could realize synaptic weight changes. On the basis of the optoelectronic performances, light adaptation of biological eyes, preprocessing, and recognition of handwritten digits were implemented successfully. This work may provide a strategy for the future integrated sensing-memory-processing device for optoelectronic artificial retina perception application.

Three-Dimensional Nanoscale Flexible Memristor Networks with Ultralow Power for Information Transmission and Processing Application.

To construct an artificial intelligence system with high efficient information integration and computing capability like the human brain, it is necessary to realize the biological neurotransmission and information processing in artificial neural network (ANN), rather than a single electronic synapse as most reports. Because the power consumption of single synaptic event is ∼10 fJ in biology, designing an intelligent memristors-based 3D ANN with energy consumption lower than femtojoule-level (e.g., attojoule-level) and faster operating speed than millisecond-level makes it possible for constructing a higher energy efficient and higher speed computing system than the human brain. In this paper, a flexible 3D crossbar memristor array is presented, exhibiting the multilevel information transmission functionality with the power consumption of 4.28 aJ and the response speed of 50 ns per synaptic event. This work is a significant step toward the development of an ultrahigh efficient and ultrahigh-speed wearable 3D neuromorphic computing system.

Long-term functional outcomes of all-inside arthroscopic repair of anterior talofibular ligament avulsion fracture.

BACKGROUND: The main purpose of this study was to describe the all-inside arthroscopic technique for repairing anterior talofibular ligament (ATFL) avulsion fractures at the attachment points of the fibula and talus, and to evaluate the functional outcomes during long-term follow-up. METHODS: The data of 78 patients with ATFL avulsion fracture treated in our hospital from August 2013 to November 2016 were analyzed retrospectively. All patients underwent surgery. Patients were divided into two groups according to whether they had undergone all-inside arthroscopic treatment or open treatment. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score, Karlsson Ankle Functional Score (KAFS), Foot and Ankle Outcome Score (FAOS) and a 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) were used to evaluate functional outcomes. RESULTS: The postoperative follow-up period was 24-48 months. All patients reported subjective improvements to ankle stability without any nerve, blood vessel or tendon complications. At the final follow-up, there was no significant difference in the AOFAS, SF-36 or sport participation rate between the arthroscopic group and the open group; however, the KAFS and FAOS were significantly higher in the arthroscopic group than in the open group. CONCLUSIONS: For ATFL avulsion fractures, the all-inside ankle arthroscopic procedure produced better outcomes than did the open procedure. The all-inside ankle arthroscopic procedure provides a minimally invasive technique with acceptable long-term functional outcomes.

Flexor Hallucis Longus Tendon Impingement Syndrome: All-inside Arthroscopic Treatment and Long-term Follow-up.

This study aimed to evaluate the surgical technique and long-term clinical outcomes of all-inside arthroscopic treatment for flexor hallucis longus (FHL) tendon impingement syndrome. We retrospectively evaluated 34 FHL tendon impingement syndrome patients with complete follow-up data who were admitted from June 2015 to August 2018 and underwent the all-inside arthroscopy technique. The subjects consisted of 20 (58.82%) males and 14 (41.18%) females, with a mean age of 32.7 ± 10.2 (range 21-52) years. The cases consisted of 19 (55.88%) right and 15 (44.12%) left feet. The mean disease duration was 18.5 ± 9.1 (range 10-43) months. The visual analogue scale (VAS), American Orthopaedic Foot & Ankle Society (AOFAS), Karlsson Ankle Functional Score (KAFS), and 36-item Short Form Health Survey questionnaire (SF-36) scores for pain were 3.6 ± 1.2, 84.1 ± 9.6, 86.3 ± 10.7, and 94.7 ± 9.3, respectively. All patients were treated with all-inside posterior arthroscopy for the debridement of the FHL tendon sheath combined with partial muscle belly resection. Post-operative follow-up and observation of the patients' pain and ankle movement were evaluated using VAS, AOFAS, KAFS, and SF-36. All incisions were healed in the first stage, and no complications such as nerve, blood vessel, or tendon injuries occurred. The hospital stays were 3 to 5 days, with a mean of 3.7 ± 1.3 days. All patients were followed up for 12 to 36 months, with a mean follow-up time of 25.4 ± 8.5 months. By the last follow-up, the ankle joint and hallux movement were normal and returned to the pre-pain state for these patients. The VAS score decreased to 0.2 ± 0.1, while the AOFAS, KAFS, and SF-36 scores increased to 97.7 ± 8.5, 97.9 ± 8.2, and 118.2 ± 8.4, respectively. Advantages of all-inside posterior arthroscopic partial muscle belly resection for the treatment of FHL tendon impingement syndrome include small surgical trauma, fast functional recovery, and reliable outcomes. This procedure is therefore worthy of clinical attention and promotion.

NG2 glia regulate brain innate immunity via TGF-ß2/TGFBR2 axis.

BACKGROUND: Brain innate immunity is vital for maintaining normal brain functions. Immune homeostatic imbalances play pivotal roles in the pathogenesis of neurological diseases including Parkinson's disease (PD). However, the molecular and cellular mechanisms underlying the regulation of brain innate immunity and their significance in PD pathogenesis are still largely unknown. METHODS: Cre-inducible diphtheria toxin receptor (iDTR) and diphtheria toxin-mediated cell ablation was performed to investigate the impact of neuron-glial antigen 2 (NG2) glia on the brain innate immunity. RNA sequencing analysis was carried out to identify differentially expressed genes in mouse brain with ablated NG2 glia and lipopolysaccharide (LPS) challenge. Neurotoxin 1-methyl-4-phenyl-1,2,3,6-tetrahydropyridine (MPTP)-treated mice were used to evaluate neuroinflammatory response in the presence or absence of NG2 glia. The survival of dopaminergic neurons or glial cell activation was evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Co-cultures of NG2 glia and microglia were used to examine the influence of NG2 glia to microglial activation. RESULTS: We show that NG2 glia are required for the maintenance of immune homeostasis in the brain via transforming growth factor-ß2 (TGF-ß2)-TGF-ß type II receptor (TGFBR2)-CX3C chemokine receptor 1 (CX3CR1) signaling, which suppresses the activation of microglia. We demonstrate that mice with ablated NG2 glia display a profound downregulation of the expression of microglia-specific signature genes and remarkable inflammatory response in the brain following exposure to endotoxin lipopolysaccharides. Gain- or loss-of-function studies show that NG2 glia-derived TGF-ß2 and its receptor TGFBR2 in microglia are key regulators of the CX3CR1-modulated immune response. Furthermore, deficiency of NG2 glia contributes to neuroinflammation and nigral dopaminergic neuron loss in MPTP-induced mouse PD model. CONCLUSIONS: These findings suggest that NG2 glia play a critical role in modulation of neuroinflammation and provide a compelling rationale for the development of new therapeutics for neurological disorders.

Plasma Long Non-Coding RNA Expression Profiles in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Recently, long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) have attracted substantial attention owing to their unforeseen critical roles in a wide range of biological processes. The aim of our study was to provide an overview of lncRNA expression profiles in plasma of RA patients. METHODS: The Agilent LncRNA + mRNA Human Gene Expression Microarray V4.0 was employed to determine differentially expressed (DE) lncRNAs and mRNAs in plasma of four female newly diagnosed and DMARD-naïve RA patients and four female age-matched healthy controls. The KOBAS (KEGG Orthology Based Annotation System) software was applied to determine the gene ontology (GO) terms and pathway in which the DE mRNAs were enriched. Furthermore, a lncRNA-mRNA co-expression network was constructed according to the correlation between DE lncRNAs and mRNAs. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, a total of 289 DE lncRNAs (169 up-regulated and 120 down-regulated) and 468 DE mRNAs (280 up-regulated and 188 down-regulated) were found in the plasma of patients with RA. Bioinformatics analysis indicated that the DE mRNAs might be involved in the pathogenesis of RA mainly through platelets. In addition, a co-expression network composed of 229 network nodes and 340 connections between 116 lncRNAs and 113 mRNAs was constructed. CONCLUSIONS: We characterized the plasma lncRNA expression profiles in RA patients for the first time. Our results could shed new light on the pathogenesis of RA and help identify lncRNAs as novel diagnostic biomarkers and therapeutic targets for RA.

The clinical value of hematological markers in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with tocilizumab.

BACKGROUND: Emerging evidence indicates that some hematological markers have critical value in evaluating treatment response. This study was performed to determine the clinical value of hemoglobin (Hb), platelet (Plt), neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with tocilizumab (TCZ). METHODS: Fifty-two RA patients receiving TCZ were recruited and followed for 6 months. The values of abovementioned hematological markers were collected. Clinical disease activity index (CDAI) and disease activity score based on 28 joints (DAS28)-ESR were calculated. Correlation analysis was conducted by calculating Pearson's correlation coefficient. The change in disease activity between groups according to the baseline level of hematological markers was compared by t test. RESULTS: Significant correlation between change in NLR (△NLR), change in PLR (△PLR), and change in CDAI (△CDAI) was found (△NLR: r = 0.30, P = 0.03; △PLR: r = 0.31, P = 0.03). The change in Plt (△Plt) was correlated with change in DAS28-ESR (△DAS28-ESR) (r = 0.36, P = 8.24 × 10-3 ). Greater improvement in CDAI was seen in patients categorized into Plt high group (t = 2.06, P = 0.04), NLR high group (t = 2.15, P = 0.04), and PLR high group (t = 2.41, P = 0.02) compared with the contrast group. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated that △Plt, △NLR, and △PLR could be used to monitor the clinical response to TCZ. RA patients with high baseline levels of Plt, NLR, and PLR achieved more improvement, indicating these hematological markers might be utilized to guide TCZ treatment.

Associations of TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 and rs3761847 polymorphisms with genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis: a case-control study and updated meta-analysis.

The results on associations of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-receptor associated factor 1/complement component 5 (TRAF1/C5) rs10818488 and rs3761847 polymorphisms with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are controversial, thus this study was performed to examine whether the aforementioned polymorphisms were associated with RA in a Chinese population. Furthermore, an updated meta-analysis was conducted. The polymorphisms were genotyped in 328 Chinese RA patients and 449 healthy controls. Studies examining the association of TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 and/or rs3761847 polymorphism with RA were exhaustively searched. No significant difference in either genotype or allele distribution between RA patients and controls was found. The updated meta-analysis was conducted based on 19 articles including the present study. A significant association of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 polymorphism G allele in Europeans (OR = 0.843, 95% CI = 0.730-0.975, p = 0.021) and in Asians (OR = 1.070, 95% CI = 1.009-1.136, p = 0.024) was found. Additionally, a significant association of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 polymorphism G allele under the recessive model in Asians (OR = 1.129, 95% CI = 1.023-1.246, p = 0.016) and in Africans (OR = 0.657, 95% CI = 0.507-0.851, p = 0.001) was found. Only a borderline significant association of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs3761847 polymorphism A allele was found in Europeans. Non-significant associations of RA with TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 and rs3761847 polymorphisms were found in our study. The updated meta-analysis results demonstrate that TRAF1/C5 rs10818488 polymorphism is associated with RA in Europeans, Asians and Africans, and TRAF1/C5 rs3761847 polymorphism is associated with RA in Europeans with borderline significant evidence.

"All-Inside" Arthroscopic Treatment of Tillaux-Chaput Fractures: Clinical Experience and Outcomes Analysis.

We investigated all-inside ankle arthroscopy for Tillaux-Chaput fractures. We retrospectively evaluated 19 patients (12 males [63.2%] and 7 [36.8%] females; 11 right [57.9%] and 8 left [42.1%] ankles) treated from May 2013 to January 2016. Their mean age was 28.1 (range 10 to 55) years. Sixteen (84.2%) had single Tillaux-Chaput fractures and 3 (15.8%) had combined proximal fibular fractures; 17 (89.5%) were diagnosed radiographically and 2 (10.5%) by computed tomography. Anterolateral and anteromedial ankle arthroscopy was used for closed reduction and internal fixation with 1 or 2 Herbert screws. Joint function was evaluated using the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) ankle-hindfoot scale. All 19 patients healed by first intention without nerve, vessel, or tendon injuries. The follow-up was 19.0 (range 12 to 25) months; fracture union was achieved by 23.5 (range 12 to 36) weeks. At the last follow-up, the 19 patients had no restrictions in ankle function and range of motion, with no ankle or walking pain. The AOFAS score changed from 52.8 to 91.7 points, with an excellent/good rate of 100%. These results suggest that anterolateral and anteromedial all-inside ankle arthroscopy is a precise and effective method for closed reduction and internal fixation of Tillaux-Chaput fractures.

Top-Down Integration of Molybdenum Disulfide Transistors with Wafer-Scale Uniformity and Layer Controllability.

The lack of stable and efficient techniques to synthesize high-quality large-area thin films is one of the major bottlenecks for the real-world application of the 2D transition metal dichalcogenides. In this work, the growth of molybdenum disulfide (MoS2 ) on sapphire substrates by sulfurizing the MoO3 film deposited by atomic layer deposition (ALD) is reported. The advantages of the ALD method can be well inherited, and the synthesized MoS2 films exhibit excellent layer controllability, wafer-scale uniformity, and homogeneity. MoS2 films with desired thickness can be obtained by varying MoO3 ALD cycles. The atomic force microscope and Raman measurements demonstrate that the ALD-based MoS2 has good uniformity. Clear Raman shift as a function of the film thickness is observed. Field-effect transistor devices are fabricated through a transfer-free and top-down process. High On/Off current ratio (≈104 ) and medium-level electron mobilities (≈0.76 cm2 V-1 s-1 for monolayer, and 5.9 cm2 V-1 s-1 for four-layer) are obtained. The work opens up an attractive approach to realize the application of wafer-scale 2D materials in integrated circuits and systems.

A study on associations of single-nucleotide polymorphisms within H19 and HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) with genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis in a Chinese population.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of our study was to examine whether the H19 rs2839698, rs217727, and HOX transcript antisense RNA (HOTAIR) rs12826786 polymorphisms were associated with genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a Chinese population. METHODS: A total of 777 participants were enrolled in this study, including 328 RA patients and 449 healthy controls. The H19 rs2839698, rs217727, and HOTAIR rs12826786 polymorphisms were detected by the ligase detection reaction-polymerase chain reaction (LDR-PCR) technology. RESULTS: No significant difference in genotype distribution between RA patients and healthy controls was found (P = 0.38 for rs2839698; P = 0.79 for rs217727; P = 0.39 for rs12826786). The difference in allele frequencies between RA patients and controls was also non-significant (rs2839698 T versus C, P = 0.23, odds ratio (OR) = 1.15, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.92-1.43; rs217727 C versus T, P = 0.55, OR = 1.07, 95% CI = 0.87-1.32; and rs12826786 T versus C, P = 0.32, OR = 1.14, 95% CI = 0.88-1.47). We have also evaluated the relationships of above-mentioned polymorphisms with risk of RA under dominant model and recessive model, but non-significant evidence was found. No significant evidence was detected for the relationships of H19 rs2839698, rs217727, and HOTAIR rs12826786 polymorphisms with risk of different serotypes of RA. CONCLUSIONS: Our results indicated that H19 rs2839698, rs217727, and HOTAIR rs12826786 polymorphisms might not be involved in the genetic background of RA in Chinese.

Improved photoelectrical properties of n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction by inserting an optimized thin Al2O3 buffer layer.

The n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction with an ultrathin Al2O3 buffer layer was prepared by atomic layer deposition. X-ray diffraction revealed that the crystalline quality of (100)-oriented ZnO films was improved with an Al2O3 buffer layer. The n-ZnO/p-Si heterojunction with 5 nm inserted Al2O3 layer shows the best electrical characteristics, with a dark current of 0.5 µA at a reverse bias of -2 V and increasing the photo-to-dark current ratio effectively by 8 times. These results demonstrated that Al2O3 buffer layer with optimized thickness exhibits significant advantages in enhancing the crystal quality of ZnO film and improving the photoelectrical properties of n-ZnO/p-Si photodetectors.

Study on the oxidized gas production characteristics and spontaneous combustion tendency of pre-oxidized water-soaked coal in lean-oxygen environments.

The oxidation characteristics and spontaneous combustion (SC) tendency of raw long-flame coal (RC), water-soaked 200-day coal (S200), pre-oxidized water-soaked coal at 200 °C (O200S200), and pre-oxidized soaked coal at 300 °C (O300S200) in an oxygen-poor environment were investigated using a programmed warming system. The results show that pre-oxidation water-soaked treatment (PWT) promotes the coal-oxygen complex reaction and increases the rate of coal oxygen consumption (OCR) and the rate of carbon and oxygen compound production. The rate of CO and CO2 production of the water-soaked (WS) coal increased by 0.329 mol·(cm3·s)-1 and 0.922 mol·(cm3·s)-1, respectively, compared with that of the original coal sample. PWT reduces the activation energy of coal in the low-temperature oxidation stage (the maximum difference can be up to 110.99 kJ/mol) and enhances the oxidizing and heat-releasing capacity. There was a synergistic effect between the pre-oxidation (PO) and WS treatment, and the lowest comprehensive determination index of the SC propensity of coal in O200S200 samples was 831.92 which was 4.72 lower than that of RC samples, presenting a more SC tendency. Low oxygen concentration has an inhibitory effect on the oxidation characteristic parameters of coal, and the apparent activation energy of the low-temperature oxidation stage of pre-oxidized water-soaked coal (PWC) increased to 206.418 kJ/mol at 3% oxygen concentration. The lower the oxygen concentration of the anoxic environment, the lower the risk of SC of the coal samples. The results of the study can provide theoretical guidance for the identification and prevention of SC disasters in coal seams with shallow burial and close spacing.