Nucleation Domains in Biomineralization: Biomolecular Sequence and Conformational Features.

Biomolecules play a vital role in the regulation of biomineralization. However, the characteristics of practical nucleation domains are still sketchy. Herein, the effects of the representative biomolecular sequence and conformations on calcium phosphate (Ca-P) nucleation and mineralization are investigated. The results of computer simulations and experiments prove that the line in the arrangement of dual acidic/essential amino acids with a single interval (Bc (Basic) -N (Neutral) -Bc-N-Ac (Acidic)- NN-Ac-N) is most conducive to the nucleation. 2α-helix conformation can best induce Ca-P ion cluster formation and nucleation. "Ac- × × × -Bc" sequences with α-helix are found to be the features of efficient nucleation domains, in which process, molecular recognition plays a non-negligible role. It further indicates that the sequence determines the potential of nucleation/mineralization of biomolecules, and conformation determines the ability of that during functional execution. The findings will guide the synthesis of biomimetic mineralized materials with improved performance for bone repair.

Interannual evolution of the chemical composition, sources and processes of PM2.5 in Chengdu, China: Insights from observations in four winters.

The air quality in China has improved significantly in the last decade and, correspondingly, the characteristics of PM2.5 have also changed. We studied the interannual variation of PM2.5 in Chengdu, one of the most heavily polluted megacities in southwest China, during the most polluted season (winter). Our results show that the mass concentrations of PM2.5 decreased significantly year-by-year, from 195.8 ± 91.0 µg/m3 in winter 2016 to 96.1 ± 39.3 µg/m3 in winter 2020. The mass concentrations of organic matter (OM), SO42-, NH4+ and NO3- decreased by 49.6%, 57.1%, 49.7% and 28.7%, respectively. The differential reduction in the concentrations of chemical components increased the contributions from secondary organic carbon and NO3- and there was a larger contribution from mobile sources. The contribution of OM and NO3- not only increased with increasing levels of pollution, but also increased year-by-year at the same level of pollution. Four sources of PM2.5 were identified: combustion sources, vehicular emissions, dust and secondary aerosols. Secondary aerosols made the highest contribution and increased year-by-year, from 40.6% in winter 2016 to 46.3% in winter 2020. By contrast, the contribution from combustion sources decreased from 14.4% to 8.7%. Our results show the effectiveness of earlier pollution reduction policies and emphasizes that priority should be given to key pollutants (e.g., OM and NO3-) and sources (secondary aerosols and vehicular emissions) in future policies for the reduction of pollution in Chengdu during the winter months.

Defective T-cell response to COVID-19 vaccination in acute myeloid leukaemia and myelodysplastic syndromes.

Limited data exist on COVID-19 vaccination efficacy in patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myelodysplasia with excess blasts (AML/MDS-EB2). We report results from a prospective study, PACE (Patients with AML and COVID-19 Epidemiology). 93 patients provided samples post-vaccine 2 or 3 (PV2, PV3). Antibodies against SARS-COV-2 spike antigen were detectable in all samples. Neutralization of the omicron variant was poorer than ancestral variants but improved PV3. In contrast, adequate T-cell reactivity to SARS-COV-2 spike protein was seen in only 16/47 (34%) patients PV2 and 23/52 (44%) PV3. Using regression models, disease response (not in CR/Cri), and increasing age predicted poor T cell response.

Ultracompact programmable inverse-designed nanophotonic devices based on digital subwavelength structures.

Inverse design is a powerful approach to achieve ultracompact nanophotonic devices. Here, we propose an ultracompact programmable near-infrared nanophotonic device platform to dynamically implement inverse-designed near-infrared devices with different functions by programming the state of the phase-change material filled in each pixel. By tuning PCM block by block, the subwavelength condition for inverse-designed ultracompact devices is satisfied with large tuning pixel size. Based on the inverse-design device platform with a footprint of 6.4µm×8µm, we design and theoretically demonstrate four power splitters with different split ratios and one mode multiplexer working in the near-infrared band. The average excess losses for the power splitters with ratios of 0:1,1:1, 2:1, and 3:1 are less than 0.82, 0.65, 0.82, and 1.03 dB over a wavelength span of 100 nm, respectively. Meanwhile, the insertion losses of the mode multiplexer are 1.4 and 2.5 dB for T E 0 and T E 1 mode, respectively, and the average crosstalk is less than -20 and -19d B, respectively. The five different devices could be configured online in a nonvolatile way by heating phase change materials with an off-chip laser, which may significantly enhance the flexibility of on-chip optical interconnections.

Learning from multiple annotators for medical image segmentation.

Supervised machine learning methods have been widely developed for segmentation tasks in recent years. However, the quality of labels has high impact on the predictive performance of these algorithms. This issue is particularly acute in the medical image domain, where both the cost of annotation and the inter-observer variability are high. Different human experts contribute estimates of the "actual" segmentation labels in a typical label acquisition process, influenced by their personal biases and competency levels. The performance of automatic segmentation algorithms is limited when these noisy labels are used as the expert consensus label. In this work, we use two coupled CNNs to jointly learn, from purely noisy observations alone, the reliability of individual annotators and the expert consensus label distributions. The separation of the two is achieved by maximally describing the annotator's "unreliable behavior" (we call it "maximally unreliable") while achieving high fidelity with the noisy training data. We first create a toy segmentation dataset using MNIST and investigate the properties of the proposed algorithm. We then use three public medical imaging segmentation datasets to demonstrate our method's efficacy, including both simulated (where necessary) and real-world annotations: 1) ISBI2015 (multiple-sclerosis lesions); 2) BraTS (brain tumors); 3) LIDC-IDRI (lung abnormalities). Finally, we create a real-world multiple sclerosis lesion dataset (QSMSC at UCL: Queen Square Multiple Sclerosis Center at UCL, UK) with manual segmentations from 4 different annotators (3 radiologists with different level skills and 1 expert to generate the expert consensus label). In all datasets, our method consistently outperforms competing methods and relevant baselines, especially when the number of annotations is small and the amount of disagreement is large. The studies also reveal that the system is capable of capturing the complicated spatial characteristics of annotators' mistakes.

Construction of durable superhydrophobic and anti-icing coatings via incorporating boroxine cross-linked silicone elastomers with good self-healability.

The fragility of the micro-nano structure makes superhydrophobic coatings highly susceptible to stress, resulting in a decrease in their superhydrophobic and anti-icing performance. In this work, we proposed a new insight to improve durability by incorporating a thin layer of self-healable elastomer with a dynamic network on the micro-nano structure. We constructed superhydrophobic coatings (EP/SiO2/BFVSE) with a three-layered structure of the epoxy resin/silica nanoparticle/silicon elastomer. The silicon elastomer (BFVES) with a B-O dynamic cross-linked network and fluorinated moieties was synthesized by graft polymerization on vinyl silicon oil. The preparation route is facile and convenient for mass production. BFVES has rapid self-healing properties for scratches at room-temperature, underwater and at -18 °C. EP/SiO2/BFVSE preserved apparently higher CAs after being immersed in pH = 1, pH = 13, and NaCl solutions for 96 h as compared with the EP/SiO2 coating. In a water striking environment, the CA of EP/SiO2/BFVSE was slightly decreased to 153°. SEM images further reveal that the recovery of superhydrophobicity and icephobicity is attributed to the self-healing behavior of the boroxine-containing silicon elastomer. The EP/SiO2/BFVSE coating also possesses additional self-healing ability under chemical oxidation. The high durability of the self-healable superhydrophobic coating enables great application potential in aircraft, marine vessels, and outdoor facilities in harsh environments.

Correction: Construction of durable superhydrophobic and anti-icing coatings via incorporating boroxine cross-linked silicone elastomers with good self-healability.

Correction for 'Construction of durable superhydrophobic and anti-icing coatings via incorporating boroxine cross-linked silicone elastomers with good self-healability' by Hengfei Liang et al., Soft Matter, 2022, https://doi.org/10.1039/d2sm01106a.

Stable Layered 2D Perovskite Solar Cells with an Efficiency of over 19% via Multifunctional Interfacial Engineering.

Layered 2D perovskites have been extensively investigated by scientists with photovoltaics (PV) expertise due to their good environmental stability. However, a random phase distribution in the perovskite film could affect both the performance and stability of the devices. To overcome this problem, we propose multifunctional interface engineering of 2D GA2MA4Pb5I16 perovskite by employing guanidinium bromide (GABr) on top of it to optimize the secondary crystallization process. It is found that GABr treatment can facilitate to form a shiny and smooth surface of the 2D GA2MA4Pb5I16 film with excellent optoelectronic properties. Thus, we realize efficient and stable 2D perovskite solar cells (PSCs) with a champion power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 19.3% under AM 1.5G illumination. Additionally, the optimized device without encapsulation could retain 94% of the initial PCE for more than 3000 h after being stored under ambient conditions.

Correction: Recovery of the self-cleaning property of silicon elastomers utilizing the concept of reversible coordination bonds.

Correction for 'Recovery of the self-cleaning property of silicon elastomers utilizing the concept of reversible coordination bonds' by Yuxing Shan et al., Soft Matter, 2020, 16, 8473-8481, DOI: .

Stretchable dual cross-linked silicon elastomer with a superhydrophobic surface and fast triple self-healing ability at room temperature.

Stretchable elastomers with superhydrophobic surfaces have potential applications in wearable electronics. However, various types of damage inevitably occur on these elastomers in actual application, resulting in the deterioration of the superhydrophobic properties. In this work, superhydrophobic elastomers (HB-imine-BZn-PDMS), was fabricated by employing a dual-layered structure. The bottom layer was a silicon elastomer (imine-BZn-PDMS) with an imine/coordination dual cross-linked structure and room temperature self-healing efficiency of 94%. The top layer was imine-BZn-PDMS/silica nanocomposites to provide superhydrophobic properties. The HB-imine-BZn-PDMS elastomer exhibited fast triple self-healing ability at room temperature toward surface oxidation/decomposition, ruptures, or pinholes, and high durability under abrasion and stretching. The dual dynamic bonds of imine-BZn-PDMS enabled fast recovery of superhydrophobicity in 20 min at room temperature via bond exchange, after generating pinholes across the elastomer. Following surface chemical damage, the HB-imine-BZn-PDMS elastomer also exhibited fast (40 min) room-temperature self-healing ability, which is superior to that of most current self-healing superhydrophobic materials.

Association Between Oral Corticosteroid Bursts and Severe Adverse Events : A Nationwide Population-Based Cohort Study.

BACKGROUND: Long-term use of oral corticosteroids has known adverse effects, but the risk from brief oral steroid bursts (≤14 days) is largely unknown. OBJECTIVE: To examine the associations between steroid bursts and severe adverse events, specifically gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding, sepsis, and heart failure. DESIGN: Self-controlled case series. SETTING: Entire National Health Insurance Research Database of medical claims records in Taiwan. PARTICIPANTS: Adults aged 20 to 64 years with continuous enrollment in the National Health Insurance program from 1 January 2013 to 31 December 2015. MEASUREMENTS: Incidence rates of severe adverse events in steroid burst users and non-steroid users, as well as incidence rate ratios (IRRs) for severe adverse events within 5 to 30 and 31 to 90 days after initiation of steroid therapy. RESULTS: Of 15 859 129 adult participants, 2 623 327 who received a single steroid burst were included. The most common indications were skin disorders and respiratory tract infections. The incidence rates per 1000 person-years in steroid bursts were 27.1 (95% CI, 26.7 to 27.5) for GI bleeding, 1.5 (CI, 1.4 to 1.6) for sepsis, and 1.3 (CI, 1.2 to 1.4) for heart failure. Rates of GI bleeding (IRR, 1.80 [CI, 1.75 to 1.84]), sepsis (IRR, 1.99 [CI, 1.70 to 2.32]), and heart failure (IRR, 2.37 [CI, 2.13 to 2.63]) significantly increased within 5 to 30 days after steroid therapy initiation and attenuated during the subsequent 31 to 90 days. LIMITATION: Persons younger than 20 years or older than 64 years were not included. CONCLUSION: Oral corticosteroid bursts are frequently prescribed in the general adult population in Taiwan. The highest rates of GI bleeding, sepsis, and heart failure occurred within the first month after initiation of steroid therapy. PRIMARY FUNDING SOURCE: National Health Research Institutes, Ministry of Science and Technology of Taiwan, Chang Gung Medical Foundation, and Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development.

Recovery of the self-cleaning property of silicon elastomers utilizing the concept of reversible coordination bonds.

Stretchable elastomers with superhydrophobic surfaces and self-cleaning abilities are fabricated for use in wearable electronics. However, scratches or ruptures are inevitable on these elastomers, thus deteriorating their self-cleaning ability. To solve this problem, in this work, we explored the ability of a self-healing silicon elastomer to recover its self-cleaning property. A cross-linked silicon elastomer (Zn-IC-PDMS) was fabricated by incorporating imidazole-zinc coordination bonds. The superhydrophobic Zn-IC-PDMS surface was synthesized by sequentially spraying polystyrene (PS) and silica particles on it to form a micro/nano complex structure. Our study shows that the surface of the elastomer exhibited a high water-contact angle (CA) (155°), low sliding angle (SA) (∼3°), and self-cleaning ability. In addition, the surface rapidly recovered its self-cleaning ability at room temperature after ruptures had been formed across the elastomer. SEM images and photographs revealed that the recovery of the self-cleaning ability was attributed to the self-healing behavior of the Zn-IC-PDMS.

Responses of soil carbon sequestration to climate-smart agriculture practices: A meta-analysis.

Climate-smart agriculture (CSA) management practices (e.g., conservation tillage, cover crops, and biochar applications) have been widely adopted to enhance soil organic carbon (SOC) sequestration and to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop productivity. However, current measurements regarding the influences of CSA management practices on SOC sequestration diverge widely, making it difficult to derive conclusions about individual and combined CSA management effects and bringing large uncertainties in quantifying the potential of the agricultural sector to mitigate climate change. We conducted a meta-analysis of 3,049 paired measurements from 417 peer-reviewed articles to examine the effects of three common CSA management practices on SOC sequestration as well as the environmental controlling factors. We found that, on average, biochar applications represented the most effective approach for increasing SOC content (39%), followed by cover crops (6%) and conservation tillage (5%). Further analysis suggested that the effects of CSA management practices were more pronounced in areas with relatively warmer climates or lower nitrogen fertilizer inputs. Our meta-analysis demonstrated that, through adopting CSA practices, cropland could be an improved carbon sink. We also highlight the importance of considering local environmental factors (e.g., climate and soil conditions and their combination with other management practices) in identifying appropriate CSA practices for mitigating greenhouse gas emissions while ensuring crop productivity.

Association between nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and atrial fibrillation among a middle-aged population: a nationwide population-based cohort.

AIMS: It remains inconclusive whether the use of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) increases the risk of atrial fibrillation (AF), especially in middle-aged Asian populations. In this study, we evaluated the association between NSAID use and the risk of AF in a nationwide population-based study of middle-aged individuals in Taiwan. METHODS: A nested case-control study was conducted using the National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD) in Taiwan. We identified the cases with a diagnosis of AF (ICD-9-CM codes: 427.31) and the matched controls from three independent Longitudinal Health Insurance Databases (LHIDs) derived from the NHIRD from data collected from 2001 to 2013. Conditional logistic regression models with covariate adjustment were performed to evaluate the association between NSAID use and the risk of AF. RESULTS: A total of 57 058 participants (28 529 AF cases and 28 529 matched controls) were included. Participants with NSAID use had an elevated risk of AF compared to non-users [adjusted odds ratio (AOR) = 1.18, 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.14-1.23]. When further assessing the effects of different classes of NSAIDs on the risk of AF, the results showed that participants who used non-selective NSAIDs had a significantly elevated risk of AF (AOR = 1.18, 95% CI: 1.13-1.23), as did participants with a combined use of selective and non-selective NSAIDs (AOR = 1.30, 95% CI: 1.21-1.39). CONCLUSIONS: NSAID use was associated with an increased risk of AF occurrence among the participants included in our study cohort. Closely monitoring the adverse effects of NSAID treatment on the risk of AF will be important, particularly among individuals at high risk.

First-time fathers' health status during the perinatal period.

BACKGROUND: For first-time fathers, the perinatal period is a critical period of stress and imbalance. Marital intimacy and social support may affect their stress and health status while they change their roles. AIM: This study was to explore the changes of and correlations among marital intimacy, social support, and health status and predictors of first-time fathers' health status during the perinatal period. METHODS: With a repeated measures study design, a total of 217 first-time fathers whose spouses were in the third trimester of pregnancy were recruited for the study. The Chinese Health Questionnaire, Marital Intimacy Scale, and Social Support Scale were employed to collect data at a medical center in the 36th week of pregnancy and the 1st and 4th weeks after childbirth. RESULTS: The levels of marital intimacy and social support of first-time fathers during the perinatal period increased significantly with time. Meanwhile, the period of the first week after childbirth was a predictor of first-time father's health status. CONCLUSIONS: This study only tracked the first-time fathers' health status in the 36th week of pregnancy and the 1st and 4th weeks after childbirth. Future studies could track them until one year after childbirth in order to explore the impact of the perinatal period on the couples and their babies. During the perinatal period, health care providers shall assess and provide needed interventions to first-time fathers as soon as possible to facilitate the first-time fathers to get ready for the role transition and to promote their health status.

A new mechanism for the low dielectric property of POSS nanocomposites: the key role of interfacial effect.

The low dielectric constant (ε) of polyhedral oligomeric silsesquioxanes (POSS) was generally attributed to its porous structure. In this work, we propose a new mechanism for the low ε of the POSS-based nanocomposites from the interfacial effect point of view. The investigation on a typical nanocomposite, polystyrene/POSS, found that POSS molecules take crystallization to form crystalline nanoplatelets (PCPs) in PS. Correspondingly, the dielectric constant can be reduced to around 2.30. A detailed investigation excluded the possible influence of the chain stacking and chain mobility of the polymers on ε. It was demonstrated, for the first time, that the ε shows a high correlation with interface area which is reflected by a rigid amorphous fraction (RAF), thus revealing the key role of the interfacial effect on reducing the low dielectric constant.

In-Situ Preparation of Surface-Functionalized SiO2 Nanoparticles with Controllable Sizes.

Controllable preparation of small-sized SiO2 nanoparticles via sol­gel method remains a big challenge due to high reactivity of these nanoparticles. In this study, we demonstrated that when introducing coupling reagents, typically 3-(methacryloxy)propyltrimethoxysilane during reaction, the growth of silica nanoparticles can be inhibited to a large degree and the diameters can be kept nearly constant. Further, the minimum diameter can be greatly reduced to around 10 nm. DLS and SEM measurements indicated that the dispersion of the size of as-prepared silica nanoparticles was narrow. No obvious aggregation was found in the absence of any stabilizing reagents. FT-IR results showed that the surface of the silica was functionalized with considerably large number of vinyl groups. Further grafting experiment demonstrated that the amount of vinyl groups was adequately large for the grafting of polymers to form core­shell structures. Overall, the coupling reagents served not only as surface modifier, but also as terminator of sol­gel reaction.

Utilization of Psychopharmacological Treatment Among Patients With Newly Diagnosed Bipolar Disorder From 2001 to 2010.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of the study was to examine utilization and patterns of psychopharmacological treatment during a 1-year follow-up period among patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder from 2001 to 2010. METHODS: Patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder from 2001 to 2010 were identified from the National Health Insurance Research Database in Taiwan. We assessed prescription records related to 4 kinds of psychopharmacological medication, including antipsychotics (APs), antidepressants, mood stabilizers, and benzodiazepines, as well as health care utilization in a 1-year follow-up period among the study subjects. In addition, logistic regressions were applied to test the trends for utilization of psychopharmacological treatment during the 10-year study period. RESULTS: A total of 2703 patients newly diagnosed with bipolar disorder were enrolled. The ratio of good adherence, defined as medications possession ratio greater than 0.8, for use of the examined psychopharmacological medication was relatively low during the study period. The use of first-generation APs, selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, tricyclic antidepressants, lithium, carbamazepine, and benzodiazepines has declined; however, the use of second-generation APs, serotonin and norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors, lamotrigine, and valproate has risen markedly during the 10-year period. CONCLUSIONS: This study presents patterns of pharmacological treatment in patients with newly diagnosed bipolar disorder in Taiwan for a 10-year study period. It would be of importance to further investigate causes and outcomes for polytherapy and nonadherence to psychotropic medications among patients with bipolar disorder.

Longitudinal pattern of multiplexed immunoglobulin E sensitization from prenatal stage to the first year of life.

BACKGROUND: The longitudinal pattern of allergen-specific IgE levels from the prenatal stage to early life has remained largely unexplored. METHODS: One-hundred and three mother-infant pairs, which were part of an ongoing population-based prospective birth cohort study of early childhood allergic diseases in Tainan, Taiwan, were included in this study. We examined the relationship of 20 allergen-specific IgE levels with blood samples of mothers, cord blood, and infants at 12 months of age using Spearman rank correlation, Kenal τ and McNemar test, respectively. RESULTS: Certain degree of IgE sensitization against most 20 examined specific allergens was observed in blood samples of mothers, cord blood, and infants at 12 months of age. When we further examined the association between allergy-related risk factors and atopy in infants at the first year of life, we found positive association between colic pain and atopy in infants at 12 months of age [adjusted odds ratios (AOR) = 3.51; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.13-10.96; p = 0.03], and borderline significance between wheezing and atopy in infants at 12 months of age (AOR = 4.58; 95% CI: 0.89-23.50; p = 0.07). CONCLUSION: The findings from this study suggest that influence of maternal allergen-specific IgE levels on infant immune response might occur at birth and then wane in infants at 12 months of age. Positive association of colic pain and wheezing with atopy in infants at 12 months of age provides supportive evidence for the 'Allergy March' theory of allergy development in an Asian birth cohort.

Preparation and unique dielectric properties of nanoporous materials with well-controlled closed-nanopores.

Although general porous materials have a low dielectric constant, their uncontrollable opened porous structure results in high dielectric loss and poor barrier properties, thus limiting their application as interconnect dielectrics. In this study, polymeric nanoporous materials with well-controlled closed pores were prepared by incorporating polystyrene (PS) hollow nanoparticles into polyethylene (PE/HoPS). SEM images suggested a closed porous structure for PE/HoPS. In order to show the effect of the porous structure on dielectric properties, nanoporous materials with an opened or uncontrollable porous structure were prepared by etching SiO2/PE or PE/PS@SiO2 composites. PE/HoPSs composites showed an apparently lower dielectric constant and loss compared with the opened porous PE, demonstrating the advantages of a closed porous structure upon enhancing low-dielectric performance. The low dielectric performance of the PE/HoPS composites is linked with high water resistance owing to their closed porous characteristics. When incorporating 15.3 wt% HoPS (porosity: ∼6.9%), the dielectric constant reached 2.08. This value is lower than that calculated from the serial model. Our work revealed that the incorporation of HoPS not only reduces the porosity, but also alters the intrinsic properties of PE, as a result, leading to a greatly reduced dielectric constant.