Chromium cycle in Red Soil Critical Zone constrained by chromium isotopes.

Chromium (Cr) isotopic system has been used to trace Cr pollution in the modern surface environment and redox change in the paleoenvironment. However, the transformation mechanism of Cr in soil and the accompanied Cr isotopic fractionation have not been clarified clearly. Here we measured Cr isotopic compositions (δ53Cr) of two paddy field profiles from the Red Soil Critical Zone Observatory in South China. The δ53Cr values of the young paddy fields, which have been cultivated for about 20 years, range from -0.34 ‰ to -0.22 ‰. The old paddy fields have been cultivated for >100 years and have more positive Cr isotopic compositions than the young paddy fields, from -0.20 ‰ to -0.06 ‰. The results of three-step leaching experiments show that iron and manganese oxides are enriched in heavy Cr isotopes, while organic matters have much lower Cr isotopic compositions, likely resulting from back reduction of Cr(VI). Our results suggest that Cr isotopic fractionation during the oxidation of Cr(III) is not the only reason for the depletion of heavy isotopes during oxidative weathering, and the partial back-reduction of generated Cr(VI) by organic matter plays an important role in Cr isotopic fractionation during weathering. Comparison between the old and young paddy fields further indicates that cultivation can significantly affect the Cr cycle in red soils. Paddy fields could be a potential sink for the Cr(VI) contaminant, and soils with a long history of cultivation would be more susceptible.

[Long-term effectiveness of Ni-Ti memory alloy tripod fixator in treatment of Kienböck disease].

Objective: To investigate the long-term effectiveness of Ni-Ti memory alloy tripod fixator in the treatment of Kienböck disease. Methods: The clinical data of 22 patients with Kienböck disease who were treated with Ni-Ti memory alloy tripod fixator between January 2011 and September 2013 and followed up more than 10 years was retrospectively analyzed. There were 14 males and 8 females with an average age of 45 years (range, 20-64 years). The Lichtman staging was stage Ⅲb. According to AO/Association for the Study of Internal Fixation (AO/ASIF) classification, there were 6 cases of type B1, 2 cases of type B2, 10 cases of type B3, and 4 cases of type C2. The disease duration ranged from 18 to 50 months, with an average of 30.7 months. The operation time, intraoperative blood loss, and complications were recorded. Wrist height ratio and scapholunate angle were measured by wrist anteroposterior and lateral X-ray films before and after operation. The grip strength of bilateral hands was measured by Jamar dynamometer. The wrist pain was evaluated by visual analogue scale (VAS) score, and the wrist function was evaluated by Mayo score, and the radial deviation, ulnar deviation, dorsiflexion, and palmar flexion range of motion of wrist were measured. Results: The operation time was 45-60 minutes, with an average of 52.21 minutes; the intraoperative blood loss was 50-60 mL, with an average of 58.63 mL. No nerve or blood vessel injury occurred during operation. All patients were followed up 10-13 years (mean, 11.3 years). X-ray films at 3 months after operation showed that the density of lunate bone was lower than that before operation. Satisfactory fusion of the scapho-trapezio-trapezoeid joint was achieved at 3-6 months after operation (mean, 4.5 months), and the wrist height ratio and the scapholunate angle after fusion significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05). Wrist pain relieved, scaphoid rotation and dislocation improved, and no radiocarpal joint degeneration was found during follow-up, and no internal fixator loosening, breakage, or lunate bone necrosis occurred. At last follow-up, the wrist radial deviation, ulnar deviation, dorsiflexion, and palmar flexion range of motion, VAS score, and grip strength of the affected side significantly improved when compared with those before operation ( P<0.05); the grip strength of the affected side recovered to 99.00%±1.25% of the healthy side. Mayo score ranged from 72 to 93, with an average of 85; 14 cases were rated as excellent, 5 good, and 3 satisfactory, the excellent and good rate was 86.4%. Conclusion: In the treatment of stage Ⅲb Kienböck's disease, the scapho-trapezio-trapezoeid joint usion using Ni-Ti memory alloy tripod fixator can effectively reduce pain, improve hand function, and prevent further deterioration, and achieve good long-term effectiveness.

DNA Framework-Templated Synthesis of Copper Cluster Nanozyme with Enhanced Activity and Specificity.

Nanozymes have been developed to overcome the inherent limitations of natural enzymes, such as their low stability and high cost. However, their efficacy has been hindered by their relatively low specificity and activity. Here, we demonstrate the self-assembly of individual copper nanoclusters (CuNCs) via a simple yet fast (10 min) DNA nanosheet (DNS)-templated method, enhancing the peroxidase-like activity and specificity of CuNCs. Furthermore, we demonstrate the successful assembly of CuNCs on different DNA nanostructures by atomic force microscopy (AFM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The resulting micron-scale ultrathin DNA nanosheet-templated CuNCs (DNS@CuNCs) exhibit exceptional catalytic activity, with a specific activity reaching 1.79 × 103 U mg-1. Investigation into the catalytic process reveals that the enhanced activity and specificity arise from disparities in active intermediate content before and after CuNCs assembly. Significantly, the DNS@CuNCs-based biosensor demonstrates remarkable anti-interference capabilities, enabling the detection of H2O2 in undiluted human serum for the first time with a detection limit of 0.99 µM.

Carbohydrate-Derived Superhydrophilic Carbon Aerogels and Their Effects on Seedling Growth of Triticum aestivum.

Synthesis methods of carbon nanomaterials have been developed vigorously in recent years, among which a simple, green, and mature approach is of more research significance. Carbon nanomaterials have depicted an impact on the growth and development of plants. In this study, a new type of carbon nanomaterial, superhydrophilic carbon aerogel (CA), was synthesized via a hydrothermal process using carbohydrates and water-soluble polymers as raw materials. Characterized by scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, powder X-ray diffraction, and N2 adsorption analysis, the exemplified CA presented to have porous three-dimensional network structure composed of individual particles with diameters of 25 nm, with reactive surface, single composition, high specific surface area (89.94 m2·g-1), and wide range of density variation. The 9 mg·mL-1 CA suspension had a significant positive effect on the root growth of wheat seedlings, with promoted root elongation (about 67.17% longer) and root diameter (about 28.95% thicker) compared with those of the control group. The cytological results suggested that CA treatment triggered the propagation of meristematic cells, and the increased number of meristematic cells (65.79% more than the control group) led to enhanced root growth by upregulated expression of related phytohormone genes in wheat seedlings.

Four new phenylpropanoid glycosides from the leaves of Illicium dunnianum and their neuroprotective activities.

Four previously unreported phenylpropanoid glycosides (1-4), together with four known analogues (5-8), were isolated from the leaves of Illicium dunnianum. The structures of these new compounds were elucidated based on spectroscopic analysis (HR-ESI-MS, NMR, IR, UV) and chemical methods. In addition, the neuroprotective activities of all the isolates were evaluated by measuring their cell viability in H2O2-induced OLN-93 cell injury model.

M1 macrophage-derived exosomes inhibit cardiomyocyte proliferation through delivering miR-155.

BACKGROUND: M1 macrophages are closely associated with cardiac injury after myocardial infarction (MI). Increasing evidence shows that exosomes play a key role in pathophysiological regulation after MI, but the role of M1 macrophage-derived exosomes (M1-Exos) in myocardial regeneration remains unclear. In this study, we explored the impact of M1 macrophage-derived exosomes on cardiomyocytes regeneration in vitro and in vivo. METHODS: M0 macrophages were induced to differentiate into M1 macrophages with GM-CSF (50 ng/mL) and IFN-γ (20 ng/mL). Then M1-Exos were isolated and co-incubated with cardiomyocytes. Cardiomyocyte proliferation was detected by pH3 or ki67 staining. Quantitative real-time PCR (qPCR) was used to test the level of miR-155 in macrophages, macrophage-derived exosomes and exosome-treated cardiomyocytes. MI model was constructed and LV-miR-155 was injected around the infarct area, the proliferation of cardiomyocytes was counted by pH3 or ki67 staining. The downstream gene and pathway of miR-155 were predicted and verified by dual-luciferase reporter gene assay, qPCR and immunoblotting analysis. IL-6 (50 ng/mL) was added to cardiomyocytes transfected with miR-155 mimics, and the proliferation of cardiomyocytes was calculated by immunofluorescence. The protein expressions of IL-6R, p-JAK2 and p-STAT3 were detected by Western blot. RESULTS: The results showed that M1-Exos suppressed cardiomyocytes proliferation. Meanwhile, miR-155 was highly expressed in M1-Exos and transferred to cardiomyocytes. miR-155 inhibited the proliferation of cardiomyocytes and antagonized the pro-proliferation effect of interleukin 6 (IL-6). Furthermore, miR-155 targeted gene IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) and inhibited the Janus kinase 2(JAK)/Signal transducer and activator of transcription (STAT3) signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: M1-Exos inhibited cardiomyocyte proliferation by delivering miR-155 and inhibiting the IL-6R/JAK/STAT3 signaling pathway. This study provided new insight and potential treatment strategy for the regulation of myocardial regeneration and cardiac repair by macrophages.

Lithium isotopic records of anthropogenic activity in the Xiaoqing River basin, eastern China.

The environmental impact of the discharge of lithium (Li) by anthropogenic activity has been overlooked. By analyzing Li concentrations and isotope compositions (δ7Li) of water and sediment samples, this study evaluates the influence of anthropogenic Li discharge on the Xiaoqing River and Laizhou Bay, which are heavily polluted areas in China. High Li concentrations of the river water (up to 7.8 µmol/L) should be linked to anthropogenic Li discharge. However, no profound δ7Li anomalies were observed, preventing identification of the exact discharge sources. In the river sediments, Li concentrations (19.0-45.0 µg/g) were weakly correlated with Zn, Cu, and Cr concentrations, whereas δ7Li values ranged from 0.6 ‰ to 13.9 ‰ with high values being accompanied by high contents of total organic carbon and heavy Cr isotope compositions (δ53Cr). All these point to significant influence of anthropogenic activity on the Li budget of river sediments. A simple mass balance calculation indicates that smelters, Li-bearing therapeutic drugs, and secondary Li-ion batteries are the main anthropogenic Li sources. In contrast to river sediments, marine sediments in the Laizhou Bay were broadly homogeneous at both spatial and temporal scales, indicating no significant influence of anthropogenic Li discharge. Overall, our data indicate that Li isotope systematics in river sediments, especially sediments near intense anthropogenic activity, are effective at tracing potential Li pollution and can help obtain accurate results for environmental inspection.

Dimensional Scaling of Ferroelectric Properties of Hafnia-Zirconia Thin Films: Electrode Interface Effects.

Hafnia-based ferroelectric (FE) thin films are promising candidates for semiconductor memories. However, a fundamental challenge that persists is the lack of understanding regarding dimensional scaling, including thickness scaling and area scaling, of the functional properties and their heterogeneity in these films. In this work, excellent ferroelectricity and switching endurance are demonstrated in 4 nm-thick Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) capacitors with molybdenum electrodes in capacitors as small as 65 nm × 45 nm in size. The HZO layer in these capacitors can be crystallized into the ferroelectric orthorhombic phase at the low temperature of 400 °C, making them compatible for back-end-of-line (BEOL) FE memories. With the benefits of thickness scaling, low operation voltage (1.2 V) is achieved with high endurance (>1010 cycles); however, a significant fatigue regime is noted. We observed that the bottom electrode, rather than the top electrode, plays a dominant role in the thickness scaling of HZO ferroelectric behavior. Furthermore, ultrahigh switched polarization (remanent polarization 2Pr ∼ 108 µC cm-2) is observed in some nanoscale devices. This study advances the understanding of dimensional scaling effects in HZO capacitors for high-performance FE memories.

Clinical application of digital technology in the use of anterolateral thigh lobulated perforator flaps to repair complex soft tissue defects of the limbs.

Background: It is challenging to repair wide or irregular defects with traditional skin flaps, and anterolateral thigh (ALT) lobulated perforator flaps are an ideal choice for such defects. However, there are many variations in perforators, so good preoperative planning is very important. This study attempted to explore the feasibility and clinical effect of digital technology in the use of ALT lobulated perforator flaps for repairing complex soft tissue defects in limbs. Methods: Computed tomography angiography (CTA) was performed on 28 patients with complex soft tissue defects of the limbs, and the CTA data were imported into Mimics 20.0 software in DICOM format. According to the perforation condition of the lateral circumflex femoral artery and the size of the limb defect, one thigh that had two or more perforators from the same source vessel was selected for 3D reconstruction of the ALT lobulated perforator flap model. Mimics 20.0 software was used to visualize the vascular anatomy, virtual design and harvest of the flap before surgery. The intraoperative design and excision of the ALT lobulated perforator flap were guided by the preoperative digital design, and the actual anatomical observations and measurements were recorded. Results: Digital reconstruction was successfully performed in all patients before surgery; this reconstruction dynamically displayed the anatomical structure of the flap vasculature and accurately guided the design and harvest of the flap during surgery. The parameters of the harvested flaps were consistent with the preoperative parameters. Postoperative complications occurred in 7 patients, but all flaps survived uneventfully. All of the donor sites were closed directly. All patients were followed up for 13-27 months (mean, 19.75 months). The color and texture of each flap were satisfactory and each donor site exhibited a linear scar. Conclusions: Digital technology can effectively and precisely assist in the design and harvest of ALT lobulated perforator flaps, provide an effective approach for individualized evaluation and flap design and reduce the risk and difficulty of surgery.

A transcriptional cascade mediated by two APETALA2 family members orchestrates carotenoid biosynthesis in tomato.

Carotenoids are important nutrients for human health that must be obtained from plants since they cannot be biosynthesized by the human body. Dissecting the regulatory mechanism of carotenoid metabolism in plants represents the first step toward manipulating carotenoid contents in plants by molecular design breeding. In this study, we determined that SlAP2c, an APETALA2 (AP2) family member, acts as a transcriptional repressor to regulate carotenoid biosynthesis in tomato (Solanum lycopersicum). Knockout of SlAP2c in both the "MicroTom" and "Ailsa Craig" backgrounds resulted in greater lycopene accumulation, whereas overexpression of this gene led to orange-ripe fruit with significantly lower lycopene contents than the wild type. We established that SlAP2c represses the expression of genes involved in lycopene biosynthesis by directly binding to the cis-elements in their promoters. Moreover, SlAP2c relies on its EAR motif to recruit the co-repressors TOPLESS (TPL)2/4 and forms a complex with histone deacetylase (had)1/3, thereby reducing the histone acetylation levels of lycopene biosynthesis genes. Furthermore, SlAP2a, a homolog of SlAP2c, acts upstream of SlAP2c and alleviates the SlAP2c-induced repression of lycopene biosynthesis genes by inhibiting SlAP2c transcription during fruit ripening. Therefore, we identified a transcriptional cascade mediated by AP2 family members that regulates lycopene biosynthesis during fruit ripening in tomato, laying the foundation for the manipulation of carotenoid metabolism in plants.

Corrigendum to "Fumaria officinalis-loaded chitosan nanoparticles dispersed in an alginate hydrogel promote diabetic wounds healing by upregulating VEGF, TGF-ß, and b-FGF genes: A preclinical investigation".

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1016/j.heliyon.2023.e17704.].

Enhanced photocatalytic gaseous formaldehyde degradation using N-CQDs/OVs-TiO2 composite under visible light: Unraveling the synergistic effects of N-CQDs and oxygen vacancies.

Limited utilization of photogenerated charge carriers in titanium dioxide under visible light have hinder its application development. To address this challenge, a novel N-doped carbon quantum dots (N-CQDs) and oxygen vacancies (OVs) synergistically decorated on TiO2 (P25) was synthesized through a facile one-step hydrothermal method. Under visible light irradiation, the first order reaction rate constants of formaldehyde (HCHO) photocatalytic oxidation by OVs-TiO2 and N-CQDs/OVs-TiO2 was significantly higher than that of pristine P25, with 10.1 and 16.7 folds increase, respectively. Characterization results confirmed the generation of OVs on the surface of N-CQDs/TiO2 composite. The optical and electrochemical experiments suggested the electron capture center effect of OVs and the properties of N-CQDs in unique up-converted photoluminescence, efficient charge separation, as well as significant adsorption in visible light region. In addition, the work function also clarified that photoelectrons could transfer from N-CQDs to OVs-TiO2. Furthermore, different relative humidity and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments demonstrated that the hydroxyl radical (•OH) was the dominant reactive radical in HCHO photodegradation. The •O2- could also enhance the photodegradation efficiency of HCHO. This work provides an in-depth understanding on the complementary roles of N-CQDs and OVs and is helpful for designing metallic oxide photocatalysts for volatile organic compounds removal.

Effects of short-term exposure to air pollutants on death and years of life lost in Jinhua City / 预防医学

Objective@#To explore the effects of short-term exposure to four air pollutants, namely fine particulate matter (PM2.5), nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2) and ozone (O3), on death and years of life lost (YLL).@*Methods@#Air pollutants and meteorological data in Jindong District and Wucheng District of Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province from 2014 to 2021 were collected through Jinhua Environmental Monitoring Center and Jinhua Meteorological Bureau. Death data of residents during the same period was collected through Zhejiang Province Chronic Disease Monitoring Information Management System. The effects of short-term exposure to four air pollutants on death and YLL were analyzed using a generalized additive model.@*Results@#The results of single-pollutant model analysis showed that the lagged effect of short-term exposure to PM2.5 on death and YLL was the largest at cumulative lags of 2 days, with effect size of 1.064% (95%CI: 0.450%-1.682%) and 2.084 (95%CI: 1.003-3.165) person-years, respectively; the effect of short-term exposure to SO2 on YLL was the largest on the same day, with an effect size of 2.432 (95%CI: 0.610-4.254) person-years; short-term exposure to NO2 and O3 had no statistically significant effects on death and YLL (both P>0.05). The results of gender- and age-stratified analysis showed that short-term exposure to PM2.5 had significant lagged effects on death and YLL among females and residents aged 65 years and above at cumulative lags of 2 days; short-term exposure to SO2 had significant effects on YLL among females and residents aged 65 years and above on the same day (both P<0.05). The results of dual-pollutant model analysis showed that after the inclusion of NO2 in PM2.5 and SO2, the effects on death and YLL were statistically significant, with the effect size being higher compared to the single-pollutant model; after the inclusion of SO2 or O3 in PM2.5, the effects on death and YLL were statistically significant, with the effect size being lower compared to the single-pollutant model (all P<0.05).@*Conclusion@#Short-term exposure to PM2.5 may increase the risk of death and YLL, and short-term exposure to SO2 may increase the risk of YLL among residents, with more significant impacts on female and residents aged 65 years and above.

Prevalence of work-related musculoskeletal disorders in neck and shoulder among workers in pharmaceutical and chemical enterprises / 预防医学

Objective@#To investigate the prevalence and influencing factors of work-related musculoskeletal disorders (WMSDs) in neck and shoulder among workers in pharmaceutical and chemical enterprises, so as to provide the basis for prevention of WMSDs.@*Methods@#Workers in 8 pharmaceutical and chemical enterprises in Jinhua City, Zhejiang Province from July to October 2023 were sampled using a stratified random sampling method, and demography, work conditions and WMSDs prevalence were collected using questionnaire surveys. Factors affecting WMSDs in neck and shoulder were analyzed using a multivariable logistic regression model.@*Results@#A total of 1 343 workers were surveyed, including 496 males (36.93%) and 847 females (63.07%). The mean age of workers was 38 (15) years, and the length of service in current posts was 6 (8) years. There were 356 workers with WMSDs (26.51%), with 206 workers with neck WMSDs (15.34%) and 167 workers with shoulder WMSDs (12.43%). Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that gender (female, OR=1.692, 95%CI: 1.203-2.381), sufficient rest time (OR=0.660, 95%CI: 0.471-0.926) and maintaining same neck posture for a long time (OR=1.690, 95%CI: 1.148-2.510) were factors affecting neck WMSDs; gender (female, OR=1.572, 95%CI: 1.060-2.311), sufficient rest time (OR=0.619, 95%CI: 0.422-0.906), repetitive daily work (OR=1.678, 95%CI: 1.064-2.647), uncomfortable work posture (OR=3.791, 95%CI: 1.330-10.803), multiple repetitive movements per minute (OR: 1.988-2.413, 95%CI: 1.060-4.161) and maintaining same neck posture for a long time (OR=1.926, 95%CI: 1.218-3.043) were factors affecting shoulder WMSDs.@*Conclusion@#The prevalence of WMSDs in neck and shoulder are high among workers in pharmaceutical and chemical enterprises in Jinhua City, and mainly affected by gender, rest time and adverse ergonomics.

EEG microstate analysis reveals large-scale brain network alterations in depressed adolescents with suicidal ideation.

BACKGROUND: Accumulating evidence showed abnormalities in brain network connectivity in depressive individuals with suicidal ideation (SI). We aimed to investigate the large-scale brain network dynamics in adolescents with SI and major depressive disorder (MDD). METHODS: We recruited 47 first-episode drug-naïve adolescents with MDD and SI, 26 depressed adolescents without SI (noSI), and 26 age-matched healthy controls (HC). The Columbia Suicidal Ideation Severity Scale (C-SSRS) was utilized to assess suicide ideation. We acquired 64-channel resting-state EEG recordings from all subjects and used microstate analysis to investigate the large-scale brain network dynamics. RESULTS: We observed a significant reduction in the occurrence and coverage of microstate B within the SI group when contrasted with the noSI group. Conversely, there was a significant increase in the occurrence and coverage of microstate A in the SI group as compared to the HC group. Additionally, we observed heightened transition probabilities from microstates D and C to microstate A in the SI group; meanwhile, transitions from microstate D to B were more prevalent in the noSI group. Furthermore, the noSI group exhibited a significant decline in the transition probabilities from microstate D to microstate C. LIMITATIONS: The cross-sectional nature limits the capacity to determine whether microstate dynamics have prognostic significance for SI. CONCLUSION: We provided evidence that depressed adolescents with SI have a distinct pattern in microstate dynamics compared to those without SI. These findings suggest that microstate dynamics might serve as a potential neurobiomarker for identifying SI in depressed adolescents.

Competition-cooperation mechanism between Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus based on systems mapping.

Introduction: Interspecies interactions are a crucial driving force of species evolution. The genes of each coexisting species play a pivotal role in shaping the structure and function within the community, but how to identify them at the genome-wide level has always been challenging. Methods: In this study, we embed the Lotka-Volterra ordinary differential equations in the theory of community ecology into the systems mapping model, so that this model can not only describe how the quantitative trait loci (QTL) of a species directly affects its own phenotype, but also describe the QTL of the species how to indirectly affect the phenotype of its interacting species, and how QTL from different species affects community behavior through epistatic interactions. Results: By designing and implementing a co-culture experiment for 100 pairs of Escherichia coli (E. coli) and Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus), we mapped 244 significant QTL combinations in the interaction process of the two bacteria using this model, including 69 QTLs from E. coli and 59 QTLs from S. aureus, respectively. Through gene annotation, we obtained 57 genes in E. coli, among which the genes with higher frequency were ypdC, nrfC, yphH, acrE, dcuS, rpnE, and ptsA, while we obtained 43 genes in S. aureus, among which the genes with higher frequency were ebh, SAOUHSC_00172, capF, gdpP, orfX, bsaA, and phnE1. Discussion: By dividing the overall growth into independent growth and interactive growth, we could estimate how QTLs modulate interspecific competition and cooperation. Based on the quantitative genetic model, we can obtain the direct genetic effect, indirect genetic effect, and genome-genome epistatic effect related to interspecific interaction genes, and then further mine the hub genes in the QTL networks, which will be particularly useful for inferring and predicting the genetic mechanisms of community dynamics and evolution. Systems mapping can provide a tool for studying the mechanism of competition and cooperation among bacteria in co-culture, and this framework can lay the foundation for a more comprehensive and systematic study of species interactions.

Prediction of Crack Width in RC Piles Exposed to Local Corrosion in Chloride Environment.

A novel prediction model for crack development of reinforced concrete (RC) piles with localized chloride corrosion in the marine environment is proposed. A discrete method is used to solve the corrosion pit radius model and a crack extension model is developed to investigate the initiation and extension of cracks. The maximum corrosion degree of the reinforced concrete pile is predicted according to the limit crack criterion, and finally, a sensitivity analysis is carried out on the important parameters of crack extension. The results show that the radius of the corrosion pit, the depth corrosion pit, and the cross-sectional area loss of reinforcement gradually increase as the corrosion level increases. The loss of the local reinforcement section at crack initiation increases with the increase in the ratio of concrete cover to initial diameter and increases with the increase in the pitting factor. The required pit depth for reinforcement cracking increases with the increase in the ratio of concrete cover thickness to diameter. The loss of the cross-sectional area of reinforcement and the radius of the corrosion pit increase with the increase in the initial diameter of reinforcement. Increasing the pitting factor can reduce the pit depth and make the crack width develop faster before reaching the limit crack width. Increasing the concrete cover thickness can provide an improvement in the propagation of cracks. A comparative analysis shows that the localized corrosion pattern is more in conformity with marine engineering practice.

Enhanced Switching Reliability of Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 Ferroelectric Films Induced by Interface Engineering.

Ferroelectric materials have been widely researched for applications in memory and energy storage. Among these materials and benefiting from their excellent chemical compatibility with complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) devices, hafnia-based ferroelectric thin films hold great promise for highly scaled semiconductor memories, including nonvolatile ferroelectric capacitors and transistors. However, variation in the switched polarization of this material during field cycling and a limited understanding of the responsible mechanisms have impeded their implementation in technology. Here, we show that ferroelectric Hf0.5Zr0.5O2 (HZO) capacitors that are nearly free of polarization "wake-up"─a gradual increase in switched polarization as a function of the number of switching cycles─can be achieved by introducing ultrathin HfO2 buffer layers at the HZO/electrodes interface. High-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) reveals crystallite sizes substantially greater than the film thickness for the buffer layer capacitors, indicating that the presence of the buffer layers influences the crystallization of the film (e.g., a lower ratio of nucleation rate to growth rate) during postdeposition annealing. This evidently promotes the formation of a polar orthorhombic (O) phase in the as-fabricated buffer layer samples. Synchrotron X-ray diffraction (XRD) reveals the conversion of the nonpolar tetragonal (T) phase to the polar orthorhombic (O) phase during electric field cycling in the control (no buffer) devices, consistent with the polarization wake-up observed for these capacitors. The extent of T-O transformation in the nonbuffer samples is directly dependent on the duration over which the field is applied. These results provide insight into the role of the HZO/electrodes interface in the performance of hafnia-based ferroelectrics and the mechanisms driving the polarization wake-up effect.

Serum vitamin D status in a cohort of infants with food protein­induced gastrointestinal disease.

Increases in the prevalence of food allergy and vitamin D deficiency have been observed in recent years. The association between vitamin D levels and food allergy remains to be fully elucidated, and research focused on the prevalence of vitamin D insufficiency in infants with food protein-induced gastrointestinal disease in Chengdu, Sichuan is lacking. Thus, the present study aimed to determine the prevalence and clinical characteristics of serum 25 hydroxyvitamin D [25-(OH)D] insufficiency and sufficiency in infants with food protein-induced gastrointestinal disease. The present study also aimed to identify the potential predisposing factors of 25-(OH)D insufficiency. The present retrospective study analyzed data obtained from Chengdu Women's and Children's Central Hospital spanning between June 2021 and February 2022. Children with a confirmed diagnosis of food protein-induced gastrointestinal disease were enrolled in the present study. Blood indicators, including serum 25-(OH)D, serum total immunoglobulin E (IgE), specific IgE against allergens, and hemoglobin were measured during the course of the disease. Clinical characteristics of patients and blood examination results were obtained from the hospital electronic database. A total of 361 patients were included in the study group and 45 healthy individuals were included in the control group. The results of the present study demonstrated that serum 25-(OH)D levels of infants with protein-induced gastrointestinal disease were significantly lower compared with the control group. Notably, female participants with higher serum total IgE levels exhibited insufficient serum 25-(OH)D levels. However, the results of the logistic regression analysis revealed no predisposing factors associated with serum 25-(OH)D insufficiency. In conclusion, infants with food protein-induced gastrointestinal disease may exhibit a higher risk of low serum 25-(OH)D levels and this risk may be greater in females with higher total IgE.