Establishing a machine learning model based on dual-energy CT enterography to evaluate Crohn's disease activity.

OBJECTIVES: The simplified endoscopic score of Crohn's disease (SES-CD) is the gold standard for quantitatively evaluating Crohn's disease (CD) activity but is invasive. This study aimed to develop and validate a machine learning (ML) model based on dual-energy CT enterography (DECTE) to noninvasively evaluate CD activity. METHODS: We evaluated the activity in 202 bowel segments of 46 CD patients according to the SES-CD score and divided the segments randomly into training set and testing set at a ratio of 7:3. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used for feature selection, and three models based on significant parameters were established based on logistic regression. Model performance was evaluated using receiver operating characteristic (ROC), calibration, and clinical decision curves. RESULTS: There were 110 active and 92 inactive bowel segments. In univariate analysis, the slope of spectral curve in the venous phases (λHU-V) has the best diagnostic performance, with an area under the ROC curve (AUC) of 0.81 and an optimal threshold of 1.975. In the testing set, the AUC of the three models established by the 7 variables to differentiate CD activity was 0.81-0.87 (DeLong test p value was 0.071-0.766, p > 0.05), and the combined model had the highest AUC of 0.87 (95% confidence interval (CI): 0.779-0.959). CONCLUSIONS: The ML model based the DECTE can feasibly evaluate CD activity, and DECTE parameters provide a quantitative analysis basis for evaluating specific bowel activities in CD patients. CRITICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: The machine learning model based on dual-energy computed tomography enterography can be used for evaluating Crohn's disease activity noninvasively and quantitatively. KEY POINTS: Dual-energy CT parameters are related to Crohn's disease activity. Three machine learning models effectively evaluated Crohn's disease activity. Combined models based on conventional and dual-energy CT have the best performance.

Dual Channel H2O2 Photosynthesis in Pure Water over S-Scheme Heterojunction Cs3PMo12/CC Boosted by Proton and Electron Reservoirs.

Dual channel photo-driven H2O2 production in pure water on small-scale on-site setups is a promising strategy to provide low-concentrated H2O2 whenever needed. This process suffers, however, strongly from the fast recombination of photo-generated charge carriers and the sluggish oxidation process. Here, insoluble Keggin-type cesium phosphomolybdate Cs3PMo12O40 (abbreviated to Cs3PMo12) is introduced to carbonized cellulose (CC) to construct S-scheme heterojunction Cs3PMo12/CC. Dual channel H2O2 photosynthesis from both H2O oxidation and O2 reduction in pure water has been thus achieved with the production rate of 20.1 mmol L-1 gcat. -1 h-1, apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 2.1% and solar-to-chemical conversion (SCC) efficiency of 0.050%. H2O2 accumulative concentration reaches 4.9 mmol L-1. This high photocatalytic activity is guaranteed by unique features of Cs3PMo12/CC, namely, S-scheme heterojunction, electron reservoir, and proton reservoir. The former two enhance the separation of photo-generated charge carriers, while the latter speeds up the torpid oxidation process. In situ experiments reveal that H2O2 is formed via successive single-electron transfer in both channels. In real practice, exposing the reaction system under natural sunlight outdoors successfully results in 0.24 mmol L-1 H2O2. This work provides a key practical strategy for designing photocatalysts in modulating redox half-reactions in photosynthesis.

Constructing Dynamic Anode/Electrolyte Interfaces Coupled with Regulated Solvation Structures for Long-Term and Highly Reversible Zinc Metal Anodes.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (AZIBs) show a great potential for next-generation energy storage due to their high safety and high energy density. However, the severe side reactions of zinc negative electrode largely hinder the further application of AZIBs. Herein, trace tris(hydroxymethyl)aminomethane (Tris) additive with rich lone-pair-electrons and zincophilic sites is firstly introduced to achieve long-term and highly reversible Zn plating/stripping. Specifically, Tris not only regulates the solvation structure of Zn2+, but is also adsorbed vertically on the Zn anode surface with a changed coordination intensity during the plating/stripping process of Zn to generate an in situ dynamic adsorption layer for the first time. The dynamic adsorption layer could successively attract the solvated Zn2+ and then promote the de-solvation of the solvated Zn2+ owing to the orientation polarization with regularly-changed applied electric field, the volume rejection effect, and strong intermolecular force towards H2O of the vertically-adsorbed Tris. Therefore, an improved Zn2+-transport kinetics as well as the inhibition of side reactions of Zn anode are successfully realized. Accordingly, the Zn||Zn symmetric cell provides an ultra-long cycle life of 2600 h. Furthermore, the Zn||MnO2 full cell with Tris could demonstrate a high capacity and structural stability for practical applications.

One-Step Synthesis of 3D Graphene Aerogel Supported Pt Nanoparticles as Highly Active Electrocatalysts for Methanol Oxidation Reaction.

Nowadays, two of the biggest obstacles restricting the further development of methanol fuel cells are excessive cost and insufficient catalytic activity of platinum-based catalysts. Herein, platinum nanoparticle supported graphene aerogel (Pt/3DGA) was successfully synthesized by a one-step hydrothermal self-assembly method. The loose three-dimensional structure of the aerogel is stabilized by a simple one-step method, which not only reduces cost compared to the freeze-drying technology, but also optimizes the loading method of nanoparticles. The prepared Pt/3DGA catalyst has a three-dimensional porous structure with a highly cross-linked, large specific surface area, even dispersion of Pt NPs and good electrical conductivity. It is worth noting that its catalytic activity is 438.4 mA/mg with long-term stability, which is consistent with the projected benefits of anodic catalytic systems in methanol fuel cells.. Our study provides an applicable method for synthesizing nano metal particles/graphene-based composites.

Thermodynamic Study on Hydrogen Reduction of Germanium Tetrachloride to Germanium.

This study elucidates the thermodynamic reaction mechanism of the GeCl4 hydrogen reduction process for Ge preparation. Five independent reactions in the Ge-Cl-H ternary system were identified, utilizing the phase law, mass conservation principles, and thermodynamic data, with H2 as the reducing agent. Additionally, the effects of the temperature, feed ratio, and pressure on the germanium deposition rate during the GeCl4 hydrogen reduction process were investigated, guided by these five reactions. The results indicate that, with fixed temperature and pressure, a higher feed ratio (nH2/nGeCl4) leads to an increased germanium deposition rate. Conversely, with a constant feed ratio, increased pressure results in a lower deposition rate at low temperatures. The optimal operating conditions for germanium preparation via the hydrogen reduction of GeCl4 were determined: the temperature was 450 °C, the feed ratio was 20, the pressure was 0.1 MPa, and the deposition rate of the germanium was 36.12% under this condition.

Dual-Strategy Tailoring Molecular Structures of Dopant-Free Hole Transport Materials for Efficient and Stable Perovskite Solar Cells.

Dopant-free hole transport materials (HTMs) are ideal materials for highly efficient and stable n-i-p perovskite solar cells (PSCs), but most current design strategies for tailoring the molecular structures of HTMs are limited to single strategy. Herein, four HTMs based on dithienothiophenepyrrole (DTTP) core are devised through dual-strategy methods combining conjugate engineering and side chain engineering. DTTP-ThSO with ester alkyl chain that can form six-membered ring by the S⋅⋅⋅O noncovalent conformation lock with thiophene in the backbone shows good planarity, high-quality film, matching energy level and high hole mobility, as well as strong defect passivation ability. Consequently, a remarkable power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 23.3 % with a nice long-term stability is achieved by dopant-free DTTP-ThSO-based PSCs, representing one of the highest values for un-doped organic HTMs based PSCs. Especially, the fill factor (FF) of 82.3 % is the highest value for dopant-free small molecular HTMs-based n-i-p PSCs to date. Moreover, DTTP-ThSO-based devices have achieved an excellent PCE of 20.9 % in large-area (1.01 cm2) devices. This work clearly elucidates the structure-performance relationships of HTMs and offers a practical dual-strategy approach to designing dopant-free HTMs for high-performance PSCs.

Influence of screw configuration on reduction and stabilization of simulated complete lateral condylar fracture in equine limbs.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the influence of screw configuration on the reduction and stabilization of simulated complete lateral condylar fracture. STUDY DESIGN: Randomized experimental crossover study. METHODS: A lateral condylar fracture was simulated in 18 cadaver limbs from nine horses. Each limb underwent repair with 4.5 mm diameter cortex screws, tightened to 4 Nm, in a linear and triangular configuration. Computed tomography (CT) of each repair was performed with the limbs in unloaded and loaded conditions. Fracture gaps were measured at the dorsal, palmar, and middle locations of the third metacarpal condyle. Fracture gap measurements were graded 0-4, based on voxels. Following descriptive analysis, a Bayesian network (BN) model was fitted to the data. RESULTS: The median fracture grade was 0 (range: 0-4) for unloaded linear repairs and 2 (0-4) for loaded linear repairs. The median fracture grade was 0 (0-3) for unloaded triangular repairs and 1 (0-3) for loaded triangular repairs. Bayesian network sensitivity analysis showed that the construct configuration reduced the uncertainty in the measured fracture outcome by 0.8%. CONCLUSION: Triangular screw configuration resulted in better fracture reduction and stability in comparison with linear screw configuration. However, the BN sensitivity analysis results showed that the effect of construct configuration on fracture outcome was weak. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE: These findings indicate a low probability that triangular repair of lateral condylar fracture will result in improved outcomes, when compared with linear repair.

Construction of a Female Sterility Maintaining System Based on a Novel Mutation of the MEL2 Gene.

BACKGROUND: Hybrid rice has significant yield advantage and stress tolerance compared with inbred rice. However, production of hybrid rice seeds requires extensive manual labors. Currently, hybrid rice seeds are produced by crosspollination of male sterile lines by fertile paternal lines. Because seeds from paternal lines can contaminate the hybrid seeds, mechanized production by mixed-seeding and mixed-harvesting is difficult. This problem can be solved if the paternal line is female sterile. RESULTS: Here we identified a female infertile mutant named h569 carrying a novel mutation (A1106G) in the MEL2 gene that was previously reported to regulate meiosis entry both in male and female organs. h569 mutant is female infertile but male normal, suggesting that MEL2 regulates meiosis entry in male and female organs through distinct pathways. The MEL2 gene and h569 mutant gave us tools to construct female sterility maintaining systems that can be used for propagation of female sterile lines. We connected the wild-type MEL2 gene with pollen-killer gene ZmAA1 and seed-marker gene DsRed2 in one T-DNA cassette and transformed it into ZZH1607, a widely used restorer line. Transgenic line carrying a single transgene inserted in an intergenic region was selected to cross with h569 mutant. F2 progeny carrying homozygous A1106G mutation and hemizygous transgene displayed 1:1 segregation of fertile and infertile pollen grains and 1:1 segregation of fluorescent and non-fluorescent seeds upon self-fertilization. All of the non-fluorescent seeds generated female infertile plants, while the fluorescent seeds generated fertile plants that reproduced in the way as their previous generation. CONCLUSIONS: These results indicated that the female sterility maintaining system constructed in the study can be used to breed and propagate paternal lines that are female infertile. The application of this system will enable mechanized production of hybrid rice seed by using the mixed-seeding and mixed harvesting approach, which will significantly reduce the cost in hybrid rice seed production.

DNA Framework-Templated Fabrication of Ultrathin Electroactive Gold Nanosheets.

Generally, two-dimensional gold nanomaterials have unique properties and functions that offer exciting application prospects. However, the crystal phases of these materials tend to be limited to the thermodynamically stable crystal structure. Herein, we report a DNA framework-templated approach for the ambient aqueous synthesis of freestanding and microscale amorphous gold nanosheets with ultrathin sub-nanometer thickness. We observe that extended single-stranded DNA on DNA nanosheets can induce site-specific metallization and enable precise modification of the metalized nanostructures at predefined positions. More importantly, the as-prepared gold nanosheets can serve as an electrocatalyst for glucose oxidase-catalyzed aerobic oxidation, exhibiting enhanced electrocatalytic activity (~3-fold) relative to discrete gold nanoclusters owing to a larger electrochemical active area and wider band gap. The proposed DNA framework-templated metallization strategy is expected to be applicable in a broad range of fields, from catalysis to new energy materials.

Pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation in patients with acute aortic dissection based on coronary computed tomography angiography.

Background: Periaortic fat is associated with coronary disease. Thus, it was hypothesized that the inflammation associated with acute aortic dissection (AAD) spreads to pericoronary adipose tissue (PCAT) via thoracic periaortic fat. Pericoronary adipose tissue attenuation (PCATa) serves as a marker for inflammation of perivascular adipose tissue (PVAT). This study sought to examine PCATa in individuals diagnosed with AAD. Methods: Consecutive patients with chest pain from May 2020 to September 2022 were prospectively enrolled in this study and underwent coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA) and/or aorta computed tomography angiography (CTA). Based on the results of the CTA, the patients were divided into the following two groups: (I) the AAD group; and (II) the non-AAD group. PCATa of the right coronary angiography (RCA), left anterior descending (LAD), and left circumflex (LCx) was quantified for each patient using semi-automated software. The PCATa values were compared between the AAD and non-AAD patients according to the atherosclerosis of the coronary arteries. Similarly, the PCATa values of the AAD patients were compared between the preoperative and postoperative steady states. Results: A total of 136 patients (42 female, 94 male; mean age: 63.3±11.9 years) were divided into the two groups according to the presence of aortic dissection on CTA. The RCAPCATa, LADPCATa, and LCxPCATa values were significantly higher in the AAD subjects than the non-AAD subjects, regardless of the presence or absence of atherosclerosis in the coronary arteries [-85.1±9.3 vs. -92.9±10.0 Hounsfield unit (HU); -83.2±7.4 vs. -89.9±9.1 HU; -77.5±8.4 vs. -85.6±7.9 HU, all P<0.001). The preoperative RCAPCATa, LADPCATa, and LCxPCATa values were higher in the AAD patients than the postoperative steady-state patients (-82.9±8.7 vs. -97.6±8.8 HU; -79.8±7.6 vs. -92.8±6.8 HU; -74.6±7.1 vs. -87.7±6.9 HU, all P<0.001). According to the multivariable logistic regression analysis, high RCAPCATa and LADPCATa values were associated with AAD regardless of the degree of stenosis [odds ratio (OR) =0.014; 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.001-0.177; P=0.001 and OR =0.010; 95% CI: 0.001-0.189; P=0.002]. Conclusions: PCATa on computed tomography was increased in patients with AAD regardless of the presence or absence of coronary artery disease (CAD). This suggests that vascular inflammation is present in AAD independent of CAD. Further research should be conducted to investigate the potential of this imaging biomarker to predict AAD and monitor patients' responses to therapies for AAD.

Replacing manual operation with bio-automation: A high-throughput evolution strategy to construct an integrated whole-cell biosensor for the simultaneous detection of methylmercury and mercury ions without manual sample digestion.

Methylmercury is primarily responsible for most food mercury pollution cases. However, most biosensors developed for mercury pollution analysis can only detect mercury ions. Although oxidative strong-acid digestion or microwave-assisted digestion can convert methylmercury into mercury ions, it is unsuitable for on-site detection. This study designed a bio-digestion gene circuit and integrated it into a mercury ion whole-cell biosensor，creating a novel on-site methylmercury detection method. Five alkyl mercury lyases from different bacterial genomes were screened via bioinformatics analysis, of which goMerB from Gordonia otitis showed the highest catalytic biological digestion efficiency. The goMerB site-specific saturation and random mutation libraries were constructed. After two rounds of high-throughput visualization screening, the catalytic activity of the mutant increased 2.5-fold. The distance between the three crucial amino acid sites and methylmercury changed in the mutant, which likely contributed to the enhanced catalytic efficiency. The optimized whole-cell biosensor showed a linear dynamic concentration range of 100 nM to 100 µM (R2 =0.991), satisfactory specificity, and interference resistance. The detection limit of the goMerBt6-MerR-RFP biosensor was 0.015 µM, while the limit of quantitation was 0.049 µM. This study demonstrated the application of synthetic biology for food safety detection and highlighted the future potential of "Lab in a Cell" for hazard analysis.

Retrospective comparison of endoscopic transoral and bilateral areolar approaches for thyroglossal cyst resection: a single-centre experience.

PURPOSE: Our study aimed to compare the efficacy, safety, and clinical effect of the transoral approach and the bilateral areolar approach (BAA) for endoscopic thyroglossal duct cyst (TGDC) resection. METHODS: In total, 42 patients who received an endoscopic TGDC resection between January 2019 and May 2022 via a transoral (n = 22) or bilateral areolar (n = 20) approach by a single surgeon were retrospectively enrolled. We collected and compared the following data: patients' demographic data, complication events, operative time, bleeding volume, drainage volume, 6-h postoperative pain scores, length of hospitalisation, resected TGDC size, and cosmetic satisfaction. RESULTS: There were no cases of conversion to a transcervical approach in the two groups. No significant differences were found between the two groups in terms of age, sex, body mass index, complication, bleeding volume, 6-h postoperative pain scores, and TGDC size (all p > 0.05). However, the operative time and patients' cosmetic satisfaction were higher in the transoral group than in the BAA group (all p < 0.05). In addition, the drainage volume and length of hospitalisation in the transoral group were less than those in the BAA group (all p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Both the transoral approach and BAA are safe and reliable; however, the transoral approach is more complex than the BAA and offers better cosmetic satisfaction. Doctors should choose the appropriate surgical procedure based on the patient's condition and preferences.

Prolyl isomerase Pin1 promotes autophagy and cancer cell viability through activating FoxO3 signalling.

Pin1-directed prolyl isomerization is a central common oncogenic mechanism to drive tumorigenic processes. However, the role of Pin1 in cellular autophagy is still poorly understood. Here we report that pharmacological inhibition of Pin1 decreased the formation of autophagosome/autolysosomes upon nutrient starvation. Inhibition of Pin1 reduced, whereas forced expression of Pin1 increased, the level of LC3 and viability of U2OS and PANC-1 cells. Pin1 could augment the accumulation of LC3 upon chloroquine treatment, while chloroquine also disturbed its function on cell viability. RNA-Seq and qPCR identified altered autophagic pathway upon Pin1 silencing. Mechanistically, FoxO3 was identified critical for Pin1-mediated autophagy. Knockdown of FoxO3 could rescue the changes of LC3 level and cellular viability caused by Pin1 overexpression. In xenograft mouse model, Pin1 reduced the sensitivity of PANC-1 to chloroquine while FoxO3 silencing could inhibit Pin1's function. Moreover, Pin1 could bind FoxO3 via its pS284-P motif, reduce its phosphorylation at T32, facilitate its nuclear retention, and therefore increased its transcriptional activity. S284A mutation of FoxO3 interfered with its T32 phosphorylation, reduced its nuclear localization and disrupted its function to support cell viability upon nutrient starvation. Furthermore, the protein level of Pin1 positively correlated with FoxO3 nuclear localization and LC3 level in pancreatic adenocarcinoma and osteosarcoma samples. Together, this study highlights an important role for Pin1-FoxO3 axis in regulating autophagy and cancer cell viability. Intervening in the Pin1-FoxO3 interaction would serve as an effective therapeutic strategy and the pS284-P motif of FoxO3 provides a potential target for drug design.

Heterointerface Connection with Multiple Hydrogen-Bonding in Z-Scheme Heterojunction SiW9Co3@UiO-67-NH2 Deciding High Stability and Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction Performance.

Merging metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and polyoxometalates (POMs) into heterogeneous heterojunction photocatalysts through in situ encapsulation is an effective approach to suppress the leachability of POMs and enhance their electron supply. The heterointerfacial connection in POMs@MOFs directly determines the performance of stability and charge separation, and the suited interaction between MOFs and POMs for POMs@MOFs heterojunctions photocatalyst is of vital importance. Here, a distinctive Keggin-type POM [(n-C4H9)N]10[SiW9Co3 (H2O)3O37]·17H2O (SiW9Co3) with near-total visible region absorption, narrow band gap of 2.23 eV, and powerful electron supply activity was prepared and tightly immobilized in the cavities of UiO-67-NH2 and UiO-68-NH2 to construct two Z-scheme heterojunctions SiW9Co3@UiO-67-NH2 and SiW9Co3@UiO-68-NH2, which were used for photocatalytic reduction of CO2 to CO. Their compositions, structures, and energy band features were fully characterized by a series of tests including XRD, FT-IR, SEM, XPS, UV-vis-DRS, UPS, and so forth. SiW9Co3@UiO-67-NH2 showed optimal photocatalytic performance with an excellent CO yield of 153.3 µmol-1·g-1·h-1 and a selectivity of 100%, which is 3.3-fold higher than that of SiW9Co3@UiO-68-NH2 and far superior to most reported POM-based heterojunctions. Comprehensive investigations with extensive photoelectric characterizations and microcalorimetric experiments demonstrated that the exceptional photocatalytic performances of SiW9Co3@UiO-67-NH2 could be attributed to the fact that (i) strong host-guest interactions were formed due to the well-matched dimensions between SiW9Co3 cluster and MOF cavity, which generated an intimate heterointerface to effectively accelerate interface electron transfer; (ii) the intimate heterointerface promoted SiW9Co3 to yield multielectron supply for efficient interfacial carrier neutralization owing to its donor-acceptor structure and narrow band gap. Additionally, the excellent durability of SiW9Co3@UiO-67-NH2 was also supported by the solidly locked SiW9Co3 and a stable MOF framework.

LncRNA AGAP2 antisense RNA 1 stabilized by insulin-like growth factor 2 mRNA binding protein 3 promotes macrophage M2 polarization in clear cell renal cell carcinoma through regulation of the microRNA-9-5p/THBS2/PI3K-Akt pathway.

BACKGROUND: Increasing evidence highlights the potential role of long non-coding RNAs (lncRNAs) in the biological behaviors of renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Here, we explored the mechanism of AGAP2-AS1 in the occurrence and development of clear cell RCC (ccRCC) involving IGF2BP3/miR-9-5p/THBS2. METHODS: The expressions of AGAP2-AS1, IGF2BP3, miR-9-5p, and THBS2 and their relationship were analyzed by bioinformatics. The targeting relationship between AGAP2-AS1 and miR-9-5p and between miR-9-5p and THBS2 was evaluated with their effect on cell biological behaviors and macrophage polarization assayed. Finally, we tested the effect of AGAP2-AS1 on ccRCC tumor formation in xenograft tumors. RESULTS: IGF2BP3 could stabilize AGAP2-AS1 through m6A modification. AGAP2-AS1 was highly expressed in ccRCC tissues and cells. The lentivirus-mediated intervention of AGAP2-AS1 induced malignant behaviors of ccRCC cells and led to M2 polarization of macrophages. In addition, THBS2 promoted M2 polarization of macrophages by activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway. AGAP2-AS1 could directly bind with miR-9-5p and promote the expression of THBS2 downstream of miR-9-5p. These results were further verified by in vivo experiments. CONCLUSION: AGAP2-AS1 stabilized by IGF2BP3 competitively binds to miR-9-5p to up-regulate THBS2, activating the PI3K/AKT signaling pathway and inducing macrophage M2 polarization, thus facilitating the development of RCC.

Antidepressant duloxetine hydrochloride protects against ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice by inhibiting osteoclast differentiation.

BACKGROUND: Several studies have reported the association between osteoporosis and major depressive disorder (MDD) as well as the use of antidepressants. However, it remains to be elucidated whether these associations are related to exposure to antidepressants, a consequence of a disease process, or a combination of both. METHODS: This study investigates the independent effect of the antidepressant duloxetine hydrochloride (DH) on ovariectomy-induced bone loss in mice. One week after ovariectomy, the treated mice received DH. To explore the mechanism underlying the rescue of bone loss, bone marrow cells were isolated from mouse femurs and tibias, and macrophages extracted from them were induced to become osteoclasts in vitro while being treated with DH. Subsequently, the osteoclasts underwent Bulk RNA-Seq to reveal the involved signaling pathways. The results of the bioinformatic analysis were then validated through in vitro experiments. RESULTS: The in vivo experiments demonstrated that DH treatment compromised ovariectomy-induced bone loss after 7 weeks. The in vitro experiments suggested that DH treatment attenuated osteoclast differentiation via the MAPKs/NFATc1 signaling pathway. CONCLUSION: The findings from this study suggest that DH, instead of causing bone mass loss, may assist in alleviating postmenopausal osteoporosis. These results can serve as a reference for the clinical treatment of patients with perimenopausal or postmenopausal depression using antidepressants.

Preschool or/and kindergarten? The long-term benefits of different types of early childhood education on pupils' skills.

BACKGROUND: Developing countries have witnessed great progress in early childhood education (ECE) enrollment rate over the past three decades. Preschool and kindergarten are the two most common types of ECE in developing countries. Questions remain as to which of the two types of ECE is more effective in promoting child development in developing countries, including both cognitive and non-cognitive skills. The objective of this paper is to examine the long-term benefits of attending preschool or/and kindergarten on pupils' cognitive and non-cognitive skills in rural China. METHODOLOGY: We pooled data from two large-scale surveys conducted by the authors themselves at 136 rural primary schools in 20 counties from three provinces in northwestern China in 2009. The final study sample consisted of 9,839 pupils who both reported their ECE experience and completed cognitive and non-cognitive tests. We measured pupils' cognitive skills by standardized math test scores and grade retention, and their non-cognitive skills by both self-reported self-efficacy, mental health, and teacher-reported behaviors. Inverse Probability Weighting (IPW) was used to balance the pre-treatment variables between the treatment (Any ECE, Preschool Only, Kindergarten Only, or Preschool+Kindergarten) and comparison (No ECE) groups. RESULTS: Results from IPW show that compared with their peers without any ECE experience, pupils with any ECE experience perform better in cognitive skills (0.118 standard deviations (s.d.) increase in the TIMSS, 7.1 percentage point (pp) decrease in the probability of grade retention) but not in non-cognitive skills. By ECE types, attending kindergarten only is associated with a 0.150 s.d. increase in the TIMSS, a 7.0 pp decrease in the probability of grade retention, and a 0.059 s.d. decrease in the index of behavioral problems of pupils. Moreover, attending both preschool and kindergarten predicts a lower probability of grade retention, but attending preschool only has few benefits. Heterogenous analyses suggest that the long-term benefits of ECE are more prominent among the Han pupils from households with higher socio-economic status. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings imply that increasing access to ECE can be an effective instrument to improve pupils' skills in less-developed rural areas of China, especially their cognitive skills. Among different types of ECE, attending kindergarten contributes more to pupils' skill development in rural China than other types. We call for strengthened efforts to ensure equal access to quality ECE for preschool-aged children in rural China.

In situ growth of copper-based energetic complexes on GO and an MXene to synergistically promote the thermal decomposition of ammonium perchlorate.

In this work, using tri(5-aminotetrazolium)triazine (H3TATT) as an energetic ligand, two new energetic complexes (ECs), Cu(HTATT)(H2O)2 (EC-Cu1) and [Cu3(TATT)2(H2O)2]n (EC-Cu2), have been synthesized under hydrothermal conditions. Their crystal structures, thermal decomposition behaviors and specific heat capacities were determined respectively. In addition, two ECs were combined with GO (graphene oxide) and an MXene (Ti3C2TX) respectively by an in situ growth strategy to obtain four carbon nanomaterials/EC composites, which were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The effects of two ECs and four composites on the thermal decomposition of AP were studied by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). Among them, the sample containing 8 wt% composite (GO/EC-Cu2) has the best promoting effect on AP, causing the high temperature decomposition peak to overlap with the low temperature decomposition peak of AP, reducing the decomposition peak temperature of AP from 443.6 °C to 308.9 °C, and the heat release is up to 4875 J g-1. Compared with ECs acting solely on AP, composite materials have stronger synergistic and promoting effects. This study provides a new example of the synthesis of carbon nanomaterial/EC composites and the improvement of the performance of AP-based solid propellants.

The Adsorption Mechanisms of SF6-Decomposed Species on Tc- and Ru-Embedded Phthalocyanine Surfaces: A Density Functional Theory Study.

Designing high-performance materials for the detection or removal of toxic decomposition gases of sulfur hexafluoride is crucial for both environmental monitoring and human health preservation. Based on first-principles calculations, the adsorption performance and gas-sensing properties of unsubstituted phthalocyanine (H2Pc) and H2Pc doped with 4d transition metal atoms (TM = Tc and Ru) towards five characteristic decomposition components (HF, H2S, SO2, SOF2, and SO2F2) were simulated. The findings indicate that both the TcPc and RuPc monolayers are thermodynamically and dynamically stable. The analysis of the adsorption energy indicates that H2S, SO2, SOF2, and SO2F2 underwent chemisorption on the TcPc monolayer. Conversely, the HF molecules were physisorbed through interactions with H atoms. The chemical adsorption of H2S, SO2, and SOF2 occurred on the RuPc monolayer, while the physical adsorption of HF and SO2F2 molecules was observed. Moreover, the microcosmic mechanism of the gas-adsorbent interaction was elucidated by analyzing the charge density differences, electron density distributions, Hirshfeld charges, and density of states. The TcPc and RuPc monolayers exhibited excellent sensitivity towards H2S, SO2, and SOF2, as evidenced by the substantial alterations in the band gaps and work functions of the TcPc and RuPc nanosheets. Our calculations hold significant value for exploring the potential chemical sensing applications of TcPc and RuPc monolayers in gas sensing, with a specific focus on detecting sulfur hexafluoride.

A Critical Review of the Enhanced Recovery of Rare Earth Elements from Phosphogypsum.

The increasing demand for rare earth elements (REEs), especially from new and innovative technology, has strained their supply, which makes the exploration of new REE sources necessary, for example, the recovery of REEs from phsophogypsum (PG). PG is a byproduct during the wet production of phosphoric acid, which is an attractive secondary resource for REEs due to a large amount of REEs locked in them. In most cases, REEs contained in PG are mainly encapsulated in the gypsum crystal, leading to a low leaching efficiency. Therefore, it is particularly important to use various methods to enhance the leaching of REEs from PG. In this review, we summarized and classified various enhanced leaching methods for the recovery of REEs from PG, and the advantages and disadvantages of different methods were compared. A joint method of recrystallization and RIL may be a promising enhanced leaching approach for the recovery of REEs from PG. Recrystallization could achieve both the complete REE release and simultaneous preparation of industrial materials with high value added, such as high-strength α-hemihydrate gypsum by phase transformation of PG, and the RIL technology could adsorb the releasing REEs and realize their efficient extraction. Such a combination appears to show significant advantages because of high REE recovery, as well as high value-added product preparation at low cost.