Efficient Tin-Based Perovskite Solar Cells Enabled by Precisely Synthesized Single-Isomer Fullerene Bisadducts with Regulated Molecular Packing.

Designing and synthesizing fullerene bisadducts with a higher-lying conduction band minimum is promising to further improve the device performance of tin-based perovskite solar cells (TPSCs). However, the commonly obtained fullerene bisadduct products are isomeric mixtures and require complicated separation. Moreover, the isomeric mixtures are prone to resulting in energy alignment disorders, interfacial charge loss, and limited device performance improvement. Herein, we synthesized single-isomer C60- and C70-based diethylmalonate functionalized bisadducts (C60BB and C70BB) by utilizing the steric-hindrance-assisted strategy and determined all molecular structures involved by single crystal diffraction. Meanwhile, we found that the different solvents used for processing the fullerene bisadducts can effectively regulate the molecular packing in their films. The dense and amorphous fullerene bisadduct films prepared by using anisole exhibited the highest electron mobility. Finally, C60BB- and C70BB-based TPSCs showed impressive efficiencies up to 14.51 and 14.28%, respectively. These devices also exhibited excellent long-term stability. This work highlights the importance of developing strategies to synthesize single-isomer fullerene bisadducts and regulate their molecular packing to improve TPSCs' performance.

Sesamol Alleviates Sarcopenia via Activating AKT/mTOR/FoxO1 Signal Pathway in Aged Obese Mice.

Sesamol is a major bioactive component extracted from sesame seeds and has various medicinal properties. However, the effects of sesamol on sarcopenia associated with aging and obesity remains unclear. Therefore, the protective effects and underlying mechanisms of sesamol on sarcopenia was evaluated in aged and obese C57BL/6 J male mouse models fed a high fat diet and C2C12 myotubes co-treated with D-gal and PA in this study. Our in vivo data showed that sesamol activated AKT/mTOR/FoxO1 signal pathway, and then upregulated p-p70S6K and p-4EBP1 to promote myoprotein synthesis, and downregulated Atrogin-1 and MuRF1 to inhibit myoprotein degradation, thus ameliorating sarcopenia related to aging and obesity. Furthermore, our in vitro results confirmed the protective effect and aforementioned mechanisms of sesamol on sarcopenia. Collectively, sesamol could alleviate sarcopenia associated with aging and obesity via activating the AKT/mTOR/FoxO1 signal pathway. Our findings highlight the therapeutic potentials of sesamol for aging and obesity-related metabolic muscular complications.

Sesamol Alleviates High-Fat Diet-Induced Hepatic Insulin Resistance in C57BL/6 J Mice Through AMPK Activation Mediated by Adipose Adiponectin.

Sesamol is the major bioactive constituent isolated from sesame seeds and has a variety of bioactivities. However, its role and mechanism in liver insulin resistance remain unknown. The current study was designed to investigate the underlying adipose-liver crosstalk mechanism of sesamol ameliorating hepatic insulin sensitivity. The therapeutic effect of sesamol was evaluated in high-fat diet (HFD)-fed C57BL/6 J mice (100 mg/kg for 8 weeks, XYGW-2021-75) and the mechanism was further explored in HepG2 cells with/without adiponectin and adenosine 5 '-monophosphate-activated protein kinase (AMPK) inhibitor administration. Our in vivo data showed that sesamol reduced hepatic insulin resistance in HFD-induced mice with obesity by modulating protein expression levels of glycogen synthase (GS), phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) and protein kinase B (AKT). Moreover, sesamol not only increased the serum and adipose tissue adiponectin concentrations but also activated the phosphorylation of AMPK in the liver. Furthermore, in vitro studies using recombinant human adiponectin and an AMPK inhibitor revealed that adiponectin and sesamol have a synergic impact on increasing glycogenesis and reducing gluconeogenesis, of which the effects could be attenuated by the AMPK inhibitor. Taken together, our results suggested that sesamol stimulated adiponectin secretion from adipocytes, whereby exhibited a co-effect on activating the downstream signal of hepatic AMPK, resulting in the alleviation of hepatic insulin resistance. The novel findings of sesamol on hepatic effects provides prospective therapeutic approaches to treat insulin resistance.

Exosomal miRNA-328-3p targets ZO-3 and inhibits porcine epidemic diarrhea virus proliferation.

As essential transfer carriers for cell-to-cell communication and genetic material, exosomes carry microRNAs that participate in the regulation of various biological processes. MicroRNAs are a type of single-stranded noncoding RNA that bind to specific target gene mRNAs to degrade or inhibit their translation, thereby regulating target gene expression. Although it is known that a variety of microRNAs are involved in the viral infection process, there are few reports on specific microRNAs involved in porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) infection. In this study, we isolated and identified exosomes in PEDV-infected Vero E6 cells. Using transcriptomics technology, we found that miRNA-328-3p was significantly downregulated in exosomes following PEDV infection. Moreover, exosomal miRNA-328-3p inhibited infection by PEDV by targeting and inhibiting tight junction protein 3 (TJP-3/ZO-3) in recipient cells. Our findings provide evidence that, after infecting cells, PEDV downregulates expression of miRNA-328-3p, and the resulting reduced inhibition of the target protein ZO-3 helps to enhance PEDV infection. These results provide new insight for understanding the regulatory mechanism of PEDV infection.

How and when goal-oriented self-regulation improves college students' well-being: A weekly diary study.

This study investigates how (i.e., through what mechanism) and when (i.e., under what conditions) goal-oriented self-regulation behaviors improve college students' psychological well-being. On the basis of data from 74 s-year Chinese college students in a weekly diary study (296 observations), we conducted a moderated mediation model and found that goal-oriented self-regulations behaviors (i.e., planning, monitoring, controlling, and reflecting) were positively related to college students' psychological well-being through increased academic performance. Further, such an indirect effect was stronger when college students' optimism and social support were high. This study contributes to student development and self-regulation literature by underscoring that academic performance plays a vital intermediate role in the relationship between self-regulation behaviors and college students' psychological well-being. Besides, we highlight that optimism and social support act as important personal and social resources for college students that can better unleash the positive effects of goal-oriented self-regulation behaviors.

Stability of Lines with Zero Receding Contact Angle Produced by Inkjet Printing at Small Drop Volume.

We present an experimental study of the maximum and minimum bounding drop spacing for a parallel-sided liquid line produced by inkjet printing with drop volumes of 1.5 and 8.5 pL, on substrates with advancing contact angles of 46 and 54°, and zero receding contact angle. The results are used to validate models of the limiting bounds for the formation of stable parallel-sided lines as a function of drop spacing and transverse printing speed. The model for the maximum drop spacing bound (minimum line width) shows a good agreement with our results, but, when used to predict the stable line width, there is an influence of printing speed not captured by the model. This is probably because of a coupling between printed drop volume and ejection velocity outside the scope of the model. The minimum drop spacing bound (maximum stable line width) is limited by a bulging instability, and our results agree with the existing model, except for printing with the largest drop volumes at low temperature. It is shown that under these conditions, there is a different mechanism for bulging that occurs after printing over a period of minutes, if the liquid bead is present on the surface for a significant period of time before drying. Our results suggest that this mechanism is possibly triggered by imperfections on the substrate.

Relationship of lymphovascular invasion with lymph node metastasis and prognosis in superficial esophageal carcinoma: systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The development of tumor cells inside the lymphatics or blood vessels is known as lymphovascular invasion (LVI). The correlation between LVI, lymph node metastasis (LNM), and the diagnosis of superficial esophageal carcinoma (SEC) remains unclear. METHODS: We searched Embase, PubMed, Web of Science, and Cochrane Library databases for prospective articles to better understand the relationship between LVI, LNM, and SEC diagnosis. RESULTS: We included 23 articles containing data for 4749 patients (range: 54-598) in our meta-analysis. The hazard ratio between LVI and overall survival (OS) was 1.85 with 95% confidence interval (CI) (1.10-3.11, P = 0.02). LNM rate was higher in SEC patients with LVI than SEC patients without LVI (univariate: OR = 4.94, 95% CI: 3.74-6.53, P < 0.0001; multivariate: OR = 5.72, 95%CI: 4.38-7.4, P < 0.0001). No obvious publication was found. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that LVI plays a dominant role in the prognosis of LNM in SEC and in the prognostic prediction for SEC.

Sciatic and femoral nerve injury among patients who received Bernese peri-acetabular osteotomy.

AIM: To investigate the incidence, risk factors, and the last follow-up recovery status of sciatic and femoral nerve injury among patients who received Bernese peri-acetabular osteotomy (PAO). PATIENTS AND METHODS: The clinical file of 643 consecutive patients who received PAO from June 2012 to June 2016 was retrospectively reviewed. The number of nerve injury patients was calculated and the causes of injury were recorded. RESULTS: The sciatic or femoral nerve injury occurred in eight patients (1.24%), including four sciatic nerve injuries and four femoral nerve injuries. The reasons for sciatic nerve injury included one direct sciatic nerve injury happened at the time when deep osteotomy penetrated the posterior column to cut the nerve trunk at the area where the nerve runs through out of the greater sciatic foramen during quadrilateral bone osteotomy. The other two direct sciatic nerve injuries occurred at the inside pelvis by long drill bit or Kirschner wire drilling before the transverse screw fixation. No direct injury reasons could be found for the remaining five patients with one partial sciatic nerve injury and four femoral nerve palsies. The three patients with direct sciatic nerve injuries were partly recovered at the last follow-up. Full recovery was found in one sciatic nerve injury and four femoral nerve injury patients. CONCLUSION: The sciatic nerve can be injured directly or indirectly during PAO. It is of great importance to understand the risk factors and the precautionary measures of nerve injuries during PAO.

Spatial variability of excess mortality during prolonged dust events in a high-density city: a time-stratified spatial regression approach.

BACKGROUND: Dust events have long been recognized to be associated with a higher mortality risk. However, no study has investigated how prolonged dust events affect the spatial variability of mortality across districts in a downwind city. METHODS: In this study, we applied a spatial regression approach to estimate the district-level mortality during two extreme dust events in Hong Kong. We compared spatial and non-spatial models to evaluate the ability of each regression to estimate mortality. We also compared prolonged dust events with non-dust events to determine the influences of community factors on mortality across the city. RESULTS: The density of a built environment (estimated by the sky view factor) had positive association with excess mortality in each district, while socioeconomic deprivation contributed by lower income and lower education induced higher mortality impact in each territory planning unit during a prolonged dust event. Based on the model comparison, spatial error modelling with the 1st order of queen contiguity consistently outperformed other models. The high-risk areas with higher increase in mortality were located in an urban high-density environment with higher socioeconomic deprivation. CONCLUSION: Our model design shows the ability to predict spatial variability of mortality risk during an extreme weather event that is not able to be estimated based on traditional time-series analysis or ecological studies. Our spatial protocol can be used for public health surveillance, sustainable planning and disaster preparation when relevant data are available.

Observations and analysis with the spline-based Rydberg-Klein-Rees approach for the 3(1)Σg(+) state of Rb2.

Ro-vibrational term values of the 3(1)Σg (+) state of (85,85)Rb2 and (85,87)Rb2 and resolved fluorescence spectra to the A(1)Σu (+) state are recorded following optical-optical double resonance excitation. The experimental data are heavily perturbed, and as a result, the standard analysis based on Dunham series representation of the energy levels fails. The analysis is done via modeling the adiabatic potential function with the Rydberg-Klein-Rees potential constructed from the generalized smoothing spline interpolation of the vibrational energies Gv and rotational constants Bv.

Can pretreatment serum calcium level predict the efficacy of methotrexate in the treatment of severe plaque psoriasis?

BACKGROUND: The efficacy of methotrexate (MTX) varies in the treatment of psoriasis. OBJECTIVE: We sought to identify an indicator from routine pretreatment tests to predict MTX efficacy in the treatment of psoriasis. METHODS: In a retrospective analysis of 77 psoriatic patients, the correlation between MTX efficacy and pretreatment routine test results was analyzed with Spearman correlation. The potential risks were further evaluated with a linear regression model. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was performed to examine the effectiveness of serum total calcium (tCa) to predict the effect of MTX on psoriasis. The highest Youden index was used to determine the cutoff point, with which the positive and negative predictive values were calculated. Synergistic effects of MTX and calcium on keratinocyte growth and psoriasis-like mouse model were also investigated. RESULTS: The pretreatment tCa level exhibited the closest association with MTX efficacy. The relative psoriasis improvement with tCa was 61.07% (95% confidence interval, 42.85-79.29; P < .001) and better improvements were observed in patients with higher tCa (r = 0.588; P < .002). MTX inhibited keratinocyte growth, which was enhanced synergistically by calcium. In a psoriasis-like mouse model, MTX strongly inhibited epidermis proliferation in the high-calcium group. LIMITATIONS: One limitation of our study is the relatively small sample size. CONCLUSION: Pretreatment tCa level has the highest correlation with MTX efficacy, which might be useful in predicting beneficial treatment results in psoriasis. Larger studies are required to confirm our findings.

Observation and deperturbation of near-dissociation ro-vibrational structure of the Cs2 state 0u(+) (A(1)Σu(+)∼b(3)Π0+u) at the asymptote 6S1/2 + 6P1/2.

New ro-vibrational structures of cold Cs2 in the 0u(+) state near the asymptote 6S1/2 + 6P1/2 are resolved. The variation of the rotational constants shows that the related energy spectra are strongly perturbed. An analysis of new data along with the empirical and theoretical information available from other sources is performed. For this purpose the model of spin-orbit coupling of the Hund's case (a) states A(1)Σu(+)∼b(3)Πu proposed by Bai et al. [Phys. Rev. A 83, 032514 (2011)] is extrapolated to the dissociation limit, and the parameters of the extrapolation are fitted from the near-dissociation experimental data.

New observation and combined analysis of the Cs2 0g(-), 0u(+), and 1g states at the asymptotes 6S1/2 + 6P1/2 and 6S1/2 + 6P3/2.

We report on new observations of the photoassociation spectroscopy of ultracold cesium molecules using a highly sensitive detection technique and a combined analysis with all observed electronic states. The technique is achieved by directly modulating the frequency of the trapping lasers of a magneto-optical trap. New observations of the Cs2 0g(-), 0u(+), and 1g states at the asymptotes 6S1/2 + 6P1/2 and 6S1/2 + 6P3/2 are reported. The spectral range is extended to the red detuning of 112 cm(-1) below the 6S1/2 + 6P3/2 dissociation limit. Dozens of vibrational levels of the ultracold Cs2 0g(-), 0u(+), and 1g states are observed for the first time. The available experimental binding energies of these states are analyzed simultaneously in a framework of the generalized LeRoy-Bernstein theory and the almost degenerate perturbation theory by Marinescu and Dalgarno [Phys. Rev. A: At., Mol., Opt. Phys. 52, 311 (1995)]. The unique atomic-related parameter c3 governing the dispersion forces of all the molecular states is estimated as (10.29 ± 0.05) a.u.

Primary intraorbital inflammatory lumpy lesion: A rare case report.

RATIONALE: Eosinophilic angiocentric fibrosis (EAF) is considered to be a kind of benign IgG4-related disease, and it is more often found in the nasal cavity. We present a pretty rare case of orbital EAF that is unlike any other reported case for this case is an IgG4 negative orbital EAF and successfully treated by the fronto orbitozygomatic approach surgery. PATIENT CONCERNS: This is a 68-year-old man from a rural area of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, went to our hospital for a 2-month history of vision loss with a local hospital orbital computer tomography which showed that there was a lesion in his left orbit. The inspection of the patient revealed that the patient left eye was protruding outward and the left eyelid unable to complete open or close. And his left eyeball movement had difficulty in all directions. Postoperative pathology diagnosed that this was a case of IgG4-negative EAF case. DIAGNOSES: Orbital EAF. INTERVENTIONS: Surgical radical resection and postoperative glucocorticoid therapy. OUTCOMES: After surgery, the left eye vision of this patient increased to 0.6 tested in the standard logarithmic visual acuity chart. And his left eyeball movement dysfunction and eyeball outward protruding get a partially relief. LESSONS: EAF occurring in the orbit is a very rare disease and immunohistochemical results of EAF can be IgG4 negative.

A Biodegradable Nano-Drug Delivery Platform for Co-Delivery of Minocycline and Chitosan to Achieve Efficient and Safe Non-Surgical Periodontitis Therapy.

INTRODUCTION: Mesoporous silica nanoparticles (MSN) are widely used as ideal nanovehicles for the delivery of chemotherapeutic drugs. However, the balance between high anti-periodontitis activity and low biotoxicity has been challenging to maintain in most relevant studies owing to the slow degradation of silica in living organisms. METHOD: In this study, -responsive hydroxyapatite (HAP) was doped into the MSN skeleton, and the chemotherapeutic drug minocycline hydrochloride (MH) was loaded into the pores of MSN, forming a negatively charged drug delivery system. Cationic chitosan (COS) is a biodegradable material with high antibacterial performance and good biosafety. In this study, COS was immobilized on the surface of the drug-loaded particles through stable charge interaction to construct a composite drug delivery system (MH@MSNion@COS). RESULTS: In vitro and cellular experiments demonstrated effective degradation of the nanocarrier system and synchronized controlled release of the drug. Notably, compared with single MH administration, this system, in which MH and COS jointly regulated the expression levels of periodontitis- associated inflammatory factors (TNF-α, IL-6, IL-1ß, and iNOS), better inhibited the progress of periodontitis and induced tissue regeneration without showing significant toxic side effects in cells. CONCLUSION: This system provides a promising strategy for the design of intelligent, efficient, and safe anti-periodontitis drug delivery systems.

Suppressing Halide Segregation via Pyridine-Derivative Isomers Enables Efficient 1.68 eV Bandgap Perovskite Solar Cells.

Light-induced phase segregation is one of the main issues restricting the efficiency and stability of wide-bandgap perovskite solar cells (WBG PSCs). Small organic molecules with abundant functional groups can passivate various defects, and therefore suppress the ionic migration channels for phase segregation. Herein, a series of pyridine-derivative isomers containing amino and carboxyl are applied to modify the perovskite surface. The amino, carboxyl, and N-terminal of pyridine in all of these molecules can interact with undercoordinated Pb2+ through coordination bonds and suppress halide ions migration via hydrogen bonding. Among them, the 5-amino-3-pyridine carboxyl acid (APA-3) treated devices win the champion performance, enabling an efficiency of 22.35% (certified 22.17%) using the 1.68 eV perovskite, which represents one of the highest values for WBG-PSCs. This is believed to be due to the more symmetric spatial distribution of the three functional groups of APA-3, which provides a better passivation effect independent of the molecular arrangement orientation. Therefore, the APA-3 passivated perovskite shows the slightest halide segregation, the lowest defect density, and the least nonradiative recombination. Moreover, the APA-3 passivated device retains 90% of the initial efficiency after 985 h of operation at the maximum power point, representing the robust durability of WBG-PSCs under working conditions.

Efficient and Stable Monolithic Perovskite/Silicon Tandem Solar Cells Enabled by Contact-Resistance-Tunable Indium Tin Oxide Interlayer.

The imperfect charge behavior at the interfaces of perovskite/electron-transport layer (ETL)/transparent conducting oxide (TCO) limits the further performance improvement of perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells. Herein, an indium tin oxide interlayer is deposited between ETL and TCO to address this issue. Specifically, the interlayer is prepared using an all-physical and H2O-free method, electron-beam evaporation, which can avoid any potential damage to the underlying perovskite and ETL layers. Moreover, the interlayer's composition can be readily tuned by changing the evaporator component, enabling authors to regulate the contact resistance and energy-level alignment of the ETL/TCO interface. Consequently, the resultant perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells exhibit an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 30.8% (certified 30.3%). Moreover, the device retains 98% of its initial PCE after continuous operation under ambient conditions for 1078 h, representing one of the most stable and efficient perovskite/silicon tandem solar cells.

Genome-wide CRISPR screens identify ILF3 as a mediator of mTORC1-dependent amino acid sensing.

The mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) is an essential hub that integrates nutrient signals and coordinates metabolism to control cell growth. Amino acid signals are detected by sensor proteins and relayed to the GATOR2 and GATOR1 complexes to control mTORC1 activity. Here we perform genome-wide CRISPR/Cas9 screens, coupled with an assay for mTORC1 activity based on fluorescence-activated cell sorting analysis of pS6, to identify potential regulators of mTORC1-dependent amino acid sensing. We then focus on interleukin enhancer binding factor 3 (ILF3), one of the candidate genes from the screen. ILF3 tethers the GATOR complexes to lysosomes to control mTORC1. Adding a lysosome-targeting sequence to the GATOR2 component WDR24 bypasses the requirement for ILF3 to modulate amino-acid-dependent mTORC1 signalling. ILF3 plays an evolutionarily conserved role in human and mouse cells, and in worms to regulate the mTORC1 pathway, control autophagy activity and modulate the ageing process.

Modelling Impact of High-Rise, High-Density Built Environment on COVID-19 Risks: Empirical Results from a Case Study of Two Chinese Cities.

Characteristics of the urban environment (e.g., building density and road network) can influence the spread and transmission of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) within cities, especially in high-density high-rise built environments. Therefore, it is necessary to identify the key attributes of high-density high-rise built environments to enhance modelling of the spread of COVID-19. To this end, case studies for testing attributes for modelling development were performed in two densely populated Chinese cities with high-rise, high-density built environments (Hong Kong and Shanghai).The investigated urban environmental features included 2D and 3D urban morphological indices (e.g., sky view factor, floor area ratio, frontal area density, height to width ratio, and building coverage ratio), socioeconomic and demographic attributes (e.g., population), and public service points-of-interest (e.g., bus stations and clinics). The modelling effects of 3D urban morphological features on the infection rate are notable in urban communities. As the spatial scale becomes larger, the modelling effect of 2D built environment factors (e.g., building coverage ratio) on the infection rate becomes more notable. The influence of several key factors (e.g., the building coverage ratio and population density) at different scales can be considered when modelling the infection risk in urban communities. The findings of this study clarify how attributes of built environments can be applied to predict the spread of infectious diseases. This knowledge can be used to develop effective planning strategies to prevent and control epidemics and ensure healthy cities.

Parametric modeling and analysis of intake phases for side-ported Wankel rotary engines.

This research presents a novel port parametric modeling technique using three-dimensional computational fluid dynamics for the design and optimization of intake and exhaust phases in side-ported Wankel rotary engines (WREs). Definitions for the port phases encompass parameters such as port start opening, port full opening, port start closing, and port full closing timings. The four port phase control arcs are obtained by translating and rotating the rotor flank to satisfy the high control accuracy. Further, the shape of the port is further smoothed and varied by four auxiliary circular arcs. Moreover, the influence of port full closing timing and the size of auxiliary circular arcs (R1, and R3) on the intake characteristics is studied. The results show that the novel method can flexibly and effectively control the phases and shapes. The early port full closing timing reduces fluid backflow and improves volumetric efficiency (VE) but increases intake loss (IL). The small size of R1 facilitates to increase the VE and reduce IL. A larger or smaller size of R3 is not conducive to reducing IL, and the smaller size of R3 improves the VE. The novel generation method proposed in this paper provides a theoretical basis to optimize the design of various sizes of side-ported WREs and guidance for practical manufacturing.