Surgery and superficial x-ray radiotherapy for keloids of the preauricular and contralateral ear lobe: Case report.

The combined approach of surgical resection along with superficial x-ray radiotherapy emerges as a superior treatment option for individuals with keloids, which hold huge potential for enhancing aesthetic outcomes and preventing keloid recurrence.

Influence of the Tensile Strain on Electron Transport of Ultra-Thin SiC Nanowires.

The influence of nanomechanical tensile behavior on electron transport is especially interesting for ultra-thin SiC nanowires (NWs) with different diameters. Our studies theoretically show that these NWs can hold stable electron transmission in some strain ranges and that stretching can enhance the electron transmission around the Fermi level (EF) at the strains over 0.5 without fracture for a single-atom SiC chain and at the strains not over 0.5 for thicker SiC NWs. For each size of SiC NW, the tensile strain has a tiny effect on the number of device density of states (DDOSs) peaks but can increase the values. Freshly broken SiC NWs also show certain values of DDOSs around EF. The maximum DDOS increases significantly with the diameter, but interestingly, the DDOS at EF shows little difference among the three sizes of devices in the late stage of the stretching. Essentially, high electron transmission is influenced by high DDOSs and delocalized electronic states. Analysis of electron localization functions (ELFs) indicates that appropriate tensile stress can promote continuous electronic distributions to contribute electron transport, while excessively large stretching deformation of SiC NWs would split electronic distributions and consequently hinder the movement of electrons. These results provide strong theoretical support for the use of ultra-thin SiC NWs in nano-sensors for functional and controllable electronic devices.

Extended application of PGT-M strategies for small pathogenic CNVs.

PURPOSE: The preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (PGT-A) platform is not currently available for small copy-number variants (CNVs), especially those < 1 Mb. Through strategies used in PGT for monogenic disease (PGT-M), this study intended to perform PGT for families with small pathogenic CNVs. METHODS: Couples who carried small pathogenic CNVs and underwent PGT at the Reproductive and Genetic Hospital of CITIC-Xiangya (Hunan, China) between November 2019 and April 2023 were included in this study. Haplotype analysis was performed through two platforms (targeted sequencing and whole-genome arrays) to identify the unaffected embryos, which were subjected to transplantation. Prenatal diagnosis using amniotic fluid was performed during 18-20 weeks of pregnancy. RESULTS: PGT was successfully performed for 20 small CNVs (15 microdeletions and 5 microduplications) in 20 families. These CNVs distributed on chromosomes 1, 2, 6, 7, 13, 15, 16, and X with sizes ranging from 57 to 2120 kb. Three haplotyping-based PGT-M strategies were applied. A total of 89 embryos were identified in 25 PGT cycles for the 20 families. The diagnostic yield was 98.9% (88/89). Nineteen transfers were performed for 17 women, resulting in a 78.9% (15/19) clinical pregnancy rate after each transplantation. Of the nine women who had healthy babies, eight accepted prenatal diagnosis and the results showed no related pathogenic CNVs. CONCLUSION: Our results show that the extended haplotyping-based PGT-M strategy application for small pathogenic CNVs compensated for the insufficient resolution of PGT-A. These three PGT-M strategies could be applied to couples with small pathogenic CNVs.

[Analysis of Influencing Factors of Ozone Pollution Difference Between Chengdu and Chongqing in August 2022].

In August 2022, Chengdu and Chongqing showed significant differences in ozone (O3) pollution. Chengdu had O3 pollution days for 20 days, whereas Chongqing had no O3 pollution days. In this study, we analyzed the influencing factors of this difference from the emission level of precursors and meteorological conditions. The results showed that:① the total mixing ratio of 52 VOCs (volatile organic compounds) (including 26 alkanes, 16 aromatics, and 10 alkenes) in Chengdu (18.8×10-9) was 2.8 times that of Chongqing (6.6×10-9), and the total O3 formation potential (OFP) (51.2×10-9) was 2.0 times that of Chongqing (25.0×10-9). The·OH radical loss rate (L·OH) (3.9 s-1) was 1.7 times that of Chongqing (2.3 s-1). The top three OFP in Chengdu were ethylene, m/p-xylene, and isoprene, and those in Chongqing were isoprene, ethylene, and propylene. The contribution rate of alkenes to O3 in Chongqing was 60.7%, whereas the OFP of alkenes and aromatics in Chengdu were 1.6 times and 2.9 times that in Chongqing. In conclusion, the total mixing ratio of VOCs, atmospheric photochemical activity, and O3 formation potential of Chengdu were higher than those of Chongqing. ② Isoprene was ranked first place in L·OH in both Chengdu and Chongqing, indicating that the contribution of biogenic sources to O3 pollution in August was significant. However, the biogenic source emission activity was in response to temperature. From August 14 to 24, the high temperature in Chongqing (38.3℃) decreased biogenic source emission activity, whereas the temperature in Chengdu (34.9℃) increased the biogenic sources emission activity. ③ The horizontal and vertical atmospheric diffusion conditions of Chongqing were better than those of Chengdu, and Chengdu was affected by regional pollution transmission.

Cumulative residual cholesterol predicts the risk of cardiovascular disease in the general population aged 45 years and older.

BACKGROUND: Numerous studies have affirmed a robust correlation between residual cholesterol (RC) and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease (CVD). However, the current body of literature fails to adequately address the link between alterations in RC and the occurrence of CVD. Existing studies have focused mainly on individual RC values. Hence, the primary objective of this study is to elucidate the association between the cumulative RC (Cum-RC) and the morbidity of CVD. METHODS: The changes in RC were categorized into a high-level fast-growth group (Class 1) and a low-level slow-growth group (Class 2) by K-means cluster analysis. To investigate the relationship between combined exposure to multiple lipids and CVD risk, a weighted quantile sum (WQS) regression analysis was employed. This analysis involved the calculation of weights for total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein (LDL), and high-density lipoprotein (HDL), which were used to effectively elucidate the RC. RESULTS: Among the cohort of 5,372 research participants, a considerable proportion of 45.94% consisted of males, with a median age of 58. In the three years of follow-up, 669 participants (12.45%) had CVD. Logistic regression analysis revealed that Class 2 individuals had a significantly reduced risk of developing CVD compared to Class 1. The probability of having CVD increased by 13% for every 1-unit increase in the Cum-RC according to the analysis of continuous variables. The restricted cubic spline (RCS) analysis showed that Cum-RC and CVD risk were linearly related (P for nonlinearity = 0.679). The WQS regression results showed a nonsignificant trend toward an association between the WQS index and CVD incidence but an overall positive trend, with the greatest contribution from TC (weight = 0.652), followed by LDL (weight = 0.348). CONCLUSION: Cum-RC was positively and strongly related to CVD risk, suggesting that in addition to focusing on traditional lipid markers, early intervention in patients with increased RC may further reduce the incidence of CVD.

Aporphine and amide alkaloids from Illigera parviflora.

Three undescribed alkaloids (+)-9-hydroxy-N-acetylnordicentrine (1), illigeparvinine (2), and deca-(2E,4Z)-2,4-dienoic acid 4-hydroxy-2-phenethyl amide (3), along with 19 known analogues (4-22), were isolated from the ethnic medicinal plant Illigera parviflora. Their structures were established using NMR, MS, and other spectroscopic analyses as well as X-ray diffraction. Moderate inhibition of human gastric carcinoma (MGC-803) and breast adenocarcinoma (T-47D) cell lines proliferation was observed for actinodaphnine (4) with IC50 values of 28.74 and 11.65 µM, respectively. These findings contribute new anticancer potential compounds and expand the chemical diversity known from the valuable traditional medicinal plant I. parviflora.

Prospective, multi-center post-marketing surveillance cohort study to monitor the safety of the human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccine in Chinese girls and women aged 9 to 45 years, 2018-2020.

Following the approval of Cervarix for the immunization of girls and women in China against high-risk human papillomavirus types 16 and 18, a non-interventional post-authorization safety study was performed. A multi-center prospective cohort study assessed safety following Cervarix vaccination of Chinese girls and women aged 9-45 years between 31 May 2018 and 3 December 2020. Adverse events following immunization (AEFIs), potential immune-mediated diseases (pIMDs), and pregnancy-related outcomes were collected up to 12 months from the third immunization or 24 months from the first immunization, whichever came first. Among 3,013 women who received 8,839 Cervarix doses, 167 (5.5%) reported ≥ 1 any AEFI, and 22 (0.7%) reported 40 serious AEFIs. During the 30 days after each dose, 147 women (4.9%) reported 211 medically attended AEFIs, including 3 serious AEFIs reported by 1 woman (0.03%). One woman reported a pIMD. Cervarix was inadvertently administered to 65 women (2.2%) within 60 days before conception or during pregnancy. Of these women, 34 (52.3%) gave birth to live infant(s) with no apparent congenital anomalies, and 1 (1.5%) woman gave birth to a live infant with a congenital anomaly. No serious AEFIs or pIMDs were considered to be related to the vaccination. In Chinese women aged 9-45 years, immunization with the Cervarix three-dose schedule was well tolerated. Overall, no safety concerns were identified, although rare adverse events may have been missed due to the study sample size.Clinical trial registration: NCT03438006.

Infection with high-risk human papillomavirus is a prerequisite for cervical cancerCervarix is a human papillomavirus-16/18 AS04-adjuvanted vaccineMulti-centre prospective cohort study to monitor safety of Cervarix immunisationSafety was monitored in 3,013 girls/women aged 9­45 years in China (8,839 doses)Cervarix was well tolerated, and no safety concerns were identified.

Association between dietary omega-3 intake and coronary heart disease among American adults: The NHANES, 1999-2018.

BACKGROUND: Omega-3 has been extensively studied for its cardiovascular disease (CVD) benefits. However, the results of this evidence are inconsistent. Therefore, in this study, dietary omega-3 intake was investigated further in relation to coronary heart disease (CHD) risk among U.S. adults. METHODS: We used data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) database for people ages 20 years and older between 1999 and 2018 to conduct a cross-sectional survey. The Medical Condition Questionnaire (MCQ) was used to determine CHD status. We measured dietary omega-3 intake using two 24-hour dietary recall interviews. Multivariate logistic regression and subgroup analysis were used to explore the correlation between dietary omega-3 intake and CHD. The dose-response relationship between the two was analyzed with a restricted cubic spline (RCS). RESULTS: 31,184 study subjects were included, of whom 1,604 (5.14%) were patients with CHD. By quintile (Q) of dietary omega-3 intake, after adjusting for all confounding factors, compared with Q1, when total dietary omega-3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), docosapentaenoic acid (DPA), eicosatetraenoic acid (ETA), eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA), and docosahexenoic acid (DHA) intake reached Q5, the odds ratio (95% confidence interval, CI) of CHD were 0.76 (0.60, 0.96), 0.73 (0.57, 0.94), 0.70 (0.54, 0.92), 0.66 (0.50, 0.85), 0.84 (0.69, 1.02), and 0.83 (0.64, 1.07), respectively, while EPA and DHA were not significantly associated with the disease (Trend p > 0.05). Intake of omega-3 and CHD were linearly related (P for nonlinear = 0.603). No significant interactions were found within subgroups except for the age group (P for interaction = 0.001). Sensitivity analysis and multivariate logistic regression results are generally in agreement. CONCLUSIONS: Total dietary omega-3, ALA, DPA, and ETA intake were negatively associated with CHD risk. In contrast, EPA and DHA had no significant correlation with CHD.

Comparison of different intervention methods to reduce the incidence of venous thromboembolism: study protocol for a cluster-randomized, crossover trial.

BACKGROUND: Venous thromboembolism (VTE) remains a priority challenge among orthopedic trauma patients. It is crucial to further improve the prophylaxis against VTE in routine orthopedic treatment. This study aims to compare the efficacy of two low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) regimens and additional intermittent pneumatic compression in preventing VTE among orthopedic trauma patients. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a cluster-randomized crossover clinical study conducted in four hospitals in Shanghai from December 2019 to December 2023. The unit of randomization is orthopedic wards, and each ward will define a cluster. All clusters will implement four diverse intervention measures and one control measure in a given random sequence. Perioperative orthopedic trauma patients aged ≥ 18 years with stable vital signs, Caprini score > 2, and no contraindication of anticoagulation or intermittent pneumatic compression (IPC) devices will be eligible. The sample size will be determined to be 2590, considering cluster effect, period effect, and interactions. We will generally use the intention-to-treat (ITT) at the subject level for each outcome. For the primary outcome of the study, the incidence of VTE will be presented as risk ratio and 95% CIs. Generalized estimating equation (GEE) will be deployed to compare differences and adjust cluster effect, period effect, and interaction among interventions and periods if applicable. DISCUSSION: VTE is a complication that cannot be underestimated after major orthopedic surgery. Early identification, early assessment, and early prevention can significantly reduce the incidence of VTE. Most guidelines recommend both medical and physical prevention, and we hope to demonstrate how they would affect the incidence among perioperative orthopedic patients. We want to explore if there is a difference between the two types of LWMH with or without an IPC device to provide more evidence for future guidelines and prevent more patients from the threat of VTE. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: The study received approval from the IRB of the coordinating center and all participating hospitals. Findings will be disseminated through peer-reviewed publications and conference presentations. TRIAL REGISTRATION: ChiCTR1900027659. Registered on 17 November 2019.

Phase Interrogation Sensor Based on All-Dielectric BIC Metasurface.

The low performance of sensors based on an all-dielectric metasurface limits their application compared to metallic counterparts. Here, for the first time, an all-dielectric BIC (bound states in the continuum) metasurface is employed for highly sensitive phase interrogation refractive index sensing. The proposed sensor is well analyzed, fabricated, and characterized. Experimentally, a high-performance BIC-based microfluidic sensing chip with a Q factor of 1200 is achieved by introducing symmetry breaking. A refractive index sensor with high figure of merit of 418 RIU-1 is demonstrated, which is beneficial to the phase interrogation. Notably, we measure a record phase interrogation sensitivity of 2.7 × 104 deg/RIU to the refractive index, thus enabling the all-dielectric BIC to rival the refractive index detection capabilities of metal-based sensors such as surface plasmon resonance. This scheme establishes a pivotal role of the all-dielectric metasurface in the field of ultrahigh sensitivity sensors and opens possibilities for trace detection in biochemical analysis and environment monitoring.

Polished hollow core Bragg fiber sensor for simultaneous measurement of cortisol concentration and temperature.

Disturbance of surrounding temperature inevitably affects the accuracy of fiber biosensors. To that end, we propose a compact label-free optofluidic sensor based on a polished hollow core Bragg fiber (HCBF) that can simultaneously measure the cortisol concentration and surrounding temperature in real-time. The sensor is comprised of fusion splicing single mode fiber (SMF), multimode fiber (MMF) and HCBF. HCBF is side polished to remove part of the cladding that the suspended inner surface of the fiber can contact the external environment. After the incident light passes through the MMF from the SMF, it enters the hollow area, high refractive index (RI) layers, respectively, where the anti-resonant reflecting optical waveguide (ARROW) guiding mechanism and Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) are simultaneously excited. Taking advantage of the high RI layers of HCBF, compared to the fiber with uniform cladding, the light can be more confined in the cladding and more sensitive to inner surface medium. The inner surface of sensor is immobilized with cortisol aptamer for the sake of achieving high sensitivity and specific sensing of cortisol with the limit of detection (LOD) to be 4.303 pM. The proposed sensor has a compact structure, enables temperature compensation, and can be fabricated at low cost making it highly suitable for in-situ monitoring and high-precision sensing of cortisol and other biological analytes.

Triglyceride glucose index as a predictor of mortality in middle-aged and elderly patients with type 2 diabetes in the US.

Despite a wealth of research linking the triglyceride glucose index (TyG index) to metabolic diseases. However, little evidence links the TyG index to all-cause or CVD mortality in middle-aged and elderly individuals with type 2 diabetes (T2D). This study analyzed data from 2998 patients with T2D who participated in the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) between 1999 and 2018. The TyG index and mortality in middle-aged and elderly T2D patients were investigated using Cox regression models. The nonlinear association between the TyG index and mortality can be understood with the help of a restricted cubic spline (RCS). During a median follow-up period of 82 months, 883 fatalities were observed from all causes and 265 from CVD. The TyG index was found to have a U-shaped relationship with all-cause and CVD mortality in T2D, with cutoffs of 8.95 and 9, respectively, according to the RCS. After controlling for other factors, an increase of 1 unit in the TyG index was related to an increase of 33% in all-cause mortality and 50% in CVD mortality when TyG was ≥ 8.95 and 9. When TyG < 8.95 and 9, with the change in the TyG index, the change in all-cause and CVD death was insignificant. Patients with T2D who are middle-aged or older, especially elderly patients, have higher TyG levels associated with increased mortality. In middle-aged and elderly patients with T2D, the TyG index may predict the probability of death from any cause and death from CVD.

Multilevel synergically controlling wavefront correction of a high-power slab laser system.

We present a multilevel synergically controlling wavefront correction method that can apply in a slab laser system. To fully utilize the response frequency and the stroke of actuators of the single deformable mirror (DM), we design a set of multilevel wavefront correction devices to reduce the root-mean square of wavefront aberration before the DM. As the wavefront of slab geometry solid-state lasers mainly consists of fourth and longitudinally distributed aberration, such as 5th, 9th, and 14th orders of Legendre polynomials. We design a precompensating level of the aberration with a slow-drift mirror, fast-steer mirror, one-dimensional adjustable slab-aberration compensator, and beam-shaping system to reduce these orders of wavefront aberration with low spatial resolution and large stroke. As the controlling bandwidth of different devices is diverse, the coupling oscillation between the precompensating level and adaptive optics (AO) level occurs, then we develop the multilevel synergically control to address the coupling. With the precompensating level, the experimental result shows the residual wavefront aberration of the slab laser is compensated well by the AO level effectively within the compensating capability. We clean up a 9.8 kW slab laser system with the beam quality ß of far-field focus spots improved from 17.71 to 2.24 times the diffraction limit.

The effect of aerobic exercise on oxidative stress in patients with chronic kidney disease: a systematic review and meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis.

PURPOSE: The purpose of this study was to investigate how aerobic exercise affects oxidative stress (OS) in patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). METHODS: Retrieval dates range from the date the database was established to 19 July 2023, without languages being restricted. A meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted using RevMan 5.3 and Stata 16.0. RESULTS: The meta-analysis showed that, compared to usual activity or no exercise, aerobic exercise significantly reduced the oxidative markers malondialdehyde (MDA) (mean differences (MD) - 0.96 (95% CI -1.33, - 0.59); p < 0.00001), advanced oxidation protein product (AOPP) (MD - 3.49 (95% CI - 5.05, - 1.93); p < 0.00001), F2-isoprostanes (F2-iso) (MD - 11.02 (95% CI - 17.79, - 4.25); p = 0.001). Aerobic exercise also increased the antioxidant marker superoxide dismutase (SOD) in CKD patients (standardized mean differences (SMD) 1.30 (95% CI 0.56, 2.04); p = 0.0005). Subgroup analysis showed a significant increase in glutathione peroxidase (GPX) in patients aged ≥60 years (SMD 2.11 (95% CI 1.69, 2.54); p < 0.00001). The change in total antioxidant capacity (TAC) after aerobic exercise was insignificant in patients with CKD. The trial sequential analysis supported aerobic exercise's effectiveness in improving MDA, SOD, AOPP, and F2-iso in patients with CKD. CONCLUSION: The results of this review suggest that aerobic exercise improves OS indicators (MDA, SOD, AOPP, and F2-iso) in CKD patients compared to conventional treatment or no exercise and that the effects on GPX and TAC indicators need further confirmation. For better validation of benefits and exploration of the best aerobic exercise regimen to improve OS status with CKD, further studies with high methodological quality and large sample sizes are needed.

Association between a high triglyceride-glucose index and chronic kidney disease in adult patients with latent autoimmune diabetes.

BACKGROUND: Insulin resistance (IR) is one of the risk factors for chronic kidney disease (CKD) and diabetes. The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index is considered a reliable alternative marker of IR. We investigated the correlation between the TyG index and the severity of CKD in patients with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). METHODS: This cross-sectional study included 288 patients with LADA in the department of endocrinology at our hospital between January 2018 and January 2022. The TyG index was calculated as Ln [TG (mg/dl) × fasting blood glucose (FBG) (mg/dl) / 2]. All individuals were divided into either a LADA + CKD group or a LADA + non-CKD group according to the presence or absence of CKD. A correlation analysis, logistic regression analysis and receiver operating characteristics curve analysis were performed. RESULTS: A total of 130 (45.1%) participants were identified as having CKD. Compared with the non-CKD group, the CKD group had a longer disease duration and a higher proportion of smokers; patients were more likely to have hypertension and higher serum creatinine, triglyceride, cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, FBG, uric acid estimated glomerular filtration rates (eGFR) and TyG levels as well as lower high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels (all P < 0.05). The positive relationship between the TyG index and the urinary albumin/creatinine ratio was significant (r = 0.249, P = 0.010). There was also a significant correlation between the TyG index and the eGFR (r = - 0.211, P = 0.034) after adjusting for confounding factors. The area-under-the-curve value of the TyG index was 0.708 (95% confidence interval: 0.61-0.81, P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: The TyG index is significantly associated with the severity of CKD in patients with LADA. This conclusion supports the clinical application of the TyG index for the assessment of kidney disease in patients with LADA.

The relationship between red blood cell distribution width and islet ß-cell function indexes in patients with latent autoimmune diabetes in adults.

AIMS: The objective of this study is to explore the relationship between red blood cell distribution and islet ß-cell function indexes in patients with Latent Autoimmune Diabetes in Adults. METHODS: A total of 487 LADA patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Patients were divided into three groups according to RDW tertiles. Clinical and laboratory measurements of age, height, weight, duration of diabetes, blood pressure, RDW, glycosylated hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c), C-peptide and blood lipids were performed. Homeostasis model assessment of insulin resistance (HOMA-IR) and homeostasis model assessment of ß-cell function (HOMA-ß) were assessed using homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) based on fasting blood glucose (FBG) and fasting C-peptide index (FCP). Correlations and multiple linear regressions were implemented to determine the association of RDW and islet function indexes. RESULTS: As the increase of serum RDW level, the presence of ß-cell secretion increased(P < 0.05). Correlation analysis indicated that there were significant correlations between RDW and male sex, age, duration, TG, Cr, FCP, and HOMA-ß in all subjects. Multiple linear regressions indicated that RDW was significantly correlated with HOMA-ß in the total population in both unadjusted and adjusted analysis. This finding could be reproduced in the subgroup of low GAD titers for HOMA-ß. RDW were significantly associated with HbA1c in LADA patients with high GAD titers, but the correlation was not found in subgroup with low GAD titers in either unadjusted analyses or adjusted analysis. CONCLUSIONS: RDW is associated with ß-cell function assessed by HOMA-ß after adjusting for covariates in LADA patients with low GAD titers.

Relationship between health information literacy and health promoting lifestyle among first-degree relatives of patients with colorectal cancer in China: the mediating effect of health belief.

Background: History of first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer is one of the most important and common risk factors for colorectal cancer in China. Most chronic diseases, such as malignancies, are preventable by adopting health-promoting behaviors and other approaches. However, the relationships among factors affecting the health-promoting lifestyles of first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer have not been sufficiently studied. This study aimed to test the mediation effects of Health belief in the relationship between health-promoting lifestyle and health information literacy among first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer. Methods: A cross-sectional descriptive design was conducted using convenience sampling of 856 first-degree relatives of CRC patients attending three tertiary care hospitals in Nanchong and Deyang of China from December 2020 to December 2022. Questionnaires were used to collect data on the participants' demographic information, the colorectal cancer health beliefs, the health promotion lifestyle, and the health information literacy. Data were analyzed with descriptive statistics, one-way ANOVA, Pearson's correlation coefficients, and mediation analysis using SPSS 25.0 program and its macro-program PROCESS. Results: The findings indicated health information literacy was less, health belief was at the medium level, and performance of health promotion behavior was average for first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer. Whereas first-degree relatives of colorectal cancer health-promotion lifestyle had a positive correlation with health beliefs (r = 0.376, p < 0.01) and health information literacy (r = 0.533, p < 0.01), health beliefs had a positive correlation with health information literacy (r = 0.337, p < 0.01). Health beliefs mediated the positive effect of health information literacy on health-promoting lifestyles (ß =0.420, 95% CI, 0.288-0.581), and indirect effects accounted for 14.0% of the total effect. Conclusion: Health information literacy and health beliefs are key factors associated with a health-promoting lifestyle among first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer. These factors have direct and indirect effects on each other and on health-promoting lifestyles. To enhance health-promoting lifestyles among first-degree relatives with colorectal cancer, interventions that strengthen health beliefs and provide health information literacy should be developed.

Fretting corrosion behavior of Ti6Al4V alloy against zirconia-toughened alumina ceramic in simulated body fluid.

The fretting corrosion at the head-neck interface of artificial hip joints is an important reason for the failure of prostheses. The Ti6Al4V alloy-zirconia-toughened alumina (ZTA) ceramic combination has been widely used to make the head and neck of artificial hip joints. In this study, its fretting corrosion behavior in simulated body fluid was studied by electrochemical monitoring, surface morphology characterization, and chemical composition analysis. A running condition fretting map (RCFM) of load and displacement was established, including three regimes, namely partial slip regime (PSR), mixed fretting regime (MFR), and gross slip regime (GSR). The friction dissipation energy increased gradually from the PSR to MFR and GSR. In the PSR, the damage mechanisms were slight abrasive wear and tribocorrosion at the edge of contact area, as well as extremely slight adhesive wear at the center. In the MFR, the damage mechanisms were mainly adhesive wear, abrasive wear, and corrosive wear. In the GSR, the damage mechanism was serious abrasive wear, fatigue wear, and corrosive wear combined with slight adhesive wear. Finally, an ion-concentration map was created, displaying the material-loss transition of different displacements and loads. The material loss increased with the increased displacement, and increased first and then decreased with the increased load.

Inverted perovskite solar cells using dimethylacridine-based dopants.

Doping of perovskite semiconductors1 and passivation of their grain boundaries2 remain challenging but essential for advancing high-efficiency perovskite solar cells. Particularly, it is crucial to build perovskite/indium tin oxide (ITO) Schottky contact based inverted devices without predepositing a layer of hole-transport material3-5. Here we report a dimethylacridine-based molecular doping process used to construct a well-matched p-perovskite/ITO contact, along with all-round passivation of grain boundaries, achieving a certified power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 25.39%. The molecules are shown to be extruded from the precursor solution to the grain boundaries and the bottom of the film surface in the chlorobenzene-quenched crystallization process, which we call a molecule-extrusion process. The core coordination complex between the deprotonated phosphonic acid group of the molecule and lead polyiodide of perovskite is responsible for both mechanical absorption and electronic charge transfer, and leads to p-type doping of the perovskite film. We created an efficient device with a PCE of 25.86% (reverse scan) and that maintained 96.6% of initial PCE after 1,000 h of light soaking.

CRISPR/Cas13a-triggered Cas12a biosensing method for ultrasensitive and specific miRNA detection.

Constructing an ultrasensitive CRISPR/Cas-based biosensing strategy is highly significant for the detection of trace targets. Here we presented a dual-amplified biosensing method based on CRISPR/Cas13a-triggered Cas12a, namely, Cas13a-12a amplification. As proof-of-principle, the developed strategy was used for miRNA-155 detection. The target bound to the Cas13a-crRNA complex and activated the cleavage activity of Cas13a for cleaving uracil ribonucleotides (rU) in the bulge structure of blocker strand (BS), resulting in the release of primer strand (PS) from the BS modified on magnetic beads. Then, the released PS activated the cleavage activity of Cas12a to cleave single-strand DNA reporter probes, producing a significantly increased fluorescent signal. The detection limit of the Cas13a-12a amplification using synthetic miRNA-155 was as low as 0.35 fM, which was much lower than that of the only Cas13a-based assay. The applied performance of this amplification strategy was verified by accurately quantifying miRNA-155 expression levels in different cancer patients. Therefore, the developed strategy offers a supersensitive and highly specific miRNAs sensing platform for clinical application.