Acute Pancreatitis in Pregnancy: A Propensity Score Matching Analysis and Dynamic Nomogram for Risk Assessment.

BACKGROUND: Acute pancreatitis is easily confused with abdominal pain symptoms, and it could lead to serious complications for pregnant women and fetus, the mortality was as high as 3.3% and 11.6-18.7%, respectively. However, there is still lack of sensitive laboratory markers for early diagnosis of APIP and authoritative guidelines to guide treatment. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to explore the risk factors of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy, establish, and evaluate the dynamic prediction model of risk factors in acute pancreatitis in pregnancy patients. STUDY DESIGN: Clinical data of APIP patients and non-pregnant acute pancreases patients who underwent regular antenatal check-ups during the same period were collected. The dataset after propensity matching was randomly divided into training set and verification set at a ratio of 7:3. The model was constructed using Logistic regression, least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression, R language and other methods. The training set model was used to construct the diagnostic nomogram model and the validation set was used to validate the model. Finally, the accuracy and clinical practicability of the model were evaluated. RESULTS: A total of 111 APIP were included. In all APIP patients, hyperlipidemic pancreatitis was the most important reason. The levels of serum amylase, creatinine, albumin, triglyceride, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, and apolipoprotein A1 were significantly different between the two groups. The propensity matching method was used to match pregnant pancreatitis patients and pregnant non-pancreatic patients 1:1 according to age and gestational age, and the matching tolerance was 0.02. The multivariate logistic regression analysis of training set showed that diabetes, triglyceride, Body Mass Index, white blood cell, and C-reactive protein were identified and entered the dynamic nomogram. The area under the ROC curve of the training set was 0.942 and in validation set was 0.842. The calibration curve showed good predictive in training set, and the calibration performance in the validation set was acceptable. The calibration curve showed the consistency between the nomogram model and the actual probability. CONCLUSION: The dynamic nomogram model we constructed to predict the risk factors of acute pancreatitis in pregnancy has high accuracy, discrimination, and clinical practicability.

Refined Sound Therapy in Combination with Cognitive Behavioural Therapy to Treat Tinnitus: A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: Post-auricular injection of lidocaine and methylprednisolone sodium succinate is a commonly used treatment for outpatient patients with tinnitus, but it is invasive, painful and has uncertain efficacy. We need to try to replace it with more non-invasive and effective treatments. The 2014 guidelines of the American Academy of Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery recommend the use of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) to treat tinnitus. Some clinical doctors have also attempted sound therapy for tinnitus. It is unclear whether sound therapy combined with CBT y is more effective than local injection of lidocaine and methylprednisolone sodium succinate in treating tinnitus. Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and influencing factors of refined sound therapy combined with CBT in the treatment of tinnitus and compare it with post-auricular injection of lidocaine and methylprednisolone sodium succinate. Methods: We recruited 100 patients with tinnitus; ultimately, 81 patients completed the experiment and underwent follow-up. Patients were randomly assigned to either the treatment group (refined sound therapy combined with CBT) or the control group (post-auricular injections of lidocaine and methylprednisolone sodium succinate). Data was collected from 49 patients in the treatment group and 32 patients in the control group. Pre- and post-treatment data were collected using the Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale (HAM-A), Visual Analogue Score (VAS), Tinnitus loudness and Tinnitus Handicap Inventory (THI) score. Comparisons between groups were performed using the chi-square test, Fisher's exact test, or Wilcoxon rank-sum test. All tests were two-sided and considered statistically significant with P < .05. Results: The THI, SDS and HAM-A scores in the treatment group decreased significantly. In the control group, there was a significant reduction in THI scores, but not in SDS and HAM-A scores. In addition, tinnitus loudness and VAS scores were significantly decreased in the 2 groups. There was a significant difference in the reduction of THI, SDS, HAM-A and VAS scores between the 2 groups; the treatment group showed a greater reduction. However, there was no significant difference in the reduction of tinnitus loudness. There was no statistical difference in the reduction of THI scores, SDS scores, VAS scores and tinnitus loudness in different frequency groups, but there was a statistical difference in the reduction of HAM-A scores. There was no statistical difference in the reduction of THI scores, SDS scores, HAM-A scores, VAS scores and tinnitus loudness between patients with and without hearing loss. Conclusions: (1) This new combination is more effective than post-auricular injection of lidocaine and methylprednisolone sodium succinate in treating tinnitus and improving psychological symptoms. The latter had no effect on improving psychological indicators. (2) With this combination, patients with different tinnitus frequencies experienced different improvements in anxiety. (3) Low-frequency tinnitus seems have been more likely to cause sound adaptation. (4) The improvement in tinnitus and anxiety was the same regardless of whether or not there was hearing loss.

Prognosis and influencing factors of follicular thyroid cancer.

OBJECTIVES: Follicular thyroid cancer (FTC) is prone to distant metastasis, and patients with distant metastasis often have poor prognosis. In this study, the impact of metastasis and other relevant factors on the prognosis of follicular thyroid carcinoma was examined. METHODS: This was a retrospective study. Data were obtained from Zhejiang Cancer Hospital, Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center and Hangzhou First People's Hospital affiliated with Zhejiang University School of Medicine, from January 2009 to June 2021 for 153 FTC patients. The patients were assigned into three groups according to their distant metastasis: distant metastasis at initial diagnosis (M1), distant metastasis during follow-up (M2), and no evidence of distant metastasis over the course of the study (M0). Data were collected and summarized on clinical data, laboratory parameters, imaging features, postoperative pathologic subtypes, and metastases. The Cox proportional hazard model was used to perform the univariate and multivariate analysis. Kaplan-Meier curves were used to evaluate cancer-specific survival (CSS). RESULTS: Based on metastasis, the patients were assigned into three groups, including 31 in the M1 group, 15 in the M2 group, and 107 in the M0 group. These individuals were followed up for an average of 5.9 years, and the group included 46 patients with distant metastasis (31 confirmed at diagnosis and 15 found during follow-up). Univariate Cox regression analysis showed that age, Hashimoto's thyroiditis (HT), surgery method, postoperative adjuvant therapy, histologic subtype, nodule size, calcification, TSH, and distant metastasis all impacted prognosis. Multivariate Cox regression analysis suggested that histologic subtype (widely invasive; HR: 7.440; 95% CI: 3.083, 17.954; p < 0.001), nodule size (≥40 mm; HR: 8.622; 95% CI: 3.181, 23.369; p < 0.001) and distant metastasis (positive; HR: 6.727; 95% CI: 2.488, 18.186; p < 0.001) were independent risk factors affecting the prognosis of follicular thyroid cancer. CONCLUSIONS: Histologic subtype, nodule size, and distant metastasis are important risk factors for the prognosis of follicular thyroid cancer. Patients with metastatic follicular thyroid cancer have a poor prognosis, especially with metastasis at the time of initial diagnosis. As a result, this group of patients requires individualized treatment and closer follow-up.

Nonstoichiometric Scandium Oxide Hybridized in N-Doped Porous Graphitic Carbon Promotes the Rate Capability of Lithium-Sulfur Batteries.

Nonstoichiometric compounds are widely used in contemporary energy technologies due to their high surface polarity, tailored electronic structure, high electrical conductivity, and other enhanced properties. However, the preparation of such nonstoichiometric compounds can be complicated and, in some cases, uncontrollable and dangerous. Here, we report a "one-pot" strategy for synthesizing N-doped porous graphitic carbon that is hybridized with nonstoichiometric scandium oxide (denoted as ScO0.95@N-PGC) and show that the composite significantly promotes sulfur cathode kinetics in lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries. The synthesis of the ScO0.95@N-PGC composite entails heating a porous dry gel that consists of a C source (glucose), a N source (dicyandiamide), and a Sc source (Sc(NO3)3·H2O). Thermally decomposing the dicyandiamide creates a highly reductive atmosphere that simultaneously affords the hypoxic state of the ScO0.95 and dopes the carbon matrix with nitrogen. Density functional theory reveals the presence of oxygen vacancies that enable the ScO0.95 crystals to function as excellent electrical conductors, exhibit enhanced adsorption toward polysulfides, and accelerate the cathode reactions by lowering the corresponding activation energies. Moreover, Li-S cells prepared from the ScO0.95@N-PGC composite display a high specific capacity (1046 mA h g-1 at 0.5 C), an outstanding cycling stability (641 mA h g-1 after 1000 charge-discharge cycles at 0.5 C, a capacity decay of 0.038% per cycle), and a particularly outstanding rate capability (438 mA h g-1 at 8 C). The methodology described establishes a sustainable approach for synthesizing nonstoichiometric compounds while broadening their potential utility in a broad range of energy technologies.

Theoretical investigation on the functional group modulation of UV-Vis absorption profiles of triphenylamine derivatives.

Understanding the functional group modulation of electronic structure and excitation is pivotal to the design of organic small molecules (OSMs) for photoelectric applications. In this study, we employed density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent DFT (TDDFT) calculations to explore the unique absorption character of four triphenylamine photosensitizers. The various conformations were investigated given the multiple single bonds in the compounds, and the resemblance in the electronic structure of different conformations is affirmed because the coplanarity and consequent long-range conjugation is maintained regardless of the orientation of the flexible blocks. Six functionals were evaluated, and MN15 was found to successfully reproduce the intense secondary absorption peak for the double 3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene (EDOT) modified sensitizer over B3LYP, PBE0, M062X, CAM-B3LYP, and ωB97XD. The introduction of EDOT gives rise to a new excited state S4, which is a local excitation constrained in the EDOT substituent triphenylamine block. This new excited state S4, in combination with inherent S2 and S3 derived from prototype molecule TPA-Pyc, jointly contributes to the hump of the secondary absorption peak of ETE-Pyc and finally affects the light-harvesting ability of the dye-sensitized TiO2 photoanode. The current findings provide guidance toward the rational design of OSMs with good light-harvest ability.

Analysis of the effects of stent-induced deformation on the hemodynamics of MCA aneurysms.

The use of a stent to coil an aneurysm can alter the position of the main blood vessel and affect blood flow within the sac. This study thoroughly examines the impact of stent-induced changes on the risk of MCA aneurysm rupture. The research aims to assess the effects of coiling and vessel deformation on blood flow dynamics by comparing the OSI, WSS, and blood structure of two distinct MCA aneurysms to identify high-risk areas for hemorrhage. Computational fluid dynamics is used to model blood flow. The results indicate that aneurysm deformation does not always decrease the risk of rupture, and coiling is more effective in occluding blood flow than aneurysm deformation.

Effect of OH scavengers on the chemical composition of α-pinene secondary organic aerosol.

OH scavengers are extensively used in studies of secondary organic aerosol (SOA) because they create an idealized environment where only a single oxidation pathway is occurring. Here, we present a detailed molecular characterization of SOA produced from α-pinene + O3 with a variety of OH scavengers using the extractive electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometer in our atmospheric simulation chamber, which is complemented by characterizing the gas phase composition in flow reactor experiments. Under our experimental conditions, radical chemistry largely controls the composition of SOA. Besides playing their desired role in suppressing the reaction of α-pinene with OH, OH scavengers alter the reaction pathways of radicals produced from α-pinene + O3. This involves changing the HO2 : RO2 ratio, the identity of the RO2 radicals present, and the RO2 major sinks. As a result, the use of the OH scavengers has significant effects on the composition of SOA, including inclusions of scavenger molecules in SOA, the promotion of fragmentation reactions, and depletion of dimers formed via α-pinene RO2-RO2 reactions. To date fragmentation reactions and inclusion of OH scavenger products into secondary organic aerosol have not been reported in atmospheric simulation chamber studies. Therefore, care should be considered if and when to use an OH scavenger during experiments.

[Mechanism of miRNA-3679 Inhibiting Downstream ZADH2-Target Genes to Promote Hepatocellular Carcinoma Cell Proliferation].

Objective: To examine the relationship between miRNA-3679 and hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) cell lines, and to verify the downstream target genes of miRNA-3679. Methods: PCR was used to determine the expression of miRNA-3679 in liver cancer cell lines, and databases, including ENCORI, miRDB and TargetScan, were used to predict the downstream target genes of miRNA-3679. qPCR of the normal control group (or NC group), miR-3679 inhibitor group and transfection negative control group (or inhibitor NC group) was done to determine the transfection efficiency of the target gene, thereby identifying zinc-binding alcohol dehydrogenase domain containing 2 (ZADH2) as the target gene. Western blot was used to determine the ZADH2 protein expression after miRNA-3679 inhibitor transfection. 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU) staining was done to determine the effect of transfection of miRNA-3679 inhibitor and simultaneous transfection of miRNA-3679 and ZADH2 inhibitors on cell proliferation. Clone formation assay was done to determine the ability of cell clone formation. Flow cytometry was done to examine cell apoptosis. Results: The expression level of miRNA-3679 in HCC cell lines was higher than that in normal human liver cell lines (P<0.05). Through screening conducted with the databases, six genes, including GLUD1, B3GAT1, SLC46A3, MAP2K3, ATF5, and ZADH2, were found to be down-regulated in HCC. qPCR showed that ZADH2 expression increased significantly after transfection with miRNA-3679 inhibitor (P<0.01) and luciferase activity increased after transfection with miR-3679 inhibitor (P<0.01). Western blot results showed that ZADH2 protein expression of the miR-3679 inhibitor group was higher than that of the NC group (P<0.01). EdU analysis showed that the number of positive cells in the miRNA-3679 inhibitor group was lower than that in the NC group and the Inhibitor NC group (P<0.05). The clone count of the miR-3679 inhibitor+si-ZADH2 group was significantly higher than that of the miR-3679 inhibitor group (P<0.01). Flow cytometry showed that the number of apoptotic cells of the miR-3679 inhibitor+si-ZADH2 group was significantly lower than that of the miR-3679 inhibitor group (P<0.01). Conclusion: miRNA-3679 is significantly highly expressed in HCC cells and miRNA-3679 can directly interact with ZADH2 gene and affect its expression. Moreover, miRNA-3679 promotes the proliferation of HCC cells and inhibits their apoptosis by suppressing ZADH2.

Effects of Coated Sodium Butyrate and Polysaccharides From Cordyceps cicadae on Intestinal Tissue Morphology and Ileal Microbiome of Squabs.

This experiment was conducted to investigate the effects of dietary supplementation with different levels of coated sodium butyrate (CSB) and polysaccharides extracted from Cordyceps cicadae (CCP) on growth performance, intestinal tissue morphology and ileum microbiome in squabs. A total of 420 1-day-old squabs were randomly divided into seven groups with 5 replicates each and 12 squabs per replicate. The squabs were fed basal diet (control group) and basal diet supplemented with different levels of CSB (275, 550, and 1,100 mg/kg, groups CSB-275, CSB-550, CSB-1100) and CCP (27.5, 55, and 110 mg/kg, groups CCP-27.5, CCP-55, and CCP-110), respectively. The experiment was conducted for 28 days. The results revealed that the final BW and average daily gain concentration were higher (P < 0.05) in squabs of CSB-275 and CCP-110 groups than those in the CON group. Comparing with control group, the squabs in the groups CSB-275, CSB-550, and CCP-55 obtained higher villus height/crypt depth (VH/CD) of the duodenum and higher VH of the jejunum (P < 0.05). Operational taxonomic units in the groups CSB-550 and CCP-27.5 were also increased (P < 0.05). Regarding the relative abundance of flora, the Actinobacteria abundance in the groups CSB-550, CSB-1100, and CCP-55 were higher than in control group (P < 0.05), and the Aeriscardovia abundance of CSB-275, CSB-550, CSB-1100, and CCP-110 were elevated (P < 0.05). However, the Enterococcus abundance in CSB-275, CSB-550, CSB-1100, and CCP-27.5 decreased (P < 0.05). In summary, results obtained in the present study indicate that CSB and CCP can improve growth performance, intestinal microbial balance and gut health of squabs.

Comparative diagnostic utility of metagenomic next-generation sequencing, GeneXpert, modified Ziehl-Neelsen staining, and culture using cerebrospinal fluid for tuberculous meningitis: A multi-center, retrospective study in China.

BACKGROUND: Early diagnosis of tuberculosis meningitis (TBM) remains a great challenge during clinical practice. The diagnostic efficacies of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF)-based mycobacterial growth indicator tube (MGIT) culture, modified Ziehl-Neelsen (ZN) staining, Xpert MTB/RIF, and metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) for TBM remained elusive. METHODS: A total of 216 adult patients with suspicious TBM were retrospectively enrolled in this multi-cohort study. The diagnostic performances for MGIT, modified ZN staining, Xpert MTB/RIF, and mNGS using CSF samples were evaluated. RESULTS: Uniform clinical case definition classified 88 (40.7%) out of 216 patients as the definite TBM, 5 (2.3%) patients as probable TBM cases, and 24 (11.1%) patients as possible TBM cases. The sensitivities of MGIT, modified ZN staining, Xpert MTB/RIF, and mNGS for TBM diagnosis against consensus uniform case definition for definite TBM were 25.0%, 76.1%, 73.9%, and 84.1%, respectively. Negative predictive values (NPVs) were 66.0%, 85.9%, 84.8%, and 90.1%, respectively. The sensitivities of MGIT, modified ZN staining, Xpert MTB/RIF, and mNGS for TBM diagnosis against consensus uniform case definition for definite, probable, and possible TBM were 18.8%, 57.3%, 55.5%, and 63.2%, respectively. Negative predictive values (NPVs) were 51.0%, 66.4%, 65.6%, and 69.7%, respectively. mNGS combined with modified ZN stain and Xpert could cover TBM cases against a composite microbiological reference standard, yielding 100% specificity and 100% NPV. CONCLUSION: Metagenomic next-generation sequencing detected TBM with higher sensitivity than Xpert, ZN staining and MGIT culture, but mNGS cannot be used as a rule-out test. mNGS combined with Xpert or modified ZN staining could enhance the sensitivity of diagnostic tests for TBM.

Value of deep learning models based on ultrasonic dynamic videos for distinguishing thyroid nodules.

Objective: This study was designed to distinguish benign and malignant thyroid nodules by using deep learning(DL) models based on ultrasound dynamic videos. Methods: Ultrasound dynamic videos of 1018 thyroid nodules were retrospectively collected from 657 patients in Zhejiang Cancer Hospital from January 2020 to December 2020 for the tests with 5 DL models. Results: In the internal test set, the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was 0.929(95% CI: 0.888,0.970) for the best-performing model LSTM Two radiologists interpreted the dynamic video with AUROC values of 0.760 (95% CI: 0.653, 0.867) and 0.815 (95% CI: 0.778, 0.853). In the external test set, the best-performing DL model had AUROC values of 0.896(95% CI: 0.847,0.945), and two ultrasound radiologist had AUROC values of 0.754 (95% CI: 0.649,0.850) and 0.833 (95% CI: 0.797,0.869). Conclusion: This study demonstrates that the DL model based on ultrasound dynamic videos performs better than the ultrasound radiologists in distinguishing thyroid nodules.

An Experimental Multi-Target Tracking of AM Radio-Based Passive Bistatic Radar System via Multi-Static Doppler Shifts.

This paper presents a description of recent research and the multi-target tracking in experimental passive bistatic radar (PBR) system taking advantage of numerous non-cooperative AM radio signals via multi-static doppler shifts. However, it raises challenges for use by multiple spatially distributed AM radio illuminators for multi-target tracking in PBR system due to complex data association hypotheses and no directly used tracking algorithm in the practical scenario. To solve these problems, after a series of key array signal processing techniques in the self-developed system, by constructing a nonlinear measurement model, the novel method is proposed to accommodate nonlinear model by using the unscented transformation (UT) in Gaussian mixture (GM) implementation of iterated-corrector cardinality-balanced multi-target multi-Bernoulli (CBMeMBer). Simulation and experimental results analysis verify the feasibility of this approach used in a practical PBR system for moving multi-target tracking.

Effect of care bundles on postoperative pain, negative emotions, and self-care ability of patients with acute dacryocystitis.

AIM: This study aimed to investigate the effect of care bundles on the postoperative pain, negative emotions, and self-care ability of patients with acute dacryocystitis. METHODS: We recruited 103 patients with acute dacryocystitis undergoing surgery in our hospital from July 2018 to October 2019 in this study. Among them, 55 patients received care bundles (the research group, RG) and the other 48 received conventional care (the control group, CG). The two groups were compared in response rate, Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS), Self-Rating Depression Scale (SDS), and Exercise of Self-Care Agency Scale (ESCA) before and after nursing interventions, as well as postoperative Visual Analogue Scale (VAS), MOS 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36), and patient satisfaction rate. RESULTS: After the care, the RG had a markedly higher response rate than the CG. No significant differences were found in SAS and SDS scores between the two groups before nursing care, and lower scores were found in the RG after the care. There was no significant difference in VAS scores before nursing care, and the RG showed higher scores than the CG after the care. There was no significant difference in self-care skills, self-care responsibility, self-concept, health knowledge, and self-care ability between the two groups before nursing care, but they all increased after the care. Markedly higher scores of SF-36 and a higher patient satisfaction rate were observed in the RG after the care. CONCLUSION: Care bundles can enhance the self-care ability of patients with acute dacryocystitis after surgery, reduce pain intensity, relieve negative emotions, improve quality of life, and increase patient satisfaction with nursing care.

Photodegradation of α-Pinene Secondary Organic Aerosol Dominated by Moderately Oxidized Molecules.

Atmospheric secondary organic aerosol (SOA) undergoes chemical and physical changes when exposed to UV radiation, affecting the atmospheric lifetime of the involved molecules. However, these photolytic processes remain poorly constrained. Here, we present a study aimed at characterizing, at a molecular level and in real time, the chemical composition of α-pinene SOA exposed to UV-A light at 50% relative humidity in an atmospheric simulation chamber. Significant SOA mass loss is observed at high loadings (∼100 µg m-3), whereas the effect is less prevalent at lower loadings (∼20 µg m-3). For the vast majority of molecules measured by the extractive electrospray time-of-flight mass spectrometer, there is a fraction that is photoactive and decays when exposed to UV-A radiation and a fraction that appears photorecalcitrant. The molecules that are most photoactive contain between 4 and 6 oxygen atoms, while the more highly oxygenated compounds and dimers do not exhibit significant decay. Overall, photolysis results in a reduction of the volatility of SOA, which cannot be explained by simple evaporative losses but requires either a change in volatility related to changes in functional groups or a change in physical parameters (i.e., viscosity).

Photoinduced charge-separated molecular probe for ultrasensitive spectrum analysis and rapid colorimetric detection of platinum ions.

Increased utilization of platinum ions in chemicals and drugs escalates environmental pollution and toxicity associated with Pt ions. However, current analysis and detection strategies of Pt ions display limited sensitivity due to the similar inert metal nature of platinum to gold. Herein, a photoinduced charge-separated molecule (MTPA)2Ab was synthesized as a probe for enhanced sensitive selection of Pt ions. Long-lived charge-separated states generated upon exposure to 365 nm light lead to a stable complex between (MTPA)2Ab and PtCl2/PtCl4 with highly-selectivity via sequential photoinduced electron transfers. Owing to the linear relationship of complex characteristic absorption and fluorescence emission intensities to Pt2+/Pt4+ concentrations, ultrasensitive spectrum analysis of Pt ions is achieved with a detection limit of 14.2 nM (2.8 ppb) for Pt2+ and 12.6 nM (2.5 ppb) for Pt4+ by an absorption spectrometer and 9.8 nM (1.9 ppb) for Pt ions (Pt2+/Pt4+) by a fluorescence spectrometer, far less than the reported values. Furthermore, a portable test box is developed based on (MTPA)2Ab test strips due to distinguishable color change with Pt2+/Pt4+ concentrations for rapid colorimetric detection of Pt ions. The results highlight the promise of photoinduced charge-separated molecular probe in ultrasensitive and rapid detection of Pt ions to overcome current limitations of detection strategies.

Methylamine-assisted growth of uniaxial-oriented perovskite thin films with millimeter-sized grains.

Defects from grain interiors and boundaries of perovskite films cause significant nonradiative recombination energy loss, and thus perovskite films with controlled crystallinity and large grains is critical for improvement of both photovoltaic performance and stability for perovskite-based solar cells. Here, a methylamine (MA0) gas-assisted crystallization method is developed for fabrication of methylammonium lead iodide (MAPbI3) perovskite films. In the process, the perovskite film is formed via controlled release of MA0 gas molecules from a liquid intermediate phase MAPbI3·xMA0. The resulting perovskite film comprises millimeter-sized grains with (110)-uniaxial crystallographic orientation, exhibiting much low trap density, long carrier lifetime, and excellent environmental stability. The corresponding perovskite solar cell exhibits a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of ~ 21.36%, which is among the highest reported for MAPbI3-based devices. This method provides important progress towards the fabrication of high-quality perovskite thin films for low-cost, highly efficient and stable perovskite solar cells.

Cause, Regulation and Utilization of Dye Aggregation in Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells.

As an important member of third generation solar cell, dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have the advantages of being low cost, having an easy fabrication process, utilizing rich raw materials and a high-power conversion efficiency (PCE), prompting nearly three decades as a research hotspot. Recently, increasing the photoelectric conversion efficiency of DSSCs has proven troublesome. Sensitizers, as the most important part, are no longer limited to molecular engineering, and the regulation of dye aggregation has become a widely held concern, especially in liquid DSSCs. This review first presents the operational mechanism of liquid and solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells, including the influencing factors of various parameters on device efficiency. Secondly, the mechanism of dye aggregation was explained by molecular exciton theory, and the influence of various factors on dye aggregation was summarized. We focused on a review of several methods for regulating dye aggregation in liquid and solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells, and the advantages and disadvantages of these methods were analyzed. In addition, the important application of quantum computational chemistry in the study of dye aggregation was introduced. Finally, an outlook was proposed that utilizing the advantages of dye aggregation by combining molecular engineering with dye aggregation regulation is a research direction to improve the performance of liquid DSSCs in the future. For solid-state dye-sensitized solar cells (ssDSSCs), the effects of solid electrolytes also need to be taken into account.

Identification of diagnostic and prognostic lncRNA biomarkers in oral squamous carcinoma by integrated analysis and machine learning.

BACKGROUND: Patients with oral squamous carcinoma (OSCC) present difficulty in precise diagnosis and poor prognosis. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to identify the diagnostic and prognostic indicators in OSCC and provide basis for molecular mechanism investigation of OSCC. METHODS: We collected sequencing data and clinical data from TCGA database and screened the differentially expressed mRNAs (DEmRNAs) and lncRNAs (DElncRNAs) in OSCC. Machine learning and modeling were performed to identify the optimal diagnostic markers. In order to determine lncRNAs with prognostic value, survival analysis was performed through combing the expression profiles with the clinical data. Finally, co-expressed DEmRNAs of lncRNAs were identified by interacted network construction and functional annotated by GO and KEGG analysis. RESULTS: A total of 1114 (345 up- and 769 down-regulated) DEmRNAs and 156 (86 up- and 70 down-regulated) DElncRNAs were obtained in OSCC. Following the machine learning and modeling, 15 lncRNAs were identified to be the optimal diagnostic indicators of OSCC. Among them, FOXD2.AS1 was significantly associated with survival rate of patients with OSCC. In addition, Focal adhesion and ECM-receptor interaction pathways were found to be involved in OSCC. CONCLUSIONS: FOXD2.AS1 might be a prognostic marker for OSCC and our study may provide more information to the further study in OSCC.

In Situ Deposition of CuBiS2 on Mesoporous TiO2 Film for Light Absorber in Solar Cells.

In this report, emplectite (CuBiS2) semiconductor has been deposited on mesoporous TiO2 using gas-solid reaction method. For the first time, CuCl2 and BiCl3 are solution-coated on mesoporous TiO2 films, and thereafter reacted with H2S gas in an H2S atmosphere. The CuBiS2 film is further confirmed using X-ray diffraction; thus, demonstrating the pure phase of CuBiS2. CuBiS2 film shows high spectral absorption with an energy gap (Eg) of 2.18 eV. Furthermore, devices have a structure consisting of FTO/compact-TiO2/mesoporous-TiO2/CuBiS2/P3HT/Ag have been fabricated and hence exhibit high photoresponse performance.

A valuable and affordable handheld ultrasound in combating COVID-19.

The handheld ultrasound demonstrates clinical and economic value in combating COVID-19 based on interviews with frontline ultrasound physician and cardiologist as well as a national expert in medical ultrasound.