A Minimalist Iron Oxide Nanoprobe for the High-Resolution Depiction of Stroke by Susceptibility-Weighted Imaging.

The precise mapping of collateral circulation and ischemic penumbra is crucial for diagnosing and treating acute ischemic stroke (AIS). Unfortunately, there exists a significant shortage of high-sensitivity and high-resolution in vivo imaging techniques to fulfill this requirement. Herein, a contrast enhanced susceptibility-weighted imaging (CE-SWI) using the minimalist dextran-modified Fe3O4 nanoparticles (Fe3O4@Dextran NPs) are introduced for the highly sensitive and high-resolution AIS depiction under 9.4 T for the first time. The Fe3O4@Dextran NPs are synthesized via a simple one-pot coprecipitation method using commercial reagents under room temperature. It shows merits of small size (hydrodynamic size 25.8 nm), good solubility, high transverse relaxivity (r2) of 51.3 mM-1s-1 at 9.4 T, and superior biocompatibility. The Fe3O4@Dextran NPs-enhanced SWI can highlight the cerebral vessels readily with significantly improved contrast and ultrahigh resolution of 0.1 mm under 9.4 T MR scanner, enabling the clear spatial identification of collateral circulation in the middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rat model. Furthermore, Fe3O4@Dextran NPs-enhanced SWI facilitates the precise depiction of ischemia core, collaterals, and ischemic penumbra post AIS through matching analysis with other multimodal MR sequences. The proposed Fe3O4@Dextran NPs-enhanced SWI offers a high-sensitivity and high-resolution imaging tool for individualized characterization and personally precise theranostics of stroke patients.

Retroperitoneal dermoid cyst complicated with uterine adenomyoma: a case report and literature review.

Pelvic masses frequently originate from the pelvic cavity and are often associated with uterine, ovarian, or intestinal disorders. This report describes the case of a patient with a pelvic mass diagnosed as a retroperitoneal dermoid cyst at our hospital. We analyzed this case and conducted a literature review, to mitigate the risk of misdiagnosis and enhance the treatment of retroperitoneal masses.

Real-time detection of gastrointestinal leaks via bismuth chelate-enhanced X-ray gastroenterography.

Anastomotic leaks are among the most dreaded complications following gastrointestinal (GI) surgery, and contrast-enhanced X-ray gastroenterography is considered the preferred initial diagnostic method for GI leaks. However, from fundamental research to clinical practice, the only oral iodinated contrast agents currently available for GI leaks detection are facing several challenges, including low sensitivity, iodine allergy, and contraindications in patients with thyroid diseases. Herein, we propose a cinematic contrast-enhanced X-ray gastroenterography for the real-time detection of GI leaks with an iodine-free bismuth chelate (Bi-DTPA) for the first time. The Bi-DTPA, synthesized through a straightforward one-pot method, offers distinct advantages such as no need for purification, a nearly 100 % yield, large-scale production capability, and good biocompatibility. The remarkable X-ray attenuation properties of Bi-DTPA enable real-time dynamic visualization of whole GI tract under both X-ray gastroenterography and computed tomography (CT) imaging. More importantly, the leaky site and severity can be both clearly displayed during Bi-DTPA-enhanced gastroenterography in a rat model with esophageal leakage. The proposed movie-like Bi-DTPA-enhanced X-ray imaging approach presents a promising alternative to traditional GI radiography based on iodinated molecules. It demonstrates significant potential in addressing concerns related to iodine-associated adverse effects and offers an alternative method for visually detecting gastrointestinal leaks.

Unified Crystal Phase Control with MACl for Inducing Single-Crystal-Like Perovskite Thin Films in High-Pressure Fusion Toward High Efficiency Perovskite Solar Cell Modules.

Perovskite solar cells, recognized for their high photovoltaic conversion efficiency (PCE), cost-effectiveness, and simple fabrication, face challenges in PCE improvement due to structural defects in polycrystalline films. This study introduces a novel fabrication method for perovskite films using methylammonium chloride (MACl) to align grain orientation uniformly, followed by a high-pressure process to merge these grains into a texture resembling single-crystal perovskite. Employing advanced visual fluorescence microscopy, charge dynamics in these films are analyzed, uncovering the significant impact of grain boundaries on photo-generated charge transport within perovskite crystals. A key discovery is that optimal charge transport efficiency and speed occur in grain centers when the grain size exceeds 10 µm, challenging the traditional view that efficiency peaks when grain size surpasses film thickness to form a monolayer. Additionally, the presence of large-sized grains enhances ion activation energy, reducing ion migration under light and improving resistance to photo-induced degradation. In application, a perovskite solar cell module with large grains achieve a PCE of 22.45%, maintaining performance with no significant degradation under continuous white LED light at 100 mA cm-2 for over 1000 h. This study offers a new approach to perovskite film fabrication and insights into optimizing perovskite solar cell modules.

Ultrarobust stable ABTS radical cation prepared using Spore@Cu-TMA biocomposites for antioxidant capacity assay.

Herein, spore@Cu-trimesic acid (TMA) biocomposites were prepared by self-assembling Cu-based metal-organic framework on the surface of Bacillus velezensis spores. The laccase-like activity of spore@Cu-TMA biocomposites was enhanced by 14.9 times compared with that of pure spores due to the reaction of Cu2+ ions with laccase on the spore surface and the microporous structure of Cu-TMA shell promoting material transport and increasing substrate accessibility. Spore@Cu-TMA rapidly oxidized and transformed 2,2'-azino-bis (3-ethylbenzthiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) into ABTS●+ without using H2O2. Under optimum conditions, the ABTS●+ could be stored for 21 days at 4 °C and 7 days at 37 °C without the addition of any stabilizers, allowing for the large-scale preparation and long-term storage of ABTS●+. The ultrarobust stable ABTS●+ obtained with the use of Cu-TMA could effectively reduce the "back reaction" by preventing the leaching of the metabolites released by the spores. On the basis of these findings, a rapid, low-cost, and eco-friendly colorimetric platform was successfully developed for the detection of antioxidant capacity. Determination of antioxidant capacity for several antioxidants such as caffeic acid, glutathione, and Trolox revealed their corresponding limits of detection at 4.83, 8.89, and 7.39 nM, respectively, with linear ranges of 0.01-130, 0.01-140, and 0.01-180 µM, respectively. This study provides a facile way to prepare ultrarobust stable ABTS●+ and presents a potential application of spore@Cu-TMA biocomposites in food detection and bioanalysis.

Validation of the Chinese version of the diabetes health profile to predict the impact of mobile health education on quality of life in type 2 diabetes patients.

Purpose: The Diabetes Health Profile (DHP18), initially created in the United Kingdom, currently lacks a Chinese version. This study endeavors to authenticate the Chinese adaptation of the DHP18 and assess the influence of mobile health (mHealth) education intervention on the quality of life of individuals living with diabetes. Patients and methods: The study included 470 Type 2 diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) patients (204 men, 266 women), spanning an age range of 19-79 years, with an average age of 54 ± 12.40 years. Data analysis employed Jamovie and Mplus software. Moreover, test-retest reliability was evaluated in 52 hospitalized T2DM patients through two repeated measurements taken 4 weeks apart. Results: The Chinese version DHP18 scale exhibited high reliability, evidenced by a Cronbach's alpha of 0.88, and coefficient of test-retest reliability of 0.84. Individual subscales also demonstrated strong reliability, ranging from 0.76 to 0.84, with test-retest reliability spanning from 0.71 to 0.74. Confirmatory Factor Analysis (CFA) employing a three-factor structure (χ2 = 294.69, GFI = 0.92, TLI = 0.91, RMSEA = 0.05, SRMR = 0.06) validated the scale's construct validity. Notably, there was a statistically significant difference (p < 0.05) in the quality of life between Type 2 diabetes patients using mHealth education intervention and those without mHealth education intervention. Mediation analysis revealed that Appraisal of Diabetes (ADS) and Self-Management Efficacy (SED) mediated the effects of Psychological Distress (PD) and Behavior Adherence (BA) on quality of life, both significant direct and indirect effects (p < 0.001). In addition, Dietary Abstinence (DE) displayed significant overall impact (ß = -0.13, p < 0.001) and indirect influence (ß = -0.10, p < 0.01) on diabetic patients' quality of life, though lacking a significant direct effect (ß = -0.03, p = 0.38). Conclusion: The Chinese version of the Diabetes Health Profile Scale meets stringent psychometric standards and stands as an appropriate measurement tool for Chinese T2DM patients, maintaining comparable results to the original scale's structure. The mHealth education intervention yielded a notably positive impact on the quality of life among T2DM patients. Mediation analysis revealed that the three dimensions of the DHP were mediated by Appraisal of Diabetes and Diabetes Self-Management Efficacy, partially mediated by Psychological Distress and Behavior Adherence, and fully mediated by Dietary Abstinence, providing insight into the positive effects of the mHealth model on the quality of life of diabetic patients.

Nonmetallic graphite for tumor magnetic hyperthermia therapy.

Magnetic hyperthermia therapy (MHT) has garnered immense interest due to its exceptional spatiotemporal specificity, minimal invasiveness and remarkable tissue penetration depth. Nevertheless, the limited magnetothermal heating capability and the potential toxicity of metal ions in magnetic materials based on metallic elements significantly impede the advancement of MHT. Herein, we introduce the concept of nonmetallic materials, with graphite (Gra) as a proof of concept, as a highly efficient and biocompatible option for MHT of tumors in vivo for the first time. The Gra exhibits outstanding magnetothermal heating efficacy owing to the robust eddy thermal effect driven by its excellent electrical conductivity. Furthermore, being composed of carbon, Gra offers superior biocompatibility as carbon is an essential element for all living organisms. Additionally, the Gra boasts customizable shapes and sizes, low cost, and large-scale production capability, facilitating reproducible and straightforward manufacturing of various Gra implants. In a mouse tumor model, Gra-based MHT successfully eliminates the tumors at an extremely low magnetic field intensity, which is less than one-third of the established biosafety threshold. This study paves the way for the development of high-performance magnetocaloric materials by utilizing nonmetallic materials in place of metallic ones burdened with inherent limitations.

Effectiveness and safety of nirmatrelvir-ritonavir in kidney transplant recipients with severe kidney dysfunction infected with COVID-19.

Transplant patients face an elevated risk of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) morbidity and mortality and commonly encounter renal dysfunction. Nirmatrelvir is primarily excreted through the kidneys. The dosage of nirmatrelvir/ritonavir (NR) needs to be adjusted according to the degree of renal function impairment. Nevertheless, NR is not recommended for patients with severe renal impairment (estimated glomerular filtration rate < 30 mL/min) due to a dearth of associated research. In this study, we focus on kidney transplant patients and document and analyze the experiences of using NR in individuals with severe kidney dysfunction. This was a retrospective multicenter study that included transplant recipients hospitalized for COVID-19 in five major tertiary hospitals in China from December 2022 to June 2023. The outcomes consisted of the disease progression rate by day 28, individual disease progression events, safety outcomes, information on adverse events (AEs), and the blood drug concentrations of immunosuppressants. Data were presented with descriptive statistics. All analyses were performed using SPSS version 22. In total, 40 patients were included in the analysis. Considering the potential interaction between drugs, all patients temporarily discontinued their immunosuppressants during the NR treatment. None of the 32 moderate patients experienced disease progression. However, among the eight patients with critical COVID-19, unfortunately, two of them died. During the medication period, four patients experienced a total of six AEs associated with NR. None of them experienced AEs with a maximum grade of ≥3. Blood drug concentrations of immunosuppressants were monitored in 22 of 40 patients, and the blood drug concentrations of immunosuppressants did not show a significant increase, but some patients experienced lower blood drug concentrations. Our findings supported the use of NR therapy for the treatment of COVID-19 in transplant patients with severe renal insufficiency. A modified dose of NR was well-tolerated.

Prospective study of an adalimumab combined with partial enteral nutrition in the induction period of Crohn's disease.

BACKGROUND: Adalimumab monotherapy can suppress gut inflammation and induce remission in active Crohn's disease but has some limitations. Exclusive enteral nutrition (EEN) is recommended for patients with mild to moderate Crohn's disease (CD), but implementation is challenging. AIM: To evaluate the effectiveness of adalimumab combined with partial enteral nutrition (PEN) in the induction therapy for Crohn's disease. METHODS: A prospective cohort study was designed and a total of 56 patients with active CD who met the criteria for enteral nutrition (EN) treatment in our hospital were selected. The baseline data of all patients were collected including age, sex and other general information. The changes in fecal calprotectin, C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin(Alb), hemoglobin (Hb), platelets (Plt), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), Crohn's disease activity index score (CDAI), simple endoscopic score (SES-CD) and body mass index (BMI) were compared between the adalimumab combined with enteral nutrition (ADA+EN) group (N = 37) the adalimumab group (ADA) (N = 19) at week 0 (W0) and treatment outcomes at week 12(W12). Additionally, the differences between the two groups before and after treatment were evaluated. Then the ADA+EN group was divided into an adalimumab combined with exclusive enteral nutrition subgroup (ADA+EEN) and an adalimumab combined with partial nutrition subgroup (ADA+PEN) according to enteral nutrition intake. The changes in fecal calprotectin, CRP, Alb, Hb, Plt, ESR and CDAI, SES-CD and BMI were compared between the  ADA+EEN group and the ADA+PEN group at week 0 (W0) and treatment outcomes at week 12(W12). The differences between the two groups before and after treatment were evaluated. To evaluate the effectiveness of the two treatments on patients' quality of life, nutritional recovery and body composition, patients in the ADA+EN group were needed to complete the Inflammatory Bowel Disease Questionnaire (IBDQ), EQ-5D-5L, the EuroQol visual analogue scale (EQ-VAS) and body composition analysis.A total of 28 patients completed all questionnaires and body composition analyses at week 0 and week 12, including 10 patients in the ADA+EEN group and 18 patients in the ADA+PEN group, respectively. The differences of in IBDQ, EQ-5D-5L and body composition analysis were compared between the two groups at week 0 (W0) and treatment outcomes at week 12(W12). Additionally, the differences between the two groups before and after treatment were evaluated. RESULTS: These investigated indexes such as calprotectin, Hb, Plt, ESR, Alb, BMI, CRP, CDAI and SES-CD scores were significantly different before and after treatment  in the ADA+EN group (p < 0.01). However, fecal calprotectin, Hb, SES-CD scores and Alb in the ADA group were not statistically significantly different from W0 to W12 (p > 0.05). The fecal calprotectin and CDAI scores in the ADA+EN group were significantly lower than those in the ADA group after treatment. The differences in all factors before and after treatment between the ADA+PEN group and the ADA+EEN group were statistically significant (p < 0.05). However, there was no significant difference between the two groups at week 12 (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Adalimumab combined with EN are more effective than ADA monotherapy in terms of endoscopy and clinical remission. By comparing the investigated indicators such as calprotectin, Hb, Plt, ESR ,CRP and SES-CD scores, it was proven that adalimumab combined with partial enteral nutrition or exclusive enteral nutrition has the same remission effect in induced Crohn's disease. The combination of biological agents and partial nutrition can improve medical order compliance, psychological burden and quality of life. Therefore, adalimumab combined with partial nutrition can be used as the first-line treatment for CD induced remission.

Drought-resistant and water-retaining tobermorite/starch composite hydrogel for the remediation of cadmium-contaminated soil.

The objective of this work is utilizing fly ash to synthesize tobermorite (TOB) with a higher specific surface area and layered structure, and incorporating it into the starch/acrylic acid network to boost the drought resistance, water retention and heavy metal adsorption properties. The water absorption and water retention performance and cadmium adsorption characteristics of tobermorite/leftover rice-based composite hydrogel (TOB@LR-CH) were evaluated by water absorption swelling test, soil evaporation test and batch adsorption experiment. By adjusting the addition of TOB and other synthesized conditions, the swelling property (from 114.80 g/g to 322.64 g/g), water retention (71.80 %, 144 h) and Cd2+ adsorption characteristics (up to 591.36 mg/g) were significantly enhanced. Adding a moderate amount of TOB (2 wt%) provided the most uniform tobermorite dispersion during synthesis, and TOB2@LR-CH exhibited the most stable three-dimensional network and highest proportion of effective TOB. The adsorption behavior of cadmium on TOB2@LR-CH was more consistent with the pseudo-second-order kinetics and Langmuir isotherm models. Additionally, the regeneration test results displayed that the adsorption removal rate of cadmium by TOB2@LR-CH adsorbent remained stable after 5 cycles. This study demonstrates that TOB@LR-CH has good water absorption and water retention potential in arid and semi-arid soils, and also has potential application prospects in remediating Cd(II)-contaminated soil.

Cognitive status and its risk factors in patients with hypertension and diabetes in a low-income rural area of China: A cross-sectional study.

OBJECTIVES: The proportion of older people with dementia in China is gradually increasing with the increase in the aging population over recent years. Hypertension and diabetes are common non-communicable diseases among rural populations in China. However, it remains unclear whether these conditions affect the occurrence and development of cognitive impairment as there is limited research on cognitive status and its risk factors among residents of rural areas. METHODS: A multi-stage stratified cluster random sampling method was used to select 5400 participants from rural permanent residents. A self-designed structured questionnaire was used to investigate demographic data of the participants. Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Function Assessment Scale (MoCA). The results were analyzed using chi-square test, ANOVA and multiple linear regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 5028 participants returned the survey, giving a response rate of 93.1%. Higher education (odds ratio (OR) = 3.2, 95% confidence interval (CI) 2.87-3.54, p < 0.001), higher income (OR = 1.61, 95% CI 1.16-2.07, p < 0.001), and dietary control (OR = 0.66, 95%CI 0.34-0.98, p < 0.001) were protective factors. A visual representation of the relationship between annual income and MoCA score showed an inverted U-curve, the group with an annual income of 6000-7999 RMB had a maximum OR of 1.93 (95%CI 0.12-2.74, p < 0.001). While difficulty in maintaining sleep were risk factors for cognitive impairment (OR = -2.28, 95% CI-4.18-0.39, p = 0.018). CONCLUSIONS: Participants with middle incomes had better cognitive status than those with the highest incomes. Higher education, proper diet control and good sleep are beneficial to the cognitive status of residents in rural areas.

Lifestyle-based nomogram for identifying the Chaoshan inhabitants of China at high risk of Helicobacter pylori infection.

BACKGROUND: Helicobacter pylori (HP) infection is associated with various diseases. Early detection can prevent the onset of illness. We constructed a nomogram to predict groups at high risk of HP infection. METHODS: Patients who underwent regular medical check-ups at hospital in Chaoshan, China from March to September 2022 were randomly allocated to the training and validation cohorts. Risk factors including basic characteristics and lifestyle habits associated with HP infection were analyzed by logistic regression analyses. The independent varieties were calculated and plotted into a nomogram. The nomogram was internally validated by receiver operating characteristic curve, calibration, and decision curve analyses (DCAs). RESULTS: Of the 945 patients, 680 were included in the training cohort and 265 in the validation cohort. 356 patients in training cohort with positive 13 C-UBT results served as the infected group, and 324 without infection were the control group. The multivariate regression analyses showed that the risk factors for HP infection included alcohol consumption (OR = 1.29, 95%CI = 0.78-2.13, P = 0.03), family history of gastric disease (OR = 4.35, 95%CI = 1.47-12.84, P = 0.01), living with an HP-positive individual (OR = 18.09, 95%CI = 10.29-31.82, P < 0.0001), drinking hot tea (OR = 1.58, 95%CI = 1.05-2.48, P = 0.04), and infection status of co-drinkers unknown (OR = 2.29, 95%CI = 1.04-5.06, P = 0.04). However, drinking tea > 3 times per day (OR = 0.56, 95%CI = 0.33-0.95, P = 0.03), using serving chopsticks (OR = 0.30, 95%CI = 0.12-0.49, P < 0.0001) were protective factors for HP infection. The nomogram had an area under the curve (AUC) of 0.85 in the training cohort. The DCA was above the reference line within a large threshold range, indicating that the model was better. The calibration analyses showed the actual occurrence rate was basically consistent with the predicted occurrence rate. The model was validated in the validation cohort, and had a good AUC (0.80), DCA and calibration curve results. CONCLUSIONS: This nomogram, which incorporates basic characteristics and lifestyle habits, is an efficient model for predicting those at high risk of HP infection in the Chaoshan region.

Unveiling Superior Capacitive Behaviors of One-Pot Molten Salt-Engineered B, N Co-Doped Porous Carbon Sheets.

Heteroatom-doped porous carbon materials with distinctive surface properties and capacitive behavior have been accepted as promising candidates for supercapacitor electrodes. Currently, the researches mainly focus on developing facile synthetic method and unveiling the structure-activity relationship to further elevate their capacitive performance. Here, the B, N co-doped porous carbon sheet (BN-PCS) is constructed by one-pot pyrolysis of agar in KCl/KHCO3 molten salt system. In this process, the urea acts as directing agent to guide the formation of 2D sheet morphology, and the decomposition of KHCO3 and boric acid creates rich micro- and mesopores in the carbon framework. The specific capacitance of optimized BN-PCS reaches 361.1 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1 in an aqueous KOH electrolyte. Impressively, the fabricated symmetrical supercapacitor affords a maximum energy density of 43.5 Wh kg-1 at the power density of 375.0 W kg-1 in 1.0 mol L-1 TEABF4 /AN electrolyte. It also achieves excellent long-term stability with capacitance retention of 91.1% and Columbic efficiency of 100% over 10 000 cycles. This study indicates one-pot molten salt method is effective in engineering advanced carbon materials for high-performance energy storage devices.

Synergistic effects of caesium closo-dodecaborate on buried interface for efficient and stable perovskite solar cells.

The defects and strain of the buried SnO2/perovskite interface seriously affects the performances of n-i-p type perovskite solar cells. Herein, caesium closo-dodecaborate (B12H12Cs2) is introduced into buried interface to improve the device performances. B12H12Cs2 can passivate the bilateral defects of the buried interface, including the oxygen vacancy and uncoordinated Sn2+ defects on SnO2 side and the uncoordinated Pb2+ defects on perovskite side. Three-dimensional aromatic B12H12Cs2 can promote the interface charge transfer and extraction. [B12H12]2- can enhance the interface connection of buried interface by forming B-H---H-N dihydrogen bond and coordination bonds with metal ions. Meanwhile, the crystal properties of perovskite films can be improved and the buried tensile strain can be released by B12H12Cs2 due to the matched lattice between B12H12Cs2 and perovskite. In addition, Cs+ can diffuse into perovskite to reduce the hysteresis behavior by inhibiting the I- migration. Arising from the enhanced connection performances, passivated defects, improved perovskite crystallization, enhanced charge extraction, inhibited ions migration, released tensile strain at buried interface by B12H12Cs2, the corresponding devices yield a champion power conversion efficiency of 22.10% with enhanced stability. The stability of devices by B12H12Cs2 modification have been improved, and it can still maintain 72.5% of the original efficiency after 1440 h, while the control devices can only maintain 20% of the original efficiency after aging in air condition of 20-30% RH.

Broad-spectrum hybrid antimicrobial peptides derived from PMAP-23 with potential LPS binding ability.

Antimicrobial peptides, as an integral part of the innate immune system, kill bacteria through a special mechanism of action, making them less susceptible to drug resistance. However, Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) as the permeation barrier on the bacterial membrane, inhibits the antibacterial activity of antimicrobial peptides and triggers the inflammatory response. GWKRKRFG is an LPS binding sequence with a ß-boomerang motif that can be linked to antimicrobial peptides to enhance their LPS affinity and reduce the possibility of LPS-induced inflammatory responses. In this study, a series of hybrid peptides were designed by conjugating the reported LPS binding sequence to the C-/N-terminal sequences of the natural porcine antimicrobial peptide PMAP-23 to increase the LPS affinity of peptides. Among all the designed hybrid peptides, 4R-PP-G8 showed the best antibacterial activity, nonhemolytic activity, and excellent cell selectivity. The presence of LPS not only induced the secondary structure transformation of 4R-PP-G8 from a random structure to an α-helical structure but also reduced the antibacterial activity of 4R-PP-G8 in a dose-dependent manner, indicating the excellent binding ability of 4R-PP-G8 to LPS. The LPS/LTA binding assay further verified the interaction between the peptide and LPS. The membrane permeability test verified that 4R-PP-G8 possessed a strong capability to penetrate the bacterial membrane after interacting with LPS. More direct membrane disruption was observed under FE-SEM and TEM. In conclusion, we provided a simple and efficient method to improve the LPS binding ability of antimicrobial peptides and enhance their antimicrobial activity, resulting in the peptide 4R-PP-G8 with clinical application potential.

Generalized anxiety disorder among rural primary and middle school students during the outbreak of COVID-19: a multicenter study in three southern Chinese cities.

BACKGROUND: The major public health crisis caused by the rapid spread of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and the large-scale public health measures such as social isolation and school closures enforced by some countries have severely affected on the physical and mental wellbeing of children and adolescents globally. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of the psychological impact and investigate the similarities and differences in the influential factors for generalized anxiety disorder among rural adolescents as a relatively lesser noticed population the outbreak of COVID-19. METHODS: From May 11 to 22, 2020, a total of 1,179 adolescents, including Grade 5-6 in primary school and Grade 7-8 in middle school, were selected by multistage sampling in three Southern Chinese cities (Shantou, Guangdong Province; Hezhou, Guangxi Province; Nanchong, Sichuan Province), and completed the questionnaires including sociodemographic, generalized anxiety disorder, academic stress, coronaphobia, knowledge of COVID-19, and precautionary measures. ANOVA, Chi-square test, Kruskalwallis H test and multivariate linear regression were performed in the statistical analysis. RESULTS: The average scores of generalized anxiety disorder during the past two weeks were 3.43 (SD 4.46), 4.47 (SD 5.15), and 4.10 (SD 4.94) in Shantou, Hezhou and Nanchong, respectively. For the pooled data, academic stress (P < 0.001), coronaphobia (P < 0.001), and precautionary measures (P = 0.002) contributed to the prediction of anxiety scores. Academic stress was significantly associated to anxiety symptoms in all cities (P all < 0.001). Coronaphobia was also significantly associated to anxiety symptoms in all cities (P all < 0.001). CONCLUSION: This study highlights the urgent need for researchers and policymakers to focus on the mental health of rural children and adolescents during the COVID-19 epidemic. The adolescents with academic stress and coronaphobia, the greater the risk that adolescents will suffer from anxiety, suggesting mental health counseling and professional family support are needed.

Functionalized polymer modified buried interface for enhanced efficiency and stability of perovskite solar cells.

Although great progress has been made in perovskite solar cells (PCSs), further development of PCSs is hindered by a large number of defects, nonradiative recombination, and mysterious stresses. Here, we propose a new interfacial strategy by introducing a new polymer material named povidone-iodine (PV-I) as a buffer layer. A series of studies indicate that the introduced buffer layer can form a strong chemical interaction with SnO2 and the perovskite, which can not only passivate the defects of the two functional layers but also strengthen the interfacial connection. The reduction of film defects and the enhancement of interface connection are beneficial to the extraction and transport of the carrier. In addition, the introduction of a buffer layer releases the interfacial stress. Ultimately, we achieved attractive efficiency (22.02%, 0.1 cm2) and considerable long-term stability (after aging 500 h, the target device still retains 81% of its original PCE). The excellent performance of the device indicates that this strategy can be used as an effective control method for perovskite solar cells to facilitate their commercialization.

A CT-based nomogram for differentiating invasive fungal disease of the lung from bacterial pneumonia.

BACKGROUND: There is an annual increase in the incidence of invasive fungal disease (IFD) of the lung worldwide, but it is always a challenge for physicians to make an early diagnosis of IFD of the lung. Computed tomography (CT) may play a certain role in the diagnosis of IFD of the lung, however, there are no specific imaging signs for differentiating IFD of lung from bacterial pneumonia (BP). METHODS: A total of 214 patients with IFD of the lung or clinically confirmed BP were retrospectively enrolled from two institutions (171 patients from one institution in the training set and 43 patients from another institution in the test set). The features of thoracic CT images of the 214 patients were analyzed on the picture archiving and communication system by two radiologists, and these CT images were imported into RadCloud to perform radiomics analysis. A clinical model from radiologic analysis, a radiomics model from radiomics analysis and a combined model from integrating radiologic and radiomics analysis were constructed in the training set, and a nomogram based on the combined model was further developed. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was calculated to assess the diagnostic performance of the three models. Decision curve analysis (DCA) was conducted to evaluate the clinical utility of the three models by estimating the net benefit at a range of threshold probabilities. RESULTS: The AUCs of the clinical model for differentiating IFD of lung from BP in the training set and test sets were 0.820 and 0.827. The AUCs of the radiomics model in the training set and test sets were 0.895 and 0.857. The AUCs of the combined model in the training set and test setswere 0.944 and 0.911. The combined model for differentiating IFD of lung from BP obtained the greatest net benefit among the three models by DCA. CONCLUSION: Our proposed nomogram, based on a combined model integrating radiologic and radiomics analysis, has a powerful predictive capability for differentiating IFD from BP. A good clinical outcome could be obtained using our nomogram.

In situ lead oxysalt passivation layer for stable and efficient perovskite solar cells.

A Rb2SO4 additive is employed to passivate the Pb2+ defects in a perovskite film by forming PbSO4in situ, which can cover the surface and grain boundaries of the perovskite to ensure that the film is not decomposed by moisture. Finally, a device based on the Rb2SO4 modification achieved an enhanced power conversion efficiency (22.25%) and long-term stability.

Multistrategy Preparation of Efficient and Stable Environment-Friendly Lead-Based Perovskite Solar Cells.

Perovskite solar cells (PSCs) have achieved huge success in power conversion efficiency (PCE) and stability. However, further improving the PCE of PSCs and stability is still a big challenge. Here, we attempt to improve the PCE and stability of PSCs using a functional additive named 3-mercaptopropyltriethoxysilane (SiSH) in the perovskite antisolvent. It is revealed that SiSH can release the stress in the film, reduce the defects, and inhibit lithium-ion migration and lead leakage. As a result, the target device achieves an efficiency enhancement from 20.80 to 22.42% as compared to the control device. Meanwhile, device stability is ameliorated after SiSH modification. Furthermore, new adsorbents are used to treat the leaked lead to make it comply with safe drinking water standards. This work provides an idea for developing multifunctional antisolvent additives and adsorbents for high PCE, long stability, and environment-friendly Pb-based PSCs.