A Reconfigurable Near-Sensor Processor for Anomaly Detection in Limb Prostheses

This paper presents a reconfigurable near-sensor anomaly detection processor to real-time monitor the potential anomalous behaviors of amputees with limb prostheses. The processor is low-power, low-latency, and suitable for equipment on the prostheses and comprises a reconfigurable Variational Autoencoder (VAE), a scalable Self-Organizing Map (SOM) Array, and a window-size-adjustable Markov Chain, which can implement an integrated miniaturized anomaly detection system. With the reconfigurable VAE, the proposed processor can support up to 64 sensor sampling channels programmable by global configuration, which can meet the anomaly detection requirements in different scenarios. A scalable SOM array allows for the selection of different sizes based on the complexity of the data. Unlike traditional time accumulation-based anomaly detection methods, the Markov Chain is utilized to detect time-series-based anomalous data. The processor is designed and fabricated in a UMC 40-nm LP technology with a core area of 1.49 mm2 and a power consumption of 1.81 mW. It achieves real-time detection performance with 0.933 average F1 Score for the FSP dataset within 24.22 μs, and 0.956 average F1 Score for the SFDLA-12 dataset within 30.48 μs, respectively. The energy dissipation of detection for each input feature is 43.84 nJ with the FSP dataset, and 55.17 nJ with the SFDLA-12 dataset. Compared with ARM Cortex-M4 and ARM Cortex-M33 microcontrollers, the processor achieves energy and area efficiency improvements ranging from 257×, 193× and 11×, 8×, respectively.

A Memristor-Based Learning Engine for Synaptic Trace-Based Online Learning

The memristor has been extensively used to facilitate the synaptic online learning of brain-inspired spiking neural networks (SNNs). However, the current memristor-based work can not support the widely used yet sophisticated trace-based learning rules, including the trace-based Spike-Timing-Dependent Plasticity (STDP) and the Bayesian Confidence Propagation Neural Network (BCPNN) learning rules. This paper proposes a learning engine to implement trace-based online learning, consisting of memristor-based blocks and analog computing blocks. The memristor is used to mimic the synaptic trace dynamics by exploiting the nonlinear physical property of the device. The analog computing blocks are used for the addition, multiplication, logarithmic and integral operations. By organizing these building blocks, a reconfigurable learning engine is architected and realized to simulate the STDP and BCPNN online learning rules, using memristors and 180 nm analog CMOS technology. The results show that the proposed learning engine can achieve energy consumption of 10.61 pJ and 51.49 pJ per synaptic update for the STDP and BCPNN learning rules, respectively, with a 147.03× and 93.61× reduction compared to the 180 nm ASIC counterparts, and also a 9.39× and 5.63× reduction compared to the 40 nm ASIC counterparts. Compared with the state-of-the-art work of Loihi and eBrainII, the learning engine can reduce the energy per synaptic update by 11.31× and 13.13× for trace-based STDP and BCPNN learning rules, respectively.

Interfacial assembly of binary atomic metal-Nx sites for high-performance energy devices

Anion-exchange membrane fuel cells and Zn-air batteries based on non-Pt group metal catalysts typically suffer from sluggish cathodic oxygen reduction. Designing advanced catalyst architectures to improve the catalyst's oxygen reduction activity and boosting the accessible site density by increasing metal loading and site utilization are potential ways to achieve high device performances. Herein, we report an interfacial assembly strategy to achieve binary single-atomic Fe/Co-N_x with high mass loadings through constructing a nanocage structure and concentrating high-density accessible binary single-atomic Fe/Co-N_x sites in a porous shell. The prepared FeCo-NCH features metal loading with a single-atomic distribution as high as 7.9 wt% and an accessible site density of around 7.6 × 10¹⁹ sites g^-1, surpassing most reported M-N_x catalysts. In anion exchange membrane fuel cells and zinc-air batteries, the FeCo-NCH material delivers peak power densities of 569.0 or 414.5 mW cm^-2, 3.4 or 2.8 times higher than control devices assembled with FeCo-NC. These results suggest that the present strategy for promoting catalytic site utilization offers new possibilities for exploring efficient low-cost electrocatalysts to boost the performance of various energy devices.

Buffering the local pH via single-atomic Mn-N auxiliary sites to boost CO2 electroreduction

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction driven by renewable energy has become a promising approach to rebalance the carbon cycle. Atomically dispersed transition metals anchored on N-doped carbon supports (M-N-C) have been considered as the most attractive catalysts to catalyze CO2 to CO. However, the sluggish kinetics of M-N-C limits the large-scale application of this type of catalyst. Here, it is found that the introduction of single atomic Mn-N auxiliary sites could effectively buffer the locally generated OH- on the catalytic interface of the single-atomic Ni-N-C sites, thus accelerating proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) steps to enhance the CO2 electroreduction to CO. The constructed diatomic Ni/Mn-N-C catalysts show a CO faradaic efficiency of 96.6% and partial CO current density of 13.3 mA cm-2 at -0.76 V vs. RHE, outperforming that of monometallic single-atomic Ni-N-C or Mn-N-C counterparts. The results suggest that constructing synergistic catalytic sites to regulate the surface local microenvironment might be an attractive strategy for boosting CO2 electroreduction to value-added products.

Identification of the active triple-phase boundary of a non-Pt catalyst layer in fuel cells

The rational design of non-Pt oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) catalysts and catalyst layers in fuel cells is largely impeded by insufficient knowledge of triple-phase boundaries (TPBs) in the micropore and mesopore ranges. Here, we developed a size-sensitive molecular probe method to resolve the TPB of Fe/N/C catalyst layers in these size ranges. More than 70% of the ORR activity was found to be contributed by the 0.8- to 2.0-nanometer micropores of Fe/N/C catalysts, even at a low micropore area fraction of 29%. Acid-alkaline interactions at the catalyst-polyelectrolyte interface deactivate the active sites in mesopores and macropores, resulting in inactive TPBs, leaving micropores without the interaction as the active TPBs. The concept of active and inactive TPBs provides a previously unidentified design principle for non-Pt catalyst and catalyst layers in fuel cells.

In-situ Constructed Cu/CuNC Interfaces for Low-Overpotential Reduction of CO2 to Ethanol

Electrochemical CO2 reduction (ECR) to high-value multi-carbon (C2+) products is critical to sustainable energy conversion, yet the high energy barrier of C-C coupling causes catalysts to suffer high overpotential and low selectivity toward specific liquid C2+ products. Here, the electronically asymmetric Cu-Cu/Cu-N-C interface site (Cu/CuNC) is discovered by theoretical calculations to enhance the adsorption of *CO intermediates and decrease the reaction barrier of C-C coupling in ECR, enabling the efficient C-C coupling at low overpotential. The catalyst consisting of high-density Cu/CuNC interface sites (noted as ER-Cu/CuNC) is then accordingly designed and in-situ constructed on the high-loading Cu-N-C single atomic catalysts (SACs). Systematical experiments corroborate the theoretical prediction that the ER-Cu/CuNC boost electrocatalytic CO2-to-ethanol conversion with a Faradaic efficiency toward C2+ of 60.3% (FEethanol of 55%) at a low overpotential of -0.35 V. These findings provide new insights and an attractive approach to creating electronically asymmetric dual sites for efficient conversion of CO2 to C2+ products.

AQDS Activates Extracellular Synergistic Biodetoxification of Copper and Selenite via Altering the Coordination Environment of Outer-Membrane Proteins

The biotransformation of heavy metals in the environment is usually affected by co-existing pollutants like selenium (Se), which may lower the ecotoxicity of heavy metals, but the underlying mechanisms remain unclear. Here, we shed light on the pathways of copper (Cu²⁺) and selenite (SeO₃^2-) synergistic biodetoxification by Shewanella oneidensis MR-1 and illustrate how such processes are affected by anthraquinone-2,6-disulfonate (AQDS), an analogue of humic substances. We observed the formation of copper selenide nanoparticles (Cu_2-xSe) from synergistic detoxification of Cu²⁺ and SeO₃^2- in the periplasm. Interestingly, adding AQDS triggered a fundamental transition from periplasmic to extracellular reaction, enabling 14.7-fold faster Cu²⁺ biodetoxification (via mediated electron transfer) and 11.4-fold faster SeO₃^2- detoxification (via direct electron transfer). This is mainly attributed to the slightly raised redox potential of the heme center of AQDS-coordinated outer-membrane proteins that accelerates electron efflux from the cells. Our work offers a fundamental understanding of the synergistic detoxification of heavy metals and Se in a complicated environmental matrix and unveils an unexpected role of AQDS beyond electron mediation, which may guide the development of more efficient environmental remediation and resource recovery biotechnologies.

Multi-slice spiral CT findings of tubulovillous adenoma of the duodenum

OBJECTIVES

To analyze the appearance of duodenal tubulovillous adenoma on multi-slice spiral CT images to facilitate early diagnosis and treatment to potentially improve prognosis.

METHODS

We retrospectively analyzed clinical data and CT imaging findings of 11 cases of duodenal tubulovillous adenomas, all confirmed by pathology. The location, size, shape, CT density, relationship with surrounding structures, accompanying bile duct obstruction, and enhancement pattern of each lesion were documented.

RESULTS

All 11 lesions occurred in the descending part of the duodenum. Ten cases occurred in the duodenal papilla area. Nine cases had a low-density ring sign or semicircle sign between the lesion and the adjacent normal intestinal wall on axial images. Eight cases had differing degrees of bile duct dilatation, five of which had concomitant pancreatic duct dilatation. Noncontrast images revealed uniform soft tissue density; contrast enhanced images showed moderate, mostly uniform enhancement, with the most enhancement in the venous phase. In the arterial phase, two lesions showed linear enhancing vessels.

CONCLUSIONS

On multi-slice spiral CT imaging, duodenal tubulovillous adenomas have certain characteristics that could be used for clinical diagnosis and treatment.

PRECIS

On multi-slice spiral CT imaging of duodenal tubulovillous adenoma, findings of nodular or cauliflower-like shape, uniform density, uniform moderate enhancement, and a peripheral low-density ring sign could improve diagnostic accuracy.

Grey hematite photoanodes decrease the onset potential in photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting for solar energy conversion into chemical fuels has attracted intense research attention. The semiconductor hematite (α-Fe₂O₃), with its earth abundance, chemical stability, and efficient light harvesting, stands out as a promising photoanode material. Unfortunately, its electron affinity is too deep for overall water splitting, requiring additional bias. Interface engineering has been used to reduce the onset potential of hematite photoelectrode. Here we focus instead on energy band engineering hematite by shrinking the crystal lattice, and the water-splitting onset potential can be decreased from 1.14 to 0.61 V vs. the reversible hydrogen electrode. It is the lowest record reported for a pristine hematite photoanode without surface modification. X-ray absorption spectroscopy and magnetic properties suggest the redistribution of 3d electrons in the as-synthesized grey hematite electrode. Density function theory studies herein show that the smaller-lattice-constant hematite benefits from raised energy bands, which accounts for the reduced onset potential.

Interface-Promoted Direct Oxidation of p-Arsanilic Acid and Removal of Total Arsenic by the Coupling of Peroxymonosulfate and Mn-Fe-Mixed Oxide

As one of the extensively used feed additives in livestock and poultry breeding, p-arsanilic acid (p-ASA) has become an organoarsenic pollutant with great concern. For the efficient removal of p-ASA from water, the combination of chemical oxidation and adsorption is recognized as a promising process. Herein, hollow/porous Mn-Fe-mixed oxide (MnFeO) nanocubes were synthesized and used in coupling with peroxymonosulfate (PMS) to oxidize p-ASA and remove the total arsenic (As). Under acidic conditions, both p-ASA and total As could be completely removed in the PMS/MnFeO process and the overall performance was substantially better than that of the Mn/Fe monometallic system. More importantly, an interface-promoted direct oxidation mechanism was found in the p-ASA-involved PMS/MnFeO system. Rather than activate PMS to generate reactive oxygen species (i.e., SO₄^·-, ·OH, and ¹O₂), the MnFeO nanocubes first adsorbed p-ASA to form a ligand-oxide interface, which improved the oxidation of the adsorbed p-ASA by PMS and ultimately enhanced the removal of the total As. Such a direct oxidation process achieved selective oxidation of p-ASA and avoidance of severe interference from the commonly present constituents in real water samples. After facile elution with dilute alkali solution, the used MnFeO nanocubes exhibited superior recyclability in the repeated p-ASA removal experiments. Therefore, this work provides a promising approach for efficient abatement of phenylarsenical-caused water pollution based on the PMS/MnFeO oxidation process.

Ternary nickel-tungsten-copper alloy rivals platinum for catalyzing alkaline hydrogen oxidation

Operating fuel cells in alkaline environments permits the use of platinum-group-metal-free (PGM-free) catalysts and inexpensive bipolar plates, leading to significant cost reduction. Of the PGM-free catalysts explored, however, only a few nickel-based materials are active for catalyzing the hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) in alkali; moreover, these catalysts deactivate rapidly at high anode potentials owing to nickel hydroxide formation. Here we describe that a nickel-tungsten-copper (Ni_5.2WCu_2.2) ternary alloy showing HOR activity rivals Pt/C benchmark in alkaline electrolyte. Importantly, we achieved a high anode potential up to 0.3 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode on this catalyst with good operational stability over 20 h. The catalyst also displays excellent CO-tolerant ability that Pt/C catalyst lacks. Experimental and theoretical studies uncover that nickel, tungsten, and copper play in synergy to create a favorable alloying surface for optimized hydrogen and hydroxyl bindings, as well as for the improved oxidation resistance, which result in the HOR enhancement.

[Characteristics, Sources, and Health Risks of Elements in PM2.5 in Shanxi University Town]

In order to investigate the pollution characteristics and sources of elements in PM_2.5 in the Shanxi University Town in 2017, an energy dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometer (ED-XRF) was used to analyze 21 kinds of elements in PM_2.5 samples. A health risk assessment was conducted for Mn, Zn, Cu, Sb, Pb, Cr, Co, and Ni. The main sources of elements were identified by the principal component analysis (PCA) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). The results found that, among the 21 kinds of elements in PM_2.5 in Shanxi University Town, the mass concentration of Ca was the highest, followed by Si, Fe, Al, S, K, and Cl. These seven elements accounted for 95.71% of the total element concentrations. The concentration of Cr exceeded the annual average concentration limit of ambient air quality standards in China by 104 times. The concentration of Ca in PM_2.5 was the highest in spring, summer, and winter, while in autumn the concentration of S was the highest. Mn was the element that had non-carcinogenic risks to the three population types, and the level of risks were in the order of children > adult men > adult women. Cr and Co had tolerable carcinogenic risks, and the risk levels were in the order of adult men > adult women > children. The main sources of elements in PM_2.5 in Shanxi University Town in 2017 were natural mineral dust, urban dust, coal combustion, and traffic.

Bimetallic nickel-molybdenum/tungsten nanoalloys for high-efficiency hydrogen oxidation catalysis in alkaline electrolytes

Hydroxide exchange membrane fuel cells offer possibility of adopting platinum-group-metal-free catalysts to negotiate sluggish oxygen reduction reaction. Unfortunately, the ultrafast hydrogen oxidation reaction (HOR) on platinum decreases at least two orders of magnitude by switching the electrolytes from acid to base, causing high platinum-group-metal loadings. Here we show that a nickel-molybdenum nanoalloy with tetragonal MoNi4 phase can catalyze the HOR efficiently in alkaline electrolytes. The catalyst exhibits a high apparent exchange current density of 3.41 milliamperes per square centimeter and operates very stable, which is 1.4 times higher than that of state-of-the-art Pt/C catalyst. With this catalyst, we further demonstrate the capability to tolerate carbon monoxide poisoning. Marked HOR activity was also observed on similarly designed WNi4 catalyst. We attribute this remarkable HOR reactivity to an alloy effect that enables optimum adsorption of hydrogen on nickel and hydroxyl on molybdenum (tungsten), which synergistically promotes the Volmer reaction.

Proton transport enabled by a field-induced metallic state in a semiconductor heterostructure

Tuning a semiconductor to function as a fast proton conductor is an emerging strategy in the rapidly developing field of proton ceramic fuel cells (PCFCs). The key challenge for PCFC researchers is to formulate the proton-conducting electrolyte with conductivity above 0.1 siemens per centimeter at low temperatures (300 to 600°C). Here we present a methodology to design an enhanced proton conductor by means of a Na _x CoO₂/CeO₂ semiconductor heterostructure, in which a field-induced metallic state at the interface accelerates proton transport. We developed a PCFC with an ionic conductivity of 0.30 siemens per centimeter and a power output of 1 watt per square centimeter at 520°C. Through our semiconductor heterostructure approach, our results provide insight into the proton transport mechanism, which may also improve ionic transport in other energy applications.

Rational Construction of Porous Metal-Organic Frameworks for Uranium(VI) Extraction: The Strong Periodic Tendency with a Metal Node

Although metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have been reported as important porous materials for the potential utility in metal ion separation, coordinating the functionality, structure, and component of MOFs remains a great challenge. Herein, a series of anionic rare earth MOFs (RE-MOFs) were synthesized via a solvothermal template reaction and for the first time explored for uranium(VI) capture from an acidic medium. The unusually high extraction capacity of UO₂²⁺ (e.g., 538 mg U per g of Y-MOF) was achieved through ion-exchange with the concomitant release of Me₂NH₂⁺, during which the uranium(VI) extraction in the series of isostructural RE-MOFs was found to be highly sensitive to the ionic radii of the metal nodes. That is, the uranium(VI) adsorption capacities continuously increased as the ionic radii decreased. In-depth mechanism insight was obtained from molecular dynamics simulations, suggesting that both the accessible pore volume of the MOFs and hydrogen-bonding interactions contribute to the strong periodic tendency of uranium(VI) extraction.

Efficient Photocatalytic Reduction of Aqueous Perrhenate and Pertechnetate

The pertechnetate anion (⁹⁹TcO₄^-) is a long-lived radioactive species that is soluble in aqueous solution, in contrast to sparingly soluble ⁹⁹TcO₂. Results are reported for photocatalytic reduction and removal of perrhenate (ReO₄^-), a nonradioactive surrogate for ⁹⁹TcO₄^-, using a TiO₂ (P25) nanoparticle suspension in formic acid under UV-visible irradiation. Re(VII) removal up to 98% was achieved at pH = 3 under air or N₂. The proposed mechanism is Re(VII)/Re(IV) reduction mediated by reducing radicals (^·CO₂^-) from oxidation of formic acid, not direct reduction by photogenerated electrons of TiO₂. Recycling results indicate that photocatalytic reduction of ReO₄^- exhibits excellent regeneration and high activity with >95% removal even after five cycles. ⁹⁹Tc(VII) is more easily reduced than Re(VII) in the presence of NO₃^- with very slow redissolution of reduced ⁹⁹Tc. This study presents a novel method for the removal of ReO₄^-/⁹⁹TcO₄^- from aqueous solution, with potential application for deep geological disposal.

Substrate Metabolism-Driven Assembly of High-Quality CdS xSe1- x Quantum Dots in Escherichia coli: Molecular Mechanisms and Bioimaging Application

Biosynthesis offers opportunities for cost-effective and sustainable production of semiconductor quantum dots (QDs), but is currently restricted by poor controllability on the synthesis process, resulting from limited knowledge on the assembly mechanisms and the lack of effective control strategies. In this work, we provide molecular-level insights into the formation mechanism of biogenic QDs (Bio-QDs) and its connection with the cellular substrate metabolism in Escherichia coli. Strengthening the substrate metabolism for producing more reducing power was found to stimulate the production of several reduced thiol-containing proteins (including glutaredoxin and thioredoxin) that play key roles in Bio-QDs assembly. This effectively diverted the transformation route of the selenium (Se) and cadmium (Cd) metabolic from Cd₃(PO₄)₂ formation to CdS _xSe_{1- x} QDs assembly, yielding fine-sized (2.0 ± 0.4 nm), high-quality Bio-QDs with quantum yield (5.2%) and fluorescence lifetime (99.19 ns) far exceeding the existing counterparts. The underlying mechanisms of Bio-QDs crystallization and development were elucidated by density functional theory calculations and molecular dynamics simulation. The resulting Bio-QDs were successfully used for bioimaging of cancer cells and tumor tissue of mice without extra modification. Our work provides fundamental knowledge on the Bio-QDs assembly mechanisms and proposes an effective, facile regulation strategy, which may inspire advances in controlled synthesis and practical applications of Bio-QDs as well as other bionanomaterials.

Adsorption of Eu(III) and Th(IV) on three-dimensional graphene-based macrostructure studied by spectroscopic investigation

One of the most important reasons for the controversy over the development of nuclear energy is the proper disposal of spent fuel. Separation of actinide and lanthanide ions is an important part of safe long-term storage of radioactive waste. Herein, a three-dimensional (3D) graphene-based macrostructure (GOCS) was utilized to remove actinide thorium and lanthanide europium ions from aqueous solutions. The adsorption of Eu(III) and Th(IV) on the GOCS was evaluated as a function of adsorption time, solution pH, initial ion concentrations, and ionic strength. The experimentally determined maximum adsorption capacities of this GOCS for Eu(III) (pH 6.0) and Th(IV) (pH 3.0) are as high as 150 and 220 mg/g, respectively. By using Fourier transformation infrared (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron (XPS), and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) spectroscopy, we concluded that the Eu(III) and Th(IV) adsorption was predominantly attributed to the inner-sphere coordination with various oxygen- and nitrogen-containing functional groups on GOCS surfaces. Our selective adsorption results demonstrate that the actinide and lanthanide ions can be effectively separated from transition metal ions. This study provides new clues to the overall recycling of actinide and lanthanide ions in radioactive environmental pollution treatments.

A Low Power Cardiovascular Healthcare System With Cross-Layer Optimization From Sensing Patch to Cloud Platform

Nowadays, cardiovascular disease is still one of the primary diseases that limit life expectation of humans. To address this challenge, this work reports an Internet of Medical Things (IoMT)-based cardiovascular healthcare system with cross-layer optimization from sensing patch to cloud platform. A wearable ECG patch with a custom System-on-Chip (SoC) features a miniaturized footprint, low power consumption, and embedded signal processing capability. The patch also integrates wireless connectivity with mobile devices and cloud platform for optimizing the complete system. On the big picture, a "wearable patch-mobile-cloud" hybrid computing framework is proposed with cross-layer optimization for performance-power trade-off in embedded-computing. The measurement results demonstrate that the on-patch compression ratio of the raw ECG signal can reach 12.07 yielding a percentage root mean square variation of 2.29%. In the test with the MIT-BIH database, the average improvement of signal to noise ratio and mean square error are 12.63 dB and 94.47%, respectively. The average accuracy of disease prediction operation executed in cloud platform is 97%.

X-ray-activated long persistent phosphors featuring strong UVC afterglow emissions

Phosphors emitting visible and near-infrared persistent luminescence have been explored extensively owing to their unusual properties and commercial interest in their applications such as glow-in-the-dark paints, optical information storage, and in vivo bioimaging. However, no persistent phosphor that features emissions in the ultraviolet C range (200-280 nm) has been known to exist so far. Here, we demonstrate a strategy for creating a new generation of persistent phosphor that exhibits strong ultraviolet C emission with an initial power density over 10 milliwatts per square meter and an afterglow of more than 2 h. Experimental characterizations coupled with first-principles calculations have revealed that structural defects associated with oxygen introduction-induced anion vacancies in fluoride elpasolite can function as electron traps, which capture and store a large number of electrons triggered by X-ray irradiation. Notably, we show that the ultraviolet C afterglow intensity of the yielded phosphor is sufficiently strong for sterilization. Our discovery of this ultraviolet C afterglow opens up new avenues for research on persistent phosphors, and it offers new perspectives on their applications in terms of sterilization, disinfection, drug release, cancer treatment, anti-counterfeiting, and beyond.

SLC27A2 regulates miR-411 to affect chemo-resistance in ovarian cancer

Although platinum-based chemotherapies have long been used as standard treatment in ovarian cancer, cisplatin resistance is a major problem that restricts its use. Herein, we investigate the biological function of SLC27A2 and its underlying mechanisms in regulating chemo-resistance in ovarian cancer. The findings show that SLC27A2 down-regulation in primary ovarian cancer tissues correlates with chemo-resistance and poor patient survival in our patient cohort. Significantly, we demonstrate that up-regulation of SLC27A2 by lentivirus-mediated p-SLC27A2 sensitizes ovarian cancer cells to cisplatin in vitro and in vivo via apoptosis. Mechanistic investigation reveals that miR-411 is the most strikingly over-expressed gene in response to ectopic expression of SLC27A2, but under-expressed in recurrent ovarian cancer tissues. Lower miR-411 expression contributes to ovarian cancer chemo-resistance in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, SLC27A2 directly binds specific sites in the miR-411 promoter region and promoter activity decreases after mutation of putative SLC27A2-binding sites. This indicates that SLC27A2 is required for the transcriptional induction of miR-411. The luciferase assays also confirm that miR-411 directly targets ABCG2 in ovarian cancer, and overall findings establish the SLC27A2-miR-411-ABCG2 pathway in the regulation of ovarian cancer chemo-resistance with potential therapeutic applications.

Ion-Exchangeable Microporous Polyoxometalate Compounds with Off-Center Dopants Exhibiting Unconventional Luminescence

The synthesis of luminescent polyoxometalates (POMs) typically relies on the assembly of POM ligands with rare earth or transition metals, placing significant constraints on the composition, structure, and hence the luminescence properties of the resultant systems. Herein, we show that the ion-exchange strategy can be used for the synthesis of novel POM-based luminescent materials. We demonstrate that introducing bismuth ions into an ion-exchangeable, microporous POM compound yields an unconventional system luminescing in the near-infrared region. Experimental characterization, coupled with quantum chemical calculations, confirms that bismuth ions site-specifically occupy an off-center site in the lattice, and have an asymmetric coordination geometry unattainable by other means, thus giving rise to peculiar emission. Our findings offer an effective strategy for the synthesis of POM-based luminescent materials, and the design concept may potentially be adapted to the creation of POM-based systems with other functionalities.

Transformation of Perovskite BaBiO3 into Layered BaBiO2.5 Crystals Featuring Unusual Chemical Bonding and Luminescence

Engineering oxygen coordination environments of cations in oxides has received intense interest thanks to the opportunities for the discovery of novel oxides with unusual properties. Herein, the synthesis of stoichiometric layered BaBiO_2.5 by a nontopotactic phase transformation of perovskite BaBiO₃ is presented. By analyzing the synchrotron X-ray diffraction data by the maximum-entropy method/Rietveld technique, it was found that Bi is involved in an unusual chemical bonding situation with four oxygen atoms featuring one ionic bond and three covalent bonds, which results in an asymmetric coordination geometry. Photophysical characterization revealed that this peculiar structure shows near-infrared luminescence differing from that of conventional Bi-containing compounds. Experimental and theoretical results led to the proposal of an excitonic nature of the luminescence. This work highlights that synthesizing materials with uncommon Bi-O bonding and Bi coordination geometry provides a pathway to the discovery of systems with new functionalities. This could inspire interest in the exploration of a range of materials containing heavier p-block elements with prospects for finding systems with unusual properties.

Cobalt Covalent Doping in MoS2 to Induce Bifunctionality of Overall Water Splitting

The layer-structured MoS2 is a typical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalyst but it possesses poor activity for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER). In this work, a cobalt covalent doping approach capable of inducing HER and OER bifunctionality into MoS2 for efficient overall water splitting is reported. The results demonstrate that covalently doping cobalt into MoS2 can lead to dramatically enhanced HER activity while simultaneously inducing remarkable OER activity. The catalyst with optimal cobalt doping density can readily achieve HER and OER onset potentials of -0.02 and 1.45 V (vs reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE)) in 1.0 m KOH. Importantly, it can deliver high current densities of 10, 100, and 200 mA cm-2 at low HER and OER overpotentials of 48, 132, 165 mV and 260, 350, 390 mV, respectively. The reported catalyst activation approach can be adapted for bifunctionalization of other transition metal dichalcogenides.

Selective hydrogenation of unsaturated aldehydes over Pt nanoparticles promoted by the cooperation of steric and electronic effects

The selective hydrogenation of α,β-unsaturated aldehydes to unsaturated alcohols can reach high selectivity and activity at room temperature using Pt nanoparticles immobilized on a non-porous Al₂O₃ support stabilized by aspartic acid.

A wide-range operating synaptic device based on organic ferroelectricity with low energy consumption

In this work, a wide-range operating synaptic device based on organic ferroelectricity has been demonstrated. The device possesses a simple two-terminal structure by using a ferroelectric phase-separated polymer blend as the active layer and gold/indium tin oxide (ITO) as the top/bottom electrodes, and exhibits a distinctive history-dependent resistive switching behavior at room temperature. And the device with low energy consumption (∼50 fJ μm⁻² per synaptic event) can provide a reliable synaptic function of potentiation, depression and the complex memory behavior simulation of differential responses to diverse stimulations. In addition, using simulations, the accuracy of 32 × 32 pixel image recognition is improved from 76.21% to 85.06% in the classical model Cifar-10 with 1024 levels of the device, which is an important step towards the higher performance goal in image recognition based on memristive neuromorphic networks.

The two-terminal synaptic device based on organic ferroelectricity with low energy consumption can provide reliable synaptic function.

Selenium speciation in seleniferous agricultural soils under different cropping systems using sequential extraction and X-ray absorption spectroscopy

Selenium (Se) speciation in soil is critically important for understanding the solubility, mobility, bioavailability, and toxicity of Se in the environment. In this study, Se fractionation and chemical speciation in agricultural soils from seleniferous areas were investigated using the elaborate sequential extraction and X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) spectroscopy. The speciation results quantified by XANES technique generally agreed with those obtained by sequential extraction, and the combination of both approaches can reliably characterize Se speciation in soils. Results showed that dominant organic Se (56-81% of the total Se) and lesser Se(IV) (19-44%) were observed in seleniferous agricultural soils. A significant decrease in the proportion of organic Se to the total Se was found in different types of soil, i.e., paddy soil (81%) > uncultivated soil (69-73%) > upland soil (56-63%), while that of Se(IV) presented an inverse tendency. This suggests that Se speciation in agricultural soils can be significantly influenced by different cropping systems. Organic Se in seleniferous agricultural soils was probably derived from plant litter, which provides a significant insight for phytoremediation in Se-laden ecosystems and biofortification in Se-deficient areas. Furthermore, elevated organic Se in soils could result in higher Se accumulation in crops and further potential chronic Se toxicity to local residents in seleniferous areas.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Removal of Uranium(VI) from Aqueous Solution by Magnetic TiO2/Fe3O4 and Its Graphene Composite

The separation and recovery of uranium from radioactive wastewater is important from the standpoints of environmental protection and uranium reuse. In the present work, magnetically collectable TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ and its graphene composites were fabricated and utilized for the photocatalytical removal of U(VI) from aqueous solutions. It was found that, under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, the photoreactivity of TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ for the reduction of U(VI) was 19.3 times higher than that of pure TiO₂, which is strongly correlated with the Fe⁰ and additional Fe(II) generated from the reduction of Fe₃O₄ by TiO₂ photoelectrons. The effects of initial uranium concentration, solution pH, ionic strength, the composition of wastewater, and organic pollutants on the U(VI) removal by TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated its excellent performance in the cleanup of uranium contamination. As graphene can efficiently attract the TiO₂ photoelectrons and thus decrease their transfer to Fe₃O₄, the photodissolution of Fe₃O₄ in the TiO₂/graphene/Fe₃O₄ composite can be largely alleviated compared to that of the TiO₂/Fe₃O₄, rendering this ternary composite a much higher stability. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to explore the reaction mechanisms.

Enhanced Photocatalytic Removal of Uranium(VI) from Aqueous Solution by Magnetic TiO2/Fe3O4 and Its Graphene Composite

The separation and recovery of uranium from radioactive wastewater is important from the standpoints of environmental protection and uranium reuse. In the present work, magnetically collectable TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ and its graphene composites were fabricated and utilized for the photocatalytical removal of U(VI) from aqueous solutions. It was found that, under ultraviolet (UV) irradiation, the photoreactivity of TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ for the reduction of U(VI) was 19.3 times higher than that of pure TiO₂, which is strongly correlated with the Fe⁰ and additional Fe(II) generated from the reduction of Fe₃O₄ by TiO₂ photoelectrons. The effects of initial uranium concentration, solution pH, ionic strength, the composition of wastewater, and organic pollutants on the U(VI) removal by TiO₂/Fe₃O₄ were systematically investigated. The results demonstrated its excellent performance in the cleanup of uranium contamination. As graphene can efficiently attract the TiO₂ photoelectrons and thus decrease their transfer to Fe₃O₄, the photodissolution of Fe₃O₄ in the TiO₂/graphene/Fe₃O₄ composite can be largely alleviated compared to that of the TiO₂/Fe₃O₄, rendering this ternary composite a much higher stability. In addition, scanning electron microscopy (SEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) were used to explore the reaction mechanisms.

[Neuroprotection Mechanism of Lidocaine in Rabbits with Early Brain Injury Resulted from Subarachnoid Hemorrhage]

OBJECTIVES

To determine the neuroprotection mechanism of lidocaine on early brain injury resulted from subarachnoid hemorrhage.

METHODS

Eighteen New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into three groups: Sham group, subarachnoid hemorrhage (SAH) group and lidocaine treatment (LD) group. Operations were performed on all animals under anesthesia. Autologous nonheparinized arterial blood (1 mL/kg, body mass) was injected into cisterna magna of rabbits in the SAH and LD groups, while saline (1 mL/kg, body mass) was given to rabbits in the sham group. Thirty minutes later, intravenous injection of 0.6 mL 20 mg/mL lidocaine was given to those in the LD group, and intravenous injection of 0.6 mL saline was given to those in the Sham and SAH groups. Food intake and neurological impairments of the rabbits were assessed 72 h after the induction of SAH. The protein and mRNA experssions of Caspase-3 and cytochrome-c (Cyt-c) in hippocampus tissues were detected using real-time PCR (RT-PCR) and Western blot.

RESULTS

Rabbits in the SAH and LD groups had lower food intake and higher mRNA and protein expressions of Caspase-3 and Cyt-c than those in the sham groups, which was accompanied with varying degrees of neurological impairments. No significant differences in food intake and neurological impairments were found between the SAH and LD groups (P >0.05). However, rabbits in the LD group had lower levels of mRNA and protein expressions of Caspase-3 and Cyt-c than those in the SAH group (P <0.05).

CONCLUSION

The neuroprotection mechanism of lidocaine on early brain injury in rabbits with subarachnoid hemorrhage may be associated with inhibition of mitochondrial pathway and downregulated mRNA and protein expressions of Caspase-3 and Cyt-c in brain tissues.

[Comparison of Two Methods of Lidocaine Administrating for Neuroprotection in Rabbit Model of Subarachnoid Hemorrhage]

OBJECTIVES

To compare the neuroprotection effect of two methods of Lidocaine administration in rabbit model of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

METHODS

Forty New Zealand white rabbits were randomly divided into sham group, subarachnoid hemorrhage group (SAH), Lidocaine intravenous injection group (L1), and Lidocaine intracisternal administration group (L2). The rabbits were given general anaesthesia, then 1.5 mL autologous nonheparinized arterial blood was injected into cisterna magna to establish SAH model, while 1.5 mL saline was used in sham group. Thirty minutes later, the rabbits in L1 and L2 group respectively received 0.3 mL 2% Lidocaine administration of intravenously and intracisternally injection. All animals were sacrificed at 72 h after SAH. The samples of basilar artery and hippocampus tissue were processed for morphometric analysis. At pre-operation and 72 h after SAH, the level of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in serum was measured. HE staining and C fos immunohistochemical staining were performed in L1 and L2 groups. Artery area and artery diameter of basal arteries, normal neuron density and C-fos positive cell in hippocampus were measured at 72 h after SAH.

RESULTS

The baseline level of IL-6 was not significant different in four groups (P>0.05). The level of IL-6 at 72 h after SAH was significantly higher than that at pre-operation in SAH, L1 and L2 groups (P<0.05), while the level of IL-6 in SAH and L1 group was higher than that in L2 group (P<0.05). Compared to sham and L2 group, the cross-section area and diameter of basal artery were smaller in SAH and L1 group, while the normal neuron density of hippocampus was less (P<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Intracisternal administration of Lidocaine could provide neuroprotection in rabbit model of subarachnoid hemorrhage.

Motor Ingredients Derived from a Wearable Sensor-Based Virtual Reality System for Frozen Shoulder Rehabilitation

Objective. This study aims to extract motor ingredients through data mining from wearable sensors in a virtual reality goal-directed shoulder rehabilitation (GDSR) system and to examine their effects toward clinical assessment. Design. A single-group before/after comparison. Setting. Outpatient research hospital. Subjects. 16 patients with frozen shoulder. Interventions. The rehabilitation treatment involved GDSR exercises, hot pack, and interferential therapy. All patients first received hot pack and interferential therapy on the shoulder joints before engaging in the exercises. The GDSR exercise sessions were 40 minutes twice a week for 4 weeks. Main Measures. Clinical assessments included Constant and Murley score, range of motion of the shoulder, and muscle strength of upper arm as main measures. Motor indices from sensor data and task performance were measured as secondary measures. Results. The pre- and posttest results for task performance, motor indices, and the clinical assessments indicated significant improvement for the majority of the assessed items. Correlation analysis between the task performance and clinical assessments revealed significant correlations among a number of items. Stepwise regression analysis showed that task performance effectively predicted the results of several clinical assessment items. Conclusions. The motor ingredients derived from the wearable sensor and task performance are applicable and adequate to examine and predict clinical improvement after GDSR training.

Differentiation of mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma from poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma: based on the multivariate analysis of contrast-enhanced computed tomography findings

PURPOSE

We aim to gain further insight into identifying differential radiological features of mass-forming intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (mICC) from poorly differentiated hepatocellular carcinoma (pHCC) on contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT).

MATERIALS AND METHODS

107 patients with pathologically confirmed mICC (n = 48) and pHCC (n = 59) who had undergone preoperative contrast-enhanced CT were enrolled. Qualitative analysis of CT images were evaluated for tumor demarcation, shape, presence of satellite nodules, capsular retraction, biliary involvement, intratumoral arteries, tortuous tumoral vessels, vascular invasion, portal vein tumor thrombus, arterial enhancement pattern, portal venous phase enhancement, and washout pattern. Quantitative analysis was performed for mean attenuation of tumor and tumor-to-liver contrast during each phase. The degree of arterial enhancement was graded based on quantitative measurements.

RESULTS

A lobulated shape, indistinct margin, peripheral rim enhancement in the arterial phase, and the presence of bile duct dilatation were CT features favoring mICC, whereas a round shape, partially indistinct margin, heterogeneous enhancement in the arterial phase, washout pattern and the presence of tortuous tumoral vessels were CT features favoring pHCC in the univariate analysis (P < 0.05). Tumor-to-liver contrast of pHCC was greater than that of mICC during the arterial phase (P = 0.015). In the multivariate analysis, bile duct dilatation, tortuous tumoral vessels, and a washout pattern were independent CT features for distinguishing between the two types. (P = 0.003, P = 0.003, P = 0.044, respectively).

CONCLUSION

The absence of a washout pattern and tortuous tumoral vessels and presence of bile duct dilatation are more indicative of mICC than of pHCC on contrast-enhanced CT.

Efficient removal of uranium from aqueous solution by zero-valent iron nanoparticle and its graphene composite

Zero-valent iron nanoparticle (ZVI-np) and its graphene composites were prepared and applied in the removal of uranium under anoxic conditions. It was found that solutions containing 24 ppm U(VI) could be completely cleaned up by ZVI-nps, regardless of the presence of NaHCO3, humic acid, mimic groundwater constituents or the change of solution pH from 5 to 9, manifesting the promising potential of this reactive material in permeable reactive barrier (PRB) to remediate uranium-contaminated groundwater. In the measurement of maximum sorption capacity, removal efficiency of uranium kept at 100% until C0(U) = 643 ppm, and the saturation sorption of 8173 mg U/g ZVI-nps was achieved at C0(U) = 714 ppm. In addition, reaction mechanisms were clarified based on the results of SEM, XRD, XANES, and chemical leaching in (NH4)2CO3 solution. Partially reductive precipitation of U(VI) as U3O7 was prevalent when sufficient iron was available; nevertheless, hydrolysis precipitation of U(VI) on surface would be predominant as iron got insufficient, characterized by releases of Fe(2+) ions. The dissolution of Fe(0) cores was assigned to be the driving force of continuous formation of U(VI) (hydr)oxide. The incorporation of graphene supporting matrix was found to facilitate faster removal rate and higher U(VI) reduction ratio, thus benefitting the long-term immobilization of uranium in geochemical environment.

Introduction of bifunctional groups into mesoporous silica for enhancing uptake of thorium(IV) from aqueous solution

The potential industrial application of thorium (Th), as well as the environmental and human healthy problems caused by thorium, promotes the development of reliable methods for the separation and removal of Th(IV) from environmental and geological samples. Herein, the phosphonate-amino bifunctionalized mesoporous silica (PAMS) was fabricated by a one-step self-assembly approach for enhancing Th(IV) uptake from aqueous solution. The synthesized sorbent was found to possess ordered mesoporous structures with uniform pore diameter and large surface area, characterized by SEM, XRD, and N2 sorption/desorption measurements. The enhancement of Th(IV) uptake by PAMS was achieved by coupling of an access mechanism to a complexation mechanism, and the sorption can be optimized by adjusting the coverage of the functional groups in the PAMS sorbent. The systemic study on Th(IV) sorption/desorption by using one coverage of PAMS (PAMS12) shows that the Th(IV) sorption by PAMS is fast with equilibrium time of less than 1 h, and the sorption capacity is more than 160 mg/g at a relatively low pH. The sorption isotherm has been successfully modeled by the Langmuir isotherm and D-R isotherm, which reveals a monolayer homogeneous chemisorption of Th(IV) in PAMS. The Th(IV) sorption by PAMS is pH dependent but ionic strength independent. In addition, the sorbed Th(IV) can be completely desorbed using 0.2 mol/L or more concentrated nitric acid solution. The sorption test performed in the solution containing a range of competing metal ions suggests that the PAMS sorbent has a desirable selectivity for Th(IV) ions.

A hybrid low power biopatch for body surface potential measurement

This paper presents a wearable biopatch prototype for body surface potential measurement. It combines three key technologies, including mixed-signal system on chip (SoC) technology, inkjet printing technology, and anisotropic conductive adhesive (ACA) bonding technology. An integral part of the biopatch is a low-power low-noise SoC. The SoC contains a tunable analog front end, a successive approximation register analog-to-digital converter, and a reconfigurable digital controller. The electrodes, interconnections, and interposer are implemented by inkjet-printing the silver ink precisely on a flexible substrate. The reliability of printed traces is evaluated by static bending tests. ACA is used to attach the SoC to the printed structures and form the flexible hybrid system. The biopatch prototype is light and thin with a physical size of 16 cm × 16 cm. Measurement results show that low-noise concurrent electrocardiogram signals from eight chest points have been successfully recorded using the implemented biopatch.

NO adsorption behaviors of the MnOx catalysts in lean-burn atmospheres

NO(x) emission control of lean-burn engines is one of the great challenges in the world. Herein, the MnOx model catalysts with the different calcination temperatures were synthesized to investigate their NO adsorbability for lean-burn exhausts. The transformation from (β-)MnO₂ to (α-)Mn₂O₃ following the increased calcination temperatures was evidenced from the viewpoint of the local atomic level. Among these samples, the one calcined at 550 °C containing the single α-Mn₂O₃ phase displayed the best NO adsorbability: NO was mainly adsorbed in the forms of NO/nitrites and NO₂/nitrates at the low and high temperatures, respectively; the NO oxidation ability displayed the volcano-shape following the increased operating temperatures, and reached the maximum, i.e. 92.4% of the NO-to-NO₂ conversion, at 250 °C. Moreover, this sample presented the efficiently reversible NO adsorption/desorption performance in alternative lean-burn/fuel-rich atmospheres, due to the weakly bonded NO(x) on it. The superficial oxygen species plays a critical role for the NO oxidation over α-Mn₂O₃. The consumed superficial oxygen could be further compensated by the gaseous and lattice oxygen therein. Our findings show that the α-Mn₂O₃ material is a promising NO(x) adsorber for lean-burn exhausts even at low operating temperatures.

Serum Levels of Calcitonin Gene-Related Peptide and Substance P are Decreased in Patients with Diabetes Mellitus and Coronary Artery Disease

OBJECTIVE: This study evaluated serum levels of the neuropeptides calcitonin gene-related peptide (CGRP) and substance P (SP) in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients with and without a history of diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: Patients undergoing coronary angiography for suspected myocardial ischaemia were divided into four groups depending on their clinical status: control group (no CAD or DM; n = 44), DM group (DM without CAD; n = 46), CAD group (stable CAD without DM; n = 44) and DM + CAD group (stable CAD with DM; n = 50). Serum levels of CGRP and SP were determined using radioimmunoassays. RESULTS: CGRP and SP levels in the DM and CAD groups were significantly lower than in the control group. The lowest levels of CGRP and SP were observed in the DM + CAD group. There were no significant differences in CGRP and SP levels between the DM group and the CAD group. CONCLUSION: CGRP and SP may have a role in the pathogenesis of CAD in patients with diabetes.