Iron selenide superconductors exhibit a number of unique characteristics that are helpful for understanding the mechanism of superconductivity in high-Tc iron-based superconductors more generally. ...However, in the case of AxFe2Se2 (A = K, Rb, Cs), the presence of an intergrown antiferromagnetic insulating phase makes the study of the underlying physics problematic. Moreover, FeSe-based systems intercalated with alkali metal ions, NH3 molecules or organic molecules are extremely sensitive to air, which prevents the further investigation of their physical properties. It is therefore desirable to find a stable and easily accessible FeSe-based superconductor to study its physical properties in detail. Here, we report the synthesis of an air-stable material, (Li0.8Fe0.2)OHFeSe, which remains superconducting at temperatures up to ~40 K, by means of a novel hydrothermal method. The crystal structure is unambiguously determined by a combination of X-ray and neutron powder diffraction and nuclear magnetic resonance. Moreover, antiferromagnetic order is shown to coexist with superconductivity. This synthetic route opens a path for exploring superconductivity in other related systems, and confirms the appeal of iron selenides as a platform for understanding superconductivity in iron pnictides more broadly.
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IJS, IZUM, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Abstract
Topological superconductors (TSCs) are unconventional superconductors with bulk superconducting gap and in-gap Majorana states on the boundary that may be used as topological qubits for ...quantum computation. Despite their importance in both fundamental research and applications, natural TSCs are very rare. Here, combining state of the art synchrotron and laser-based angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy, we investigated a stoichiometric transition metal dichalcogenide (TMD), 2M-WS
2
with a superconducting transition temperature of 8.8 K (the highest among all TMDs in the natural form up to date) and observed distinctive topological surface states (TSSs). Furthermore, in the superconducting state, we found that the TSSs acquired a nodeless superconducting gap with similar magnitude as that of the bulk states. These discoveries not only evidence 2M-WS
2
as an intrinsic TSC without the need of sensitive composition tuning or sophisticated heterostructures fabrication, but also provide an ideal platform for device applications thanks to its van der Waals layered structure.
Summary
Background
Tinea capitis is still common in developing countries, such as China. Its pathogen spectrum varies across regions and changes over time.
Objectives
This study aimed to clarify the ...current epidemiological characteristics and pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis in China.
Methods
A multicentre, prospective descriptive study involving 29 tertiary hospitals in China was conducted. From August 2019 to July 2020, 611 patients with tinea capitis were enrolled. Data concerning demography, risk factors and fungal tests were collected. When necessary, the pathogens were further identified by morphology or molecular sequencing in the central laboratory.
Results
Among all enrolled patients, 74·1% of the cases were in patients aged 2–8 years. The children with tinea capitis were mainly boys (56·2%) and were more likely than adults to have a history of animal contact (57·4% vs. 35·3%, P = 0·012) and zoophilic dermatophyte infection (73·5% vs. 47%). The adults were mainly female (83%) and were more likely than children to have anthropophilic agent infection (53% vs. 23·9%). The most common pathogen was zoophilic Microsporum canis (354, 65·2%), followed by anthropophilic Trichophyton violaceum (74, 13·6%). In contrast to the eastern, western and northeastern regions, where zoophilic M. canis predominated, anthropophilic T. violaceum predominated in central China (69%, P < 0·001), where the patients had the most tinea at other sites (20%) and dermatophytosis contact (26%) but the least animal contact (39%). Microsporum ferrugineum was the most common anthropophilic agent in the western area, especially in Xinjiang province.
Conclusions
Boys aged approximately 5 years were the most commonly affected group. Dermatologists are advised to pay more attention to the different transmission routes and pathogen spectra in different age groups from different regions.
What is already known about this topic?
Tinea capitis is an infection of the scalp and hair caused by dermatophytes and is still common in developing countries. Prepubertal children are mainly affected.
The pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis varies across different geographical areas and changes over time.
Nationwide prospective epidemiological surveys of tinea capitis in China are rare and out of date.
What does this study add?
This study provides data concerning the epidemiological characteristics and pathogen spectrum of tinea capitis in contemporary China.
Boys aged approximately 5 years were most commonly affected and were more likely than adults to have zoophilic dermatophyte infection.
The main pathogens of tinea capitis in China are zoophilic dermatophytes, mainly Microsporum canis. In contrast to the other regions, the predominant pathogens in central China are anthropophilic dermatophytes.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
Prior data indicate similar outcomes after transplants from human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-haplotype-matched relatives, HLA-identical siblings and HLA-matched unrelated donors. We used our prospective ...data set to answer a clinically important question: who is the best donor for a person with acute leukaemia transplanted in first complete remission. Patients were randomly divided into training (n=611) and validation (n=588) sets. A total of 1199 consecutive subjects received a transplant from an HLA-haplotype-matched relative using granulocyte colony-stimulating factor and anti-thymocyte globulin (n=685) or an HLA-identical sibling (n=514); 3-year leukaemia-free survivals (LFSs) were 75 and 74% (P=0.95), respectively. The multivariate model identified three major risk factors for transplant-related mortality (TRM): older donor/recipient age, female-to-male transplants and donor-recipient ABO major-mismatch transplants. A risk score was developed based on these three features. TRMs were 8%, 15% and 31% for subjects with scores of 0-1, 2 and 3, respectively, (P<0.001). Three-year LFSs were 78%, 74% and 58%, respectively, (P=0.003). The risk score was validated in an independent cohort. In conclusion, our data confirm donor source is not significantly correlated with transplant outcomes. Selection of the best donor needs to consider donor-recipient age, matching for gender and ABO incompatibility among persons with acute leukaemia receiving related transplants under our transplant modality.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
Hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) activity in China was surveyed to assess its current status. A record number of HCTs (21 884: 16 631 allogeneic (76%) and 5253 autologous (24%)) were reported ...by 76 centers in China between 1 January 2008 and 30 June 2016. HCT trends included continued growth in transplant activity, a continued rapid increase in haploidentical donors (HID), and slower growth for unrelated donors, matched-related donors (MRD) and cord blood transplantation (CBT). The proportion of HID HCT among allogeneic HCTs increased from 29.6% (313/1062) in 2008 to 48.8% (1939/3975) in 2015, even 51.7% (1157/2237) in the first half of 2016. During this time frame, the proportion of MRD HCTs among allogeneic HCTs decreased from 48.1% (511/1062) to 33.0% (332/3975). The proportion of unrelated donor HCTs among allogeneic HCTs decreased from 20.4 (216/1062) to 13.6% (540/3975). The proportion of CBTs among allogeneic HCTs was increased from 2.1% (22/1062) to 4.2% (184/3975). HCTs have been increasing continuously for all indications except chronic myelogenous leukemia. Severe aplastic anemia is a common HCT indication among non-malignant diseases in China. The number of cases of allogeneic HCT for this disorder has increased annually, from 59 (5.6%) in 2008 to 569 (14.3%) in 2015, even 334 (14.9%) in the first half year in 2016. This survey clearly shows recent trends for HCTs in China.
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EMUNI, FIS, FZAB, GEOZS, GIS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, MFDPS, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, SBMB, SBNM, UKNU, UL, UM, UPUK, VKSCE, ZAGLJ
BACKGROUND
Knowing predictors of pregnancy in IVF is helpful for clinicians to individualize the treatment plans and improve patient counseling and for patients to decide whether to undergo ...infertility treatment. The aim of the study was to identify independent predictors of the chance of clinical pregnancy after a completed IVF/ICSI cycle (fresh plus cryopreserved embryos transferred from one stimulated cycle) and to compare the predictive value of important predictors identified.
METHODS
This was a single center, retrospective study of 2450 infertile women undergoing their first IVF treatment between 2002 and 2007. A bootstrapping stepwise variable selection algorithm was performed to identify independent predictors of clinical pregnancy chance from a list of 27 candidate variables. Multivariable logistic regression was used for assessing the effects of predictors. Proportion of explained variation analysis and concordance index were adopted to compare the predictive value of factors.
RESULTS
The following nine independent predictors were included in the final multivariable model: total number of good-quality embryos, total number of embryos, age, antral follicle count, fertilization rate, duration of infertility, endometrial thickness, number of 10–14-mm follicles and progesterone level on the day of hCG injection. The model was cross-validated internally in the training data and validated externally in an independent data with robust performance. The stratified analysis demonstrated that the total number of good-quality embryos was a better predictor of clinical pregnancy chance after a completed IVF/ICSI cycle than age for women <40 years, whereas age was a better predictor for women ≥40 years. The restricted cubic spline analysis revealed the relationship between the total number of good-quality embryos and log-odds of achieving a clinical pregnancy was nonlinear.
CONCLUSIONS
Quality and quantity of the whole embryos are the two most important predictors of the cumulative outcome in IVF/ICSI among independent predictors indentified. The importance of embryo quality on cumulative outcome in IVF/ICSI increases with increasing age.
(1 − x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3−xPbTiO3 (x = 0, 5, and 10 mol%) ceramics were prepared using a conventional mixed oxide solid state reaction method. The low-temperature relaxor behavior of (1 − ...x)Pb(Mg1/3Nb2/3)O3-xPbTiO3 ceramics were examined in the temperature range from 120 to 523 K. A broad dielectric maximum that shifted to higher temperatures with increasing frequency, signified the relaxor-type behavior of these ceramics. The value of the relaxation parameter γ = 1.61-1.94 estimated from the linear fit of the modified Curie-Weiss law indicated the relaxor nature. High-temperature dielectric relaxation phenomena were found in the temperature region 600-850 K. Energy-storage properties were also analyzed, and the energy-storage density calculated from hysteresis loops reached about 0.47 J cm−3 at room temperature.
Novel magnetically recyclable spinel nickel ferrite/multi-walled carbon nanotubes hybrids (NiFe2O4/MWCNTs hybrids) with different MWCNTs content were prepared by a facile one-step hydrothermal ...method. The as-prepared NiFe2O4/MWCNTs hybrids were characterized by powder X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV–vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), scanning electron microscope (SEM) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). Photocatalytic activity of NiFe2O4/MWCNTs hybrids was investigated by photocatalytic decolorization of Congo Red (CR) in aqueous solution under simulated solar light irradiation. NiFe2O4/MWCNTs yielded efficient decolorization of CR solution with an apparent rate constant of 0.01433min−1, which was 2.18 times that of NiFe2O4. Significantly enhanced activity of NiFe2O4/MWCNTs hybrids resulted from the synergistic contribution of both high adsorption capacity towards CR and the participation of holes (h+), •OH radicals and O2•− radicals. In addition, the NiFe2O4/MWCNTs hybrids can be recovered conveniently using an external magnet. As a result, the novel NiFe2O4/MWCNTs could gain a promising application in treatment of various dyestuff wastewaters on a large scale.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK
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