Moisture‐powered potential switching is achieved by establishing ion channels and an oxygen‐functional‐group gradient in graphene oxide nanoribbon network assemblies. The resulting flexible membrane ...is used to fabricate breath‐powered write‐once‐read‐many‐times‐type memory devices with a remarkably low error risk (ON/OFF ratio of 106), and long‐term stability for reading out with human breath.
Summary Background China scaled up a tuberculosis control programme (based on the directly observed treatment, short-course DOTS strategy) to cover half the population during the 1990s, and to the ...entire population after 2000. We assessed the effect of the programme. Methods In this longitudinal analysis, we compared data from three national tuberculosis prevalence surveys done in 1990, 2000, and 2010. The 2010 survey screened 252 940 eligible individuals aged 15 years and older at 176 investigation points, chosen by stratified random sampling from all 31 mainland provinces. All individuals had chest radiographs taken. Those with abnormal radiographs, persistent cough, or both, were classified as having suspected tuberculosis. Tuberculosis was diagnosed by chest radiograph, sputum-smear microscopy, and culture. Trained staff interviewed each patient with tuberculosis. The 1990 and 2000 surveys were reanalysed and compared with the 2010 survey. Findings From 1990 to 2010, the prevalence of smear-positive tuberculosis decreased from 170 cases (95% CI 166–174) to 59 cases (49–72) per 100 000 population. During the 1990s, smear-positive prevalence fell only in the provinces with the DOTS programme; after 2000, prevalence decreased in all provinces. The percentage reduction in smear-positive prevalence was greater for the decade after 2000 than the decade before (57% vs 19%; p<0·0001). 70% of the total reduction in smear-positive prevalence (78 of 111 cases per 100 000 population) occurred after 2000. Of these cases, 68 (87%) were in known cases—ie, cases diagnosed with tuberculosis before the survey. Of the known cases, the proportion treated by the public health system (using the DOTS strategy) increased from 59 (15%) of 370 cases in 2000 to 79 (66%) of 123 cases in 2010, contributing to reduced proportions of treatment default (from 163 43% of 370 cases to 35 22% of 123 cases) and retreatment cases (from 312 84% of 374 cases to 48 31% of 137 cases; both p<0·0001). Interpretation In 20 years, China more than halved its tuberculosis prevalence. Marked improvement in tuberculosis treatment, driven by a major shift in treatment from hospitals to the public health centres (that implemented the DOTS strategy) was largely responsible for this epidemiological effect. Funding Chinese Ministry of Health.
► Adsorption capacity of spinel ferrites for CR was first compared and analyzed. ► Cations distributions on A- and B-sites of spinel ferrite decide the adsorption capacity. ► CoFe2O4 exhibit higher ...saturation magnetization and adsorption capacity for CR. ► By the calculation of Langmuir model, the qmax of CoFe2O4 for CR is 244.5mgg−1. ► Electrostatic absorption was conceived as the main adsorption mechanism.
In this contribution, we compare the adsorption capacity of different MFe2O4 (M=Mn, Fe, Co, Ni) ferrite nanocrystals synthesized by hydrothermal method for Congo red (CR). It is the first time to give a comprehensive comparison and analysis of the adsorption capacity of ferrite nanocrystals with spinel structure for CR. Research indicates that the cations distribution of MFe2O4 ferrites is the most important factor to decide their adsorption capacity. Electrostatic absorption was conceived as the main adsorption mechanism. Meanwhile, the MFe2O4 nanoparticles exhibited a clearly ferromagnetic behavior under applied magnetic field, which allowed their high-efficient magnetic separation from wastewater. Furthermore, acetone is an effective desorption agent for desorption of MFe2O4 nanoparticles loaded by CR. All of the spinel ferrite nanocrystals possess good soft-magnetism, especially, CoFe2O4 nanocrystals exhibit a higher saturation magnetization of 86.1emug−1 as well as the outstanding adsorption capacity for CR. By the calculation of Langmuir isotherm model, the maximum adsorption capacity of CoFe2O4 for CR is 244.5mgg−1.
•SOC level rapidly decreased in the major grain-producing areas of the black soil region.•Environmental factors had large influence on spatial pattern of SOC and pH.•Gully density and grain yield ...were significantly negatively related with SOC.•Natural and human factors had covariation in forming spatial patterns of SOC and pH.
The Northeastern Black Soil Region plays a key role in food supply in China. Identifying spatio-temporal variation of soil properties as influenced by environmental factors has become essential for future agricultural development. A total of 5891 topsoil samples (0–20cm) were collected and soil organic carbon (SOC) and pH were measured in the Jilin Province. Geostatistics, multiple linear regression, and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to highlight the spatio-temporal patterns of SOC and pH and determine the relationship with environmental factors. Results showed that from 1980 to 2010 average level of SOC increased by 2.68gkg−1 (p<0.001). However, in the Golden-Maize-Belt Counties (i.e., the major grain-producing areas of the Jilin Province), the SOC content rapidly decreased, the largest drop reaching 24.83gkg−1. Over the past thirty years, pH values slightly increased (0.30; p>0.05) throughout the province. Environmental factors could explain 64% and 78% of the spatial patterns of SOC and pH, respectively. The principal factors impacting SOC and pH included: precipitation, gully density, forested land and grain yield. There was significant covariation between natural and human factors in forming these spatial patterns. Anthropogenic disturbance had a larger influence on the distribution of SOC than on the distribution of pH.
In this article, we consider the multiple solutions for the nonhomogeneous Choquard equations $$ - \Delta u +u=\Big(\frac{1}{|x|^{\alpha}}\ast |u|^{p}\Big)|u|^{p-2}u+h(x), \quad x\in \mathbb{R}^N, $$ ...and $$ - \Delta u=\Big(\frac{1}{|x|^{\alpha}}\ast |u|^{2^{\ast}_{\alpha}} \Big)|u|^{2^{\ast}_{\alpha}-2}u+h(x), \quad x\in \mathbb{R}^N, $$ where $N\geq 3$, $0<\alpha<N$, $2-\frac{\alpha}{N}<p<2^{\ast}_{\alpha}=\frac{2N-\alpha}{N-2}$. Under suitable assumptions on $h$, we obtain at least two solutions on the subcritical case $2-\frac{\alpha}{N}<p<2^{\ast}_{\alpha}$ and on the critical case $p=2^{\ast}_{\alpha}$.
In this paper, we consider the following nonhomogeneous Klein–Gordon–Maxwell system \begin{align*} \begin{cases} - \Delta u +V(x)u-(2\omega+\phi)\phi u =f(x,u)+h(x), &x\in \mathbb{R}^3,\\ \Delta \phi ...=(\omega+\phi)u^2, \quad & x\in \mathbb{R}^3, \end{cases} \end{align*} where $\omega>0$ is a constant, the primitive of the nonlinearity $f$ is of 2-superlinear growth at infinity. The nonlinearity considered here is weaker than the local $(AR)$ condition and the $(Je)$ condition of Jeanjean. The existence of two solutions is proved by the Mountain Pass Theorem and Ekeland's variational principle.
Injection molding is the most widely used process in manufacturing plastic products. Since the quality of injection molded plastic parts are mostly influenced by process conditions, how to determine ...the optimum process conditions becomes the key to improving the part quality. In this paper, a combining artificial neural network and genetic algorithm (ANN/GA) method is proposed to optimize the injection molding process. In this method, a BP neural network model is developed to map the complex non-linear relationship between process conditions and quality indexes of the injection molded parts, and a GA is used in the process conditions optimization with the fitness function based on an ANN model. The combining ANN/GA method is used in the process optimization for an industrial part in order to improve the quality index of the volumetric shrinkage variation in the part. The results show that the combining ANN/GA method is an effective tool for the process optimization of injection molding.
Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) is a rare, invariably fatal premature aging disorder. The disease is caused by constitutive production of progerin, a mutant form of the nuclear ...architectural protein lamin A, leading, through unknown mechanisms, to diverse morphological, epigenetic, and genomic damage and to mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) attrition in vivo. Using a high-throughput siRNA screen, we identify the NRF2 antioxidant pathway as a driver mechanism in HGPS. Progerin sequesters NRF2 and thereby causes its subnuclear mislocalization, resulting in impaired NRF2 transcriptional activity and consequently increased chronic oxidative stress. Suppressed NRF2 activity or increased oxidative stress is sufficient to recapitulate HGPS aging defects, whereas reactivation of NRF2 activity in HGPS patient cells reverses progerin-associated nuclear aging defects and restores in vivo viability of MSCs in an animal model. These findings identify repression of the NRF2-mediated antioxidative response as a key contributor to the premature aging phenotype.
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•Impaired activity of the NRF2 antioxidative pathway is a driver mechanism in HGPS•Suppressed NRF2 activity and oxidative stress recapitulate HGPS aging defects•Reactivation of NRF2 decreases oxidative stress and reverses cellular HGPS defects
Impairment of the NRF2 pathway is a key contributor to premature aging in Hutchinson-Gilford progeria syndrome (HGPS) via increasing chronic oxidative stress that recapitulates HGPS aging defects.
Long-term care (LTC) needs for the elderly have become increasingly crucial policy concerns in rapidly aging Asia, especially in China, the most populous nation. However, very few studies have ...examined the cohort differences in terms of their existing and expected utilization of LTC services, above all urban-rural differences. This study aims to evaluate the differences of LTC current status and needs between urban-rural areas and age groups, and to identify influencing factors causing the different LTC needs.
The data come from the Chinese Longitudinal Health Longevity Survey in 2014. A total of 7192 home-based elderly aged ≥65 years by multistage sampling were enrolled. The Andersen Model was applied to categorize the influential factors into three components including predisposing, enabling and needs. Multivariate logistic regression analysis was used to analyze the influential factors of the three levels of LTC needs.
A total of 6909 valid sample sizes were included in this study. The overall LTC needs of the elderly showed a rapidly increasing trend among which older people had the highest needs for bathing (27.29%) and toileting (15.8%). It was also demonstrated the aged cohort between urban and rural exerted an impact on all aspects of LTC status and needs to varying degrees (
0.05). Compared with urban areas, the LTC needs for the elderly in rural areas was more vigorous, but the supply was seriously inadequate. The elderly who were older, living in rural areas, unmarried, non-farming, with low income, in poor health and having less autonomy had higher anticipated needs for LTC services (OR > 1,
0.01). Compared with the young-old in rural areas, the young-old in urban areas were prone to live alone (OR = 1.61,
0.01). The elderly who were older, living in rural areas, farming, with low income, lonely and depressed had higher anticipated needs for community-based services (1
OR
1.69,
0.05).
The aged cohort in urban-rural distinction were facing an increasing need for immediate care due to the inadequate support being provided, especially among rural elderly. The oldest elderly in rural areas had higher LTC needs, and different levels of needs were affected by age, economic level, family support, health status and other related effects. This study provides evidence-based recommendation for further improving the construction and development of the LTC system in China.
Citrus flavonoids, consisting of naringin, narirutin, neohesperidine, etc., have therapeutic activities for the treatment of lipometabolic disorders. The peel of Citrus changshan-huyou (Qu Zhi Ke, ...QZK) is a new source of flavonoids, but attracted little attention so far.
QZK should possess therapeutic effects against lipometabolic disorders due to the flavonoids it contains.
In this study, we extracted and purified the flavonoids of QZK (TFCH) and established an obesity-induced non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) model of rats. TFCH was given orally for 8 weeks, and its anti-NAFLD effects and potential mechanism were evaluated.
The flavonoid chemoprofile of TFCH was determined by using HPLC. High-fat diet was employed to induce NAFLD model in rats, and six groups were set up: negative control group, reference treatment group, model group, low-dose TFCH (25 mg/kg), intermediate-dose TFCH (50 mg/kg), and high-dose TFCH (100 mg/kg). Serum and liver levels of inflammatory cytokines and NAFLD markers were measured biochemically. The relative mRNA expressions of liver T-bet, GATA3, and TNF-α were tested by real time PCR (qPCR) analysis. The protein expression of p38 and the phosphorylation of NF-κB, ERK1/2, and p38 in liver were tested by Western blot analysis.
The histopathological observation showed that TFCH attenuated hepatic lesions with significantly decreased NAFLD activity scores. The biochemical data showed that TFCH significantly suppressed both systemic and intrahepatic inflammation by inhibiting IL-1β, IL-6, IL-12, TNF-α, and IFN-γ, and the qPCR analysis revealed a Th1/Th2 related anti-inflammatory mechanism of TFCH. Western blot results clarified that TFCH exerted hepatoprotective and anti-inflammatory effects by suppression of phosphorylated NF-κB and MAPKs, indicating a mechanism associated with NF-κB and MAPK signaling pathways.
QZK is a new source of Citrus flavonoids for therapeutic use, and TFCH is a promising representative of Citrus flavonoids for anti-NAFLD therapy.
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