New iron selenide superconductors by intercalating smaller-sized alkali metals (Li, Na) and alkaline earths using high-temperature routes have been pursued ever since the discovery of ...superconductivity at about 30 K in KFe2 Se2 , but all have failed so far. Here we demonstrate that a series of superconductors with enhanced Tc = 30∼46 K can be obtained by intercalating metals, Li, Na, Ba, Sr, Ca, Yb, and Eu in between FeSe layers by the ammonothermal method at room temperature. Analysis on their powder X-ray diffraction patterns reveals that all the main phases can be indexed based on body-centered tetragonal lattices with a∼3.755-3.831 Å while c∼15.99-20.54 Å. Resistivities show the corresponding sharp transitions at 45 K and 39 K for NaFe2 Se2 and Ba0.8 Fe2 Se2 , respectively, confirming their bulk superconductivity. These findings provide a new starting point for studying the properties of these superconductors and an effective synthetic route for the exploration of new superconductors as well.
The stacking fault energy (SFE) values of several typical face-centered-cubic (fcc) high-entropy alloys (HEAs) were experimentally measured by weak-beam dark-field transmission electron microscopy. ...It was found that the SFE of the Fe-Co-Ni-Cr-Mn HEA system strongly depends on the SFE of the individual constituents. Specifically, the SFE of this HEA system is closely associated with the Ni concentration in the alloys. Additionally, the lower SFE tends to promote formation of more deformation twins with a smaller thickness under loading, leading to better mechanical properties, especially at low temperatures.
•SFE of six Fe-Co-Ni-Cr-Mn HEAs was measured experimentally.•Constituents play an important role in the SFE, particularly the Ni content.•Lower SFE promotes formation of thinner twins during loading and better properties.
The aim of this experimental study was to determine the extent to which the intensity of a single 30 min bout of exercise alters the salivary cortisol (sCort) response to a subsequently induced acute ...psychosocial stressor. The study further aimed to elucidate a physiological mechanism through which exercise intensity exerts stress-mitigating effects.
Eighty-three healthy men (Mage = 21.04 SD = 2.89) were randomly assigned to exercise on a treadmill at either 30%, 50% or 70% of their heart rate reserve (HRR) for 30 min and then underwent the Trier Social Stress Test 45 min later. sCort was measured repeatedly throughout and following the exercise bout and stressor task.
ANCOVA and Multilevel Growth Curve Analysis determined that vigorous (70% HRR) exercise elicited dampened sCort responses to the stressor task, marked by lower total sCort levels, diminished sCort reactivity, and faster recovery to baseline values, as compared to less intense exercise. Moreover, exercise elicited a sCort response in proportion to the intensity at which it was performed, and this exercise-associated HPA-axis response was inversely proportional to the sCort response to the subsequent stressor task.
This study revealed that exercise-intensity dampens the HPA-axis stress response in a dose-dependent manner, with evidence that the cortisol released from exercising intensely suppresses the subsequent cortisol response to a psychosocial stressor.
•When following vigorous exercise, HPA reactivity to a stressor is dampened compared to when following moderate/light activity.•When following moderate exercise, HPA reactivity to a stressor is dampened compared to when following light activity.•Cortisol released in response to exercise is inversely related to cortisol released in response to the psychosocial stressor.
To investigate the value of a radiomics nomogram integrating intratumoural and peritumoural features in predicting lymph node metastasis and overall survival (OS) in patients with clinical stage IA ...non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC).
This study retrospectively enrolled 199 patients (training cohort: 71 patients from Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Nantong University; internal validation cohort: 46 patients from Affiliated Tumour Hospital of Nantong University; external validation cohort: 82 patients from the public database). CT radiomics models were constructed based on four volumes of interest: gross tumour volume (GTV), gross and 3 mm peritumoural volume (GPTV3), gross and 6 mm peritumoural volume (GPTV6), and gross and 9 mm peritumoural volume (GPTV9). The optimal radiomics signature was further combined with independent clinical predictors to develop a nomogram. Univariable and multivariable Cox regression analysis were applied to determine the relationship between factors and OS.
GPTV6 radiomics yielded better performance than GTV, GPTV3, and, GPTV9 radiomics in the training (area under the curve AUC, 0.81), internal validation (AUC, 0.79), and external validation cohorts (AUC, 0.71), respectively. The nomogram integrating GPTV6 radiomics and spiculation improved predictive ability, with AUCs of 0.85, 0.80, and 0.74 in three cohorts, respectively. Pathological lymph node metastasis, nomogram-predicted lymph node metastasis, and pleural indentation were independent risk predictors of OS (p<0.05).
The nomogram integrating GPTV6 radiomics features and independent clinical predictors performed well in predicting lymph node metastasis and prognosis in patients with clinical stage IA NSCLC.
•Intratumoral and peritumoral 6 mm radiomics features showed good performance.•The nomogram could predict lymph node metastasis and prognosis.•The nomogram outperformed the radiomics model and clinical model.
Background and purpose:
Traumatic brain injury (TBI) triggers a complex series of inflammatory responses that contribute to secondary tissue damage. The aim of this study was to investigate the ...effect of baicalein, a flavonoid possessing potent anti‐inflammatory properties, on functional and histological outcomes and inflammatory cytokine expression, following TBI in rats.
Experimental approach:
Rats subjected to controlled cortical impact injury were injected with baicalein (30 mg kg−1) or vehicle immediately after injury or daily for 4 days. Neurological status was evaluated using the rotarod, adhesive removal, modified neurological severity scores and beam walk tests. Contusion volume and neuronal degeneration were measured using cresyl violet and FluoroJade B (FJB) histochemistry. Levels of tumour necrosis factor‐α (TNF‐α), interleukin‐1β (IL‐1β) and interleukin‐6 (IL‐6) mRNA and protein were assessed by real‐time quantitative reverse transcriptase‐PCR, enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay and immunohistochemistry.
Key results:
Single‐dose and multiple‐dose treatment with baicalein significantly improved functional recovery and reduced contusion volumes up to day 28 post‐injury, although multiple‐dose baicalein was the more effective treatment. Single‐dose baicalein also significantly reduced the number of degenerating neurons (31%) on post‐injury day 1 as indicated by FJB staining. These changes were associated with significantly decreased levels, at the contusion site, of TNF‐α, IL‐1β and IL‐6 mRNA at 6 h, and cytokine protein on day 1 post‐injury.
Conclusions and implications:
Post‐injury treatment with baicalein improved functional and histological outcomes and reduced induction of proinflammatory cytokines in rat TBI. The neuroprotective effect of baicalein may be related to a decreased inflammatory response following the injury.
British Journal of Pharmacology (2008) 155, 1279–1296; doi:10.1038/bjp.2008.345; published online 8 September 2008
We report results on the searches of weakly interacting massive particles (WIMPs) with sub-GeV masses (mχ) via WIMP-nucleus spin-independent scattering with Migdal effect incorporated. Analysis on ...time-integrated (TI) and annual modulation (AM) effects on CDEX-1B data are performed, with 737.1 kg day exposure and 160 eVee threshold for TI analysis, and 1107.5 kg day exposure and 250 eVee threshold for AM analysis. The sensitive windows in mχ are expanded by an order of magnitude to lower DM masses with Migdal effect incorporated. New limits on σχNSI at 90% confidence level are derived as 2×10−32∼7×10−35 cm2 for TI analysis at mχ∼50–180 MeV/c2, and 3×10−32∼9×10−38 cm2 for AM analysis at mχ∼75 MeV/c2–3.0 GeV/c2.
This study examines the 20-year trend of suicide in 46 Muslim-majority countries throughout the world and compares their suicide rates and trends with the global average. Ecological-level ...associations between the proportion of the Muslim population, the age-standardized suicide rates, male-to-female suicide rate ratio, and the Human Development Index (HDI) in 2019 were examined.
Age-standardized suicide rates were extracted from the WHO Global Health Estimates database for the period between 2000 and 2019. The rates in each country were compared with the age-standardized global average during the past 20 years. The countries were further grouped according to their regions/sub-regions to calculate the regional and sub-regional weighted age-standardized suicide rates involving Muslim-majority countries. Correlation analyses were conducted between the proportion of Muslims, age-standardized suicide rate, male: female suicide rate ratio, and the HDI in all countries. Joinpoint regression was used to analyze the age-standardized suicide rates in 2000-2019.
The 46 countries retained for analysis included an estimated 1.39 billion Muslims from a total worldwide Muslim population of 1.57 billion. Of these countries, eleven (23.9%) had an age-standardized suicide rate above the global average in 2019. In terms of regional/sub-regional suicide rates, Muslim-majority countries in the Sub-Saharan region recorded the highest weighted average age-standardized suicide rate of 10.02/100,000 population, and Southeastern Asia recorded the lowest rate (2.58/100,000 population). There were significant correlations between the Muslim population proportion and male-to-female rate ratios (r=-0.324, p=0.028), HDI index and age-standardized suicide rates (r=-0.506, p<0.001), and HDI index and male-to-female rate ratios (r=0.503, p<0.001) in 2019. Joinpoint analysis revealed that seven Muslim-majority countries (15.2%) recorded an increase in the average annual percentage change regarding age-standardized suicide rates during 2000-2019.
Most Muslim-majority countries had lower age-standardized suicide rates than the global average, which might reflect religious belief and practice or due to Muslim laws in their judicial and social structure which may lead to underreporting. This finding needs further in-depth country and region-specific study with regard to its implication for public policy.
We investigated the association of the intensity of newspaper reporting of charcoal burning suicide with the incidence of such deaths in Taiwan during 1998-2002. A counting process approach was used ...to estimate the incidence of suicides and intensity of news reporting. Conditional Poisson generalized linear autoregressive models were performed to assess the association of the intensity of newspaper reporting of charcoal burning and non-charcoal burning suicides with the actual number of charcoal burning and non-charcoal burning suicides the following day. We found that increases in the reporting of charcoal burning suicide were associated with increases in the incidence of charcoal burning suicide on the following day, with each reported charcoal burning news item being associated with a 16% increase in next day charcoal burning suicide (p<.0001). However, the reporting of other methods of suicide was not related to their incidence. We conclude that extensive media reporting of charcoal burning suicides appears to have contributed to the rapid rise in the incidence of the novel method in Taiwan during the initial stage of the suicide epidemic. Regulating media reporting of novel suicide methods may prevent an epidemic spread of such new methods.
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