Advances in CIGS thin film solar cells with emphasis on the alkali element post-deposition treatment

In the past tens of years,the power conversion efficiency of Cu(In,Ga)Se2(CIGS)has continuously improved and been one of the fastest growing photovoltaic technologies that can also help us achieve the goal of carbon emissions reduction.Among several key advances,the alkali element post-deposition treatment(AlK PDT)is regarded as the most important finding in the last 10 years,which has led to the improvement of CIGS solar cell efficiency from 20.4%to 23.35%.A profound understanding of the influence of alkali element on the chemical and electrical properties of the CIGS absorber along with the underlying mechanisms is of great importance.In this review,we summarize the strategies of the alkali element doping in CIGS solar cell,the problems to be noted in the PDT process,the effects on the CdS buffer layer,the effects of different alkali elements on the structure and morphology of the CIGS absorber layer,and retrospect the progress in the CIGS solar cell with emphasis on the alkali element post deposition treatment.

On Uplink Non-Orthogonal Multiple Access for 5G：Opportunities and Challenges

In this paper,the concept of grantfree non-orthogonal multiple access(NOMA) for uplink data transmission is elaborated.NOMA in combination with grant-free can be applied to ultra reliability low latency communication(URLLC),massive machine type communication(m MTC),enhanced mobile broadband(e MBB) small packet and two-step random-access channel(RACH) scenarios.The advantages of grant-free NOMA are low latency and signaling overhead,high access capability and efficient resource utilization.Candidate uplink NOMA schemes are summarized and preliminary comparison among a subset of schemes are presented.Furthermore,design aspects for grant-free NOMA are discussed,with special notes on particular issues such as blind UE identification and transmitter/receiver(Tx/Rx) impairments in realistic deployment.

The active principle region of Buyang Huanwu decoction induced differentiation of bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into neural-like cells Superior effects over original formula of Buyang Huanwu decoction

The present study induced in vitro-cultured passage 4 bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells to differentiate into neural-like cells with a mixture of alkaloid, polysaccharide, aglycone, glycoside, essential oils, and effective components of Buyang Huanwu decoction （active principle region of decoction for invigorating yang for recuperation）. After 28 days, nestin and neuron-specific enolase were expressed in the cytoplasm. Reverse transcription-PCR and western blot analyses showed that nestin and neuron-specific enolase mRNA and protein expression was greater in the active principle region group compared with the original formula group. Results demonstrated that the active principle region of Buyang Huanwu decoction induced greater differentiation of rat bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells into neural-like cells in vitro than the original Buyang Huanwu decoction formula.

The Application of Laparoscopic B-Ultrasound Microwave Ablation Technology in Liver Metastasis of Colorectal Cancer

Liver is the most common metastasis target organ in the late stage of colorectal cancer. More than 50% of colorectal cancer patients will have simultaneous or heterochronous liver metastasis. The survival time of patients with colorectal cancer and liver metastasis (CRLM) is short;not all patients can get radical resection of liver metastasis. For this part of patients, microwave ablation technology has been proved to be one of the effective methods for the treatment of liver metastasis. Laparoscopic B-ultrasound ablation also highlights a lot of minimally invasive advantages;this paper reviews the relevant literature of PubMed database, Wanfang database and CNKI database, in order to provide the treatment basis for clinical application of microwave ablation technology under laparoscopic B-ultrasound in the treatment of CRLM. The results showed that the safety and effectiveness of microwave ablation for liver metastases under the location of B-ultrasonic laparoscopy were confirmed, and patients with liver metastases of colorectal cancer who could not be resected could choose this treatment.

New paleomagnetic evidences of paleogene tectonic rotation of the Qaidam Basin and adjacent region: mechanism and its tectonic implication

In order to better understand the tectonic evolution of the Qaidam Basin. The authors carried out a paleomagnetic study on 39 samples of 7 sites from Hongsanhan section, northwest Qaidam Basin. Stepwise thermo-demagnetization isolated a high-temperature component (HTC), which passes the fold and reversal tests at 95% confidence level. It suggests that the HTC should be primary. Unblocking temperature (about 685℃) and the experiment of isothermal remanence indicate that hematite is the mainly carrier of the remanence. A tilt-corrected mean direction is: Ds=7.1°, Is=38.5°, α95=7.4°. Corresponding to a palaeopole at, φ=250.1°E, λ=72.0°N, A95=6.8°, Compared with the reference APWP of Eurasia, the sampling area occurred a non-significant rotation (3.4°±5.5°) relative to Eurasia since Eocene due to the affect of left-lateral Altyn fault, Based on the paleomagnetic results of early Cretaceous and Teritary within the Qaidam block, we can obtained the mean clockwise rotations from the samples deposited from 160 Ma to 45 Ma is 24.5°±9.0°, and from 38 Ma to present is -0.5°±7.5° relative to present geomagnetism respectively. During the Mid Eocene (45～38 Ma) rotation phase, there should existing an important early tectonic event in northern part of the present-day Tibetan Plateau, which probably represents one of large-scale strike-slip events of the Altyn strike-slip fault.

Physiological and molecular bases of the boron deficiency response in tomatoes

Boron is an essential microelement for plant growth.Tomato is one of the most cultivated fruits and vegetables in the world,and boron deficiency severely inhibits its yield and quality.However,the mechanism of tomato in response to boron deficiency remains largely unclear.Here,we investigated the physiological and molecular bases of the boron deficiency response in hydroponically grown tomato seedlings.Boron deficiency repressed the expression of genes associated with nitrogen metabolism,while it induced the expression of genes related to the pentose phosphate pathway,thereby altering carbon flow to provide energy for plants to cope with stress.Boron deficiency increased the accumulation of copper,manganese and iron,thereby maintaining chlorophyll content and photosynthetic efficiency at the early stage of stress.In addition,boron deficiency downregulated the expression of genes involved in cell wall organization and reduced the contents of pectin and cellulose in roots,ultimately retarding root growth.Furthermore,boron deficiency markedly altered phytohormone levels and signaling pathways in roots.The contents of jasmonic acid,jasmonoy1-L-isoleucine,trans-zeatin riboside,abscisic acid,salicylic acid,and SA glucoside were decreased;in contrast,the contents of isopentenyladenine riboside and ethylene precursor 1-aminocyclopropane-1-carboxylic acid were increased in the roots of boron-deficient tomato plants.These results collectively indicate that tomato roots reprogram carbon/nitrogen metabolism,alter cell wall components and modulate phytohormone pathways to survive boron deficiency.This study provides a theoretical basis for further elucidating the adaptive mechanism of tomato in response to boron deficiency.

一款用于快速检测包括SARS-CoV-2在内的19种常见呼吸道病毒的高通量、多指标等温扩增平台

快速、准确地诊断以及及时对感染严重急性呼吸综合征冠状病毒2(SARS-CoV-2)的患者进行隔离被认为是抗击新冠病毒肺炎(COVID-19)大流行的最有效的措施。本文介绍了一款高通量、多指标的等温扩增检测平台(RTisochip^TM-W),该平台使用离心式微流控芯片,在90min内即可完成一次运行,从16个样本中检测出包括SARS-CoV-2在内的19种常见呼吸道病毒。通过RTisochip^TM-W系统检测的所有病毒的检出限均等于或小于50拷贝·μL^-1,与常规逆转录聚合酶链反应(RT-PCR)灵敏度相当。该系统具有重复性好、鲁棒性强和特异性高的优点。最后,使用RTisochip^TM-W系统对201例临床前样本、14例COVID-19阳性临床样本、25例临床确诊样本以及614例来自呼吸道感染或疑似感染的患者的临床样本进行了测试。测试结果与临床诊断结果吻合良好,也反映出呼吸道传染病的流行特征。在对SARS-CoV-2的诊断上,RTisochip^TM-W系统与参考试剂盒的一致性达到98.15%。基于大量的测试结果,我们相信RTisochip^TM-W系统是一款抗击COV ID-19大流行的强有力工具。

Analysis of the Causes of Chronic Pain after Inguinal Hernia Repair without Tension and Its Prevention and Treatment

Purpose: Analyzing the causes of pain after tension-free repair in the inguinal hernia, and propose corresponding treatment strategies. Results: The patients in this group were followed up for 3 - 12 months. A total of 5 patients still had pain relief within 3 months after surgery. Further treatment was needed, and the incidence rate was 5%. Conclusion: Skilled surgical procedures are performed in patients with local anesthesia, and some of the absorbable repair materials can be used. The improved patch fixation and extra peritoneal repair can reduce the pain after inguinal hernia repair without tension.

Pseudogene HMGN2P46 as a microRNA sponge to regulate HMGN2 expression via competing for miR-590-3p in severe acute pancreatitis

HMGN2 have functions in inflammatory response.However,the role of HMGN2 in severe acute pancreatitis(SAP)remains unclear.Here,our study was to discuss the role and regulatory mechanism ofHMGN2 in SAP.In this study,the SAP cell model of AR42J was used to study the function and mechanism of HMGN2 in SAP.The protein expression in cells and serums were examined by western blot and ELISA assay.qPCR was used to test the transcriptional RNA level.Cell viability were examined by MTT assay.Luciferase assay was used to evaluate the interaction between gene and gene.Our results showed that HMGN2 was significantly upregulated in SAP patients.The database predicted and luciferase assay data indicated the HMGN2 was directly binding with miR-590-3p.ELISA,MTT and western blot experiments showed that the HMGN2 were promoted the cell proliferation,reduced the inflammation,and repressed the cell autophagy.Mechanism studies showed that the pseudogene HMGN2P46 level was positively correlated with HMGN2 and upregulated HMGN2 expression by competing for miR-590-3p in SAP.Taken together,all over these results showed upregulation of HMGN2 alleviates SAP,this process was regulated by HMGN2P46 competitively binding with miR-590-3p,which may provide a new insight for the treatment and intervention in SAP.Pseudogene HMGN2P46 was a miRNA sponge to regulate HMGN2 level by competing for miR-590-3p to alleviate the process of SAP.It provided a novel strategy for the diagnosis and treatment of severe acute pancreatitis.

The current practice and future promise of integration of exercise science and medicine in China

With an increasing proportion of sedentary lifestyle related chronic diseases,an efficient way to help fight the growing world epidemic of non-communicable diseases(NCDs)and promote public health in a fast-changing world is urgently needed.Exercise and medicine science have played an important role in prevention and control of NCDs.However,the current status and future development directions regarding the integration of exercise science and medicine(IESM)in China have not been well discussed.During 2017 Belt and Road Initiative Global Health International Congress&2017 Chinese Preventive Medicine Association-Chinese Society on Global Health Annual Meeting,Xi’an Jiaotong University Global Health Institute,and the Integration of Sport and Medicine Innovation Research Center,China Institute of Sport Science organized the IESM Forum on September 27.Six leaders and experts from China and abroad presented excellent research reports in the IESM Forum from several aspects.Experts reached a consensus at the end of their discussions that,in the near future,the IESM will be a key part of a sustainable health care system and as such should contribute to prosperity in China and around the world.However,compared with European,American and Japanese universities,the development of the IESM in China is in its early stages with huge development potential.

The long-term health outcomes, pathophysiological mechanisms and multidisciplinary management of long COVID

There have been hundreds of millions of cases of coronavirus disease 2019(COVID-19),which is caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2(SARS-CoV-2).With the growing population of recovered patients,it is crucial to understand the long-term consequences of the disease and management strategies.Although COVID-19 was initially considered an acute respiratory illness,recent evidence suggests that manifestations including but not limited to those of the cardiovascular,respiratory,neuropsychiatric,gastrointestinal,reproductive,and musculoskeletal systems may persist long after the acute phase.These persistent manifestations,also referred to as long COVID,could impact all patients with COVID-19 across the full spectrum of illness severity.Herein,we comprehensively review the current literature on long COVID,highlighting its epidemiological understanding,the impact of vaccinations,organ-specific sequelae,pathophysiological mechanisms,and multidisciplinary management strategies.In addition,the impact of psychological and psychosomatic factors is also underscored.Despite these crucial findings on long COVID,the current diagnostic and therapeutic strategies based on previous experience and pilot studies remain inadequate,and well-designed clinical trials should be prioritized to validate existing hypotheses.Thus,we propose the primary challenges concerning biological knowledge gaps and efficient remedies as well as discuss the corresponding recommendations.

Overall survival,late mortality,and cancer-directed surgery among children and adolescents with ultra-rare pediatric pancreatoblastoma in the United States,1975-2018

Background:Pediatric pancreatoblastoma is an extremely rare malignant tumor,posing diagnostic and treatment difficulties for pediatric surgeons.Using the Surveillance,Epidemiology,and End Results(SEER)database,we present an up-to-date report of the epidemiology,clinicopathological features,survival rates,and prognosis of pancreatoblastoma in pediatric patients.Methods:All pediatric patients diagnosed with pancreatoblastoma between 1975 and 2018 were identified in the SEER regis-tries(SEER 8 registries and SEER 17 registries).We conducted a survival analysis to assess overall survival and 1-and 5-year late mortality rates.Descriptive statistics and log-rank test were performed.Results:A total of 22 children and adolescents with pancreatoblastoma were identified.In this cohort,12 of 22 were male(54.55%),14 were White(63.64%),and 11 were diagnosed between the ages of 1 and 4 years(50.0%).Among the 22 patients,11(50.0%)had distant metastases,whereas 7(31.82%)had localized,and 4(18.18%)had a regional disease.A total of 5 children and adolescents died during the study period,with cumulative survival rates of 14 of 17(82.35%)and 10 of 11(90.95%)among 1-and 5-year survivors,respectively.Cancer-directed surgery was significantly associated with an increased life expectancy(log-rank test,P=.018).Conclusion:Pediatric pancreatoblastoma is a rare entity.Cases that underwent surgery had a greater likelihood of overall survival and reduced late mortality.

Novel tools for early diagnosis and precision treatment based on artificial intelligence

Lung cancer has the highest mortality rate among all cancers in the world.Hence,early diagnosis and personal-ized treatment plans are crucial to improving its 5-year survival rate.Chest computed tomography(CT)serves as an essential tool for lung cancer screening,and pathology images are the gold standard for lung cancer diagnosis.However,medical image evaluation relies on manual labor and suffers from missed diagnosis or misdiagnosis,and physician heterogeneity.The rapid development of artificial intelligence(AI)has brought a whole novel op-portunity for medical task processing,demonstrating the potential for clinical application in lung cancer diagnosis and treatment.AI technologies,including machine learning and deep learning,have been deployed extensively for lung nodule detection,benign and malignant classification,and subtype identification based on CT images.Furthermore,AI plays a role in the non-invasive prediction of genetic mutations and molecular status to provide the optimal treatment regimen,and applies to the assessment of therapeutic efficacy and prognosis of lung cancer patients,enabling precision medicine to become a reality.Meanwhile,histology-based AI models assist patholo-gists in typing,molecular characterization,and prognosis prediction to enhance the efficiency of diagnosis and treatment.However,the leap to extensive clinical application still faces various challenges,such as data sharing,standardized label acquisition,clinical application regulation,and multimodal integration.Nevertheless,AI holds promising potential in the field of lung cancer to improve cancer care.

Safety, immunogenicity and protective effectiveness of heterologous boost with a recombinant COVID-19 vaccine (Sf9 cells) in adult recipients of inactivated vaccines

Vaccines have proven effective in protecting populations against COVID-19,including the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine(Sf9 cells),the first approved recombinant protein vaccine in China.In this positive-controlled trial with 85 adult participants(Sf9 cells group:n=44;CoronaVac group:n=41),we evaluated the safety,immunogenicity,and protective effectiveness of a heterologous boost with the Sf9 cells vaccine in adults who had been vaccinated with the inactivated vaccine,and found a post-booster adverse events rate of 20.45%in the Sf9 cells group and 31.71%in the CoronaVac group(p=0.279),within 28 days after booster injection.Neither group reported any severe adverse events.Following the Sf9 cells vaccine booster,the geometric mean titer(GMT)of binding antibodies to the receptor-binding domain of prototype SARS-CoV-2 on day 28 post-booster was significantly higher than that induced by the CoronaVac vaccine booster(100,683.37 vs.9,451.69,p<0.001).In the Sf9 cells group,GMTs of neutralizing antibodies against pseudo SARS-CoV-2 viruses(prototype and diverse variants of concern[VOCs])increased by 22.23–75.93 folds from baseline to day 28 post-booster,while the CoronaVac group showed increases of only 3.29–10.70 folds.Similarly,neutralizing antibodies against live SARS-CoV-2 viruses(prototype and diverse VOCs)increased by 68.18–192.67 folds on day 14 post-booster compared with the baseline level,significantly greater than the CoronaVac group(19.67–37.67 folds).A more robust Th1 cellular response was observed with the Sf9 cells booster on day 14 post-booster(mean IFN-γ+spot-forming cells per 2×105 peripheral blood mononuclear cells:26.66 vs.13.59).Protective effectiveness against symptomatic COVID-19 was approximately twice as high in the Sf9 cells group compared to the CoronaVac group(68.18%vs.36.59%,p=0.004).Our study findings support the high protective effectiveness of heterologous boosting with the recombinant COVID-19 vaccine(Sf9 cells)against symptomatic COVID-19 of diverse SARS-CoV-2 variants of concern,while causing no apparent safety concerns.

Monoacylglycerol lipase inhibitors: modulators for lipid metabolism in cancer malignancy,neurological and metabolic disorders

Monoacylglycerol lipase(MAGL)is a serine hydrolase that plays a crucial role catalysing the hydrolysis of monoglycerides into glycerol and fatty acids.It links the endocannabinoid and eicosanoid systems together by degradation of the abundant endocannabinoid 2-arachidaoylglycerol into arachidonic acid,the precursor of prostaglandins and other inflammatory mediators.MAGL inhibitors have been considered as important agents in many therapeutic fields,including anti-nociceptive,anxiolytic,antiinflammatory,and even anti-cancer.Currently,ABX-1431,a first-in-class inhibitor of MAGL,is entering clinical phase 2 studies for neurological disorders and other diseases.This review summarizes the diverse(patho)physiological roles of MAGL and will provide an overview on the development of MAGL inhibitors.Although a large number of MAGL inhibitors have been reported,novel inhibitors are still required,particularly reversible ones.

Characteristics of distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineages in China

The genotyping methods of Mycobacterium tuberculosis would dramatically improve our understanding of the molecular epidemiology of tuberculosis. 3,929 isolates, from a National Survey of Drug-Resistant Tuberculosis in 2007 in China, were successfully genotyped by large sequence polymorphisms and 15 loci variable number tandem repeats. We found that 2,905(2,905/3,929, 73.9%) cases belonged to Lineage 2, dominated in the east and central regions, 975 cases(975/3,929, 24.8%) were Lineage 4, highly prevailed in the west regions, and 36 and 13 cases were Lineage 3 and Lineage 1, respectively. We also explored the associations between lineages(Lineage 2 vs. Lineage 4) and clinical characteristics by logistic regression. For Lineage 2, the risk factors were Han-ethnicity population and fever. However, for Lineage 4, they were occupation(farmer), and degree of education(non-literate). Fully understanding of the distribution of Mycobacterium tuberculosis lineage and its risk factors would play a critical role in tuberculosis prevention, control, and treatment.

Tribological evaluation of environmentally friendly ionic liquids derived from renewable biomaterials

Unlike most of the conventional ionic liquids(ILs) derived from non-renewable resources, five environmentally friendly ILs([Ch][AA] ILs) derived from amino acids(AAs) and choline(Ch) were synthesized using biomaterials by a simple, green route: acid–base reaction of Ch and AAs. The thermal and corrosion properties, as well as viscosity, of the prepared ILs were examined. The results revealed that the anion structure of ILs plays a dominant role in their thermal and viscosity behavior. These ILs exhibited less corrosion toward copper, related to their halogen-, sulfur-, and phosphorus-free characteristics. The tribological behavior of the synthesized ILs was examined using a Schwingungs Reibung und Verschleiss tester, and the results indicated that these ILs exhibit good friction-reducing and anti-wear properties as lubricants for steel/steel contact. Results from energy-dispersive spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated that the good tribological properties of [Ch][AA] ILs are related to the formation of a physically adsorbed film on the metal surface during friction.

Synthesis and evaluation of a protic ionic liquid as a multifunctional lubricant additive

An oil soluble multifunctional protic ionic liquid(IL)was synthesized and its tribological and antioxidant properties in poly alpha olefin(PA04)were investigated.The tribological results demonstrated that the IL significantly reduced friction and wear of PA04.The PA04 blend with IL resulted in an induced oxidation time of 555 min which is 8.2 and 3.5 times higher than that of pure PA04 and PA04 with zinc dialkyl dithiophosphate(ZDDP)for the rotating pressure vessel oxidation test.It is likely that free nonylated diphenylamine acted as a radical scavenger to enhance antioxidant performance,while free bis(2-ethylhexyl)phosphate was more prone to adsorb and react with the metal surface to form a phosphorus-rich tribofilm in order to protect the rubbing surface.

Zn-Rich Spinel in Association with Quartz in the Al-Rich Metapelites from the Mashan Khondalite Series, NE China

Al-rich metapelites from the Mashan khondalite series are characterized by the assem- blage Spl＋Grt＋Sil＋Crd＋Bt＋Pi （An72）＋Kfs＋Quartz＋graphite. Large amounts of spinel＋quartz assem- blages occur as inclusions in garnet and prismatic sillimanite in the Ai-rich metapelites of the Mashan complex, NE China. The chemical composition of spinel is characterized by Zn-rich （Xzn=0.33-0.40. Xzn=Zn/Zn＋Mg＋Fe＊） （Fe＊=FeZ＋＋Fe3＋） and Fe3＋ rich （up to 0.31 p.f.u.）. The characteristic chemical composition and the mineral association indicated that the formation of spinel and quartz assemblage may be due to the breakdown of Zn-rich staurolite. The geothermobarometers studies show that the peak temperature of the Mashan complex is around 820 ℃ and the peak pressures is 8.0 kbar. The Mashan complex shows a typical orogen style P-T path.

The application of artificial intelligence and radiomics in lung cancer

Lung cancer is one of the most leading causes of death throughout the world,and there is an urgent requirement for the precision medical management of it.Artificial intelligence(AI)consisting of numerous advanced techniques has been widely applied in the field of medical care.Meanwhile,radiomics based on traditional machine learning also does a great job in mining information through medical images.With the integration of AI and radiomics,great progress has been made in the early diagnosis,specific characterization,and prognosis of lung cancer,which has aroused attention all over the world.In this study,we give a brief review of the current application of AI and radiomics for precision medical management in lung cancer.