Investigation on Microstructure and Optical Property of Nanocrystalline Silicon Thin Film

Nanocrystalline silicon (nc-Si:H) thin films were deposited by capacitive coupled radio-frequency plasma enhanced chemical vapor deposition (RF-PECVD) system with direct current (DC) bias applied. Raman, XRD and ultraviolet-visible transmission spectra were employed to investigate their microstructure and optical properties, respectively. Both the crystalline volume fraction and the average crystalline size increase with the substrate temperature. With the increase of silane concentration, the crystalline volume fraction increases, while the average crystalline size decreases. With the increase of the radio frequency (RF) power or the DC negative bias voltage, the crystalline volume fraction and the average crystalline size increase firstly, then decreases. Finally, the optical band gaps were discussed in detail

2-Amino-4-(4-fluoro­phen­yl)-6-(naphthalen-1-yl)pyridine-3-carbonitrile

The title compound, C22H14FN3, was prepared by a one-pot condensation using malononitrile, an aromatic aldehyde, a methyl ketone and ammonium acetate as reacta­nts under microwave irradiation. The pyridine ring is twisted with respect to the benzene ring and the naphthalene ring system, making dihedral angles of 41.9 (1) and 45.2 (1)°, respectively. In the crystal, mol­ecules are connected via inter­molecular N—H⋯N and C—H⋯F hydrogen bonds, forming a three-dimensional network

tert-Butyl N-{4-methyl-3-[4-(3-pyrid­yl)pyrimidin-2-yl­oxy]phen­yl}carbamate

In the mol­ecule of the title compound, C21H22N4O3, the pyrimidine ring is oriented at dihedral angles of 0.51 (3) and 50.76 (3)° to the pyridine and benzene rings, respectively. In the crystal structure, inter­molecular N—H⋯N hydrogen bonds link the mol­ecules into centrosymmetric dimers, forming R 2 2(24) ring motifs; the dimers are linked by inter­molecular C—H⋯O hydrogen bonds into a two-dimensional network. π–π contacts between the benzene rings and between the pyrimidine and pyridine rings [centroid–centroid distances = 3.891 (1) and 3.646 (1) Å, respectively] may further stabilize the structure. Two weak C—H⋯π inter­actions are also present

Investigation of preoperative physical activity level in kidney transplant recipients and its impact on early postoperative recovery: A retrospective cohort study

ObjectiveTo retrospectively investigate the preoperative physical activity (PA) level in kidney transplant recipients (KTRs) and its impact on early postoperative recovery.MethodsA total of 113 patients who received kidney transplantation at West China Hospital of Sichuan University were enrolled in this retrospective cohort study. According to the PA level measured by the Chinese version of the International Physical Activity Questionnaire—Long Version, the patients were allocated into the low PA level group (Group L, n = 55) and medium to high PA level group (Group MH, n = 58). The kidney function recovery indicators, including estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), postoperative complications, postoperative length of stay (LOS), and unscheduled readmission within three months of discharge, were evaluated and documented. A association analysis was applied to analyze and compare the association between indicators.ResultsThe median PA levels of the KTRs were 1701.0 MTEs * min/week. Regarding the postoperative recovery indicators, the KTRs spent a mean time of 19.63 h to achieve transfer out of bed after the operation (Group L: 19.67 h; Group MH: 19.53 h; P = 0.952) and reached a mean distance of 183.10 m as the best ambulatory training score within two days after the operation (Group L: 134.91 m; Group MH: 228.79 m; P < 0.001). The preoperative PA level showed a moderate positive association with early postoperative ambulation distance (ρ = 0.497, P < 0.001). However, no significant between-group difference in eGFR on postoperative days 1, 3, and 5 (P = 0.913, 0.335, and 0.524) or postoperative complications, including DGF (P = 0.436), infection (P = 0.479), postoperative LOS (P = 0.103), and unscheduled readmission (P = 0.698), was found.ConclusionsThe preoperative PA level of KTRs is lower than that of the general population. KTRs with moderate or high preoperative PA levels showed higher ambulatory function in the early postoperative period than those with low preoperative PA levels, but no between-group differences in other early recovery indicators were observed

Regulation of lipoxygenase-1 and Dectin-1 on interleukin-10 in mouse Aspergillus fumigatus keratitis

AIM: To investigate the regulation of lipoxygenase (LOX)-1 and Dectin-1 on interleukin-10 (IL-10) production in mice with Aspergillus fumigatus (A. fumigatus) keratitis. METHODS: The corneas of C57BL/6 mice were pretreated with LOX-1 inhibitor Poly(I) or Dectin-1 siRNA separately before the infection of A. fumigatus. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and Western blot were used to detect the expression of IL-10. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein expressions of IL-10 were significantly increased in mice with A. fumigatus keratitis. Compared with the group pretreated with sterile water before infection, Poly(I) pretreatment suppressed IL-10 expression significantly. Compared with the group pretreated with scrambled siRNA before infection, Dectin-1 siRNA pretreatment significantly reduced IL-10 expression in response to A. fumigatus infection. CONCLUSION: LOX-1 and Dectin-1 regulate IL-10 production in mouse A. fumigatus keratitis

Factors associated with persistent positive in HBV DNA level in patients with chronic Hepatitis B receiving entecavir treatment

IntroductionThe clinical significance of persistent positive in Hepatitis B Virus (HBV) DNA level in patients receiving antiviral therapy is not well known. We investigated factors associated with persistent viremia (PV) in patients with chronic hepatitis B (CHB) given 78-week entecavir.MethodsA total of 394 treatment-naïve CHB patients who had undergone liver biopsy at baseline and week 78 of treatment were analyzed in this prospective multicentre study. We identified patients with PV (above the lower limit of quantification, 20 IU/ml) after 78 weeks of entecavir therapy. Stepwise, forward, multivariate regression analyses of specified baseline parameters were apllied to identify factors associated with PV. Futhermore, we assessed the incidence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in all patients using models of the risk of HCC development.ResultsOf the 394 patients, 90 (22.8%) still with PV after 78-week antiviral treatment. Factors associated significantly with PV (vs complete virological response, CVR) were HBV DNA level ≥8 log10 IU/mL (OR, 3.727; 95% CI, 1.851-7.505; P < 0.001), Anti-HBc level < 3 log10 IU/mL (OR, 2.384; 95% CI, 1.223-4.645; P=0.011), and HBeAg seropositivity (OR, 2.871; 95% CI, 1.563-5.272; P < 0.001). Patients with PV were less likely to have fibrosis progression and HCC development than those with the CVR. Of the 11 HBeAg-positive patients with HBV DNA level ≥8 log10 IU/mL and Anti-HBc level < 3 log10 IU/mL at baseline, 9 (81.8%) had persistent positivity in HBV DNA level and 0 had fibrosis progression at week 78 of treatment.DiscussionIn conclusion, HBV DNA level ≥8 log10 IU/mL, Anti-HBc level < 3 log10 IU/mL and HBeAg seropositivity at baseline contribute to PV in patients with CHB receiving 78-week antiviral treatment. In addition, the rate of fibrosis progression and the risk of HCC development in patients with PV were kept low. The complete protocol for the clinical trial has been registered at clinicaltrials.gov (NCT01962155 and NCT03568578)

Tet and TDG Mediate DNA Demethylation Essential for Mesenchymal-to-Epithelial Transition in Somatic Cell Reprogramming

SummaryTet-mediated DNA oxidation is a recently identified mammalian epigenetic modification, and its functional role in cell-fate transitions remains poorly understood. Here, we derive mouse embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) deleted in all three Tet genes and examine their capacity for reprogramming into induced pluripotent stem cells (iPSCs). We show that Tet-deficient MEFs cannot be reprogrammed because of a block in the mesenchymal-to-epithelial transition (MET) step. Reprogramming of MEFs deficient in TDG is similarly impaired. The block in reprogramming is caused at least in part by defective activation of key miRNAs, which depends on oxidative demethylation promoted by Tet and TDG. Reintroduction of either the affected miRNAs or catalytically active Tet and TDG restores reprogramming in the knockout MEFs. Thus, oxidative demethylation to promote gene activation appears to be functionally required for reprogramming of fibroblasts to pluripotency. These findings provide mechanistic insight into the role of epigenetic barriers in cell-lineage conversion

NMR studies on interactions between diperoxovanadate and N-substituted picolinamide

To understand the substituting effects of organic ligands on the reaction equilibrium, the interactions between diperoxovanadate complex [OV(O-2)(2)(D2O)(-)/[OV(O-2)(2)(HOD)](-) and a series of N-substituted picolinamide ligands in solution were explored using multinuclear (H-1, C-13, and V-51) magnetic resonance, COSY, DOSY, and variable temperature NMR in 0.15 mol/L NaCl ionic medium for mimicking the physiological conditions. The order of reactive capability of the picolinamide-like ligands with [OV(O-2)(2)(D2O)](-)/[OV(O-2)(2)(HOD)](-) is as follows: N-methylpicolinamide approximate to N-(2-hydroxyethyl)picolinamide > N-ethylpicolinamide>N-propylpicolinamide. The substituting group influences the reactivity by an electron effect. Competitive coordination interactions result in a series of new seven-coordinated peroxovanadate species [OV(O-2)(2)L](-) (L=N-substituted picolinamide)

An Updated Search of Steady TeV γ−\gamma-Ray Point Sources in Northern Hemisphere Using the Tibet Air Shower Array

Using the data taken from Tibet II High Density (HD) Array (1997 February-1999 September) and Tibet-III array (1999 November-2005 November), our previous northern sky survey for TeV $\gamma-$ray point sources has now been updated by a factor of 2.8 improved statistics. From $0.0^{\circ}$ to $60.0^{\circ}$ in declination (Dec) range, no new TeV $\gamma-$ray point sources with sufficiently high significance were identified while the well-known Crab Nebula and Mrk421 remain to be the brightest TeV $\gamma-$ray sources within the field of view of the Tibet air shower array. Based on the currently available data and at the 90% confidence level (C.L.), the flux upper limits for different power law index assumption are re-derived, which are approximately improved by 1.7 times as compared with our previous reported limits.Comment: This paper has been accepted by hepn