To Empathize, or Not Empathize in Educational Leadership

In this paper, we discuss transformational leadership and propose that empathy is at the heart of transformational leadership. We review the research on empathy and discuss the implication of these insights in educational leadership. We highlight the multifaceted and interconnected nature of empathy and discuss components of empathy that are most relevant to educational leaders. Recognizing one’s constraints on the empathy scale could protect leaders from burnout and poor decision making

Layered microporous polymers by solvent knitting method

Two-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials, especially 2D organic nanomaterials with unprecedentedly diverse and controlled structure, have attracted decent scientific interest. Among the preparation strategies, the top-down approach is one of the considered low-cost and scalable strategies to obtain 2D organic nanomaterials. However, some factors of their layered counterparts limited the development and potential applications of 2D organic nanomaterials, such as type, stability, and strict synthetic conditions of layered counterparts. We report a class of layered solvent knitting hyper-cross-linked microporous polymers (SHCPs) prepared by improving Friedel-Crafts reaction and using dichloroalkane as an economical solvent, stable electrophilic reagent, and external cross-linker at low temperature, which could be used as layered counterparts to obtain previously unknown 2D SHCP nanosheets by method of ultrasonic-assisted solvent exfoliation. This efficient and low-cost strategy can produce previously unreported microporous organic polymers with layered structure and high surface area and gas storage capacity. The pore structure and surface area of these polymers can be controlled by tuning the chain length of the solvent, the molar ratio of AlCl(3), and the size of monomers. Furthermore, we successfully obtain an unprecedentedly high–surface area HCP material (3002 m(2) g(−1)), which shows decent gas storage capacity (4.82 mmol g(−1) at 273 K and 1.00 bar for CO(2); 12.40 mmol g(−1) at 77.3 K and 1.13 bar for H(2)). This finding provides an opportunity for breaking the constraint of former knitting methods and opening up avenues for the design and synthesis of previously unknown layered HCP materials

An examination of Alzheimer’s disease and white matter from 1981 to 2023: a Bibliometric and visual analysis

BackgroundAlzheimer’s disease (AD) is characterized by the presence of gray matter lesions and alterations in white matter. This study aims to investigate the research related to white matter in the context of AD from a Bibliometric standpoint.MethodsRegular and review articles focusing on the research pertaining to Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and white matter were extracted from the Web of Science Core Collection (WOSCC) database, covering the period from its inception to 10th July 2023. The “Bibliometrix” R package was employed to summarize key findings, to quantify the occurrence of top keywords, and to visualize the collaborative network among countries. Furthermore, VOSviewer software was utilized to conduct co-authorship and co-occurrence analyses. CiteSpace was employed to identify the most influential references and keywords based on their citation bursts. The retrieval of AD- and white matter-related publications was conducted by the Web of Science Core Collection. Bibliometric analysis and visualization, including the examination of annual publication distribution, prominent countries, active institutions and authors, core journals, co-cited references, and keywords, were carried out by using VOSviewer, CiteSpace, the Bibliometrix Package, and the ggplot2 Package. The quality and impact of publications were assessed using the total global citation score and total local citation score.ResultsA total of 5,714 publications addressing the intersection of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) and white matter were included in the analysis. The majority of publications originated from the United States, China, and the United Kingdom. Prominent journals were heavily featured in the publication output. In addition to “Alzheimer’s disease” and “white matter,” “mild cognitive impairment,” “MRI” and “atrophy” had been frequently utilized as “keywords.”ConclusionThis Bibliometric investigation delineated a foundational knowledge framework that encompasses countries, institutions, authors, journals, and articles within the AD and white matter research domain spanning from 1981 to 2023. The outcomes provide a comprehensive perspective on the broader landscape of this research field

Upregulation of AT1 Receptor Mediates a Pressor Effect Through ROS-SAPK/JNK Signaling in Glutamatergic Neurons of Rostral Ventrolateral Medulla in Rats With Stress-Induced Hypertension

The present study examined whether angiotensin II (Ang II) mediates the pressor effect through nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) oxidase-derived reactive oxygen species (ROS)-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling in the glutamatergic neurons of the rostral ventrolateral medulla (RVLM) in stress-induced hypertensive rats (SIHR). The SIHR model was established using electric foot-shocks combined with noises for 15 days. We observed that Ang II type 1 receptor (AT1R) and the glutamatergic neurons co-localized in the RVLM of SIHR. Furthermore, glutamate levels in the intermediolateral column of the spinal cord were higher in SIHR than in controls. Microinjection of Ang II into the RVLM of SIHR activated stress-activated protein kinase/Jun N-terminal kinase (SAPK/JNK), extracellular signal-regulated protein kinase (ERK) 1/2, and p38MAPK. Compared with controls, the activation of SAPK/JNK, ERK1/2, p38MAPK, and ROS in the RVLM were higher in SIHR, an effect that was blocked by an NADPH oxidase inhibitor (apocynin) and an AT1R antagonist (candesartan). RVLM microinjection of apocynin or a SAPK/JNK inhibitor (SP600125), but not an ERK1/2 inhibitor (U0126) or a p38MAPK inhibitor (SB203580), decreased AT1R mRNA and mean arterial blood pressure (MABP) in SIHR. The increase of AT1R protein expression and MABP was inhibited by intracerebroventricular infusion (ICV), for 14 days, of SP600125, but not U0126 or SB203580 in SIHR. We conclude that Ang II modulates the pressor effect through AT1R-dependent ROS-SAPK/JNK signaling in glutamatergic neurons in the RVLM of SIHR

An Efficacious Endometrial Sampler for Screening Endometrial Cancer

Recently, the research on early detection of precancerous change and endometrial carcinoma has been focusing on minimally invasive procedures for screening. On this basis, we aim to verify the feasibility of endometrial samplers for screening endometrial cancer using Li Brush. We recruited patients undergoing hysterectomy for different diseases from the Inpatient Department of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology. Before surgery, endometrial cells were collected by Li Brush. The cytopathologic diagnosis from Li Brush and the histopathologic diagnosis from hysterectomy in the same patient were compared to calculate sensitivity (Se), specificity (Sp), false-negative rate (FNR), false-positive rate (FPR), positive predictive value (PV+) %, and negative predictive value (PV-). The research enrolled 293 women into this self-controlled trial. According to the hypothesis test of paired four lattices, we obtained the following indicators: Se 92.73, Sp 98.15, FNR 7.27, FPR 1.85, PV+92.73, and PV−98.15%. The endometrial sampler Li Brush is an efficacious instrument for screening endometrial cancer

Ginkgo Leaf Inspired Fabrication of Micro/Nanostructures and Demonstration of Flexible Enzyme-Free Glucose Sensors

Flexible enzyme-free glucose sensors have attracted widespread attention due to their importance and potential applications in clinical diagnosis, flexible wearable devices, and implanted devices in vivo. At present, there are still major problems in fabricating flexible enzyme-free glucose sensors with low detection limits, high stability, and high sensitivity at low cost, hindering their practical application. Here, we report a facile strategy for the fabrication of flexible non-enzymatic glucose sensors using ginkgo leaf as a template. NiO film and PEDOT:PSS composite film were deposited on the surface of the ginkgo leaf induced micro-nano hierarchical structure as a sensitive layer and a conductive layer, respectively. The as-prepared, flexible, enzyme-free glucose sensor exhibited excellent electrochemical performance toward glucose oxidation with a sensitivity of 0.7413 mA·mM−1/cm−2, an operating voltage of 0.55 V, a detection limit of 0.329 μM, and good anti-interference. Due to the simple fabrication process and performance reliability, the novel flexible enzyme-free glucose sensor is an attractive candidate for next generation wearable and implantable non-enzymatic glucose diagnostic devices

Bioinspired High-Performance Bilayer, pH-Responsive Hydrogel with Superior Adhesive Property

Soft actuators have attracted extensive attention for promising applications in drug delivery, microfluidic switches, artificial muscles and flexible sensors. However, the performance of pH-responsive hydrogel actuators, such as regarding reversible bending property and adhesive property, remains to be improved. In this study, inspired by drosera leaves, we have fabricated high-performance bilayer, pH-responsive poly(acrylamide-acrylic acid-3-acrylamidophenylboronic acid)(P(AAm-AAc-3-AAPBA)) based on the copolymers of AAm, AAc and 3-AAPBA. The pH-sensitive actuators were fabricated by ultraviolet polymerization of the P(AAm-AAc-3-AAPBA) layer as the active actuating layer and the PAAm layer as the auxiliary actuating layer. The effects of pH, glucose concentration and content of 3-AAPBA on bending behavior of P(AAm-AAc-3-AAPBA)/PAAm bilayer actuators were discussed. By tuning the pH of media, the soft actuator could achieve fast and large-amplitude bidirectional bending behaviors. The bending orientation and bending degree can be reversibly and precisely adjusted. More importantly, P(AAm-AAc-3-AAPBA) hydrogel shows good adhesive property in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) solution; thus, complex structures have been fabricated. In addition, the bilayer hydrogel structures have been demonstrated as soft actuators, bionic flowers and bionic manipulators. The proposed pH-responsive bilayer actuator shows great potential for drug delivery and other medical systems