Failure and Recovery Modes of Submicron Cu(In,Ga)Se Solar Cells with High Cu Content.

As an emerging route to further lower the production cost, reducing the thickness of Cu(In,Ga)Se (CIGS) absorber has drawn substantial attention and has been intensively studied in recent years. However, thickness-induced change still limits the device performance of thin CIGS solar cells. Herein, by examining a series of submicron CIGS solar cells with varied Cu content through their photovoltaic (PV) performance, the optimal Cu content in these submicron CIGS devices is found to be lower than that of the normal thickness CIGS devices.

B7-1 and GM-CSF enhance the anti-tumor immune effect of DC-tumor fusion vaccine in the treatment of prostate cancer.

The treatment of castration-resistant prostate cancer (CRPC) is always a difficulty in the clinic. Most patients with localized tumor eventually develop CRPC, even if hormone therapy is initially effective. Increasing evidence shows immunotherapy has special advantages compared with traditional therapy in cancer treatment.

[Pirfenidone Inhibits Cytokines/chemokines Release from Alveolar Macrophages].

Objective To investigate the effect of pirfenidone on cytokine/chemokine production by alveolar macrophages(AMs)in patients with idiopathic nonspecific interstitial pneumonia(iNSIP)or idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis(IPF).Methods We prospectively enrolled 10 iNSIP patients,11 IPF patients,and 8 non-interstitial lung disease(non-ILD)patients(control group)from our center from January 2015 to December 2018.AMs from bronchoalveolar lavage fluid(BALF)were cultured with or without lipopolysaccharide(LPS)stimulation.

[Effect of Temperature on Performance and Microbial Community Structure of Anaerobic Biofilter-Treated Domestic Wastewater].

Municipal wastewater methanogenesis is one of the ways to utilize municipal wastewater resources.In this study, a biofilter used to treat actual municipal wastewater was employed to investigate the methanogenesis in a pilot-scale reactor. The method of rapid start-up, the influence of temperature on the reactor performance, and the changes in the microbial structure were investigated in the pilot-scale study.

miR-184 targets TP63 to block idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis by inhibiting proliferation and epithelial-mesenchymal transition of airway epithelial cells.

Epithelial-to-mesenchymal transition (EMT) of epithelium and airway epithelial cell proliferation disorder are key events in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) pathogenesis. During EMT, epithelial cell adhesion molecules (EpCAM, such as E-cadherin) are downregulated, cytokeratin cytoskeletal transforms into vimentin-based cytoskeleton, and the epithelial cells acquire mesenchymal morphology. In the present study, we show abnormal upregulation of tumor protein p63 (TP63) and downregulation of miR-184 in IPF.

Calpain activation mediates microgravity-induced myocardial abnormalities in mice via p38 and ERK1/2 MAPK pathways.

The human cardiovascular system has adapted to function optimally in Earth's 1G gravity, and microgravity conditions cause myocardial abnormalities, including atrophy and dysfunction. However, the underlying mechanisms linking microgravity and cardiac anomalies are incompletely understood. In this study, we investigated whether and how calpain activation promotes myocardial abnormalities under simulated microgravity conditions.

MXene-Coated Air-Permeable Pressure-Sensing Fabric for Smart Wear.

Considering the fast development of wearable electronics and soft robotics, pressure sensors with high sensitivity, durability, and washability are of great importance. However, the surface modification of fabrics with high-sensitivity active materials requires that issues associated with poor interface adhesion and stability are resolved. In this study, we explored the key factors for firmly bonding MXene to fabric substrates to fabricate wearable and washable pressure sensing fabric.

Stable Hydrogel Electrolytes for Flexible and Submarine-Use Zn-Ion Batteries.

Due to their intrinsic safety, low cost, and eco-friendliness, aqueous Zn-ion batteries (ZIBs) have shown significant potential for wearable and flexible electronic devices. However, the lack of a stable and durable electrolyte for flexible ZIBs greatly hampers their applications in harsh conditions during daily use. In this work, we reported a stable hydrogel electrolyte, fabricated by coupling the grafted copolymer xanthan gum-polyacrylamide (XG-PAM) with cotton cellulose nanofiber (CNF), denoted XG-PAM/CNF.

Acromioclavicular Joint Separation: Repair Through Suture Anchors for Coracoclavicular Ligament and Nonabsorbable Suture Fixation for Acromioclavicular Joint.

Objective: To evaluate the clinical and radiographic outcomes of patients undergoing coracoclavicular (CC) ligament repair by two suture anchors and acromioclavicular (AC) joint (ACJ) fixation using heavy nonabsorbable sutures for the treatment of types III-V ACJ injuries with a minimum of 1-year follow-up.

Methods: The clinical and radiographic outcomes of 36 consecutive patients (26 men and 10 women) who underwent anatomic reduction for acute ACJ dislocation using two suture anchors for CC ligament reconstruction and two strands of non-absorbable stitches for ACJ fixation between December 2013 and December 2018 were reviewed. Two 3.

Novel metal-organic framework combining with restricted access molecularly imprinted nanomaterials for solid-phase extraction of gatifloxacin from bovine serum.

Novel restricted access molecularly imprinted nanomaterials (RAMIPs) were successfully prepared on the surface of metal-organic frameworks (NH-MIL-125) by surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization (SI-ATRP) technology. Then it was applied as a solid phase extraction (SPE) material in analysis of quinolones in bovine serum by HPLC detection. NH-MIL-125@RAMIPs was empolyed as a sorbent for gatifloxacin (GTFX) and the resulted material has a good binding amounts (86.

Preliminary exploration of robotic complete mesocolic excision for colon cancer with the domestically produced Chinese minimally invasive Micro Hand S surgical robot system.

Objective: To summarize our initial experience with robot-assisted complete mesocolic excision (R-CME) using a domestically produced Chinese surgical robot by a short-term evaluation.

Methods: From March 2018 to December 2018, 25 patients with colon cancer underwent Micro Hand S R-CME. The operative findings, morbidities and oncological findings were analysed.

Restricted access media-imprinted nanomaterials based on a metal-organic framework for highly selective extraction of fluoroquinolones in milk and river water.

A new type of restricted access media-imprinted nanomaterials (RAM-MIPs) were successfully prepared on the surface of metal-organic framework by reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer polymerization technology. Then it was applied as a dispersed solid phase extraction (DSPE) material in analysis of fluoroquinolones (ofloxacin, pefloxacin, norfloxacin, enrofloxacin and gatifloxacin) in untreated milk and river water by HPLC-UV detection. The resulted material has a good binding amounts (60.

A single dose of an adenovirus-vectored vaccine provides protection against SARS-CoV-2 challenge.

The unprecedented coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) epidemic has created a worldwide public health emergency, and there is an urgent need to develop an effective vaccine to control this severe infectious disease. Here, we find that a single vaccination with a replication-defective human type 5 adenovirus encoding the SARS-CoV-2 spike protein (Ad5-nCoV) protect mice completely against mouse-adapted SARS-CoV-2 infection in the upper and lower respiratory tracts. Additionally, a single vaccination with Ad5-nCoV protects ferrets from wild-type SARS-CoV-2 infection in the upper respiratory tract.

Ibuprofen Exerts Antiepileptic and Neuroprotective Effects in the Rat Model of Pentylenetetrazol-Induced Epilepsy via the COX-2/NLRP3/IL-18 Pathway.

Epilepsy is one of the most common diseases of the central nervous system. Recent studies have shown that a variety of inflammatory mediators play a key role in the pathogenesis of the disease. Ibuprofen (IBP) is a well-known anti-inflammatory agent that reduces the neuroinflammatory response and neuronal damage.

Maternal embryonic leucine zipper kinase serves as a poor prognosis marker and therapeutic target in osteosarcoma.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary malignancy of bones and frequently affects young children and adolescents. There are several challenges associated with treating osteosarcoma owing to the aggressiveness of the disease, as well as the risk of chemoresistance. Numerous studies are being performed with the aim of identifying improved prognostic and therapeutic markers for this malignancy.

Development of low dose micro-tablets by high shear wet granulation process.

Low dose micro-tablets with acceptable quality attributes, specifically content uniformity (CU), would not only enhance the dose flexibility in the clinic, but also decrease excipient burden in pediatric population. Considering the CU challenges associated with directly compressed low dose micro-tablets, in this study, high shear wet granulation (HSWG) process was evaluated to manufacture micro-tablets with reduced CU variability. The impact of active pharmaceutical ingredient (API) particle size (D - 18-180 µm) and loading (0.

Dose preservation of ligament flavum really help prevent postoperative epidural fibrosis and improve outcome in microdiscectomy?

Objective: A prospective, randomized, controlled clinical study was conducted with surgery performed by the same surgeon. The aim was to present a new technique for preserving the ligament flavum during lumbar microdiscectomy, and to evaluate whether this helps prevent postoperative fibrosis and improve outcome.

Methods: From January to December 2017, 251 patients with indication for microdiscectomy were randomly divided into test group using ligament flavum preservation technique and control group using conventional procedures.

Erratum: Author Correction: Immune cell profiling of COVID-19 patients in the recovery stage by single-cell sequencing.

[This corrects the article DOI: 10.1038/s41421-020-0168-9.].

Monodisperse restricted access material with molecularly imprinted surface for selective solid-phase extraction of 17β-estradiol from milk.

In this study, novel monodisperse restricted access media-molecularly imprinted polymers were successfully prepared by surface initiated reversible addition-fragmentation chain transfer polymerization using monodisperse crosslinked poly (glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene glycol dimethacrylate) microspheres as the carrier and acryloyl chloride-modified β-cyclodextrin as the hydrophilic functional monomer. The surface morphology, protein exclusion, and adsorption properties of the molecularly imprinted polymers were investigated. The results show that the material has excellent monodispersity and hydrophilicity, and simultaneously exhibit high adsorption capacity, fast binding kinetics, high selectivity, and significant thermal stability.

A neutralizing human antibody binds to the N-terminal domain of the Spike protein of SARS-CoV-2.

Developing therapeutics against severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) could be guided by the distribution of epitopes, not only on the receptor binding domain (RBD) of the Spike (S) protein but also across the full Spike (S) protein. We isolated and characterized monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) from 10 convalescent COVID-19 patients. Three mAbs showed neutralizing activities against authentic SARS-CoV-2.

Application of intraoperative electrophysiological monitoring in vertebral canal decompression surgery for acute spinal cord injury.

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate the joint monitoring of somatosensory evoked potentials (SEPs) and motor evoked potentials (MEPs) in vertebral canal decompression surgery for acute spinal cord injury.

Methods: Twenty-four patients, who were admitted to the hospital for the surgical treatment of spinal cord injury with SEP and MEP monitoring, were assigned to the intraoperative monitoring group (group I). In addition, 24 patients who were admitted to the hospital for the surgical treatment of spinal cord injury without SEP or MEP monitoring were assigned to the control group (group C).

Pharmacokinetic Comparisons of Eight Active Components from Raw Farfarae Flos and Honey-Processed Farfarae Flos after Oral Administration in Rats by UHPLC-MS/MS Approaches.

Farfarae flos (FF) is widely used for cough over thousands of years in China, but little is known about their pharmacokinetics properties. This study was aimed to establish a rapid and accurate ultraperformance liquid chromatography with triple-quadrupole tandem mass spectrometry method for compare pharmacokinetics studies of eight active compounds after oral administration between raw and honey-processed farfarae flos extracts. Optimum separation was performed on a Thermo Hypersil GOLD C18 column (100 mm × 2.

Neuronal Surface Antibody Syndrome: A Review of the Characteristics of the Disease and Its Association with Autoantibodies.

Several studies have certified that autoantibodies play an important role in the manifestation of neuromuscular diseases. Scientists have discovered specific neuronal tumor antibodies in patients with typical paraneoplastic neurological disorders. But in some clinical cases, it is not useful to cure this disease with common treatments unless the autoantibodies are addressed.

MARK2 enhances cisplatin resistance via PI3K/AKT/NF-κB signaling pathway in osteosarcoma cells.

Osteosarcoma is the most common primary bone malignancy found in children and young adults. Chemotherapy resistance, especially to cisplatin, presents a major clinical challenge in the treatment and prognosis of osteosarcoma. New biomarkers and mechanisms of cisplatin resistance in osteosarcoma are urgently needed due to poor survival outcomes and currently inadequate treatments.

The adsorption properties of functionalization vetiver grass-based activated carbon: the simultaneous adsorption of phosphate and nitrate.

In this work, zirconium chloride octahydrate/CTAB/vetiver grass-activated carbon (ZR/CTAB/VGAC) was prepared from vetiver grass-activated carbon (VGAC), using zirconium chloride octahydrate (ZR) and cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB) as modifiers. The optimized conditions of the simultaneous phosphate and nitrate removal by ZR/CTAB/VGAC were discussed, including amount of adsorbent, initial concentration, pH, contact time, and temperature. The simultaneous removal efficiency of phosphate and nitrate was 96.