The self-assessment of critical thinking disposition and the needs for training: a cross-sectional survey of clinical nurses.

Background: Critical thinking is essential for nurses' clinical decision-making and the delivery of safe, high-quality care, and is shaped by their critical thinking disposition. However, nurses demonstrate negative critical thinking dispositions, with limited evidence available on influencing factors and training needs.

Objective: This study aims to investigate nurses' critical thinking dispositions, identify influencing factors, and explore their relationship with training needs.

Neural Network-Enhanced FMCW Gas Spectroscopy.

Detecting multicomponent gases over extensive concentration ranges with laser spectroscopy faces challenges of complex configurations, intricate spectral analysis, and reduced accuracy. Neural networks offer transformative potential for advancing laser spectroscopy by facilitating real-time optimization and automation of experimental processes. Here, we report a frequency-modulated continuous-wave (FMCW) spectroscopic system enhanced by a feedforward neural network (FNN) algorithm.

Growth of PCN-222 on a Graphene Oxide Surface with Sodium Zinc Molybdate Loading: Boosting Self-Healing and Corrosion Resistance of Epoxy Coatings.

Self-healing protective coatings, key to anticorrosion and substrate longevity, are a hot topic in materials science. We synthesized a novel self-healing epoxy coating (GPN/EP) by spraying. It is a graphene oxide (GO)/metal-organic framework (PCN-222) epoxy composite with a sodium zinc molybdate (NZM) inhibitor and is applied to steel substrates.

Salt-templated transformation of waste plastics into single-atom catalysts for environmental and energy applications.

Upcycling plastic waste into single-atom catalysts (SACs) not only offers a sustainable solution for plastic waste management but also yields valuable functional materials for catalytic applications. Here, we report a simple and scalable method to transform various types of plastics, including polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, polyethylene terephthalate, polyvinyl chloride, and their mixtures, into a diversity of porous SACs with different coordination chemistry and their excellent applications in a variety of catalytic reactions. Lamellar transition metal chloride salts (Ni, Fe, Co, Mn, and Cu) are employed as a template and catalyst for confined carbonization of plastics into layered SACs.

Haloxylon ammodendron plantations: enhancing multi-trophic arthropod diversity and soil multifunctionality in arid deserts.

The conversion of natural desert vegetation to artificial sand-fixing vegetation significantly impacts the diversity of ground arthropods across various trophic levels. Consequently, this change modifies the structure and function of arthropod-dominated soil food webs, thereby influencing soil multifunctionality. In this study, we set up a vegetation gradient in the desert-oasis ecotone of Zhangye Oasis, Hexi Corridor, spanning from natural desert vegetation (mobile and fixed sandy dunes) to artificial fixed sandy vegetation (5-, 10-, 20- and 30- year-old Haloxylon ammodendron plantations).

Coexistence of Giant Transverse Transport Properties and Complex Spin Configuration in Polycrystalline Kagomé Ferromagnet GdCo.

Kagomé lattice magnets have recently garnered significant interest due to the pronounced transverse transport characteristics, particularly in thermoelectric and spintronic applications, stemming from the interplay between topology and magnetism. Here, a comprehensive investigation of the magnetic, electrical, and thermoelectric transport properties, as well as the complex spin configurations, is conducted in a polycrystalline Kagomé ferromagnet GdCo. Strikingly, a giant anomalous Hall conductivity ≈2125 S cm is obtained at T = 10 K, which is primarily governed by the extrinsic skew-scattering mechanism.

Inhibitory effects of the flavonoids extracted from Pollen Typhae on palmitic acid-induced NLRP3 inflammasome activation in macrophages involving AMPK-mediated lipid metabolism.

Background: Pollen Typhae (PT), a traditional Chinese medicine herb utilized in diabetes management, exerts anti-inflammatory effects through its flavonoids, yet the active constituents and mechanisms remain unclear.

Methods: PT total flavone (PTF) was extracted from PT and identified the compounds by UHPLC-MS. Network pharmacology and molecular docking were used to predict the underlying targets and anti-inflammatory mechanisms of PTF.

Broadband photon-counting dual-comb spectroscopy with attowatt sensitivity over turbulent optical paths.

Photon-counting dual-comb spectroscopy (DCS) opens new possibilities for deploying DCS in scenarios previously constrained by limited detection sensitivity. However, inevitable optical path fluctuations hinder its practical implementation. Here, we propose a method to ensure the long-term stability of photon-counting DCS, overcoming turbulent optical paths, achieving attowatt-level detection sensitivity and quick acquisition times.

Risk Factors of Diabetic Bladder Dysfunction in Patients with Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus: A Case-Control Study in Shenzhen, China.

Introduction And Hypothesis: Diabetic bladder dysfunction (DBD) is a prevalent but underrecognized complication of type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM), affecting 25 to 87% of patients and significantly impairing quality of life. The specific risk factors for DBD remain poorly understood due to inconsistent findings in prior studies. This study aims to systematically identify the risk factors associated with DBD among Chinese T2DM patients.

Sliding ferroelectricity and alterpiezoelectricity in a two-dimensional heterobilayer from the in-plane hole of g-CN.

It is well known that two-dimensional (2D) van der Waals (vdW) heterobilayers may undergo symmetry breaking in some specific stacking configurations, thus presenting three states (AA, AB, BA) with different out-of-plane (OOP) polarization, which is electrically switchable interlayer sliding. Here, we find that in two vdW heterobilayers (S-g-CN/graphene and T-g-CN/graphene) formed by a g-CN (S-g-CN and T-g-CN) monolayer and graphene monolayer, interlayer sliding can not only switch the OOP polarization, but also change the in-plane (IP) piezoelectric properties of the T-g-CN/graphene heterobilayer, between positive and negative piezoelectricity, which we call . We show first-principles evidence that the strong charge transfer of graphene contributes to the charge redistribution in graphene induced by the in-plane holes of g-CN, so that stacking configurations with different piezoelectric properties appear in the switching process of interlayer sliding.

pH-Sensitive Siloxene-based Composite Materials Endow the Epoxy Coating with Efficient Self-Healing Function and Excellent Mechanical Properties.

The long-term corrosion resistance of metal coatings remains a persistent challenge. Single nanofillers often fail to address this issue comprehensively. Herein, siloxene (S) was employed as a substrate to construct a composite structure integrating polyaniline (PANI) and Ce-MOF.

Metal-Free Carbon Cocatalysis in Fenton Chemistry.

To address the challenges of low hydrogen peroxide utilization efficiency and excessive iron sludge accumulation in conventional Fenton processes, metal-free carbon cocatalysts harness their cost-effectiveness, ecofriendliness, and modifiable surface to propel green and enhanced Fenton chemistry. Their cocatalytic efficacy stems from structural features (pore architecture, hybridization state, and dimension) and surface properties (defect, heteroatom, functional group, graphitic structure, and site distribution), resulting in carbon cocatalysts playing multifaceted roles in assisting Fenton systems. This overview provides mechanistic insights into carbon cocatalyzed Fenton reactions, focusing on electron sources for iron reduction, and categorizes mechanisms into three approaches (electron donors, carbon-Fe(III) complexes, and electron mediators).

Intelligent Visualization of Single Microbead Bubbling Enables Attomolar Protein Quantification.

Quantification of low-abundance proteins in biofluids using affordable and portable biosensors stands as the top priority for point-of-care testing and in-field disease screening/monitoring. Herein, we propose a cellphone-based portable immunoassay platform coupled with an intelligent single microbead (SMB) bubbling visualization mechanism, which allows for facile, low-cost, and highly sensitive protein analysis. The use of solely an SMB as the immunocarrier can remarkably boost the sensitivity by superenriching the target-mediated, platinum nanoparticle (PtNP)-involved immunocomplexes on its surface.

AlCoCrFeNi High-Entropy Alloys Enable Simultaneous Electrical and Mechanical Robustness at Thermoelectric Interfaces.

The interface between high-performance thermoelectric materials and electrodes critically governs the conversion efficiency and long-term reliability of thermoelectric generators under high-temperature operation. Here, we propose AlCoCrFeNi high-entropy alloys (HEA) as barrier layers to bond Cu-W electrodes with p-type skutterudite (p-SKD) thermoelectric materials. The HEA/p-SKD interface exhibited excellent chemical bonding with a stable and controllable reaction layer, forming a dense, defect-free (Fe,Ni,Co,Cr)Sb phase (thickness of ~2.

Unveiling the impact of human activities on the coupling coordination of ecosystem functions in major grain-producing areas: A production-living-ecology perspective.

The sustainable development of major grain-producing areas necessitates a coupling coordination between ecosystem functions, while carefully considering their responses to human activities. However, our understanding of how human activities influence this coupling coordination in ecosystem functions remains limited. This study establishes an assessment framework for the coupling coordination of ecosystem functions from the production-living-ecology perspective in the Jianghan Plain (JHP), particularly by utilizing multi-source data and relevant geographic spatial models.

Deep Learning-Enhanced CTA for Noninvasive Prediction of First Variceal Haemorrhage in Cirrhosis: A Multi-Centre Study.

Background And Aims: The first variceal haemorrhage (FVH) is a life-threatening complication of liver cirrhosis that requires timely intervention; however, noninvasive tools for accurately predicting FVH remain limited. This study aimed to develop noninvasive, deep learning-enhanced computed tomographic angiography (CTA) models for early and accurate FVH prediction.

Methods: This multi-centre retrospective study included 184 cirrhotic patients (FVH: n = 107, non-FVH: n = 77) enrolled from December 2014 to May 2022.

3D fractal dimension analysis of CT imaging for microvascular invasion prediction in hepatocellular carcinoma.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the potential role of 3-dimensional (3D) fractal dimension (FD) derived from contrast-enhanced CT images in predicting microvascular invasion (MVI) in patients with hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC).

Materials And Methods: This retrospective study included 655 patients with surgically confirmed HCC from two medical centers (training set: 406 patients; internal test set: 170 patients; external test set: 79 patients). Box-counting algorithms were used to compute 3D FD values from portal venous phase images.

Potentiation of Nigra-Striatal Dopaminergic Projection Underpins Core Autism-Like Behaviors in Valproate-Exposed Mice.

Autism is characterized by two key diagnostic criteria including social deficits and repetitive behaviors. However, the underlying neural circuit dysfunction that accounts for these coexisting symptoms in autism remains poorly understood. Here we revealed that prenatal valproate exposure induced functional alterations of dopaminergic projections from substantia nigra pars compacta (SNc) to dorsomedial striatum (DMS).

Endocannabinoids inhibit contextual fear memory generalization via hippocampal GABAergic synaptic transmission.

Memory generalization allows an organism to adapt to new conditions, but overgeneralization of fear or traumatic experiences can be detrimental to survival and contributes to the development of various mental disorders. However, the cellular and molecular mechanisms underlying fear memory generalization, especially in the hippocampus, remain largely unknown. In this study, utilizing a well-established mouse model of fear memory generalization, we investigated the role of endocannabinoids (eCBs)-mediated GABAergic synaptic inputs to hippocampal pyramidal neurons in regulating contextual fear memory generalization.

Transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation alleviates insomnia, negative emotions, and neurotransmitter imbalance in methamphetamine withdrawal: A randomized controlled trial.

Background: This randomized controlled trial investigated the therapeutic effects of transcutaneous electrical acupoint stimulation (TEAS) on insomnia, negative emotions, and neurotransmitter levels in patients undergoing methamphetamine (METH) withdrawal.

Methods: We enrolled 84 eligible patients from the Kangxin Hospital of Guizhou Province, China (August 2023-December 2024), randomly allocating them to TEAS (n = 42) or sham-TEAS (n = 42) groups. The patients were divided into a TEAS group of 42 cases and a sham-TEAS group of 42 cases according to the randomized, single-blind and control principle.

High-fidelity tissue super-resolution imaging achieved with confocal spinning-disk image scanning microscopy.

Super-resolution imaging has revolutionized our ability to visualize biological structures at subcellular scales. However, deep-tissue super-resolution imaging remains constrained by background interference, which leads to limited depth penetration and compromised imaging fidelity. To overcome these challenges, we propose a novel imaging system, confocal² spinning-disk image scanning microscopy (CSD-ISM).

Review: moiré-of-moiré superlattice in twisted trilayer graphene.

When a third layer of graphene is transferred on top of twisted bilayer graphene with a second twist, the atomic and electronic structure of the system can be significantly enriched. Generally, the two coexisting moiré superlattices give rise to a higher-order moiré-of-moiré (MoM) superlattice, with a plethora of new length scales and associated novel quantum phenomena. This article reviews the current theoretical understanding and experimental observations of twisted trilayer graphene MoM (or supermoiré) superlattices, and the theoretical predictions and ongoing experimental efforts for unraveling rich exotic quantum phenomena and underlying physics.

Mechanistic elucidation of cyanamide's selective herbicidal activity via integrated transcriptome-metabolome analysis: Implications for cleaner alfalfa production.

Redroot pigweed (Amaranthus retroflexus L.) is one of the common weeds in alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) field, compromising yield and forage quality.

Research progress on nanoplatforms based delivery of traditional Chinese medicine against multi-drug resistance in breast cancer.

Background: In the comprehensive clinical management of breast cancer, the emergence of multi-drug resistance often presents substantial challenges to effective drug therapy. Traditional Chinese medicine has shown great potential in reversing multi-drug resistance in breast cancer, but its application is limited due to the poor water-solubility and unsatisfactory targeting.

Purpose: This review summarizes the research progress in the nanoplatforms based delivery of active ingredients from traditional Chinese medicine, highlighting their potential in multimodal synergistic therapy to tackle multi-drug resistance in breast cancer.

DMCA-Net: Dual-branch multi-granularity hierarchical contrast and cross-attention network for cervical abnormal cell detection.

Accurate detection of abnormal cells is essential for early screening and precise diagnosis of cervical cancer. Despite the recent advances in deep learning-based methods for cervical cancer detection, their broad clinical applications are hindered by several technical challenges. On the one hand, gradually evolved abnormal cells are visually similar to normal cells.