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The problems of students' social interaction and psychological well-being associated with online learning dependent on self-directed learning have become an important topic of research in recent years worldwide due to the COVID-19 pandemic, affecting their Social Emotional Learning. This paper aimed to compare the students' loneliness, social anxiety, social interaction, and general psychological well-being at different stages of online learning (at the beginning and the height of the pandemic), considering their criteria (presence/absence of a job and own family). For this, the researchers conducted an electronic survey of students (n = 320) twice, in February and May 2020, using four questionnaires: UCLA loneliness scale-3, Social Anxiety Scale for E-Learning Environments, Social Interaction Scale, and Brief Adjustment Scale. The responses at different stages of online learning were compared using Student's t-test. Differences between employed and unemployed students with or without their own families were determined using the analysis of variance (ANOVA). The findings showed that unemployed students without their families suffered the most from loneliness. Social interaction online was rated higher by students with their own families; psychological well-being at the beginning of the distance period and social anxiety at the height of the distance period were higher among unemployed students. This research can become a theoretical basis for a phase-by-phase study of social predictors for the psychological well-being of higher education students and is of practical value for teachers and administrators of online learning aimed at students' socialization. In addition, it provides education officials with information about how students perceive psychological well-being, anxiety, social interaction, and loneliness during distance learning, which can help officials direct their decisions and reforms to improve interaction in the online environment.

The limited sensitivity of photovoltaic-type photodiodes makes it indispensable to use pre-amplifier circuits for effectively extracting electrical signals, especially when detecting dim light. Additionally, the photomultiplication photodiodes with light amplification function suffer from potential damages caused by high power consumption under strong light. In this work, by adopting the synergy strategy of thermal-induced interfacial structural traps and blocking layers, we develop a dual-mode visible-near infrared organic photodiode with bias-switchable photomultiplication and photovoltaic operating modes, exhibiting high specific detectivity (~10 12 Jones) and fast response speed (0.05/3.03 ms for photomultiplication-mode; 8.64/11.14 μs for photovoltaic-mode). The device also delivers disparate external quantum efficiency in two optional operating modes, showing potential in simultaneously detecting dim and strong light ranging from ~10 −9 to 10 −1  W cm −2 . The general strategy and working mechanism are validated in different organic layers. This work offers an attractive option to develop bias-switchable multi-mode organic photodetectors for various application scenarios. Preparation of photodiodes with photomultiplication/photovoltaic two operating modes is promising but challenging. Here, the authors report a bias-switchable dual-mode organic photodiode by adopting traps and blocking layer, achieving detectivity of 10 12 Jones and fast response speed in both modes.

Advanced switchable molecules and materials have shown great potential in numerous applications. These novel materials can express different states of physicochemical properties as controlled by a designated stimulus, such that the processing condition can always be maintained in an optimized manner for improved efficiency and sustainability throughout the whole process. Herein, the recent advances in switchable molecules/materials in oil recovery and oily waste cleanup are reviewed. Oil recovery and oily waste cleanup are of critical importance to the industry and environment. Switchable materials can be designed with various types of switchable properties, including i) switchable interfacial activity, ii) switchable viscosity, iii) switchable solvent, and iv) switchable wettability. The materials can then be deployed into the most suitable applications according to the process requirements. An in‐depth discussion about the fundamental basis of the design considerations is provided for each type of switchable material, followed by details about their performances and challenges in the applications. Finally, an outlook for the development of next‐generation switchable molecules/materials is discussed. Switchable molecules and materials have been drawing increasing interests in the oil recovery and oily wastes cleanup to improve chemical/energy efficiency and process sustainability. Herein, a comprehensive review is provided to introduce the fundamental basis for the design and fabrication of advanced switchable materials, to present their recent progress in applications, and to discuss their limitations and future outlooks.

•Adaptive decision-making is impaired across psychiatric conditions.•The current study examined whether the deficit reflects a common disruption of brain networks.•Meta-analysis revealed common alterations in the ventral striatum and thalamus.•These regions represent key nodes in a large-scale network playing a causal role in motivation.•Decision-making deficits across psychiatric conditions may be rooted in disruptions of networks associated with emotion- and reward-related processing. Adaptive decision-making, which is often impaired in various psychiatric conditions, is essential for well-being. Recent evidence has indicated that decision-making capacity in multiple tasks could be accounted for by latent dimensions, enlightening the question of whether there is a common disruption of brain networks in economic decision-making across psychiatric conditions. Here, we addressed the issue by combining activation/lesion network mapping analyses with a transdiagnostic brain imaging meta-analysis. Our findings indicate that there were transdiagnostic alterations in the thalamus and ventral striatum during the decision or outcome stage of decision-making. The identified regions represent key nodes in a large-scale network, which is composed of multiple heterogeneous brain regions and plays a causal role in motivational functioning. The findings suggest that disturbances in the network associated with emotion- and reward-related processing play a key role in dysfunctions of decision‐making observed in various psychiatric conditions. This study provides the first meta-analytic evidence of common neural alterations linked to deficits in economic decision-making.

Nanocomposite polymer materials are commonly used in energy storage devices on account of the excellent dielectric performance. However, there is a long-standing contradiction between dielectric constant and breakdown strength of nanocomposite. In this study, polyurea (PUA) is designed to in situ modify BaTiO3 (BT) nanoparticles. Based on the excellent dispersity, favorable compatibility and outstanding insulating performance of BT@PUA particles, the P(VDF-CTFE)/BT@PUA nanocomposite exhibits enhanced breakdown strength and reliability. In addition, the introduction of BT@PUA enhanced the dielectric constant to 10.72 and 35% larger than that of pure P(VDF-CTFE). As a result, the energy density of BT@PUA composite reaches 8.94 J/cm3, which is 1.65 times than P(VDF-CTFE) (5.41 J/cm3) and 4.5 times than the commercial biaxially oriented polypropylenes. Meanwhile, the quantified simulation illustrates the necessity of extremely high breakdown strength of the shell. Experiment results and simulation reveal that coating PUA is a novel and effective way to enhance energy storage performance for polymer nanocomposites with a promising broad application prospect.

A central challenge in psychiatry is the need for improved diagnostic accuracy and treatment efficacy. Recent dimensional frameworks like the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) initiative address this by promoting a transdiagnostic approach to identify shared neural mechanisms across psychiatric disorders. Here, we conducted a transdiagnostic meta-analysis of resting-state fMRI studies that employed amplitude-based measures of spontaneous brain activity—the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuations/fractional ALFF (ALFF/fALFF) and regional homogeneity (ReHo). Our results revealed that patients, compared to healthy controls, exhibited significantly elevated ALFF/fALFF in the lateral orbitofrontal cortex, anterior insula, and caudate, as well as increased ReHo in the ventrolateral prefrontal cortex but reduced ReHo in the middle occipital gyrus. These regions were then subjected to resting-state functional connectivity and functional decoding analyses based on a dataset of 110 healthy participants, allowing for a data-driven inference on psychophysiological functions. These regions and their networks are mapped onto systems implicated in cognitive control, social functioning, emotional processing, and sensory perception. Collectively, our findings delineate a suite of transdiagnostic neural aberrations reflected in resting-state activity, thereby advancing the neurobiological validation of the dimensional frameworks and highlighting potential common targets for therapeutic intervention.

Metabolic reprogramming is a hallmark of human cancer. Cancer cells exhibit enhanced glycolysis, which allows glycolytic intermediates to be diverted into several other biosynthetic pathways, such as serine synthesis. Here, we explored the anti-cancer effects of the pyruvate kinase (PK) M2 inhibitor PKM2-IN-1 alone or in combination with the phosphoglycerate dehydrogenase (PHGDH) inhibitor NCT-503 in human NSCLC A549 cells in vitro and in vivo . PKM2-IN-1 inhibited proliferation and induced cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, with increased glycolytic intermediate 3-phosphoglycerate (3-PG) level and PHGDH expression. The combination of PKM2-IN-1 and NCT-503 further suppressed cancer cell proliferation and induced G2/M phase arrest, accompanied by the reduction of ATP, activation of AMPK and inhibition of its downstream mTOR and p70S6K, upregulation of p53 and p21, as well as downregulation of cyclin B1 and cdc2. In addition, combined treatment triggered ROS-dependent apoptosis by affecting the intrinsic Bcl-2/caspase-3/PARP pathway. Moreover, the combination suppressed glucose transporter type 1 (GLUT1) expression. In vivo , co-administration of PKM2-IN-1 and NCT-503 significantly inhibited A549 tumor growth. Taken together, PKM2-IN-1 in combination with NCT-503 exhibited remarkable anti-cancer effects through induction of G2/M cell cycle arrest and apoptosis, in which the metabolic stress induced ATP reduction and ROS augmented DNA damage might be involved. These results suggest that the combination of PKM2-IN-1 and NCT-503 might be a potential strategy for the therapy of lung cancer.

Bone tissue engineering (BTE) is an optimized approach for bone regeneration to overcome the disadvantages of lacking donors. Biocompatibility, biodegradability, simulation of extracellular matrix (ECM), and excellent mechanical properties are essential characteristics of BTE scaffold, sometimes including drug loading capacity. Electrospinning is a simple technique to prepare fibrous scaffolds because of its efficiency, adaptability, and flexible preparation of electrospinning solution. Recent studies about electrospinning in BTE are summarized in this review. First, we summarized various types of polymers used in electrospinning and methods of electrospinning in recent work. Then, we divided them into three parts according to their main role in BTE, (1) ECM simulation, (2) mechanical support, and (3) drug delivery system.

Tuberculous myelitis is rare in central nervous system (CNS) tuberculosis. Misdiagnosis initially may lead to poor outcomes; empirical antituberculosis treatment can improve symptoms. Early diagnosis via cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) and spinal MRI, plus timely treatment, is vital—clinical awareness needs enhancement.

Amlodipine is a Ca 2+ channel blocker commonly used to cardiovascular diseases such as hypertension and angina; however, its anticancer effects in lung cancer A549 cells remain unknown. In the present study, we explored the antitumor effects and molecular mechanisms underlying the action of amlodipine in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) A549 cells in vitro and in vivo . We observed that amlodipine suppressed the proliferation of A549 lung cancer cells by arresting the tumor cell cycle. Mechanistically, our results revealed that amlodipine could attenuate the phosphoinositide 3 kinase (PI3K)/Akt and Raf/MEK/extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK) pathways through epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and modulated cell cycle-related proteins such as cyclin D1, p-Rb, p27, and p21. Subsequently, amlodipine combined with gefitinib could synergistically inhibit cell proliferation by arresting the cell cycle. Moreover, amlodipine combined with gefitinib effectively attenuated the growth of A549 lung cancer xenografts when compared with monotherapy, affording an excellent therapeutic effect. Collectively, our results indicate that amlodipine alone or combined with the novel anticancer drug gefitinib might be a potential therapeutic strategy for NSCLC patients with wild-type EGFR.