Methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) plays a major role in the metabolism of folates and homocysteine, which in turn can affect gene expression and ultimately promote the development of breast cancer. Thus, mutations in the MTHFR gene could influence homocysteine, methionine, and S-adenosylmethionine levels and, indirectly, nucleotide levels. Imbalance in methionine and S-adenosylmethionine synthesis affects protein synthesis and methylation. These changes, which affect gene expression, may ultimately promote the development of breast cancer. We therefore hypothesized that such mutations could also play an important role in the occurrence and pathogenesis of breast cancer in a Malian population. In this study, we used the PCR-RFLP technique to identify the different genotypic profiles of the C677T MTHFR polymorphism in 127 breast cancer women and 160 healthy controls. The genotypic distribution of the C677T polymorphism in breast cancer cases was 88.2% for CC, 11.0% for CT, and 0.8% for TT. Healthy controls showed a similar distribution with 90.6% for CC, 8.8% for CT, and 0.6% for TT. We found no statistical association between the C677T polymorphism and breast cancer risk for the codominant models CT and TT (p > 0.05). The same trend was observed when the analysis was extended to other genetic models, including dominant (p = 0.50), recessive (p = 0.87), and additive (p = 0.50) models. The C677T polymorphism of MTHFR gene did not influence the risk of breast cancer in the Malian samples.

This study aims to understand the epidemiological characteristics of SARS-CoV-2 infection in the paediatric population during the outbreak of the Omicron variant in Shanghai. We retrospectively analysed the population-based epidemiological characteristics and clinical outcome of SARS-CoV-2 Omicron variant infection in children in Minhang District, Shanghai, based on the citywide surveillance system during the outbreak period in 2022 (March to May). During this time, a total of 63,969 cases of SARS-CoV-2 infection were notified in Minhang District, out of which 4,652 (7.3%) were children and adolescents <18 years. The incidence rate of SARS-CoV-2 infections in children was 153 per 10,000. Of all paediatric cases, 50% reported to be clinically symptomatic within 1–3 days after PCR confirmation by parents or themselves, with 36.3% and 18.9% of paediatric cases reporting fever and cough. Also, 58.4% of paediatric cases had received at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine and 52.1% had received two doses of the COVID-19 vaccination. Our findings are informative for the implementation of appropriate measures to protect children from the threat of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

A series of Ni/C catalysts with different Ni content (15, 20, and 30 wt% Ni) were prepared by the wet incipient impregnation method. Their textural properties were studied by surface fractal dimension (Ds) and nonlocal density functional theory using nitrogen sorption data. Their structural properties were studied by x-ray diffraction, Rietveld refinement, radial distribution functions (RDFs), and electron density maps of Fourier. Surface areas of Ni/C catalysts decreases slightly from 614 to 533 m2/g as Ni content increases from 15 to 30 wt%; however, the Ni crystallite size (5.1–31.4 nm) increases as the nickel content increases. Many point defects were found by Rietveld refinement in nickel nanostructures of Ni/C catalysts with 20 and 30 wt% Ni. This was confirmed by RDFs and electronic density maps. On the other hand, the hydrogen production via the photodehydrogenation of ethanol is very sensitive to the nickel crystallite size and the number Ni atoms in nickel nanostructures. The maximum reaction rate (363.64 μmol/h) is achieved on Ni/C catalyst with 15 Wt% Ni content which has the smallest crystallite size (5.1 nm) and less point defects in its nickel nanostructures. Ab initio calculations were performed to propose a reaction mechanism in the photodehydrogenation of ethanol.

Let ℨ be a complete set of Sylow subgroups of a finite group G; that is to say for each prime p dividing the order of G, ℨ contains one and only one Sylow p-subgroup of G. A subgroup H of G is said to be ℨ-permutable in G if H permutes with every member of ℨ. In this paper we characterise the structure of finite groups G with the assumption that (1) all the subgroups of Gp ∈ ℨ are ℨ-permutable in G, for all prime p ∈ π(G), or (2) all the subgroups of Gp ∩ F*(G) are ℨ-permutable in G, for all Gp ∈ ℨ and p ∈ π(G), where F*(G) is the generalised Fitting subgroup of G.

A solder ball is the key material of the bump fabrication in the BGA and μBGA high integrated packaging. The nodulizer type is the main factor to affect the quality of the solder ball. In the paper the solder balls are fabricated by the fine wire cutting–remelting method. The influence of different nodulizers on the real sphericity and the surface appearance of the solder balls are investigated. Results show that, the real sphericity of the 63Sn37Pb solder balls is maximum and the surface quality of the solder balls is the best compared with the engine oil, heavy oil and silicon oil when the arachis oil is used as the nodulizer.

The properties of W UMa binary stars are studied based on the well-determined physical parameters of 132 W UMa systems. It is found that the energy transfer rate has a maximum value at q ~ 0.58. The relation between the energy transfer rate and the temperature deviation is also investigated, and the temperature of the secondary component is related to the energy transfer rate.

The thermal properties of the nanocrystalline metal Ag (n-Ag), with the average grain size of 10 run, synthesized by an inert gas condensation and in situ compacting technique under different pressures of 0.2 to 1.5 GPa were studied. The thermal stable temperature for asprepared state is 373K, above which the grain growth appears at different rates. An exothermal peak and an endothermal peak occur on the DSC curves of the n-Ag. The enthalpy of both peaks are dependent upon the compacting pressure. Tht enhancement of the specific heat in going from the polycrystalline to the nanocrystalline state varies between 5.4% and 3.6% in the temperature range of 380K to 540K. The thermal diffusivity at room temperature increases with grain growth, and approaches to the corresponding value of the polycrystalline Ag.