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Graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is the most stable phase of all carbon nitride allotropes under ambient conditions. In this study, sulfur-doped g-C3N4 was fabricated by simply calcinating thiourea at 520 °C. Sulfur-doped g-C3N4 (TCN) was found to absorb light up to 475 nm corresponding to a band gap of 2.63 eV, which was narrower than that of un-doped g-C3N4 (MCN) with a band gap of 2.7 eV. First-principle calculations based on spin-polarized density functional theory were utilized to investigate the theoretical partial density of states of the TCN and MCN, indicating that the band gaps of TCN and MCN were the same, but impurities existed in the TCN sample. Consequently, photogenerated electrons could easily jump from the impurity state to the conduction band or from the valence band to the impurity state. Photocatalytic CO2 reduction was further used to evaluate the photoactivity of samples, and the CH3OH yield using TCN and MCN were 1.12 and 0.81 μmol g−1, respectively. PL spectrum analysis and transient photocurrent responses were also carried out to verify the suggested photocatalysis mechanism.

Titanium niobium oxide (TiNb2O7) has been regarded as a promising anode material for high-rate lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its potential to operate at high rates with improved safety and high theoretical capacity of 387 mA h g−1. Herein, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) TiNb2O7 composed of interconnected single-crystalline nanoparticles was prepared using polystyrene (PS) colloidal crystals as a hard template. The final product yields a homogeneous, continuous, and effective honeycomb-like construction. This architecture provides facile Li+ insertion/extraction and fast electron transfer pathway, enabling high-performance lithium ion pseudocapacitive behavior, leading to good electrochemical performance. As a result, the 3DOM-TiNb2O7 shows a remarkable rate capability (120 mA h g−1 at 50 C) and durable long-term cyclability (82% capacity retention over 1000 cycles at 10 C). The work presented herein holds great promise for future design of material structure, and demonstrates the great potential of TiNb2O7 as a practical high-rate anode material for LIBs.

Boron nitride (BN) is a promising semiconductor with a wide band gap ( approximately 6 eV). Here, we report the synthesis of vertically aligned BN nanosheets (BNNSs) on silicon substrates by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition from a gas mixture of BF(3)-N(2)-H(2). The size, shape, thickness, density, and alignment of the BNNSs were well-controlled by appropriately changing the growth conditions. With changing the gas flow rates of BF(3) and H(2) as well as their ratio, the BNNSs evolve from three-dimensional with branches to two-dimensional with smooth surface and their thickness changes from 20 to below 5 nm. The growth of the BNNSs rather than uniform granular films is attributed to the particular chemical properties of the gas system, mainly the strong etching effect of fluorine. The alignment of the BNNSs is possibly induced by the electrical field generated in plasma sheath. Strong UV light emission with a broad band ranging from 200 to 400 nm and superhydrophobicity with contact angles over 150 degrees were obtained for the vertically aligned BNNSs. The present BNNSs possess the properties complementary to carbon nanosheets such as intrinsically semiconducting, high temperature stability, and high chemical inertness and may find applications in ultraviolet nanoelectronics, catalyst supports, electron field emission, and self-cleaning coatings, etc., especially those working at high temperature and in harsh environments.

The functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) was achieved by reacting ethylenediamine, cyanuric chloride and sodium 2-mercaptoethanol in sequence as efficient ways to introduce amine and thiol functional groups onto the nanotube sidewalls. The synthesized amino and thiolated MWCNTs were characterized by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscope (SEM). A series of batch adsorption experiments were conducted to study the effect of pH, dose of adsorbent, metal concentration and temperature on Hg(II) uptake by the functionalized MWCNTs. The adsorption isotherm data were better fitted by Langmuir model, while kinetic data can be characterized by the pseudo-second-order rate kinetics. Based on the thermodynamic data of ΔH∘, ΔS∘ and ΔG∘ obtained, it can be concluded that the Hg(II) ion adsorption on the functionalized MWCNTs is exothermic, spontaneous and physisorption in nature. In a fixed-bed column adsorption, the effects of bed height, flow rate and initial ion concentration on the breakthrough curve were investigated, on which the predictions were found to be satisfactory both by the Yan and Thomas models. Lastly, we found out the as-synthesized MWCNTs-SH are efficient in Hg(II) removal from real wastewater.

Abstract Interfacial solar steam generation is a highly efficient and sustainable technology for clean water production and wastewater treatment. Although great progress has been achieved in improving evaporation rate and energy efficiency, it's still challenging to fully eliminate the energy loss to the surrounding environment during solar steam generation. To achieve this, a novel heatsink‐like evaporator (HSE) is developed herein. During solar evaporation, the temperature on the top solar evaporation surface can be regulated by the fin structures of the HSE. For the evaporators with 5 to 7 heatsink fins, the temperature of the solar evaporation surface is decreased to be lower than the ambient temperature, which fully eliminates the radiation, convection, and conduction heat losses, leading to the absolute cold evaporation over the entire evaporator under 1.0 sun irradiation. As a result, massive energy (4.26 W), which is over 170% of the received light energy, is harvested from the environment due to the temperature deficit, significantly enhancing the energy efficiency of solar steam generation. An extremely high evaporation rate of 4.10 kg m −2 h −1 is realized with a 6‐fin photothermal HSE, corresponding to an energy conversion efficiency far beyond the theoretical limit, assuming 100% light‐to‐vapor energy conversion.

This review presents the state-of-the-art sludge reduction technologies applied in both wastewater and sludge treatment lines. They include chemical, mechanical, thermal, electrical treatment, addition of chemical un-coupler, and predation of protozoa/metazoa in wastewater treatment line, and physical, chemical and biological pretreatment in sludge treatment line. Emphasis was put on their effect on sludge reduction performance, with 10% sludge reduction to zero sludge production in wastewater treatment line and enhanced TS (total solids) or volatile solids removal of 5-40% in sludge treatment line. Free nitrous acid (FNA) technology seems good in wastewater treatment line but it is only under the lab-scale trial. In sludge treatment line, thermal, ultrasonic (<4400kJ/kg TS), FNA pretreatment and temperature-phased anaerobic digestion (TPAD) are promising if pathogen inactivation is not a concern. However, thermal pretreatment and TPAD are superior to other pretreatment technologies when pathogen inactivation is required. The new wastewater treatment processes including SANI®, high-rate activated sludge coupled autotrophic nitrogen removal and anaerobic membrane bioreactor coupled autotrophic nitrogen removal also have a great potential to reduce sludge production. In the future, an effort should be put on the effect of sludge reduction technologies on the removal of organic micropollutants and heavy metals.

A multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) was used as an adsorbent for removal of a cationic dye (methylene blue, MB) and acid dye (acid red 183, AR183) from aqueous solution in single and binary dye systems. Characterization of the MWCNT and MWCNT-dye systems were performed using several techniques such as Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), thermogravimetric–differential thermal analysis (TG–DTA), zeta potential and elemental analysis. Adsorption tests showed that the MWCNT presented higher adsorption of MB than AR183 in single and binary dye systems, revealing that π–π stacking is the main driving force responsible for the dye–MWCNT interaction. In single dye systems, the MWCNT presented the maximum adsorption capacities of MB and AR183 at 59.7 and 45.2 mg/g, respectively. In a binary dye system, a synergistic effect due to electronic attraction between MB and AR183 was found at low AR183 concentration (10 mg/L), which promotes the adsorption of both dyes on the MWCNT. However, MB adsorption could be reduced at higher AR183 concentration (>20 mg/L) due to a strong electrostatic attraction between MWCNT-AR183.

Nitrogen-containing ordered mesoporous carbon has been prepared by a soft-templating strategy, without using intricate prepolymerization and hydrothermal solidification steps. This strategy involves the use of hexamethylenetetramine, slow releasing source of formaldehyde for the self-assembly of resorcinol–urea–formaldehyde resin, to mediate the formation of nitrogen enriched carbon organic precursor, whereas ampliphilic triblock copolymer (Pluronic F127) was used as a template. Small angle X-ray diffraction, transmission electron microcopy, nitrogen sorption demonstrated that the obtained mesoporous carbon possessed a body-centered cubic Im3‾m structure with a high surface area. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy revealed that the incorporated nitrogen was present in the form of pyridine, pyrrolyic/pyridine, quaternary and oxidized nitrogen. The presence of nitrogen groups in the resulting material significantly improved the CO2 adsorption capacity for mesoporous carbon (3.3 mmol g−1 at 0 °C, 2.6 mmol g−1 at 25 °C) and activated mesocarbon (4.9 mmol g−1 at 0 °C, 3.1 mmol g−1 at 25 °C) at 0.95 bar. This feature substantiates N-doped mesoporous carbon as a promising high-performance CO2 capture sorbent.

The thermally decomposed citric acid (TDCA) possesses either excitation-dependent or excitation-independent fluorescence as well as different quantum yields with varying synthesis conditions (i.e. temperature and reaction duration). These photoluminescent (PL) properties were found to be mainly determined by the quantitative competition between the graphene quantum dots (GQDs, average size in the range 0.7–1 nm) and the large-inhomogeneously-sized particles. Thermal induced reduction of oxygen containing functionalities leads to an enhancing effect to the PL of GQDs. The study reveals the structural evolution of the GQDs upon thermal treatment and attempts to establish their relationship to the PL property. The GQDs synthesized in this study are excellent sensing materials for trivalent iron cation with both notable selectivity and sensitivity.

Mimicking the natural photosynthesis process, photocatalytic conversion of CO2 has been an ongoing hotspot of scientific research and technology development. A key aspect is the discovery of high potency catalysts for facilitating the multi-electron participated reactions. Herein we successfully demonstrate exfoliated nanosheets from a conductive 2D-MOF Ni3(HITP)2 as an efficient co-catalyst for CO2 reduction in a hybrid photocatalytic system under visible light illumination. By taking advantage of the high conductivity for charge transportation and highly accessible active sites for redox reactions, an excellent selectivity of 97% for deoxygenative CO2 reduction and a high CO yield rate of 3.45 × 104 μmol·g−1 h−1 were achieved with superior stability. This work provides essential insights into future design and development of more effective MOFs-based systems for catalytic CO2 utilization.

Orthorhombic Niobium oxide (T-Nb2O5) has been regarded as a promising anode material for high-rate lithium ion batteries (LIBs) due to its potential to operate at high rates with improved safety and high theoretical capacity of 200 mA h g−1. Herein, three-dimensionally ordered macroporous (3DOM) T-Nb2O5, with mesoporous hierarchical structure, was firstly prepared by a simple approach employing self-assembly polystyrene (PS) microspheres as hard templates. The obtained T-Nb2O5 anode material presents obvious and highly-efficiency pseudocapacitive Li+ intercalation behaviour, which plays a dominant role in the kinetics of electrode process. As a result, rapid Li+ intercalation/de-intercalation are achieved, leading to excellent rate capability and long cycle life. The 3DOM T-Nb2O5 shows a remarkable high capacity of 106 and 77 mA h g−1 at the rate of 20C and 50C. The work presented herein holds great promise for future design of material structure, and demonstrates the great potential of T-Nb2O5 as a practical high-rate anode material for LIBs.

We report a sensitive, yet low-cost biosensor based on laser induced graphene for femtomolar microRNA (miRNA) detection. Combined with the miRNA extraction and magnetic isolation process, the target miRNAs were purified for further detection using laser induced graphene sensor. The laser induced graphene was prepared by direct laser writing on commercial polyimide (PI) and patterned via a computer-aided design system as an electrode for electrochemical biosensing. We found that the laser reduction of PI resulted in nitrogen-doped porous graphene, not only improving its conductivity but also its sensitivity to nucleic acids. Preeclampsia specific miRNA hsa-miR-486-5p was magnetically purified and directly adsorbed on the surface of graphene electrode via graphene-miRNA affinity interaction. Surface attached miRNAs were then electrochemically quantified using [Fe(CN)6]3-/4- redox system. Our assay demonstrates detection of miRNA has-miR-486-5p up to concentrations as low as 10 fM with excellent reproducibility. Owing to its facile fabrication, low cost and high performance, the laser induced N-doped graphene biosensor presented here shows great potential for applications in detecting miRNA in biomedical applications.

Microwave Absorbing Materials (MAMs) are gaining popularity in multiple applications in aviation, preventing electromagnetic interference (EMI), ensuring the safety of electromagnetic information and mitigating human health hazards arising due to electromagnetic radiations. Magnetic permeability is one of the fundamental properties that influences Microwave Absorption. This paper reviews the past studies to conclude that the magnetic permeability can be increased by modifying the intrinsic material parameters and by exceeding the Snoek's limit. The important intrinsic parameters and possible methods to modify these parameters and to exceed the Snoek's limit are discussed. The pertinent results in terms of modification effects on the magnetic permeability and Microwave Absorption are also detailed.

Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) are highly recalcitrant anthropogenic chemicals that are ubiquitously present in the environment and are harmful to humans. Typical water and wastewater treatment processes (coagulation, flocculation, sedimentation, and filtration) are proven to be largely ineffective, while adsorption with granular activated carbon (GAC) has been the chief option to capture them from aqueous sources followed by incineration. However, this process is time-consuming, and produces additional solid waste and air pollution. Treatment methods for PFOS and PFOA generally follow two routes: (1) removal from source and reduce the risk; (2) degradation. Emerging technologies focusing on degradation are critically reviewed in this contribution. Various processes such as bioremediation, electrocoagulation, foam fractionation, sonolysis, photocatalysis, mechanochemical, electrochemical degradation, beams of electron and plasma have been developed and studied in the past decade to address PFAS crisis. The underlying mechanisms of these PFAS degradation methods have been categorized. Two main challenges have been identified, namely complexity in large scale operation and the release of toxic byproducts. Based on the literature survey, we have provided a strength-weakness-opportunity-threat (SWOT) analysis and quantitative rating on their efficiency, environmental impact and technology readiness.

Driven by the increasingly overwhelming environmental issues caused by the widespread application of traditional toxic corrosion inhibitors, eco-friendly inhibitors have attracted strong attention over the past decades. Green inhibitors are produced from cheap and renewable sources and simultaneously offer high inhibition efficiency and low or even zero environmental impact. Herewith, we review recent advances in the field and introduce state-of-the-art methods to validate the inhibitory effects on steel corrosion. Advanced techniques such as weight loss, electrochemical impedance, and potentiodynamic polarization techniques provide ample evidence that green inhibitors are very effective in retarding steel corrosion. We critically examine the mechanisms of corrosion inhibition and relate to the available experimental data. The abundance of π-electrons of multiple bonds and heteroatoms in the form of polar functional groups leads to the active adsorption of the inhibitor’s molecules on the steel surface. This article further discusses the adsorption and inhibition mechanisms and the efficiencies of various groups (organic and inorganic) of green corrosion inhibitors for steels in aggressive acid environments, in particular, hydrochloric (HCl) and sulfuric (H2SO4) acids. The future prospects in this multidisciplinary field are formulated and associated with the global challenges of clean energy and manufacturing.

An affordable and easy-to-fabricate solar evaporation-based crystallizer (SEC) was developed to implement interfacial brine evaporation towards zero liquid discharge (ZLD).

Advanced engineering applications necessitate developing a new class of surface coatings that protect the surface components in these applications while also meeting the conflicting requirements for the necessary properties to improve the surface performance of many parts in biomedical, aerospace, electronics, automotive, marine, oil and gas pipelines, as well as electronics fields. However, surface coatings on many constituents have remained a difficult task for researchers due to the synchronous requirement for opposing characteristics in the same coating. In recent years, functionally graded coatings (FGCs) have been widely used to protect surfaces through achieving specific characteristics from one location to another to be suitable for different operating conditions. Deposition of FGCs with gradient behavior and high accuracy on the surface of substrate material is a versatile and successful approach for enhancing characteristics of the substrate material, primarily to increase its functionality and life span. Therefore, this review paper presents a detailed analysis of the extensively used production techniques to develop FGCs based on the process state during deposition. Also, the microstructure features, mechanical properties, wear resistance, and corrosion behavior of the produced FGCs have been explored in detail. Furthermore, the current review paper focuses on understanding FGC classifications and applications, as well as research gaps and future directions for these coatings. The findings of this paper are expected to give researchers and designers in this field a variety of options for permanent surfaces protection via following a well-organized review methodology.

Particle flowability and compactibility are the two critical process parameters tested when a pharmaceutical material is formulated for a tabletting process. These behavioral descriptions are strongly affected by geometrical, physical, chemical and mechanical particle properties, as well as operational conditions. The property influences are broadly known in a qualitative sense, but have largely escaped fundamental quantitative description. Various measurement methods have been separately developed for each of these properties which provide comparative indices to assist in process and formulation design. This paper seeks to establish the connections between interparticle van der Waals force and both flowability and compactibility, and therefore also the inter-relations between the two apparently distinct properties. Paracetamol and the excipients often associated with it for tabletting are used as test materials to provide an initial validation of the theoretical development. These powders are well-characterized and known to be particularly difficult with respect to flowability and compactibility.

Abstract Large‐scale, substrate‐free graphene, with few‐layered sheets, is synthesized by the CVD of methane over cobalt supported on magnesium oxides at 1000 °C in a gas flow of argon. Typically, 50 mg of the few‐layered graphene materials over 500 mg of the Co/MgO catalysts are synthesized under our experimental conditions. Randomly aggregated, thin, crumpled graphene sheets stacked closely together are produced. Both carbon (94.6 at.‐%) and oxygen (5.4 at.‐%) are present in the graphene sheets. The oxygen may originate from air adsorbed on the graphene sheets. Our results indicate the presence of localized sp 3 defects within the sp 2 carbon network and small sp 2 domains in the few‐layered graphene particles.

Molybdenum trioxide nanobelts and prism-like particles with good crystallinity and high surface areas have been prepared by a facile hydrothermal method, and the morphology could be controlled by using different inorganic salts, such as KNO3, Ca(NO3)2, La(NO3)3, etc. The possible growth mechanism of molybdenum trioxide prism-like particles is discussed on the basis of the presence of H+ and the modification of metal cations. The as-prepared nanomaterials are characterized by means of powder X-ray diffraction (PXRD), field-emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and ultraviolet and visible spectroscopy (UV−vis). TEM and HRTEM micrographs show that the molybdenum trioxide nanobelts and prism-like particles have a relatively high degree of crystallinity and uniformity. BET specific surface areas of the as-prepared molybdenum trioxide nanocrystals are 67−79 m2 g-1. XPS analysis indicates that the hexavalent molybdenum is predominant in the nanocrystals. UV−vis spectra reveal that the direct band gap energy of the annealed molybdenum trioxide prism-like particles shows a pronounced blue shift compared to that of bulk MoO3 powder. Interestingly, molybdenum trioxide nanobelts exhibit a red shift under this condition.

Abstract A versatile and simple method is presented for the rapid fabrication of close‐packed colloidal 2D crystals with large domain sizes by floating and redeposition of colloidal monolayers at the air/water interface. A detailed analysis of the particle surface transformation and packing during the individual steps of the monolayer fabrication process has been conducted. It was found that the quality of the monolayer depends on parameters like colloidal particle distribution on the initial substrate, subphase pH, and addition of surfactants. The floating monolayers could be transferred and stacked onto many substrate types, regardless of surface polarity, roughness, or curvature. magnified image

For optimally doped Bi(2)Sr(2)CaCu(2)O(8+delta), scattering rates in the normal state are found to have a linear temperature dependence over most of the Fermi surface. In the immediate vicinity of the (pi, 0) point, the scattering rates are nearly constant in the normal state, consistent with models in which scattering at this point determines the c-axis transport. In the superconducting state, the scattering rates away from the nodal direction appear to level off and become temperature independent.

Halogen elements, i.e. fluorine, chlorine, bromine, and iodine, have attracted intensive interests in modification of TiO2 for photocatalytic oxidation of organic pollutants under visible light irradiation. Compared to other metal and non-metal elements, halogens show 3-fold advantages, such as improvement of UV activity, various cations or anions for substitution of Ti4+ and/or O2− in the TiO2 matrix, narrowing the band gap of TiO2 and tuning the band position. In this paper synthesis, physicochemical properties, mechanism of visible response, and photocatalytic activities of halogen modified TiO2 are reviewed. It is found that introduction of a halogen element into TiO2 crystals could lead to the enhancement of surface acidity, formation of surface hydroxyl radicals, more active sites, creation of oxygen vacancies or Ti3+, narrowing the band gap and tuning the valence band position. As a consequence, halogen modified TiO2 exhibited high activity for organics oxidation under visible light radiation in aqueous and gas phases.

Van der Waals forces often dominate interactions and adhesion between fine particles and, in turn, decisively influence the bulk behaviour of powders. However, so far there is no effective means to characterize the adhesive behaviour of such particles. A complication is that most powder particles have rough surfaces, and it is the asperities on the surfaces that touch, confounding the actual surface that is in contact. Conventional approaches using surface energy provide limited information regarding adhesion, and pull-off forces measured through atomic force microscope (AFM) are highly variable and difficult to interpret. In this paper we develop a model which combines the Rumpf–Rabinovich and the JKR–DMT theories to account simultaneously for the effects of surface roughness and deformation on adhesion. This is applied to a 'characteristic asperity' which may be easily obtained from AFM measurements. The concept of adhesiveness, a material property reflecting the influences of elastic deformability, surface roughness, and interfacial surface energy, is introduced as an efficient and quantitative measure of the adhering tendency of a powder. Furthermore, a novel concept of specific adhesiveness is proposed as a convenient tool for characterizing and benchmarking solid materials. This paper provides an example to illustrate the use of the proposed theories.

In this communication, we fabricated graphene oxide membranes with tunable permeation by embedding carbon nanodots of controllable sizes.

This review provides a comprehensive account on the current research status regarding the toxicity of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) – a new nano material with profound potential in various advanced applications.

The photoluminescent properties of graphene nanoparticle (named graphene quantum dots) have attracted significant research attention in recent years owing to their profound application potential. However, the photoluminescence (PL) origin of this class of nanocarbons is still unclear. In this paper, combining direct experimental evidence enabled by a facile size-tunable oxygenated graphene quantum dots (GQDs) synthesis method and theoretical calculations, the roles of the aromatic core, functional groups and disordered structures (i.e. defects and sp(3) carbon) in the PL of oxygenated GQDs are elucidated in detail. In particular, we found that the functional groups on GQDs play dual roles in the overall emission: (1) they enable π* → n and σ* → n transitions, resulting in a molecular type of PL, spectrally invariable with change of particle size or excitation energy; (2) similar to defects and sp(3) carbon, functional groups also induce structural deformation to the aromatic core, leading to mid-gap states or, in other words, energy traps, causing π* → mid-gap states → π transitions. Therefore, functional groups contribute to both the blue edge and the red shoulder of GQDs' PL spectra. The new insights on the role of functional groups in PL of fluorescent nanocarbons will enable better designs of this new class of materials.

Multiple drug resistance (MDR), defined as the ability of tumour cells to survive exposure to many chemotherapeutic agents, is a major cause of treatment failure in human cancers. The membrane transporter P-glycoprotein (Pgp, encoded by the ABCB1 [adenosine triphosphate-binding cassette, subfamily B, member 1] gene) is the main mechanism for decreased intracellular drug accumulation in human MDR cancer. ABCB1/Pgp-mediated MDR involves several signal transduction pathways and transcription factors. Activation of these signal transduction pathways influences the prognosis of MDR human cancer. Signalling pathways involved in ABCB1/Pgp-mediated MDR include the mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), c-Jun NH(2)-terminal kinase (JNK), p38, cyclic adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase, phosphatidylino sitol 3-kinase and protein kinase C signalling pathways. This review summarizes the biological characteristics, target points and signalling cascade mediators of these pathways. Drugs targeted against these pathways may provide new therapies for treatment of ABCB1/Pgp-mediated MDR.

Secondary bacterial infections increase disease severity of influenza virus infections and contribute greatly to increased morbidity and mortality during pandemics. To study secondary bacterial infection following influenza virus infection, mice were inoculated with sublethal doses of 2009 seasonal H1N1 virus (NIH50) or pandemic H1N1 virus (Mex09) followed by inoculation with Streptococcus pneumoniae 48 h later. Disease was characterized by assessment of weight loss and survival, titration of virus and bacteria by quantitative reverse transcription-PCR (qRT-PCR), histopathology, expression microarray, and immunohistochemistry. Mice inoculated with virus alone showed 100% survival for all groups. Mice inoculated with Mex09 plus S. pneumoniae showed severe weight loss and 100% mortality with severe alveolitis, denuded bronchiolar epithelium, and widespread expression of apoptosis marker cleaved caspase 3. In contrast, mice inoculated with NIH50 plus S. pneumoniae showed increased weight loss, 100% survival, and slightly enhanced lung pathology. Mex09-S. pneumoniae coinfection also resulted in increased S. pneumoniae replication in lung and bacteremia late in infection. Global gene expression profiling revealed that Mex09-S. pneumoniae coinfection did not induce significantly more severe inflammatory responses but featured significant loss of epithelial cell reproliferation and repair responses. Histopathological examination for cell proliferation marker MCM7 showed significant staining of airway epithelial cells in all groups except Mex09-S. pneumoniae-infected mice. This study demonstrates that secondary bacterial infection during 2009 H1N1 pandemic virus infection resulted in more severe disease and loss of lung repair responses than did seasonal influenza viral and bacterial coinfection. Moreover, this study provides novel insights into influenza virus and bacterial coinfection by showing correlation of lethal outcome with loss of airway basal epithelial cells and associated lung repair responses.Secondary bacterial pneumonias lead to increased disease severity and have resulted in a significant percentage of deaths during influenza pandemics. To understand the biological basis for the interaction of bacterial and viral infections, mice were infected with sublethal doses of 2009 seasonal H1N1 and pandemic H1N1 viruses followed by infection with Streptococcus pneumoniae 48 h later. Only infection with 2009 pandemic H1N1 virus and S. pneumoniae resulted in severe disease with a 100% fatality rate. Analysis of the host response to infection during lethal coinfection showed a significant loss of responses associated with lung repair that was not observed in any of the other experimental groups. This group of mice also showed enhanced bacterial replication in the lung. This study reveals that the extent of lung damage during viral infection influences the severity of secondary bacterial infections and may help explain some differences in mortality during influenza pandemics.

We previously reported that forest bathing trips enhanced human NK activity, number of NK cells, and intracellular anti-cancer proteins in lymphocytes, and that the increased NK activity lasted for more than 7 days after the trip in male subjects. In the present study, we investigated the effect of forest bathing trip on human NK activity in female subjects. Thirteen healthy nurses, age 25-43 years, professional career 4-18 years, were selected with informed consent. The subjects experienced a three-day/two-night trip to forest fields. On day 1, the subjects walked for two hours in the afternoon in a forest field; on day 2, they walked for two hours each in the morning and afternoon in two different forest fields; and on day 3, the subjects finished the trip and returned to Tokyo after drawing blood and completing a questionnaire. Blood and urine were sampled on the second and third days during the trip, and on days 7 and 30 after the trip. NK activity, numbers of NK and T cells, and granulysin, perforin, and granzymes A/B-expressing lymphocytes in the blood samples, the concentrations of estradiol and progesterone in serum, and the concentrations of adrenaline and noradrenaline in urine were measured. Similar control measurements were made before the trip on a normal working day. The concentrations of phytoncides in the forests were measured. The forest bathing trip significantly increased NK activity and the numbers of NK, perforin, granulysin, and granzymes A/B-expressing cells and significantly decreased the percentage of T cells, and the concentrations of adrenaline and noradrenaline in urine. The increased NK activity lasted for more than 7 days after the trip. Phytoncides, such as alpha-pinene and beta-pinene were detected in forest air. These findings indicate that a forest bathing trip also increased NK activity, number of NK cells, and levels of intracellular anti-cancer proteins in female subjects, and that this effect lasted at least 7 days after the trip. Phytoncides released from trees and decreased stress hormone levels may partially contribute to the increased NK activity.

Abstract Laser reduction of graphene oxide has attracted significant interest in recent years, because it offers a highly flexible, rapid, and chemical‐free graphene fabrication route that can directly write on almost any solid substrate with down to sub‐micrometer feature size. Laser‐reduced graphene (LRG) is explored for various important applications such as supercapacitors, sensors, field effect transistors, holograms, solar cells, flat lenses, bolometers, thermal sound sources, cancer treatment, water purification, lithium‐ion batteries, and electrothermal heaters. This contribution reviews most recent research progress on the aspects of fabrication, properties, and applications of LRG. Particular attention is paid to the mechanism of LRG formation, which is still debatable. The three main theories, including the photochemical process, the photothermal process, and a combination of both processes, are discussed. Strategies for tuning the properties and performance of LRG, such as the laser parameters, chemical doping, structure modulation, and environment control, are highlighted. LRGs with better performance including smaller feature size, higher conductivity, and more flexible morphology design in both 2D and 3D formats will offer tremendous opportunities for advancement in electronics, photonic, and optoelectronic applications.

Pure iron as a potential bioresorbable material for bioresorbable coronary scaffold has major disadvantages of slow corrosion and bioresorption. However, so far, there are neither quantitative data of long-term in vivo corrosion nor direct experimental evidence for bioresorption of pure iron and its alloys, which are fundamental and vital for developing novel Fe-based alloys overcoming the intrinsic drawbacks of pure iron. This work systemically investigated scaffold performance, long-term in vivo corrosion behavior and biocompatibility of a nitrided iron coronary scaffold and explored its bioresorption mechanism. It was found that the 70 μm Fe-based scaffold was superior to a state of the art Co-Cr alloy stent (Xience Prime™) in terms of crossing profile, recoil and radial strength. Mass loss was 76.0 ± 8.5 wt% for the nitrided iron scaffold and 44.2 ± 11.4 wt% for the pure iron scaffold after 36 months implantation in rabbit abdominal aorta (p < 0.05). The Fe-based scaffold showed good long-term biocompatibility in both rabbit and porcine model. Its insoluble corrosion products were demonstrated biosafe and could be cleared away by macrophages from in situ to adventitia to be indiscernible by Micro Computed Tomography and probably finally enter the lymphatics and travel to lymph nodes after 53 months implantion in porcine coronary artery. The results indicate that the nitrided iron scaffold with further improvements shall be promising for coronary application. Pure iron as a potential bioresorbable material has major disadvantages of slow corrosion and bioresorption. However, so far, there are neither quantitative data of long-term in vivo corrosion nor direct experimental evidence for bioresorption of pure iron and its alloys. Only this work systemically investigated long-term in vivo corrosion behavior and biocompatibility of a nitrided iron coronary scaffold up to 53 months after implantation and explored its bioresorption mechanism. These are fundamental and vital for developing novel Fe-based alloys overcoming the intrinsic drawbacks of pure iron. Novel testing and section-preparing methods were also provided in this work to facilitate future research and development of novel Fe-based alloy scaffolds.

• A data grouping approach based grey modelling method is proposed to predict quarterly time series. • The proposed method can accurately identify and predict the seasonal fluctuation of hydropower production. • The MAPEs of the test set 2011–2015 solved using DGGM(1,1), GM(1,1) and SARIMA are 16.2%, 22.1% and 22.2%, respectively. • China's hydropower production from 2016 to 2020 is predicted and relevant suggestions are made. Grey model GM (1,1) has been widely used in short-term prediction of energy production and consumption due to its advantages in data sets with small numbers of samples. However, the existing GM (1,1) modelling method can merely forecast the general trend of a time series but fails to identify and predicts the seasonal fluctuations. In the research, the authors propose a data grouping approach based grey modelling method DGGM (1,1) to predict quarterly hydropower production in China. Firstly, the proposed method is used to divide an entire quarterly time series into four groups, each of which contains only time series data within the same quarter. Afterwards, by using the new series of four quarters, models are established, each of which includes specific seasonal characteristics. Finally, according to the chronological order, the prediction results of four GM (1,1) models are combined into a complete quarterly time series to reflect seasonal differences. The mean absolute percent errors (MAPEs) of the test set 2011Q1–2015Q4 solved using the DGGM (1,1), traditional GM (1,1), and SARIMA models are 16.2%, 22.1%, and 22.2%, respectively; the results indicated that DGGM (1,1) has better adaptability and offers a higher prediction accuracy. It is predicted that China's hydropower production from 2016 to 2020 is supposed to maintain its seasonal growth with the third and first quarters showing the highest and lowest productions, respectively.

We have successfully developed a green and efficient multicomponent reaction protocol to synthesize S-aryl dithiocarbamates under visible light. Most appealingly, the reaction can proceed smoothly without adding any transition-metal catalysts, ligands, or photocatalysts while minimizing chemical wastes and metal residues in the end products. The advantages of this method meet the requirements of sustainable and green synthetic chemistry, and it provides a straightforward way to create valuable S-aryl dithiocarbamates.

A new and efficient visible-light-mediated strategy has been developed for the synthesis of 3-sulfenylated quinoxalin-2(1<italic>H</italic>)-ones <italic>via</italic> rhodamine B catalyzed C–H/S–H cross-coupling of quinoxalin-2(1<italic>H</italic>)-ones with thiols in air at room temperature.

The new principle and technique to tune biodegradation rates of biomaterials is one of the keys to the development of regenerative medicine and next-generation biomaterials. Biodegradable stents are new-generation medical devices applied in percutaneous coronary intervention, etc. Recently, both corrodible metals and degradable polymers have drawn much attention in biodegradable stents or scaffolds. It is, however, a dilemma to achieve good mechanical properties and appropriate degradation profiles. Herein, we put forward a metal–polymer composite strategy to achieve both. Iron stents exhibit excellent mechanical properties but low corrosion rate in vivo. We hypothesized that coating of biodegradable aliphatic polyester could accelerate iron corrosion due to the acidic degradation products, etc. To demonstrate the feasibility of this composite material technique, we first conducted in vitro experiments to affirm that iron sheet corroded faster when covered by polylactide (PLA) coating. Then, we fabricated three-dimensional metal–polymer stents (MPS) and implanted the novel stents in the abdominal aorta of New Zealand white rabbits, setting metal-based stents (MBS) as a control. A series of in vivo experiments were performed, including measurements of residual mass and radial strength of the stents, histological analysis, micro-computed tomography, and optical coherence tomography imaging at the implantation site. The results showed that MPS could totally corrode in some cases, whereas iron struts of MBS in all cases remained several months after implantation. Corrosion rates of MPS could be easily regulated by adjusting the composition of PLA coatings.

Abstract Electrocatalysis for nitrate reduction reaction (NRR) has recently been recognized as a promising technology to convert nitrate to nitrogen. Catalyst support plays an important role in electrocatalytic process. Although porous carbon and metal oxides are considered as common supports for metal‐based catalysts, fabrication of such architecture with high electric conductivity, uniform dispersion of nanoparticles, and long‐term catalytic stability through a simple and feasible approach still remains a significant challenge. Herein, inspired by the signal transfer mode of dendritic cell, an all‐carbon dendritic cell‐like (DCL) architecture comprising mesoporous carbon spheres (MCS) connected by tethered carbon nanotubes (CNTs) with CuPd nanoparticles dispersed throughout (CuPd@DCL‐MCS/CNTs) is reported. An impressive removal capacity as high as 22 500 mg N g −1 CuPd (≈12 times superior to Fe‐based catalysts), high nitrate conversion (&gt;95%) and nitrogen selectivity (&gt;95%) are achieved under a low initial concentration of nitrate (100 mg L −1 ) when using an optimized‐NRR electrocatalyst (4CuPd@DCL‐MCS/CNTs). Remarkably, nitrate conversion and nitrogen selectivity are both close to 100% in an ultralow concentration of 10 mg L −1 , meeting drinking water standard. The present work not only provides high electrocatalytic performance for NRR but also introduces new inspiration for the preparation of other DCL‐based architectures.

Abstract Lithium‐ion capacitors (LICs) have attracted enormous interest thanks to their competitive power/energy densities and long‐duration lifespan. However, the sluggish insertion kinetics of battery‐type anodes seriously limits comprehensive performance of LICs. It is therefore imperative yet significant to develop advanced anodes with high‐rate Li + intercalation. Herein, first the in‐plane assembled single‐crystalline orthorhombic Nb 2 O 5 nanorods (T‐Nb 2 O 5 NRs) are designed and constructed via efficient hydrothermal and subsequent annealing treatment by employing few‐layered Nb 2 CT x nanosheets as a niobium‐based precursor. The inherent formation mechanism of single‐crystalline T‐Nb 2 O 5 NRs is tentatively proposed. When evaluated as anode material for LICs, the T‐Nb 2 O 5 NRs are endowed with robust crystalline skeletons and high diffusion dynamics benefiting from their appealing structure merits, and they exhibit a high‐rate capacity of ≈ 147 mAh g −1 at 2.0 A g −1 . The lithium storage process of the resultant single‐crystalline T‐Nb 2 O 5 is unveiled as well with in situ X‐ray diffraction analysis. Furthermore, the T‐Nb 2 O 5 NR‐based LICs display a large energy density of ≈ 35.6 Wh kg −1 at 8 kW kg −1 , along with exceptional capacity retention of ≈ 95% over 4000 cycles at 0.5 A g −1 . More significantly, the devised synthetic methodology and in‐depth insights here will stimulate extensive development of single‐crystalline T‐Nb 2 O 5 NRs for next‐generation LICs and beyond.

Low quantum efficiency has hampered the practical application of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C3N4). In this study, the effect of acid (H2SO4 and HF) on the photocatalytic degradation of Rhodamine B (RhB) over g-C3N4 was studied. It was found that the degradation of RhB was greatly enhanced in the presence of acid, and superoxide (O2−) is the predominant reactive oxygen species (ROSs) that are responsible for the efficient degradation of RhB. It is proposed that acidification of g-C3N4 results in the formation of a new surface state, which is 0.3 eV below the conduction band position of g-C3N4. The formed surface state can act as a trapping site for photo-generated electrons, which retards the recombination of the electron–hole pairs, enhancing the photocatalytic activity of g-C3N4.

To improve durability in wet conditions, electrospun chitosan (CTS) nanofibers were submersed into PBS (pH 7.4) solutions containing varied amounts of genipin (GP 0.1, 0.5, and 1% w/v) for crosslinking treatment. GP-crosslinking allowed the electrospun CTS nanofibers to maintain their fibrous morphology in wet state. Maximum tensile strength, 84.2% of the dry state strength, was attained when crosslinking was performed in GP 0.5% solution. GP-crosslinking also endowed the CTS nanofibers with enhanced resistances to swelling and enzymatic degradation. GP-crosslinked CTS nanofibers were found to significantly promote the adhesion and growth of the L929 fibroblasts, with the most suitable sample was the one crosslinked in the GP 0.5% solution as well. Our results suggest that crosslinking with the 0.5% GP in PBS could yield CTS nanofibers with improved wet stability in nanofiber structure and optimized mechanical and biological performances.

Biosensors can sensitively and selectively detect a wide range of compounds and macromolecules strongly relevant to human health diagnosis and environment monitoring. Laser induced graphene (LIG) fabricated from polyimide has recently received intense interest for biosensor application due to its unique properties, such as three-dimensional macroporous structure, good conductivity and superior facile laser fabrication process. This laser direct writing technology demonstrates a great potential for developing graphene-based electronics for its chemical-free and direct patterning of graphene, as well as suitability for roll-to-roll production. In this review, we summarize the recent development of the fabrication of LIG and its modification for meeting the needs of biosensor development. The LIG has been directly employed as electrode, modified with enzyme, aptamer or other catalyst for biosensing. The review also highlights integrated LIG biosensors that can simultaneously measure multiple objectives.

For most of WO3, a visible-light-driven photocatalyst, its barrier in photocatalytic degradation is the low conduction band (CB) potential that can not reduce O2 to O2− and HO2 radicals and thus results in fast recombination of electron/hole. With this in mind, a new active FeWO4/Fe2O3 di-modified WO3 was designed and prepared via by a straightforward but effective strategy by introducing of FeWO4 and Fe2O3 clusters (or nanoparticles) on WO3. The performance of di-modified WO3 showed super high photocatalytic activity in degrading quasi-phenothiazine dyes of Methylene blue (MB), Toluidine blue (TB), Azure I (AI) and Acridine orange (AO) under visible light irradiation, and the corresponding k values are 5.3, 4.4, 3.8 and 5.8 times larger than that of pure WO3, respectively. This improvement was mainly due to the fact that photoexcited electrons can migrate to the matching CB of firmly and highly dispersed FeWO4 and Fe2O3, then be consumed rapidly by a valence decrease from Fe3+ to Fe2+ and Fenton reaction between Fe2+ and H2O2. And the strong adsorption of Fe species toward N and S (or N) elements in quasi-phenothiazine dyes, also positively promoted the efficiency of degradation.

A heterojunction photocatalyst based on porous tubular g-C3N4 decorated with CdS nanoparticles was fabricated by a facile hydrothermal co-deposition method. The one-dimensional porous structure of g-C3N4 provides a higher specific surface area, enhanced light absorption, and better separation and transport performance of charge carriers along the longitudinal direction, all of which synergistically contribute to the superior photocatalytic activity observed. The significantly enhanced catalytic efficiency is also a benefit originating from the fast transfer of photogenerated electrons and holes between g-C3N4 and CdS through a built-in electric field, which was confirmed by investigating the morphology, structure, optical properties, electrochemical properties, and photocatalytic activities. Photocatalytic degradation of rhodamine B (RhB) and photocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction were also carried out to investigate its photocatalytic performance. RhB can be degraded completely within 60 min, and the optimum H2 evolution rate of tubular g-C3N4/CdS composite is as high as 71.6 μmol h−1, which is about 16.3 times higher than that of pure bulk g-C3N4. The as-prepared nanostructure would be suitable for treating environmental pollutants as well as for water splitting.

Detection of in vivo biodegradation is critical for development of next-generation medical devices such as bioresorbable stents or scaffolds (BRSs). In particular, it is urgent to establish a nondestructive approach to examine in vivo degradation of a new-generation coronary stent for interventional treatment based on mammal experiments; otherwise it is not available to semi-quantitatively monitor biodegradation in any clinical trial. Herein, we put forward a semi-quantitative approach to measure degradation of a sirolimus-eluting iron bioresorbable scaffold (IBS) based on optical coherence tomography (OCT) images; this approach was confirmed to be consistent with the present weight-loss measurements, which is, however, a destructive approach. The IBS was fabricated by a metal-polymer composite technique with a polylactide coating on an iron stent. The efficacy as a coronary stent of this new bioresorbable scaffold was compared with that of a permanent metal stent with the name of trade mark Xience, which has been widely used in clinic. The endothelial coverage on IBS was found to be greater than on Xience after implantation in a rabbit model; and our well-designed ultrathin stent exhibited less individual variation. We further examined degradation of the IBSs in both minipig coronary artery and rabbit abdominal aorta models. The present result indicated much faster iron degradation of IBS in the rabbit model than in the porcine model. The semi-quantitative approach to detect biodegradation of IBS and the finding of the species difference might be stimulating for fundamental investigation of biodegradable implants and clinical translation of the next-generation coronary stents.

Single-crystalline perovskite NaNbO 3 nanocubes/f-Nb 2 CT x hybrids are smartly fabricated as high-rate anodes towards advanced lithium-ion capacitors, along with unveiling the formation process and operating mechanisms.

Recently, Li-ion capacitors (LICs) have drawn tremendous attention due to their high energy/power density along with long cycle life. Nevertheless, the slow kinetics and stability of the involved anodes as bottleneck barriers always result in the modest properties of devices. The exploration of advanced anodes with both high ionic and electronic conductivities as well as structural stability thus becomes more significant for practical applications of LICs. Herein, a single-crystal nano-subunits assembled hierarchical accordion-shape WNb2 O8 micro-/nano framework is first designed via a one-step scalable strategy with the multi-layered Nb2 CTx as a precursor. The underlying solid solution Li-storage mechanism of the WNb2 O8 just with a volumetric expansion of ≈1.5% is proposed with in situ analysis. Benefiting from congenitally crystallographic merits, single-crystalline characteristic, and open accordion-like architecture, the resultant WNb2 O8 as a robust anode platform is endowed with fast electron/ion transport capability and multi-electron redox contributions from W/Nb, and accordingly, delivers a reversible capacity of ≈135.5 mAh g-1 at a high rate of 2.0 A g-1 . The WNb2 O8 assembled LICs exhibit an energy density of ≈33.0 Wh kg-1 at 9 kW kg-1 , coupled with remarkable electrochemical stability. The work provides meaningful insights into the rational design and construction of advanced bimetallic niobium oxides for next-generation LICs.

Active sites identification in metal-free carbon materials is crucial for developing practical electrocatalysts, but resolving precise configuration of active site remains a challenge because of the elusive dynamic structural evolution process during reactions. Here, we reveal the dynamic active site identification process of oxygen modified defective graphene. First, the defect density and types of oxygen groups were precisely manipulated on graphene, combined with electrocatalytic performance evaluation, revealing a previously overlooked positive correlation relationship between the defect density and the 2 e- oxygen reduction performance. An electrocatalytic-driven oxygen groups redistribution phenomenon was observed, which narrows the scope of potential configurations of the active site. The dynamic evolution processes are monitored via multiple in-situ technologies and theoretical spectra simulations, resolving the configuration of major active sites (carbonyl on pentagon defect) and key intermediates (*OOH), in-depth understanding the catalytic mechanism and providing a research paradigm for metal-free carbon materials.

Graphene quantum dots (GQDs) refer to graphene fragments with a lateral dimension typically less than 100 nm, which possess unique electrical and optical properties due to the quantum confinement effect. In this study, we demonstrate that chemically derived graphene quantum dots show great potential for making highly stretchable and cost-effective strain sensors via an electron tunneling mechanism. Stretchable strain sensors are critical devices for the field of flexible or wearable electronics which are expected to maintain function up to high strain values (> 30%). However, strain sensors based on conventional materials (i.e. metal or semiconductors) or metal nanoparticles (e.g. gold or silver nanoparticles) only work within a small range of strain (i.e. the former have a working range < 1% and the latter < 3%). In this study, by simply dropcasting solution-processed GQDs between the interdigitated electrodes on polydimethylsiloxane, we obtained devices that can function in the range from 0.06% to over 50% tensile strain with both the sensitivity and working range conveniently adjustable by the concentration of GQDs applied. This study provides a new concept for practical applications of GQDs, revealing the potential of this material for smart applications such as artificial skin, human-machine interfaces, and health monitoring.

Abstract Electrocatalytic glycerol oxidation reaction (GOR) is an effective way to convert biomass byproduct to high value‐added chemicals, which; however, suffers from the low oxidation activity and conversion ratio of the presently available catalysts. Herein, the NiCo 2 O 4 /NF bimetallic oxide nanoarray is controllably fabricated by Ni substituting for octahedral Co 3+ in Co 3 O 4 , which exhibits excellent GOR catalytic activity at elevated current densities ( E 300 = 1.42 V, E 600 = 1.62 V) and overall Faradaic efficiency of 97.5% at 1.42 V (FE formic acid = 89.9% and FE glycolic acid = 7.62%). The high performance is attributed to the structure evolution including the rapid generation of Ni III ‐OOH and Co III ‐OOH active species, the optimized intermediates adsorption, and the accelerated electron transfer owing to the Ni introduction, which are evidenced by the operando spectroscopy measurements and density functional theory calculations, respectively. The GOR/hydrogen evolution coupled two‐electrode electrolytic cell voltage is ≈299 mV lower than that of the water splitting at 50 mA cm −2 . More importantly, compared to conventional water splitting, this electrolyzer is stable for over 200 h at 1.75 V, reducing energy consumption by 16.9% and obtaining high value‐added products at the anode concurrently.

We report for the first time the preparation of multilayered trimodal colloid crystals (tCC) and their corresponding binary inverse opals (bIO), which present complex hierarchical structures that may have significant potential in photonics, phononics, separations, and catalysis, among others. A trimodal colloidal mixture of 465 nm polystyrene (PS), 84 nm poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), and 6 nm silica particles in suspension was transferred onto a glass substrate and self-assembled into highly ordered trimodal crystal structures during vertical lifting deposition. Pyrolysis of the organic particles in the tCC resulted in silica bIO with interconnected meso- and macropores. Vis−NIR spectra of all structures were analyzed to reveal the internal architecture with each PS sphere correlating to 21−23 PMMA particles (a LI21-23 stoichiometry), which corresponded well with computer models.

Clinical decision support systems (CDSS) integrated within Electronic Medical Records (EMR) hold the promise of improving healthcare quality. To date the effectiveness of CDSS has been less than expected, especially concerning the ambulatory management of chronic diseases. This is due, in part, to the fact that clinicians do not use CDSS fully. Barriers to clinicians' use of CDSS have included lack of integration into workflow, software usability issues, and relevance of the content to the patient at hand. At Partners HealthCare, we are developing "Smart Forms" to facilitate documentation-based clinical decision support. Rather than being interruptive in nature, the Smart Form enables writing a multi-problem visit note while capturing coded information and providing sophisticated decision support in the form of tailored recommendations for care. The current version of the Smart Form is designed around two chronic diseases: coronary artery disease and diabetes mellitus. The Smart Form has potential to improve the care of patients with both acute and chronic conditions.

The nanocrystals of CeF3 with the hexagonal structure and different morphologies such as the disk, the rod, and the dot have been successfully synthesized via a mild ultrasound assisted route from an aqueous solution of cerium nitrate and different fluorine sources (KBF4, NaF, NH4F). The use of different fluorine sources has a remarkable effect on the morphology of the final product. The luminescence and UV−vis absorption properties of CeF3 nanocrystals with different morphologies have been investigated. Compared with other shape nanocrystals, the luminescence intensity of the disklike nanocrystals is obviously enhanced. It is suggested that the function-improved materials could be obtained by tailoring the shape of the CeF3 nanocrystals.

Murine models are ideal for studying cochlear gene transfer, as many hearing loss-related mutations have been discovered and mapped within the mouse genome. However, because of the small size and delicate nature, the membranous labyrinth of the mouse is a challenging target for the delivery of viral vectors. To minimize injection trauma, we developed a procedure for the controlled release of adeno-associated viruses (AAVs) into the scala media of adult mice. This procedure poses minimal risk of injury to structures of the cochlea and middle ear, and allows for near-complete preservation of low and middle frequency hearing. In this study, transduction efficiency and cellular specificity of AAV vectors (serotypes 1, 2, 5, 6 and 8) were investigated in normal and drug-deafened ears. Using the cytomegalovirus promoter to drive gene expression, a variety of cell types were transduced successfully, including sensory hair cells and supporting cells, as well as cells in the auditory nerve and spiral ligament. Among all five serotypes, inner hair cells were the most effectively transduced cochlear cell type. All five serotypes of AAV vectors transduced cells of the auditory nerve, though serotype 8 was the most efficient vector for transduction. Our findings indicate that efficient AAV inoculation (via the scala media) can be performed in adult mouse ears, with hearing preservation a realistic goal. The procedure we describe may also have applications for intra-endolymphatic drug delivery in many mouse models of human deafness.

Inflammation plays a role in the genesis and perpetuation of atrial fibrillation (AF). Interleukin (IL)-18 is a pleiotropic proinflammatory cytokine with a central role in the inflammatory cascade. We hypothesize that the circulating IL-18 concentration is elevated in AF patients. In a case–control study design, 56 cases with AF and 26 controls were enrolled. All AF cases were categorized into paroxysmal and persistent AF or lone AF and AF with hypertension. Circulating levels of IL-18, tumour necrosis factor-α, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9, and tissue inhibitor of MMP-1 were measured. In adjusted analyses, only age, MMP-9, and IL-18 were independently associated with AF, in which IL-18 had the most significant association (P = 0.0011, standardized estimate &bgr = 1.76, OR = 1.02, 95% confidence interval: 1.01–1.03). Interleukin-18 levels in persistent AF patients were higher than those in paroxysmal ones (P = 0.0011). Patients who developed AF within 24 h prior to sampling displayed a higher level of IL-18 than those with sinus rhythm (P = 0.0027). Interleukin-18 was positively correlated with left atrial diameter (r = 0.33, P = 0.0117). This study documents the elevated IL-18 in AF patients. Interleukin-18 may be superior to other inflammatory markers which are known to be elevated in AF.

Functionalization of multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be carried out by introducing amino and thiol functional groups onto the nanotube sidewalls. This functionalized multi-walled carbon nanotubes can be used as a new type of efficient metal ions adsorbent from aqueous solutions. In this study, batch and column adsorption experiments were carried to evaluate the adsorption capacities of single and binary system mercury and cadmium. In the single system, the maximum adsorption capacity of 204.64 and 61.10 mg/g were obtained for mercury and cadmium, respectively, while for binary systems, the values of 35.89 and 14.09 mg/g were achieved for mercury and cadmium, respectively. Column breakthrough curves were obtained and described by Yan and Thomas models. The bigger Thomas rate constant (kTh) (120.77 ml/min/mg for Cd(II) and 9.44 ml/min/mg for Hg(II)) indicated that the intensity of adsorption of Cd(II) onto thiolated MWCNTs was higher compared to Hg(II). However, the value of maximum adsorption capacity (qe) for Hg(II) (39.75 mg/g) was bigger than that of Cd(II) (9.72 mg/g) in continuous system.

Few-atomic-layered boron carbonitride (BCN) nanosheets have been grown on Si substrate by microwave plasma chemical vapor deposition from a gas mixture of CH(4)-N(2)-H(2)-BF(3). The grown BCN nanosheets are oriented with their base planes perpendicular to the substrate surface. Ultrathin BCN nanosheets with thickness from 2 to a few atomic layers account for a considerable portion of the products, although many of them have more than 10 layers. Photoluminescence is measured for the BCN nanosheets and intense emission at 3.27 eV with very weak defect-related emission is observed for the nanosheets with the composition of B(0.38)C(0.27)N(0.35). The present BCN nanosheets are promising for applications in nanoelectronics, catalyst supports, gas adsorption, etc.

Multiple studies suggest that plasmacytoid dendritic cells (pDCs) are depleted and dysfunctional during human immunodeficiency virus/simian immunodeficiency virus (HIV/SIV) infection, but little is known about pDCs in the gut—the primary site of virus replication. Here, we show that during SIV infection, pDCs were reduced 3-fold in the circulation and significantly upregulated the gut-homing marker α4β7, but were increased 4-fold in rectal biopsies of infected compared to naive macaques. These data revise the understanding of pDC immunobiology during SIV infection, indicating that pDCs are not necessarily depleted, but instead may traffic to and accumulate in the gut mucosa.

We for the first time report a quantum-confined bandgap narrowing mechanism through which the absorption of two UV absorbers, namely the graphene quantum dots (GQDs) and TiO₂ nanoparticles, can be easily extended into the visible light range in a controllable manner.

Surface functional groups on carbon dots (CDs) play a critical role in defining their photoluminescence properties and functionalities. A new kind of organosilane-functionalized CDs (OS-CDs) were formed by a low temperature (150°C) solvothermal synthesis of citric acid in N-(β-aminoethyl)-γ-aminopropylmethyl-dimethoxysilane (AEAPMS). Uniquely, the as-synthesized OS-CDs have dual long chain functional groups with both NH2 and Si(OCH3)3 as terminal moieties. Double sided anchoring of AEAPMS on CDs occurs, facilitated by the water produced (and confined at the interface between CDs and solvent) when citric acid condenses into the carbon core. The resultant OS-CDs are multi-solvent dispersible, and more significantly, they exhibit excellent selectivity and sensitivity to Hg(2+) with a linear detection range of 0-50 nM and detection limit of 1.35 nM. The sensitivity and selectivity to Hg(2+) is preserved in highly complex fluids with a detection limit of 1.7 nM in spiked 1 M NaCl solution and a detection limit of 50 nM in municipal wastewater effluent. The results show that the OS-CDs synthesised by the solvothermal method in AEAPMS may be used as an effective Hg(2+) sensor in practical situations.

Rational design and optimization of metal-free electrocatalysts for the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is crucial for fuel cells and metal-air batteries. However, identifying design principle that links the active sites and their synergistic effects is far from satisfactory, especially for B,N-codoped graphene. Herein, we provide four B,N-codoped porous graphenes with tunable contents of pyridinic N, graphitic N, BC3 and C-B(N)O. BC3 shows multiple-fold specific activity compared with graphitic N and pyridinic N, while C-B(N)O offers no positive contribution. Density functional theory calculations indicate that the synergistic effect between graphitic N and BC3 can effectively facilitate the reduction of O2. These pinpoint that graphitic N and BC3 are the main active sites among various nitrogen or/and boron doping configurations. The most active catalyst exhibits superior activity than the commercial Pt/C catalyst using the RDE method in alkaline media, and displays comparable power density to Pt/C catalyst in Zn-air battery.

A novel PDLLA-Zn-FeN BRS biodegrades completely after ~2 years in rabbits and humans, with excellent biocompatibility.

This study aimed to investigate the long-term biocompatibility, safety, and degradation of the ultrathin nitrided iron bioresorbable scaffold (BRS) in vivo, encompassing the whole process of bioresorption in porcine coronary arteries. Fifty-two nitrided iron scaffolds (strut thickness of 70 μm) and 28 Vision Co-Cr stents were randomly implanted into coronary arteries of healthy mini-swine. The efficacy and safety of the nitrided iron scaffold were comparable with those of the Vision stentwithin 52 weeks after implantation. In addition, the long-term biocompatibility, safety, and bioresorption of the nitrided iron scaffold were evaluated by coronary angiography, optical coherence tomography, micro-computed tomography, scanning electron microscopy, energy dispersive spectrometry and histopathological evaluations at 4, 12, 26, 52 weeks and even at 7 years after implantation. In particular, a large number of struts were almost completely absorbed in situ at 7 years follow-up, which were first illustrated in this study. The lymphatic drainage pathway might serve as the potential clearance way of iron and its corrosion products.

The photocatalytic fixation of N2 is a promising technology for sustainable production of ammonia, while the unsatisfactory efficiency resulting from the low electron-transfer rate, narrow light absorption range, and limited active sites of the photocatalyst seriously hinder its application. Herein, we designed a noble metal-free Schottky junction photocatalyst constructed by g-C3N4 nanosheets with N vacancies (VN-CN) and metallic Ni3B nanoparticles (Ni3B/VN-CN) for N2 reduction to ammonia. The ammonia yield rate over the optimized Ni3B/VN-CN is 7.68 mM g-1 h-1, which is 6.7 times higher than that of pristine CN (1.15 mM g-1 h-1). The superior photocatalytic N2 fixation performance of Ni3B/VN-CN can be attributed not only to the formation of Schottky junctions between Ni3B and VN-CN, which facilitates the migration and separation of photogenerated electrons, but also to the incorporation of VN into g-C3N4, which enhances visible light absorption and improves electrical conductivity. More importantly, Ni3B nanoparticles can act as the cocatalyst, which provide more active sites for the adsorption and activation of N2, thereby improving the N2 reduction activity. This work provides an effective strategy of designing noble metal-free-based cocatalyst photocatalyst for sustainable and economic N2 fixation.

Per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) is a class of persistent organic pollutants that presents health and environmental risks. PFAS are ubiquitously present in the environment, but current remediation technologies are ineffective in degrading them into innocuous chemicals, especially high energy degradation processes often generate toxic short chain intermediates. Therefore, the best remediation strategy is to first detect the source of pollution, followed by capturing and mineralising or recycling of the compounds. The main objective of this article is to summarise the unique physicochemical properties and to critically review the intermolecular and intramolecular physicochemical interactions of PFAS, and how these interactions can become obstacles; and at the same time, how they can be applied to the PFAS sensing, capturing, and recycling process. The physicochemical interactions of PFAS chemicals are being reviewed in this paper includes, (1) fluorophilic interactions, (2) hydrophobic interactions, (3) electrostatic interactions and cation bridging, (4) ionic exchange and (5) hydrogen bond. Moreover, all the different influential factors to these interactions have also been reported. Finally, properties of these interactions are compared against one another, and the recommendations for future designs of affinity materials for PFAS have been given.

Renal cell carcinoma (RCC) of 4 cm or less is with a low incidence of multicentricity and metastasis and is usually considered suitable for nephron-sparing surgery (NSS). This study was designed to investigate the distance between extra-pseudocapsule cancer lesions and primary tumors, and to suggest the optimal margin of normal parenchyma in NSS for RCC 4 cm or less.We prospectively studied 82 kidneys in which RCCs of 4 cm or less were resected by radical nephrectomy. According to UICC TNM classification (1997), all tumors were staged as T1 and classified as conventional RCC in 76 cases and papillary RCC in 6 cases. The kidney samples were first step sectioned at 3mm intervals and examined for multicentricity. Then, on each layer of tissue sectioned, parenchyma margins of 15 mm beyond pseudocapsule were continuously sectioned and examined microscopically to investigate completeness of pseudocapsule and possible presence of extra-pseudocapsule cancer lesions. The greatest distance between extra-pseudocapsule lesions and primary tumors was measured.The diameter of 82 primary tumors was 3.4+/-0.7 mm (range 1.5-4.0 cm). Of them, 31.7% (26/82) were found without intact pseudocapsule. Of the 82 cases, 19.5% (16/82) were with positive cancer lesions beyond pseudocapsule, with invasion into normal parenchyma in 12.2% (10/82), into venule in 2.4% (2/82) and satellite tumors in 4.9%(4/82). The average distance between extra-pseudocapsule cancer lesions and primary tumors was 0.5+/-1.3mm (range 0-5.0mm), with a 95% confidential interval (CI) (0.11, 0.94). No significant difference was found in the incidence of extra-pseudocapsule cancer lesions between the tumors 2.5 cm or less and that greater than 2.5 cm.These data suggest that when partial nephrectomy is performed in RCC 4 cm or less, a 10mm margin may be too large and go against renal function maintaining. Enucleation alone was associated with a significant risk of incomplete excision, and therefore liable for local recurrence. Thorough inspection of the whole kidney before and during operation may help to avoid leaving over large and distant multifocal lesions.

Abstract Colloidal particles with well‐defined sizes can self‐assemble into ordered, crystalline structures under non‐equilibrium conditions. This phenomenon originates from the various forces acting upon them. In this article, we provide an overview on the forces at work in a colloidal system, in particular, the roles of these forces at various stages in colloidal self‐assembly. Van der Waals, electrostatic, hydrodynamic, and capillary forces, as well as Brownian motions, are extensively discussed, whereas other types of interactions are briefly introduced and summarized. Copyright © 2008 Curtin University of Technology and John Wiley &amp; Sons, Ltd.

Hydrothermal reactions of lanthanide oxide, lead chloride, I2O5, and H2O at 200 °C led to four novel quaternary compounds, namely, Ln3Pb3(IO3)13(μ3−O) (Ln = La−Nd). They are isostructural, and their structures feature a complicated 3D network composed of LaO9 and PbO6 polyhedra interconnected by asymmetric IO3 groups. Ln3Pb3(IO3)13(μ3−O) (Ln = La, Pr, Nd) display moderate second harmonic generation efficiencies of about 2.0, 1.0, and 0.8 times the value of KH2PO4, respectively. These compounds are thermally stable up to 520 °C. Luminescence measurements indicate that Ln3Pb3(IO3)13(μ3−O) (Ln = Ce, Pr, Nd) exhibit strong emission bands in the visible or near IR region. Magnetic studies indicate that there exist significant antiferromagnetic interactions between magnetic centers in Ln3Pb3(IO3)13(μ3−O) (Ln = Pr, Nd).

Luminescent heteroleptic CuI complexes based on asymmetrical iminephosphine ligands exhibit improved electrochemical and photochemical stability as compared to the analogous complexes based on traditional diimine or diphosphine ligands.

TiC nanoplatelet-reinforced titanium composites were synthesized through a novel fabrication approach that combines resol nanosphere (10–30 nm) coating with conventional powder metallurgy. The resulting TiC nanoplatelets, 28–130 nm thick, are self-assembled, well aligned in each individual grain but randomly orientated throughout the microstructure. The as-sintered Ti–TiC composites exhibit outstanding compressive properties, with ultimate strength = 2.54 GPa, yield strength = 1.52 GPa and strain to fracture = 44.4%, stronger than all other advanced Ti materials reported to date.

Abstract Two coordination polymers, [Ag 2 (pydca)(bbbi) 2 ] n ( 1 ) and [Co 2 (pydca) 2 (bbbi) 3 ] n · n H 2 O ( 2 ) [pydca = pyridine‐2, 6‐dicarboxylate, bbbi = 1, 1′‐(1, 4‐butylene)bis‐1H‐benzimidazole)] were hydrothermally synthesized and characterized by elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, TG, PXRD, and single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction. Compound 1 features a one‐dimensional helical chain structure bridged by bbbi ligand, and further assembled into a 2D supramolecular architecture through three kinds of intermolecular π–π stacking interactions. Compound 2 displays an undulated 2D (6, 3) layer structure, in which each [Co(pydca)] unit is connected by three bbbi bridge ligands. Moreover, 1 and 2 have a remarkable activity for degradation of methyl orange in a photo‐assisted Fenton‐like process.

A new three-dimensional supramolecular framework based on 1,4-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole)butane (L) with 5-hydroxyisophthalic acid (H2hip) has been synthesized by hydrothermal reaction, namely, [Co(L)0.5(hip)]n, exhibiting an unprecedented topology architecture through hydrogen bonds, viz. supramolecular net 4-connected uninodal 3D net with (65⋅8) msw/P42/nnm topology. The fluorescence and remarkable catalytic performances of the complex for the degradation of methyl orange by sodium persulfate have been investigated.

We report carbon nanodots that can be utilized as effective color converting phosphors for the production of white light-emitting diodes (LEDs). Blue-excitable and yellow-emitting carbon nanodots, functionalized with 3-(imidazolidin-2-on-1-yl)propylmethyldimethoxysilane (IPMDS)-derived moieties (IS-CDs), are synthesized by a novel one-pot reaction in which the products from the initial reaction occurring between urea and 3-(2-aminoethylamino)propylmethyl-dimethoxysilane (AEPMDS) are further treated with citric acid. Distinctive from the majority of carbon nanodots reported previously, IS-CDs emit at 560 nm, under 460 nm excitation, with a quantum yield of 44%. Preliminary toxicity studies, assessed by the Artemia franciscana nauplii (brine shrimp larvae) bioassay, indicate that IS-CDs are largely nontoxic. Furthermore, the IS-CDs form flexible and transparent films without the need of encapsulating agents, and the solid films retain the optical properties of solvated IS-CDs. These features indicate an immense potential for the IS-CDs as an environmental-friendly, blue-excitable carbon nanodot-based phosphor in solid-state lighting devices.

Sensitivity of magnetometers that use color centers is limited by poor photon-collection and detection efficiency. In this paper, we present the details of a newly developed all-optical collection combined frequency-modulated microwave method. The proposed method achieves a high sensitivity in static magnetic-field detection both theoretically and experimentally. First, we demonstrate that this collection technique enables both a fluorescence collection as high as 40% and an efficient pump absorption. Subsequently, we exploit the optically detected magnetic resonance (ODMR) signal and quantitative magnetic detection of an ensemble of nitrogen vacancy (NV) centers, by applying a frequency-modulated (FM) microwave method followed by a lock-in technique on the resonance frequency point. Based on the results obtained using all-optical collection combined FM microwaves, we verified that the sensitivity of the magnetometer can achieve approximately 14 nT/√Hz at 1 Hz, using a discrete Fourier transform detection method experimentally. This method provides a compact and portable precision-sensor platform for measuring magnetic fields, and is of interest for fundamental studies in spintronics.

To investigate the role of phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase protein kinase B (PI3K/Akt) signaling pathway in the apoptosis of H1299 lung cancer cells induced by epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG).H1299 lung cancer cells were treated with EGCG at a dose of 10 µM, 20 µM, and 40 µM, respectively. Cell culture was performed for 72 h and then: 1, cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay; 2, cell apoptosis rate was detected by flow cytometry; 3, expression of Caspase-3, Bax, and Bcl-2 was detected by Western blot; 4, expression of PI3K, p-PI3K, Akt, and p-Akt was detected by Western blot.The proliferation of H1299 cells was significantly inhibited 72 h after treatment with different doses of EGCG, and cell apoptosis rate was significantly increased (p<0.05). Compared with those in the control group, expression of PI3K and Akt in the lung cancer cells H1299 after EGCG treatment showed no significant differences (p>0.05), while expression levels of p-PI3K and p-Akt were significantly reduced (p<0.05).EGCG can inhibit the proliferation and induce apoptosis of H1299 lung cancer cells, and the effect is related to the inhibition of the activation of PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Herein, a simple yet efficient hydrothermal strategy is developed to in-situ convert multi-layered niobium-based MXene (Nb2CTx) to hierarchical Nb2CTx/Nb2O5 composite. In the hybrid, the Nb2O5 nanorods are well dispersed in and/or on the Nb2CTx. Thanks to the synergetic contributions from the high capacity of Nb2O5 and superb electrical conductivity of the two-dimensional Nb2CTx itself, the resultant Nb2CTx/Nb2O5 hybrid exhibits excellent rate behaviors and stable long-term cycling behaviors, when evaluated as anodes for Li-ion batteries.

So far, many kinds of piezoelectric composite have been developed to prepare flexible motion sensors. However, some lead-based materials are harmful to human body and cannot be used for motion posture detection, despite their excellent performances. In this work, a lead-free stretchable piezoelectric composite is developed by introduce BaTiO3 (BTO) powder into silicone rubber matrix. The peak-to-peak values of the voltage and current can reach up to 38 V and 0.8 μA under the periodic stretching excitation. It can respond to different strain stimulations. When fixed on the body, it can effectively detect the angle and frequency of limb movement, suitable as human motion sensor. The flexible stretchable composite provides a good solution for wearable piezoelectric devices.

Bivalirudin as an anticoagulant reduces bleeding after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI), while its impact in elderly Chinese patients treated with PCI needs more evidence. This study aimed to compare the clinical outcomes between bivalirudin and heparin in elderly Chinese patients treated with PCI. This cohort study retrieved data of 1,286 elderly patients treated with PCI who used bivalirudin (bivalirudin group, N = 493) or heparin (heparin group, N = 793) as anticoagulants. Net adverse clinical events (NACEs) (primary endpoint), major adverse cardiac and cerebral events (MACCEs), bleeding, and major bleeding within 30 days after PCI treatment were recorded for analysis. Our study illustrated that NACEs (12.4% vs. 17.4%, P = 0.015), bleeding (6.7% vs. 12.1%, P = 0.002), and major bleeding (2.2% vs. 6.6%, P < 0.001) were fewer in bivalirudin group compared to heparin group. No difference was found in MACCEs (7.5% vs. 9.6%,P = 0.200), and incidences of all-cause mortality (P = 0.257), cardiac mortality (P = 0.504), recurrent myocardial infarction (P = 0.423), ischemia-driven revascularization (P = 0.509), and stroke (P = 0.467), between bivalirudin group and heparin group. According to univariate logistic regression analyses, bivalirudin (vs. heparin) correlated with fewer NACEs (P = 0.016), bleeding (P = 0.002), and major bleeding (P = 0.001) in elderly patients treated with PCI, but not MACCEs (P = 0.202). After adjustment, bivalirudin (vs. heparin) was an independent factor for fewer NACEs [odds ratio (OR): 0.619, P = 0.009], bleeding (OR: 0.499, P = 0.003), and major bleeding (OR: 0.342, P = 0.003) in these patients. In summary, bivalirudin achieves fewer NACEs, bleeding, and major bleeding, but not MACCEs, versus heparin in elderly patients treated with PCI, which is verified in the multivariate model.

Silver-zinc (Ag-Zn) fibrous batteries are considered as a promising power source for next-generation flexible/wearable electronics because of their superior safety, high energy density, and stable output voltage. Nevertheless, the widespread application of Ag-Zn batteries is hindered by their limited cycle life, primarily caused by Zn dendrite growth and Ag migration. Herein, we develop a flexible mild Ag-Zn fibrous battery with outstanding cycle performance via designing a bifunctional gel electrolyte. The graphene oxide (GO) introduced into the electrolyte provides dual enhancement in suppressing the growth of Zn dendrite and migration of Ag, leading to improved structural integrity and long cycle life. The designed fibrous battery demonstrates a high capacity of 0.85 mAh cm−1 and it can retain 90% (77.4%) of the initial capacity after 250 cycles under current density of 0.5 (5) mA cm−1. Additionally, the battery can maintain its performance under various deformations and a four-battery set is employed as the power source for LED patterns and wearable sensors. This work provides a rational way to design advanced gel electrolytes for high-performance flexible batteries.

We have previously demonstrated, using chimeric resistant MRL/lpr mice, that a fractionated total body irradiation (FTBI) (5 Gy x 2 with a 4 h interval on the day before allogeneic bone marrow transplantation (BMT)) is the best conditioning regimen for the treatment of autoimmune diseases in radiosensitive MRL/lpr mice. In the present study, using various standard strains of mice (not radiosensitive mice), we explore the best protocol for irradiation (doses and intervals) as the conditioning regimen for allogeneic BMT. Recipient mice were exposed to various irradiation regimens: a single total body irradiation (TBI) of 9.5 or 12 Gy and FTBI of (5+5) Gy to (7+7) Gy with a 1 to 24 h interval. The method generally utilized for humans ((2+2) Gy with a 4 h interval for 3 days (total 12 Gy)) was also used. One day after the last irradiation, donor BMCs from BALB/c, C3H, or C57BL/6 (B6) mice were transplanted into C3H or B6 mice. The irradiation protocol of (2+2) Gy for 3 days was found to be insufficient to enable the complete removal of recipient immunocompetent cells, since donor-reactive T cells were observed in the recipient spleens and many recipient-type NK and CD4(+) cells were also detected in the recipient hematolymphoid tissues. In all the combinations, the highest survival rate was achieved in the recipients irradiated with (6+6) or (6.5+6.5) Gy with a 4 h interval. In the surviving mice, the hematolymphoid tissues had been fully reconstituted with donor cells.

The use of robotic technologies to assist surgeons was conceptually described almost thirty years ago but has only recently become feasible. In Neurosurgery, medical robots have been applied to neurosurgery for over 19 years. Nevertheless this field remains unknown to most neurosurgeons. The intrinsic characteristics of robots, such as high precision, repeatability and endurance make them ideal surgeon's assistants. Unfortunately, limitations in the current available systems make its use limited to very few centers in the world. During the last decade, important efforts have been made between academic and industry partnerships to develop robots suitable for use in the operating room environment. Although some applications have been successful in areas of laparoscopic surgery and orthopaedics, Neurosurgery has presented a major challenge due to the eloquence of the surrounding anatomy. This review focuses on the application of medical robotics in neurosurgery. The paper begins with an overview of the development of the medical robotics, followed by the current clinical applications in neurosurgery and an analysis of current limitations. We discuss robotic applications based in our own experience in the field. Next, we discuss the technological challenges and research areas to overcome those limitations, including some of our current research approaches for future progress in the field.

CaIn2O4:Dy3+/Pr3+/Tb3+ blue–white/green/green phosphors were prepared by the Pechini sol–gel process. X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), diffuse reflectance, photoluminescence (PL) and cathodoluminescence (CL) spectra as well as lifetimes were utilized to characterize the samples. The XRD results reveal that the samples begin to crystallize at 800 °C and pure CaIn2O4 phase can be obtained after annealing at 900 °C. The FE-SEM images indicate that the CaIn2O4:Dy3+, CaIn2O4:Pr3+ and CaIn2O4:Tb3+ samples consist of spherical grains with size around 200–400 nm. Under the excitation of ultraviolet light and low-voltage electron beams (1–5 kV), the CaIn2O4:Dy3+, CaIn2O4:Pr3+ and CaIn2O4:Tb3+ phosphors show the characteristic emissions of Dy3+ (4F9/2–6H15/2 and 4F9/2–6H13/2 transitions, blue–white), Pr3+ (3P0–3H4, 1D2–3H4 and 3P1–3H5 transitions, green) and Tb3+ (5D4–7F6,5,4,3 transitions, green), respectively. All the luminescence is resulted from an efficient energy transfer from the CaIn2O4 host lattice to the doped Dy3+, Pr3+ and Tb3+ ions, and the corresponding luminescence mechanisms have been proposed.

Electrospinning was employed to fabricate polymer-ceramic composite fibers from solutions containing poly(vinyl pyrrolidone) (PVP), Ce(NO(3))(3) x 6H(2)O and ZrOCl(2) x 8H(2)O. Upon firing the composite fibers at 1000 degrees C, Ce(0.67)Zr(0.33)O(2) fibers with diameters ranging from 0.4 to 2 microm were synthesized. These fibers exhibit strong resistance to sintering. They still have specific surface area around 11.8 m(2)/g after being heated at 1000 degrees C for 6 h.

Mixed lineage leukemia (MLL) fusion proteins directly activate the expression of key downstream genes such as MEIS1, HOXA9 to drive an aggressive form of human leukemia. However, it is still poorly understood what additional transcriptional regulators, independent of the MLL fusion pathway, contribute to the development of MLL leukemia. Here we show that the transcription factor PU.1 is essential for MLL leukemia and is required for the growth of MLL leukemic cells via the promotion of cell-cycle progression and inhibition of apoptosis. Importantly, PU.1 expression is not under the control of MLL fusion proteins. We further identified a PU.1-governed 15-gene signature, which contains key regulators in the MEIS-HOX program (MEIS1, PBX3, FLT3, and c-KIT). PU.1 directly binds to the genomic loci of its target genes in vivo, and is required to maintain active expression of those genes in both normal hematopoietic stem and progenitor cells and in MLL leukemia. Finally, the clinical significance of the identified PU.1 signature was indicated by its ability to predict survival in acute myelogenous leukemia patients. Together, our findings demonstrate that PU.1 contributes to the development of MLL leukemia, partially via crosstalk with the MEIS/HOX pathway.

Comprehensive assessments of the cytotoxicity of nitrided iron, a promising bioabsorbable metallic material, were conducted using in vitro methods. Extracting and standing experiments were conducted to determine the factors influencing the precipitation of the extract during extraction and incubation. The MTT method, fluorescent staining, and direct contact method were used to explore the in vitro cytotoxicity of nitrided iron stent extracts, nitrided iron foils, and their bulk corrosion products. The extracting and standing experiments confirmed that the extraction medium and available oxygen are crucial for precipitation during the extraction and incubation processes. In the MTT test, the extract of nitrided iron stents with a high iron ion concentration (124.11 ± 7.55 μg/mL) was not cytotoxic to L929 fibroblasts. Thus, the in vitro cytotoxicity of nitrided iron stents was actually caused by the size effect of corrosion particles and not the material itself. Test methodology for in vitro cytotoxicity of biodegradable iron-based materials was analyzed, and the results demonstrate that multiple methods should be combined for comprehensive evaluation of the cytocompatibility of bioabsorbable iron-based materials to get an impartial conclusion. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Biomed Mater Res Part B: Appl Biomater, 103B: 764–776, 2015.

A wireless passive high-temperature pressure sensor without evacuation channel fabricated in high-temperature co-fired ceramics (HTCC) technology is proposed. The properties of the HTCC material ensure the sensor can be applied in harsh environments. The sensor without evacuation channel can be completely gastight. The wireless data is obtained with a reader antenna by mutual inductance coupling. Experimental systems are designed to obtain the frequency-pressure characteristic, frequency-temperature characteristic and coupling distance. Experimental results show that the sensor can be coupled with an antenna at 600 °C and max distance of 2.8 cm at room temperature. The senor sensitivity is about 860 Hz/bar and hysteresis error and repeatability error are quite low.

Two Co(II) coordination polymers derived from a dicarboxylate and two flexible bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole) ligands with varying chain lengths equipped, namely [Co(bdmbmm)(nip)]n (1) and [Co2(bdmbmb)2(nip)2⋅H2O]n (2) (bdmbmm = 1,1′-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole)methane, H2nip = 5-nitroisophthalic acid, bdmbmb = 1,4-bis(5,6-dimethylbenzimidazole)butane), have been synthesized by hydrothermal methods and characterized by elemental analyses, IR spectra, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD) and single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 forms a 1D looped-like chain consisting of two kinds of macrocycles, which is further arranged into a 2D supramolecular layer through face-to-face π–π stacking interactions; whereas complex 2 exhibits a 3D framework with a twofold interpenetrating diamondoid topology. The fluorescence and catalytic properties of the complexes for the degradation of methyl orange by sodium persulfate have been investigated.

Three metal–organic frameworks (MOFs), namely [Zn2(TPIA)(OH)(H2O)]·H2O (JUC-114), [Cd2(TPIA)(OH)(H2O)2]·H2O (JUC-115), and [Co2(TPIA)(OH)(H2O)2]·H2O (JUC-116) (JUC = Jilin University China), based on a new ligand, 5-(4-(2H-tetrazol-5-yl)phenoxy)isophthalic acid (H3TPIA), were synthesized under hydrothermal conditions and characterized by single crystal X-ray diffraction, elemental analysis, IR spectroscopy, TGA analysis and powder X-ray diffraction. JUC-114, JUC-115 and JUC-116 all possess 3D frameworks with (4,8)-connected fluorite (flu) topology based on similar tetranuclear metal centers as secondary building unit (SBU). Furthermore, the luminescence of the ligand H3TPIA and compounds was measured at room temperature.

We report a bottom-up one-step solvothermal synthesis of thin layered carbon nanosheets (CNSs) by dehydrating glycerol with concentrated sulfuric acid in the presence of melamine. In this synthesis, melamine plays a critical role in the formation of the thin-layered CNS. This CNS was found to be a highly effective adsorption material: its adsorption of methylene blue (MB) is considerably faster than GO with a maximum adsorption capacity of MB at 585 mg g−1, comparable to most of the other carbon based nanomaterials.

Augmenting fluorescence intensity is of vital importance to the development of chemical and biochemical sensing, imaging and miniature light sources. Here we report an unprecedented fluorescence enhancement with a novel architecture of multilayer three-dimensional colloidal photonic crystals self-assembled from polystyrene spheres. The new technique uses a double heterostructure, which comprises a top and a bottom layer with a periodicity overlapping the excitation wavelength (E) of the emitters, and a middle layer with a periodicity matching the fluorescence wavelength (F) and a thickness that supports constructive interference for the excitation wavelength. This E-F-E double heterostructure displays direction-dependent light trapping for both excitation and fluorescence, coupling the modes of photonic crystal with multiple-beam interference. The E-F-E double heterostructure renders an additional 5-fold enhancement to the extraordinary FL amplification of Rhodamine B in monolithic E CPhCs, and 4.3-fold acceleration of emission dynamics. Such a self-assembled double heterostructure CPhCs may find significant applications in illumination, laser, chemical/biochemical sensing, and solar energy harvesting. We further demonstrate the multi-functionality of the E-F-E double heterostructure CPhCs in Hg (II) sensing.

An arabinogalactan (PBSS2) was fractionated from the bamboo shoot shell of Phyllostachys heterocycla. Structural analysis indicated that PBSS2 was mainly composed of galactose, arabinose, xylose and galacturonic acid in a ratio of 7.8:6.3:1.4:1.0. It was a 1,3- linked β-d-galactan having 61.1% degree of branching at the O-6 positions. The three branches consisting of 1,4-linked β-d-Xylp terminated with β-d-Galp, 1,5-linked α-L-Araf inserted with 1,4-α-6-O-Me-d-GalpA and 1,3,5-linked α-L-Araf terminated by α-L-Araf. Furthermore, its chain conformation on the values of weight-average molecular weight (Mw), the radius of gyration (Rg) and intrinsic viscosity ([η]) were found as following: 7.36 × 104 g/mol, 12.8 nm and 17.7 mL/g, which was evidenced by AFM. The structure exponent of α (0.38) and df (2.17) revealed it existed as a sphere-like chain in NaNO3 aqueous solution. In vitro Caco-2 cells assay showed that PBSS2 presented positive effect on the inhibition of glucose absorption in time-dependent manner at relatively high concentration.

Silicon carbide (SiC) and gallium nitride (GaN) are typical representative of the wide band-gap semiconductor material, which is also known as third-generation semiconductor materials. Compared with the conventional semiconductor silicon (Si) or gallium arsenide (GaAs), wide band-gap semiconductor has the wide band gap, high saturated drift velocity, high critical breakdown field and other advantages; it is a highly desirable semiconductor material applied under the case of high-power, high-temperature, high-frequency, anti-radiation environment. These advantages of wide band-gap devices make them a hot spot of semiconductor technology research in various countries. This article describes the research agenda of United States and European in this area, focusing on the recent developments of the wide band-gap technology in the US and Europe, summed up the facing challenge of the wide band-gap technology.

Nitrogen doping is an efficient strategy to improve the catalytic activity of carbocatalysts in direct dehydrogenation reactions. The interpretation of enhanced activity is now mainly attributed to the strengthened basicity. On the other side of doping, electronic properties that differed in various nitrogen doping configurations, however, were barely considered. Herein, to elucidate the role of graphitic N, pyridinic N and pyrrolic N, N-doped porous carbon balls with tunable contents of these nitrogen species were used as moulded carbocatalysts for steam-free direct dehydrogenation of ethylbenzene to styrene. Along with CO groups that were commonly certified as active sites on carbocatalysts, graphitic N contributes to the styrene yield. The former serves as active site that directly activates and dissociates C–H bond, while the latter one provides additional electrons into the delocalized π-system and leads to improved chemical reactivity of CO. The loss of CO active sites is not only attributed to the carbon deposition as illustrated by the elevated area ratio of D3 to G band in Raman spectra, but also its failed regeneration from intermediate hydroxyl groups (C–OH), which was proved by the tiny thermal decomposed products of CO and H2O as detected by the on-line mass spectrometry and gas chromatography.

Integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs) are important drugs that are currently used as the first line treatment for HIV-1 patients. The aim of this study was to characterize HIV-1 INSTI mutations among ART-naive patients in Beijing from 2019-2021.865 ART-naive patients were enrolled in this study between January 2019 and June 2021 in Beijing. The amplification of the entire pol gene containing the reverse transcriptase, protease and integrase regions was performed using a validated In-house SBS method. HIV-1 subtypes and circulating recombinant forms (CRFs) were determined using the COMET online tool (http://comet.retrovirology.lu). Stanford HIV-1 drug resistance database (HIVdb version 8.9) was used to analyze the mutations.865 HIV-1 pol sequences were successfully amplified and sequenced. Among them, no major INSTI-related mutations were identified, but 12 polymorphic accessory mutations were found. Two patients have E138A and G163R mutations respectively and both could cause low-level resistance to RAL and EVG. Furthermore, one patient having S230R mutation resulted in low-level resistance to RAL, EVG, DTG and BIC.The prevalence of INSTIs mutations remains low, which demonstrated that INSTIs have good applicability currently in our city. Nevertheless, it is very important to monitor the INSTI-related mutations in Beijing.

Light detection and ranging (lidar) is widely accepted as an indispensable sensor for autonomous vehicles. There are two fundamental challenges in a lidar system: optical beam steering technique and ranging method. Optical phased array (OPA) is considered as one of the most promising beam steering schemes due to its solid state, compact size, and high reliability. As for ranging method, time-of-flight and frequency-modulate continuous-wave (FMCW) are commonly utilized in numerous research. However, they are impractical to commercial OPA lidar due to either requiring excessive optical power or the poor stability, high complexity, and high insertion loss of the FMCW source. As a result, the development of OPA lidars is significantly hindered by the lack of a feasible ranging method. In this paper, we present a phase-modulated continuous-wave (PhMCW) ranging method with excellent ranging accuracy and precision. Ranging error as low as 0.1 cm and precision on the order of 3.5 cm are achieved. In addition, theoretical and experimental study on simultaneous velocity measurement is carried out and velocity error as low as 0.15 cm/s is obtained. Finally, we develop a proof-of-concept OPA-PhMCW lidar and obtain a point cloud with excellent fidelity. Our work paves a novel approach to solid-state, cost-effective and high-performance OPA lidars.

The effects of berberine (BBR) on the pharmacokinetics of ciclosporin A (CsA) were examined in healthy volunteers. Six healthy male volunteers were orally treated with 0.3 g BBR, twice daily for 10 days. Pharmacokinetic investigations on CsA at 6 mg/kg were done both before and at the end of the BBR treatment period. Another six healthy male volunteers were involved in the pharmacokinetic study with 3 mg CsA/kg, in which the subjects orally received the second single dose of 3 mg CsA/kg, followed by a single oral dose of 0.3 g BBR. The blood CsA concentrations were determined by fluorescence polarization immunoassay. In the pharmacokinetic study with 6 mg CsA/kg, BBR caused no significant changes in the pharmacokinetic parameters of CsA. However, in the trial with 3 mg CsA/kg, the average percentage increase in area under the blood concentration-time curve of CsA was 19.2% (P < 0.05) and the mean C12 increased to 123 microg/l from 104 microg/l (P < 0.05), without altering elimination half-life (t(1/2)), maximum blood drug concentration (Cmax), time to Cmax (tmax), apparent oral clearance (CL/F). The present results suggest that BBR can increase the oral bioavailability of CsA at the dosage of 3 mg/kg. The BBR-mediated increase in CsA bioavailability may be partly attributed to a decrease in liver and/or intestinal metabolism through the inhibition of CYP3A4 in the liver and/or gut wall. The BBR-induced increase in emptying time of stomach and small intestine might be another reason for the increase in CsA bioavailability. However, the speculation should be proved by further investigation.

Binary colloidal films of polystyrene (PS) spheres and silica spheres were fabricated with a sequential growth method using differently sized colloidal particles. In particular, we demonstrate the structures formed by a silica monolayer growing on top of a PS monolayer and a silica multilayer growing on top of a PS monolayer. By removal of the bottom PS layers, non-close-packed hexagonal, pentagonal, and square silica arrays were obtained at the original silica/PS interface. The possible formation mechanism of the non-close-packed structure was discussed, which may be used to explain how 3D colloidal crystals grow on patterned substrates.