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Objective To investigate the effect of continuity of care based on enhanced self-management for patients with early diabetic nephropathy. Methods Totally 54 patients with early diabetic nephropathy were randomly divided into the control group and observation group, with 27 cases in each group. All patients received integrated traditional Chinese and western treatment at outpatient visit. Patients in the control group received routine nursing interventions after discharge from the hospital, and those in the observation group were given continuity of care interventions based on enhanced self-management. The clinical outcome indexes were measured before and 6 months after intervention. Results Better clinical outcomes were observed at 6 months after intervention, and systolic pressure, urinary albumin creatinine ratio(UCAR), uric acid, fasting blood-glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin of patients in the observation were significantly lower than those in the control group, respectively(P＜0. 05). Conclusion Continuity of care based on enhanced self-management is potentially effective to reduce the systolic pressure, UCAR), uric acid, fasting blood-glucose and glycosylated hemoglobin of patients with early diabetic nephropathy. (目的 探讨强化自我管理的延续性护理模式在早期糖尿病肾病患者中的应用效果。方法 采用简单随机数字表法将符合纳入标准的54例早期糖尿病肾病患者随机分为对照组和观察组, 各27例。两组患者均接受中西医结合门诊治疗, 对照组采用常规院外护理措施, 观察组在入组当日即采用强化自我管理的延续性护理模式。分别在干预前和干预6月时收集两组患者生化指标并进行比较。结果 干预6个月时, 两组患者各项指标较干预前有下降趋势, 与对照组比较, 观察组较收缩压、尿微量白蛋白与尿肌酐比值(UACR)、血尿酸、空腹血糖及糖化血红蛋白指标更低, 改善更明显, 差异有统计学意义(P＜0. 05)。结论 强化自我管理的延续性护理模式能有效降低早期糖尿病肾病患者收缩压、UACR, 血尿酸、空腹血糖及糖化血红蛋白, 值得借鉴。)

Lithium–ion batteries are key elements of electric vehicles and energy storage systems, and their accurate State of Charge (SOC) estimation is momentous for battery energy management, safe operation, and extended service life. In this paper, the Multi-Kernel Relevance Vector Machine (MKRVM) and Whale Optimization Algorithm (WOA) are used to estimate the SOC of lithium–ion batteries under different operating conditions. In order to better learn and estimate the battery SOC, MKRVM is used to establish a model to estimate lithium–ion battery SOC. WOA is used to automatically adjust and optimize weights and kernel parameters of MKRVM to improve estimation accuracy. The proposed model is validated with three lithium–ion batteries under different operating conditions. In contrast to other optimization algorithms, WOA has a better optimization effect and can estimate the SOC more accurately. In contrast to the single kernel function, the proposed multi-kernel function greatly improves the precision of the SOC estimation model. In contrast to the traditional method, the WOA-MKRVM has a higher precision of SOC estimation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermocatalytic decomposition is an efficient purification technology that is potentially applicable to degrading chemical warfare agents and industrial toxic gases. In particular, ZrO2 has attracted attention as a catalyst for the thermocatalytic decomposition of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), which is a simulant of the nerve gas sarin. However, the influence of the crystal phase and morphology on the catalytic performance of ZrO2 requires further exploration. In this study, monoclinic- and tetragonal-phase ZrO2 (m- and t-ZrO2, respectively) with nanoparticle, flower-like shape and hollow microsphere morphologies were prepared via hydrothermal and solvothermal methods, and their thermocatalytic decomposition of DMMP was systematically investigated. For a given morphology, m-ZrO2 performed better than t-ZrO2. For a given crystalline phase, the morphology of hollow microspheres resulted in the longest protection time. The exhaust gases generated by the thermocatalytic decomposition of DMMP mainly comprised H2, CO2, H2O and CH3OH, and the by-products were phosphorus oxide species. Thus, the deactivation of ZrO2 was attributed to the deposition of these phosphorous oxide species on the catalyst surface. These results are expected to help guide the development of catalysts for the safe disposal of chemical warfare agents. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon monoxide (CO) is a colourless, odourless, and toxic gas. Long-term exposure to high concentrations of CO causes poisoning and even death; therefore, CO removal is particularly important. Current research has focused on the efficient and rapid removal of CO via low-temperature (ambient) catalytic oxidation. Gold nanoparticles are widely used catalysts for the high-efficiency removal of high concentrations of CO at ambient temperature. However, easy poisoning and inactivation due to the presence of SO2 and H2S affect its activity and practical application. In this study, a bimetallic catalyst, Pd-Au/FeOx/Al2O3, with a Au:Pd ratio of 2:1 (wt%) was formed by adding Pd nanoparticles to a highly active Au/FeOx/Al2O3 catalyst. Its analysis and characterisation proved that it has improved catalytic activity for CO oxidation and excellent stability. A total conversion of 2500 ppm of CO at −30 °C was achieved. Furthermore, at ambient temperature and a volume space velocity of 13,000 h−1, 20,000 ppm CO was fully converted and maintained for 132 min. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations and in situ FTIR analysis revealed that Pd-Au/FeOx/Al2O3 exhibited stronger resistance to SO2 and H2S adsorption than the Au/FeOx/Al2O3 catalyst. This study provides a reference for the practical application of a CO catalyst with high performance and high environmental stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanogen chloride (CNCl) is highly toxic and volatile, and it is difficult to effectively remove via porous substances such as activated carbon due to the weak interaction between CNCl and the adsorbent surface. Developing a highly effective elimination material against CNCl is of great importance in military chemical protection. In this work, a new metal-organic framework (MOF) CuBTC@PA-PEI (polyacrylate-polyethyleneimine) composite was prepared and exhibited excellent CNCl elimination performance in the breakthrough tests. PEI was used for the functionalization of PA with amino groups, which is beneficial to anchor with metal ions of MOF. Afterward, the growth of MOF occurred on the surface and in the pores of the matrix by molecular self-assembly via our newly proposed stepwise impregnation layer-by-layer growth method. Breakthrough tests were performed to evaluate the elimination performance of the composites against CNCl. Compared with the pristine CuBTC powder, the CuBTC@PA-PEI composite exhibited better adsorption capacity and a longer breakthrough time. By compounding with the PA matrix, a hierarchically porous structure of CuBTC@PA-PEI composite was constructed, which provides a solution to the mass transfer problem of pure microporous MOF materials. It also solves the problems of MOF molding and lays a foundation for the practical application of MOF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic performances of the catalysts and decomposition mechanisms of dimethyl methylphosphonate (DMMP), a commonly used nerve agent simulant, are well understood based on previous studies. However, the effects of the morphology of the catalyst on DMMP decomposition performance and mechanisms remain unexplored. Thus, in this work, experimental studies were conducted on the thermocatalytic decomposition of DMMP on CeO2 nanomaterials with different morphologies, e.g., irregular nanoparticles, nanorods, and nanocubes. From the performance evaluation, CeO2 nanorods exhibited higher DMMP thermocatalytic decomposition performance as compared to irregular nanoparticles and nanocubes. The primary reaction pathways were the same on all three morphologies of materials, according to in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy (DRIFTS) study, whereas side reaction paths showed variable behaviors. According to the catalytic reaction mechanism study, the surface lattice oxygen played a vital role in the thermocatalytic decomposition of DMMP and the accumulation of phosphates, carbonates, and formates were the main factors for deactivation of the catalyst. The behavior of CeO2 catalyst with different morphologies in the thermocatalytic decomposition of DMMP was revealed in this work, and this will be useful for the future design of high-performing catalysts for the efficient degradation of chemical toxicant. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

NH3 is a typical alkaline gaseous pollutant widely derived from industrial production and poses great risks to humans and other biota. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have excellent adsorption capacities relative to materials traditionally used to adsorb NH3. However, in practice, applications of MOFs as adsorbents are restricted because of its powder form. We prepared a polyamide (PA) macroporous polyester substrate using an emulsion template method and modified the surface with polyethylenimine (PEI) to improve the MOF growth efficiency on the substrate. The difficulty of loading the MOF because of the fast nucleation rate inside the PA macroporous polyester substrate was solved using a stepwise impregnation layer-by-layer (LBL) growth method, and a PA-PEI-MOF303(Al) hierarchical pore composite that very efficiently adsorbed NH3 was successfully prepared. The PA-PEI-MOF303(Al) adsorption capacity for NH3 was 16.07 mmol·g−1 at 298 K and 100 kPa, and the PA-PEI-MOF303(Al) could be regenerated repeatedly under vacuum at 423 K. The NH3 adsorption mechanism was investigated by in situ Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and by performing two-dimensional correlation analysis. Unlike for the MOF303(Al) powder, the formation of multi-site hydrogen bonds between Al–O–Al/C–OH, N–H, –OH, C=O, and NH3 in PA-PEI-MOF303(Al) was found to be an important reason for efficient NH3 adsorption. This study will provide a reference for the preparation of other MOF-polymer composites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the survey data from the China National SME Survey Database in 2019, we analyze the relationship between executive financial literacy and the performance of Chinese small and medium‐sized enterprises (SMEs). We find that executive financial literacy helps improve corporate performance, especially for companies with weak external supervision and low competitive pressure. After controlling for the effects of the variables at the individual executive and enterprise levels, addressing possible endogenous problems in the analysis, robustness tests and heterogeneity analyses indicates that our findings remain unchanged. We further show that executive financial literacy improves corporate performance by alleviating corporate financing constraints and improving corporate risk management. Our findings have important policy implications for stimulating the vitality of economy and promoting high‐quality economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cyanide gas is highly toxic and volatile and is among the most typical toxic and harmful pollutants to human health and the environment found in industrial waste gas. In the military context, cyanide gas has been used as a systemic toxic agent. In this paper, we review cyanide gas elimination methods, focusing on adsorption and catalysis approaches. The research progress on materials capable of affecting cyanide gas adsorption and catalytic degradation is discussed in depth, and the advantages and disadvantages of various materials are summarized. Finally, suggestions are provided for future research directions with respect to cyanide gas elimination materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The large barrier between the phase interfaces of heterojunction catalysts inhibits the electron transfer, resulting in a limited catalytic efficiency. Herein, amino-grafted carbon dots (CDs) were utilized as the building units for the preparation of a CD covalently doped porous polymer. Due to the formation of a conjugated bridge (C＝N bond) with delocalized π-electrons, photo-generated electrons were quickly transferred from an organic semiconductor (N3-COF) to an inorganic semiconductor (CDs). Correspondingly, the improvement percentage for the H2 production rate of CD-N3-COF was 560% and 290% compared to that of the physically doped and single bond linked COF systems, respectively. This work provides significant inspiration for consciously regulating the bridge structure at the atomic-level to facilitate the electron transport for the preparation of high-performance heterojunction catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bimetallic synergism plays an important role in lattice-doped catalysts. Therefore, lattice-doped bimetallic CuO/CeO2 catalysts were prepared by secondary alkaline hydrothermal reaction. During this process, the CeO2 nanomaterials were partially dissolved and recrystallized; thus, Cu ions were doped into the CeO2 lattice. The physical and chemical properties of CeO2, CuO/CeO2, and CuO were investigated. H2 temperature-programmed reduction characterization showed that the oxidation activity of CuO/CeO2 was significantly improved. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy results showed that electron transfer occurred between Ce and Cu in the CuO/CeO2 catalyst. Additionally, Raman characterization confirmed the strong interaction between Cu and Ce. After CuO was loaded, the thermal catalytic decomposition performance of the catalyst was significantly improved with respect to the sarin simulant dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP); with an increase in the Cu/Ce ratio, the performance first strengthened and then weakened. Additionally, the reaction tail gas and catalyst surface products were analyzed using mass spectrometry and ion chromatography, and the changes in the surface products during the thermal catalytic decomposition of DMMP were characterized at different temperatures using in situ diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy. Finally, the catalytic reaction pathways of DMMP on CeO2, CuO/CeO2, and CuO were inferred. The study results not only demonstrate an effective catalyst for the removal of nerve agent but also a feasible preparation method for lattice-doped bimetallic catalysts in the field of environmental protection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chemical warfare agents (CWAs) are highly toxic and fast-acting and are easy to cause large-scale poisoning to humans and livestock after being released. The activated carbon used for CWAs adsorption has disadvantages of limited adsorption capacity, easy aging and deactivation. Metal oxides have environmental stability, and they are characterized by long lasting and broad spectrum when used for thermal catalytic decomposition. Therefore, in this study, the supported copper–cerium catalyst CuO-CeO2/γ-Al2O3 was prepared using an equal volume impregnation method. The thermal catalytic decomposition performance was studied using sarin CWAs simulant dimethyl methyl phosphonate (DMMP) as the target compound. The results show that the CuO-CeO2/γ-Al2O3 catalyst with a CeO2 loading of 5% exhibited better thermal catalytic decomposition performance of DMMP. The catalyst provided protection against DMMP for 237 min at 350 °C; CuO was highly dispersed on CuO-5% CeO2/γ-Al2O3, and there was a strong interaction between Cu and Ce on CuO-5% CeO2/γ-Al2O3, which promoted the generation of surface-adsorbed oxygen, leading to a better thermal catalytic decomposition performance of DMMP. This study is expected to provide a reference for the study of catalysts for the thermal catalytic decomposition of CWAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Capture of chemical warfare agents. Humidity in the air can significantly limit the adsorption capacity of porous materials used for the removal of chemical warfare agents (CWAs). Therefore, in this work, we prepared a porous organic material (C-1) and its fluoride derivative (C-1-F) via a Schiff base reaction and determined their structure and morphological properties, hydrophobicity, and adsorption capacity. Compared to the parent C-1 material, both the channel and particle surface of C-1-F were highly hydrophobic, thus stabilizing the fluorinated porous material under various humidity conditions. Dimethyl methyl phosphonate was used as a nerve agent simulant to examine the efficiency of the synthesized porous materials, indicating that C-1-F had a higher adsorption capacity than C-1 under dry conditions. Moreover, unlike C-1, the adsorption capacity of hydrophobic C-1-F was not affected even under a relative humidity of 20%, and it is still able to maintain high adsorption capacity at a relative humidity of 60%, suggesting its high application potential in the removal of CWAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metal-organic framework MIL-68(In) films on silicon substrates have been fabricated successfully by a secondary growth method. The spherical colloidal seeds are 80 nm in size. The morphologies of the crystals in the film could be obtained by controlling the synthetic conditions. The organic base, which is an important factor that influences the crystal morphology, was focused upon. Crystal evolution is discussed and a possible growth mechanism is proposed based on observations made by means of SEM and XRD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aims: The present work investigated the underlying mechanism for the positive inotropic effect of liguzinediol (LZDO) in isolated rat hearts. Main methods: Isolated rat heart perfusion, intracellular action potential recording, patch clamp and Ca2+ imaging were used to measure the isolated rat heart contractility, action potential duration, L-type Ca2+ current and sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) Ca2+ transient in rat cardiomyocyte, respectively. Key findings: LZDO (1, 10, and 100μM) significantly enhanced the inotropy of isolated rat hearts, but not heart rates. Nimodipine (1μM, an L-type Ca2+ channel antagonist), ruthenium red (5μM, a ryanodine receptor inhibitor) and thapsigargin (2μM, an irreversible SR Ca2+ ATPase inhibitor) completely blocked the positive inotropic effect of LZDO. LZDO significantly enhanced the intracellular Ca2+ transient in rat cardiomyocyte. However, LZDO (100μM) did not increase L-type Ca2+ channel current. Moreover, LZDO (100μM) restored the depletion effect of caffeine on Ca2+ transient. The following compounds also failed to block the positive inotropic effect of LZDO (100μM): β-AR antagonist (propranolol 1μM), phosphodiesterase (PDE) inhibitor (IBMX 5μM), Na+–K+ ATPase inhibitor (ouabain 1μM), α1-AR antagonist (prazosin 1μM), dopamine D1 receptor antagonist (SCH23390 1μM) and Na+–Ca2+ exchange inhibitor (KB-R7943 1μM). Significance: The positive inotropic effect of LZDO in isolated rat hearts was mediated through an elevation of SR Ca2+ transient, which may act on SR Ca2+ ATPase. LZDO has a unique biological mechanism that may prove effective in treating heart failure in clinic. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Aims: Diabetes mellitus is associated with changes of α1-adrenoceptor (α1-AR) on heart electrical function and expression. In this study, we investigated the ionic basis underlying abnormal α1-AR mediated QT prolongation in the diabetic rat hearts. Main methods: Electrophysiological and biochemical techniques were used in Streptozotocin (STZ)-induced diabetic and control rat hearts. Key findings: In both control and diabetic rats, the α1-AR agonist, phenylephrine (PE, 10–100 µM) prolonged the rate-corrected QT intervals (QTc) and action potential durations at 30% (APD30) and 90% (APD90) repolarization levels with the increased QTc and APD90 significantly greater in diabetic rats. PE significantly decreased the transient outward K+ current (I to) and the steady-state K+ current (I ss) in both control and diabetic rats but had no effects on the delayed rectifier K+ current (I k). However, PE induced a greater reduction mainly in the I ss, but not I to, in diabetic rats. Furthermore, using RT–PCR and Western blot analyses, we found that α1A-ARs were over-expressed in the left ventricular tissues of the diabetic rat hearts at both the mRNA and the protein levels. Significance: These data suggested that in diabetic hearts, a greater sensitivity of the α1A-AR mediated the larger suppression of I ss and resulted in a more prolonged APD90 and QTc. Thus, higher α1A-AR expression levels in diabetic heart may underlie this type of diabetic cardiomyopathy and suggests that α1A-AR may serve as a therapeutic target. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Objective: To evaluate the effects of Tiangou Jiangya capsule on blood pressure and hemodynamics in anesthetized Beagle dogs., Method: Anesthetized dogs were divided into five groups: Tiangou Jiangya capsule 3-dose groups as 1.6, 3.2, 6.4 g x kg(-1), positive control group was giving captopril, negative control was giving 0.5% CMC-Na, duodenal administration. The blood pressure and hemodynamic changes were observed., Result: The systolic blood pressure of middle-dose Tiangou Jiangya capsule group was significantly reduced at 30 min after administration. The systolic blood pressure (SAP) and diastolic blood pressure (DAP) of high-dose group of Tiangou Jiangya capsule was significantly reduced at 15 min to 90 min after administration. High-dose Tiangou Jiangya capsule can also significantly reduce cardiac work (LVW) and total peripheral resistance (TPR). Tiangou Jiangya capsule had no significant effect on the other hemodynamic parameters and myocardial oxygen consumption., Conclusion: Tiangou Jiangya capsule has a significant effect on reducing blood pressure, which is related to the reducing total peripheral resistance and reducing cardiac work. The result can provide a reference to further clarify the Tiangou Jiangya capsule mechanism on reducing blood pressure.