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Objective The low accuracy limits the use of fibular free flap (FFF). We apply digital navigation and 3D printing model technology in mandibular reconstruction to improve FFF’s accuracy. Methods 34 patients who underwent with FFF to repair mandibular defects were divided into Navigation Group (13 cases, using digital navigation and 3D printing model) and Control Group (21 cases, only 3D printing model). We retrospectively reviewed patients’ hospitalization information and evaluated patients by subjective and objective items, such as UW-Qol scale, CT data. Results The operation time of Navigation Group was higher significantly than Control Group (10.36 ± 1.87vs9.00 ± 1.34 h).There were no significant differences in early postoperative complications. The Qol score of appearance, motion, anxiety were higher significantly in Navigation Group. The CT results showed that mandibular angle deviation and chin deflection of Navigation Group were better significantly than Control Group (1.72 ± 1.29° vs 3.69 ± 1.67°, 2.45 ± 1.39 vs 5.19 ± 2.13 mm). Conclusions The digital navigation can improve FFF’s accuracy in mandibular reconstruction. It doesn’t significantly increase complications. The digital navigation’s installation and operation methods should be simplified to shorter operation time and expand its application.

The emergence of superconductivity in two-dimensional (2D) materials has attracted tremendous research efforts because the origins and mechanisms behind the unexpected and fascinating superconducting phenomena remain unclear. In particular, the superconductivity can survive in 2D systems even with weakened disorder and broken spatial inversion symmetry. Here, structural and superconducting transitions of 2D van der Waals (vdW) hydrogenated germanene (GeH) are observed under compression and decompression processes. GeH possesses a superconducting transition with a critical temperature (

Surface vacancies, serving as the activation centers for surface-adsorbed species, have been widely applied in catalysts to improve their activity and selectivity. In the case of ternary compound semiconductors, there is some controversy about exposed atoms and surface defects. Two-dimensional layered BiOCl is an important photocatalyst, which has had numerous studies focused on its oxygen vacancy (OV) and bismuth vacancy (BiV). It has been realized that its (001) surface can consist of exposed halogen atoms rather than oxygen atoms, which thus needs a new explanation for its surface defect engineering mechanism. Using first-principles calculations, the activation behavior of NOX (NO2, NO, N2O) at a chlorine vacancy (ClV) on the BiOCl (001) surface is systematically studied. It is found that after introducing ClV on BiOCl (001) surfaces, NOX molecules all show excellent activities with longer chemical bonds by capturing electrons from the catalyst. Our work furnishes fundamental insight into the activation of small molecules on defect-rich surfaces of ternary compound catalysts.

Hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) is widely used as a green oxidant for varying applications. Electrosynthesis is an economical and environmentally-friendly strategy to directly produce H2O2. Its practical production is hindered, however, by the lack of highly efficient and selective as well as low-cost electrocatalysts. Transition metal chalcogenide materials have been proved to be good catalysts for the oxygen evolution reaction, but their selectivity towards conversion of O2 to H2O2 remains unsatisfactory. In this work, 3 atomic-layer defect-rich CoSe2 nanosheets have been successfully grown on carbon cloth as a high performance electrocatalyst. The morphology of CoSe2 can be tuned by regulating the wettability of the growth substrate. The atomic-layer CoSe2 nanosheets showed unprecedented 92% selectivity towards H2O2 production in alkaline solutions, and the yields of H2O2 in alkaline and acidic solutions were 1227.7 mg L−1 h−1 and 894 mg L−1 h−1, respectively. The high efficiency and selectivity originate from the rich defects in the atomic-layer CoSe2 nanosheets, which can accelerate the adsorption of OOH by the exposed Co defect sites.

Herein we present a new viologen-based radical-containing metal-organic framework (RMOF) Gd-IHEP-7, which upon heating in air undergoes a single-crystal-to-single-crystal transformation to generate Gd-IHEP-8. Both RMOFs exhibit excellent air and water stability as a result of favorable radical-radical interactions, and their long-lifetime radicals result in wide spectral absorption in the range 200-2500 nm. Gd-IHEP-7 and Gd-IHEP-8 show excellent activity toward solar-driven nitrogen fixation, with ammonia production rates of 128 and 220 μmol h-1 g-1 , respectively. Experiments and theoretical calculations indicate that both RMOFs have similar nitrogen fixation pathways. The enhanced catalytic efficiency of Gd-IHEP-8 versus Gd-IHEP-7 is attributed to intermediates stabilized by enhanced hydrogen bonding.

The precise control over the geometric and electronic structures of active materials on flexible substrates is of great importance to address the current challenges in optimizing and developing high-performance flexible devices for energy conversion and storage. In this work, an addressable surface was demonstrated to engineer structurally controllable active nanomaterials for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The nanostructures of WS2/MOF/metal hydroxide/oxide with different formation energy barriers electrodes could be tuned by modifying the ratio of O/C and the concentration of carbon defects at the surface of carbon cloth. The morphological structure of the vertical WS2 nanosheets that are favorable to electrocatalysis was found to be highly related to the addressable surface of carbon cloth though heterogeneous nucleation and the interactions between the monomers and surface functional groups. Moreover, the electronic structure of WS2 was further modified with N doping (N-WS2) to deliver an addressable surface for the reaction species involved in the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and the resultant N-WS2 exhibited enhanced HER activity compared with the original WS2. The systematic experimental research and electronic-structure density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated the interesting features of the N dopant: (i) the strong hybridization of the p orbital of dopant N with d orbital of W and p orbital of S atoms (W d-S p-N p hybridization) close to the Fermi level can disperse the conducting charges, thus leading to an improved conductivity across the basal plane of WS2 nanosheets; (ii) the local electron transfer from W to N atoms provides the local charge, thus promoting the H adsorption process in the HER for N-WS2. Our research can be expected to offer new perspectives in the precise construction of highly reactive nanostructures toward high-efficiency and highly stable flexible devices for energy conversion and storage.

Room-temperature sodium–sulfur (RT-Na–S) batteries are highly desirable for grid-scale stationary energy storage due to their low cost; however, short cycling stability caused by the incomplete conversion of sodium polysulfides is a major issue for their application. Herein, we introduce an effective sulfiphilic host, gold nanodots decorated on hierarchical N-doped carbon microspheres (CN/Au/S), to achieve completely reversible conversion reactions in the S cathode by electrocatalyzing the low-kinetics conversion of Na2S4 into NaS2 (discharge process) or S (charge process). Besides, gold nanodots and N-doped carbon can increase the conductivity of the S cathode and provide strong polar–polar adsorption of sodium polysulfides to alleviate the shuttling effects. When serving as the cathode, the CN/Au/S composite can realize enhanced sulfur utilization, excellent cycling stability, and outstanding rate capability. This work deepens our understanding of the catalytic effect of gold atoms on sulfur molecules, opening a new avenue for cathode design and development of advanced RT-Na–S batteries.

Background The vascularized forearm free flap is a workhorse flap for the reconstruction of many types of soft tissue defects. However, the difference in donor-site morbidity between radial forearm free flap (RFFF) and ulnar forearm free flap (UFFF) remains controversial. This study aimed to compare the donor-site outcomes of RFFF and UFFF. Methods We searched PubMed, EMBASE, Web of Science, clinicaltrials.gov, Cochrane Library, and Chinese Biomedical Literature Database up to August 10 2021 to identify studies on donor-site outcomes of RFFF versus UFFF in patients undergoing reconstructive surgery. Two authors individually extracted data and performed quality assessments of the selected articles. The overall morbidity and overall effect of individual complications of the donor site were analysed. Results In total, 288 cases from five studies were included in our analysis. The UFFF group was significantly superior to the RFFF group regarding overall morbidity and overall effect of individual complications of the donor site. Conclusion The morbidity of UFFF donor sites was significantly lower than that of RFFF, and UFFF may be an ideal substitute for RFFF in reconstructive surgery. However, additional large-scale studies are necessary to confirm this finding.

Oxygen vacancy (Vo) on transition metal oxides plays a crucial role in determining their chemical/physical properties. Conversely, the capability to directly detect the changing process of oxygen vacancies (Vos) will be important to realize their full potentials in the related fields. Herein, with a novel synchronous illumination X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SI-XPS) technique, we found that the surface Vos (surf-Vos) exhibit a strong selectivity for binding with the water molecules, and sequentially capture an oxygen atom to achieve the anisotropic self-healing of surface lattice oxygen. After this self-healing process, the survived subsurface Vos (sub-Vos) promote the charge excitation from Ti to O atoms due to the enriched electron located on low-coordinated Ti sites. However, the excessive sub-Vos would block the charge separation and transfer to TiO2 surfaces resulted from the destroyed atomic structures. These findings open a new pathway to explore the dynamic changes of Vos and their roles on catalytic properties, not only in metal oxides, but in crystalline materials more generally.

Defects in metal oxides can significantly improve their physical and chemical properties. However, the conventional methods to generate defects often require complex procedures and harsh conditions. In this study, we design a simple and room-temperature preparation route to prepare defective metal oxide nanoparticles with high yield. The formation of defects is attributed to the generation of oxygen vacancies (VO) and hydrogenation caused by charge transfer at a Mg-metal oxide junction structure. Defective TiO2 exhibits excellent performance toward wastewater cleaning and water splitting. The proposed route is promising in terms of convenience, low cost, and large-scale production.

Background Adequate flap volume is key to maintaining oral function after oral cancer surgery. This study aimed to evaluate changes in radial forearm free flap (RFFF) volumes after 1 year of follow-up following ablative tumor surgery in the head and neck. Methods A prospective study that recorded the clinical data of 20 patients with head and neck cancer who underwent RFFF reconstruction. Magnetic resonance (MR) and Mimics Research 19.0 software were used to measure the RFFF volumes at 1, 3, 6, and 12 postoperative months. Results Compared with one postoperative month, the RFFF volume decreased by 15.5%, 29.4%, and 42.0% at 3, 6, and 12 months, respectively, after surgery. A significant positive correlation between postoperative radiotherapy and RFFF volume changes was detected. Conclusion The volume of RFFF decreases with time. It is recommended to use overcorrection, with a 40% increase in RFFF volume, to reconstruct head and neck tumor-related defects.

Background With the gradual popularity of relatively novel medial sural artery perforator flap (MSAPF), robust studies are needed to compare the surgical outcomes of MSAPF versus multiple free soft flaps (MFSFs) to verify the advantages and disadvantages of MSAPF. Methods The authors searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) until September, 2020, to identify studies that compared surgical outcomes of MSAPF and MFSFs. Two authors followed the PRISMA guidelines, individually extracted the data and performed the quality assessments. Survival rate of flaps, satisfaction degree of patients in recipient and donor site, skin grafting, and morbidity of recipient and donor site were evaluated. Results A total of 441 cases from 7 studies were included in our analysis. No significant differences were found regarding survival rate of flaps, recipient morbidity, and recipient satisfaction degree between the 2 groups. However, MSAPF group was significantly superior to MFSFs group in terms of skin grafting, morbidity, and satisfaction degree of donor site. Conclusion Our meta-analysis showed that the MSPAF and MFSFs groups were similar in terms of survival rate of flaps, recipient morbidity, and recipient satisfaction degree. Medial sural artery perforator flap group was superior to MFSFs group in terms of morbidity and satisfaction degree of donor site. The results may prove that MSAPF is gaining popularity for a reason and is a good choice for repairing soft tissue defects.

The precise control over the geometric and electronic structures of active materials on flexible substrates is of great importance to address the current challenges in optimizing and developing high-performance flexible devices for energy conversion and storage. In this work, an addressable surface was demonstrated to engineer structurally controllable active nanomaterials for electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution. The nanostructures of WS2/MOF/metal hydroxide/oxide with different formation energy barriers electrodes could be tuned by modifying the ratio of O/C and the concentration of carbon defects at the surface of carbon cloth. The morphological structure of the vertical WS2 nanosheets that are favorable to electrocatalysis was found to be highly related to the addressable surface of carbon cloth though heterogeneous nucleation and the interactions between the monomers and surface functional groups. Moreover, the electronic structure of WS2 was further modified with N doping (N-WS2) to deliver an addressable surface for the reaction species involved in the electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER), and the resultant N-WS2 exhibited enhanced HER activity compared with the original WS2. The systematic experimental research and electronic-structure density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrated the interesting features of the N dopant: (i) the strong hybridization of the p orbital of dopant N with d orbital of W and p orbital of S atoms (W d-S p-N p hybridization) close to the Fermi level can disperse the conducting charges, thus leading to an improved conductivity across the basal plane of WS2 nanosheets; (ii) the local electron transfer from W to N atoms provides the local charge, thus promoting the H adsorption process in the HER for N-WS2. Our research can be expected to offer new perspectives in the precise construction of highly reactive nanostructures toward high-efficiency and highly stable flexible devices for energy conversion and storage.

Ag/AgCl-based structures have recently been receiving considerable attention as visible-light-driven plasmonic photocatalysts, wherein the fabrication of Ag/AgCl species shaped with an anisotropic morphology is considered to be an efficient way to enhance their performances. While the past decade has witnessed great progress in this direction, it is still strongly desired to initiate a green and low-cost protocol for the synthesis of Ag/AgCl based structures with high catalytic activity. Using a surfactant-assisted synthesis protocol, wherein a cationic bola-type surfactant of chloride counteranions serves both as a reactant (namely, source of chlorine) for the generation of AgCl structures and as a directing template to assist the formation of anisotropic structures, we herein report that cube-like Ag/AgCl with blunt edges could be fabricated simply by dropping an aqueous solution of silver nitrate into an ethanol solution of the hexane-1,6-bis(trimethylammonium chloride) surfactant. Importantly, compared to the sphere-like counterparts manufactured using a conventional tadpole surfactant, the as-fabricated cube-like structures exhibit substantially improved catalytic performances under visible-light or natural-sunlight irradiation. It has been revealed that photogenerated holes might serve as the main active species during the catalytic process. Meanwhile, our results have disclosed that in contrast to the sphere-like Ag/AgCl structures, the as-constructed cube-like structures are relatively enriched with high-index AgCl facets of smaller hole effective mass, which promote a faster carrier transfer, facilitate the migration of the photogenerated holes to the surface to be involved in photocatalytic reactions, and suppress carrier recombination, leading to their enhanced photocatalytic performances. Considering the tremendous diversity of surfactants (bola-, gemini-, polymeric surfactants etc.) with various halide counteranions and their sophisticated template effects, our new strategy might open up new opportunities for silver/silver halide (Ag/AgX, X = Cl, Br, and I)-based plasmonic structures with various morphologies and with superior light-to-chemical energy conversion capability.

Background For reconstructive surgeons, massive midface defects, including large, full-thickness wounds on the upper lip, can be very challenging. Although there are many methods for reconstruction of upper lip defects, it is difficult to obtain satisfactory restoration of oral functions and good cosmetic results. Case presentation This case report presents a man with massive midface defects, including upper lip, left nose, and cheek defects. Over the previous 2 years, the patient had three reconstructions with sequential free flaps for the resection of recurrent tumors, the first of which was in March of 2016; this resulted in the patient having massive midface defects, including an upper lip defect, a defect on the left side of the nose, and one on the left cheek. The defects were reconstructed using a radial forearm free flap (RFFF), a facial artery musculomucosal (FAMM) flap, and a kite flap. In June 2016, he underwent a second reconstruction, this time of the left nose defect, using a left anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap. In March of 2017, the patient underwent a third reconstruction with the use of a free ALT on the left intraoral cheek and the defects on the neck. All flaps survived. No complications were encountered postoperatively. The patient regained good oral sphincter function with no reports of drooling. Although the patient underwent three surgeries, the reconstruction results were acceptable. Conclusions For massive midface defects, including large, full-thickness wounds on the upper lip, the combination of a FAMM flap, kite flap, and RFFF promotes the reconstruction of the complex midface structure and improves the resulting functionality.

Pursuing efficient and low-cost electrocatalysts is crucial for the performance of water–alkali electrolyzers toward water splitting. Earth-abundant transition-metal oxides, in spite of their alluring performances in the oxygen evolution reaction, are thought to be inactive in the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media. Here, we demonstrate that pure TiO2 single crystals, a typical transition-metal oxide, can be activated toward electrocatalytic hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media through engineering interfacial oxygen vacancies. Experimental and theoretical results indicate that subsurface oxygen vacancies and low-coordinated Ti ions (Ti3+) can enhance the electrical conductivity and promote electron transfer and hydrogen desorption, which activate reduced TiO2 single crystals in the hydrogen evolution reaction in alkaline media. This study offers a rational route for developing reduced transition-metal oxides for low-cost and highly active hydrogen evolution reaction catalysts, to reali...

Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries have received tremendous attention because of their extremely high theoretical capacity (1672 mA h g–1) and energy density (2600 W h kg–1). Nevertheless, the commercialization of Li–S batteries has been blocked by the shuttle effect of lithium polysulfide intermediates, the insulating nature of sulfur, and the volume expansion during cycling. Here, hierarchical porous N,O dual-doped carbon microrods (NOCMs) were developed as sulfur host materials with a large pore volume (1.5 cm3 g–1) and a high surface area (1147 m2 g–1). The highly porous structure of the NOCMs can act as a physical barrier to lithium polysulfides, while N and O functional groups enhance the interfacial interaction to trap lithium polysulfides, permitting a high loading amount of sulfur (79–90 wt % in the composite). Benefiting from the physical and chemical anchoring effect to prevent shuttling of polysulfides, S@NOCMs composites successfully solve the problems of low sulfur utilization and fast capacity...

• The s-p orbital hybridization has been interpreted as an efficient strategy for active photocatalysts with high carrier mobility, owing to its ability of obtaining large overlap between valence electrons which reslut in dispersive energy bands.

BACKGROUND The anterolateral thigh (ALT) free flap has been an extremely versatile flap. The purpose of this study was to propose comprehensive functional assessments of the donor site. METHODS A total of 33 ALT flaps were enrolled prospectively. Objective assessments included isokinetic testing of the knee, and electromyographic examination of the lateral femoral cutaneous nerve (LFCN). The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) was used to subjectively assess the donor-site scar. RESULTS On the donor side, a significant decrease in most isokinetic muscle strength values was obvious 1 year postoperatively (P

Ultrathin layered semiconductors have attracted particular attention for various photocatalytic applications, while their surface-structure changes under reaction conditions have been rarely concerned. Herein, the dynamic evolutions of surface atomic and electronic structures on ultrathin BiOCl photocatalysts were firstly explored by combining synchronous-illumination X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SI-XPS) with X-ray diffraction (SI-XRD). The related results clearly reveal that the exposed {001} facets of ultrathin BiOCl are terminated with chlorine atoms instead of generally considered oxygen atoms. Under steady states, the outward migration of chlorine atoms on BiOCl (001) surfaces resulted in the formation of Bi, Cl, and O atoms with multiple-valence states and length decrease of Cl O and Bi O bond within the lattice phase. Under excitation states, the surface chlorine atoms return back to the lattice phase, leading to the elongation of Bi Cl and Bi O bonds and the valence-state normalization of Bi, Cl, and O atoms. Owing to these significant atomic- and electronic-structure changes, ultrathin BiOCl nanosheets exhibit the prominent activity enhancement (21.4 μmol g−1 h−1) for CO2 reduction to CO compare with bulk BiOCl (3.3 μmol g−1 h−1).

Introduction: The main aim of this article is to discuss and summarize the research advancements and the treatment methods for sweat gland carcinoma (SGC) based on 2 cases of SGC in our hospital and the related literature. Case Report: This article presents 2 patients with SGC who were treated in the China Medical University, Liaoning Provincial Key Laboratory of Oral Diseases from 2007 to 2019. We analyzed the clinical features, therapies, and prognosis of the patients and searched for related literatures. Discussion: Two patients underwent extended resection for local lesions with no adjuvant radiotherapy. Neither local recurrence nor distant metastasis was detected during follow-up. Reviewing previous literature, the treatment of SGC includes surgical resection, radiotherapy, and chemotherapy. We have not found an effective treatment. The prognosis of SGC occurred in head and neck is relatively good compared with another primary-site location, primary surgical excision with safe resection margins and neck dissection is recommended.

Metal-free catalytic materials have recently received broad attention as promising alternatives to metal-involved catalysts. This is owing to their inherent capability to overcome the inevitable limitations of metal-involved catalysts, such as high sensitivity to poisoning, the limited reserves, high cost and scarcity of metals (especially noble metals), etc. However, the lack of shape-controlled metal-free catalysts with well-defined facets is a formidable bottleneck limiting our understandings on the underlying structure-activity relationship at atomic/molecular level, which thereby restrains their rational design. Here, we report that catalytically active crystals of a porphyrin, 5,10,15,20-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl)porphyrin, could be shaped into well-defined cubes and sheet-like tetradecahedrons (TDHD), which are exclusively and predominantly enclosed by {101} and {001} facets, respectively. Fascinatingly, compared to the cubes, the TDHDs display substantially enhanced catalytic activity toward water decontamination under visible-light irradiation, although both the architectures have identical crystalline structure. We disclose that such interesting shape-sensitive catalytic activity is ascribed to the distinct spatial separation efficiency of photogenerated electrons and holes induced by single-channel and multichannel charge transport pathways along noncovalent supramolecular chains, which are arranged as parallel-aligned and 2D network patterns, respectively. Our findings provide an ideal scientific platform to guide the rational design of next-generation metal-free catalysts of desired catalytic performances.

Electropulsing was used to aid in the cutting process of the AISI 5120 cementation steel. Electropulsing is found, on the one hand, to significantly decrease the main cutting force and reduce the tool wear and, on the other hand, to largely improve the surface quality and surface hardness of the specimen. Electropulsing showed remarkable improvement in plastic deformation ability and cutting properties by inducing lubrication property. This phenomenon can be explained by the enhanced mobility of dislocations that resulted from the electroplastic effect and Joule heating.This paper is part of a themed issue on Materials in External Fields.

Objectives Previous studies have proved that periodontitis is an independent risk factor of oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) epidemiologically. Along with the important role of microbiota in the cancer process and the specific anatomical position, our study explored the microbial composition and functions in periodontitis and gingival squamous cell carcinoma (GSCC). Materials and Methods GSCC patients (n = 10), matched periodontitis patients (n = 15), and healthy individuals (n = 15) were recruited. Saliva, subgingival plaque, tongue dorsum, buccal mucosa, cancerous tissue, and paracancerous tissue samples were collected. 16S rDNA amplicon sequencing and functional prediction were applied for the taxonomic analysis. Results Periodontal pathogens occupied 46% in GSCC. Besides, the mutual operational taxonomy unites (OTU) generated from the subgingival plaque occupied 38.36% and 44.13% from saliva. Fusobacterium, Peptostreptococcus, and Prevotella were more abundant in cancerous tissues, while Streptococcus, Neisseria, and Haemophilus were more enriched in saliva or soft mucosa. PCoA exhibited similar cluster between tongue dorsum and saliva in GSCC. GSCC showed lower richness than periodontitis. In saliva and subgingival plaque, Atopobium was more prevalent in GSCC than periodontitis and controls in descending order. Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) biosynthesis increased in subgingival plaque of GSCC compared with the other two groups. Conclusion Periodontal pathogens were abundant in GSCC. Cancerous tissues harbor enriched periodontal pathogens while saliva or soft mucosa harbored more periodontal health related bacteria. A high level of Atopobium in saliva and LPS biosynthesis have the potential for increasing the risk of suffering from GSCC in individuals with periodontitis, which needs more evidence to clarify it.

To provide better therapeutic avenues for treating tongue squamous cell carcinoma (TSCC), a series of experiments about the effects of microRNA (miR)-532-3p on TSCC malignant behaviors were carried out. The result showed that miR-532-3p was down-regulated and C-C chemokine receptor 7 (CCR7) was up-regulated in the tumor tissues compared with those in the paired paratumor tissues. Further, expression of miR-532-3p was detected in four TSCC cell lines, TSCCA, TCA8113, CAL-27, and SCC-25. The miR-532-3p mimics and inhibitor were transfected into the CAL-27 and TCA8113 cell lines which were the relatively lowest and highest miR-532-3p expressions, respectively. It was found that the overexpression of miR-532-3p suppressed TSCC cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and promoted apoptosis in vitro, whilst the knockdown of miR-532-3p reversed these behaviors. The bioinformatics predicted that CCR7 was a downstream gene of miR-532-3p, which was confirmed via luciferase assay. Following, the decline of CCR7 in the miR-532-3p mimics group and the rise of CCR7 in the miR-532-3p inhibitor group were also verified. In addition, enhanced cell proliferation, migration and invasion induced by CCR7 were partly restrained by miR-532-3p in TSCC cell. Meanwhile, miR-532-3p attenuated tumourigenesis in vivo due to the reduction of tumor volume and Ki-67 positive rate and the increase of apoptotic cells. Taken together, these findings reveal a pivotal role for the miR-532-3p/CCR7 axis in regulating TSCC, and this novel axis could be suitable for therapeutic intervention in TSCC disease.

Oxygen vacancy (Vo) on transition metal oxides plays a crucial role in determining their chemical/physical properties. Conversely, the capability to directly detect the changing process of oxygen vacancies (Vos) will be important to realize their full potentials in the related fields. Herein, with a novel synchronous illumination X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (SI-XPS) technique, we found that the surface Vos (surf-Vos) exhibit a strong selectivity for binding with the water molecules, and sequentially capture an oxygen atom to achieve the anisotropic self-healing of surface lattice oxygen. After this self-healing process, the survived subsurface Vos (sub-Vos) promote the charge excitation from Ti to O atoms due to the enriched electron located on low-coordinated Ti sites. However, the excessive sub-Vos would block the charge separation and transfer to TiO

Defects in metal oxides can significantly improve their physical and chemical properties. However, the conventional methods to generate defects often require complex procedures and harsh conditions. In this study, we design a simple and room-temperature preparation route to prepare defective metal oxide nanoparticles with high yield. The formation of defects is attributed to the generation of oxygen vacancies (V

Purpose The main aim of this article is to compare the complication rate associated with the use of miniplates versus reconstruction plates in vascularized osteocutaneous flap reconstruction of the mandible. Patients and methods The authors searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov up to September 2017 to identify studies that compared the complication rate of miniplates versus reconstruction plates in patients undergoing mandibular reconstruction. Two reviewers individually extracted the data and performed a quality assessment. Plate exposure, plate fracture/removal, infection, and overall complications were evaluated. Results Five studies with 511 cases were included in our analysis. No significant difference was found between the groups. However, the reconstruction plate led to fewer overall complications and plate exposure postoperatively than did the miniplate. Conclusion Our meta-analysis suggests that miniplates and reconstruction plates are suitable for mandibular reconstruction with a vascularized osteocutaneous flap.

Purpose This study focused on quality of life for patients in northeast China who underwent oral cancer resection directly before flap reconstruction. In addition, this study compared differences among the radial forearm free flap (RFFF), ulnar forearm free flap (UFFF), and anterolateral thigh flap (ALTF) for defect reconstruction. Materials and Methods To assess patients' quality of life, the University of Washington Quality of Life and 14-item Oral Health Impact Profile (OHIP-14) questionnaires were completed 6 months after reconstruction. Results The flap size of the ALTF group was much larger than that of the UFFF and RFFF groups. The appearance score of the ALTF group was markedly higher than that of the UFFF and RFFF groups, whereas these groups had a much higher swallowing score than the ALTF group. Furthermore, the ALTF group had much lower social disability OHIP-14 scores than the RFFF group. Conclusions The results indicate that all 3 reconstruction methods are similar, but that the ALTF has a slight advantage over the UFFF and RFFF.

Background The free fibula flap has become popular for mandibular reconstruction. The purpose of this study was to propose comprehensive functional assessments of the donor site. Methods Thirty free fibula flaps for mandible reconstruction were prospectively enrolled in the study. Objective assessments included isokinetic testing of the ankle joint, electromyographic examination of the superficial peroneal nerve (SPN), and preoperative and postoperative foot scans. The Patient and Observer Scar Assessment Scale (POSAS) was used to subjectively assess the donor site. Results The isokinetic values of the donor side showed a significant decrease 1 year postoperatively. The results of the electromyographic test of the SPN were categorized as 3 types. The plantar center pressure shifted to the heel on the donor side 6 months postoperatively. The aesthetic outcome was satisfactory. Conclusion The functional parameters of the donor site indeed declined in our assessments. Further refinements in the surgical technique are needed to improve the donor site status. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Head Neck, 2016

Being a new two-dimensional layered compounds, the tunable indirect–direct band transformation of BiOCl with different layers can be realized by introducing the biaxial tensile or compressive strains. The band structure and stability of BiOCl with different layers are first researched to clarify the influence of layer numbers. A phase transformation of bilayer BiOCl and metallic characteristic for all are observed under large tensile and compressive strains, respectively. In addition, bond length, interlayer spacing, and band decomposed charge density are calculated to analyze the mechanism behind these phenomena. The results indicate that the band structure transformation is primarily related to the competitions between two kinds of intralayer and interlayer Bi–O bonds and hybridizations between atoms under strains.

Ferroelectric p-block semiconductors are regarded as a new family of visible-light photocatalysts because of their dispersive and anisotropic band structures, as well as their intrinsic internal electric field. Silver silicates belong to this family and have band structures and an internal electric field that can be engineered by modulating the stoichiometry of Ag and SiO4. Here, we have developed a new ferroelectric p-block photocatalyst, Ag10Si4O13, by materials design and band engineering, which exhibits excellent photocatalytic activity towards the degradation of organic compounds, which is driven by visible light. Owing to the unique d10 and sp/p configurations in its electronic structure, Ag10Si4O13 possesses an indirect band gap of 1.72 eV with a highly dispersive conductive band and a flat valence band. This electronic structure promotes the generation, separation, and mobility of photo-induced charge carriers under visible-light illumination, which has been verified experimentally and theoretically. The compatible energy level of the conduction band determines its strong photo-oxidative capability. Moreover, the charge transfer process takes advantage of the existence of an internal electric field in Ag10Si4O13, which is attributed to the distorted SiO4 chain structure.

Despite growing interest in actinide (An) complexes and their bonding chemistry in recent years, the characteristics of the chemical bonding of actinides in solid-state compounds remain to be relatively unclear compared with those of molecular complexes. Herein, we systematically characterized the structural and electronic properties of trisodium actinates [Na3AnO4 (An = Th to Cm)] using first-principles theoretical methods. In general, the band structures exhibit a transition from charge-transfer insulator with the p-d band gap type to Mott-insulator with the f-f band gap type at Na3PuO4. The conjugation effects of actinide contraction and the decreased energy of the 5f bands in these compounds are responsible for the transition. Consistently, the pentavalent An ions can be achieved from Pa to Pu, and then upon the reduction of the 5f atomic orbitals, strong spin polarization leads to tetravalent Am(f5)IV and Cm(f6)IV. These results improve our knowledge of the OS of actinides in solid-state compounds and establish the connection among local structure, chemical composition, and properties for understanding the underlying mechanism of An chemical state in actinide materials for specific applications.

Objective Free fibular flaps (FFFs) have been widely used in mandibular reconstruction. It is still unclear whether retaining flexor hallucis longus (FHL) is needed for flaps. This study introduces a comparison in quality of life and donor-site function between those who have and haven't harvested FHL with FFF. Methods Patients with FFFs were single-blind-randomly assigned into the FHL group or nFHL group. Patients were followed up preoperatively and 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively via subjective evaluations (SF-36/AOFAS) and objective evaluation s(muscle strength and range of motion). Patients' hospitalization and intraoperative information, donor site morbidity were recorded. Results Each group had 15 patients. The flap harvesting time in FHL group was shorter significantly than nFHL group (125.9 ± 24.8 min vs 146.7 ± 29.9 min, P = 0.048). There were no significant differences in hospitalization information such as operation time, hospitalization days and cost. Donor site morbidities at 1, 3 and 6 months postoperatively showed no significant differences except for the presence of claw toes (nFHL group > FHL group, 40% vs 0, P = 0.017; 53.3% vs 6.7%, P = 0.014; 60.0% vs 13.3%, P = 0.021). There were no significant differences in SF-36 and AOFAS scores. There were no significant differences in muscle strength and range of motion. Conclusion Excision of the FHL lowered the flap harvesting time. It did not increase donor site morbidity. The impacts on patients' quality of life and foot function were the same. The surgeons can use the FHL without considering the influence on patients if not retaining the FHL.

Non-syndromic oral cleft lip and palate is a heterogeneous group of congenital malformations that consist of cleft palate, and cleft lip with or without cleft palate. The members of the wingless type mouse mammary tumour virus (MMTV) integration site family (Wnts) regulate various developmental processes including craniofacial development, and have a role in that of cleft lip and palate. We aimed to identify the potential polymorphisms in the Wnt10a gene, and to explore the association between the variations in the gene and the risk of development of cleft palate. A total of 198 affected patients (cleft lip, n=67; cleft palate, n=48; and both, n=83) together with 187 healthy controls were enrolled (all from the Chinese Han population in NE China). A fragment of 316 bp was amplified from the blood genome of each participant by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) using specific primers that targeted the Homo sapiens Wnt10a gene. By using the restriction enzyme AluI, the population analysed were classified into three genotypes, GG (316 bp), GA (316 bp, 117bp, 199bp) and AA (117bp, 199bp) based on the rs147680216 G/A polymorphism (GlySer mutation at position 213 of Wnt10a protein) of theWnt10a gene. The frequency of allele A in the affected group was significantly higher (14.1% compared with 3.2% in the control group). The allele G with an odds ratio (OR) of 0.201 and 95% CI of 0.445 to 0.091 was not a risk factor for the condition in the affected group. However, the distribution of the genotype did affect its occurrence in the affected group (p0.001), but not the classification of types (p=0.901). In conclusion we found an rs147680216 GA mutation that was associated with non-syndromic cleft lip and palate in the Wnt10a gene.

Background The repair and reconstruction of maxillary and mandibular extensive defects have put huge challenges to surgeons. The fibular free flap (FFF) is one of the standard treatment choices for reconstruction. The conventional FFF has deficiencies, such as forming poor oral mucosa, limited flap tissue, and perforator vessel variation. To improve the use of FFF, we add the flexor hallucis longus (FHL) in the flap (FHL-FFF). In this paper, we described the advantage and indication of FHL-FFF and conducted a retrospective study to compare FHL-FFF and FFF without FHL. Methods Fifty-four patients who underwent FFF were enrolled and divided into two groups: nFHL group (using FFF without FHL, 38 patients) and FHL group (using FHL-FFF, 16 patients). The perioperative clinical data of patients was collected and analyzed. Results The flaps all survived in two groups. We mainly used FHL to fill dead space, and the donor-site morbidity was slight. In FHL group, flap harvesting time was shorter (118.63 ± 11.76 vs 125.74 ± 11.33 min, P = 0.042), the size of flap’s skin paddle was smaller (16.5 (0–96) vs 21.0(10–104) cm2, P = 0.027) than nFHL group. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in hospital days, hospitalization expense, rate of perioperative complications, etc. between the two groups. Compared with FFF without FHL, FHL-FFF will neither affect the use of flap nor bring more problems. Conclusion The FHL-FFF simplifies the flap harvesting operation. The FHL can form good mucosa and make FFF rely less on skin paddle. It can be used for adding flap tissue and dealing with perforator vessel variation in reconstruction of maxillary and mandibular extensive defects.

Objective This study aims to compare the prognoses outcomes of mandibular preservation method (MPM) and the mandibulotomy approach (MLA) in oral and oropharyngeal cancer (OOPC) patients. Method We searched PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Chinese BioMedical Literature Database (CBM), Cochrane Library, and clinicaltrials.gov up to September 2016 to identify the studies that compared the prognoses of the MPM versus the MLA in OOPC patients. Two authors individually extracted the data and performed quality assessment. The surgical margins, overall survival rate, total and local recurrence rates, fistula formation, and other functional outcomes were evaluated. Result Six studies with 309 patients were included in our analysis. No significant difference was found regarding the surgical margins, overall survival rate, total and local recurrence rates, and speech and tongue movement between the MPM and MLA groups. However, the MPM group showed a significantly lower fistula formation rate than the MLA group after the operation. Conclusion These findings suggest that the MPM may provide a similar clinical outcome to the MLA, but that the MPM has a lower complication rate in the treatment of OOPC patients.