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Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (NVP) has been deemed as a promising cathode because of high capacity and good stability. Nevertheless, poor intrinsic conductivity seriously limits its further application. Herein, partial Ba2+ substitution on V3+ site is introduced to modify NVP in terms of increasing cell volume due to larger ionic radius of Ba2+ and generating beneficial hole carriers derived from p-type doping. The expanded crystal channels efficiently facilitate the Na + migration and the hole carriers are beneficial for transfer charge to improve electronic conductivity. Ba2+ doping further enhances the structural stability due to the pillar effect, which has been proved by DSC measurement. The increase of exothermic peak temperature and decrease of heat release rate demonstrates the excellent thermal stability of NVBa0.07P@CNTs. Moreover, disordered carbon layer and enwrapped CNTs construct an effective network to provide abundant routes for electronic transportation. Notably, the optimized NVBa0.07P@CNTs delivers superior electrochemical performance in both half and full cells. It releases a capacity of 117.23 mA h g−1 at 0.1C and submits a capacity of 101.99 mA h g−1 with retention of 80% at 15 C over 2000 cycles. Even at 50 C, it still delivers a high value of 78.33 mA h g−1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (NVP) has been deemed to be a prospective cathode material due to the unique NASICON-type framework for sodium ion battery (SIB). Nevertheless, the inferior intrinsic conductive property seriously impedes the development of NVP. Herein, the K/Zr co-substituted and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enwrapped NVP/C composite is successfully synthesized through a facile sol-gel route. Notably, the introduced K+ in Na1 site possesses a pillar effect on the crystal structure to efficiently stabilize the framework. Meanwhile, Zr4+ with larger ionic radius successfully replaces of V3+, which is beneficial to expanding the interplanar spacing to facilitate the migration of Na+. Moreover, the enwrapped tubular CNTs can restrict the agglomerations of active grains to diminish the pathways for ionic and electronic transportation. Synthetically, the CNTs and amorphous coated carbon layers jointly construct a cross-linked 3D network to provide accelerated channels for electronic transportation. Consequently, the modified Na 2.96 K 0.04 V 1.93 Zr 0.0525 (PO 4) 3 /C@CNTs composite exhibits superior electrochemical performance with excellent kinetic properties. Accordingly, it delivers a great capacity value of 110.8 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C. Besides, it exhibits a reversible capacity of 102 mAh g−1 at 2 C and maintains 89.7% after 300 cycles. As for a higher rate of 5 C, it releases an initial capacity of 99 mAh g−1 and a high retention of 90.9% can be obtained after 1300 cycles. Significantly, the optimized sample delivers a high capacity of 91.2 mAh g−1 at an ultra-high rate of 60 C and sustains 78.3% after 3000 cycles. Furthermore, the symmetric full cell is successfully fabricated and reveals superior high-rate capability with excellent stability. Therefore, this modified Na 2.96 K 0.04 V 1.93 Zr 0.0525 (PO 4) 3 /C@CNTs composite would be a promising cathode material for practical applications in SIB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rocky desertification is currently the most serious ecological and environmental problem in karst region of southwestern China. Its negative consequences for both natural ecosystems and the human inhabitants of the karst region have created a need for effective ecosystem restoration strategies, but success in these efforts has been limited. We hypothesized that scarcity of mineral nutrients could be a crucial factor in vegetation recovery, but relatively little information is available about the limiting roles of various mineral elements. We investigated responses of aboveground biomass and nutrient concentrations of a degraded karst grassland to nitrogen (N), Phosphorus (P) and Potassium (K) additions over a period of three years. Nutrient additions significantly increased aboveground biomass and nutrient concentrations for both the plant community and individual plant functional groups. Total aboveground biomass was significantly increased by N (by 35.6%), P (by 35.3%) and K (by 11.7%) fertilization over three years of nutrient additions. The interaction effects of year × N and year × P on total biomass were significant. Additions of N and P increased the biomass of grasses by 39.2% and 15.0%, respectively, and additions of P increased the biomass of forbs by 69.3%. The biomass of shrubs was significantly increased by P (by 111.3%), K (by 45.3%) and N (by 38.5%), and there were strong interaction effects of N, P and K on shrub biomass. P and K additions significantly increased the relative biomass of shrubs but decreased that of grasses, especially under the NPK treatment. Our results suggest that the productivity of degraded grassland in the karst region of China is co-limited by N, P and K, with N and P being the primary limiting factors. Among functional groups, grasses are mainly limited by N and P, forbs by P, and shrubs by all 3 elements, with P being the most limiting factor overall. Mineral fertilization stimulates plant growth and may be a useful tool in efforts to restore woody vegetation in degraded grasslands, thus counteracting the process of rock desertification in the karst region of southwestern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (NVP) has attracted much attention due to its excellent potential for sodium storage property. However, low electronic and ionic conductivities severely limit further development. Herein, a dimensional gradient structure of Ce/Mo co-doped and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enwrapped Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 /C–CeO 2 @CNTs system is constructed by a facile sol-gel method for the first time. The much larger Ce3+ can be used as the pillar ions to buffer the crystal deformation and enhance the structural stability. Moreover, the high charge and strong self-polarization ability of Ce can suppress the increase of charge transfer resistance during the charge/discharge process, which is beneficial to improve the electrochemical performance. Meanwhile, the doping of high-valent Mo6+ generates beneficial vacancies to elevate the Na + diffusion kinetics. The presence of encapsulated CNTs inhibits particle growth, optimizing particle size and shortening ion delivery paths. Significantly, a new conductive CeO 2 phase is clearly identified combining with carbon layers to construct favorable bilayer conductive networks, which effectively facilitate electronic transport. Thus, the modified Na 3 V 1.79 Ce 0.07 Mo 0.07 (PO 4) 3 /C@CNTs (CeMo0.07@CNTs) exhibits a reversible capacity of 110.3 mAh g−1 at 1C, with 91% retention after 1000 cycles. It releases a capacity of 74.9 mAh g−1 at 30C and maintains at 73.9 mAh g−1 after 12000 cycles with a high retention rate of 98.7%. Furthermore, a high retention rate of 83.2% can be obtained after cycling 15000 cycles at 80C, corresponding to a low decay rate of 0.0011% each cycle. In addition, the CHC//CeMo0.07@CNTs asymmetric full cell reveals high specific capacity of 91.59 mAh g−1, demonstrating its excellent practical prospects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of temperatures, catalysts, and catalyst contents on polyethylene (PE) pyrolysis were investigated by using single-photon ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (SPI-TOFMS). The mass spectra of pyrolyzed PE and PE/catalysts from 300 °C to 800 °C illustrate that the pyrolysis reactions were apparently promoted and varied by introducing HZSM-5, HUSY, and MCM-41. As microporous catalysts, HZSM-5 and HUSY were found to accelerate the BTX formation at 400 °C, which could not be observed for pure PE until 800 °C. With the existence of MCM-41, only alkenes were produced below 600 °C. The pyrolysis processes could to be accelerated by adding catalysts. Principal components analysis (PCA) was finally employed to identify the main factors with influence on the products distribution. Analytical results showed that the yield of the majority of products could be affected by different experimental conditions, that the type of catalysts makes the most significant influence. The impact of different types of catalysts on fire hazard of PE was studied by using the cone calorimeter. The results indicated that the time to ignition (TTI) and the peak heat release rate (pHRR) were changed remarkably. It is worth noting that with the addition of MCM-41, the pHRR is the minimum. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, a new methodology for the direct displacement-based seismic control design of timber building structures with an idealized slip-hysteretic model is proposed. The structure under consideration is simulated by the shear beam model, and hysteretic dampers are used to improve the structural equivalent damping ratio and stiffness and thus to reduce the seismic responses. The equivalent damping ratio and stiffness are defined for an inelastic structural system based on steady-state hysteresis, and a spectrum-based response prediction and damper capacity design approaches are proposed for single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) systems. A procedure to distribute the optimal damper capacity from the SDOF system to a multi-degree-of-freedom (MDOF) system is also presented. The distribution of the dampers is based on the criterion that the equivalent stiffness of the system is compensated by the hysteretic dampers to produce the optimal equivalent stiffness that is proportional to the story shear. Nonlinear time history analyses (NTHA) of four example buildings with assumed parameters and with added hysteretic dampers illustrate that the methodology is useful for the design of slip hysteretic structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the short- and medium-term effects of combined mitral valve surgery (MVS) and coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) versus CABG alone for patients with moderate ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR). Design Meta-analysis of 4 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 5 observational studies. Setting Hospitals that perform cardiac surgery. Participants The study included 1,256 cardiac surgery patients from 4 RCTs and 5 observational studies. Interventions None. Measurements and Main Results Four RCTs and 5 observational studies were included in this meta-analysis. Concomitant MVS significantly reduced the residual rate of postoperative IMR (moderate or severe) (RCTs: OR –0.32, 95% confidence interval [CI] –0.58 to –0.07, p = 0.01; observational studies: OR –0.23, 95% CI –0.34 to –0.12, p<0.0001) and the proportion of surviving patients with New York Heart Association class III or IV (RCTs: OR 0.45, 95% CI 0.31-1.8, p = 0.008), but did not improve early mortality (RCTs: OR 0.91, 95% CI 0.30-2.74, p = 0.87; observational studies: OR 1.63, 95% CI 0.88-3.05, p = 0.12) or medium-term mortality (RCTs: OR 0.89, 95% CI 0.46-1.74, p = 0.73; observational studies: OR 0.94, 95% CI 0.65-1.37, p = 0.48) compared with CABG alone. Moreover, adding the mitral valve procedure did not significantly increase the risk of stroke (RCTs: OR 2.27, 95% CI 0.73-7.08, p = 0.16; observational studies: OR 0.55, 95% CI 0.10-3.06, p = 0.50). Conclusions The potential benefits of combined MVS and CABG could outweigh its risks for patients with moderate IMR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Karst landscape in southwestern China is one of the most typical landscapes developed on carbonate bedrock and has the largest area in the world. Carbon sequestration potentials during secondary karst vegetation recovery remain uncertain. Based on the vegetation map and 87 sampling plots at five stages of natural vegetation succession, this study estimated aboveground (AG) vegetation carbon stocks and dynamics at a watershed scale. AG carbon density of grasslands, shrublands, shrub forests, secondary forests and primary forests was 1.70, 4.15, 22.3, 70.3, 142.2 Mg ha −1 , respectively. The ten most important species stored 71.6–96.1% of total AG carbon stock, indicating that carbon pool in karst vegetation was determined by a few dominant species. Main contributors to AG carbon stock shifted from individuals in small diameter classes in shrublands to individuals in large diameter classes in primary forests, indicating that carbon increases in the early vegetation succession resulted from high recruitment of woody plants, while carbon accumulations in the later forests were mainly due to tree growth. The long time required for secondary forests to recover carbon density to the level of primary forests could be explained by the slow speed of large evergreen trees reaching a high level of dominance during secondary succession on the harsh habitats. The total AG carbon stock of the studied watershed (7.50 × 10 3 ha) was 85.9 × 10 3 Mg, of which paddy fields, dry lands, grasslands, shrublands, shrub forests and secondary forests accounted for 22.6%, 3.49%, 0.34%, 5.97%, 12.3% and 55.3%, respectively. The AG carbon stock in this watershed would increase by 92.5% in 50–100 years and by 4.40 times in 140–200 years if the degraded vegetation types could continue to develop into mature forests. Although carbon density of karst forests was significantly lower than that of the forests on non-karst habitats in the same latitudinal zone, the degraded karst vegetation showed a great carbon sequestration potential due to the large distribution area in southwestern China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the karst region of southwestern China, mixed evergreen and deciduous broad-leaved forest is typical vegetation, differing remarkably from the evergreen broad-leaved forest developed in non-karst regions in the same latitudinal zone. Litter input from deciduous trees influences the characteristics of the litter layer, which could affect decomposition dynamics. We evaluated the role of deciduous trees in regulating the decomposition of mixed leaf litter in a karst forest. Four species richness treatments (one, two, four and six species) were designed to evaluate the decomposition rates of litter mixtures for two years. The ratio of deciduous to evergreen species numbers was 1:1 in all mixtures. Litter mass loss was positively correlated with initial nitrogen concentrations and negatively correlated with carbon:nitrogen ratios, suggesting that mass loss was controlled by nitrogen concentration of the litter mixture. Litter mixing accelerated the mass loss by 5.0% and enhanced nutrient release by 4.8%–26.2% for different elements. Synergistic effects in the four-species mixture were usually strongest and increased over time. Although individual litter species within the mixtures showed idiosyncratic responses to litter species richness, mixing effects enhanced decomposition of evergreen litter species more than deciduous species. This study suggests that species composition was more important than species richness in driving non-additive effects on decomposition in this forest. Deciduous trees in karst ecosystems significantly contribute to nutrient cycling, through enhancing the decomposition of evergreen leaf litter. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effects of two Al 2 O 3 phases, γ- and θ-Al 2 O 3 , and Cl component on the performances of Pt-Al 2 O 3 catalysts in the dehydrogenation of propane were investigated in this work. The catalysts were systematically characterized by various techniques, such as scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM), temperature-programmed desorption with ammonia as probe molecules (NH 3 -TPD) and temperature-programmed oxidation (TPO). The characterizations and catalytic results show that: (i) the pore structures and acid properties of the two Al 2 O 3 phases can change the quantity, location and property of the carbon deposition, (ii) the existence of Cl plays a significant role on the agglomeration of Pt particles and carbon deposition, which further influence the catalytic performances of Pt-Al 2 O 3 catalysts with different support phases for propane dehydrogenation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Combustion behaviour of three typical magnesium (Mg) alloys were investigated using a cone calorimeter. Thermogravimetry (TG) analysis with four heating rates (5, 10, 15, and 20 °C/min) in air was performed to determine the oxidation properties. The TG results were used to explain combustion behaviour to a certain extent, either. The extent of conversions of the three alloys at different heating rates at the initial temperature are very similar. Activation energies for oxidation in air were calculated by two typical isoconversional methods. The fire resistance of ZE10 was superior to the other alloys according to current study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this paper was to gain an understanding of the upward flame spread phenomenon of thermal insulation materials as extruded polystyrene (XPS) and polyurethane (PU) foams. Plenty of these materials sustained flame spread under line n-heptane fire source regardless of edge effects. Different flame spread phenomena of XPS and PU were observed and the heat release rate was captured to analyze their burning performance. Flame height was recorded as a function of heat release. Relationship between flame height and total heat flux was revised to quantitatively investigate the effect of the line fire source on flame-retarded and non-retarded materials. This result was predicted in terms of measured fuel thermophysical properties, flame heights and heat feedback to the fuel surface. Total heat feedback to the sample was measured. The upward spread rate for vertical PU slabs during the early-stage burning was observed to increase exponentially with time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Drought stress is one of the most important factors limiting the survival and growth of plants in the harsh karst habitats of southwestern China. Detailed knowledge about the ecophysiological responses of native plants with different growth forms to drought stress could contribute to the success of re-vegetation programs. Two shrubs, Pyracantha fortuneana and Rosa cymosa, and four trees, Broussonetia papyrifera, Cinnamomum bodinieri, Platycarya longipes and Pteroceltis tatarinowii, were randomly assigned to four drought treatments, i.e. well-watered, mild drought stress, moderate drought stress, and severe drought stress. Midday water potential, the maximum quantum efficiency of PSII photochemistry (F v/F m), pigments, osmotic solutes (soluble sugars and proline), cellular damages, and antioxidant enzymes (superoxide dismutase, catalase and peroxidase) were investigated. Drought stress significantly decreased pigments content, but increased the ratio of carotenoids to total chlorophylls in the studied species. After prolonged severe drought stress, the two shrubs exhibited higher F v/F m, less reductions of midday water potential, and lower increases of malondialdehyde content and ion leakage than the four trees. Prolonged severe drought stress largely decreased accumulations of osmotic solutes and activities of antioxidant enzymes in the four trees, but significantly increased proline content and superoxide dismutase activity in the two shrubs and peroxidase activity in P. fortuneana. The positive relationships were observed among activities of antioxidant enzymes, and between contents of osmotic solutes and activities of antioxidant enzymes. These findings suggested that the two shrubs had higher tolerance to severe drought stress than the four trees due to higher capacities of osmotic adjustment and antioxidant protection. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Trace Pt is in an atomic-level dispersion. • Int rodu ction of SiO 2 into Al 2 O 3 support immobilizes the Ga3+ active sites. • Ce and K species synergistically regulate the electronic density of Pt. • K enhanced the relative amount of weak acid and anti-coking capability. Propane dehydrogenation (PDH) is used to increase propylene production and to produce hydrogen as a by-product. Despite the widespread utilisation of Pt-loaded catalysts in industrial PDH operations, challenges such as excessive noble metal loading and coking persist in the face of rigorous reaction conditions. These hindrances limit to achieving the optimal economic efficiency. In this work, we report a method aimed at reducing Pt loading to only 0.05 wt% through synergistic modification of GaPt catalysts loaded on SiO 2 -Al 2 O 3 supports (i.e. SIRAL) with K and Ce. The resulting catalysts exhibit remarkable stability and elevated activity for propane dehydrogenation. The K+ and SiO 2 could modulate the support surface acidity and immobilizes the active tetrahedral Ga3+ sites, which improves the catalytic performance and reduce coke deposition. Furthermore, the inclusion of Ce decreases the electron density of the Pt species, stabilizing the atomically dispersed Pt and enhances the formation of active Pt sites, which effectively impedes the Pt agglomeration. As a result, the GaPtKCe/SIRAL10 catalyst demonstrates excellent catalytic performance, achieving 47% propane conversion and >96% propylene selectivity, while maintaining notable stability with 0.016 h−1 deactivation rate constant at 580 °C, even without hydrogen co-feed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Aims: Hepatocyte-like cells can be derived from pluripotent stem cells such as embryonic stem (ES) cells, but ES cell-derived hepatic cells with extensive capacity to repopulate liver have not been identified. We aimed to identify and purify ES cell-derived hepatoblast-like progenitor cells and to explore their capacity for liver repopulation in mice after in vitro expansion. Methods: Unmanipulated mouse ES cells were cultured under defined conditions and allowed to undergo stepwise hepatic differentiation. The derived hepatic cells were examined by morphologic, fluorescence-activated cell sorting, gene expression, and clonal expansion analyses. The capacities of ES cell-derived hepatic progenitor cells to repopulate liver were investigated in mice that were deficient in fumarylacetoacetate hydrolase (Fah) (a model of liver injury). Results: Mouse ES cells were induced to differentiate into a population that contained hepatic progenitor cells; this population included cells that expressed epithelial cell adhesion molecule (EpCAM) but did not express c-Kit. Clonal hepatic progenitors that arose from single c-Kit−EpCAM+ cells could undergo long-term expansion and maintain hepatoblast-like characteristics. Enriched c-Kit−EpCAM+ cells and clonally expanded hepatic progenitor cells repopulated the livers of Fah-deficient mice without inducing tumorigenesis. Conclusions: ES cell-derived c-Kit−EpCAM+ cells contain a population of hepatoblast-like progenitor cells that can repopulate livers of mice. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the broad scope of applications in electronics, the development requirements of excellent electronic packaging materials with efficient thermal management performance and high electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) are critical, while which are also hardly compatible for a single material such as an elementary substance or a simple chemical compound. Therefore, a series of novel composites filled with phase change material (PCM) polyethylene glycol (PEG) were developed with MXene as the skeleton, and flame retardant Mg(OH) 2 was added to achieve flame retardancy for composites under high temperature environment. As a result, the prepared MXene@PEG/Mg(OH) 2 in this work could achieve an excellent EMI SE of 38.8 dB in X-band, and the thermal conductivity rose from 0.26 to 0.95 W/m·K, while the composite film also presented certain mechanical properties, with the latent heat of 153.72 J/g. Furthermore, the shape stability of the composite material was favourable due to the capillary function of MXene, which effectively forbade the leakage behavior of PCMs during solid-liquid phase transition. The design of MXene@PEG/Mg(OH) 2 composite with stable structure provided a new idea for manufacturing EMI SE materials which often exposed to electromagnetic radiation, which indicated potential great significance for a new generation of packaging materials application in electronic equipment field. [Display omitted] • A series of novel composite membranes were prepared by self-assembly of Ti 3 C 2 T x , polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Mg(OH) 2. • Samples presented electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness, thermal stability and flame retardant property. • The addition of MXene effectively improved thermal conductivity efficiency from 0.26 to 0.95 W/m·K compared with PEG. • The form-stable MXene@PEG/Mg(OH) 2 composite had a phase change enthalpy of 153.72 J/g. • It is innovative application for composite phase change materials in thermal management and microelectronics packaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Depression is a significant factor contributing to postoperative occurrences, and patients diagnosed with depression have a higher risk for postoperative complications. Studies on cardiovascular surgery extensively addresses this concern. Several studies report that people who undergo coronary artery bypass graft surgery have a 20% chance of developing postoperative depression. A retrospective analysis of medical records spanning 21 years, involving 817 patients, revealed that approximately 40% of individuals undergoing coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) were at risk of perioperative depression. Patients endure prolonged suffering from illness because each attempt with standard antidepressants requires several weeks to be effective. In addition, multi-drug combination adjuvants or combination medication therapy may alleviate symptoms for some individuals, but they also increase the risk of side effects. Conventional antidepressants primarily modulate the monoamine system, whereas different therapies target the serotonin, norepinephrine, and dopamine systems. Esketamine is a fast-acting antidepressant with high efficacy. Esketamine is the S-enantiomer of ketamine, a derivative of phencyclidine developed in 1956. Esketamine exerts its effect by targeting the glutaminergic system the glutaminergic system. In this paper, we discuss the current depression treatment strategies with a focus on the pharmacology and mechanism of action of esketamine. In addition, studies reporting use of esketamine to treat perioperative depressive symptoms are reviwed, and the potential future applications of the drug are presented. • This review illustrates current concerns about cognitive impairment. • The review discusses the unpredictable potential value of the new drug esketamine. • The review cites a large number of studies, the most recent studies, and the most classical studies to prove the point. • The description of esketamine is comprehensive and detailed. • It has certain reference significance for the treatment of perioperative depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Along with the wide application of lithium-ion batteries (LIBs), the fire accidents also occur frequently, causing unimaginable losses of life and property. Thermal runaway (TR) is the main reason for LIB fire and explosion, in which carbon materials play an important role. Therefore, this review presents the information about the influence of carbon materials on the safety of LIBs. In the first place, the effects of carbon materials as electrodes on battery safety performance and electrochemical properties were summarized. Subsequently, the roles of each component during TR and the process were introduced, the importance of carbon materials was highlighted. Finally, the improvement measures of carbon electrode materials were summarized, and their influence mechanism on the safety of LIBs was reviewed. By understanding the importance of carbon materials in the TR processing and comparing the advantages and disadvantages, it is concluded that the presently widely used carbon materials have significant impacts on the thermal hazard of batteries. [Display omitted] • The applications of carbon materials in lithium-ion batteries were systematically described. • The mechanism of typical combustibles inside battery, especially electrode on the safety performance is clarified. • The methods to improve the thermal stability of batteries with graphite is summarized. • Existing fire risk problems and the solutions for carbon anodes are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porous carbon network-based phase change composites have been widely used in energy storage and thermal management related fields. At present, the demand of energy crisis for photothermal energy storage and the prevention and management of thermal abuse of electronic equipment constantly promote the development of carbon-based composite phase change materials (PCMs). Therefore, a series of new composite materials filled with PCMs and polyethylene glycol (PEG) and added with flame-retardant magnesium hydroxide were developed, which makes the composites show certain flame-retardant ability in high-temperature environments. The results show that the thermal conductivity increases from 0.25 to 0.94 W/m·K, and the latent heat of phase change remains at 142.7 J/g. In addition, due to the capillary effect caused by the synergistic effect of multi-pore carbon (MPC) structure and cellulose macromolecular chain, the composite material has good shape stability, which effectively prevents the leakage behavior of PCMs during solid-liquid phase change. Moreover, the absorbance of the composite material can reach 1.28 L/(g cm) in the ultraviolet–visible light range of 200 nm–800 nm, and its photothermal conversion efficiency can reach 90.8 %. Therefore, this material has a broad application prospect in the thermal management of electronic equipment and photothermal energy storage devices. A series of composite membranes with enhanced mechanical properties were prepared by self-assembly of MPC, polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Mg(OH) 2. It is an innovative application for composite phase change materials in thermal energy storage, battery thermal management system, microelectronics packaging and intelligent buildings. [Display omitted] • Composite films with enhanced mechanical properties were prepared. • MPC@PEG/Mg(OH) 2 is a novel composite with superior characteristics. • The addition of MPC in composite films effectively improved thermal conductivity. • The form-stable composite films had a phase change enthalpy of 142.7 J/g. • It is an innovative application for composite phase change materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a worldwide epidemic and debilitating disease. It is urgent to explore the potential molecular mechanisms of OA which has crucial roles in the treatment strategy. As a post-translational modification, sialylation mediates the progression of OA. In current study, differential expression of sialyltransferases (STs) in normal and OA cartilage tissues is detected. The ST3GAL4 expression is significantly increased and positively associated with modified Mankin's score in OA tissue. Alteration of ST3GAL4 respectively mediates the degradation of extracellular mechanisms (ECM), apoptosis and proliferation in chondrocytes. Additionally, miR-193b is identified as a direct regulatory target of ST3GAL4. Functional analysis shows that modulation of ST3GAL4 could be reversed by miR-193b. Over-expression ST3GAL4 modifies CD44 sialylation. Finally, sialylated CD44 reduces the binding capacity to lubricin and mediates the activity of the NF-кB pathway. Collectively, these researches indicate that miR-193b/ST3GAL4 axis impacts OA progression by regulating CD44 sialylation via NF-кB pathway. Our researches propose a precise molecular mechanism and provide a prospective therapeutic target in OA. • The differential expression of sialyltransferases in OA was detected. • ST3GAL4 mediated the progression of OA. • MiR-193b was identified as a direct regulatory target of ST3GAL4. • ST3GAL4 could modify CD44 α-2, 3 sialylation and further modulate the NF-кB. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Minimally invasive surgery in knee arthroplasty can reduce postoperative pain and the rehabilitation period. The goal of this study was to explore the therapeutic effect of minimally invasive arthrolysis in post-traumatic knee stiffness.Methods: From March 2002 to March 2016, a prospective investigation was performed on seventy post-traumatic knee stiffness patients treated with minimally invasive knee arthrolysis or conventional knee arthrolysis. Curative effect was evaluated according to Judet's criteria. Operative time, incision length, blood loss, the angle of intraoperative release and the final postoperative joint mobility in two groups were compared using the student's t-test.Results: The mean follow up time was 15.37 ± 4.93 months (ranged from 6 months to 2 years).The excellent and good rate was significantly higher in minimally invasive group (95.0%) than conventional arthrolysis group (73.33%) (P < 0.05). Minimally invasive arthrolysis group had shorter operative time (29.38 ± 4.84 vs. 86.00 ± 9.77 min), smaller incision length (6.59 ± 0.86 vs. 20.47 ± 2.91 cm), less intraoperative blood loss (93.25 ± 15.26 vs. 473.33 ± 79.58 ml) and better postoperative final joint activity (104.75 ± 17.87° vs. 90.67 ± 19.64°) compared to conventional arthrolysis group (P < 0.001).Conclusions: The findings suggest that minimally invasive knee arthrolysis is a much better option for the treatment of post-traumatic knee stiffness due to its advantages such as shorter operative time, little trauma, less blood loss and better postoperative final joint activity. Further studies with a long term of follow-up are wanted. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The optimized KC005@rGO with stabilized and expanded crystal structure and dual-modified conductive network delivers superior sodium storage property in both half cell and asymmetric full cell. [Display omitted] • The pillar effect of K+ substitution supports and expands the crystal structure for Na+ migration. • The smaller Co2+ can widen the inner space and can generate hole carriers to optimize the NVP. • Recombination the rGO can establish a conductive network and can reduce the particle size. • The KC005@rGO displays an outstanding electrochemical performance under both low and high rate. • The asymmetric KC005@rGO//Bi 2 Se 3 full cell could releases a high energy density of 388.6 W h Kg−1. Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (NVP) has been applied to be suitable candidate due to its stable structure and high capacity. However, the poor conductivity limits its further application. Herein, we propose a simultaneous modification strategy to optimize the crystal structure and morphological features. The K+ substitution results in a pillar effect to support the crystal structure and expand the channels for Na+ migration. The replacement of V3+ by Co2+ is facilitated to generate hole carriers to improve the internal electronic conduction. Moreover, recombination with lamellar rGO is favorable to reduce the particle size of grains, offering shortened pathways for electronic transportation. Besides, the carbon layer and conductive rGO construct an efficient network for accelerated electronic transportation. Comprehensively, the K 0.1 Na 2.95 V 1.95 Co 0.05 (PO 4) 3 @rGO (KC005@rGO) delivers a capacity of 120.6 mAh g−1 at 0.1C. It releases a capacity of 102.78 mAh g−1 and maintains 94.75 mAh g−1 after 600 cycles at 5C. Even at 20 and 50C, it shows an initial capacity of 98.6 and 90.36 mAh g−1 and remains 68.9 and 56.8 mAh g−1 after 1000 cycles. Furthermore, the asymmetric full cell of KC005@rGO//Bi 2 Se 3 presents a capacity of 168.4 mAh g−1 with an energy density of 455.49 Wh Kg−1, demonstrating its great practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Na 3 V 2 (PO 4) 3 (NVP) has been deemed to be an ideal cathode candidate due to the high capacity but suffers from the intrinsic poor conductivity. Herein, we adopt a dual modification route of Zr substitution and carbon nanotubes (CNTs) enwrapping to improve the kinetic characteristics and stabilize the structural framework. The replacement of V3+ by Zr4+ is favorable to expanding the migration channels for Na+ diffusion and supporting the structure. Furthermore, Zr4+ substitution contributes to restraining the particle agglomeration and facilitating the uniform distribution. The evenly intertwined CNTs construct an efficient network and establish the beneficial connections for the adjacent Zr-doped NVP particles to accelerate the electronic conductivity significantly. Distinctively, the modified Na 2.9 V 1.9 Zr 0.1 (PO 4) 3 /C@CNTs (Zr0.1-NVP/C@CNTs) exhibits a superior electrochemical performance: it delivers a capacity of 102.1 mAh g−1 at 20 C with a retention of 86.3% after 1000 cycles. Notably, it still reveals an outstanding capacity of 74.3 mAh g−1 and remains 62.2 mAh g−1 after 2000 cycles at 200 C, indicating a low capacity loss of 0.0081% per cycle. Moreover, the symmetric full cell constituted by Zr0.1-NVP/C@CNTs presents competitive practical applicability. Furthermore, the improved kinetic characteristics are demonstrated by multiple methods, indicating the significant improvement of conductivities resulted from the synergetic utility. A feasible simultaneous strategy of Zr-substitution and CNTs enwrapping is proposed to improve the ionic and electronic conductivity of NVP. The superior electrochemical performance of half cells and symmetric full cells demonstrates the practical applications of Zr0.1-NVP/C@CNTs composite. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]