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Batteries are considered as an attractive candidate for grid-scale energy storage systems (ESSs) application due to their scalability and versatility of frequency integration, and peak/capacity adjustment. Since adding ESSs in power grid will increase the cost, the issue of economy, that whether the benefits from peak cutting and valley filling can compensate for the cost input of adding energy storage system or not, is particularly concerned. Here we show how the cost of battery deployment can potentially be minimized by carrying out an economic assessment for the cases of different batteries applied in ESSs. To make this analysis, we develop a techno-economic model and apply it to the cases of ESSs with batteries in applications. Our results show that batteries could be attractive for investors even now if appropriate batteries are selected for ESSs applications. Valve regulated lead acid batteries has a lower cost of initial investment, which is suitable for the situations that are sensitive to the initial investment cost. Lithium iron phosphate (LiFePO4, LFP) battery can be applied in the situations with a high requirement for service life. While zinc-air batteries still have great application prospects to cope with resource depletion due to excellent performance, low cost and low pollution. The current policy debate should therefore be refocused so as to promote technological development and to encompass the removal of such barriers.

This paper reports an epitaxial lift-off (ELO) method that uses water-soluble MgTe to obtain free-standing single-crystal CdTe/MgCdTe double-heterostructure (DH) thin films from samples grown monolithically on lattice-matched InSb substrates. Photoluminescence measurements on as-grown and free-standing films reveal that the optical quality of the DH survives ELO. This method potentially enables substantial increases in the conversion efficiencies of thin-film solar cells through enhancement of the photon-recycling effect. This process holds promise in multijunction PV applications that considers the integration of a 1.7-eV MgCdTe top cell and a crystalline Si bottom cell to form a tandem device with efficiency potentially higher than 30%. Additionally, the method can be applied to other families of devices, such as infrared photodetectors.

A better fundamental understanding of the plasma-catalyst interaction and the reaction mechanism is vital for optimizing the design of catalysts for ammonia synthesis by plasma-catalysis. In this work, we report on a hybrid plasma-enhanced catalytic process for the synthesis of ammonia directly from N2 and H2 over transition metal catalysts (M/Al2O3, M = Fe, Ni, Cu) at near room temperature (∼35 °C) and atmospheric pressure. Reactions were conducted in a specially designed coaxial dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma reactor using water as a ground electrode, which could cool and maintain the reaction at near-room temperature. The transparency of the water electrode enabled operando optical diagnostics (intensified charge-coupled device (ICCD) imaging and optical emission spectroscopy) of the full plasma discharge area to be conducted without altering the operation of the reactor, as is often needed when using coaxial reactors with opaque ground electrodes. Compared to plasma synthesis of NH3 without a catalyst, plasma-catalysis significantly enhanced the NH3 synthesis rate and energy efficiency. The effect of different transition metal catalysts on the physical properties of the discharge is negligible, which suggests that the catalytic effects provided by the chemistry of the catalyst surface are dominant over the physical effects of the catalysts in the plasma-catalytic synthesis of ammonia. The highest NH3 synthesis rate of 471 μmol g-1 h-1 was achieved using Ni/Al2O3 as a catalyst with plasma, which is 100% higher than that obtained using plasma only. The presence of a transition metal (e.g., Ni) on the surface of Al2O3 provided a more uniform plasma discharge than Al2O3 or plasma only, and enhanced the mean electron energy. The mechanism of plasma-catalytic ammonia synthesis has been investigated through operando plasma diagnostics combined with comprehensive characterization of the catalysts using N2 physisorption measurements, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM), NH3-temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), and N2-TPD. Four forms of adsorbed NH x (x = 0, 1, 2, and 3) species were detected on the surfaces of the spent catalysts using XPS. It was found that metal sites and weak acid sites could enhance the production of NH3 via formation of NH2 intermediates on the surface.

Considering the environmental problems caused by a large amount of cotton textile waste and its possible applications in flexible electrodes, it is very promising to reuse the cotton textile waste as an electrode material, reducing the cost of flexible electrodes and alleviating environmental problems. In this work, we present a rechargeable flexible Zn-air battery based on cotton textile waste, which employs Ni-metallized cotton textile waste (NMCTW) as a flexible substrate for Zn anodes and air cathodes. The transparent NiFe hydroxide thin film horizontally grown on the surface of the NMCTW substrate was synthesized in situ by the electrodeposition method, which exhibits excellent catalytic activity because of the high surface area of the two-dimensional (2D) thin film, large contact area between the thin film and substrate, and fast charge transport of the 2D thin-film structure. In view of the high catalytic performance of the NiFe hydroxide thin film, it was used as the catalytic material of the air cathode for the flexible Zn-air battery. The assembled Zn-air battery based on cotton textile waste demonstrated a good rate performance and outstanding charge and discharge cycling stability. The assembled Zn-air battery was applied to power the light-emitting diode, which exhibits exceptional flexibility and stable output power even under severe mechanical bending deformation, proving the feasibility for its application in flexible electronics.

Dry reforming of methane (DRM) is a promising chemical approach to convert greenhouse gases CO2 and CH4 into valuable fuels. Previous experimental study has shown that the addition of alkaline eart...

Alkaline zinc–air batteries are promising energy storage technologies with the advantages of low cost, ecological friendliness, and high energy density. However, the rechargeable zinc–air battery has not been used on a commercial scale because the zinc electrode suffers from critical problems such as passivation, dendrite growth, and hydrogen evolution reaction, which limit the practical applications of zinc–air batteries. Herein, the Perspective summaries the solutions to minimize the negative effects of zinc electrodes on discharge performance, cycling life, and shelf life. The future direction of academic research based on current studies of the existing challenges is proposed.

Flexible zinc-air batteries (ZABs) have been considered as one of the most outstanding energy storage devices for flexible and portable electronics because of their superior energy density and environmental friendliness. As the "blood" of flexible ZABs, electrolytes play a significant role in determining their performance, such as discharge working time, cycling property, and shelf life. Herein, a novel polymer electrolyte based on quaternary ammonium hydroxides is first applied in flexible zinc-air batteries. Tetraethylammonium hydroxide (TEAOH) is innovatively used as the ionic conductor with poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) as the polymer host in the polymer electrolyte and exhibits a good water retention capability, resulting in not only a good shelf life but also a good working life of the flexible zinc-air batteries. The fabricated polymer electrolyte maintains its high ionic conductivity of 30 mS cm

Summary: CO2 circular economy is urgently calling for the effective large-scale CO2 reutilization technologies. The reverse water-gas shift (RWGS) reaction is the most techno-economically viable candidate for dealing with massive-volume CO2 via downstream mature Fischer-Tropsch and methanol syntheses, but the desired groundbreaking catalyst represents a grand challenge. Here, we report the discovery of a nano-intermetallic InNi3C0.5 catalyst, for example, being particularly active, selective, and stable for the RWGS reaction. The InNi3C0.5(111) surface is dominantly exposed and gifted with dual active sites (3Ni-In and 3Ni-C), which in synergy efficiently dissociate CO2 into CO* (on 3Ni-C) and O* (on 3Ni-In). O* can facilely react with 3Ni-C-offered H* to form H2O. Interestingly, CO* is mainly desorbed at and above 400°C, whereas alternatively hydrogenated to CH3OH highly selectively below 300°C. Moreover, this nano-intermetallic can also fully hydrogenate CO-derived dimethyl oxalate to ethylene glycol (commodity chemical) with high selectivity (above 96%) and favorable stability. : Chemical Reaction; Catalysis; Nanomaterials Subject Areas: Chemical Reaction, Catalysis, Nanomaterials

A hollow-B-ZSM-5/SS-fiber catalyst is developed through alkali leaching of the full-silica core of the silicalite-1@B-ZSM-5 in situ structured onto a thin-felt stainless-steel fiber (20 μm SS-fiber), which is synthesized by a seed-assisted dry-gel vapor-phase transport method. As-obtained catalyst shows marked improvement in the mesoporosity-dependent diffusion (by o-xylene diffusion measurement). Boron incorporation is essential for preventing the framework dealumination during alkali leaching treatment due to the increased framework negative charges. The hollow-B-ZSM-5/SS-fiber catalyst shows remarkable stability improvement in the methanol-to-propylene (MTP) reaction because of the enhanced diffusion of the nano-hollow-structure and the boron-incorporation stabilized framework aluminum. A boron-free hollow-ZSM-5/SS-fiber is also obtainable with the textural properties comparable to the hollow-B-ZSM-5/SS-fiber but shows undesired degeneration of the tetra-coordinated aluminum. The preferential generation of coke in the micropores of the hollow-ZSM-5/SS-fiber causes a rapid deactivation even compared to the parent silicalite-1@ZSM-5/SS-fiber, due to the existence of extra-framework aluminum.

The rapid advancement of flexible and wearable electronic devices drives the need for flexible batteries, and zinc–air batteries (ZABs) have attracted extensive interest due to their extremely high theoretical energy density, eco-friendliness and low cost. However, the use of conventional alkaline ZABs is significantly restricted by corrosion and dendrite growth at the Zn anode and fast carbonate formation of the electrolyte. Herein, we report an emerging type of ZAB that uses a near-neutral gel polymer electrolyte (neutral GPE) with good water retention and high ionic conductivity; this ZAB system is more environmentally friendly and less corrosive than alkaline electrolytes, thus potentially avoiding carbonation problems and mitigating corrosion issues. Furthermore, an integrated nanoporous air cathode with an enlarged interfacial contact area and catalytic sites is utilized, and it demonstrates excellent flexibility and high strength. Due to these advantages, the assembled neutral GPE-based flexible ZABs exhibit a prolonged cycle life of 70 h in the fresh state and after being packaged for 10 days, indicating a remarkable battery life performance. Furthermore, the ZABs can be fabricated in customized shapes and sizes to satisfy the space and energy demands of a variety of applications, and they can operate without degraded battery performance under bending conditions and even during the tailoring process.

Metal–air batteries (MABs), which possess exceptionally high energy density and exhibit other ideal features such as low cost, environmental benignity and safety, are regarded as promising candidates for the next generation of power sources. The performance of MABs and the challenges involved in these systems are primarily related to metal electrodes. In the present work, different types of MABs are overviewed from the perspective of the metal electrodes. Most metal electrodes that have been studied in recent years are reviewed, among which Zn, Al, Mg and Fe are highlighted. The advantages and disadvantages of each system are presented, and recent advances that address challenges such as corrosion, passivation and dendrite growth are introduced. In addition, investigations focused on revealing interactions between the metal electrodes and electrolytes or exploring electrolytes to improve the performance of metal electrodes are also discussed. Finally, a general perspective on the current situation of this field and on future research directions is provided.

Most patients with gastric cancer (GCa) are diagnosed at an advanced stage. We aimed to investigate novel fecal signatures for clinical application in early diagnosis of GCa.This was an observational study that included 1043 patients from 10 hospitals in China. In the discovery cohort, 16S ribosomal RNA gene analysis was performed in paired samples (tissues and feces) from patients with GCa and chronic gastritis (ChG) to determine differential abundant microbes. Their relative abundances were detected using quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction to test them as bacterial candidates in the training cohort. Their diagnostic efficacy was validated in the validation cohort.Significant enrichments of Streptococcus anginosus (Sa) and Streptococcus constellatus (Sc) in GCa tumor tissues (P.05) and feces (P.0001) were observed in patients with intraepithelial neoplasia, early and advanced GCa. Either the signature parallel test Sa∪Sc or single signature Sa/Sc demonstrated superior sensitivity (Sa: 75.6% vs 72.1%, P.05; Sc: 84.4% vs 64.0%, P.001; and Sa∪Sc: 91.1% vs 81.4%, P.01) in detecting early GCa compared with advanced GCa (specificity: Sa: 84.0% vs 83.9%, Sc: 70.4% vs 82.3%, and Sa∪Sc: 64.0% vs 73.4%). Fecal signature Sa∪Sc outperformed Sa∪CEA/Sc∪CEA in the discrimination of advanced GCa (sensitivity: 81.4% vs 74.2% and 81.4% vs 72.3%, P.01; specificity: 73.4% vs 81.0 % and 73.4% vs 81.0%). The performance of Sa∪Sc in the diagnosis of both early and advanced GCa was verified in the validation cohort.Fecal Sa and Sc are noninvasive, accurate, and sensitive signatures for early warning in GCa. (ClinicalTrials.gov, Number: NCT04638959).

STUDY QUESTION: Can genome-wide haplotyping increase success following preimplantation genetic testing for a monogenic disorder (PGT-M) by including zygotes with absence of pronuclei (0PN) or the presence of only one pronucleus (1PN)? SUMMARY ANSWER: Genome-wide haplotyping 0PNs and 1PNs increases the number of PGT-M cycles reaching embryo transfer (ET) by 81% and the live-birth rate by 75%. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY: Although a significant subset of 0PN and 1PN zygotes can develop into balanced, diploid and developmentally competent embryos, they are usually discarded because parental diploidy detection is not part of the routine work-up of PGT-M. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION: This prospective cohort study evaluated the pronuclear number in 2229 zygotes from 2337 injected metaphase II (MII) oocytes in 268 cycles. PGT-M for 0PN and 1PN embryos developing into Day 5/6 blastocysts with adequate quality for vitrification was performed in 42 of the 268 cycles (15.7%). In these 42 cycles, we genome-wide haplotyped 216 good quality embryos corresponding to 49 0PNs, 15 1PNs and 152 2PNs. The reported outcomes include parental contribution to embryonic ploidy, embryonic aneuploidy, genetic diagnosis for the monogenic disorder, cycles reaching ETs, pregnancy and live birth rates (LBR) for unaffected offspring. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS: Blastomere DNA was whole-genome amplified and hybridized on the Illumina Human CytoSNP12V2.1.1 BeadChip arrays. Subsequently, genome-wide haplotyping and copy-number profiling was applied to investigate the embryonic genome architecture. Bi-parental, unaffected embryos were transferred regardless of their initial zygotic PN score. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE: A staggering 75.51% of 0PN and 42.86% of 1PN blastocysts are diploid bi-parental allowing accurate genetic diagnosis for the monogenic disorder. In total, 31% (13/42) of the PGT-M cycles reached ET or could repeat ET with an unaffected 0PN or 1PN embryo. The LBR per initiated cycle increased from 9.52 to 16.67%. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION: The clinical efficacy of the routine inclusion of 0PN and 1PN zygotes in PGT-M cycles should be confirmed in larger cohorts from multicenter studies. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS: Genome-wide haplotyping allows the inclusion of 0PN and 1PN embryos and subsequently increases the cycles reaching ET following PGT-M and potentially PGT for aneuploidy (PGT-A) and chromosomal structural rearrangements (PGT-SR). Establishing measures of clinical efficacy could lead to an update of the ESHRE guidelines which advise against the use of these zygotes. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S): SymBioSys (PFV/10/016 and C1/018 to J.R.V. and T.V.), the Horizon 2020 WIDENLIFE: 692065 to J.R.V., T.V., E.D., A.D. and M.Z.E. M.Z.E., T.V. and J.R.V. co-invented haplarithmisis ('Haplotyping and copy-number typing using polymorphic variant allelic frequencies'), which has been licensed to Agilent Technologies. H.M. is fully supported by the (FWO) (ZKD1543-ASP/16). The authors have no competing interests to declare. ispartof: HUMAN REPRODUCTION vol:33 issue:12 pages:2302-2311 ispartof: location:England status: published

Background: To assess the feasibility of radiomics based on precontrast MRI for the distinguish of s-HCC and pre-HCC.Method: We retrospectively analyzed 146 nodules from 78 patients, with pathological confirmed. Each nodule was segment on precontrast MRI sequence(TIWI and fat-suppression T2WI), retrospectively. 1223radiomics features were extracted and the optimal 10 features were selected by LASSO to establish the logistic regression radiomics model. Result: The AUC, sensitivity and specificity of the training group and test group were 0.757 (95% CI 0.638 -0.853), 83.02% , 66.67% and 0.789 (95% CI 0.643-0.895), 88.89% and 80.00%, respectively. The AUC, sensitivity and specificity of the training group and test group were 0.903 (95% CI 0.807-0.962), 86.79% , 86.67% and 0.778 (95% CI 0.632-0.887), 75.00%, 80.00%, respectively. Delong test has proved that, the diagnositic performances of radiomics model based on T2WI were higher than that of radiomics model based on T1WI (p = 0.0379).Conclusion: Radiomics model can classify s-HCC and pre-HCC based on precontrast MRI. And may serve as an adjunct tool for accurate diagnosis of s-HCC.

The endogenous epigenetic marker 5-formylcytosine (5 fC) is introduced by 5-methylcytosine (5 mC) oxidation under action of enzyme oxidation, and plays an important role in many life activities. Since the content of 5 fC in mammalian tissues and cells is very low, it is necessary to exploit a sensitive and specific detection method to further understand the function of 5 fC. In this work, a sensitively and selectively photoelectrochemical (PEC) biosensor was developed for 5-formyl-2'-deoxycytidine (5fdC) detection. CuBi

The excessive emission of CO2 has caused many environmental issues and is severely threatening the eco-system. CO2 electroreduction reaction (CO2RR) that driven by sustainable power is an ideal route for realizing the net reduction of CO2 and carbon recycle. Developing efficient electrocatalysts with low cost and high performance is critical for the wide applications of CO2RR electrolysis. Among the various explored CO2RR catalysts, non-noble metal (NNM)-based nanomaterials have drawn increasing attentions due to the remarkable performance and low cost. In this mini-review, the recent advances of NNM-based CO2RR catalysts are summarized, and the catalysts are classified based on their corresponding reduction products. The preparation strategies for engineering the electrocatalysts are introduced, and the relevant CO2RR mechanisms are discussed in detail. Finally, the current challenges in CO2RR research are presented, and some perspectives are proposed for the future development of CO2RR technology. This mini-review introduces the recent advances and frontiers of NNM-based CO2RR catalysts, which should shed light on the further exploration of efficient CO2RR electrocatalysts.

Chromosome instability is inherent to human IVF embryos, but the full spectrum and developmental fate of chromosome anomalies remain uncharacterized. Using haplotyping-based preimplantation genetic testing for monogenic diseases (PGT-M), we mapped the parental and mechanistic origin of common and rare genomic abnormalities in 2300 cleavage stage and 361 trophectoderm biopsies. We show that while single whole chromosome aneuploidy arises due to chromosome-specific meiotic errors in the oocyte, segmental imbalances predominantly affect paternal chromosomes, implicating sperm DNA damage in segmental aneuploidy formation. We also show that postzygotic aneuploidy affects multiple chromosomes across the genome and does not discriminate between parental homologs. In addition, 6% of cleavage stage embryos demonstrated signatures of tripolar cell division with excessive chromosome loss, however hypodiploid blastomeres can be excluded from further embryo development. This observation supports the selective-pressure hypothesis in embryos. Finally, considering that ploidy violations may constitute a significant proportion of non-viable embryos, using haplotyping-based approach to map these events might further improve IVF success rate. ispartof: NPJ GENOMIC MEDICINE vol:6 issue:1 ispartof: location:England status: published

Background: Most gastric cancer (GC) patients are diagnosed at an advanced stage, which indicates their poor prognosis. We aimed to investigate novel fecal microbial markers for clinical application in the screening and early diagnosis of gastric cancer (GC). Methods: This is an observational study from three cohorts. In discovery cohort, 16S rRNA gene analysis was performed in paired samples (gastric tissues, feces) from GC and CG patients to determine differential microbes. The relative abundances of the differential microbes were detected using qPCR in training cohort. The diagnostic efficacy of fecal marker Sa/Sc was validated in validation cohort. Findings: 575 gastric cancer (GC) patients, 468 chronic gastritis (CG) patients were enrolled from ten hospitals in China. Significant enrichments of Streptococcus anginosus (Sa) and Streptococcus constellatus (Sc) in both cancerous tissues (P < 0·05) and feces ( P < 0·0001) were observed in patients with intraepithelial neoplasia, early and advanced GC. Either the marker parallel test Sa ∪ Sc or single marker Sa/Sc demonstrated superior sensitivity (Sa: 75·6% vs. 72·1%, P

Hedgehog (Hh) signaling is a classic morphogen in controlling embryonic development and tissue repairing. Aberrant activation of Hh signaling has been well documented in liver cancer, including hepatoblastoma, hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) and cholangiocarcinoma. The present review aims to update the current understanding on how abnormal Hh signaling molecules modulate initiation, progression, drug resistance and metastasis of HCC. The latest relevant literature was reviewed with our recent findings to provide an overview regarding the molecular interplay and clinical relevance of the Hh signaling in HCC management. Hh signaling molecules are involved in the transformation of pre-carcinogenic lesions to malignant features in chronic liver injury, such as nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Activation of GLI target genes, such as ABCC1 and TAP1, is responsible for drug resistance in hepatoma cells, with a CD133−/EpCAM− surface molecular profile, and GLI1 and truncated GLI1 account for the metastatic feature of the hepatoma cells, with upregulation of matrix metalloproteinases. A novel bioassay for the Sonic Hh ligand in tissue specimens may assist HCC diagnosis with negative α-fetoprotein and predict early microvascular invasion. In-depth exploration of the Hh signaling deepens our understanding of its molecular modulation in HCC initiation, drug sensitivity and metastasis, and guides precise management of HCC on an individual basis.

Highlights A unique dual-ion adsorption mechanism for zinc ion capacitor is enabled by a carbon cathode with defect-rich tissue, dense heteroatom dopant and immense surface area.The active sites on carbon surface for reversible dual-ion adsorption are identified by in-depth characterizations and DFT simulations.The zinc ion capacitor delivers unrivaled combination of high energy and power characteristics. The superb energy, power and cyclability are achieved in multiple cell configurations including coin cell and flexible solid-state pouch-/cable-type cells. Supplementary Information The online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-021-00588-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users., Aqueous zinc-based batteries (AZBs) attract tremendous attention due to the abundant and rechargeable zinc anode. Nonetheless, the requirement of high energy and power densities raises great challenge for the cathode development. Herein we construct an aqueous zinc ion capacitor possessing an unrivaled combination of high energy and power characteristics by employing a unique dual-ion adsorption mechanism in the cathode side. Through a templating/activating co-assisted carbonization procedure, a routine protein-rich biomass transforms into defect-rich carbon with immense surface area of 3657.5 m2 g−1 and electrochemically active heteroatom content of 8.0 at%. Comprehensive characterization and DFT calculations reveal that the obtained carbon cathode exhibits capacitive charge adsorptions toward both the cations and anions, which regularly occur at the specific sites of heteroatom moieties and lattice defects upon different depths of discharge/charge. The dual-ion adsorption mechanism endows the assembled cells with maximum capacity of 257 mAh g−1 and retention of 72 mAh g−1 at ultrahigh current density of 100 A g−1 (400 C), corresponding to the outstanding energy and power of 168 Wh kg−1 and 61,700 W kg−1. Furthermore, practical battery configurations of solid-state pouch and cable-type cells display excellent reliability in electrochemistry as flexible and knittable power sources. Supplementary Information The online version of this article (10.1007/s40820-021-00588-5) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Hypertension is the most prevalent chronic disease and a risk factor for various diseases. Although its mechanisms and therapies are constantly being updated and developed, they are still not fully clarified. In recent years, novel gut microbiota and its metabolites have attracted widespread attention. It is strongly linked with physiological and pathological systems, especially TMA and TMAO. TMA is formed by intestinal microbial metabolism of choline and L-carnitine and converted into TMAO by FMO3. This paper collected and collated the latest researches and mainly discussed the following four parts. It introduced gut microbiota; provided a focus on TMA, TMA-producing bacteria, and TMAO; summarized the alternations in hypertensive patients and animals; discussed the mechanisms of TMAO with two respects; and summarized the regulatory factors may be as new interventions and therapies of hypertension. And, more relevant studies are still prospected to be accomplished between hypertension and TMA/TMAO for further clinical services.

Tuning the electronic states near the Fermi level can effectively facilitate the reaction kinetics. However, elucidating the role of a specific electronic state of metal oxide in simultaneously regulating the CO

Background: Qizhu granule, a traditional Chinese medicine, has been widely used in clinic as a complementary and alternative medicine to treat liver fibrosis.However, the mechanism underlying its anti-hepatic fibrosis is still not clear. Liver fibrosis accompanied by liver sinusoidal pathological angiogenesis has been highlighted as novel therapeutic targets for the treatment of chronic liver disease. In this study, we investigated the mechanism of anti-capillarization of this herbal drug against liver fibrosis.Materials and methods: The liver fibrosis rats model induced by 4-week of intervention with 40% CCl4 was employed in this study. Meanwhile, low, medium and high dose serum containing Qizhu granules were prepared. Liver tissues were acquired, and liver samples were subjected to histological studies.LSECs were isolated from liver fibrosis rats and were routinely cultured for 48h in low, medium and high dose of Qizhu granules-containing serum. The fenestration of LSECs in liver fibrosis rats were observed under scanning electron microscopy. The expression of the endothelial cell surface markers CD31, SE-1 and LSECs integrin ɑVβ3, FAK, p-FAK, Ras, MAPK, p-MAPK were measured by western blot.Results: Compared with the control group, the loss of fenestration of LSECs in the model group increased. After intervention of Qizhu granule-containing serum, the fenestration of the structure of LSECs in liver fibrosis induced by CCl4 increased, especially in the high-dose Qizhu granules group. ompared with the control group, the expression levels of SE-1 and CD31 in LSECs in the model group were significantly increased (P < 0.05). Compared with the model group, the expression levels of SE-1 and CD31 in LSECs of rats with hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl4 decreased after the treatment of low, medium and high dose serum containing Qizhu granules (P < 0.05). Among them, the expression levels of SE-1 and CD31 in LSECs of Qizhu granules group decreased with the increase of dosage, showing a dose-dependent relationship to a certain extent. Compared with the normal control group, the expression of integrin ɑVβ3, Ras, p-FAK and p-MAPK protein increased in the LSECs of model group(P 0.05).Conclusions: Qizhu granule could reduce the loss of fenestration of LSECs, transforming the cell phenotype of LSECs, and ameliorating the pathological remodeling of hepatic sinus capillarization in hepatic fibrosis induced by CCl4 in rats. It was found that Qizhu granules played an anti-fibrosis role by suppressing the expression of integrin ɑVβ3-FAK-Ras/MAPK signaling pathway of LSECs in CCl4-induced fibrosis rats.

As consumers' requirements for delivery speed and service quality become higher and higher and demand for terminal delivery is increasingly diversified, urban instant delivery has become a development trend under the current new retail model. The instant delivery problem with commitment is studied. To improve the operability and usability, two algorithms strictly abiding by the time commitment to improve customer service satisfaction are proposed as follows. In the first algorithm, the center-of-gravity clustering method is used to select the distribution route for the customer, that is, the nearest distribution route is selected as the insertion route after calculating the distance from the new customer to the center of gravity of the existing distribution route. Then the nearest insertion algorithm is applied to insert the customer into the selected route without violating the time commitment to all customers. In the second algorithm, based on the principle of first-come-first-served, the first departure route is selected, and the customer is inserted after the last existing customer of the selected route. Finally, the effectiveness of the two algorithms are verified with the known benchmarks. It's found that the first algorithm performs better than the second one with a shorter total traveling distance and a lower error rate.

Proximal to distal Y stenting technique is a modified bifurcation technique based on the original Y stenting technique described over 20 years ago. We use a bench top model to illustrate the steps of the technique, which can provide both provisional and full coverage options, using radial artery access. This technique may be applied in clinical settings on a wide range of bifurcation anatomies with a number of unique advantages.

Since the Paris Agreement came into effect in 2016, governments worldwide have established goals for future carbon emission reduction. Enterprises and governments have begun to pay attention to the management of carbon emission. This study explored the dynamic relationship between business growth and carbon emission performance by constructing and using a time series model to predict the trend of carbon emission. The time series method (ADF unit root test, cointegration test and VAR model etc.) was adopted to investigate 805 companies listed on the Taiwan Stock Exchange from 2012 to 2017 as the sample of this study. The carbon emission performance variables include: total carbon emission, annual increase of carbon emission, and annual increase rate of carbon emission. The business growth variables include: growth rate, stability of growth, and years of establishment. The results showed a long-term dynamic relationship between business growth and carbon emission performance. Therefore, using the time series method can assist enterprises in developing green strategies, strengthen carbon emission prediction and management capacities, reduce operating costs and risks, and actively achieve the ideal of sustainable development.

To evaluate the plasma levels and clearance of procalcitonin (PCTc) as prognostic biomarkers for patients with abdominal sepsis. A retrospective study of 103 patients with abdominal sepsis was conducted in our intensive care unit (ICU) from 2016 to 2018. Procalcitonin (PCT) plasma levels were measured at the time of diagnosis of abdominal sepsis and daily over the next 5 days. PCTc was calculated from day 3 to day 5. The prognostic accuracy of PCTc was expressed as the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC). The Kaplan–Meier method was used to compare the survival curves by log-rank test. Logistic regression analysis was used to predict the 28-day mortality. The primary outcome was 28-day mortality since admission to ICU. Serum PCT levels from day 1 to day 5 did not differ significantly between survivors and non-survivors, while PCTc on day 5 was statistically significantly higher in survivors than that in non-survivors (86.4% vs 38.7%, P 70% compared with those with PCTc-day 5

A couple of molecular-targeting medications, such as Lenvatinib, are available for the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in addition to Sorafenib in an advanced stage. Approval for the use of immune check-point inhibitors, such as Nivolumab and Pembrolizumab has shifted the paradigm of current HCC treatment, and the monotherapy or in combination with Lenvatinib or Sorafenib has significantly extended overall survival or progression-free survival in a large portion of patients. A combination of programmed cell death ligand-1 (PD-L1) inhibitor Atezolizumab with a vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) inhibitor, Bevacizumab, has recently achieved promising outcome in unresectable HCC patients. Other immunotherapy, such as chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapy has achieved an evolutional success in hematologic malignancies, and has extended its use in deadly solid tumors, such as HCC. Although there exist various barriers, novel approaches are developed to move potential adoptive T cell therapy strategies, including cytokine-induced killer (CIK) cells, tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (TIL), T cell receptor (TCR) T cells, CAR-T cells, to clinical application.

Background: To study the endoscopic trans-lateral molar (ETLM) approach to infratemporal fossa (ITF) lesions and analyze the advantages and disadvantages of this method. Methods: Four cases of ITF lesions were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical features, diagnosis and treatments, the operative process, and clinical applications of this surgical approach were discussed. Results: Postoperative pathologies were 2 pleomorphic adenomas, 1 schwannoma, and 1 inflammatory lesion. All patients had self-resolving cheek swelling and pharyngalgia in the short term, but 2 patients had numbness in the long term. There was no infection or bleeding in the postoperative period, and no difficulty in chewing after disease recovery. There was no tumor recurrence during the follow-up period. Conclusion: The ETLM approach is convenient, minimally invasive, and allows complete excision of benign ITF lesions, posterior to the lateral pterygoid muscle and mainly below the level of the hard palate. It is a simple and direct access to the ITF, but it is a narrow access because of the limitations of bones and soft tissues. Appropriate patient selection is mandatory for successful surgery.