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New porous materials are of great importance in many technological applications. Here, the direct synthesis of multi-layer graphene and porous carbon woven composite films by chemical vapor deposition on Ni gauze templates is reported. The composite films integrate the dual advantages of graphene and porous carbon, having not only the excellent electrical properties and flexibility of graphene but also the porous characteristics of amorphous carbon. The multi-layer graphene/porous carbon woven fabric film creates a new platform for a variety of applications, such as fiber supercapacitors. The designed composite film has a capacitance of 20 μF/cm2, which is close to the theoretical value and a device areal capacitance of 44 mF/cm2. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a light-induced modulation effect in resistance switching of proposed carbon nanotube (CNT)/BiFeO3/Pt heterostructure. XRD, Raman, SEM, and AFM measurements confirm the quality of the BiFeO3 and CNT thin films achieved. Photovoltaic and resistance switching effects are identified in the proposed device structure. Resistance switching upon forward bias can be obviously modulated with light illumination. Dual asymmetric junctions in the heterojunction can be addressed as a critical factor. Our work indicates that CNT/BiFeO3/Pt heterostructure can be utilized in the light-coupled memory and I/O related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We report a light-induced modulation effect in resistance switching of proposed carbon nanotube (CNT)/BiFeO3/Pt heterostructure. XRD, Raman, SEM, and AFM measurements confirm the quality of the BiFeO3 and CNT thin films achieved. Photovoltaic and resistance switching effects are identified in the proposed device structure. Resistance switching upon forward bias can be obviously modulated with light illumination. Dual asymmetric junctions in the heterojunction can be addressed as a critical factor. Our work indicates that CNT/BiFeO3/Pt heterostructure can be utilized in the light-coupled memory and I/O related applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We have combined two planar nanostructures, graphene and CdSe nanobelts, to construct Schottky junction solar cells with open-circuit voltages of about 0.5 V and cell efficiencies on the order of 0.1%. By covering transparent graphene or carbon nanotube (CNT) films on selected positions along macroscopically long CdSe nanobelts, we have demonstrated the fabrication of active solar cells with many different configurations and parallel connections from individual or multiple assembled nanobelts. The graphene-CdSe nanobelt solar cells reported here show a great flexibility in creating diverse device architectures, and might be scaled up for cell integration based on assembled nanobelt arrays and patterned graphene (or CNT) films. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

novel method of combining photolithography, wet chemical etching and oxidation process was proposed to fabricate large area of silicon microwire (SiMW) arrays. The dimensions of the SiMWs can be easily controlled by photomask and etching conditions. Solar cells based on the heterojunction between SiMW and double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) were constructed. The initial test on the DWNT/SiMW shows efficiency ( η) of 0.59%. By adding a few drops of HBr/B electrolyte, the efficiency was improved to 1.96% with J=19.2 mA/cm and V=0.35 V, FF=29.2%, showing the potential of SiMWs in photovoltaic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbon nanotubes filled with ferromagnetic metal nanowires (M-CNTs) were synthesized by using chlorine-contained benzene (e.g. trichlorobenzene) as precursor. The wall thicknesses of M-CNTs synthesized by trichlorobenzene are much thinner than those by precursor without Cl (e.g. benzene). As-synthesized thin-walled M-CNTs exhibit remarkably enhanced field electron emission performance with a low turn-on field of 0.3 V/μm and better field-emission stability. Microwave-absorption coatings were made by dispersing as-synthesized M-CNTs into epoxy resin matrix. It is found that the reflection losses in S-band (2-4 GHz), C-band (4-8 GHz) and X-band (8-12 GHz) are enhanced in the order of FeCoNi-CNTs < FeNi-CNTs< FeCo-CNTs. The areal density of as-prepared coatings is only 2.35 kg/m when the coating thickness is 2.0 mm. This demonstrates that M-CNTs are promising to be used as lightweight and wide-band microwave absorbers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Fe-filled thin-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) were synthesized by chemical vapor deposition. Dichlorobenzene/ferrocene solution was used both for carbon source as well as Fe source. Chlorine-contained precursor is in favor of the fabrication of thin-walled CNTs. The productive HCl in the reaction ambient could etch the CNT wall and growth front-end. Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) results indicated that the Cl atoms were almost entirely carried away by the carrier gas. Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) showed that the filling rate of the Fe-filled thin-walled CNTs could be adjusted by controlling the flow rate of H2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As the potential applications of carbon nanotubes in the field of electroluminescence, elements yttrium and europium were introduced to modify the emission properties of double-walled carbon nanotubes (DWNTs) to obtain higher efficacy and other properties. The light emission spectrum of the Y-Eu-doped DWNT filament is suppressed in the near-infrared range, while enhanced in the mid-infrared range. The doped DWNT filament can reach higher efficacy than that of the pure DWNT filament at the same input power and can work stably as long as 5000 h at 12 V. These filaments could be useful for the light sources with special functions, such as infrared light sources operated at low input power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The microwave absorbing properties and magnetic properties of as-grown Fe-filled carbon nanotubes (CNTs), annealed Fe-filled CNTs, and multi-walled CNTs were studied. Vibrating sample magnetometer results showed that the annealed Fe-filled CNTs have the weakest coercivity and strongest saturation magnetization among the three types CNTs, due to the presence of more ferromagnetic α-Fe nanowires. After annealing, the values increased to 291.0 Oe and 28.0 emu/g and the samples showed excellent microwave absorbing properties. The reflection loss was over 5 dB between 11.6 GHz and 18 GHz with a maximum value of 10.8 dB for annealed Fe-filled CNTs (1.1 wt%)/epoxy composite. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Direct tensile tests of double walled carbon nanotube (DWCNT) membranes with thickness of 40–80nm were performed using a micro-stress-strain puller. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus are 4.8E2–8.4E2MPa and 4.4–8.8GPa, respectively. The deformation and fracture processes were analyzed using the stress vs. strain curves, and SEM observations of the fracture surface of a membrane. The membrane experienced elastic strain and plastic strain during tensile-loading to fracture, and the plastic process is due to the real plastic deformation of the membrane and the slippage between the DWCNT bundles. Cracks occur and spread during the tensile test which causes the membrane to be mangled. With these excellent mechanical properties, the DWCNT membranes can be used in nanotube-reinforced composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The mechanical properties of well-aligned double-walled carbon nanotube (DWNT) strands with diameters of 3–20μm and lengths of ∼10mm were measured using a stress–strain puller. The average tensile strength and Young’s modulus of the tested strands are 1.2GPa and 16GPa, respectively. Deformation and fracture processes of these samples are discussed. The tensile strength and Young’s modulus of an individual DWNT bundle were estimated, with values comparable to those of SWNT bundles. The superior mechanical strengths of our as-prepared DWNT strands are expected to give them potential as a high-strength material and a reinforcement in composites. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

This paper proposes an ultrasound imaging algorithm based on sub-beamformer and multi-apodization with cross-correlation (SUB-MAX), aiming to achieve high resolution close to the minimum variance (MV) beamforming with low complexity and to enhance image contrast while maintaining background quality. The output of two (N /2)-element DAS beamformers with asymmetric phase centers is subtracted, resulting in a large drop in the main-lobe amplitude, while the sidelobe maintains a relatively high amplitude level. Inspired by this characteristic, the coefficients with opposite trends compared with the subtracted output are obtained and fused with the normalized cross-correlation (NCC) weighting matrix acquired by using multi-pair received apodization, the proposed SUB-MAX obtains a new weighting matrix to weight the output of the DAS beamformer. For ats_wire point targets, the average full-width at half-maximum (FWHM) of SUB-MAX compared with DAS, DMAS, CF, and MAX decreases by 52.7%, 43.5%, 33.3%, and 52.7%, respectively. For geabr_0 cysts, the average contrast ratio (CR) of SUB-MAX compared with DAS, MV, DMAS, and CF increases by 57.7%, 86.8%, 2.5%, and 14.4%, respectively. Experiments on rat_tumor dataset also indicate that SUB-MAX has a superior comprehensive imaging performance. The experimental results indicate that the superior comprehensive imaging performance of the proposed SUB-MAX is expected to be suitable for real-time imaging systems due to its non-reliance on covariance matrix inversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Celecoxib, an anti-inflammatory drug for pain and arthritis, is currently only available in capsule form. To reduce the onset time for a faster action and to lower the manufacturing cost, the tablet dosage form is more preferred. However, the commercial celecoxib (Form III) is not suitable for direct compression (DC) tablet manufacture due to poor flow, low bulk density, and tablet lamination. In this work, we overcome these challenges using a pharmaceutically acceptable dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO) solvate of celecoxib. Aided with the DMSO solvate, an acceptable DC tablet formulation was successfully developed to manufacture tablets containing 200 mg celecoxib, with satisfactory manufacturability, disintegration, and in vitro dissolution performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Objective To investigate the effect of visceral fat area (VFA) on carotid atherosclerotic plaque in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus(T2DM). Methods From August 2018 to August 2023, 683 T2DM patients included in the database of the National Metabolic Management Center (MMC) were selected from the Department of Endocrinology, the Affiliated Geriatric Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. Medical history, physical examination, serum biochemical indicators, VFA and other data were collected from the study subjects. According to the presence or absence of carotid atherosclerotic plaque, all patients were divided into T2DM patients with plaque (n=342) and T2DM patients without plaque (n=341), and statistical analysis was performed. Results There were statistically significant differences in age, body mass index (BMI), waist circumference, diastolic blood pressure (DBP), total cholesterol (TC), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), abdominal subcutaneous fat area (SFA) and VFA between the two groups (PConclusion Age and VFA are independent influencing factors for atherosclerotic plaque formation in patients with T2DM，and as a new obesity assessment index, VFA can better predict and assess the risk of atherosclerotic plaque formation in T2DM patients."

"Objective To investigate the application of in-hospital informatized blood glucose monitoring system (IGMS) in Jiangsu and the satisfaction of medical staff to use IGMS. Methods From August 2021 to July 2022, a survey was conducted among medical staff in 119 secondary and tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu Province. The survey included questions on the application status of IGMS, such as the year of initiation and the medical units using it, and the satisfaction with the use of IGMS in medical staff was investigated by a 5-level Likert scale. Results (1) Utilization rate of IGMS: among the 119 hospitals, 58 (48.7%) utilized IGMS. The utilization rate in Southern Jiangsu (61.0%) was significantly higher than that in Central Jiangsu (34.8%) and Northern Jiangsu (37.8%) (χ2=7.113,P=0.029). (2) Distribution of medical units using IGMS: utilization rate in internal medicine department (96.6%) was significantly higher than that in surgical department (51.7%) and ICU (39.7%) (χ2=44.550,P＜0.01), with the highest utilization rate observed in endocrinology department (96.6%). (3) Satisfaction survey: the satisfaction scale had a Cronbach's alpha of 0.702 and a KMO value of 0.742, and Bartlett's sphericity test yielded aχ2 value of 298.268 (P＜0.01). Two initial factors with eigenvalues greater than 1 accounted for 72.5% of the variance. Following a scree plot analysis, two factors were extracted ,and the items were deleted according to the reliability and validity, and the satisfaction scale containing two factors and seven items was finally determined. Ninety-seven medical staff completed the scale with a score of 29.0 (25.5, 31.0). There was no significant difference in personal satisfaction with IGMS among medical staff in different regions, hospitals of grades and titles (P＞0.05). Conclusion The utilization rate of IGMS in secondary and tertiary hospitals in Jiangsu is approximately 48.7%, with a higher rate in Southern Jiangsu. Endocrinology departments have the highest rate of IGMS usage. Medical staff are satisfied with the use of IGMS, and put forward higher expectations for the stability of networking and the standardization of training."

High sensitivity, transparent, flexible strain sensors based on ultrathin graphene films are demonstrated by C.‐T. Lin, Y. Fang, H. Zhu, and co‐workers on page 1322. The cost‐effective, ultrathin graphene films are fabricated at the liquid/air interface due to the Marangoni effect. This novel approach makes graphene a promising material for electronic skin, wearable sensors, and health monitoring platforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A correction to the article "Enhanced Transport of Nanoparticles Across a Porous Nanotube Sponge" that was published in a 2011 issue is presented.

Graphene woven fabric (GWF) prepared from chemical vapor deposition was used as smart self-sensing element to assemble piezoresistor through directly transferring onto the flexible substrate poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) with the deposited Ti/Au electrodes. A rational strategy was proposed to fabricate flexible touch sensors easily and effectively with the full usage of the mechanical and electrical properties of GWF, whose resistance is highly sensitive to macro-deformation or micro-defect. Compared to commercial and traditional touch sensing, the GWF-on-PDMS piezoresistor is structurally flexible that is demanded under special conditions and meanwhile makes the piezoresistor to have excellent durability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on isotope labelling, we found that liquid water can afford an ultrafast permeation through graphene-based nanochannels with a diffusion coefficient 4–5 orders of magnitude greater than in the bulk case. When dissolving ions in sources, the diffusion coefficient of ions through graphene channels lies in the same order of magnitude as water, while the ion diffusion is slightly faster than water, indicating that the ions are mainly transported by water flows and the delicate interactions between ions and nanocapillary walls also take effect in the accelerated ion transportation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Electrochemical anisotropic etching, along with prior cathodic polarization during anodic etching, is used to form homogeneous antireflective (AR) structures on metal surfaces. Further electrophoretic deposition forms graphene oxide (GO) nanostructures. The graphene-based AR coating is achieved by electrochemical reduction of GO. Optical metal surfaces with high efficiency of light absorption and low reflectivity are obtained. Our results demonstrate the potential use of graphene in anti-reflection coating. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The recyclability of carbon nanotube (CNT) sponges in terms of oil absorption was studied. The sorption capacities of these sponges are greater than 100gg–1 for many organics and oils with viscosities of 3–200cP, and they maintain sorption capacities of 20–40gg–1 after 10 cycles of absorption. About 98% of absorbed oil can be recovered by squeezing or converted to heat by directly burning the oil within the sponges. The sorption process has been described by a second-order kinetic model. The results demonstrate that CNT sponges are promising oil sorbents with good recyclability. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Large area (the order of centimeters), flexible thin films of amorphous carbon were prepared on copper foils by an ethanol flame synthesis method. The carbon films exhibit high transmittance in the visible and near infrared range (up to 90% at 550nm). Schottky diodes formed by combining the carbon films with n-type silicon wafers show high on/off ratio (up to 150) photocurrents at air-mass 1.5 and illumination intensity of 100mW/cm2. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Carbon nanotube (CNT) arrays doped with nitrogen were synthesized using chemical vapor deposition by pyrolysis of xylene/pyridine and ferrocene with a modified precursor feeding technique. The system produced a gradient of nitrogen concentration that modified the CNTs from a hollow cylinder to a bamboo-shaped structure which contains a series of compartments whose lengths are gradually reduced as the nitrogen concentration increases. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Field emission properties of partly Fe-filled carbon nanotubes (FCNTs) treated with different plasmas have been studied. Super low turn-on (0.24V/μm) and threshold (0.6V/μm) electric fields are identified upon nitrogen plasma treatment for 60min. The field-enhancement factor, as high as 4.8×104, can be attributed to the plasma-induced structural defects and the unique characteristics of thin walled FCNTs with filled Fe nanowires. A model has been proposed to understand the effects of plasma on the CNTs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Silicon nanowire (SiNW) arrays were fabricated on silicon wafers by the metal-assisted chemical etching method. Varied average diameters of SiNW arrays were realized through further treatment in a mixed agent of HF and HNO3 of certain concentrations. After the treatment, there were more than 93% SiNWs with diameters smaller than 100nm. The tip of each SiNW was subsequently wrapped with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with chemical vapor deposition method. The as-fabricated MWCNT/SiNW arrays were fabricated into electric field emitters, with turn-on field of 2.0V/μm (current density: 10μA/cm2), much lower than that of SiNW array (5.0V/μm). The turn-on electric field of MWCNT/SiNW array decreased with the decreasing of the average diameter of SiNWs, indicating the performance of the field emission is relative to the morphology of SiNWs. As the SiNW array is uniform in height and easy to fabricate, the MWCNT/SiNW array shows potential applications in flat electric display. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The filling rate of Fe nanowires in carbon nanotubes (CNTs) was improved by a post-treatment which involved annealing and magnetic separation. The annealing process transformed γ-Fe to ferromagnetic α-Fe, resulting in α-Fe-filled CNTs with improved magnetic properties. The Fe-filled CNTs were then separated from those unfilled CNTs due to the different attractive forces under magnetic field. Thermal gravimetric analysis (TGA) revealed that the purity of CNTs was improved after magnetic separation and the filling rate can be up to 40.0wt.%, which is increased about 8.1% comparing with annealed CNTs. The saturation magnetization of CNTs reached 31.45emu/g after magnetic separation. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

[Display omitted] As the advancements in the medical technology and healthcare develop through the years, combinational therapy has evolved to be an important treatment modality in many disease settings, including cancer, cardiovascular disease and infectious diseases. In an effort to alleviate "pill burden" and improve patient compliance, fixed dose combinations (FDCs) have been developed to be used as effective therapeutics. Among all FDCs, the category of drug-drug molecular complexes has been proven an efficient methodology in designing and treating diseases, with many drugs being approved. Among all drug-drug molecular complexes, drug-drug cocrystals, salts, coamorphous systems and solid dispersions have been successfully developed and many have been approved by the FDA. In this review, we dwell deeply into the molecular mechanisms behind the different types of drug-drug molecular complexes, including the key functional groups involved in the intermolecular interactions, the applications of each category of molecular complexes, as well as the advantages and challenges thereof. This comprehensive review provides useful insights into the practical design and manufacture of drug-drug molecular complexes and points out the future direction for the development of new advantageous combinational therapies that benefit more patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a kind of flexible membrane structure, the flexible bag-type wave energy converter (WEC) is currently in the conceptual development stage. This paper presents a novel type of water-filled submerged flexible bag WEC that has successfully generated electricity in a laboratory environment. Experimental studies have been conducted to investigate the hydrodynamic response of the flexible bag and the optimal resistance damping of the power take-off (PTO). The experimental results show that the average displacement of the PTO and power output are nonlinear for different wave heights. Furthermore, the capture width ratio (CWR) of the WEC varies depending on the wave period. The optimal resistance damping for this physical model has been determined to be 80 Ω. These findings can serve as a validation for future numerical simulations, and additional experimental studies will be carried out to optimize the structure of the WEC and enhance its energy conversion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]