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Two-dimensional conjugated coordination polymers exhibit remarkable charge transport properties, with copper-based benzenehexathiol (Cu-BHT) being a rare superconductor. However, the atomic structure of Cu-BHT has remained unresolved, hindering a deeper understanding of the superconductivity in such materials. Here, we show the synthesis of single crystals of Cu 3 BHT with high crystallinity, revealing a quasi-two-dimensional kagome structure with non-van der Waals interlayer Cu-S covalent bonds. These crystals exhibit intrinsic metallic behavior, with conductivity reaching 10 3  S/cm at 300 K and 10 4  S/cm at 2 K. Notably, superconductivity in Cu 3 BHT crystals is observed at 0.25 K, attributed to enhanced electron-electron interactions and electron-phonon coupling in the non-van der Waals structure. The discovery of this clear correlation between atomic-level crystal structure and electrical properties provides a crucial foundation for advancing superconductor coordination polymers, with potential to revolutionize future quantum devices., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Background: Each year, tens of thousands of people worldwide choose to undergo cosmetic surgery in order to alter their appearance. In recent years, young people have gradually emerged to comprise the main driving force behind the increasing demand for cosmetic surgery. Previous studies have found that sexism may motivate young people to undergo such surgeries. However, few studies have been conducted to determine if this psychological mechanism influences the acceptance of cosmetic surgery among Chinese university students., Methods: A total of 579 Chinese university students (280 girls and 299 boys, 17-20 years) volunteered to participate in the online survey. They completed a questionnaire containing the Ambivalent Sexism Inventory, the 12-item General Health Questionnaire, the Gender-Role Attitudes Questionnaire and the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale. We firstly evaluated the underlying factor structure of the Acceptance of Cosmetic Surgery Scale using exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses, and exploring pattern of associations between the constructs was analyzed via path analysis., Results: According to the findings, hostile sexism was associated with greater levels of acceptance toward cosmetic surgery. Moreover, gender-role attitudes mediated the link between hostile sexism and the acceptance of cosmetic surgery, and this mediation was positively influenced by general mental health., Conclusion: Our study contributes to a deeper understanding of Chinese university students' attitudes toward cosmetic surgery, hostile sexism may contribute to normalizing traditional gender stereotypes and encourage cosmetic surgery acceptability among Chinese university students., Level of Evidence V: This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each article. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 ., (© 2024. Springer Science+Business Media, LLC, part of Springer Nature and International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery.)

There are numerous differences between adult acne and adolescent acne in terms of causes, distribution, and characteristics of skin lesions, as well as treatment. This paper aims to summarize the differences between adult and adolescent acne in China, in order to propose more suitable ways to improve their quality of life. We collected basic information, acne-related information, acne-affecting factors, quality of life scores and treatment-related information of acne patients. A total of 552 questionnaires were collected. Adult acne is typically predominant on the cheeks, similar to adolescent acne, with a relatively lower incidence in other areas, apart from the jawline. Pigmentation and depressed scars are present in nearly half of acne patients, while hypertrophic scars are less frequently observed. Teenagers often have a higher consumption of dairy products, sugary drinks, and high-sugar and high-fat foods. Eczema is more common in adult acne. Additionally, more adults than teenagers experience stress and poor quality of life related to acne. Adolescents are more likely to seek treatment online and on social media. Clinicians must thoroughly evaluate diverse risk factors and formulate personalized acne management strategies for patients with different types of acne., (© 2024. The Author(s).)

Two-dimensional conjugated metal-organic frameworks (2D cMOFs) are emerging as promising materials for electrochemical energy storage (EES). Despite considerable interest, an understanding of their electrochemical stability and the factors contributing to their degradation during cycling is largely lacking. Here we investigate three Cu-based MOFs and report that the dissolution of 2D cMOFs into electrolytes is a prevalent and significant degradation pathway. Several factors, such as the inherent solubility of ligands in electrolyte solvents and the duration of charge-discharge cycling exert a strong influence on the dissolution process. When these factors combine within a MOF, severely limited cycling stability is observed, with dissolution accounting for up to 80% of capacity degradation. Conversely, excellent cycling stability is observed when testing a Cu-MOF with a sparingly soluble ligand within an optimized potential window. Overall, these findings represent essential insights into the electrochemical stability of 2D cMOFs, offering crucial guidelines for their targeted development in EES applications., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: An increase in deaths has been perceived during the pandemic, which cannot be explained only by COVID-19. The actual number of deaths far exceeds the recorded data on deaths directly related to SARS-CoV-2 infection. Data from early and short-lived pandemic studies show a dramatic shift in cardiovascular mortality. Grounded in the post-pandemic era, macroscopic big data on cardiovascular mortality during the pandemic need to be further reviewed and studied, which is crucial for cardiovascular disease prevention and control., Methods: We retrieved and collected data associated with cardiovascular disease mortality from the National Vital Statistic System from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention Wide-Ranging Online Data for Epidemiologic Research (CDC WONDER) platform based on the ICD-10 codes. We applied regression analysis to characterize overall cardiovascular disease mortality trends from 2010 to 2023 and built a time series model to predict mortality for 2020-2023 based on mortality data from 2010 to 2019 in order to affirm the existence of the excess deaths by evaluating observed vs. predicted mortality. We also conducted subgroup analyses by sex, age and race/ethnicity for the purpose of obtaining more specific sociodemographic information., Results: All-cause age-standardised mortality rates (ASMRs) for CVD dramatically increased between 2019 and 2021[annual percentage change (APC) 11.27%, p  < 0.01], and then decreased in the following 2021-2023(APC: -7.0%, p  < 0.01). Subgroup analyses found that the ASMR change was most pronounced in Alaska Indians/Native American people (APC: 16.5% in 2019-2021, -12.5% in 2021-2023, both p  < 0.01), Hispanics (APC: 12.1% in 2019-2021, -12.2% in 2021-2023, both p  < 0.05) and non-Hispanic Black people (APC:11.8% in 2019-2021, -10.3% in 2021-2023, both p  < 0.01)whether during the increasing or declining phase. Similarly, the ASMR change was particularly dramatic for the 25-44 age group (APC:19.8% in 2019-2021, -15.4% in 2021-2023, both p  < 0.01) and males (APC: 11.5% in 2019-2021, -7.6% in 2021-2023, both p  < 0.01). By the end of 2023, the proportion of COVID-related excess death remained high among the elderly (22.4%), males (42.8%) and Alaska Indians/Native American people(39.7%). In addition, we did not find the presence of excess deaths in the young (25-44) and middle-aged cohort (45-64) in 2023, while excess deaths remained persistent in the elderly., Conclusions: All-cause ASMRs for CVD increased notably during the initial two years of the COVID-19 pandemic and then witnessed a decline in 2021-2023. The cohorts (the young, males and minorities) with the steepest rise in mortality decreased at the fastest rate instead. Previous initiatives to promote cardiovascular health were effective, but further research on cardiovascular healthcare for the elderly and racial disparities should be attached to priority considering the presence of sociodemographic differences in CVD death., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (© 2024 Song, Guo, Wu, Zhao, Li, Dou, Guo and Wei.)

Resistance exercise is an indispensable mode of exercise rehabilitation for heart failure. Here we elucidate the cardiac effects of resistance training alone or combined with different aerobic trainings on heart failure and explore the critical regulation of mitophagy. The chronic heart failure model was constructed by transverse aortic constriction surgery, followed by 8 wk of resistance training (RT), moderate-intensity continuous training combined with resistance training (MRT), and high-intensity interval training combined with resistance training (HRT), and subsequently analyzed the changes of maximum load, cardiac structure and function, and myocardial mitophagic activity. The role and signaling of mitophagy in exercise protection of heart failure were investigated by knockdown of Hif1α and Parkin genes in primary neonatal cardiomyocytes. RT and especially MRT improved maximum load ( P < 0.0001), myocardial morphology and fibrosis ( P < 0.0001), reduced left ventricular diameter and enhanced left ventricular systolic function ( P < 0.01), and enhanced myocardial mitophagic activity and HIF1α expression ( P < 0.05) in heart failure mice. However, HRT had no obvious protective effect on ventricular diameter and function or mitophagy. The abilities of exercise stimulation to regulate reactive oxygen species, adenosine triphosphate, and brain natriuretic peptide were impaired after knockdown of Hif1α and Parkin genes inhibited mitophagy in failing cardiomyocytes ( P < 0.05). Different exercise modalities provide discrepant cardiovascular effects on heart failure, and MRT exhibits optimal protection. The HIF1α-Parkin-mitophagy pathway is involved in the protection and regulation of exercise on heart failure. NEW & NOTEWORTHY Impaired myocardial mitophagy is implicated in the pathogenesis of heart failure. Resistance training alone or combined with different aerobic trainings provide discrepant cardiovascular effects on heart failure, and the cardioprotective function depends on HIF1α-Parkin-mitophagy pathway.

The early period of Sino-American communication in Chinese materia medica referred to the historical period from the 17th century, European trade overseas and the frequent communication of missionaries, to 1848 when gold prospectors from China travelled to America. This paper reviewed and examined the three historical events in this period : the spread, trade, and introduction of tea; the first edition of the United States Pharmacopoeia and its collection of Chinese medicines and preparations; and the discovery and trade of American ginseng hoping to explore the basic historical facts of the spread and exchange of Chinese medicine between China and America in the early period. The paper explored these historical factors, provided effective references for developing cooperation in public health between China and America and the start of the constructing of a Global Community of Health for All.

Recent advancements in quantum sensing have sparked transformative detection technologies with high sensitivity, precision, and spatial resolution. Owing to their atomic-level tunability, molecular qubits and ensembles thereof are promising candidates for sensing chemical analytes. Here, we show quantum sensing of lithium ions in solution at room temperature with an ensemble of organic radicals integrated in a microporous metal-organic framework (MOF). The organic radicals exhibit electron spin coherence and microwave addressability at room temperature, thus behaving as qubits. The high surface area of the MOF promotes accessibility of the guest analytes to the organic qubits, enabling unambiguous identification of lithium ions and quantitative measurement of their concentration through relaxometric and hyperfine spectroscopic methods based on electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. The sensing principle presented in this work is applicable to other metal ions with nonzero nuclear spin.

Selectively blocking undesirable exciton transfer pathways is crucial for utilizing exciton conversion processes that involve participation of multiple chromophores. This is particularly challenging for solid-state systems, where the chromophores are fixed in close proximity. For instance, the low efficiency of solid-state triplet-triplet upconversion calls for inhibiting the parasitic singlet back-transfer without blocking the flow of triplet excitons. Here, we present a reticular chemistry strategy that inhibits the resonance energy transfer of singlet excitons. Within a pillared layer metal-organic framework (MOF), pyrene-based singlet donors are situated perpendicular to porphyrin-based acceptors. High resolution transmission electron microscopy and electron diffraction enable direct visualization of the structural relationship between donor and acceptor (D-A) chromophores within the MOF. Time-resolved photoluminescence measurements reveal that the structural and symmetry features of the MOF reduce the donor-to-acceptor singlet transfer efficiency to less than 36% compared to around 96% in the control sample, where the relative orientation of the donor and acceptor chromophores cannot be controlled., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts of interest to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Background: The mechanism underlying colorectal cancer (CRC) initiation and progression remains elusive, and overall survival is far from satisfactory. Previous studies have shown that PDGFA-associated protein 1 (PDAP1) is upregulated in several cancers including CRC. Here, we aimed to identify the cause and consequence of PDAP1 dysregulation in CRC and evaluate its role as a potential therapeutic target., Methods: Multi-omics data analysis was performed to identify potential key players in CRC initiation and progression. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) staining was applied to determine the expression pattern of PDAP1 in CRC tissues. Pdap1 conditional knockout mice were used to establish colitis and CRC mouse models. RNA sequencing, a phosphoprotein antibody array, western blotting, histological analysis, 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine (BrdU) incorporation assay, and interactome analysis were applied to identify the underlying mechanisms of PDAP1. A human patient-derived xenograft (PDX) model was used to assess the potential of PDAP1 as a therapeutic target., Results: PDAP1 was identified as a potential key player in CRC development using multi-omics data analysis. PDAP1 was overexpressed in CRC cells and correlated with reduced overall survival. Further investigation showed that PDAP1 was critical for the regulation of cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis. Significantly, depletion of Pdap1 in intestinal epithelial cells impaired mucosal restitution in dextran sulfate sodium salt-induced colitis and inhibited tumor initiation and growth in colitis-associated cancers. Mechanistic studies showed that c-Myc directly transactivated PDAP1, which contributed to the high PDAP1 expression in CRC cells. PDAP1 interacted with the juxtamembrane domain of epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and facilitated EGFR-mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) signaling activation, which resulted in FOS-related antigen 1 (FRA-1) expression, thereby facilitating CRC progression. Notably, silencing of PDAP1 could hinder the growth of patient-derived xenografts that sustain high PDAP1 levels., Conclusions: PDAP1 facilitates mucosal restitution and carcinogenesis in colitis-associated cancer. c-Myc-driven upregulation of PDAP1 promotes proliferation, migration, invasion, and metastasis of CRC cells via the EGFR-MAPK-FRA-1 signaling axis. These findings indicated that PDAP1 inhibition is warranted for CRC patients with PDAP1 overexpression., (© 2022 The Authors. Cancer Communications published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd. on behalf of Sun Yat-sen University Cancer Center.)

New Findings: What is the central question of this study? What are the cardioprotective effects of different aerobic exercises on chronic heart failure with different aetiologies, and is mitophagy involved? What is the main finding and its importance? Moderate-intensity continuous training may be the 'optimum' modality for improving cardiac structure and function in ischaemic heart failure, while both moderate-intensity continuous training and high-intensity interval training were suitable for pressure-overload heart failure. Various mitophagy pathways, especially parkin-dependent pathways, participated in the protective effects of exercise on heart failure., Abstract: The cardioprotective effects of different aerobic exercises on chronic heart failure with different aetiologies and whether mitophagy is involved remain elusive. In the current research, left anterior descending ligation and transverse aortic constriction surgeries were used to establish mouse models of heart failure, followed by 8 weeks of moderate-intensity continuous training (MICT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). The results showed that for ischaemic heart failure MICT significantly improved ejection fraction (P < 0.05) and fractional shortening (P < 0.05), mitigated left ventricular end-systolic dimension (P < 0.01), decreased brain natriuretic peptide (P < 0.0001) and mitigated fibrosis (P < 0.0001), while HIIT only decreased brain natriuretic peptide (P < 0.0001) and fibrosis (P < 0.0001). For pressure-overload heart failure, both MICT and HIIT significantly increased ejection fraction (P < 0.0001) and fractional shortening (MICT: P < 0.001, HIIT: P < 0.0001), and reduced left ventricular end-diastolic and end-systolic dimensions, brain natriuretic peptide (P < 0.0001), and fibrosis (MICT: P < 0.01, HIIT: P < 0.0001); HIIT was even better in reducing brain natriuretic peptide. Myocardial autophagy and mitophagy were compromised in heart failure, and the exercises improved myocardial autophagic flux and mitophagy inconsistently in heart failure with different aetiologies. Significant correlations were found between multiple mitophagy pathways and the cardioprotection of the exercises. Collectively, MICT may be the 'optimum' modality for ischaemic heart failure, while both MICT and HIIT (especially HIIT) were suitable for pressure-overload heart failure. Exercises differently improved myocardial autophagy/mitophagy, and multiple mitophagy-related pathways were closely implicated in cardioprotection of exercises for chronic heart failure., (© 2022 The Authors. Experimental Physiology © 2022 The Physiological Society.)

Here, we describe the unexpected discovery of a Cu-catalyzed condensation polymerization reaction of propargylic electrophiles (CPPE) that transforms simple C3 building blocks into polydiynes of C6 repeating units. This reaction was achieved by a simple system composed of a copper acetylide initiator and an electron-rich phosphine ligand. Alkyne polymers (up to 33.8 kg/mol) were produced in good yields and exclusive regioselectivity with high functional group compatibility. Hydrogenation of the product afforded a new polyolefin-type backbone, while base-mediated isomerization led to a new type of dienyne-based electron-deficient conjugated polymer. Mechanistic studies revealed a new α-α selective Cu-catalyzed dimerization pathway of the C3 unit, followed by in situ organocopper-mediated chain-growth propagation. These insights not only provide an important understanding of the Cu-catalyzed CPPE of C3, C4, and C6 monomers in general but also lead to a significantly improved synthesis of polydiynes from simpler starting materials with handles for the incorporation of an α-end functional group.

Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) provide exceptional chemical tunability and have recently been demonstrated to exhibit electrical conductivity and related functional electronic properties. The kagomé lattice is a fruitful source of novel physical states of matter, including the quantum spin liquid (in insulators) and Dirac fermions (in metals). Small-bandgap kagomé materials have the potential to bridge quantum spin liquid states and exhibit phenomena such as superconductivity but remain exceptionally rare. Here we report a structural, thermodynamic, and transport study of the two-dimensional kagomé metal-organic frameworks Ni 3 (HIB) 2 and Cu 3 (HIB) 2 (HIB = hexaiminobenzene). Magnetization measurements yield Curie constants of 0.989 emu K (mol Ni) -1 Oe -1 and 0.371 emu K (mol Cu) -1 Oe -1 , respectively, close to the values expected for ideal S = 1 Ni 2+ and S = 1 / 2 Cu 2+ . Weiss temperatures of -10.6 and -14.3 K indicate net weak mean field antiferromagnetic interactions between ions. Electrical transport measurements reveal that both materials are semiconducting, with gaps ( E g ) of 22.2 and 103 meV, respectively. Specific heat measurements reveal a large T -linear contribution γ of 148(4) mJ mol-fu -1 K -2 in Ni 3 (HIB) 2 with only a gradual upturn below ∼5 K and no evidence of a phase transition to an ordered state down to 0.1 K. Cu 3 (HIB) 2 also lacks evidence of a phase transition above 0.1 K, with a substantial, field-dependent, magnetic contribution below ∼5 K. Despite them being superficially in agreement with the expectations of magnetic frustration and spin liquid physics, we ascribe these observations to the stacking faults found from a detailed analysis of synchrotron X-ray diffraction data. At the same time, our results demonstrate that these MOFs exhibit localized magnetism with simultaneous proximity to a metallic state, thus opening up opportunities to explore the connection between the insulating and metallic ground states of kagomé materials in a highly tunable chemical platform.

We reveal here the construction of Ni-based metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) and conjugated coordination polymers (CCPs) with different structural dimensionalities, including closely π-stacked 1D chains ( Ni-1D ), aggregated 2D layers ( Ni-2D ), and a 3D framework ( Ni-3D ), based on 2,3,5,6-tetraamino-1,4-hydroquinone (TAHQ) and its various oxidized forms. These materials have the same metal-ligand composition but exhibit distinct electronic properties caused by different dimensionalities and supramolecular interactions between SBUs, ligands, and structural motifs. The electrical conductivity of these materials spans nearly 8 orders of magnitude, approaching 0.3 S/cm.

Here we report a copper-catalyzed formal dehydration polymerization of propargylic alcohols. Copper catalysis allows for efficient in situ generation of [ n ]cumulenes ( n = 3, 5) by a soft deprotonation/β-elimination pathway and subsequent polymerization via organocopper species. Alkyne polymers ( M n up to 36.2 kg/mol) were produced with high efficiency (up to 95% yield) and excellent functional group tolerance. One-pot synthesis of semiconducting head-to-head poly(phenylacetylene) was demonstrated through a polymerization-isomerization sequence.

Intercalation is a promising ion-sorption mechanism for enhancing the energy density of electrochemical capacitors (ECs) because it offers enhanced access to the electrochemical surface area. It requires a rapid transport of ions in and out of a host material, and it must occur without phase transformations. Materials that fulfil these requirements are rare; those that do intercalate almost exclusively cations. Herein, we show that Ni 3 (benzenehexathiol) (Ni 3 BHT), a non-porous two-dimensional (2D) layered coordination polymer (CP), intercalates both cations and anions with a variety of charges. Whereas cation intercalation is pseudocapacitive, anions intercalate in a purely capacitive fashion. The excellent EC performance of Ni 3 BHT provides a general basis for investigating similar dual-ion intercalation mechanisms in the large family of non-porous 2D CPs., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

We report a systematic study on the variation of the physical properties of Ni 3 (HITP) 2 (HITP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene) in the context of their influence on the capacitive behavior of this material in supercapacitor electrodes prepared using the neat MOF. We find that, for this representative material, the sample morphology has a greater impact on the measured electrode performance than differences in bulk electrical conductivity.

To improve the bioactivity of titanium alloy (Ti-6Al-4V), CaO-SiO 2 coatings on titanium alloys were fabricated using laser cladding method. The effect of Na 2 O and ZnO on the microstructure and properties of the prepared coatings was discussed. The microstructure of the CaO-SiO 2 coatings consists of cellular grains and cellular dendrites. The mutual diffusion of elements occurs between the coating and substrate. The base CaO-SiO 2 coating is composed of different phases including CaTiO 3 , α-Ca 2 (SiO 4 ), SiO 2 , TiO 2 and CaO. The formation of CaTiO 3 in the ceramic layer was analyzed through thermodynamics. Na 2 O has little influence on the microstructure, average hardness and wear resistance. When ZnO is added to the precursor, the microstructure turns to cell dendrite, and ZnO and Zn 2 SiO 4 appear in the corresponding coating. The addition of ZnO reduces the average hardness and wear resistance of the ceramic layer. The in vitro soaking in SBF shows that the laser cladding coating has the ability to form an apatite layer., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2021 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Conjugated polymers usually form crystallized and amorphous regions in the solid state simultaneously, making it difficult to accurately determine their precise microstructures. The lack of multiscale microstructures of conjugated polymers limits the fundamental understanding of the structure-property relationships in polymer-based optoelectronic devices. Here, crystals of two typical conjugated polymers based on four-fluorinated benzodifurandione-based oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) (F 4 BDOPV) and naphthalenediimide (NDI) motifs, respectively, are obtained by a controlled self-assembly process. The strong diffractivity of the polymer crystals brings an opportunity to determine the crystal structures by combining X-ray techniques and molecular simulations. The precise polymer packing structures are useful as initial models to evaluate the charge transport properties in the ordered and disordered phases. Compared to the spin-coated thin films, the highly oriented polymer chains in crystals endow higher mobilities with a lower hopping energy barrier. Microwire crystal transistors of F 4 BDOPV- and NDI-based polymers exhibit high electron mobilities of up to 5.58 and 2.56 cm 2  V -1  s -1 , respectively, which are among the highest values in polymer crystals. This work presents a simple method to obtain polymer crystals and their precise microstructures, promoting a deep understanding of molecular packing and charge transport for conjugated polymers., (© 2021 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Electrochemical capacitors (ECs) have emerged as reliable and fast-charging electrochemical energy storage devices that offer high power densities. Their use is still limited, nevertheless, by their relatively low energy density. Because high specific surface area and electrical conductivity are widely seen as key metrics for improving the energy density and overall performance of ECs, materials that have excellent electrical conductivities but are otherwise nonporous, such as coordination polymers (CPs), are often overlooked. Here, we report a new nonporous CP, Ni 3 (benzenehexathiolate) (Ni 3 BHT), which exhibits high electrical conductivity of over 500 S/m. When used as an electrode, Ni 3 BHT delivers excellent specific capacitances of 245 F/g and 426 F/cm 3 in nonaqueous electrolytes. Structural and electrochemical studies relate the favorable performance to pseudocapacitive intercalation of Li + ions between the 2D layers of Ni 3 BHT, a charge-storage mechanism that has thus far been documented only in inorganic materials such as TiO 2 , Nb 2 O 5 , and MXenes. This first demonstration of pseudocapacitive ion intercalation in nonporous CPs, a class of materials comprising thousands of members with distinct structures and compositions, provides important motivation for exploring this vast family of materials for nontraditional, high-energy pseudocapacitors.

Electrically conducting 2D metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted considerable interest, as their hexagonal 2D lattices mimic graphite and other 2D van der Waals stacked materials. However, understanding their intrinsic properties remains a challenge because their crystals are too small or of too poor quality for crystal structure determination. Here, we report atomically precise structures of a family of 2D π-conjugated MOFs derived from large single crystals of sizes up to 200 μm, allowing atomic-resolution analysis by a battery of high-resolution diffraction techniques. A designed ligand core rebalances the in-plane and out-of-plane interactions that define anisotropic crystal growth. We report two crystal structure types exhibiting analogous 2D honeycomb-like sheets but distinct packing modes and pore contents. Single-crystal electrical transport measurements distinctively demonstrate anisotropic transport normal and parallel to the π-conjugated sheets, revealing a clear correlation between absolute conductivity and the nature of the metal cation and 2D sheet packing motif.

The first description of the medical use of licorice appeared in "Shennong Bencao Jing", one of the well-known Chinese herbal medicine classic books dated back to 220-280 AD. As one of the most commonly prescribed Chinese herbal medicine, licorice is known as "Guo Lao", meaning "a national treasure" in China. Modern pharmacological investigations have confirmed that licorice possesses a number of biological activities, such as antioxidation, anti-inflammatory, antiviral, immune regulation, and liver protection. 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid is one of the most extensively studied active integrants of licorice. Here, we provide an overview of the protective effects of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid against various acute and chronic liver diseases observed in experimental models, and summarize its pharmacological effects and potential toxic/side effects at higher doses. We also make additional comments on the important areas that may warrant further research to support appropriate clinical applications of 18β-glycyrrhetinic acid and avoid potential risks.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between the expression of DNA methyltransferase 3b (DNMT3b) and the methylation of SEPT9 gene, and their application prospects in the diagnosis and treatment of colorectal cancer. Methods: Seventy-five cases of colorectal cancer and adjacent tissues, 68 cases of colorectal high-grade internal neoplasia tissues (referred to as precancerous tissues) and high-grade internal adjacent neoplasia tissues (referred to as adjacent precancerous tissues) were collected. Pyrosequencing was used to detect the methylationlevel of SETP9. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction (RT-qPCR) was used to examine the mRNA expressionof SEPT9 and immunohistochemistry(IHC) was applied to detect the protein expressions of SETP9 and DNMT3b. Liposome-mediated method was used to transfect DNMT3b siRNA and negative control siRNA into HT-29 cells. Five groups including DNMT3b siRNA 15 nmol/L group, DNMT3b siRNA 30 nmol/L group, negative control siRNA 15 nmol/L group, negative control siRNA 30 nmol/L group and blank control group were set up. Pyrosequencing was applied to determine the methylation level of SEPT9 and mRNA expression of DNMT3b in each group. Results: The methylation rates of SEPT9 gene in colorectal cancer tissues, adjacent tissues, precancerous tissues and adjacent precancerous tissues were (76.8±6.5)%, (14.4±2.6)%, (34.6±5.0)% and (7.4±1.2)%, respectively, which was highest in colorectal cancer tissue ( P <0.001). The relative expressions of SEPT9 mRNA were 0.18±0.03, 0.89±0.41, 0.69±0.41 and 1.01±0.21, respectively, which was lowest in colorectal cancer tissue ( P <0.001), while there were no statistically significant differences in adjacent tissues, precancerous tissues and adjacent precancerous tissues ( P >0.05). The positive rates of SEPT9 protein expression were 12.0% (9/75), 53.3% (40/75), 55.1% (38/69) and 62.3% (43/69), which was lowest in the colorectal cancer tissue ( P <0.001), while there were no statistically significant differences in the adjacent group, precancerous group and adjacent precancerous group ( P >0.016 7). The positive rates of DNMT3b protein expression were 56.3% (45/75), 26.7% (20/75), 46.4% (32/69) and 33.3% (23/69), respectively, which was highest in colorectal cancer tissue ( P <0.001), while without statistically significant difference from the precancerous tissue ( P >0.016 7). Experiments in vitro showed that DNMT3b mRNA expression was lowest in DNMT3b siRNA 30 nmol/L group among five groups and was statistically different from other groups (all P <0.05). Meanwhile, the methylationrate of SEPT9 gene was lowest in this group, but without statistically significant difference from the DNMT3b siRNA 15 nmol/L group ( P >0.05). Conclusions: The expression of DNMT3b is significantly correlated with the methylation level of SEPT9 gene in different stages of colorectal cancer. The high expression of DNMT3b may be an important molecular event before SEPT9 gene methylation and it may have an important potential application value in the diagnosis and treatment of early colorectal cancer.

We report on the continuous fine-scale tuning of band gaps over 0.4 eV and of the electrical conductivity of over 4 orders of magnitude in a series of highly crystalline binary alloys of two-dimensional electrically conducting metal-organic frameworks M 3 (HITP) 2 (M = Co, Ni, Cu; HITP = 2,3,6,7,10,11-hexaiminotriphenylene). The isostructurality in the M 3 (HITP) 2 series permits the direct synthesis of binary alloys (M x M' 3- x )(HITP) 2 (MM' = CuNi, CoNi, and CoCu) with metal compositions precisely controlled by precursor ratios. We attribute the continuous tuning of both band gaps and electrical conductivity to changes in free-carrier concentrations and to subtle differences in the interlayer displacement or spacing, both of which are defined by metal substitution. The activation energy of (Co x Ni 3- x )(HITP) 2 alloys scales inversely with an increasing Ni percentage, confirming thermally activated bulk transport.

N-doping plays an irreplaceable role in controlling the electron concentration of organic semiconductors thus to improve performance of organic semiconductor devices. However, compared with many mature p-doping methods, n-doping of organic semiconductor is still of challenges. In particular, dopant stability/processability, counterion-semiconductor immiscibility and doping induced microstructure non-uniformity have restricted the application of n-doping in high-performance devices. Here, we report a computer-assisted screening approach to rationally design of a triaminomethane-type dopant, which exhibit extremely high stability and strong hydride donating property due to its thermally activated doping mechanism. This triaminomethane derivative shows excellent counterion-semiconductor miscibility (counter cations stay with the polymer side chains), high doping efficiency and uniformity. By using triaminomethane, we realize a record n-type conductivity of up to 21 S cm -1 and power factors as high as 51 μW m -1  K -2 even in films with thicknesses over 10 μm, and we demonstrate the first reported all-polymer thermoelectric generator.

A growing demand for indoor atmosphere monitoring relies critically on the ability to reliably and quantitatively detect carbon dioxide. Widespread adoption of CO 2 sensors requires vastly improved materials and approaches because selective sensing of CO 2 under ambient conditions, where relative humidity (RH) and other atmosphere contaminants provide a complex scenario, is particularly challenging. This report describes an ambient CO 2 chemiresistor platform based on nanoporous, electrically conducting two-dimensional metal-organic frameworks (2D MOFs). The CO 2 chemiresistive sensitivity of 2D MOFs is attained through the incorporation of imino-semiquinonate moieties, i.e., well-defined N-heteroatom functionalization. The best performance is obtained with Cu 3 (hexaiminobenzene) 2 , Cu 3 HIB 2 , which shows selective and robust ambient CO 2 sensing properties at practically relevant levels (400-2500 ppm). The observed ambient CO 2 sensitivity is nearly RH-independent in the range 10-80% RH. Cu 3 HIB 2 shows higher sensitivity over a broader RH range than any other known chemiresistor. Characterization of the CO 2 -MOF interaction through a combination of in situ optical spectroscopy and density functional theory calculations evidence autogenously generated hydrated adsorption sites and a charge trapping mechanism as responsible for the intriguing CO 2 sensing properties of Cu 3 HIB 2 ., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following competing financial interest(s): The authors have filed a patent application containing some of the results herein.

Continuous band structure tuning, e.g., doping with different atoms, is one of the most important features of inorganic semiconductors. However, this can hardly be realized in organic semicondutors. Here, we report the first example of fine-tuning organic semiconductor band structures by alloying structurally similar derivatives into one single phase. By incorporating halogen atoms on different positions of the backbone, BDOPV derivatives with complementary intramolecular or intermolecular charge distributions were obtained. To maximize the Coloumbic attractive interactions and minimize repulsive interactions, they form antiparallel cofacial stacking in monocomponent or in alloy single crystals, resulting in efficient π orbital overlap. Benefiting from self-assembly induced solid state "olefin metathesis" reaction, it was observed, for the first time, that three BDOPV derivatives cocrystallized in one single crystal. Molecules with different energy levels serve like the dopants in inorganic semiconductors. Consequently, as the total number of halogen atoms increased, highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) and lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) levels of the alloy single crystals decreased monotonously in the range from -5.94 to -6.96 eV and -4.19 to -4.48 eV, respectively.

Wafer-scale fabrication of high-performance uniform organic electronic materials is of great challenge and has rarely been realized before. Previous large-scale fabrication methods always lead to different layer thickness and thereby poor film and device uniformity. Herein, the first demonstration of 4 in. wafer-scale, uniform, and high-performance n-type polymer monolayer films is reported, enabled by controlling the multi-level self-assembly process of conjugated polymers in solution. Since the self-assembly process happened in solution, the uniform 2D polymer monolayers can be facilely deposited on various substrates, and theoretically without size limitations. Polymer monolayer transistors exhibit high electron mobilities of up to 1.88 cm 2 V -1 s -1 , which is among the highest in n-type monolayer organic transistors. This method allows to easily fabricate n-type conjugated polymers with wafer-scale, high uniformity, low contact resistance, and excellent transistor performance (better than the traditional spin-coating method). This work provides an effective strategy to prepare large-scale and uniform 2D polymer monolayers, which could enable the application of conjugated polymers for wafer-scale sophisticated electronics., (© 2018 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The installation of metallo-ligands in metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) is an effective means to create site-isolated metal centers toward single-site heterogeneous catalysis. Although trispyrazolyborate (Tp) and tripyrazolylmethane (Tpm) form one of the most iconic classes of homogeneous catalysts, neither has been used as a metallo-ligand for the generation of MOFs thus far. Here, we show that upon in situ metalation with Cu I , a tricarboxylated Tpm ligand reacts with ZrOCl 2 to generate a new MOF exhibiting neutral scorpionate-like chelating sites. These sites undergo for facile demetalation and remetalation with retention of crystallinity and porosity. When remetalated with Cu I , the MOF exhibits spectroscopic features and catalytic activity for olefin cyclopropanation reactions that are similar to the molecular [Cu(CH 3 CN)Tpm*]PF 6 complex (Tpm* = tris(3,5-dimethylpyrazolyl)methane). These results demonstrate the inclusion of Tp or Tpm metallo-ligands in a MOF for the first time and provide a blueprint for immobilizing Tpm* catalysts in a spatially isolated and well-defined environment.

Photothermal conversion in the second near-infrared (NIR-II) window allows deeper penetration and higher exposure to lasers, but examples of NIR-II photothermal agents are mainly formulated by inorganic compounds. In view of the underlying influence of inorganic materials, a novel NIR-II photothermal nanoagent based on a narrow band gap D-A conjugated polymer (TBDOPV-DT) with 2,2-bithiophene as the donor and thiophene-fused benzodifurandione-based oligo( p-phenylenevinylene) as the acceptor has been developed. More importantly, TBDOPV-DT nanoparticles (TBDOPV-DT NPs) are demonstrated to combine excellent photoacoustic imaging (PAI) and photothermal therapy (PTT) ability. TBDOPV-DT NPs exhibit dramatic photostability and heating reproducibility with a photothermal conversion efficiency of 50%. Especially, the NPs possess a remarkable PTT effect toward cancer cells in vitro and can eliminate tumor cells completely in vivo under 1064 nm laser irradiation, while no appreciable side effects have been observed. This study achieves PAI-guided cancer therapy and sheds light on the future of using organic polymer NPs for the NIR-II PTT of cancer.

Polymer self-assembly in solution prior to film fabrication makes solution-state structures critical for their solid-state packing and optoelectronic properties. However, unraveling the solution-state supramolecular structures is challenging, not to mention establishing a clear relationship between the solution-state structure and the charge-transport properties in field-effect transistors. Here, for the first time, it is revealed that the thin-film morphology of a conjugated polymer inherits the features of its solution-state supramolecular structures. A "solution-state supramolecular structure control" strategy is proposed to increase the electron mobility of a benzodifurandione-based oligo(p-phenylene vinylene) (BDOPV)-based polymer. It is shown that the solution-state structures of the BDOPV-based conjugated polymer can be tuned such that it forms a 1D rod-like structure in good solvent and a 2D lamellar structure in poor solvent. By tuning the solution-state structure, films with high crystallinity and good interdomain connectivity are obtained. The electron mobility significantly increases from the original value of 1.8 to 3.2 cm 2 V -1 s -1 . This work demonstrates that "solution-state supramolecular structure" control is critical for understanding and optimization of the thin-film morphology and charge-transport properties of conjugated polymers., (© 2017 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

The two-dimensionally connected metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) Ni 3 (HIB) 2 and Cu 3 (HIB) 2 (HIB = hexaiminobenzene) are bulk electrical conductors and exhibit ultraviolet-photoelectron spectroscopy (UPS) signatures expected of metallic solids. Electronic band structure calculations confirm that in both materials the Fermi energy lies in a partially filled delocalized band. Together with additional structural characterization and microscopy data, these results represent the first report of metallic behavior and permanent porosity coexisting within a metal-organic framework.

Planar backbone, locked conformation, and low lowest unoccupied molecular orbital level provide polymer F4 BDOPV-2T with ultrahigh electron mobilities of up to 14.9 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) and good air stability. It is found that the nonlinear transfer curves can be tuned to near-ideal ones by changing fabrication conditions, indicating that film morphology largely contributes to the nonlinear transfer curves in high-mobility conjugated polymers., (© 2016 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

With sp 2 -nitrogen atoms embedded in an isatin unit, a donor-acceptor (D-A) conjugated polymer AzaBDOPV-2T was developed with a low LUMO level down to -4.37 eV. The lowered LUMO level as well as the conformation-locked planar backbone provide AzaBDOPV-2T with electron mobilities over 3.22 cm 2 V -1 s -1 tested under ambient conditions, which is among the highest in n-type polymer field-effect transistors (FETs). Our results demonstrate that embedding electron-deficient sp 2 -nitrogen in conjugated backbones is an effective approach to develop n-type polymer semiconductors with high performance.

Molecular packing in organic single crystals greatly influences their charge transport properties but can hardly be predicted and designed because of the complex intermolecular interactions. In this work, we have realized systematic fine-tuning of the single-crystal molecular packing of five benzodifurandione-based oligo(p-phenylenevinylene) (BDOPV)-based small molecules through incorporation of electronegative fluorine atoms on the BDOPV backbone. While these molecules all exhibit similar column stacking configurations in their single crystals, the intermolecular displacements and distances can be substantially modified by tuning of the amounts and/or the positions of the substituent fluorine atoms. Density functional theory calculations showed that the subtle differences in charge distribution or electrostatic potential induced by different fluorine substitutions play an important role in regulating the molecular packing of the BDOPV compounds. Consequently, the electronic couplings for electron transfer can vary from 71 meV in a slipped stack to 201 meV in a nearly cofacial antiparallel stack, leading to an increase in the electron mobility of the BDOPV derivatives from 2.6 to 12.6 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1). The electron mobility of the five molecules did not show a good correlation with the LUMO levels, indicating that the distinct difference in charge transport properties is a result of the molecular packing. Our work not only provides a series of high-electron-mobility organic semiconductors but also demonstrates that fluorination is an effective approach for fine-tuning of single-crystal packing modes beyond simply lowering the molecular energy levels.

A strong, electron-deficient small molecule, F4 -BDOPV, has a lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) level down to -4.44 eV and exhibits cofacial packing in single crystals. These features provide F4 -BDOPV with good ambient stability and large charge-transfer integrals for electrons, leading to a high electron mobility of up to 12.6 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) in air., (© 2015 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

An electron-deficient building block BDOPV is developed to construct a new donor-acceptor conjugated polymer BDOPV-2T for high-performance n-type and oxygen-doped ambipolar polymer field-effect transistors. A high electron mobility up to 1.74 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) is demonstrated under ambient conditions. Furthermore, the oxygen-doping effect and possible mechanism are discussed., (© 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Poly(p-phenylene vinylene) derivatives (PPVs) are one of the most widely investigated p-type polymers in organic electronics. PPVs generally exhibit electron mobilities lower than 10(-4) cm(2) V(-1) s(-1), thus hindering their applications in high-performance polymer field-effect transistors and organic photovoltaics. Herein, we design and synthesize a novel electron-deficient PPV derivative, benzodifurandione-based PPV (BDPPV). This new PPV derivative displays high electron mobilities up to 1.1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) under ambient conditions (4 orders of magnitude higher than those of other PPVs), because it overcomes common defects in PPVs, such as conformational disorder, weak interchain interaction, and a high LUMO level. BDPPV represents the first polymer that can transport electrons over 1 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) under ambient conditions.

Four polymers that contain alkyl chains branched at different positions on the polymer backbone are prepared. A polymer with 4-decyltetradecyl chains gives an impressive mobility of 3.62 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) . This may arise from tighter polymer packing as well as stacking conformation change of the polymer backbone induced by the branching of the alkyl chains., (Copyright © 2012 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Ambipolar transport behavior in isoindigo-based conjugated polymers is observed for the first time. Fluorination on the isoindigo unit effectively lowers the LUMO level of the polymer and significantly increases the electron mobility from 10(-2) to 0.43 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) while maintaining high hole mobility up to 1.85 cm(2) V(-1) s(-1) for FET devices fabricated in ambient. Further investigation indicates that fluorination also affects the interchain interactions of polymer backbones, thus leading to different polymer packing in thin films.

Ethnopharmacological Relevance: GP-TCM is the first EU-funded Coordination Action consortium dedicated to traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) research. One of the key deliverables of the Work Package 7 in GP-TCM was to investigate information of the existing requirements for registration of TCM products listed by global regulatory bodies. The paper aims to collate data and draw comparison of these regulations. Case studies are also presented to illustrate the problems involved in registering TCM products in different regions worldwide., Materials and Methods: A collaborative network task force was established during the early stage of the GP-TCM project and operated through exchanges, teleconferences and focused discussions at annual meetings. The task force involved coordinators, academics who are actively involved with R&D of Chinese herbal medicines, experts on monographic standards of Chinese materia medica, representatives from regulatory agencies, experts from industries in marketing Chinese medicines/herbal medicines and natural products. The co-ordinators took turns to chair teleconferences, led discussions on specific issues at AGM discussion sessions, at joint workshops with other work-packages such as WP1 (quality issues), WP3 (toxicology issues) and WP6 (clinical trial issues). Collectively the authors were responsible for collating discussion outcomes and updating written information., Results: A global overview of regulations on herbal registration has been compiled during the three years of the consortium. The regulatory requirements for registration of herbal products in the EU and China were compared, and this is extended to other regions/countries: Africa, Australia, Brazil, Canada, Japan, Russia, South Korea, Taiwan, and the United States. A wide variation of the regulations for the categories of herbal products exists: food (functional food, novel foods, dietary food for special medical purpose, foods for particular nutritional use, food supplement); cosmetic, traditional herbal medicine products; herbal medicines for human use and veterinary use., Conclusion: The regulatory issues for registration of herbal products are complicated among the countries and regions worldwide. The information summarised in the text is for reference only. Some regulations which are presented in this review are still in legislation process and may change in due course. Before taking any regulatory action, readers are advised to consult current official legislation and guidance and/or to seek appropriate professional advice. The lessons learnt from global regulation of TCM will provide valuable insights for regulation of other traditional medicine such as Ayurveda and Unani medicine, as well as other forms of indigenous medicine. The WHO is well placed to co-ordinate a consultation process with the aim of putting forward suggestions for harmonisation to key regulatory agencies., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Objective: It is necessary to compensate the system latencies in real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy by prediction. However, due to the irregularities of respiratory motions, the results obtained with traditional methods were not acceptable. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the value of nonparametric regression model in respiratory motion prediction., Methods: The data of respiratory trajectory of 11 volunteers were obtained and predicted based on nonparametric regression method. The results were compared with those of autoregressive model and back propagation neural network. An improved method was proposed to deal with the abnormal state in respiration. We combined the prediction method with the tracking system to test its performance in practical application., Results: The results indicated that the proposed method could predict the motion accurately in real-time for different latencies. This method decreased the error of the abnormal state substantially and also allowed effective prediction of respiration motion when combined with the tracking system., Conclusion: The nonparametric regression model can predict the respiratory motion accurately in real-time and therefore meets the requirement of real-time tumor-tracking radiotherapy.

The process of decay of photo-generated electrons in the conduction band of ZnO:Zn and ZnO powder materials after excitation with a ultra-short pulse laser has been investigated in this paper by microwave absorption method. The excitation and emission spectra of ZnO:Zn were measured at room temperature. It was measured that the lifetime o photoelectrons in the materials ZnOand ZnO:Zn are 64 ns and 336 ns respectively. It is believed that the increase of the lifetime in the material of ZnO:Zn is due to the prolong of relaxation time caused by the defect structure in the material.

In the paper, five ZnS:Cu electroluminescent material specimens were prepared by adding 0.05%, 0.10%, 0.15%, 0.20% and 0.25% Cu+ to ZnS. From the sample's thermoluminescence curve and luminance, the authors can see that with the variation of Cu+ concentration, the peak of thermoluminescence curve changed correspondingly. At first with the increase of Cu+ concentration, the peak of thermoluminescence curve rised gradually. When the Cu+ concentration was 0.05%, the peak of thermoluminescence curve was 124.15 which attainded max, when the Cu+ concentration was 0.25%, the peak of the curve of thermoluminesence forther decreased to 51. But the temperature corresponding to the peak of the curves of thermoluminesence didn' change, which means that the depth of electron trap did not vary. The authors therefore conclude that excessive Cu+ results in a decline of luminance because the energy of trapped electrons turns into the transition without radiation, though the probability of trapping electrons increases and the life of photoelectrons shortens as the luminescence center increases. In this way, there is an optimal value for Cu+ concentration, which leads to the peak of the curves of thermoluminesence and the maximum of luminance.

This paper present a microcontroller system for target controlled infusion according to pharmacodynamic parameters of intravenous anesthetics. It can control the depth of anesthesia by adjusting the level of plasma concentrations. The system has the advantages of high precision, extended function and easy operation. It has been now used in the clinical anesthesia.

Escherichia coli can normally grow aerobically in the presence of chlorate; however, mutants can be isolated that can no longer grow under these conditions. We present here the biochemical characterization of one such mutant and show that the primary genetic lesion occurs in the ubiquinone-8-biosynthetic pathway. As a consequence of this, under aerobic growth conditions the mutant is apparently unable to synthesize formate dehydrogenase, but can synthesize a Benzyl Viologen-dependent nitrate reductase activity. The nature of this activity is discussed.

Six alkaloids were isolated from Radix Sophorae Tonkinensis. On the basis of spectrometric analysis and physico-chemical constants they were identified as (I) (+)-matrine, (II) (-)-cytisine, (III) (+)-matrine N-oxide, (IV)(+)-sophocarpine N-oxide, (V)(+)-sophoramine and (VI) (+)-sophoranol respectively. (II), (IV), (V) and (VI) were isolated for the first time from Radix Sophorae Tonkinensis.