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Octahedral molecular sieves (OMSs) based on MnO

Owing to the ease of synthesis and the unique luminescence characteristics for the applications of white light emitting diodes (WLEDs), the red-emitting fluoride phosphors activated by Mn4+ ions are critical to achieving WLEDs with ideal color rendering index (CRI). In this work, a new type of Mn4+ doped phosphor KRb3Ge2F12:Mn4+ (KRGF:Mn) has been synthesized by a simple ion-exchange method in atmosphere. A strategy of surface modification by using a weak reducing agent oxalic acid (OA) is proposed, which can essentially improve the moisture stability of phosphor KRGF:Mn. Moreover, the modified phosphors can still maintain bright red light after being completely immersed in water for more than 100 days. A group of LEDs combined with the as-synthesized phosphor KRGF:Mn as a light source can be well applied to artificial lighting for the growth of tomatoes and Chinese cabbage plants. Additionally, the luminescence efficiency of KRGF:Mn has been optimized with high thermal stability. This work will provide high-quality red phosphor for LED lighting sources that being required for indoor plant growth.

We explore miR‐150‐5p in atherosclerosis (AS). The AS model was constructed using Apo E−/− mice with an injection of the miR-150-5p mimic or an inhibitor. Pathological characteristics were assessed using Oil red O staining and Masson staining. Quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) and Western blot were used to analyze the expressions of microRNA-150-5p (miR-150-5p), STAT1, α-SMA (α-smooth muscle actin) and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA). Targetscan and dual-luciferase reporter assay were used to analyze the interaction between miR-150-5p and STAT1. The viability, migration, cell cycle and α-SMA and PCNA expressions in oxidized low-density lipoprotein (ox-LDL)-stimulated primary human aortic smooth muscle cells (ASMCs) were assessed using molecular experiments. miR-150-5p was reduced in both AS mice and ox-LDL-stimulated human aortic smooth muscle cells but STAT1 had the opposite effect. The miR‐150‐5p inhibitor alleviated the increase of lipid plaque and reduced collagen accumulation in the aortas during AS. Upregulation of α-SMA and PCNA was reversed by miR-150-5p upregulation. STAT1 was targeted by miR‐150‐5p, and overexpressed miR-150-5p weakened the ox-LDL-induced increase of viability and migration abilities and blocked cell cycle in ASMCs, but overexpressed STAT1 blocked the effect of the miR‐150‐5p mimic. This paper demonstrates that miR-150-5p has potential as a therapeutic target in AS, with plaque stabilization by regulating ASMC proliferation and migration via STAT1.

A luminescent 56-metal Cd(II)-Sm(III) nanocluster (1, molecular sizes: 4.5 × 2.7 × 2.7 nm) was constructed from a flexible Schiff base ligand, and its crystal structure was determined using the X-ray diffraction method. It shows a rapid triple-emissive response to 2,6-dichloro-4-nitroaniline (DCN, a common pesticide) with high sensitivity and selectivity, which can be used to quantitatively analyze the DCN concentrations in fruit extracts. The limits of detection (LODs) of 1 to DCN for the visible ligand-centered and Sm(III) emissions and NIR Sm(III) luminescence are from 0.95 μM to 2.81 μM.

To compare the efficacy between a bio-type femoral stem and a cemented femoral stem in hip arthroplasty for severe unstable osteoporotic intertrochanteric femur fractures (UOIFF) in elderly patients. The clinical data of 100 elderly patients with UOIFF who underwent hip arthroplasty were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into a biological group (n = 48, receiving a biological-type femoral stem) and a cemented group (n = 52, receiving a cemented femoral stem). The excellent postoperative hip function recovery, perioperative related parameters, and postoperative complication rates were compared between the two groups. The changes in the preoperative and postoperative visual analogue score (VAS), Harris hip function score, functional recovery scale score (FRS), ability to perform activities of daily living (ADL), thromboelastography parameters, bone density, and health survey short form (SF-36) scores were also observed. The excellent and good rate of joint function recovery in the cemented group (90.38%) was higher than that in the biological group (75.00%) (P

This study aims to investigate the application value of O-arm navigation system in sacroiliac screw placement for the treatment of unstable pelvic ring injury. A total of 40 patients (mean age = 30.75 ± 14.99 years, 25 males, 15 females) were included. From January 2016 to July 2018, 40 patients with posterior pelvic ring injury treated in our hospital were included. Of them, 19 patients underwent O-arm navigation for screw placement (O-arm group) while the other 21 received C-arm fluoroscopy guidance (C-arm group) for sacroiliac screw placement. Intraoperative outcomes and the outcome of screw placement were compared between groups. The quality of radiological images was assessed by Matta’s radiological outcome grade. The outcome of complex pelvic fracture treatment was evaluated by Majeed Functional score. All demographic and clinical characteristics were comparable between the two groups. Compared with the C-arm groups, the O-arm group had a shorter surgery time (33.19 ± 3.14 vs. 48.35 ± 4.38 min, P

Background Network meta-analyses using individual participant data (IPD-NMAs) have been increasingly used to compare the effects of multiple interventions. Although there have been many studies on statistical methods for IPD-NMAs, it is unclear whether there are statistical defects in published IPD-NMAs and whether the reporting of statistical analyses has improved. This study aimed to investigate statistical methods used and assess the reporting and methodological quality of IPD-NMAs. Methods We searched four bibliographic databases to identify published IPD-NMAs. The methodological quality was assessed using AMSTAR-2 and reporting quality assessed based on PRISMA-IPD and PRISMA-NMA. We performed stratified analyses and correlation analyses to explore the factors that might affect quality. Results We identified 21 IPD-NMAs. Only 23.8% of the included IPD-NMAs reported statistical techniques used for missing participant data, 42.9% assessed the consistency, and none assessed the transitivity. None of the included IPD-NMAs reported sources of funding for trials included, only 9.5% stated pre-registration of protocols, and 28.6% assessed the risk of bias in individual studies. For reporting quality, compliance rates were lower than 50.0% for more than half of the items. Less than 15.0% of the IPD-NMAs reported data integrity, presented the network geometry, or clarified risk of bias across studies. IPD-NMAs with statistical or epidemiological authors often better assessed the inconsistency (P = 0.017). IPD-NMAs with a priori protocol were associated with higher reporting quality in terms of search (P = 0.046), data collection process (P = 0.031), and syntheses of results (P = 0.006). Conclusions The reporting of statistical methods and compliance rates of methodological and reporting items of IPD-NMAs were suboptimal. Authors of future IPD-NMAs should address the identified flaws and strictly adhere to methodological and reporting guidelines.

MRI of prostate cancer (PCa) was performed using a projection onto convex sets (POCS) super-resolution reconstruction algorithm to evaluate and analyze the treatment of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) and provide a theoretical reference for clinical practice. A total of 110 patients with PCa were selected as the study subjects. First, the modified POCS algorithm was used to reconstruct the MRI images, and the gradient interpolation algorithm was used instead of the traditional bilinear algorithm to preserve the edge information. The diagnostic and therapeutic effects of MRI examination, PSA examination, and MRI combined with PSA based on a super-resolution reconstruction algorithm were then compared. The simulation results showed that the POCS algorithm was superior to the bilinear interpolation results and was superior to the common POCS algorithm. After adding noise artificially, the restoration algorithm was effective and could preserve the details in the image. The performance indexes of PSA in the diagnosis of PCa were 75.4%, 60.1%, 70.08%, 72.2%, and 60.3%, respectively; the performance indexes of MRI in the diagnosis of PCa were 84.6%, 61.4%, 71.11%, 73.08%, and 61.9%, respectively; and the performance indexes of MRI combined with PSA based on the super-resolution reconstruction algorithm in the diagnosis of PCa were 96.05%, 88.3%, 95.1%, 93.6%, and 92.7%, respectively. The indicators of MRI combined with PSA based on the super-resolution reconstruction algorithm were significantly higher than those of the other two methods ( P

Two-dimensional (2D) WS2 offers great prospects for assembling next-generation optoelectronic and electronic devices due to its thickness-dependent optical and electronic properties. However, layer-number-controlled growth of WS2 is still a challenge up to now. This work presents controlled growth of bilayer WS2 triangular flakes by carbon-nanoparticle-assisted chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process. The growth mechanism is also proposed. In addition, the field effect transistors (FETs) based on monolayer and bilayer WS2 are also fabricated and investigated. The bilayer FET displays a mobility of 34 cm2·V-1·s-1, much higher than that of the monolayer FET. The high figures of merit make bilayer WS2 a promising candidate in high-performance electronics and optoelectronics.

In situ ratiometric fluorescence tracking the delivery and release of antitumor drugs remains a challenge for targeted treatment of cancer. Herein, we fabricated aptamer-functionalized biomass quantum dots (BQD-Apt) as the nanocarriers and probes for tracking the delivery and release of doxorubicin (DOX) in living cells. The fluorescence resonance energy transfer between BQDs and DOX in the formed BQD-Apt-DOX complex was inhibited after releasing DOX, achieving in situ ratiometric fluorescence imaging of delivery and release of DOX. Because of the good cancer-targeting ability of aptamer and biocompatibility of BQDs, BQD-Apt-DOX holds great potential for improving the efficiency of cancer treatment.

Atomic thinness, excellent transport property and gate-tunable band structure of graphene render it a potential electrode material for assembling ultra thin electronic devices. Here, we present back gate field effect transistor based on exfoliated monolayer (ML) ReS2 as channel semiconductor and exfoliated ML-graphene as drain-source electrodes. The G and 2D peaks of ML-graphene stiffen significantly and their intensity ratio increases as well when the graphene is encapsulated between the SiO2/Si substrate and ReS2. Owing to the excellent electron transport properties of the ML-ReS2 and gate-tunable Fermi-level of the underlying ML-graphene, the transistor exhibits on/off current ratio exceeding 106, mobility of ∼1.1 cm2 V−1s−1 and subthreshold swing ∼740 mV per decade. This work indicates that ML-graphene is an excellent electrode material for fabricating atomically thin ReS2 electronic devices.

Mitochondria are the main sites of cell metabolism. Even minor pH changes may lead to mitochondrial dysfunction and promote cell apoptosis. Mitochondrion-targeting photosensitizers can produce singlet oxygen in the mitochondria. In tumor photodynamic therapy (PDT), tumor cells are killed through singlet oxygen generation by photosensitizers, and optimally the process of cell apoptosis can be real-time monitored by monitoring the changes of mitochondrial pH value. To this end, a multifunctional nanoprobe that is not only able to produce singlet oxygen in mitochondria but also able to detect the changes in mitochondrial pH value has been developed in this work. The probe is a single-excited dual-emission biomass quantum dot (BQD-FA) prepared from Osmanthus leaves with folic acid (FA) and polyoxyethylene diamine as modifiers. The BQD-FAs can target tumor cells and mitochondria, and produce singlet oxygen in the mitochondria under near-infrared laser irradiation (λem = 660 nm). On the other hand, in the pH range of 3–8, the fluorescence intensity ratio of BQD-FAs at wavelengths 490 nm and 650 nm showed a good linear relationship with the pH value of mitochondria. The ratiometric fluorescence imaging of mitochondria using the prepared BQD-FAs showed that when the cells were chemically stimulated with chlorphenizone, the mitochondrial pH dropped from 7.9 to 7.2 within 15 min. Based on these characteristics, we envision that the prepared multifunctional nanoprobe will be of high significance in the biomedical research of mitochondria and PDT of tumors., A multifunctional nanoprobe with singlet oxygen generation that can target tumors and mitochondria was developed for photodynamic therapy of tumors and monitoring mitochondrion pH changes in cancer cells by ratiometric fluorescence imaging.

Sulfur dioxide (SO2) is considered as the fourth gas signal molecule after nitric oxide (NO), carbon monoxide (CO) and hydrogen sulfide (H2S). It plays important roles in several physiological processes. Therefore, the design and synthesis of nanoprobes for the detection of SO2 derivatives in cells is of great significance. Herein, we report a new ratiometric fluorescence nanoprobe based on resonance energy transfer (RET) between biomass quantum dots (BQDs) and organic dye (DMI) for the detection of SO2 derivatives. The proposed ratiometric fluorescence assay allows the determination of HSO3− in the range of 1.0 to 225 μM with a detection limit of 0.5 μM. Importantly, the proposed ratiometric fluorescence nanoprobe exhibits a high photostability and good selectivity for HSO3− over other chemical species including H2S and biological mercaptans. Quantitation of HSO3− in cell lysates by using the nanoprobe is demonstrated.

AIM This study was designed to evaluate the effects of intrauterine transplantation of menstrual blood stem cells (MenSCs) on endometrial thickness and pregnancy outcomes in patients with refractory intrauterine adhesion (IUA). METHODS This study included a group of infertile women (n = 12, age 22-40 years), with refractory IUA. Autologous MenSCs isolated from the women's menstrual blood were expanded in vitro and transplanted into their uteruses, followed by hormone replacement therapy. Transvaginal ultrasound examination was performed to assess the endometrial thickness. Transabdominal ultrasound was conducted to detect pregnancy outcome. RESULTS Autologous MenSCs were successfully isolated and expanded from menstrual blood and transplanted into the uterus of each patient. A significant improvement of the endometrial thickness was observed from 3.9 ± 0.9 to 7.5 ± 0.6 mm (P

Objectives In order to address the current deficiency of health utility evidence relevant for economic evaluations involving treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Chinese setting, this study aims to develop a mapping algorithm linking the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and EQ-5D-5L in a Chinese population of patients with RA. Methods An estimation sample was obtained from a cross-sectional study that collected HAQ, the pain Visual Analogue Scale, and EQ-5D-5L in RA patients in two tertiary referral hospitals in China. Mapping algorithms were derived in this study using two alternative regression methods: the beta regression and a multivariate ordered probit regression. The internal validity of the mapping algorithms was assessed in each case by calculating predictive performance using a bootstrapping procedure. Results Of the several algorithms developed using these data, predictive performance was shown to be better when VAS pain was included as a predictor and when the multivariate ordered probit regression method was used, rather than the beta regression method. The algorithms developed were shown to be comparable, in terms of predictive performance, to existing mapping studies despite the small sample size of the estimation data. Conclusion It is hoped that the availability of these algorithms will facilitate the development of cost-effectiveness studies evaluating RA treatments in the Chinese health care setting. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (10.1007/s11136-018-1925-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.

Recently, perovskite has received extensive attention due to their excellent photoelectric properties, while the instability of perovskite quantum dots (PQDs) has always troubled us. Herein, we proposed a simple coating mechanism to protect PQDs. Using oleic acid (OA) for etching α-Al2O3 wafer to make the surface appear pore structure, and the PQDs was coated within the modified α-Al2O3 wafer, thereby improving the stability of PQDs. The CsPbX3@α-Al2O3 composite material can achieve the emission of blue-green–red (436 nm to 636 nm) through adjustable luminescence wavelength. The photoluminescence (PL) intensity of CsPbBr3@α-Al2O3 composite material exposure to the air after 28 days can maintain over 50%. It is worth noticing that the photoluminescent quantum yield (PLQY) of CsPbBrI2@α-Al2O3 composite material can reach 58%, the colour purity of CsPbBr3@α-Al2O3 and CsPbBrI2@α-Al2O3 achieve 97.1% and 99.8%, respectively. It was due to the high colour purity of the composite materials can the selected CIE colour coordinate monochromatic light encompassed 114% of NTSC colour gamut. Moreover, the warm white light-emitting diode (WLED) yielded bright natural white light and showed the luminous efficiency (LE) of 86.58 lm/W, colour rendering index (CRI) of 86.9, correlated colour temperature (CCT) of 4602 K. The LE and CRI reaches a relatively balanced value, which showed that this composite material has a certain development prospect in the WLED field.

As a promising optoelectronic material, all-inorganic perovskite nanocrystals (NCs) have attracted much attention, but there are few studies on zero-dimensional Cs4PbBr6 perovskite NCs. Herein, the in situ growth of the CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 NCs inside amorphous glass has been achieved by adjusting the ratios of Cs2CO3 and PbBr2. The effect of different proportions with raw materials on the phase, microstructure, and photoluminescence (PL) characteristics was discussed in detail. Moreover, CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 NCs glass with high photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of ∼58.9% was obtained by optimizing the heat treatment condition. In particular, CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 NCs glass realizes low-threshold amplified spontaneous emission (ASE) at room temperature. Meanwhile, as a green light source, CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 NCs glass makes white light-emitting diode (WLED) presents a wide color gamut. Importantly, CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 NCs glass displays excellent water/thermal stability. All these results prove that CsPbBr3/Cs4PbBr6 NCs glass has broad application prospects in the field of lasers and backlight displays.

Peroxynitrite (ONOO−) is a series of basic biological oxidants involved in physiological and pathological processes. The detection of ONOO− in biological systems has been challenging due to its extremely short half-life and low steady-state concentration. In this work, a ratiometric fluorescent nanoprobe for ONOO− was constructed by coupling covalently of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) with cyanine 5.5 (Cy5.5). This nanoprobe (GQD-Cy5.5) could selectively accumulate in mitochondrial, appears two strong fluorescence emission peaks at 520 and 694 nm. In the presence of ONOO−, the intensity of fluorescence emission peak at 520 nm increased and the intensity of fluorescence emission peak at 694 nm decreased. The ratio (F520 nm/F694 nm) of fluorescence intensity at two emission peaks had a good linear relationship with the concentration of ONOO− in the range of 0–6.0 μM, and the detection limit was 0.03 μM. The excellent properties of the nanoprobe enable its applications in the ratiometric fluorescence imaging of endogenous ONOO− in cell mitochondria.

The reduction in size of field-effect transistors (FETs) comprised of 3D semiconductors is confronted with the issues such as short-channel effects, tunneling effects and thermal dissipation. The emergence of transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) atomic layers has opened up unprecedented opportunities for scaling down of the electronics in view of their unique layered-structure and excellent properties. TMDCs grown directly on high-k dielectric substrates are beneficial for fabricating high-performance FETs. Here, we demonstrate the direct growth of atomically thin MoS2 flakes on high-κ dielectric (HfO2) substrates via a chemical vapor deposition process. The morphology and structure of the as-grown materials were systemically investigated by optical microscope, atomic force microscope, Raman spectroscopy, photoluminescence, transmission electron microscope and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. The MoS2 flakes are approximately 5–10 µm in size with polycrystalline monolayer structure. The optical properties of the MoS2 flakes are also found to be substrate-dependent due to optical interference. In addition, back-gate FETs based on the as-grown MoS2 were fabricated and their performance was investigated. The results indicate that the n-type FETs show high on/off current ratio of ~ 106 and a carrier mobility of 9.75 cm2 V−1 s−1.

Background: The loss of endometrial stem cells has been associated with intrauterine adhesion caused by miscarriage, repeated improper intrauterine operation or infection. Cell-based therapies are promising in regenerative medicine. However, the effects of menstrual blood stem cells (MenSCs) therapy on impaired endometrium need to be explored and validated. This study evaluates the effects of intrauterine transplantation of MenSCs on endometrial thickness and pregnancy outcomes in patients with refractory intrauterine adhesion. Methods: This study included a group of infertile women (n=12, age 22-40 years), with refractory intrauterine adhesion (Grade III – IV). Autologous MenSCs isolated from the women’ menstrual blood were expanded in vitro and transplanted into their uteruses, followed by hormone replacement therapy. Transvaginal ultrasound examination was performed to assess the endometrial thickness. Transabdominal ultrasound was conducted to detect pregnancy outcome. Results: Autologous MenSCs were successfully isolated and expanded from menstrual blood and transplanted into the uterus of each patient. A significant improvement of the endometrial thickness was observed (from 3.9±0.9 mm pre-treatment to 7.5±0.6 mm post-treatment (P

Elemental sulfur cathodes for lithium/sulfur batteries are receiving intense interest owing to their high theoretical capacity and energy density. However, they still suffer from severe capacity fading and moderate rate capability. Herein, we provide rational design and controllable fabrication of highly uniform flower-like hierarchical carbon nanospheres (FCNS) for sulfur accommodation for lithium/sulfur battery cathodes. The as-prepared three dimension FCNS with a size of around 200 nm seem to be assembled by petal-like carbon nanosheets with a thickness of about 4 nm, forming many mesoporous channels, which lead to their high surface area and large pore volume. With such a tailor-made structure, FCNS/sulfur composite cathodes with high sulfur-loading (81 wt%) deliver high specific capacity, long cycling life and excellent rate capability. Particularly, N-doped flower-like carbon nanospheres (NFCNS) with higher surface area (1223 m2 g−1) and larger pore volume (2.33 cm3 g−1) are also fabricated by treating with NH3 and used to host sulfur in lithium–sulfur battery cathodes, exhibiting more excellent rate capability (829 mA h g−1 at 5C) and cycling stability with a decay of 0.03% per cycle over 200 cycles at 1C. Even though the area density is improved to 2.5 mg sulfur per cm2, the battery still has a decay of 0.056% per cycle over 200 cycles.

Despite diverse carbon materials being intensively applied in energy storage and conversion, efficient optimization of the carbon structure to further improve its performance is still a great challenge. Herein, we design and fabricate a highly uniform 3D hierarchical N-doped carbon nanoflower (NCNF) using low-cost chitosan as the nitrogen and carbon source by a silica template method. The as-prepared NCNF with abundant meso-porous channels displays a high surface area (907 m2 g−1) and large pore volume (1.85 cm3 g−1), thereby demonstrating high performance as a bifunctional material for the electrocatalytic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and in lithium–sulfur batteries. As a metal-free ORR electrocatalyst, the NCNF exhibits excellent electrochemical activity comparable to that of commercial Pt/C (20 wt%), and much better methanol tolerance and durability. As sulfur accommodation for a Li–S battery cathode, the NCNF high loading content of sulfur (80 wt%) achieves an extremely high capacity (1633 mA h g−1 at 0.2C), excellent rate capability (916 mA h g−1 at 5C) and good cycling performance with a capacity decay of 0.07% per cycle over 500 cycles at 1C. Even when the area density is improved to 4.5 mgsulfur cm−2, the battery delivers a high areal capacity of ∼5.5 mA h cm−2 (0.37 mA cm−2) and still maintains ∼3 mA h cm−2 after 200 cycles with a smaller capacity decay of 0.07% per cycle at a high area current density of 3.77 mA cm−2. Significantly, the carbon materials recycled from the Li–S cathode after 500 cycles are reused as ORR electrocatalysts, displaying more excellent electrocatalytic activity than Pt/C (20 wt%).

Background Conventional angiography is an invasive technique. Submillimeter computed tomography angiography (CTA) has been shown to be an effective alternative for peripheral artery branches. This study aimed to assess the use of CTA to guide the choice and design of foot donor area for finger or thumb reconstruction. Methods This was a retrospective study of 79 patients who underwent finger or thumb reconstruction between January, 2011 and March, 2014. All these patients underwent preoperative CTA to determine the exact blood supply at the donor site. Preoperative imaging and intraoperative findings at the donor site were compared. Results Among the 79 patients (158 feet), 474 artery segments (dorsalis pedis artery [DPA], first dorsal metatarsal artery [FDMA], and toe web artery [TWA]) were evaluated using CTA. Image satisfaction rates of the vessels were 100.0 ± 0.0%, 89.2 ± 3.2%, and 60.1 ± 5.0% for DPA, FDMA, and TWA, respectively. Among the 158 feet, 90 were Gilbert type I (57.0%), 52 were Gilbert type II (32.9%), 13 were Gilbert type III (8.2%), and 3 were with poor visibility and could not be classified (1.9%). In all 79 patients, the CTA image of the FDMA was consistent with the intraoperative observations. All reconstructed fingers survived. Follow-up was available for 69 patients. After a 6- to 18-month follow-up, the reconstructed fingers and donor area recovered well, and the reconstructed fingers had strong holding power, without pain. Conclusion CTA can produce three-dimensional images for extremity arteries, allowing the preoperative assessment of blood supply and planning of donor site.

The ongoing search for cheap and efficient hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) electrocatalysts to replace currently used catalysts based on Pt or its alloys has been considered as an prevalent strategy to produce renewable and clean hydrogen energy. Herein, inspired by the neuron structure in biological systems, we demonstrate a novel fabrication strategy via a simple two-step method for the synthesis of a neuronlike interpenetrative nanocomposite network of Co-P embedded in porous carbon nanotubes (NIN-Co-P/PCNTs). It is found that the interpenetrative network provides a natural transport path to accelerate the hydrogen production process. The embedded-type structure improves the utilization ratio of Co-P and the hollow, tubelike, and porous structure of PCNTs further promote charge and reactant transport. These factors allow the as-prepared NIN-Co-P/PCNTs to achieve a onset potential low to 43 mV, a Tafel slope as small as 40 mV/decade, an excellent stability, and a high turnover frequency value of 3.2 s(-1) at η = 0.2 V in acidic conditions. These encouraging properties derived from the neuronlike interpenetrative network structure might offer new inspiration for the preparation of more nanocomposites for applications in other catalytic and optoelectronic field.

The formidable sustainability challenges in advancing energy storage technologies call for game-changing research in battery designs. The previous pursuing of novel cathode materials with high redox potentials impedes the vast applications due to the simultaneous electrolyte decomposition at high potentials, though they are expected to deliver high specific capacities. Eventually, people start thinking in an opposite way, desirable anode materials with low redox potentials can also own high specific capacities. Among all the promising candidates, phosphorus-based anodes in sodium ion batteries (SIBs) have received considerable attention owing to the low cost and relatively high natural abundance of phosphorus. More importantly, phosphorus can store three sodium atoms and enable a high theoretical capacity of 2596 mAh g−1, which overwhelms any other SIB anode currently available. However, the poor electronic conductivity and large volume change of phosphorus during cycling severely deteriorate battery performance. The most widely used strategy is to confine phosphorus within well-designed carbon hosts. We thereby introduce a new type of porous hollow carbon with conductive-network interior as phosphorus host, which not only improves the electrical conductivity, but also creates enough interior surface for maximizing phosphorus utilization and shortening the ion's diffusion distance, compared to those conventional hollow carbon hosts. Therefore, the as-prepared red phosphorus-carbon spheres composites (RP/CS) exhibit superior rate performance (~1083 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1, ~837 mAh g−1 even at 8 A g−1) and excellent cycle life (1027 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1 more than 2000 cycles).

Developing highly active heterogeneous catalyst with strong basicity and porous structure is a highly attractive strategy for the base-catalyzed organic chemistry. Herein, we directly synthesized the mesoporous zeolite ETS-10 (METS-10) from using a water glass contained cationic copolymer with quaternary ammonium groups as a template. Furthermore, when the nickel nitrate solution was added into the starting synthesis gel, the nickel species facilitated the mesopore formation, and the Ni-containing mesoporous zeolite ETS-10 (Ni-METS-10) was obtained. Catalytic test results showed that the conversions of the benzaldehyde and citral over Ni-METS-10 (88.8 and 63.2 %) and METS-10 (85.5 and 60.1 %) catalysts are higher than those over both mesopore-free ETS-10 (77.3 and 47.7 %) and mesoporous NaX (MNaX, 55.0 and 35.2 %) catalysts in the condensation reactions with ethyl cyanoacetate. The higher activity of METS-10 and Ni-METS-10 than ETS-10 and MNaX is assigned to the fact that the strong basic sites on the catalysts can activate the reaction substrate and the mesoporous in the catalyst benefit the mass transfer and enhance the catalytic activity.

Uniform hydrangea-like multi-scale carbon hollow submicron spheres (HCSSg) are fabricated by a simple hydrothermal method using glucose as carbon source and fibrous silicon dioxides spheres as shape guide. Structure characterization suggests that petal-like partially graphitized carbon nanosheets with the thickness of about 10 nm arranged in three dimensions (3D) to form the hydrangea-like hollow spheres (size ranging from 250 to 500 nm) with mesoporous channels, which can be conducive to be a high specific surface area (934 m 2 g −1 ) and bulk density (0.87 cm g −3 ), hierarchical pores structure with good conductivity. As a result, the HCSSg has been demonstrated to be a supercapacitor electrode material with high gravimetric (386 F g −1 at 0.2 A g −1 ) and outstanding volumetric (335 F cm −3 ) capacitance, good rate capability and cycling stability with 94% capacitance retention after 5000 cycles in aqueous electrolytes, thus suggesting its application potential.

Well-defined gold embedded maghemite hybrid nanowires are synthesized, and their structures are fully characterized. They are composed of porous γ-Fe2O3 shells and embedded gold nanoparticles (3-10 nm), which is novel and very different from the conventional "surface decoration" configuration. These hybrid nanowires are produced by the de-alloying of Au-Fe alloy nanowires and subsequent heat treatment. The reaction mechanism is proposed and validated. The results of X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and thermogravimetry techniques prove consistently that the Fe composition of Au-Fe alloy nanowires change to γ-FeOOH first and then to γ-Fe2O3. The embedded gold particles are help to enhance the gas response properties of the hybrid nanowires, which is attributed to the nano open-circuit Schottky junctions between γ-Fe2O3 and the Au nanoparticles. The gas sensing experiment data with high repeatability demonstrate that these hybrid nanowires are excellent sensing materials, especially for ethanol, and have shown both high selectivity and high sensitivity.

Background Microsurgical toe-to-hand transplantation is a reasonable salvage procedure after failed replantation, though no consensus exists on proper donor toe length for restoration of hand function and optimal donor flap needed for recipient site healing. The purpose of this study was to introduce a novel technique for preoperative planning in complicated toe-to-hand reconstruction and to assess feasibility in four cases. Methods Computed tomography (CT) angiography was used to map donor site vasculature, whereas CT data were used to create three-dimensional (3D) soft tissue and skeletal models for injured and uninjured hands. Based on the reformatted model (mirror of uninjured hand), soft tissue and finger skeleton models were generated using a 3D printer. An adhesive plaster model was placed on the donor site to determine osteotomy level and incision markings. The skeletal model was used to determine the length of the donor foot resection. Four complex amputation cases were included to illustrate clinical feasibility and early functional and cosmetic outcomes. Results In all four cases, thumb and fingers were reconstructed successfully and all flaps survived. No arterial or venous thrombosis or major donor morbidity were observed. Functional and cosmetic outcomes were satisfactory with similarly satisfactory static two-point discrimination, key pinch and grip strength, and Michigan Hand Outcomes Questionnaire scores. Conclusion This novel microsurgical toe-to-hand reconstruction methodology, as introduced in this study, showed promising functional and cosmetic outcomes. Application of this technique in complex hand injuries has the potential to increase surgical efficiency, minimize procedural morbidity, and improve reproducibility.

Objectives To compare the methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews by authors from China and those from the United States (USA). Study Design and Setting From systematic reviews of randomized trials published in 2014 in English, we randomly selected 100 from China and 100 from the USA. The methodological quality was assessed using the Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews (AMSTAR) tool, and reporting quality assessed using the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) tool. Results Compared with systematic reviews from the USA, those from China were more likely to be a meta-analysis, published in low-impact journals, and a non-Cochrane review. The mean summary Assessing the Methodological Quality of Systematic Reviews score was 6.7 (95% confidence interval: 6.5, 7.0) for reviews from China and 6.6 (6.1, 7.1) for reviews from the USA, and the mean summary Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses score was 21.2 (20.7, 21.6) for reviews from China and 20.6 (19.9, 21.3) for reviews from the USA. The differences in summary quality scores between China and the USA were statistically nonsignificant after adjusting for multiple review factors. Conclusion The overall methodological and reporting quality of systematic reviews by authors from China are similar to those from the USA, although the quality of systematic reviews from both countries could be further improved.

Aim To provide a comprehensive estimation of the economic burden of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in China, especially for patients from less developed areas, and to explore the cost transferability between regions to assist healthcare decision-making. Methods The study was conducted in south and north China from May 2013 to December 2013. The burden of RA was investigated by interviewing participants with a questionnaire battery containing socio-demographic, cost of illness (COI) and medical treatments. The COI questionnaire captured direct, indirect and intangible costs. Direct costs included hospitalizations, outpatient visits and medications. Indirect costs were estimated using the human capital approach, and intangible costs valued through the willingness-to-pay approach. All cost data were converted to 2013 US dollars by purchasing power parity, and then summarized descriptively and analyzed with mixed models. Results Questionnaires were administered to 133 RA patients. The average direct costs were $1917.21 ± $2559.06 per patient year, with medications at $1283.89 ± $1898.15 comprising more than 50% of the total. The average indirect costs were $492.88 ± $1739.74 per patient year, while intangible costs were $20396.30 ± $31145.10. There was no significant difference detected between regions. Recent hospitalization was tested as a significant predictor of the direct costs. Age and income were significantly associated with indirect and intangible costs. Conclusions Besides the substantial burden in terms of direct medical costs and productivity lost, there were notable intangible costs, especially among older patients. This conclusion could be potentially expanded to other provinces in China or even other countries through the adjustments for transferability.

Identifying both modern and fossil bamboos to the species and genus level is quite difficult because of the relative homogeneity of bamboo shells and their rare flowering periods. Phytolith analysis has potential taxonomic significance for identifying bamboos at the genus level. We present morphometric and assemblage analyses of phytoliths from 17 woody bamboo species within the genera Phyllostachys, Dendrocalamus and Bambusa in subtropical southwest China. The oblong concave saddle and narrow elliptates are the two most abundant phytolith morphotypes in these samples. The average lengths and widths of oblong concave saddles varied considerably between Phyllostachys (19.2 and 10.5 μm), Dendrocalamus (18.00 and 8.7 μm), and Bambusa (17.2 and 9.4 μm), suggesting that size measurements alone may be used to distinguish these genera. Further, hierarchical cluster analysis of the relative abundance of all phytolith morphotypes in these samples, as well as the morphological parameters of oblong concave saddles, demonstrate that these parameters are able to classify bamboos at the genus level. In sum, the relative abundance of specific phytolith morphotypes (narrow eliliptates and oblong concave saddles), the relative assemblages of all phytolith morphotypes, and the morphological parameters (length and width) of oblong concave saddles, all exhibit taxonomical value at the genus level for the Bambusoideae subfamily. Phytolith analysis provides an ability to taxonomically classify a culturally and ecologically significant subfamily of plants in the past and at present.

We demonstrate that alkali metal salts, including KCl, NaCl, K2SO4, Na2SO4, K2CO3, and Na2CO3, can act as catalysts for carbon nanotube (CNT) growth in chemical vapor deposition (CVD). The solution of alkali metal salt, water and ethanol was nebulized and was introduced into the CVD reactor, producing CNT with a multi-walled structure. Individual CNT are terminated with an onion-shaped carbon tip even when different alkali metal salt catalysts are used. Through observation and analysis of the catalyst particles and the resulting product, we elucidate the mechanism by which the alkali metal salt nanoparticles are served as “seeds” and provide nucleation sites for CNT growth. The ethanol decomposes to release carbon atoms into the catalyst particles, and the carbon nucleates and then begins to assemble on the surface of the catalyst particles, resulting in the CNT growth. By altering growth conditions, branched CNT and single-walled CNT also can be grown on alkali metal salt nanoparticles.

Developing a low-cost route to synthesize mesoporous TS-1 (MTS-1) is of great importance because of its practical application in industry. Herein, we first synthesized a copolymer containing quaternary ammonium groups by a mesoporous template comprising inexpensive starting materials. Subsequently, waterglass (sodium metasilicate), TiCl3, and copolymer were dispersed in the preformed seeds emulsion, resulting in a gel for synthesizing MTS-1. The counterpart material (CTS-1) was also synthesized by the same procedure except for the absence of the copolymer. Compared with CTS-1, the MTS-1 exhibits good crystallinity and well-defined tetrahedral coordinated Ti species (TiIV) in the framework as well as excellent catalytic activity in the oxidation of bulky molecules, such as dibenzothiophene and benzyl phenyl sulfide. This feature may be attributed to the fact that the quaternary ammonium groups on copolymer facilitates the formation of the MFI structure and energetically incorporates the Ti species into the...

We report that 5-fold twinned nanowires and single twinned right bipyramids of Pd with high yields can be selectively synthesized in a hydrophilic system with the assistance of acetonitrile and ethanol, respectively. The controlled synthesis is based on an idea that small organic molecules (SOMs) that can attract halide ions via electrostatic interactions of different strengths could well adjust their activity to tune the etching degree of O2/halides for protecting the twinned Pd crystal nucleus. We consider that relatively stronger interaction between acetonitrile and halide ions for the formation of nanowires is due to the existence of three C–Hδ+ bonds induced by the electron-withdrawing CN group of CH3CN, which is confirmed by an as-called iodine starch test, 1H nuclear magnetic resonance spectra, and theoretical calculations. On the basis of this finding, we then have successfully expanded SOMs to other molecules, including acetone, 1,4-dioxane, and 1,3,5-trioxane, which have a function similar to th...

The current investigation of lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries faces three practical problems: (1) the poor conductivity of sulfur; (2) the notorious shuttle mechanism; and (3) the volume variation of the sulfur cathode. In principle, carbon nanotubes (CNTs) have a strong potential for improving sulfur usage because of their high electrical conductivity. Furthermore, opening holes in CNTs or creating pores on the walls is also a useful approach to not only enhance the diffusion of Li ions, but also enable more sulfur to fill the interior of the CNTs, which would be beneficial in retaining the soluble poly-sulfide intermediates and accommodate volume variations. Herein, we designed a mild one-step oxidation approach to create porous CNTs (PCNTs) through a chemical reaction between CNTs and rare oxygen sourced from a nebulized water stream at high temperatures. The higher specific surface area and pore volume values confirmed that PCNTs had significant porosity, compared with raw CNTs. When the PCNTs–S composites were tested as cathode materials in Li–S batteries, the cathode with 78 wt% S content exhibited an initial reversible capacity of 1382 mA h g−1 at 0.2 C. Furthermore, a reversible capacity of 150 mA h g−1 can be preserved, even at a very high current rate of 15 C. More importantly, it is also confirmed that a cathode with 89 wt% S content unexpectedly delivered a reversible capacity as high as 1165 mA h g−1sulfur/830 mA h g−1electrode at the initial cycle, and 792 mA h g−1sulfur/564 mA h g−1electrode after 200 cycles at a current rate of 0.2 C. To the best of our knowledge, such a high rate performance (15 C) and S loading (89 wt%) in cathodes of advanced Li–S batteries have been infrequently reported in previous research.

GeSe2nanobelts were synthesized via a simple thermal-evaporation process by using gold particles as catalyst and GeSe2flakes as starting materials. The morphology, crystal structure, and composition were characterized with scanning electron microscopy (SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction spectroscopy (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS). SEM micrographs show that most of GeSe2nanobelts have distinct segmented structures (wide belt, zigzag belt, and narrow belt). A possible mechanism was proposed for the growth of segmented nanobelts. It is possible that the growth of the segmented nanobelts is dominated by both vapor-liquid-solid and vapor-solid mechanisms. Devices made of single GeSe2nanobelt have been fabricated and their photoelectrical property has been investigated. Results indicate that these nanobelt devices are potential building blocks for optoelectronic applications.