Search

Photothermal superhydrophobic coatings hold great promise in addressing the limitations of conventional superhydrophobic anti‐icing coatings. However, developing such coatings with excellent impalement resistance, mechanical robustness and weather resistance remains a significant challenge. Here, we report facile preparation of robust photothermal superhydrophobic coatings with all the above advantages. The coatings were prepared by spraying a dispersion consisting of fluorinated silica nanoparticles, a silicone‐modified polyester adhesive and photothermal carbon black nanoparticles onto Al alloy plates followed by thermal curing. Thermal curing caused migration of perfluorodecyl polysiloxane from within the coatings to the surface, effectively maintaining a low surface energy despite the presence of the adhesive. Therefore, combined with the hierarchical micro‐/nanostructure, dense yet rough nanostructure, adhesion of the adhesive and chemically inert components, the coatings exhibited remarkable superhydrophobicity, impalement resistance, mechanical robustness and weather resistance. Furthermore, the coatings demonstrated excellent photothermal effect even in the −10 °C, 80 % relative humidity and weak sunlight (0.2 sun) environment. Consequently, the coatings showed excellent passive anti‐icing and active de‐icing performance. Moreover, the coatings have good generalizability and scalability. We are confident that this study will accelerate the practical implementation of photothermal superhydrophobic coatings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superamphiphobic coatings have widespread application potential in various fields, e.g., anti-icing, anti-corrosion and self-cleaning, but are seriously limited by poor mechanical stability. Here, mechanically stable superamphiphobic coatings were fabricated by spraying the suspension composed of phase-separated silicone-modified polyester (SPET) adhesive microspheres with fluorinated silica (FD-POS@SiO2) on them. The effects of non-solvent and SPET adhesive contents on the superamphiphobicity and mechanical stability of the coatings were studied. Due to the phase separation of SPET and the FD-POS@SiO2 nanoparticles, the coatings present a multi-scale micro-/nanostructure. Combined with the FD-POS@SiO2 nanoparticles of low surface energy, the coatings present outstanding static and dynamic superamphiphobicity. Meanwhile, the coatings present outstanding mechanical stability due to the adhesion effect of SPET. In addition, the coatings present outstanding chemical and thermal stability. Moreover, the coatings can obviously delay the water freezing time and decrease the icing adhesion strength. We trust that the superamphiphobic coatings have widespread application potential in the anti-icing field. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Improving solar energy conversion efficiency and salt resistance is particularly important for the practical application of green and sustainable solar steam generation technology. In this work, an interfacial evaporation polypyrrole-coated film was fabricated by the mixed-dimensional clay consisting of 1D palygorskite (Pal), 2D montmorillonite (Mt) and mica, etc., that was intercalated using polyaniline (PANI) and then introduced polyvinyl pyrrolidone (PVP) as pore-forming agent and polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) as a base film. The prepared film could efficiently convert light energy to heat under solar irradiation with excellent properties of self-desalination and photothermal conversion efficiency as well as superhydrophilicity and low thermal conductivity. The photothermal conversion efficiency achieved up to 93.6% under the simulated sunlight of 1 kW m−2. The evaporation rate in 15% NaCl brine differed very little from that in pure water, and 0.2 g of NaCl placed on the film would be eliminated in short time at room temperature, which demonstrated that the film had salt resistance and self-cleaning capability. In addition, the resulting film had low thermal conductivity (0.09994 W m−1 K−1) and good mechanical properties (tensile strength of 1.1 MPa) and exhibited superhydrophilicity (water contact angle ~ 0°) which could transport water molecules rapidly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Scores of studies on tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) gene polymorphisms and AS have been performed with inconsistent results. The purpose of this study was to provide some more convincing evidence on the associations of TNF-a polymorphisms and AS by using a meta-analysis approach. Potentially relevant studies were identified from Web of Science, PubMed, EMBASE, Wanfang, and CNKI from inception to March 5, 2020. Newcastle–Ottawa Scale (NOS) was utilized to appraise the quality of included studies. Odds ratios (ORs) with 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) were calculated to assess the strength of the associations under five genetic models. Thirty-five studies with 37 independent cohorts in total were included in the meta-analysis. Based upon NOS, eligible studies were in moderate- to high quality. The merged data suggested rs1799724 polymorphisms were significantly correlated with a reduced risk of AS (C vs. T, OR = 0.55, 95%CI 0.38–0.79, P <.001, PBon = 0.005, PFDR = 0.003). Subgroup analysis by ethnicity indicated that rs1800629 polymorphism significantly increased the risk of AS in Caucasians and decreased the risk of AS in mixed populations. Besides, rs361525 and rs1800630 polymorphisms conferred to an elevated risk of AS, and rs1799724 conferred to a reduced risk of AS in Asians. This study suggests that rs1800629 polymorphism is associated with an increased AS risk in Caucasians, rs361525 and rs1800630 polymorphisms are linked to an elevated AS susceptibility in Asians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Grade II gliomas are mostly astrocytomas and oligodendrocytomas. The treatment method is mainly surgery, combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. According to statistics, young patients under the age of 40 years with grade II gliomas have a 50% chance of more than 5-year survival through reasonable treatment and normal eating habits. The survival time of middle-aged and elderly patients over 40 years old is about 2-3 years under the same conditions. The study aimed at analyzing the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of 60 patients with glioma. Methods. A total of 60 patients diagnosed pathologically with grade II glioma according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification in 2007 admitted into our hospital from January 2016 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan–Meier curve was plotted to reflect 5-year survival according to patients' clinical characteristics. The Cox regression model was used to analyze prognostic factors of grade II glioma. Results. Preoperative KPS scores <60, 60–80, and >80 accounted for 25.00% (15/60), 40.00% (24/60), and 35.00% (21/60), respectively. The largest tumor diameter LTD was less than 5 cm revealed in 60.00% patients, of which astrocytoma accounted for 65.00%. Subventricular zone (SVZ) expansion occurred in 23.33% of the patients and peritumoral edema occurred in 16.67% of the patients. The median follow-up time was 54 months. 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates of all patients were 70.0% and 56.7%, respectively. The Cox regression model indicated SVZ expansion, surgical resections, and recurrence were the independent prognostic factors of grade II glioma. Conclusion. These data suggested that SVZ expansion, surgical resections, and recurrence were independent factors affecting the prognosis of grade II glioma. According to the above clinical indexes of patients, individualized therapies can be established to prolong the survival time of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Grade II gliomas are mostly astrocytomas and oligodendrocytomas. The treatment method is mainly surgery, combined with chemotherapy and radiotherapy. According to statistics, young patients under the age of 40 years with grade II gliomas have a 50% chance of more than 5-year survival through reasonable treatment and normal eating habits. The survival time of middle-aged and elderly patients over 40 years old is about 2-3 years under the same conditions. The study aimed at analyzing the clinical characteristics and prognostic factors of 60 patients with glioma. Methods. A total of 60 patients diagnosed pathologically with grade II glioma according to the World Health Organization (WHO) classification in 2007 admitted into our hospital from January 2016 to December 2016 were retrospectively analyzed. The Kaplan–Meier curve was plotted to reflect 5-year survival according to patients' clinical characteristics. The Cox regression model was used to analyze prognostic factors of grade II glioma. Results. Preoperative KPS scores <60, 60–80, and >80 accounted for 25.00% (15/60), 40.00% (24/60), and 35.00% (21/60), respectively. The largest tumor diameter LTD was less than 5 cm revealed in 60.00% patients, of which astrocytoma accounted for 65.00%. Subventricular zone (SVZ) expansion occurred in 23.33% of the patients and peritumoral edema occurred in 16.67% of the patients. The median follow-up time was 54 months. 5-year overall survival and progression-free survival rates of all patients were 70.0% and 56.7%, respectively. The Cox regression model indicated SVZ expansion, surgical resections, and recurrence were the independent prognostic factors of grade II glioma. Conclusion. These data suggested that SVZ expansion, surgical resections, and recurrence were independent factors affecting the prognosis of grade II glioma. According to the above clinical indexes of patients, individualized therapies can be established to prolong the survival time of patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-performance form stable phase change materials (FSPCMs) with higher optical absorbance and phase change enthalpy is of great significance to building energy conservation. A kind of Ti 3 C 2 /pectin aerogels was prepared by self-assembly of pectin and MXene nanosheet (Ti 3 C 2) by solution blending method. These aerogels were directly dipped in the molten dodecylamine (DDA) as the phase change material. The results show that the PCM composites with 3 wt% Ti 3 C 2 have a phase change temperature of 25.47 °C (at which the human body feels comfortable), latent heat of phase change of 218.8 kJ kg−1, and thermal conductivity of 0.1817 W/(m K). The prepared FSPCMs have the characteristics of suitable phase change temperature, high latent heat, good melting/freezing cycle reliability, strong mechanical properties, significant photothermal energy conversion capacity (more than 92%), and good thermal insulation performance. Therefore, the corresponding pectin-based composites with better light absorption and mechanical properties are expected to have broad application prospects in energy conversion and building energy conservation. • Aerogels with enhanced mechanical properties were prepared by self-assembly of Ti3C2 and pectin. • The addition of Mxene effectively improved the solar-thermal conversion efficiency (92.6%) of composites. • The form-stable PCM composite has a phase change enthalpy of 196.3 kJ kg-1 (after 200 cycles). • The dodecylamine used in building energy storage has a suitable phase transition temperature (25.18 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Intervertebral disc degeneration (IVDD) is a degenerative and chronic spinal disorder often associated with the older population. Oxidative stress is a major pathogenic factor of aging that results in the apoptosis of nucleus pulposus cells (NPCs) and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. Quercetin (QUE), a naturally occurring flavonoid with antioxidant and anti-inflammatory properties, has been studied in research on degenerative diseases. However, the potential effects and mechanisms of action of QUE on IVDD remain unclear. In this study, the effects of QUE on antiapoptosis and ECM metabolism were firstly investigated in TBHP-treated NPCs. Meanwhile, the autophagy inhibitor, 3-MA, and p38 MAPK inhibitor, SB203580, were used in subsequent TBHP-induced NPC experiments to determine whether QUE exerted its protective effects through autophagy and the p38 MAPK/mTOR signaling pathway. Finally, the therapeutic effects of QUE were confirmed in vivo using a rat tail needle puncture-induced model of IVDD. We found that QUE treatment significantly alleviated oxidative stress-decreased cell viability and intracellular ROS levels in NPCs treated with TBHP. Furthermore, treatment with QUE led to a decrease in apoptosis as measured by decreased Bax and increased Bcl-2 expression and PE/7-AAD flow cytometry analysis. QUE also promoted ECM stability as measured by increased collagen II and aggrecan and decreased MMP13 levels. Our results also showed that QUE promoted the expression of autophagy markers beclin-1, LC3-II/I, and decreased p62. Inhibition of autophagy by inhibitor 3-MA may partially reverse the protective effect of QUE on apoptosis and ECM degeneration, indicating that autophagy was involved in the protective effect of QUE in NPCs. Further study confirmed that QUE partially inhibited the p38 MAPK signaling pathway and inhibition of p38 MAPK by SB203580 activated autophagy, indicating that QUE protected NPCs against apoptosis and prevented ECM degeneration via the p38 MAPK-autophagy pathway. Finally, using a rat tail puncture-induced model of IVDD, we confirmed that QUE had a protective effect against IVDD. Our results suggest that QUE could prevent IVDD by modulating p38 MAPK-mediated autophagy and, therefore, is a potential therapeutic strategy in the treatment of IVDD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-performance shape-stable phase change materials composites (ss-PCMCs) with enhanced thermal conductivity and high phase change enthalpy is of great importance for thermal energy storage. Herein, we report the creation of novel ss-PCMCs by incorporation of organic PCMs (1-hexadecanamine (HDA) and palmitic acid (PA)) into the biomass carbon aerogels (BCAs refer to sunflower receptacle spongy carbon aerogel (r-CA) and sunflower stem carbon aerogel (s-CA)) through a simple vacuum infusion. Due to their abundant porosity, light weight and high specific surface area, organic PCMs can be spontaneously loaded into BCAs with an ultrahigh loading rate of up to 1988 wt%. The obtained of PCM/BCAs composites show high phase change enthalpy of ranging from 207.9 kJ kg−1 to 271 kJ kg−1, in addition to their excellent thermal stability and recyclability, e.g., their phase change enthalpy nearly remains unchanged even after 50 times of melting/freezing cycles. The PCM/BCAs composites also show an enhanced thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the light-to-thermal conversion efficiency was found to be promising candidates for light-to-thermal energy storage applications on basis of their 75.6% for HDA/r-CA and 67.8% for HDA/s-CA, respectively, making them abundant resource, cost-efficiency, simple and scalable fabrication process. • HDA was first exploited as a new class of phase change material. • ss-PCMCs were fabricated by doping of PCM into biomass carbon aerogels of sunflower. • The HDA/BCAs shows high light-thermal conversion efficiency (67.8%–75.6%). • The loading rate of HDA in BCAs is up to 1988 wt % and 873%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of high-performance shape-stable phase change materials composites (ss-PCMCs) with enhanced thermal conductivity and high phase change enthalpy is of great importance for thermal energy storage. Herein, we report the creation of novel ss-PCMCs by incorporation of organic PCMs (1-hexadecanamine (HDA) and palmitic acid (PA)) into the biomass carbon aerogels (BCAs refer to sunflower receptacle spongy carbon aerogel (r-CA) and sunflower stem carbon aerogel (s-CA)) through a simple vacuum infusion. Due to their abundant porosity, light weight and high specific surface area, organic PCMs can be spontaneously loaded into BCAs with an ultrahigh loading rate of up to 1988 wt%. The obtained of PCM/BCAs composites show high phase change enthalpy of ranging from 207.9 kJ kg−1 to 271 kJ kg−1, in addition to their excellent thermal stability and recyclability, e.g., their phase change enthalpy nearly remains unchanged even after 50 times of melting/freezing cycles. The PCM/BCAs composites also show an enhanced thermal conductivity. Furthermore, the light-to-thermal conversion efficiency was found to be promising candidates for light-to-thermal energy storage applications on basis of their 75.6% for HDA/r-CA and 67.8% for HDA/s-CA, respectively, making them abundant resource, cost-efficiency, simple and scalable fabrication process. • HDA was first exploited as a new class of phase change material. • ss-PCMCs were fabricated by doping of PCM into biomass carbon aerogels of sunflower. • The HDA/BCAs shows high light-thermal conversion efficiency (67.8%–75.6%). • The loading rate of HDA in BCAs is up to 1988 wt % and 873%, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To detect the expression of miR-424, miR-92a, and miR-130b in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) and to explore their significance. Methods The expression levels of miR-424, miR-92a, and miR-130b in plasma of 43 patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma and 43 healthy people who underwent physical examination were detected by qRT-PCR. The relationship between the expression of miR-424, miR-92a, and miR-130b and the clinicopathological characteristics of squamous cell carcinoma; the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to calculate the specificity and sensitivity of plasma miR-424, miR-92a and miR-130b for the diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma, and to evaluate the diagnostic value in cancer. Results The expression levels of miR424, miR-92a, and miR-130b in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma were significantly higher than those in healthy people, with statistically significant differences (all P < 0.05). The plasma miR-92a and miR-130b expression was related to tumor grade, lymph node metastasis, and TNM stage in patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. In addition, the plasma miR-130b expression in poorly differentiated patients is significantly up-regulated. The specificities of plasma miR-424, miR-92a, and miR-130b for the diagnosis of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma alone were 72.09%, 51.84%, and 90.7%, and the sensitivities were 62.79%, 88.37%, and 81.4%, and the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.703, 0.720, and 0.862. Conclusion The expression of miR-424, miR-92a and miR-130b in plasma of patients with esophageal squamous cell carcinoma increases, and the detection of miR-92a and miR-130b in plasma is helpful for the diagnosis and evaluation of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superamphiphobic coatings have garnered great attention owing to their widespread application potential in self-cleaning, anti-corrosion, anti-fouling and anti-icing, etc. However, environmentally harmful material, complicated preparation methods, and poor mechanical stability significantly hamper their applications. Here, we report preparation of waterborne durable superamphiphobic coatings based on palygorskite. The coatings were prepared by in turn spray-coating a waterborne polyurethane adhesive solution (the primer layer) and a homogenous aqueous suspension of siloxane-modified palygorskite (the top layer) onto substrates. The influences of concentration palygorskite, silane and catalyst on morphology and wettability of the coatings were studied. Because of microstructure of palygorskite and low surface energy of siloxanes, the coatings have a re-entrant hierarchical micro-/nanostructure with low surface energy. Consequently, the coatings exhibit excellent superamphiphobicity and chemical stability. Moreover, the coatings show good mechanical stability because the siloxane-modified palygorskite top layer was firmly affixed on the substrate by the adhesive layer. In addition, the coatings exhibit good anti-fouling and self-cleaning properties. This study demonstrates a new method for the preparation of superamphiphobic coatings and a new application of natural fibrous clay minerals like palygorskite. [Display omitted] • Waterborne superamphiphobic coatings are prepared using palygorskite • The coatings exhibit excellent superamphiphobicity, mechanical and chemical stability • The coatings show excellent anti-fouling and self-cleaning properties • The fabrication process is simple, environmental friendly and cost-efficient [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Spongy carbon soot (s‐CS) was prepared and used as novel host material of the form‐stable composite phase change materials (PCMs). The s‐CS was constructed by the interconnected and compact large agglomerates of the soot particles with an average size of 25–60 nm. The average pore diameter of the s‐CS was measured to be 15.3 nm. Owing to capillary forces of s‐CS, n‐carboxylic acids can be easily absorbed into the pores and stay stable without leakage. The PCMs/s‐CS composite present a high heat storage capacity between 83.42 J g−1 and 99.63 J g−1, corresponding to the mass fraction of n‐carboxylic acids between 50.10% and 53.20%. The effects of the supporting material on thermal stability and thermal conductivity of composites were investigated by means of thermogravimetry and flash thermal conductivity testing. The PCM/spongy CS composites exhibit excellent thermal stability and durability, and may have great potential for renewable energy saving applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • The ATP/polymers composites were first prepared for solar steam generation. • It possesses a high evaporation efficiency of 85% under 1 sun irradiation. • It has advantages of cost-efficient, simple and scalable manufacture process. Abstract Solar steam generation has been attracting wide attention for boosting the evolution of solar-energy-harvesting technology. Here, we demonstrate the fabrication of a novel bilayer photothermal material based on attapulgite/poly acrylamide composite (APAC), which was prepared by the solution polymerization of acrylamide (AM) in the presence of attapulgite using N, N′-Methylene bisacrylamide (MBA) as a crosslinker, for efficient solar steam generation. The APAC shows better thermal stability with a decomposition temperature of 250 °C, good mechanical property with a compress strength of up to 125 KPa at 75% strain and a low apparent density (0.0191 g·cm−3) with abundant porosity accompanying with a low thermal conductivity (0.07 W m−1 K−1). To enhance the light absorption of APAC, a thin carbon layer was created on the surface of APAC via a facile flame treatment. Under our conditions, the bilayered APAC shows a high vapor rate of 1.2 kg m−2 h−1 under 1 sun illumination, equal to 85% solar-to-vapor efficiency. With the merits of cost-efficient, scalable manufacture, high solar energy conversion efficiency, the APAC may hold the great potential as high-performance photothermal materials for solar energy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: As we are experiencing the progressive aging of our population, risk management of geriatric orthopedic patients is extremely important. The present study was carried out to identify independent predictors of surgical site infection and to better define the threshold value of serum albumin on postoperative wound infection in older patients. Methods: This retrospective multicenter study was carried out from January 2015 to June in 2017. A total of 3378 older patients (aged ≥60 years) were enrolled. We extracted the patients' demographics, characteristics of disease, treatment‐related variables and indexes of laboratory examination. Receiver operating characteristic analysis was carried out to find the optimum cut‐off value for serum albumin. Univariate and multivariate logistic analysis models were carried out, respectively, to determine independent predictors of surgical site infection. Results: A total of 123 patients developed wound infection in the present study. Surgical site infection prolonged hospitalization of patients by a mean of 14.2 days. The overall incidence was 3.64%, with 0.47% for deep infection and 3.16% for superficial infection. Independent predictors of surgical site infection identified by multivariate analysis were traumatic injury (odds ratio 12.42, 95% CI 6.80–22.12; P = 0.000), serum albumin <32.6 g/L (odds ratio 2.54, 95% CI 1.22–5.29; P = 0.013) and American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status index class 3 or higher (odds ratio 2.14, 95% CI = 1.24–3.69; P = 0.006). Conclusions: We recommend that surgeons evaluate the nutritional status of older patients and optimize the perioperative strategy of supplementary nutrition support to reduce the risk of postoperative wound infection. Geriatr Gerontol Int 2019; 19: 213–217. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phase change materials (PCMs) have been widely used as efficient materials in latent heat thermal storage systems for various applications. The poor thermal conductivity of most organic phase change materials (OPCMs), however, has long been considered as one of big obstacles hindering their practical applications. Here, we report the first examples of Manganese dioxide nanowires and nanotubes based PCM nanocomposites (named as MnO 2 NWs/PCM and MnO 2 NTs/PCM) with enhanced thermal conductivity by simply using MnO 2 nanowires and nanotubes as efficient nanofillers. The PCMs nanocomposites show high latent heat ranging from 140.1 J g −1 to 206.1 J g −1 . The thermal conductivity of PCM nanocomposites were dramatically enhanced by incorporation of Manganese dioxide nanowires and nanotubes with a maximum value of 377.16% of that of pure PA achieved, which is nearly two times of that of control. X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis shows that the incorporation of nanofillers does not change the crystalline structure of OPCMs while lowering its crystalline size. The PCM nanocomposites also show excellent thermal stability of recyclability. Only a slight loss of 2.8% in latent heat was observed after 100 times of melting/cooling cycles. Based on their high heat storage performance, excellent thermal conductivity and thermal stability of recyclability, the as-prepared PCM nanocomposites may have great potentials for energy saving applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Renewable pectin and cost-effective palygorskite (Pal) were used as raw materials to prepare hierarchically porous carbonized aerogels. The addition of cations (Ca2+) initiates supramolecular bonding of chains in the polymer and enhances the performance of the aerogel. Unlike the previous fragile biomass porous materials, the carbonized aerogels prepared this time showed excellent mechanical properties, with a compressive strength of up to 0.4 MPa at 80% strain. Dodecylamine (DDA) was loaded into the carbonized aerogel by the melt dipping method to obtain a stable phase change material (PCM) with positive performance. Furthermore, the chemical structure, microstructure, thermal stability, mechanical properties, heat storage performance, and thermal conductivity of carbonized clay/pectin aerogels and those of as-prepared composite PCMs were determined by various characterization techniques. The results demonstrate that inexpensive supporting materials can effectively improve the shape stability and thermal conductivity of composite PCMs. Meanwhile, the composite PCMs possess suitable phase transition temperature, reliable photothermal energy storage capacity, and excellent shape stability. The energy storage capacity and reliability of those cost-effective carbon-based form stable phase change materials (FSPCMs) reveal their tremendous application potential in solar energy utilization. • Resourceful raw materials were prepared as support with a simple method. • Palygorskite enhances the shape stability of composite phase change material (PCM). • Carbonized aerogel has an excellent mechanical property (0.4 MPa at 80% strain). • The composite PCM has a phase change enthalpy of 161.8 kJ kg−1 (after 300 cycles). • The photothermal conversion efficiency of composite PCM enables reach up to 77.5%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superoleophilic graphene–nickel foam (PDMS–G–NF), which was prepared by coating graphene nanosheets onto nickel foam followed by surface modification with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), was used as porous supporting material to prepare form-stable phase change materials (PCMs) composites. Owing to the strong hydrophobic and superhydrophilic wettability of PDMS–G–NF, PCMs can be absorbed spontaneously into PDMS–G–NF and can stay stable without leakage even over their melting points. The incorporation of PCMs into PDMS–G–NF does not change the crystal structure but lowers the crystallinity size of PCMs in the composites, which is confirmed by X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analysis. The latent heat of PDMS–G–NF/PCM composites was measured in the range of 42.3–123.41 kJ kg −1 . Taking advantages of the simple process and good stability the PDMS–G–NF should be ideal candidates as an alternative to traditional PCMs, which may have great potentials for renewable energy saving applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A series of acetic acid-based ionic liquids (ILs) were synthesized and used for oxidative desulfurization as both catalyst and extractant. The practical and orthogonal experiments showed that [Otbim]+CH3COO− containing eight-carbon side chain has of best catalytic activity. 87.5% of thiophene in the model oil was removed under the optimal conditions of oxidation temperature at 70°C, oxidation time of 180min, simulated oil dosage of 10ml, and ILs/H2O2 volume ratio of 1:1.1. Meanwhile, the ILs could be recycled 5 times without any apparent loss of the catalytic activity. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Interfacial solar steam generation is one of the most promising strategies to harvest sunlight for desalination and production of fresh water. Herein, we demonstrate the synthesis of hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) via a one-step Friedel-Crafts reaction. The HCPs have abundant porosity, high thermal stability and large specific surface area (＞1219 m2 g−1). After modification with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), and coated by polypyrrole (PPy) and silver nanoparticles as sunlight absorbing layer, the resulting samples Ag/PPy-PVA-HCPs exhibit excellent surface wettability, low thermal conductivity (ca. 0.27 W m−1 k−1) and high optical absorption (ca. 91%), which well satisfied the features for configuration of a desired interfacial steam generator. As expected, the Ag/PPy-PVA-HCPs show a high solar thermal conversion efficiency of about 87% under 1 sun. Additionally, the Ag/PPy-PVA-HCPs with hydrophilic porous structure exhibit favorable salt-resistant ability in the brine solution, e.g. the evaporation efficiency of Ag/PPy-PVA-HCP-2 is found to be 83.25% in 20 wt% NaCl solution under 1 sun. The as-prepared Ag/PPy-PVA-HCPs may hold great potentials as excellent solar steam generators for desalination due to their simple manufacturing process, inexpensive raw materials, high solar conversion efficiency, super stability and highly recyclability. [Display omitted] • Two kinds of photothermal materials based on hypercrosslinked polymers were prepared. • They possess advantages of simple manufacture process and excellent stability. • They have high energy conversion efficiency and favorable salt-resistant ability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Focuses on a highly automated method for analysis of brachial ultrasound image sequences. Assessment of the method; Role of arterial endothelium in processes leading to the development of atherosclerotic plaque and cardiovascular diseases; Advantages of the method over conventional manual analysis.

Multi‐stimuli‐responsive materials have received widespread attention in the field of adaptive materials due to their ability to adapt to changes in the environment. However, fabricating multiple stimuli into a single component crystal still remains challenging. In this study, a polymorphic elasto‐plastic Schiff‐based crystal displaying morphology‐dependent photomechanical motions is designed and investigated. Both Form I and Form II of it exhibit dual plasticity and elasto‐plasticity along different facets, which is attributed to the slidable separating layers. Moreover, Form I retains its elastic bending ability even after being plastically twisted, owing to the well‐maintained strong π–π interactions, whereas Form II can not twist without fractures. In addition, the photomechanical motions of Form I including jumping, twisting to bending are realized by adjusting the crystal morphologies, while Form II is lacking in response to ultraviolet light irradiation. Theoretical calculation analysis reveals that lattice deformation induced by photoisomerization of Form I is the driving forces for crystal motions. Furthermore, reversible luminescence switching behaviors are realized in Form I and Form II upon acid‐base fumigation as well as heating. The synergistic multi‐stimuli‐responsive mode based on heat, acid, and solvent stimuli provides an alternative path for multi‐mode information encryption. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The development and preparation of multifunctional photothermal conversion materials has far-reaching significance for the utilization of solar energy resources in response to the energy crisis. Herein, we propose a Janus membrane for interfacial solar evaporation and phase change energy storage. The membranes were fabricated via combining the PVA film with multi-shelled hollow spheres (MHS). The membranes have asymmetric wettability, that is, one side is hydrophilic and the other side is hydrophobic. The as-resulted membranes obtain outstanding light absorption without further processing. According to these two advantages, the membranes were applied to solar evaporation. The evaporation rate of the membrane is 1.41 kg*m−2h−1 and the evaporation efficiency is 92.4 % under 1sun irradiation. Moreover, the membrane prepared by impregnating 1-Hexadecanamine (HDA) into MHS possesses excellent tensile strength (2.21 MPa) and photothermal conversion ability. The light-to-thermal conversion efficiency can reach 81.9 % under 1sun irradiation. Therefore, the membranes have broad application prospects in the field of photothermal conversion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven water evaporation is emerging as a promising strategy to utilize solar energy for the desalination and water purification. In this work, two kinds of monoliths based on hypercrosslinked polymers (HCPs) nanotubes, which were synthesized using inexpensive and conventional chemicals, i.e. benzene and methylbenzene as building blocks via Friedel-Crafts reaction, have been created as photothermal materials through a superhydrophilic modification followed by the coating of polypyrrole as light absorption layer. The as-synthesized HCPs possess large specific surface area (up to 773 m2 g-1) and low apparent density (0.011 g cm-3), which endow them very low thermal conductivity (0.029 W m-1 k-1). After modification with sodium alginate and polypyrrole, the resulting HCPs (named as PPy-M-HCPs) show surface superhydrophilicity (water contact angle ~0°), stronger light absorption (ca. 95%) and better mechanical properties. Taking advantages of these unique physicochemical properties mentioned above, the PPy-M-HCPs exhibit outstanding light-to-heat conversion performance with a high solar conversion efficiency of ca. 87% achieved under 1 kW m-2 irradiation. In addition, the PPy-M-HCPs also show excellent salt-resistant performance, e.g. a high energy conversion efficiency of more than 85% obtained in 20 wt% NaCl solution, due to their loosely porous structure coupling with their superhydrophilic wettability. Based on the merits of simple fabrication process, excellent stability and high solar conversion efficiency, the PPy-M-HCPs may have great potentials as efficient photothermal materials for real applications. The prepared PPy-M-HCPs photothermal materials possess superhydrophilicity, low thermal conductivity, broad light absorption, high energy conversion efficiency and excellent salt-resistant ability, providing the possibility for efficient solar steam generation. Image 1 • Hypercrosslinked polymers as photothermal materials for solar steam generation were prepared. • They possess high energy conversion efficiency more than 87% under 1 sun irradiation. • They have advantages of simple fabrication process and excellent stability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the energy storage and conversion efficiency of phase change materials, a mixed clay sponge (MCS) containing palygorskite (Pal) and Halloysite Nanotubes (HNTs) was successfully constructed by solution polymerization. Expanded graphite (EG) was used to enhance the overall thermal conductivity and carbonized MCS with EG (mark as EG-MCS, C-EG-MCS). A series of form stable phase change materials (FSPCMs) were prepared by using them as scaffolds and encapsulated organic phase-change material 1-Hexadecylamine (HDA) by direct impregnation. By means of SEM, TEM, FTIR, XRD, XPS, DSC, TG, etc., their microstructure, chemical compatibility and thermophysical properties were systematically studied. The DSC results demonstrate that PCM composites exhibit relatively high thermal energy storage density of 214.2 kJ kg−1, 237.5 kJ kg−1 and 239.2 kJ kg−1 respectively. The reliability test shows that the PCM composites retain shape stability and almost no leakage of HDA even after 200 thermal cycles. Compared with the pure component HDA, the thermal conductivity of the as-prepared C-EG-MCS-HDA was improved from 0.147 W m−1 K−1 to 0.667 W m−1 K−1 and EG-MCS-HDA was improved from 0.147 W m−1 K−1 to 0.454 W m−1 K−1 owing to the high thermal conductivity of EG (only 6 wt%). Besides, the light-thermal conversion efficiency of EG-MCS-HDA and C-EG-MCS-HDA is 74.6%, 80.8% respectively. Therefore, the fabricated FSPCMs with high latent heat, good melting/freezing cycles reliability and high thermal conductivity, remarkable light-thermal energy conversion ability which have a broad application prospect in energy conversion and storage devices. Unlabelled Image • 1-Hexadecanamine (HDA) was first exploited as a new class of organic PCMs. • Form-stable PCMs composites were fabricated based mixed clay sponge. • The as-prepared PCM composites exhibit high light-thermal conversion efficiency. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the rapid development of industrial growth, the issue of severe water pollution risen from oily waste water, dye waste water, and frequent oil spill accidents has become a bottleneck for hindering the global sustainable development. Herein, we report the facile fabrication of a superhydrophilic/underwater superoleophobic multifunctional separation membrane by vacuum assisted filtration technology using palygorskite (Pal) as raw material. The Pal coated membrane show excellent thermal， chemical stability, and mechanical strength with 300 bending times. As expected, the membrane has excellent separation performance, e.g. it exhibits an enhanced permeation flux of 477.7 ± 5.0 L m−2 h−1 bar−1 and a high separation efficiency of up to 99.6% ± 0.05%. In addition, it can separate different oil-in-water emulsions in harsh environments. Interestingly, the as-prepared membrane can also remove organic dyes in the water phase during the separation process, making it multifunctional and promising membrane for water treatment, by combination with its simple and cost-efficient manufacture, excellent physicochemical properties. More importantly, our work may also open a new way for high-increment utilization of palygorskite mineral with a "green" method. Unlabelled Image • Underwater superoleophobic Pal coated membrane was prepared. • Pal coated membrane can be used for oil/water separation with high efficiency. • It was a multifunctional water treatment membrane. • It has advantages of environmental friendly, cost-efficient, simple process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In their seminal paper, Miguel et al. (2004) found that negative rainfall shocks (measured as negative year-on-year rainfall growth) had caused civil conflict in sub-Saharan Africa over the 1981–1999 period. Since then, the rainfall and conflict data they used had undergone multiple revisions. We show that rainfall shocks are no longer statistically significant for civil conflict when the revised data are used. This is true whether we employ a different functional form for rainfall, extend the sample to include more recent observations, use longer lags for rainfall shocks, employ dynamic panel regression, or panel regressions that take into account of cross-sectional dependence. Using rainfall shocks as instruments for growth, we also find that growth is insignificant for civil conflict if the revised data are used. Upon further investigation, we find that updates in the rainfall and conflict data for one or a few countries may alone cause rainfall shocks to lose statistical significance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Remote ischemic preconditioning (RIPC) initiates endogenous protective pathways in the brain from a distance and represents a new, promising paradigm in neuroprotection against cerebral ischemia-reperfusion (I/R) injury. However, the underlying mechanism of RIPC-mediated cerebral ischemia tolerance is complicated and not well understood. We reported previously that preactivation of Notch1 mediated the neuroprotective effects of cerebral ischemic preconditioning in rats subjected to cerebral I/R injury. The present study seeks to further explore the role of crosstalk between the Notch1 and NF-κB signaling pathways in the process of RIPC-induced neuroprotection.Methods: Middle cerebral artery occlusion and reperfusion (MCAO/R) in adult male rats and oxygen-glucose deprivation and reoxygenation (OGD/R) in primary hippocampal neurons were used as models of I/R injury in vivo and in vitro, respectively. RIPC was induced by a 3-day procedure with 4 cycles of 5 min of left hind limb ischemia followed by 5 min of reperfusion each day before MCAO/R. Intracerebroventricular DAPT injection and sh-Notch1 lentivirus interference were used to inhibit the Notch1 signaling pathway in vivo and in vitro, respectively. After 24 h of reperfusion, neurological deficit scores, infarct volume, neuronal apoptosis, and cell viability were assessed. The protein expression levels of NICD, Hes1, Phospho-IKKα/β (p-IKK α/β), Phospho-NF-κB p65 (p-NF-κB p65), Bcl-2, and Bax were assessed by Western blotting.Results: RIPC significantly improved neurological scores and reduced infarct volume and neuronal apoptosis in rats subjected to I/R injury. OGD preconditioning significantly reduced neuronal apoptosis and improved cell viability after I/R injury on days 3 and 7 after OGD/R. However, the neuroprotective effect was reversed by DAPT in vivo and attenuated by Notch1-RNAi in vitro. RIPC significantly upregulated the expression of proteins related to the Notch1 and NF-κB pathways. NF-κB signaling pathway activity was suppressed by a Notch1 signaling pathway inhibitor and Notch1-RNAi.Conclusions: The neuroprotective effect of RIPC against cerebral I/R injury was associated with preactivation of the Notch1 and NF-κB pathways in neurons. The NF-κB pathway is a downstream target of the Notch1 pathway in RIPC and helps protect focal cerebral I/R injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Herein, an approach for development of a novel FS-PCMCs by incorporation of FAs into the GCA, which was derived from one-step hydrothermal of C-MWCNTs and GO followed by annealing treatment, through a simple direct impregnation. The FS-PCMCs was developed for solar energy storage. [Display omitted] The exploitation of excellent performance form-stable phase change material composites (FS-PCMCs) with enhanced photothermal conversion efficiency and high phase change latent heat is of great significance for thermal energy storage. In this work, a new type of FS-PCMCs with superior light-to-thermal conversion performance were created by impregnation of organic phase change material (1-hexadecylamine (HDA) and 1-tetradecylamine (TDA)) into the graphene aerogel (GA) and all-carbon aerogel (GCA) through a simple direct infusion. The multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) are wound around the inner wall of the GA layer to form a three-dimensional (3D) porous network structure to support fatty amine (FAs), thus achieving shape stability before and after phase transition. Moreover, the FS-PCMCs has extremely high phase transition enthalpy (203.1–248 kJ·kg−1) and good recyclability. More importantly, due to the high absorbance of GCA, it can enhance its light absorption capacity and reduce thermal radiation. The light-to-thermal conversion efficiency of the FS-PCMCs is 72.36%-88.25%. Taking the improvement of the comprehensive properties of the FS-PCMCs, the results of this work may open up a way for rational design and preparation of high-performance FS-PCMCs with enhanced storage capacity and light-to-thermal conversion efficiency for the efficient utilization of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a neurodegenerative disorder distinguished by a swift cognitive deterioration accompanied by distinctive pathological hallmarks such as extracellular Aβ (β‐amyloid) peptides, neuronal neurofibrillary tangles (NFTs), sustained neuroinflammation, and synaptic degeneration. The elevated frequency of AD cases and its proclivity to manifest at a younger age present a pressing challenge in the quest for novel therapeutic interventions. Numerous investigations have substantiated the involvement of C/EBPβ in the progression of AD pathology, thus indicating its potential as a therapeutic target for AD treatment. Aims: Several studies have demonstrated an elevation in the expression level of C/EBPβ among individuals afflicted with AD. Consequently, this review predominantly delves into the association between C/EBPβ expression and the pathological progression of Alzheimer's disease, elucidating its underlying molecular mechanism, and pointing out the possibility that C/EBPβ can be a new therapeutic target for AD. Methods: A systematic literature search was performed across multiple databases, including PubMed, Google Scholar, and so on, utilizing predetermined keywords and MeSH terms, without temporal constraints. The inclusion criteria encompassed diverse study designs, such as experimental, case–control, and cohort studies, restricted to publications in the English language, while conference abstracts and unpublished sources were excluded. Results: Overexpression of C/EBPβ exacerbates the pathological features of AD, primarily by promoting neuroinflammation and mediating the transcriptional regulation of key molecular pathways, including δ‐secretase, apolipoprotein E4 (APOE4), acidic leucine‐rich nuclear phosphoprotein‐32A (ANP32A), transient receptor potential channel 1 (TRPC1), and Forkhead BoxO (FOXO). Discussion: The correlation between overexpression of C/EBPβ and the pathological development of AD, along with its molecular mechanisms, is evident. Investigating the pathways through which C/EBPβ regulates the development of AD reveals numerous multiple vicious cycle pathways exacerbating the pathological progression of the disease. Furthermore, the exacerbation of pathological progression due to C/EBPβ overexpression and its molecular mechanism is not limited to AD but also extends to other neurodegenerative diseases such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), Parkinson's disease (PD), and multiple sclerosis (MS). Conclusion: The overexpression of C/EBPβ accelerates the irreversible progression of AD pathophysiology. Additionally, C/EBPβ plays a crucial role in mediating multiple pathways linked to AD pathology, some of which engender vicious cycles, leading to the establishment of feedback mechanisms. To sum up, targeting C/EBPβ could hold promise as a therapeutic strategy not only for AD but also for other degenerative diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Severe postoperative pain is commonly reported following open-heart surgery, necessitating the implementation of effective pain management strategies to facilitate patient recovery. The benefits of the transverse thoracic muscle plane (TTMP) block for open-heart surgery remain unclear. Therefore, a meta-analysis was conducted to systematically evaluate the effect of TTMP on postoperative analgesia and recovery in patients undergoing open-heart surgery. Methods. A computer search was performed in PubMed, Cochrane, Embase, CNKI, and Wangfang databases. The primary outcome was 24-hour postoperative opioid consumption, and the secondary outcomes were 12- and 24-hour postoperative resting and motor pain scores, time of first analgesia demand, extubation time, length of stay in the intensive care unit (ICU), time of first feces, incidence of nausea and vomiting, and length of hospitalization. Results. Thirteen randomized controlled trials (RCTs) involving a total of 766 patients were included in this meta-analysis. Compared with the control group, the TTMP group showed a significant reduction in opioid consumption within 24 h postoperatively (mean difference = −41.88 mg; 95% confidence interval: −51.99, −31.77; p < 0.001 ; and I 2 = 98%). However, the 12- and 24-hour postoperative resting and moment VAS pain scores were significantly lower in the TTMP group. In addition, the TTMP group had a longer time of first analgesic demand; shorter endotracheal intubation time, ICU stay duration, time of first feces, and length of hospital stay; and a lower incidence of nausea and vomiting. Conclusions. Perioperative TTMP block can reduce the use of opioids in patients undergoing open-heart surgery for 24 h postoperatively, decrease the early postoperative pain scores, prolong the time of first analgesic demand, shorten the time of extubation and the length of ICU stay and hospitalization, and reduce the incidence of nausea and vomiting, which are all conducive to the recovery of patients. Registration. This trial is registered with PROSPERO database (CRD42022312435). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of posterior fixation, combined with one- or two-stage anterior debridement and bone grafting in treating children younger than 3 years of age with thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis. Methods: This was a retrospective study involving 16 young children with thoracic or lumbar tuberculosis. Surgical data were recorded. Frankel Grade was used to assess neurological function. The regional kyphosis angle was measured to evaluate the deformity correction. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were detected to assess the activity of tuberculosis. Bony fusion and complications were also recorded. Results: The mean operation time was 204.4 ± 41.8 min. The mean estimated blood loss was 126.3 ± 94.4 ml. Preoperative Frankel Grade results indicated five patients with Grade C, six with Grade D, and five with Grade E. At the final follow-up, all patients were in Grade E. Twelve patients were brought back to normal spinal alignment and the rest four patients remained kyphotic. There was an improvement of 29.3° ± 18.3° in regional kyphotic angle postoperatively. And the deformity correction was 27.4° ± 19.1° at the final follow-up. ESR and CRP decreased to a normal range at three months follow-up. Bony fusion was achieved in all patients. None of the cases developed fixation failure, pseudoarthrosis, or tuberculosis recurrence. Conclusion: Posterior fixation, combined with one- or two-stage anterior debridement and bone grafting, is a safe and effective surgical strategy for treating young children with thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The inevitable intermittency of solar illumination during the interfacial evaporation process can cause a reduction in the evaporation performance of solar evaporators. Here, we report the fabrication of a new solar-driven interfacial evaporator using MXene nanosheets as the photothermal layer, modifying them with conjugated microporous polymer hollow microspheres, and then compounding them with the phase change material, in this case, cetyl alcohol, to form a composite evaporator (CE) that can perform all-weather solar interfacial evaporation. By combining interfacial evaporation photothermal conversion with energy storage, the evaporator achieves an evaporation rate of 1.57 kg⋅m−2⋅h−1 at a light intensity of 1 kW⋅m−2 and 2.79 kg⋅m−2⋅h−1 at a light intensity of 2 kW⋅m−2. In addition, the evaporator attains an excellent solar evaporation efficiency of over 91% in both cases and even in salt water. In addition, interestingly, our CE exhibits excellent continuous evaporation ability, e.g., the mass of evaporated water was increased by 0.36 kg⋅m−2 at a light intensity of 2 kW⋅m−2 compared to the cavity evaporator without the phase change material (PCM) when solar light was turned off. These results could be attributed to the fact that the energy released by the incorporated phase change material allows the evaporator to maintain stable evaporation under conditions of insufficient or intermittent solar irradiation, potentially providing a new opportunity for addressing the intermittent problem of evaporation at the solar interface due to unstable light intensity, thus showing great potential for practical continuous desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: This study aimed to investigate the clinical outcomes of posterior fixation, combined with one- or two-stage anterior debridement and bone grafting in treating children younger than 3 years of age with thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis. Methods: This was a retrospective study involving 16 young children with thoracic or lumbar tuberculosis. Surgical data were recorded. Frankel Grade was used to assess neurological function. The regional kyphosis angle was measured to evaluate the deformity correction. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels were detected to assess the activity of tuberculosis. Bony fusion and complications were also recorded. Results: The mean operation time was 204.4 ± 41.8 min. The mean estimated blood loss was 126.3 ± 94.4 ml. Preoperative Frankel Grade results indicated five patients with Grade C, six with Grade D, and five with Grade E. At the final follow-up, all patients were in Grade E. Twelve patients were brought back to normal spinal alignment and the rest four patients remained kyphotic. There was an improvement of 29.3° ± 18.3° in regional kyphotic angle postoperatively. And the deformity correction was 27.4° ± 19.1° at the final follow-up. ESR and CRP decreased to a normal range at three months follow-up. Bony fusion was achieved in all patients. None of the cases developed fixation failure, pseudoarthrosis, or tuberculosis recurrence. Conclusion: Posterior fixation, combined with one- or two-stage anterior debridement and bone grafting, is a safe and effective surgical strategy for treating young children with thoracic and lumbar tuberculosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The findings regarding association of endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 1 (ERAP1) gene polymorphisms and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) susceptibility are inconsistent. Our aim is to appraise and merge the existing evidence on the relationship of rs27044 and rs30187 polymorphisms in ERAP1 gene and susceptibility to AS. Methods: Electronic databases of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and CNKI were retrieved for relevant publications. The search was conducted from inception to 10 June, 2019. Studies on the association of rs27044 and rs30187 polymorphisms and risk of AS were included. Quality evaluation was carried out using Newcastle‐Ottawa Scale (NOS). Summary odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) were calculated to appraise the associations under allelic and genotypic models. Results: In total, 26 case‐control studies with 31 cohorts containing 17 223 AS patients and 36 915 controls were eligible for this meta‐analysis. According to NOS, each study received ≥ 5 scores. The pooled data indicated that rs27044 and rs30187 polymorphisms were significantly associated with AS susceptibility in the overall population: rs27044, G versus C, OR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.16‐1.33, P<.001; rs30187, T versus C, OR = 1.24, 95% CI 1.17‐1.33, P<.001. When stratified by ethnicity, rs27044 appeared to be significantly correlated with AS in both Asians and Caucasians. For rs30187, despite positive association being observed under the allelic model in both Asians and Caucasians, the findings of genotypic comparisons supported the association only existed in Caucasians but not Asians. Conclusion: This study suggests that rs27044 and rs30187 polymorphisms are significantly associated with increased risk of AS, especially in Caucasians. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel 2D manganese(II) coordination polymer is constructed by 2,2′-bipyridine-1,1′-dioxide. It exhibits a remarkable "turn-on" luminescent thermochromism under low temperature. Furthermore, its antiferromagnetic property and synthesis strategy are demonstrated. [Display omitted] • A stable 2D manganese(II) complex was synthesized based on bridging ligand. • A remarkable "turn-on" luminescent thermochromism at low temperature was demonstrated. • The temperature-sensing mechanism was proposed. In this work, the synthesis, characterization, and thermochromic properties of a manganese(II) coordination polymer [MnCl 2 (bpyO 2)] (1) were described. The single - crystal X - ray crystallography showed the complex formed a 2D planar structure linked by 2,2′-bipyridine-1,1′-dioxide (bpyO 2) as the bridging ligand. The complex exhibited antiferromagnetic Mn − Mn exchange interaction according to magnetic data. Additionally, upon changing the temperature from 293 K to 83 K, the complex displayed a remarkable "turn-on" luminescent thermochromic property. Overall, this work might afford a construction strategy of serial 2D manganese(II) coordination polymers and a novel thermochromic sensing material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Solar steam generation is widely used in seawater desalination because of its high efficiency and environmental protection. However, using low-cost materials to produce efficient solar evaporators is a severe challenge. In this study, a porous carbon material was prepared by combining Attapulgite (ATP), Polyethylene glycol (PEG) and Manganese dioxide nanowires (MnO 2 NWs) composite, through freeze-drying and high-temperature carbonization. The prepared CAPM aerogel shows a three-dimensional porous structure, which has high evaporation properties in pure water and simulated seawater. Under 1 sun simulated illumination, the pure water evaporation is 1.4574 kg m-2h−1 and the corresponding energy conversion efficiency is 85.94%. The prepared CAPM aerogel showed excellent durability and salt tolerance in 20%Nacl solution, indicating that the CAPM has excellent desalinization performance. In addition, CAPM aerogel has and exhibits super hydrophilic properties, which can transfer water molecules quickly. Due to the advantages of low cost, simple preparation method, and high solar energy conversion efficiency, the CAPM has excellent potential as a photothermal material for solar energy generation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Surgical management of elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis and severe osteoporosis is challenging. Cement-augmented pedicle screws (CAPS) have been specifically designed for elderly patients with osteoporotic spines. Herein, we investigated the feasibility of CAPS applied in elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis and severe osteoporosis. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed data of patients with spinal tuberculosis and severe osteoporosis between January 2017 and January 2021. Surgical data, including surgical duration and intraoperative blood loss, were recorded. Radiological parameters, such as correction of regional kyphotic angle and screw loosening, were also evaluated. Additionally, visual analog scores (VAS) and Oswestry disability index (ODI) were used to evaluate back pain and functional recovery, respectively. Erythrocyte sedimentation (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) concentrations were detected to assess tuberculosis activity. The presence of complications and fusion rate was also assessed. Results: A total of 15 patients were included in this study. The surgical duration was 263.0 ± 56.2 min, with an average blood loss of 378.7 ± 237.0 ml. The correction of regional kyphotic angle was 12.4° ± 15.0°, and it was well maintained until the final follow-up. The mean VAS decreased from 6.0 ± 1.2 points to 0.5 ± 0.6 points, and ODI reduced from 37.8% ± 7.6% to 8.3% ± 2.8% (P < 0.01). At the final follow-up, ESR and CRP levels were within normal range. Bony fusion occurred in all patients, with an average fusion duration of 8.8 ± 1.5 months. No cases of pedicle screw pullout, screw loosening, or pseudoarthrosis occurred. Tuberculosis recurrence and dissemination were not observed during the follow-ups. Conclusions: CAPS fixation is an effective and safe technique to achieve solid fixation and favorable clinical outcomes in elderly patients with spinal tuberculosis and severe osteoporosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Postoperative delirium (POD) is a frequent and debilitating complication, especially amongst high risk procedures, such as orthopedic surgery. This kind of neurocognitive disorder negatively affects cognitive domains, such as memory, awareness, attention, and concentration after surgery; however, its pathophysiology remains unknown. Multiple lines of evidence supporting the occurrence of inflammatory events have come forward from studies in human patients' brain and bio-fluids (CSF and serum), as well as in animal models for POD. β-arrestins are downstream molecules of guanine nucleotide-binding protein (G protein)-coupled receptors (GPCRs). As versatile proteins, they regulate numerous pathophysiological processes of inflammatory diseases by scaffolding with inflammation-linked partners. Here we report that β-arrestin1, one type of β-arrestins, decreases significantly in the reactive astrocytes of a mouse model for POD. Using β-arrestin1 knockout (KO) mice, we find aggravating effect of β-arrestin1 deficiency on the cognitive dysfunctions and inflammatory phenotype of astrocytes in POD model mice. We conduct the in vitro experiments to investigate the regulatory roles of β-arrestin1 and demonstrate that β-arrestin1 in astrocytes interacts with the dynamin-related protein 1 (Drp1) to regulate mitochondrial fusion/fission process. β-arrestin1 deletion cancels the combination of β-arrestin1 and cellular Drp1, thus promoting the translocation of Drp1 to mitochondrial membrane to provoke the mitochondrial fragments and the subsequent mitochondrial malfunctions. Using β-arrestin1-biased agonist, cognitive dysfunctions of POD mice and pathogenic activation of astrocytes in the POD-linked brain region are reduced. We, therefore, conclude that β-arrestin1 is a promising target for the understanding of POD pathology and development of POD therapeutics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report the formulation of conjugated microporous polymer membranes (CMPM) with a hierarchical porous structure which was prepared using polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) electrospun nanofibers as a template for efficient removal of PM from airborne and vehicle exhaust. Taking advantage of its inherent physicochemical and thermal stability, the CMPM-based filter can work continuously for up to 36 h and still maintain a high removal efficiency (>99.56%), and also have a high filtration efficiency in the treatment of vehicle exhausts, with 95.18% for PM 0.3 , 98% for PM 0.5 and >99% for PM 2.5-10.0. Due to the exceptional mechanical properties of the CMPM, the filter can be washed and recycled and after three cycles the PM filtration efficiency is reduced but still above 94.83%. Additionally, The CMPM-based filter has a filtration efficiency of >95.37% for PM 0.3-10 at high humidity (RH≥95%). [Display omitted] Air pollution has become a challenging environmental problem worldwide due to rapid industrial development and excessive emissions of vehicle exhaust. Herein, we report a preparation of conjugated microporous polymer membranes (CMPM) with a hierarchical porous structure by electrospun polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) nanofibers as a template for effective removal of PM from airborne and vehicle exhaust. CMP membranes have hierarchical holes, where the macropores are from electrospun nanofiber membranes and the mesopores are from polymer synthesis. Taking advantage of its inherent physicochemical and thermal stability and hierarchical hole characteristics, the CMPM-based filter can work continuously for up to 36 h and still maintains a high removal efficiency (>99.56%), and also has a high filtration efficiency in the treatment of vehicle exhausts, with 95.18% for PM 0.3 , 98% for PM 0.5 and >99% for PM 2.5-10.0. The superior mechanical properties of CMPM allow the filter to be cleaned and reused. After three cycles, the filtration effectiveness of CMPM is still 94.83% for respirable particulate matter. Under high humidity (RH ≥ 95%) conditions, the CMPM-based filter showed higher than 95.37% filtration of PM 0.3-10 , and the oil adsorption rate could be maintained at 284% at high speed, proving the great potential of CMPM to clean air in complex situations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Phase change materials (PCMs) with ideal light-to-thermal conversion efficiency play an important role in solar energy storage and conversion. Hence, we report the fabrication of a novel composite PCMs (CPCMs) device based on ZnO nanorods deposited indium tin oxide (ITO) glass loading with fatty amines. ZnO nanorods were deposited on the ITO glass using a three-electrode electrodeposition method, and 1-Hexadecylamine (HDA) was loaded on the ITO glass via spin-coating, followed by spraying polypyrrole (ppy) on the surface of CPCM device to improve thermal conductivity and solar absorption. The as-prepared CPCM device exhibits excellent light-to-thermal conversion efficiency, achieving a high conversion efficiency of 90.2% obtained at 1sun owing to its high light absorption (80%), enhanced thermal conductivity (improved by 57.8%), and the unique vertical aligned nanorods structure which could significantly decrease tortuosity, thereby reducing thermal route and lowering thermal response time. Furthermore, the electro-to-thermal conversion efficiency of the CPCMs device has also been investigated and the results show that it can reach up to 69.8% under a low voltage of 5 V, indicating that the CPCM device has a high potential in the field of electro-to-thermal conversion. Based on the benefits listed above, the CPCM device may serve an ideal platform for a wide range of solar energy storage and conversion applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ultrasound is an essential tool for guidance of many minimally-invasive surgical and interventional procedures, where accurate placement of the interventional device is critical to avoid adverse events. Needle insertion procedures for anaesthesia, fetal medicine and tumour biopsy are commonly ultrasound-guided, and misplacement of the needle may lead to complications such as nerve damage, organ injury or pregnancy loss. Clear visibility of the needle tip is therefore critical, but visibility is often precluded by tissue heterogeneities or specular reflections from the needle shaft. This paper presents the in vitro and ex vivo accuracy of a new, real-time, ultrasound needle tip tracking system for guidance of fetal interventions. A fibre-optic, Fabry-Pérot interferometer hydrophone is integrated into an intraoperative needle and used to localise the needle tip within a handheld ultrasound field. While previous, related work has been based on research ultrasound systems with bespoke transmission sequences, the new system—developed under the ISO 13485 Medical Devices quality standard—operates as an adjunct to a commercial ultrasound imaging system and therefore provides the image quality expected in the clinic, superimposing a cross-hair onto the ultrasound image at the needle tip position. Tracking accuracy was determined by translating the needle tip to 356 known positions in the ultrasound field of view in a tank of water, and by comparison to manual labelling of the the position of the needle in B-mode US images during an insertion into an ex vivo phantom. In water, the mean distance between tracked and true positions was 0.7 ± 0.4 mm with a mean repeatability of 0.3 ± 0.2 mm. In the tissue phantom, the mean distance between tracked and labelled positions was 1.1 ± 0.7 mm. Tracking performance was found to be independent of needle angle. The study demonstrates the performance and clinical compatibility of ultrasound needle tracking, an essential step towards a first-in-human study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Superamphiphobic coatings have wide application prospects in various fields, but suffer from low mechanical robustness. Although some strategies have been reported to solve the issue, it is still challenging for large‐scale preparation of robust superamphiphobic coatings via facile approaches. Here, a universal preparation method of mechanically robust superamphiphobic coatings by spraying a suspension containing silica nanoparticles decorated with perfluorodecyl polysiloxane and adhesive microparticles on various substrates have been reported. Phase separation of the adhesive avoids embedding of the nanoparticles in the adhesive by forming the nanoparticles@microparticles structure and meanwhile generates a reentrant tri‐tier hierachical micro‐/micro‐/nanostructure. Phase separation determines micromorphology, chemical composition, superamphiphobicity, and mechanical robustness of the coatings. Consequently, the coatings show excellent static and dynamic superamphiphobicity. Moreover, the coatings show excellent mechanical robustness because of the combined effects of the self‐similar structure, protective micro‐skeleton, and adhesive. Furthermore, scalable preparation of the suspension and the superamphiphobic coatings have been achieved. The coatings can significantly delay the water freezing time and thus show good passive anti‐icing performance on the 1000 kV high‐voltage transmission tower. It is believed that the robust superamphiphobic coatings have great application potential, as the method is simple and scalable. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Highly efficient harvesting, transfer, and storage of solar energy are of great significance for the sustainability of society Herein, we report the design and synthesis of conjugated microporous polymers hollow spheres (CMPs-HS) coated by graphene (GCMPs-HS) and compounded with the phase change material (PCM) octadecanol (GCMPs@ODA) for efficient solar photothermal conversion. The as-synthesized CMPs-HS shows a high specific surface (519.95 m2 g−1 and 309.26 m2 g−1), good thermostability, and lower thermal conductivity (0.33 W m-2h−1). By coating graphene, the light absorption remained about 90% in the visible light range, which allows light harvest for photothermal conversion. Taking the GCMPs-HS as a functional layer for the solar steam generation (SSG) system, a high evaporation efficiency of near 90% is obtained. After inhaling octadecanol, GCMPs@ODA are prepared and their latent heats are measured to about 217.4 J g−1 and 224.6 J g−1. Under 1 sun irradiation, the photothermal conversion efficiencies of GCMPs@ODA are measured to be 87.15% and 85.83%, the above merits applied in different conditions are superior to photothermal conversion materials reported in the literature. Thus, among the above merits, the fabricated materials are the competitive candidate which shows the great potential in the efficient application of solar energy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The development of efficient solar photothermal conversion and energy storage composite (SPCSC) is of great significance in solving the imbalance between supply and demand of solar energy utilization in time and space. Herein, we prepare multi-shell hollow spheres by selecting glucose as the template and magnesium carbonate trihydrate (MgCO 3 ·3H 2 O) and chloroplatinic acid hexahydrate (H 2 PtCl 6 ·6H 2 O) as raw materials by hydrothermal-calcination method. Octadecylamine (ODA) is loaded into MSHS by vacuum impregnation to prepare SPCSC with excellent comprehensive properties (MSHS@ODA). The multi-layer hollow microspheres provide the micro-nano space structure for ODA, enhance the heat transfer rate of MSHS@ODA, effectively solve the leakage problem, and enable MSHS@ODA to have a fast photothermal response. MSHS@ODA possesses a high light absorption (75.5%), thermal conductivity (0.35 W·m−1·K−1), and photothermal conversion. The phase change enthalpy can reach 130.7 J·g−1 and maintain a high energy storage density during 100 cyclic phase change tests. Specifically, MSHS@ODA decreases the operating temperature of lithium-ion batteries by 8 °C during discharge, ensuring their stable operation within the optimal temperature range. Based on the above merits, MSHS@ODA may find useful applications in solar thermal storage and effectively managing the thermal conditions of lithium-ion batteries. [Display omitted] • The unique multi-layer hollow cavity structure of MSHS effectively encapsulates PCMs. • The multi-layer structure of MSHS enhances the heat transfer process. • MSHS@ODA has high latent enthalpy, thermal conductivity and good photothermal conversion efficiency. • MSHS@ODA is superhydrophobic and self-cleaning. • MSHS@ODA has better application prospects in battery thermal management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, we report for the first time the preparation of a kind of novel membrane based on holey Ti 3 C 2 Tx nanosheets (h- Ti 3 C 2 Tx), which was obtained by etching the Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles embedded on Ti 3 C 2 Tx nanosheets followed by a simple vacuum filtration using a polymeric membrane as support, for efficient removal of MPs in wastewater. As a proof-of-concept study, the h-Ti 3 C 2 Tx nanosheets exhibit a planar porous structure that presents nano-holes with an average hole-size of 25 nm in diameter, which facilitated the construction of membranes with better water flux for the separation of MPs (196.7 L m−2h−1 kPa−1). In this care, FP microspheres with different diameter sizes were used as the MPs model, the h-Ti 3 C 2 Tx membrane shows extremely high MPs removal efficiency (up to 99.3% under our conditions). [Display omitted] The accumulation of non-degradable microplastics (MPs) originated from the mass production and huge consumption of plastics of modern industry in the water environment has resulted in severe pollution problems globally. Herein, we report for the first time the preparation of holey Ti 3 C 2 Tx (h-Ti 3 C 2 Tx) membranes obtained by etching Co 3 O 4 nanoparticles embedded on Ti 3 C 2 Tx nanosheets followed by simple vacuum filtration using polymeric membranes as supporting matrix for efficient removal of MPs from wastewater. The h-Ti 3 C 2 Tx nanosheets exhibit a planar porous structure which present nano-holes with an average hole-size of 25 nm in diameter, which facilitated the construction of membranes with better water flux for the separation of MPs. Using fluorescent PS (FP) microspheres of different diameters as microplastic models, the obtained h-Ti 3 C 2 Tx membranes exhibited extremely high MPs removal performance (up to 99.3% under our conditions). Moreover, a large water flux of 196.7 L h−1 m−2 k Pa−1 can be obtained, which can compete or be larger than that of most of the membranes composed of untreated two-dimension nanomaterials. Due to the physicochemical stability, tremendous large water reflux, and the high MPs removal efficiency of h-Ti 3 C 2 Tx membranes, there may be a great potential for practical applications in the separation and removal of various contaminants such as MPs or suspended solids from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cathodic oxygen reduction reaction is a decisive factor for fuel cell. In this work, for the first time, we demonstrated the synthesis of N -doped carbon hollow spheres derived from conjugated microporous polymers. The resulting sample remained the inherent porosity and N component with hollow spherical morphology, which exhibits excellent ORR performance with higher limiting current density and stability than that of commercial Pt/C catalyst in alkaline solution. [Display omitted] The exploitation non-precious or metal-free electrocatalysts of oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is of significance for construction of next-generation fuel cells. In this work, hollow-spherical conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs) comprising porphyrin units were synthesized as precursors to prepare N -doping porous carbon spheres (CMP-NP-x) by a direct pyrolysis method. The as-resulted CMP-NP-x exhibited spherical morphology with hollow structure similar to that of CMPs precursors. The BET surface area of CMP-NP-x can be tailored by the pyrolysis temperature varying from 868 m2 g−1 to 1118 m2 g−1. According to XPS analysis, the pyrrolic N content in the sample decreased but the graphitic N and pyridinic N increased with increasing of the pyrolysis temperature from 800 °C to 1000 °C. Taking advantages of porous structure with large accessible surface areas and N species active sites, the resulting CMP-NP-x showed superior ORR activity and methanol tolerance to commercial Pt/C catalyst. In particular, CMP-NP-900 possesses the highest onset potential (0.930 V), half-wave potential (0.857 V) and limiting current density of 4.45 mA cm−2, compared with Pt/C catalyst and other samples, making it a promising metal-free catalyst superior to commercial Pt/C catalyst in alkalic condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cathodic oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) is important in the development of renewable energy devices, to produce novel and non‐precious metal catalysts with high electrocatalytic activity to reduce the consumption of non‐renewable platinum (Pt) catalyst. In this work, we developed N‐doped and Fe/N dual‐doped porous carbons as catalysts for ORR simply by high‐temperature pyrolysis of porphyrin‐based conjugated microporous polymers (CMPs). By combination of heteroatom doping, highly porous structure and tubular morphology, the as‐prepared carbon samples exhibited high electrocatalytic activity with 4‐electron transfer mechanism, nearly close to the commercial Pt/C catalyst. In particular, among these samples, the Fe/N‐CMP‐1000 displayed a higher onset potential (0.95 eV), positive half‐wave potential (0.85 eV) and limiting current density value (5.1 mA cm−2) as well as good durability and better methanol tolerance contrasting with Pt/C catalyst, suggesting that the as‐prepared metal‐free catalysts from porphyrin‐based CMPs show great potential for ORR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Endoplasmic reticulum aminopeptidase 2 (ERAP2) gene is reported to be associated with inflammation-related diseases. Several studies have investigated the associations of ERAP2 gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to ankylosing spondylitis (AS). However, the findings of those studies were inconsistent. The aim of this study was to elucidate the associations by a meta-analysis with trial sequential analysis (TSA). Online databases of PubMed, Web of Science, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, Wanfang, and CNKI were searched to identify eligible studies on the associations of ERAP2 gene polymorphisms and AS. Study quality was judged based on the Newcastle-Ottawa scale (NOS). Strengths of associations were presented by P-value, odds ratios (ORs), and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs). TSA was employed to evaluate the information size and statistical power. A total of six studies encompassing 2774 AS patients and 4119 disease-free controls were eligible for this meta-analysis. Five studies reported rs2248374 polymorphism and three studies reported rs2549782 polymorphism. The pooled data suggested that the two polymorphisms were not significantly associated with AS susceptibility: rs2248374, A vs. G, OR = 0.94, 95%CI 0.86–1.02, P =.14; rs2549782, T vs. G, OR = 1.03, 95%CI 0.95–1.12, P =.45. TSA indicated that the sample sizes appeared to be inadequate to obtain a positive outcome. The present findings of this study do not support any evidence on the associations of rs2248374 and rs2549782 polymorphisms in the ERAP2 gene and susceptibility to AS. Additional well-designed and large-sample studies in diverse ethnicities are encouraged to validate the current findings. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] The development of an environmental-friendly thermal insulation and flame retardant material has attracted widespread attention in modern architecture. In this work, a kind of novel aerogel composites were prepared by incorporation of Mg(OH) 2 coated hollow glass microspheres (HGM) into chitosan (CSA) matrix and then cross-linking by glutaraldehyde (abbreviated as CSA-HGM-Mg(OH) 2). The as-prepared composite aerogel exhibits vertical directional channel with high porosity and excellent thermal insulation with a low thermal conductivity of 0.035 W m−1 k−1. Besides, it shows excellent flame retardancy with a high limit oxygen index (LOI) value up to 50.8, which is one of the highest values among the most of flame retardants reported previously. Also, a very low peak heat release rate (pHRR) of 24.12 kW m−2 was obtained which makes the aerogel composite reaching UL-94 V-0 rating. Such results may be attributed to a synergy effect by combination of its abundantly porous structure derived from HGM to give a better thermal insulation and excellent nonflammability of CSA and Mg(OH) 2 to offer a superior flame retardancy. Taking advantages of its high mechanical strength, low cost materials, simple and scalable preparation method, CSA-HGM-Mg(OH) 2 aerogel composites may hold great potential for future thermal insulation and flame retardant applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]