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Segregated conductive polymer composites (CPCs) show high conductivity at low loading of filler. However, the weak interactions between fillers and polymer matrix may destroy the mechanical property of the segregated CPCs. Moreover, even with the introduction of dynamic bonds in thermoset polymers, the preparation of thermosetting CPCs remains a big challenge, as most crosslinked polymers should be ground into granules or crushed into powder with liquid nitrogen before mixing with fillers. Herein, the dynamic crosslinked polythiourethane microspheres (PTUM) are designed and synthesized. Then, a special mixing method (the mixing temperature is higher than melting temperature of soft segments of PTUM) is used to make the carbon nanotubes (CNTs) adhering closely to the surface of the crosslinked PTUM, promoting the formation of compacted conductive network. The CNT‐3%/PTUM shows the electrical conductivity of 21.9 S/m and an elongation at break of 472%. Additionally, the CNT/PTUM composites exhibit good self‐healing property, reprocessability, and close‐loop recycling property. The construction of dynamic crosslinked microspheres and compacted segregated conductive network in this work supplies a new approach to prepare thermoset CPCs with simultaneous high electrical conductivity and mechanical property, which is expected to be applied to wearable strain sensors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Several major roadblocks, including the "shuttle effect" caused by the dissolved higher-order sodium polysulfides (NaPSs), extremely poor conductivity of sulfur cathodes, and sluggish conversion kinetics of charging–discharging reactions, have hindered the commercialization of sodium–sulfur batteries (NaSBs). In our study, representative C2N-based single-atom catalysts (SACs), TM@C2N (TM = Fe, Ni and V), are proposed to improve the comprehensive performance of NaSBs. Based on first-principles calculations, we first discuss in detail the anchoring behavior of all adsorption systems, TM@C2N/(S8 and NaPSs). The results indicate that compared to pristine C2N, TM@C2N substrates exhibit a stronger capability to capture S8/NaPSs clusters through physical/chemical binding, with V@C2N showing the most outstanding capability ranging from −2.37 to −5.03 eV. The density of states analysis reveals that metallic properties can be well maintained before and after adsorption of polysulfides. More importantly, TM@C2N configurations can greatly reduce the energy barriers of charging and discharging reactions, thereby accelerating the conversion efficiency of NaSBs. It is worth mentioning that V@C2N has lower charge–discharge energy barriers and Na ion migration rates, since the embedded TM atom weakens the strong binding of Na+ in the N6 cavity of C2N. The intrinsic mechanism analysis reveals that the interaction between the d orbitals of V and the p orbitals of S leads to the weakening of Na–S bonds, which can not only effectively inhibit the shuttle effect, but also promote the dissociation of Na2S. Overall, this work not only offers excellent catalytic materials, but also provides vital guidance for designing SACs in NaSBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a method combining nanomechanical characterization and finite element analysis (FEA) was applied to reveal the influence mechanism and quantify the effects of the substrate on the mechanical properties of the ultrathin polystyrene (PS) film. SiOx, polylactic acid (PLA), and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS), respectively, were chosen as the substrate. Results show that PS film exhibits a Young's modulus that is completely different from that of the bulk when the thickness is lower than the end‐to‐end distance of PS, and the value is directly related to the substrate to which the film is attached. The equivalent Young's moduli of the 20 nm PS films attached to SiOx, PLA, and PDMS substrates are 4.9, 3.4, and 1.0 GPa, respectively, which is positively correlated with the Young's modulus of the substrates. It suggests that the substrate has non‐negligible and important influences on the mechanical properties of supported polymer ultrathin films. The results provide new insight into the unique physical properties of polymer ultrathin films and favor the design of polymer‐based nanodevices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze and summarize the clinicopathological features, risk factors for cervical nodal metastasis, and prognostic factors of malignant sublingual gland tumors (MSLGT). Methods: Patients diagnosed with MSLGT were retrospectively reviewed from January 2005 to December 2017 at Shanghai Ninth Hospital. The clinicopathological features were summarized, and the correlations between clinicopathological parameters, cervical nodal metastasis, and local–regional recurrence were evaluated using the Chi‐square test. Kaplan–Meier method and Cox regression analysis were performed to assess the survival and independent prognostic factors. Results: Seventy‐nine patients were included, and the 5‐year overall survival and disease‐free survival rates was 85.7% and 71.7%, respectively. Gender and clinical tumor stage were risk factors for cervical nodal metastasis. Tumor size and pathological lymph node (LN) stage were independent prognostic factors for adenoid cystic carcinoma (ACC) of the sublingual gland; while age, pathological LN stage, and distant metastasis were prognostic factors for patients with non‐ACC of the sublingual gland. Patients with higher clinical stage were more likely to undergo tumor recurrence. Conclusions: Malignant sublingual gland tumors are rare, and neck dissection should be performed in male MSLGT patients with higher clinical stage. Among patients with both ACC and non‐ACC MSLGT patients, pN+ indicate a poor prognosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To analyze the clinicopathological features, locoregional or distant metastasis, and prognosis of adenoid cystic carcinoma of submandibular gland (SMG‐AdCC). Methods: The clinicopathological data of 80 patients with SMG‐AdCC from January 2005 to December 2017 were analyzed retrospectively, and the relationships between different parameters of SMG‐AdCC and its locoregional or distant metastasis or prognosis were analyzed. Results: As of December 2019, 41 patients (51.25%) were tumor‐free, while 20 patients were found to be living with tumors. The locoregional metastasis rate of grade II‐III SMG‐AdCC were found to be significantly higher than that of grade I. The five‐year DFS and OS rates were 70.8% and 87.1%, respectively. Univariate analysis showed that clinical size, extraglandular extension, pathological grade, pathological node (pN) status, and perineural invasion were correlated with DFS. Multivariate Cox regression analysis showed that pathological grade and extraglandular extension were independent prognostic factors for DFS; pN status and extraglandular extension were independent prognostic factors impacting OS. Conclusion: The pathological grade is a risk factor for locoregional metastasis of SMG‐AdCC. Pathological grade, pN status, and status of extraglandular extension are independent prognostic factors for DFS/OS in SMG‐AdCC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: The therapeutic regimen of submandibular gland carcinoma (SGC) has not reached consensus, especially for the neck treatment of patients with cN0. Materials and methods: Patients with SGC were identified from the medical database of Shanghai Ninth People's Hospital. Kaplan–Meier analysis, univariate and multivariate Cox regression were employed to evaluate the survival and independent prognostic factors. Results: Two hundred and fifteen patients with SGC were retrospectively reviewed. The 5‐year disease‐free survival (DFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 71.5% and 77.8%, respectively. Multivariate analysis revealed that histological grade, cT classification, cN classification, and perineural invasion (PNI) were independent prognostic factors for DFS, while histological grade, cT classification, cN classification, and age were those for OS. The neck dissection showed no significant survival benefit for patients with cN0. Lung was the most common site of distant metastasis (16.7%). Conclusions: Histological grade, cT classification, cN classification, age, and PNI were independent prognostic factors of patient with SGC, which should be the main considerations for making therapeutic regimens. Our study also verifies the neck dissection of patient with cN0 is unnecessary, and postoperative radiotherapy (PORT) is vital for patients with pN+. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To evaluate the prognostic and locoregional metastatic features of carcinoma ex pleomorphic adenoma of submandibular gland (SMG‐CXPA) and improve the understanding of this uncommon condition. Patients and methods: We retrospectively reviewed patients who were diagnosed with SMG‐CXPA. The survival data of SMG‐CXPA patients were statistically analyzed using Cox regression and Kaplan–Meier method. The associations between cervical metastasis and clinicopathological parameters were evaluated using chi‐squared test. Additionally, two different histological categories (histological grade and invasiveness) and their combination were evaluated with the Kaplan–Meier method and receiver operating characteristic curves. Results: In total, 86 patients were diagnosed: 38 clinically node‐negative, 31 pathologically node‐negative, and 17 node‐positive patients. Clinical tumor stage and histological grade were two independent prognostic factors for SMG‐CXPA. There were significant correlations between sex, tumor size, clinical tumor stage, clinical lymph node stage, histological grade, invasiveness, malignant components, perineural invasion, and no specific criteria exist for the clinical outcome. Conclusion: SMG‐CXPA is a high‐grade malignancy with an unfavorable prognosis. Elective neck dissection should be performed in SMG‐CXPA patients with a risk of locoregional metastasis. Histological grade seems to be a more valuable predictor of lymph node involvement than invasiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation has shown great promise for desalination due to its high photothermal conversion efficiency. However, for interfacial evaporation, the evaporator must have superior mechanical quality and strong thermal stability. To this end, ceramic nanofibrous mats with good mechanical strength can serve as a stable substrate for desalination. Herein, with the aid of finite element analysis, flexible Al2O3/TiO2 nanofibrous mats with robust mechanical properties are fabricated, where the stress dispersion greatly facilitates the Al2O3/TiO2 nanospheres to be uniformly dispersed into the mat. The flexible nanofibrous mats exhibit a high tensile strength up to 2.18 MPa. Afterward, a two-dimensional (2D) Al2O3/TiO2/MXene mat is constructed by a simple drop-casting method. Interestingly, the evaporation rate of the Al2O3/TiO2/MXene-2 mat reached 1.43 kg m−2 h−1, and the light-to-vapor energy conversion efficiency can reach 102% at a power density of 1.0 kW m−2. To measure the desalination efficiency, five ion concentrations in the collected water were found to be well below the safe salinity levels defined by standards set by the World Health Organization and U.S Environmental Protection Agency. Utilizing basic origami technology, the three-dimensional (3D) photothermal evaporator was integrated with the 2D mat due to its flexibility and ductility. Additionally, the evaporation rate increased to 1.61 kg m−2 h−1. This study is critical in the design of composite ceramic nanofiber materials with high flexibility and photothermal conversion efficiency for multifunctional desalination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: This study aimed to analyze the prognostic determinants for re‐recurrence and malignant transformation of parotid recurrent pleomorphic adenoma (RPA). Methods: Between January 2011 and December 2020, all the cases of RPA of the parotid gland at our single institution were reviewed. Results: A total of 168 patients were included in this study, with a median age of 41.5 years, and 20 (11.9%) patients developed re‐recurrence during follow‐up. It has been evidenced that recurrence times (single or multiple) was an independent prognostic factor for recurrence‐free survival (p = 0.0264). A total of 26 (15.48%) patients experienced malignant transformation of parotid RPA, and older age (>45 year old), male sex, and higher clinical tumor staging (T3–T4) were significantly associated with malignant transformation of parotid RPA. Conclusions: Recurrence times was an independent prognostic factor for re‐recurrence of parotid RPA, and older male with high T‐stage may more easily develop malignant transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]