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Hybrid metal halides are an extraordinary class of optoelectronic materials with extensive applications. To further diversify and study the in‐depth structure‐property relations, we report here a new family of 21 zero‐dimensional hybrid bimetallic chlorides with the general formula A(L)n[BClm] (A=rare earth (RE), alkaline earth metals and Mn; L=solvent ligand; and B=Sb, Bi and Te). The RE(DMSO)8[BCl6] (RE=La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, and Dy; DMSO=dimethyl sulfoxide) series shows broadband emission attributed to triplet radiative recombination from Sb and Bi, incorporating the characteristic emission of RE metals, where Eu(DMSO)8[BiCl6] shows a staggering PL quantum yield of 94 %. The pseudo‐octahedral [SbCl5] with Cl vacancy in AII(DMSO)6[SbCl5] (AII=Mg, Ca and Mn) and the square pyramidal [SbCl5] in AII(TMSO)6[SbCl5] (TMSO=tetramethylene sulfoxide) enhance the stereoactive expression of the 5 s2 lone pairs of Sb3+, giving rise to the observation of dual‐band emission of singlet and triplet emission, respectively. A series of Te(IV) analogues have been characterized, showing blue‐light‐excitable single‐band emission. This work expands the materials space for hybrid bimetallic halides with an emphasis on harnessing the RE elements, and provides important insights into designing new emitters and regulating their properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

0D organic–inorganic antimony halides have attracted increasing attention due to the non‐toxicity, high stability, and superior photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). Here, a series of hybrid antimony chlorides with the same organic cation ethyltriphenylphosphonium (Ph3EtP+), including non‐emissive (Ph3EtP)2Sb2Cl8 and nine (Ph3EtP)2SbCl5‐based emissive compounds, are synthesized and characterized. These emissive compounds are namely, the guest‐free (Ph3EtP)2SbCl5 and (Ph3EtP)2SbCl5·guest (guest = glycol, acetic acid, methanol, ethanol, n‐propanol, i‐propanol, acetone, and acetonitrile). The solvent used can alter the coordination mode of Sb because the solvation effect affects the reactivity of the anions ([SbCl4]− and Cl−), leading to the formation of either A2Sb2Cl8 or A2SbCl5. The solvents can be even incorporated into the crystal structure, where stronger interaction with [SbCl5]2− leads to higher temperature of the escape of the solvent. The guest molecules could increase the structural rigidity of [SbCl5]2− via hydrogen bonding and dipole–dipole interactions, which tends to reduce the room‐temperature photoluminescence (PL) Stokes shift and temperature‐dependent PL shift by decreasing the [SbCl5]2− deformability, along with enhanced PLQY from 81% in guest‐free to near‐unity in (Ph3EtP)2SbCl5·glycol. This work shows that targeted synthesis and diversified choices of solvents provide an efficient tool to generate steady variations in hybrid emissive materials for optoelectronics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Double perovskites (DP) have attracted extensive attention due to their rich structures and wide application prospects in the field of optoelectronics. Here, we report 15 new Bi‐based double perovskite derived halides with the general formula of A2BBiX6 (A=organic cationic ligand, B=K or Rb, X=Br or I). These materials are synthesized using organic ligands to coordinate with metal ions with a sp3 oxygen, and diverse structure types have been obtained with distinct dimensionalities and connectivity modes. The optical band gaps of these phases can be tuned by changing the halide, the organic ligand and the alkali metal, varying from 2.0 to 2.9 eV. The bromide phases exhibit increasing photoluminescence (PL) intensity with decreasing temperature, while the PL intensity of iodide phases changes nonmonotonically with temperature. Because the majority of these phases are non‐centrosymmetric, second harmonic generation (SHG) responses are also measured for selected non‐centrosymmetric materials, showing different particle‐size‐dependent trends. Our findings give rise to a series of new structural types to the DP family, and provide a powerful synthetic handle for symmetry breaking. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BACKGROUND: Ziziphus jujuba Miller cv. Dongzao is extremely susceptible to reddening, browning, nutritional loss, and perishability after harvest. In this study, we evaluated the mechanisms of calcium chloride and chitosan/nano‐silica composite film treatments on the quality, especially in reddening, by physiological and metabolomic assays. RESULTS: The treatment delayed the decline of phenylalanine ammonia‐lyase (PAL), chalcone synthase (CHS), and chalcone isomerase (CHI) activities. Meanwhile, the treated groups retarded the increases in anthocyanin and quercetin contents by inhibiting the gene expressions of flavonol synthase (ZjFLS), dihydroflavonol 4‐reductase (ZjDFR), and anthocyanidin synthase (ZjANS), while promoting leucoanthocyanidin reductase (ZjLAR) expression, which leads to retardation of fruit reddening. Anthocyanins were found to be responsible for post‐harvest winter jujube reddening through principal component analysis. Results from the technique for order preference by similarity to an ideal solution indicated that the treated group delayed the decline of the quality of 'Dongzao' and extended its shelf life. CONCLUSION: The treatment induced the heightening of flavonoids metabolism. They enhanced the nutritional value and the ability to resist stress by delaying the decline of PAL, CHS, and CHI activities. Meanwhile, the treated groups retarded the increase in anthocyanin and quercetin contents by inhibiting the gene expressions of ZjFLS, ZjDFR, and ZjANS and promoting ZjLAR expression, which leads to retardation of fruit reddening. Anthocyanins are responsible for post‐harvest winter jujube reddening. Coating treatment effectively delayed the decline of winter jujube quality. © 2020 Society of Chemical Industry [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Constructing direct Z-scheme heterojunction is an effective approach to separating photogenerated charge carriers and improving the activity of semiconductor photocatalysts. Herein, a composite of bismuth(III) oxide (Bi 2 O 3 ) and graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4 ) was in situ fabricated at room temperature by photoreductive deposition of Bi 3+ and subsequent air-oxidation of the resultant metallic Bi. Quantum-sized ω-Bi 2 O 3 nanoparticles approximately 6 nm in diameter were uniformly distributed on the surface of mesoporous g-C 3 N 4 . The as-prepared Bi 2 O 3 /g-C 3 N 4 composite exhibited higher photocatalytic activity than pure Bi 2 O 3 and g-C 3 N 4 for photocatalytic degradation of phenol under visible light. Reactive species trapping experiments revealed that superoxide radicals and photogenerated holes played important roles in the photocatalytic degradation of phenol. The enhanced photocatalytic activity, identification of reactive species and higher rate of charge carrier recombination (as indicated by stronger photoluminescence intensity) collectively suggest that the charge migration within the Bi 2 O 3 /g-C 3 N 4 composite followed a Z-scheme mechanism. Photogenerated electrons on the conduction band of Bi 2 O 3 migrate to the valence band of g-C 3 N 4 and combine with photogenerated holes therein. At the cost of these less reactive charge carriers, the Z-scheme heterojunction enables efficient charge separation, while preserving the photogenerated electrons and holes with stronger redox abilities, which is beneficial for enhanced photocatalytic activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

BackgroundIntegrated care enhanced with information technology has emerged as a means to transform health services to meet the long-term care needs of patients with chronic diseases. However, the feasibility of applying integrated care to the emerging “three-manager” mode in China remains to be explored. Moreover, few studies have attempted to integrate multiple types of chronic diseases into a single system. ObjectiveThe aim of this study was to develop a coordinated telehealth system that addresses the existing challenges of the “three-manager” mode in China while supporting the management of single or multiple chronic diseases. MethodsThe system was designed based on a tailored integrated care model. The model was constructed at the individual scale, mainly focusing on specifying the involved roles and responsibilities through a universal care pathway. A custom ontology was developed to represent the knowledge contained in the model. The system consists of a service engine for data storage and decision support, as well as different forms of clients for care providers and patients. Currently, the system supports management of three single chronic diseases (hypertension, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease) and one type of multiple chronic conditions (hypertension with type 2 diabetes mellitus). A retrospective study was performed based on the long-term observational data extracted from the database to evaluate system usability, treatment effect, and quality of care. ResultsThe retrospective analysis involved 6964 patients with chronic diseases and 249 care providers who have registered in our system since its deployment in 2015. A total of 519,598 self-monitoring records have been submitted by the patients. The engine could generate different types of records regularly based on the specific care pathway. Results of the comparison tests and causal inference showed that a part of patient outcomes improved after receiving management through the system, especially the systolic blood pressure of patients with hypertension (P

The present study aimed to explore the effect of melittin (MLT) on the growth of Schwann cells (SCs) in high glucose conditions and to understand the mechanisms involved. The goal was to provide a theoretical basis for using MLT in the treatment of diabetic peripheral neuropathy (DPN). The CCK‑8 assay was used to measure cell activity at different concentrations of glucose and MLT. Flow cytometry was employed to analyze the effect of MLT on cell cycle phases and apoptosis in SCs under high glucose conditions. To identify differentially expressed proteins, 4D label‑free quantitative proteomics with liquid chromatography‑mass spectrometry was used, followed by biological analysis to explore potential mechanisms. PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence were conducted to confirm these mechanisms. Melittin (0.2 µ g/ml) increased the proliferation of SCs in a high glucose environment. Flow cytometry showed that after MLT treatment, the proportion of cells in the G 2 /M+S phase increased and the combined ratio of early and late apoptosis decreased under high glucose conditions. Proteomics identified 1,784 proteins with significant changes in expression; 725 were upregulated, and 1,059 were downregulated. Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analysis indicated that the differentially expressed proteins were mainly involved in metabolic pathways and neurodegenerative disease pathways. PCR, western blotting and immunofluorescence confirmed the increase in Crabp2, Wnt3a, C‑Jun, CDK4, CyclinD1 and proliferating cell nuclear antigen. In high glucose conditions, MLT protects SCs from glucose toxicity by upregulating the Crabp2/Wnt/β‑catenin signaling pathway, potentially providing a new treatment for DPN.

The formation of an immunosuppressive microenvironment and up-regulation of PD-L1 protein are the main causes of tumor immune escape. Previous reports suggest that Angiotensin II (Ang II) can modulate the immune status of tumor microenvironment in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC), but the underlying mechanism remains not fully understood. Here we demonstrated that AngII treatment causes the reduction of intratumoral infiltrating CD4 T lymphocytes in tumor-bearing mice, increases the accumulation of immunosuppressive granulocytes and TAMs in tumor tissue, and upregulates the expression levels of immunosuppressive marker genes. In addition, AngII/AGTR1 axis triggers cell PD-L1 expression through a mechanism involving increases in PD-L1 mRNA stability by human antigen R (HuR), an AU-rich element (ARE)-binding protein. Collectively, AngII/AGTR1 signaling promotes the tumor immunosuppressive microenvironment by upregulating PD-L1 in NSCLC, the mechanism of which is largely accounted by HuR-mediated PD-L1 mRNA stabilization., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Objective: To investigate the association between the tip apex distance (TAD) and migration of helical blade in the femoral head of geriatric intertrochanteric fractures., Methods: A retrospective study of intertrochanteric fractures treated with the proximal femoral nail antirotation (PFNA) between June 2015 and June 2018 was performed. There were 32 males and 55 females with an average age of 84.7 years (range, 80-101 years). All of them were unilateral fresh closed intertrochanteric fractures caused by low energy injury. According to AO/Orthopaedic Trauma Association (AO/OTA) classification, 33 cases belonged to type 31-A1, 35 cases to type 31-A2, and 19 cases to type 31-A3. The time interval from injury to operation was 1-16 days (mean, 3.7 days). The TAD was measured according to immediate postoperative X-ray films. The cases were divided into two groups: group A with TAD less than 20 mm and group B with TAD greater than 20 mm. The difference of fracture healing and migration of helical blade between the two groups were observed., Results: According to the TAD value immediately after operation, 49 patients in group A had TAD of 8.9-19.7 mm, with an average of 18.6 mm; 38 patients in group B had TAD of 20.1-41.4 mm, with an average of 27.7 mm. The 87 patients were followed up for an average of 11.7 months, ranging from 4 to 28 months. Three cases (all in group B) underwent screw blade cutting and displacement, which resulted in internal fixation failure, including 1 case with femoral head cut upward and 2 cases with femoral head penetrated inward. The remaining 84 cases had bone healing without internal fixation related complications such as fracture of internal fixator and fracture of femoral shaft. There was significant difference in the incidence of internal fixation failure between group A and group B ( P =0.049)., Conclusion: Reducing the TAD value of helical blade appropriately (15-20 mm) in PFNA internal fixation for intertrochanteric fracture patients over 80 years old can increase initial stability without increasing the risk of helical blade migration.

Objective: To investigate the surgical methods in treating Weber type C ankle injury and estimate the necessity of syndesmosis operative exploration., Methods: Forty three patients of Weber type C ankle injury were treated with open reduction and internal fixation from October 2004 to December 2009. Twenty nine patients were treated with routine procedure by open reduction and internal fixation, syndesmosis exploration and repair were performed in addition in the others. Thirty four patients were followed during an average time of 31.2 months (range 18 to 50 months), amomg them 22 patients were treated with routine procedures and 12 were treated with additional syndesmosis surgical exploration., Results: All the fractures were reunited in an average time of 13.1 weeks (range 10 to 18 weeks) and full weight bearing began. The mean ankle and hindfoot scale of the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) score was 79.86(range 65 to 98) in the routine procedures group and 86.67 (range 78 to 100) in the syndesmosis exploration group and Olerud-Molander score was 77.27 (range 55 to 100) and 86.67 (range 75 to 100) respectively. Statistically significant difference was found between the two groups (P<0.05)., Conclusion: Syndesmosis surgical exploration is an essential treatment in some Weber type C ankle injuries, which make debridement and direct reduction of the syndesmosis possible, providing thus a more stabilized ankle joint. Level of Evidence III, Retrospective Comparative Study.

Objective: To explore the operative method and effectiveness of talocalcaneal coalition., Methods: Between July 2008 and October 2010, 10 patients with talocalcaneal coalition were treated, including 2 cases of congenital talocalcaneal coalition and 8 cases of secondary talocalcaneal coalition. There were 4 males and 6 females, aged 53.5 years on average (range, 16-70 years). Three patients had middle-facet talocalcaneal coalition and 7 had posterior-facet talocalcaneal coalition. The preoperative visual analogue score (VAS) was 9.0 +/- 0.4. According to American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society (AOFAS) hindfoot scale, the score was 42.4 +/- 1.4. Two cases complicated by subtalar degeneration. Resection of the bone bar and fat packing were performed in 8 cases of simple talocalcaneal coalition, and resection and subtalar arthrodesis in 2 cases of talocalcaneal coalition combined with subtalar degeneration., Results: Primary healing of incisions was obtained in all patients. Eight patients were followed up 18 months on average (range, 12-36 months). At last follow-up, VAS was 2.0 +/- 0.7, showing siginificant difference when compared with preoperative score (t = 6.425, P = 0.000). AOFAS score was 86.9 +/- 2.3, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative score (t = 7.634, P = 0.000). The X-ray films showed that no recurrence of talocalcaneal coalition was observed in patients underdoing simple removal of bone bar, and bone fusion was observed in patients undergoing arthrodesis., Conclusion: To achieve satisfactory outcomes for talocalcaneal coalition, a reasonable surgical procedure should be chosen according to the specific facet and complication.