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Rational design of monomer sequence for desired properties is challenging. This study investigates the effect of monomer distribution of double hydrophilic copolymers (DHCs) with electron‐rich units on cluster triggered emission (CTE) capacity. By means of combining latent monomer strategy, reversible addition fragmentation chain transfer (RAFT) polymerization and selective hydrolysis technology, the random, pseudo di‐block and the gradient DHCs consisting of pH‐responsive polyacrylic acid (PAA) segments and thermo‐responsive poly(N‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) segments were successfully synthesized in a controlled manner. Moreover, the gradient DHCs showed a tremendously increased luminescent intensity due to the distinct hydrogen‐bonding interaction compared to random and pseudo di‐block DHCs. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first reported the direct correlation between luminescent intensity and sequence structure of non‐conjugated polymer. Meanwhile, thermo and pH dual‐responsive clusteroluminescence could be easily performed. This work demonstrates a novel and facile method to tailor the hydrogen‐bonding for the stimuli‐responsive light‐emitting polymers. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, a new approach of bidirectional electro-migration rehabilitation (BIEM) using pulse currents was proposed. The effect of the duty cycle and frequency of the square wave pulse current on the BIEM was investigated. The results showed that the desalination efficiency was improved by 10 % with the decrease of duty ratio and frequency. Furthermore, With the increase of duty ratio and frequency, the hydrogen permeation of steel bars decreased by 28.5 %. More uniform desalination efficiency was obtained by using pulse current. The half-cell potential of the rebars was also measured and it was higher for the samples using pulse currents than for those using direct currents, indicating a lower risk of corrosion after pulse current treatment. The pH value of the concrete also increased during the BIEM process. • The amount of hydrogen permeation in the rebars of concrete repaired by pulse current is reduced. • Increasing frequency and decreasing duty cycle of pulse current make the desalination efficiency distributed more evenly. • Decreasing frequency and duty cycle of pulse current will increase the efficiency of chloride ions removal. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Cinobufacin is a Chinese patent medicine widely used for breast cancer in China. However, no systematic review and meta-analysis have been published to validate its effects in breast cancer treatment. We, therefore, summarize the efficacy and safety of Cinobufacin combined with chemotherapy in order to provide rigid evidence for its clinical application. Methods. By searching multiple databases incepted to December 2019, the RCTs of breast cancer patients treated with Cinobufacin were screened according to the inclusion criteria, and the meta-analysis and sensitivity analysis were conducted using RevMan5.3. Results. A total of 1163 articles were retrieved, and 16 studies were included. The total sample size was 1331 cases, including 666 cases in the treatment group receiving Cinobufacin combined with chemotherapy and 665 cases in the control group receiving chemotherapy alone. Our study found that the ORR (overall response rate) (RR = 1.35, 95% CI: [1.23, 1.49], P < 0.00001), CBR (clinical benefit rate) (RR = 1.14, 95% CI: [1.08, 1.21], P < 0.00001), KPS scores (RR = 1.98, 95% CI: [1.45, 2.68], P < 0.0001), and pain relief rate (RR = 1.34, 95% CI: [1.01, 1.78] P = 0.04 of the Cinobufacin combined with chemotherapy group were better than those of the chemotherapy group, and the difference was statistically significant. Our study also discovered that the tumor markers (CA125, CA153, and CEA) in the Cinobufacin combined with chemotherapy group were lower than those in the chemotherapy group, which heterogeneity was derived from the low-quality literature included in the study, but the results were robust. In addition, in terms of safety, we found that the incidences of gastrointestinal reactions (RR = 0.58, 95% CI: [0.48, 0.70], P < 0.00001), liver and kidney damage (RR = 0.57, 95% CI: [0.38, 0.84], P = 0.004), and hair loss (RR = 0.61, 95% CI: [0.40, 0.92], P = 0.02) in the Cinobufacin combined chemotherapy group were lower than those in the chemotherapy group, and the difference was statistically significant, but the incidences of peripheral neurotoxicity (RR = 0.69, 95% CI: [0.26, 1.85], P = 0.46) and myelosuppression (RR = 0.78, 95% CI: [0.46, 1.34], P = 0.37) in the combined group were similar to those of the chemotherapy group, and the difference was not statistically significant. Conclusions. Cinobufacin combined with chemotherapy can improve the clinical efficacy of breast cancer patients, enhance the quality of life of the patients, reduce the value of tumor markers such as CA125, CA153, and CEA, and lower the occurrence of adverse reactions such as gastrointestinal reactions, liver and kidney damage, and hair loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe3O4@polydopamine@polyamidoamine (Fe3O4@PDA@PAMAM) core–shell nanocomposites were successfully fabricated through a monodispersed Fe3O4 nanoflower synthesis, PDA modification and PAMAM grafting. The as-prepared single Fe3O4@PDA@PAMAM nanocomposite possesses a high relevant saturation magnetization (Ms) (30.25 emu g−1), while the coercivity (Hc) (10.85 Oe) and retentivity (Mr) (0.9062 emu g−1) were extremely low. The obtained Fe3O4@PDA@PAMAM has an adsorption capacity as high as 97.18 mg g−1 for Cu(ii), and the adsorption process is in conformity with pseudo-second-order kinetics and the Langmuir isotherm model. Moreover, the effect of pH and thermodynamics of the adsorption process is also discussed briefly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

SrFe 12 O 19 /CoFe 2 O 4 and SrFe 12 O 19 /Fe–B hard/soft magnetic composites were obtained by using powders synthesized via a hydrothermal and a molten salt method, respectively. The exchange coupling interaction was found to exist in the composites after a facile grinding according to the results of magnetic hysteresis loops and irreversible sloping recoil loops. It can be found that different grinding time affects their magnetic properties slightly. Our study proves that the conditions of realizing exchange coupling interaction may not be so stringent. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Laminated SiC/BN ceramics with a perfect layered structure was fabricated by tap-casting process and hot-pressing sintering. Damage resistance and R-curve behavior of laminated SiC/BN ceramics were evaluated using the indentation-strength-in-bending technique, and compared with those of monolithic SiC ceramics. The results showed that the indentation strengths for monolithic SiC ceramics decreased steeply with indentation load, while for laminated SiC/BN ceramics reduced slightly with indentation load, suggesting an exceptional damage resistance. Moreover, a rising R-curve behavior was demonstrated for laminated SiC/BN ceramics, a plateau R-curve behavior for monolithic SiC ceramics. The excellent damage resistance and pronounced R-curve behavior of laminated SiC/BN ceramics were attributed to crack deflection, crack branching and crack delamination at the SiC/BN weak interfaces. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Pomegranate juice (PJ) is rich in various bioactive compounds, including anthocyanins (ATs), ellagic tannins (ETs) and ellagic acid (EA), and has the potential to be utilized as a therapeutic intervention for iron deficiency anemia (IDA). This narrative review offers a comprehensive overview of current research on the efficacy of PJ in the prevention and treatment of IDA, while also delving further into associated mechanisms. It is proposed that PJ may effectively manage IDA through direct or indirect means, including acting as a source for iron supplementation, enhancing iron absorption, exerting antioxidant and anti-inflammatory effects, modulating gut microbiota and promoting intestinal mucosal repair. Nevertheless, more researches are warranted to validate the effectiveness and underlying mechanisms of PJ as a promising therapy for IDA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The copy number variation of SHANK3 contributes 0.4 % to Chinese children with ASD. • Comprehensive clinical, neurobehavioral, and brain imaging assessments were reported in SHANK3 deficient Chinese children. • SHANK3 -deficient ASD patients relate to the disrupted striatum centered connectivity. SHANK3 deficiency represents one of the most replicated monogenic risk factors for autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and SHANK3 caused ASD presents a unique opportunity to understand the underlying neuropathological mechanisms of ASD. In this study, genetic tests, comprehensive clinical and neurobehavioral evaluations, as well as multimodal structural MRI using voxel-based morphometry (VBM) and tract-based spatial statistics (TBSS) were conducted in SHANK3 group (N = 14 with SHANK3 defects), ASD controls (N = 26 with idiopathic ASD without SHANK3 defects) and typically developing (TD) controls (N = 32). Phenotypically, we reported several new features in Chinese SHANK3 deficient children including anteverted nares, sensory stimulation seeking, dental abnormalities and hematological problems. In SHANK3 group, VBM revealed decreased grey matter volumes mainly in dorsal striatum, amygdala, hippocampus and parahippocampal gyrus; TBSS demonstrated decreased fractional anisotropy in multiple tracts involving projection, association and commissural fibers, including middle cerebral peduncle, corpus callosum, superior longitudinal fasciculus, corona radiata, external and internal capsule, and posterior thalamic radiation, etc. We report that the disrupted striatum centered brain structures are associated with SHANK3 deficient children. Study of subjects with monogenic cause offer specific insights into the neuroimaging studies of ASD. The discovery may support a path for future functional connectivity studies to allow for more in-depth understandings of the abnormal neural circuits and the underlying neuropathological mechanisms for ASD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the emergence of targeted inhibition strategies for Hedgehog signaling in cancer, multiple Hedgehog signaling pathway-related biomarkers have become the focus of research. SsGSEA algorithm was employed to analyze the Hedgehog pathway scores of samples in TCGA-HNSC dataset and divide them into two groups. Weighted co-expression network analysis was performed to identify modules strongly associated with the Hedgehog pathway. Differentially up-regulated genes in tumor samples in comparison to the normal ones were screened by Limma, in which genes belonging to modules strongly related to Hedgehog pathway were further filtered by LASSO reduction and multivariate Cox regression analysis to develop a model. ESTIMATE and CIBERSORT were served to characterize the tumor microenvironment (TME). TIDE assessed immunotherapy response. Hedgehog pathway activity was significantly higher in head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC) tissues than in normal tissues and was correlated with HNSCC survival, glycan, cofactors and vitamins, drug metabolism, and matrix scores. Six genes (SLC2A3, EFNB2, OAF, COX4I2, MT2A and TXNRD1) were captured to form a Hedgehog associated 6-gene signature, and the resulting risk score was an independent indicator of HNSCC prognosis. It was significantly positively correlated with stromal score, metabolism, angiogenesis and inflammatory response. Patients in low-risk group with a low TIDE score had higher immunotherapy sensitivity relative to those in high-risk group. This study revealed novel findings of the Hedgehog pathway in HNSCC progression and opened up a Hedgehog pathology-related signature to help identify risk factors contributing to HNSCC progression and help predict immunotherapy outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Biqi capsule is a traditional Chinese medicine widely used as a complementary and alternative treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective is to understand the efficacy, safety and mechanism of Biqi combined with methotrexate (MTX) in RA. Methods: We present a randomized, controlled pilot trial on Biqi combined with MTX against patients with active RA. Seventy patients were randomized 1:1 to receive Biqi + MTX or Leflunomide (LEF) + MTX for 24 weeks, and were assessed at baseline, 4, 12 and 24 weeks. Serum and urine samples were collected for metabolomics. Results: Overall, 81.2% patients in Biqi group achieved ACR20 at 24 weeks. No statistically significant differences were observed in primary or secondary outcomes between the two groups. A better safety profile was observed for Biqi with significantly fewer adverse effects reported (11.4%) compared to LEF group (40%, P < 0.05). Comparison between treatment responders and non-responders indicated a unique urine metabolic profile of enriched fatty acids and decreased acylcarnitines associated with Biqi responders, indicating a restored energy homeostasis in response to Biqi. The gene targets of these metabolites were significantly enriched in interleukin-4 and interleukin-13 pathways, implying that Biqi could ameliorate Th2-derived inflammatory response. Multivariate network analysis indicated that patient morning stiffness and SJC were key factors associated with metabolomics in Biqi-treated patients, whereas CRP was the main factor in LEF group. Therefore, Biqi and LEF likely work by influencing different patient clinical parameters. Conclusions: Our study suggests that Biqi capsule can be a promising alternative option in combination with MTX for RA treatment, and demonstrates the capability of using metabolomics to interrogate mechanism of action for traditional Chinese medicine. Trial registration This trial is registered with ChiCTR, No. ChiCTR-IPR-16009029. Registered August 15, 2016. http://www.chictr.org.cn/showprojen.aspx?proj=15034 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Helsmoortel–Van der Aa syndrome (HVDAS) is a rare genetic disorder caused by variants in the activity-dependent neuroprotector homeobox (ADNP) gene; hence, it is also called ADNP syndrome. ADNP is a multitasking protein with the function as a transcription factor, playing a critical role in brain development. Furthermore, ADNP variants have been identified as one of the most common single-gene causes of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) and intellectual disability. Methods: We assembled a cohort of 15 Chinese pediatric patients, identified 13 variants in the coding region of ADNP gene, and evaluated their clinical phenotypes. Additionally, we constructed the corresponding ADNP variants and performed western blotting and immunofluorescence analysis to examine their protein expression and subcellular localization in human HEK293T and SH-SY5Y cells. Results: Our study conducted a thorough characterization of the clinical manifestations in 15 children with ADNP variants, and revealed a broad spectrum of symptoms including global developmental delay, intellectual disability, ASD, facial abnormalities, and other features. In vitro studies were carried out to check the expression of ADNP with identified variants. Two cases presented missense variants, while the remainder exhibited nonsense or frameshift variants, leading to truncated mutants in in vitro overexpression systems. Both overexpressed wildtype ADNP and all the different mutants were found to be confined to the nuclei in HEK293T cells; however, the distinctive pattern of nuclear bodies formed by the wildtype ADNP was either partially or entirely disrupted by the mutant proteins. Moreover, two variants of p.Y719* on the nuclear localization signal (NLS) of ADNP disrupted the nuclear expression pattern, predominantly manifesting in the cytoplasm in SH-SY5Y cells. Limitations: Our study was limited by a relatively small sample size and the absence of a longitudinal framework to monitor the progression of patient conditions over time. Additionally, we lacked in vivo evidence to further indicate the causal implications of the identified ADNP variants. Conclusions: Our study reported the first cohort of HVDAS patients in the Chinese population and provided systematic clinical presentations and laboratory examinations. Furthermore, we identified multiple genetic variants and validated them in vitro. Our findings offered valuable insights into the diverse genetic variants associated with HVDAS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Genetic landscape, disease characteristics, and clinical outcomes of young adults with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) were reported. However, data on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in young adults with MPNs were rare. Methods: We conducted a multicenter, cross-sectional study to compare the PROs in respondents with thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV), and myelofibrosis (MF) by age at survey, including the young group (18–40 years), middle-aged group (41–60 years), and elderly group (>60 years). Results: Of the 1,664 respondents with MPNs, 349 (21.0%) were young including 244 (69.9%) with ET, 34 (9.7%) with PV, and 71 (20.3%) with MF. In multivariate analyses, the young groups with ET and MF were associated with the lowest MPN-10 scores among the 3 age groups; those with MF, highest proportion of reporting negative impact of disease and therapy on their daily life and work. The young groups with MPNs had the highest physical component summary scores but the lowest mental component summary scores in those with ET. The young groups with MPNs were most concerned about fertility; those with ET, treatment-related adverse events and long-term efficacy of treatment. Conclusions: We concluded that young adults with MPNs have different PROs compared with middle-aged and elderly patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fe2O3 is one of the most important lithium storage materials and has attracted increasing interest owing to its good capacity in theory, abundant reserves, and better security. The utilization of Fe2O3 materials is hampered by their inferior cycle performance, low rate performance, and restricted composite variety. Herein, the heterostructure of Fe2O3@SnO2 with hexahedral structure was manufactured by two- step hydrothermal strategy, while the SnO2 nanopillars were epitaxially grown in six faces, not in the twelve edges of hexahedral Fe2O3 cubes, which comes from maximizing lattice matching on the six surfaces of Fe2O3. Furthermore, the experimental results prove that the hexahedral Fe2O3@SnO2 heterostructure exhibits remarkably enhanced electrochemical reversibility and reaction kinetics and delivers an impressive initial discharge capacity (1742 mA h g−1 at 4 A g−1), great rate performance (565 mA h g−1 at 5 A g−1), and stable long-term durability (661 mA h g−1 after 4000 cycles at 4 A g−1) as an anode for LIBs. The result of the finite element mechanical simulation further indicates that the SnO2 nanopillars grow on the six surfaces but not on the twelve edges of the hexahedral Fe2O3 cube, which would provide great rate performance and long-term stability. This study underlines the merits of the heterostructure and offers a useful design routine for superior electrode materials in LIBs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic diagram of the synthesis of Li-HEO-HoMS with three remarkable features. [Display omitted] • Oxygen vacancies are introduced into (LiFeCoNiMnCr) 2 O 3 hollow multishelled spheres. • Hollow multishelled structure enhance the charge transfer. • Oxygen vacancies accelerate the diffusion kinetics. • Entropy-stabilizing effect endows long-term stability. • The Li-HEO-HoMS achieves 767.7 mAh g−1 at 1 A g-1 after 500 cycles. High-entropy oxides (HEOs) are attractive for lithium-ion batteries (LIBs) owing to their extensive component scope and regulatable electrochemical performance. However, their own the sluggish kinetics hinder their large-scale application. The modification including adjusting the intrinsic activity and structural design is required to compensate for their inherent shortcomings. Here, oxygen vacancies with goal capability are brought in a special hollow multishelled (LiFeCoNiMnCr) 2 O 3 spheres (Li-HEO-HoMS) through an in-situ formed carbonaceous microspheres as templates coupled with the kirkendall effect to expedite the ion/electron transportation and increase structure/electrochemistry stability. Theory combined with experiment reveal the feasible promotion of Li-ions storage, charge transfer, diffusion dynamics and long-term stability from hollow multishelled sphere structure, oxygen vacancies and entropy-stabilizing effect, which conclusively generates reinforced electrochemical performance. Benefit from these synergistic attributes, the Li-HEO-HoMS exhibits outstanding electrochemical property for LIBs with 767.7 mAh g−1 at 1 A g−1 after 500 cycles and still shows a specific capacity of 443.1 mAh g−1 at a high rate of 4 C. The strategy demonstrates the importance of the intrinsic activity and structural design of HEO in tailoring the electrochemical performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to investigate the interfacial conductivity and corrosion resistance of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 composite coating that is deposited on a carbon steel substrate as bipolar plates for proton exchange membrane fuel cells. Design/methodology/approach: The Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating was prepared by electroless plating. Scanning electron microscopy, white light interference, energy dispersive spectrometry and X-ray diffraction were used, respectively, to study the surface morphology, chemical composition and phase composition of coated samples. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, potentiodynamic and potentiostatic polarization were used to test the electrochemical performance and corrosion behavior. The interfacial contact resistance (ICR) was measured via the standard method. Findings: The surface of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating is complete and dense and without obvious defects. The electrochemical test results show that the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating provides better corrosion resistance than the Ni–P coating and substrate. Compared with the Ni–P coating, the ICR of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating is lower by about 82.7%. This is because the coating has more conductive contact points. The more exciting thing is that the ICR of the Ni–P/Ti4O7 coating only increases to 12.38 mΩ·cm2 after 5 h of polarization. Originality/value: This paper provides a method for achieving surface modification of metal bipolar plates. Introducing Ti4O7 particles in the Ni–P layer reduces the contact resistance before and after polarization while ensuring good corrosion resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of blue-light-emitting conjugated polymers based on electron-donating trifluoren-2-ylamine and electron-deficient dibenzothiophene- S,S -dioxide were synthesized via typical Suzuki coupling reactions. Their thermal, photophysical and electrochemical properties were fully studied. Owing to the excellent thermal stability, film-forming ability as well as the favorable energy levels of the polymers, highly efficient non-doped single-layer blue devices by using these polymers as an emitting layer (EML) were achieved. Among them, the device based on PSFOFN1 showed the highest maximum current efficiency (CE max ) of 1.99 cd/A. Moreover, the device presented small efficiency roll-off with current efficiency (CE) of 1.97 cd/A at high brightness up to 100 cd/m 2 . In addition, the Commission Internationale de L’Eclairage (CIE) coordinates of all the devices are very close to the deep blue region. Our findings suggest the potential applications of the polymers in full-color flat-panel displays and organic lighting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autism spectrum disorder (ASD) is an early-onset neurodevelopmental disorder in which genetics play a major role. Molecular diagnosis may lead to a more accurate prognosis, improved clinical management, and potential treatment of the condition. Both copy number variations (CNVs) and single nucleotide variations (SNVs) have been reported to contribute to the genetic etiology of ASD. The effectiveness and validity of clinical targeted panel sequencing (CTPS) designed to analyze both CNVs and SNVs can be evaluated in different ASD cohorts. CTPS was performed on 573 patients with the diagnosis of ASD. Medical records of positive CTPS cases were further reviewed and analyzed. Additional medical examinations were performed for a group of selective cases. Positive molecular findings were confirmed by orthogonal methods. The overall positive rate was 19.16% (109/569) in our cohort. About 13.89% (79/569) and 4.40% (25/569) of cases had SNVs only and CNVs only findings, respectively, while 0.9% (5/569) of cases had both SNV and CNV findings. For cases with SNVs findings, the SHANK3 gene has the greatest number of reportable variants, followed by gene MYT1L. Patients with MYT1L variants share common and specific clinical characteristics. We found a child with compound heterozygous SLC26A4 variants had an enlarged vestibular aqueduct syndrome and autistic phenotype. Our results showed that CTPS is an effective molecular diagnostic tool for ASD. Thorough clinical and genetic evaluation of ASD can lead to more accurate diagnosis and better management of the condition. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, a platinum-nickel based nanozyme is prepared and used as a coreaction accelerator in the luminol-H 2 O 2 electrochemiluminescence (ECL) system to construct an ECL biosensor for dimethyl phthalate (DMP) detection. The PtNi/NC nanozyme possesses dispersed metal active sites, and the synergistic effect of Pt and Ni endows it with excellent catalytic performance, which effectively converts H 2 O 2 into more superoxide anions, and then significantly enhances the ECL intensity of the luminol system. The ECL mechanism is investigated by combining cyclic voltammetry and ECL with different types of free radical scavengers. Simultaneously, an "off-on" biosensor is constructed by integrating 3D DNA walker with enzyme-free recycling amplification for ultrasensitive detection of DMP. The biosensor based on PtNi/NC nanozyme mediated luminol-H 2 O 2 system and 3D DNA walker exhibits a linear range of 1 × 10−16 to 1 × 10−6 M with a detection limit of 4.3 × 10−17 M (S/N = 3), and displays good stability and specificity. This study demonstrates the advantages of PtNi/NC nanozyme in enhancing the luminol-H 2 O 2 ECL system, providing new strategy for designing efficient ECL emitter and offering a new method for detecting phthalate esters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We explored variables associated with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) including symptom burden, impact on daily life and work, obstacles during therapy, satisfaction level with therapy, and health-related quality of life in 1500 respondents with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs) including essential thrombocythemia (ET), polycythemia vera (PV) and myelofibrosis (MF) in a multicenter, cross-sectional study across China, a representative of the developing countries. In multivariate analyses, urban household registration and higher education level were significantly-associated with no symptoms at diagnosis in respondents with ET or MF. CALR mutation was significantly-associated with lower MPN-10 scores in respondents with MF. Higher MPN-10 scores were significantly-associated with negative impact on daily life and work as well as lower satisfaction level in respondents with ET, PV and MF. Receiving ruxolitinib was significantly-associated with high satisfaction and satisfaction in respondents with MF. In addition, other demographics and clinical variables were also impacting PROs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Antimony selenide film doped with Zn2+ was deposited on ultra-white glass by hydrothermal method. The photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization reaction with methylene blue (MB) solution. According to the free radical capture experiment, photogenerated holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (·O2−) are the decisive active substances in the photocatalytic process. [Display omitted] • Zn-doped Sb 2 Se 3 thin films prepared by hydrothermal deposition. • The amount of zinc doping is the key to the enhancement of photocatalytic activity. • The doping of Zn2+ increases the visible light absorbance of the Sb 2 Se 3 thin film. • Metal ion doping provides a simple method for metal selenide photocatalysts. Sb 2 Se 3 is a promising light-absorbing material with low cost and good photocatalytic activity. In this paper, Sb 2 Se 3 thin films doped with zinc (Zn) were deposited on ultra-white glass by hydrothermal method, using ZnCl 2 , sodium selenate and antimony potassium tartrate as raw materials. And the photocatalytic activity was evaluated by photocatalytic decolorization reaction with methylene blue (MB) solution. The results showed that the highest photocatalytic activity was displayed when Zn2+ was doped with 0.10 mmol, and its degradation rate of methylene blue was 1.66 times higher than that of pure Sb 2 Se 3. Zn2+ doped Sb 2 Se 3 film can effectively inhibit the recombination of electron-hole pairs, thereby improving the optical activity. According to the free radical capture experiment, photogenerated holes (h+) and superoxide radicals (·O2−) are the decisive active substances in the photocatalytic process. This method provides a reliable way for transition metal ions doped metal selenides to degrade organic dyes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The present study was designed to elucidate the key parameters associated with X-ray radiation induced oxidative stress and the effects of STS on X-ray-induced toxicity in H9c2 cardiomyocytes. Cytotoxicity of STS and radiation was assessed by MTT. Antioxidant activity was evaluated by SOD and MDA. Apoptosis was measured by the flow cytometry, Hoechst 33258, clonogenic survival assay, and western blot. It was found that the cell viability of H9c2 cells exposed to X-ray radiation was significantly decreased in a dose-dependent manner and was associated with cell cycle arrest at the G0/G1 phase as well as apoptosis. STS treatment significantly reversed the morphological changes, attenuated radiation-induced apoptosis, and improved the antioxidant activity in the H9c2 cells. STS significantly increased the Bcl-2 and Bcl-2/Bax levels and decreased the Bax and caspase-3 levels, compared with the cells treated with radiation alone. STS treatment also resulted in a significant increase in p38-MAPK activation. STS could protect the cells from X-ray-induced cell cycle arrest, oxidative stress, and apoptosis. Therefore, we suggest the STS could be useful for the treatment of radiation-induced cardiovascular injury. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Transition metal oxides (TMOs) are considered to be an ideal anode material for the high performance lithium-ion batteries (LIBs). However, their inferior conductivity of electrons and ions, in addition violently volume change enable the significant capacity plunge. Here, the TMOs nanoparticles were encapsulated in a reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by an easy grinding strategy to solve the above problems. The rGO encapsulated Cu-doped Co 3 O 4 (CCO) composite electrode was fabricated by combining a handy sol-gel and grinding way. As anode material of LIBs, the CCO/rGO composites are provided with favorable specific capacity (2093 mAh g−1 at 4 A g−1), superior rate capability (1949 mAh g−1 at 5.0 A g−1) and good cycling stability. The flexible rGO enables the excellent lithium storage performance, which effectively prevents the nanoparticles aggregating to provide more storage lithium active sites. The structure of nanoparticles is preserved during the cycling process to enhance the conductivity. In this paper, a universal and efficient method is accomplished, which builds an original dual metal oxide wrapped in rGO applied to energy storage. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In order to improve the glass-forming ability (GFA) of Nd-Fe-B ternary alloys to obtain fully amorphous bulk Nd-Fe-B-based alloy, the effects of Mo and Y doping on GFA of the alloys were investigated. It was found that the substitution of Mo for Fe and Y for Nd enhanced the GFA of the Nd-Y-Fe-Mo-B alloys. It was also revealed that the GFA of the samples was optimized by 4 at.% Mo doping and increased with the Y content. The fully amorphous structures were all formed in the Nd $$_{6-{x}}$$ Y $$_{{x}}$$ Fe $$_{68}$$ Mo $$_{4}$$ B $$_{22}$$ ( x $$=$$ 1-5) alloy rods with 1.5 mm-diameter. After subsequent crystallization, the devitrified Nd $$_{3}$$ Y $$_{3}$$ Fe $$_{68}$$ Mo $$_{4}$$ B $$_{22}$$ alloy rod exhibited a uniform distribution of grains with a coercivity of 364.1 kA/m. The crystallization behavior of Nd $$_{3}$$ Y $$_{3}$$ Fe $$_{68}$$ Mo $$_{4}$$ B $$_{22}$$ BMG was investigated in isothermal situation. The Avrami exponent n determined by JAM plot is lower than 2.5, implying that the crystallization is mainly governed by a growth of particles with decreasing nucleation rate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: This work reports a gel-casting technology without de-airing process developed to prepare mullite-based ceramics green body using silica sol as a binder. Concentrated alumina slurry dispersed in silica sol with high solid volume loading but low viscosity was successfully prepared at about pH 9.5. In-situ consolidation of the slurry was realized through adjustment of NH4Cl concentration to control the gelation time of the slurry. High compaction and uniform green body without air entrapped was obtained by gel-casting technology without de-airing process, and dense complex-shaped mullite-based ceramics were produced through the new gel-casting system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

• Pulse current make the potential distribution of concrete more uniform compared to direct current. • Increasing current density will increase the total concrete desalination efficiency. • Total concrete resistance increases during ECR process. • Pulse current repair is a suitable method to improve the efficiency of chloride removal. Electrochemical chloride removal (ECR) technique as an effective repair method has been applied to chloride-attacked concrete structures. This research studies the influence of different external electrical fields on the ECR treatment for reinforced concrete. Two types of electrical fields including direct and pulse current with average current densities of 2, 3 and 4 A/m2 were investigated. The chloride ion content of concrete before and after ECR treatment was determined. The results show that no matter what current density was used for concrete repair, the effect of pulse current on the desalination of concrete was better than direct current. Also, increasing the current density can also promote the concrete chloride removal efficiency. When applying a current density of 4 A/m2 to the steel rebars for 28 days, the remained chloride concentration of the concrete after ECR treatment was obviously lower than that of using 2 and 3 A/m2. In addition, the half-cell potential method was used to evaluate the rebar potential distribution. It was found that the pulse current can make the cathode reinforcement arranged in parallel in the concrete have a more uniform potential distribution, which indicates that the applied electrical current is easier to uniformly pass through the whole concrete structures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An extremely narrow-band-gap conjugated polymer poly(5,7-bis(4-decanyl-2-thienyl)thieno[3,4-b]diathiazole-thiophene-2,5) (PDDTT) (Eg≈1.01 eV) was synthesized by Stille coupling reaction, which absorbs the light from 330–1220 nm in solid thin film and shows good solution processibility. The polymeric photovoltaic cells based on PDDTT/[6,6]-phenyl-C61-butyric acid methyl ester blend show the short circuit density of 0.83 mA/cm2, open current voltage of 0.35 V, and photocurrent spectra response from 330 to 1100 nm under AM 1.5 simulator (100 mW/cm2). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]