Search

[Display omitted] • A –OH and −C N grafted g-C 3 N 4 is first used as a photocatalytic disinfectant. • The −C N can act as oxygen adsorptioncenters to accelerate the surface reaction. • The hydrophilic interface favors electron transfer and surface catalytic reaction. • The HAC-CN shows an excellent performance in inactivating E. coli and S. aureus. Exploration of cost-effective and high-performing photocatalysts for bacteria disinfection remains a difficult task. Herein, the hydroxyl (–OH) and cyano groups (–C N) co-modulated graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) was first employed as a photocatalytic disinfectant. Systematic characterizations have proved that the abundant –OH and –C N can not only obtain favorable hydrophilicity but also promote the transfer of photogenerated charge carriers. Meanwhile, the –C N can serve as the oxygen adsorption center and the photogenerated electrons accumulation center to accelerate the surface reaction, thus realizing the rapid generation of reactive oxygen species. As expected, the optimal sample can inactivate 6.76-log of Escherichia coli (E. coli) within 60 min and 7.14-log of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus) within 90 min under visible light, which shows the most superior disinfection rate of S. aureus and the relatively excellent inactivation ability of E. coli , as compared to other recently reported monolithic g-C 3 N 4 -based photocatalysts. This work provides new insights into maximizing the dynamic behavior of photogenerated charge carriers and constructing novel photocatalytic disinfectants. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Fuel-optimal ascending trajectories from the surface of Phobos are investigated. • An ERTBP model with the irregular gravity and physical libration is established. • A trajectory maintenance strategy based on the target point method is proposed. • Some trajectories that consume less fuel and are easy to maintain are chosen. The ascending trajectory from the surface of Phobos to a resonant quasi-satellite orbit around Phobos is investigated with a newly proposed dynamical model based on the Elliptic Restricted Three-Body Problem. The proposed model incorporates the non-spherical gravity field and physical libration of Phobos as well. The trajectories from the surface of Phobos are classified into three types according to their z -componentsas short-, middle-, and long-term ascending trajectories. The total Δ V of the two-impulse ascending trajectories is optimized with the particle swarm optimization method. The total Δ V and time of flight of the optimized ascending trajectories are analyzed, and the Pareto Front is refined from the optimized solutions. A multi-impulse maintenance strategy based on the target point method is constructed to ensure that the ascender can insert into the target orbit accurately along the nominal trajectory in the real environment. The robustness of the maintenance strategy is validated by Monte-Carlo simulations in a high-fidelity model, i.e., the N-body problem with the ephemeris, Phobos' physical libration, non-spherical gravity field of Phobos, and a Gaussian uncertain perturbation. The number of the correction impulses needed is highly positively correlated with the time of flight of the trajectory. Based on the results, middle-term ascending trajectories with less time of flight on the Pareto Front are recommended. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The COVID-19 epidemic has had an unexpected impact on global carbon emissions. In this context, carbon emission prediction is very important for policy formulation and implementation. It is worth pondering how the grey model deals with the prediction of unexpected events. Considering the spatial dependence of carbon emissions, this paper improves the multivariate grey model, gives new information a higher reference weight, and constructs a metabolic multivariate grey model -MMGM(1,m | λ) which takes new information as the priority. An optimization algorithm is constructed with the minimum error as the goal to determine the value of the weight adjustment parameter λ. Then we simulate and predict the carbon emissions of three regions: China's Yangtze River Delta (Shanghai, Jiangsu, Zhejiang, and Anhui), the North American Free Trade Area (Canada, Mexico, and the US), and West Europe (the UK and France). These three cases have different regions, different numbers of behavioural variables, different degrees of influence by COVID-19, and different trends, which are comparative. The results show that the new model has a good fitting effect, and it is still applicable in dealing with unexpected events. The new model can reflect regional carbon emission changes more systematically and accurately. Finally, according to cases and discussions, we get some management enlightenment to promote regional environmental collaborative governance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights • Low-frequency stimulation of the prefrontal cortex induces a long-term depression at synapses of the nucleus accumbens in naïve rats. • The long-term depression requires the activation of N -methyl-d-aspartate receptor and type 2/3 but not type 5 metabotropic glutamate receptor. • Withdrawal from chronic morphine abolishes the long-term depression via downregulating the expression of metabotropic glutamate type 2/3. Abstract Drugs of abuse modify synaptic long-term potentiation and long-term depression (LTD) in the nucleus accumbens, and the impairment of synaptic plasticity in this brain region may be a universal feature of drug addiction. It is unknown whether metabotropic glutamate receptors (mGluRs) play a role in synaptic plasticity induced by drugs such as morphine. The neurochemical, electrophysiological, and Western blotting experiments reported here reveal a novel form of LTD in synapses of the shell region of the nucleus accumbens induced in vivo by low-frequency stimulation of the medial prefrontal cortex. This plasticity required the activation of N -methyl- d -aspartate receptors and mGluR2/3 but not mGluR5. The expression of mGluR2/3 was downregulated during withdrawal from repeated morphine exposure (10 days after the last injection), resulting in impaired low-frequency stimulation-induced LTD. These results indicate that withdrawal-induced mGluR2/3 downregulation alters neural plasticity after morphine exposure, which may be a mechanism contributing to drug addiction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Unraveling how mid-gap state energy level of graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) promote near-infrared (NIR) driven photochemical energy conversion at the molecular level remains a grand challenge. Here, we report a series of S double-site-doped ultrathin g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets (SUCN) with adjustable intermediate band gap benefits from light response over NIR region. The SUCN produced after optimizing S double-site doping can effectively generate hydrogen (H 2) under NIR-light irradiation. The highest H 2 generation rate achieved was respectively 9.35 and 17.46 μmol g−1 h−1 under λ = 765 and λ > 800 nm, which is firstly expended photocatalytic activity of S-doped g-C 3 N 4 to NIR region beyond λ > 765 nm. We proposed a molecular-level method, i.e., the localized oxidation state of proton acceptor triethanolamine (TEOA) in the mid-gap state to ensure the NIR-driven H 2 generating behavior. [Display omitted] • g-C 3 N 4 was doped with S atoms at a specific site of the triazine skeleton. • S doping provides an adjustable intermediate band gap of g-C 3 N 4. • The 0.36-SUCN obtained 43 times higher PHE than g-C 3 N 4. • The S-doped g-C 3 N 4 firstly realized PHE in the near-infrared region. • The NIR-driven H 2 generation was firstly demonstrated by a molecular-level method. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Endothelial migration is a critical physiological process during vascular angiogenesis, growth and development, as well as in various disease conditions, such as cancer and cardiovascular diseases. Neutrophil migration, known as the important characteristic of immune responses, is also recognized as a contributor to the diseases involving endothelial migration. Herein, the mutually dependent relationship between neutrophil recruitment and endothelial migration was studied on a microfluidic platform for the first time. Methods An in vivo -like microenvironment is created inside microfluidic devices by embedding a gel scaffold into the micro-chambers. This approach, with controllable stable chemical gradients and the ability to quantitate interaction characteristics, overcomes the limitations of the current in vivo and in vitro assays for cell migration studies. Results The number of neutrophils migrating through the endothelial cell layer is heavily influenced by the concentration of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) that induces endothelial cell migration in the gel scaffold, and is not as correlated to the concentration of chemokine solution used for initiating neutrophil migration. More importantly, neutrophil migration diminishes the effects of the drug that inhibits endothelial migration and this process is regulated by the concentration of chemokine molecules instead of VEGF concentration. Conclusions The results presented herein demonstrate the complicated cellular interactions between endothelial cells and neutrophils: endothelial migration delicately regulates neutrophil migration while the presence of neutrophils stabilizes the structures of endothelial migration. General significance This study provides deeper understanding of the dynamic cellular interactions between neutrophils and endothelial cells as well as the pathogenesis of relevant diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To eliminate the effect of humidity on nanopapers from nanocellulose, esters of CNCs (ECNCs) were synthesized via acylation of cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) with fatty acids and Trifluoroacetic anhydride (TFAA). The structure information of ECNCs was confirmed via FTIR, degree of substitution (DS) determination, and XRD, respectively. With the increase of DS, the ECNCs could be dissolved in dichloromethane, which provided a ready way for fabrication of ECNCs films via casting/evaporation method. The tensile property, transmittance, hydrophobicity, thermal property and oxygen permeability of films were tested with universal tensile tester, UV–vis spectrophotometer, Contact angle tester, Simultaneous thermal analyzer and Oxygen permeability tester, respectively. With the increase of DS, the contact angles of ECNCs increased, and the water uptake decreased. The enhancement of hydrophobicity promised the preservation of tensile parameters for films after water absorbing. The hydrophobicity, high transmittance, and high oxygen barrier property make films have potential application in packaging filed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organo-metal halide perovskite solar cells have shown unique charms in the upgrade rate of maximum power conversion efficiency, the diversity of device architecture and facilitated fabrication process. And the clear understanding of the role of each component and the basic working mechanisms in solar cells is important for further improvement in efficiency, especially for mesoscopic perovskite solar cells. Here, a two-dimensional modeling of the TiO 2 nanowire-based organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells was performed combining the optical and electrical responses to reveal the impact of the properties of TiO 2 nanowire array and absorber layer. Simulation results show a great dependence of device performance on the electron concentration of TiO 2 nanowires, which decided the electron field distribution inside cells, and an optimum thickness of 600 nm is obtained for the TiO 2 nanowires with low electron concentration. The collection of carriers is primarily within perovskite itself, and the ratio through TiO 2 nanowire is less than 5%. These findings can facilitate device optimization and enhance the performance of the perovskite solar cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, granular Y 2 O 3 /Y 3 Al 5 O 12 (YAG) heterostructure thin films with 100–200 nm holes on surface were fabricated by depositing metal yttrium on c-plane sapphire and subsequent thermal anneal. Such Y 2 O 3 /YAG thin films are excellent matrix for luminescent materials based on rare earth. Based on this matrix, a Cr 3 + /(Pr 3 + /Yb 3 + ) broadband down-converter was fabricated for improving the photovoltaic conversion efficiency of crystalline silicon solar cell (c-Si SC). Cr 3 + was used to harvest the incident light and sensitize Pr 3 + /Yb 3 + quantum cutting (QC) couple. QC down-conversion to Yb 3 + infrared emission was realized in the region of 230 nm to 500 nm, which approaches the maximum bandwidth of QC down-conversion for c-Si SC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levornidazole is the levo-isomer of ornidazole with similar anti-anaerobic activity and lower central neurotoxicity compared with ornidazole. This open-label, parallel, randomised, multidose trial was conducted to compare the pharmacokinetics and safety of levornidazole following intravenous (i.v.) infusion 750 mg every 24 h (q24h) (test group, 12 subjects) versus 500 mg every 12 h (q12h) (reference group, 12 subjects) for 7 days in healthy Chinese volunteers. Following i.v. infusion for 7 days, the test group showed a 33.8% lower accumulation ratio (AR) and a 45.0% higher volume of distribution of levornidazole than the reference group. The cumulative urinary excretion rate of levornidazole during the 0–72 h period (Ae 0–72 ) was 16.6 ± 20.9% in the test group and 24.2 ± 5.7% in the reference group. The metabolite M1/parent and M4/parent ratios were, respectively, 2.18 ± 0.77% and 2.94 ± 0.37% in test group and 3.15 ± 1.09% and 3.18 ± 0.34% in the reference group. The Ae 0–72 of M1, M2 and M4 were all <10% in both groups. Both regimens were well tolerated. Drug-related adverse events were generally transient and were mild or moderate in severity. These findings support the recommendation of i.v. infusion of levornidazole 750 mg q24h in clinical practice, which shows a lower AR and similar safety compared with the conventional 500 mg q12h regimen. [Chinese Clinical Trial Registry identifier: ChiCTR-IPR-14005574.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A LSMO thin film was fabricated on SrTiO3 substrate by radio frequency magnetron sputtering method. The influences of the background signal from SrTiO3 substrate on magnetic measurements were studied. Wide differences between the cases before and after subtracting the substrate background were observed. The magnetic properties of some commercial substrates, such as Si, c-plane Al2O3, (100) SrTiO3, (100) MgO, fused SiO2 glass and (100) GaAs, were also characterized. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

By skillfully introducing a conjugate electron donating ring into the g-C 3 N 4 framework, the as-prepared 3 wt% PPD/CN sample not only narrows the bandgap of g-C 3 N 4 , but also absorbs more solar light up to 600 nm. As a result, the optimal sample exhibited hydrogen escape under orange light (600 nm) and bare g-C 3 N 4 had almost no such performance. [Display omitted] • Benzene ring doping in the specific site of the network of g-C 3 N 4 was obtained. • It still has photoactivity that g-C 3 N 4 barely has under the orange light. • The 3 wt% PPD/CN can effectively cover more sufficient photo flux (λ = 600 nm). • The benzene ring incorporation of g-C 3 N 4 enhanced photogenerated carrier separating. Grafting π-conjugated donor units into graphitic carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) represents a promising alterative to improve its light absorption range and charge transfer kinetics. To this end, we here report an efficient intramolecular g-C 3 N 4 -based conjugated copolymers via the one-spot thermal copolymerization for not only reduces the bandgap to 2.56 eV and thus expand the visible-light harvesting capability, but also accelerates the separation ability of photogenerated excitons. Consequently, the copolymer of 3 wt% p-phenylenediamine with melamine exhibits extraordinary hydrogen (H 2) evolution rate of 1040 μmol g−1 h−1 under visible light. Interestingly, it still shows hydrogen production (5.29 μmol g−1 h−1) at λ = 600 nm (orange light). Systematic characterizations have proved that the optimal sample has high photocatalytic activity, due to rapid charge transfer kinetics and exciton separation. Our work sheds light on a molecular design to regulate charge-transfer dynamics among of polymeric semiconductors towards efficient solar-to-H 2 production. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We unexpectedly discover that there are much lower GC3 and GC-content and higher Gibbs free energy on editing exons than other exons in the Drosophila synaptotagmin I transcripts, which was further, confirmed statistically by others 47 experimentally-validated samples. Sequence alignment, Ks and Ka/Ks assays suggest that rapidly ascending purifying selection occur in editing exons which constrains nucleotide divergency. The presence of specific molecular characteristics such as lower GC-content in editing exons imply an unexpected requirement and are likely to direct RNA editing occurrence. Thus, relations between molecular characteristics of DNA, RNA editing and purifying selection might be present. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Eif2s3y (eukaryotic translation initiation factor 2, subunit 3, structural gene Y-linked, Eif2s3y) is an essential gene for spermatogenesis. Early studies have shown that Eif2s3y can promote the proliferation of spermatogonial stem cells (SSCs) and can replace the Y chromosome together with sex-determining region Y (Sry) to transform SSCs into round spermatozoa. We injected lentiviral particles into the seminiferous tubules of mouse testes by sterile surgery surgically to establish overexpressing Eif2s3y testes. And then the mice were intraperitoneally injected with LPS to established the model of testis inflammation. Through RNA sequencing, qRT–PCR analysis, Western blot, co-culture etc., we found that Eif2s3y alleviated LPS-induced damage in mouse testes and maintained spermatogenesis. In testes with Eif2s3y overexpression, the seminiferous tubules were more regularly organized after exposure to LPS compared with the control. Eif2s3y performs its function by negatively regulating Adamts5 (a disintegrin and metalloproteinase containing a thrombospondin-1 motif), an extracellular matrix-degrading enzyme. ADAMTS5 shows a disruptive effect when the testis is exposed to LPS. Overexpression of Eif2s3y inhibited the TLR4/NFκB signaling pathway in the testis in response to LPS. Generally, our research shows that Eif2s3y protects the testis from LPS and maintains spermatogenesis by negatively regulating A damts5. • Overexpression of Eif2s3y alleviates testicular injury induced by LPS. • Eif2s3y is a negative regulator of Adamts5. • Eif2s3y alleviates LPS-induced germ cell damage by negatively regulating Adamts5. • Eif2s3y maintains testicular immune homeostasis through negative regulation of Adamts5. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To quantitatively estimate the association of age at menarche with the risk of childhood- and adult-onset asthma separately. A retrospective cohort study of 24,282 US girls and women was conducted using continuous National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data from 2001 to 2018, and Cox proportional hazards regression models with censoring ages of 19 and 79 years were employed to separately estimate hazard ratios of childhood- and adult-onset asthma associated with age at menarche. Each one-year increase in age at menarche was significantly associated with a 16% (hazard ratio [HR] = 0.84; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.77-0.91) decrease in the risk of childhood-onset asthma. Compared with age at menarche of 12-14 years, we observed a 56% (HR = 1.56; 95% CI: 1.19-2.04) increased risk of childhood-onset asthma for early menarche (age at menarche < 12 years) and a 40% (HR = 0.60; 95% CI: 0.32-1.10) decreased risk for late menarche (age at menarche ≥ 15 years). No significant association was noted between age at menarche and adult-onset asthma. Early menarche may represent a risk factor for childhood-onset asthma, which indicates the need for timely and effective management of individuals with early menarche to prevent asthma. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose This study was designed to evaluate the safety and pharmacokinetic profiles of MRX-I tablet, an oxazolidinone antibacterial agent, in healthy Chinese subjects. Methods The study was composed of 3 sequential periods. Period 1 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, sequential ascending dose (50 to 1800 mg) study. Period 2 included one arm as a randomized, open-label, 3-period, 3 × 3 Latin square single-dose study of 300, 600, and 900 mg MRX-I administration and another arm as a crossover study to evaluate high-fat diet effect. Period 3 was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled multiple-dose study with 600 or 800 mg, q12h regimens over 15 days. Findings MRX-I was rapidly absorbed and reached peak plasma concentration at about 2 hours post dose. The C max was 8.07, 12.24, and 15.25 mg/L and the corresponding AUC 0−∞ 29.21, 48.27, and 59.60 mg/h/L, in 300-, 600-, and 900-mg dosing groups, respectively. High-fat diet increased the exposure of MRX-I. No discernable drug accumulation was observed after 15 days of continuous drug administration. About 2% of MRX-I was excreted via kidneys in unchanged form. No obvious hematologic toxicity by MRX-I was observed during the entire study. Based on Monte Carlo simulation, 600 or 800 mg BID can produce satisfactory efficacy against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus . Implications MRX-I was well tolerated in healthy Chinese subjects (50–1800 mg). No serious or severe adverse effects were observed. MRX-I 600 or 800 mg BID up to 15 days can be recommended in future clinical trials. Chinese Clinical Trial Registration ( http://www.chinadrugtrials.org.cn ) identifier: CTR20131214. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The dynamical evolution of geostationary transfer orbits (GTOs) is a fundamental issue for the space debris mitigation in this orbit region. In this paper, the long-term dynamical evolution and orbital lifetime of low-inclination GTOs are investigated based on the Semi-analytic Tool for End of Life Analysis software (STELA) with the solar radiation pressure (SRP) and Earth's shadow taken into account. We carry out numerical investigations of long-term orbital evolution of objects with area-to-mass ratio (A/m) between 0.02 m2/kg and 1 m2/kg in the GTO region. Their dynamical orbital lifetime is recorded and presented in the Ω– ω (right ascension of ascending node–argument of perigee) plane to investigate its dependence on the initial conditions and physical parameters, particularly the initial azimuth of the Sun with respect to the apsidal line and the value of A/m. Based on these results, we further analyze the effect of SRP on the long-term dynamical evolution, as well as the solar apsidal resonances. The results are helpful to enrich the knowledge about long-term evolution and orbital lifetimes of GTO objects with relatively high A/m as well as to promote uncatalogued objects observation and identification. • The long-term evolution of low-inclination GTOs with medium area-to-mass ratio is investigated. • The coupling effect of SRP and other perturbations on the orbital lifetime is analyzed. • The dependency of orbital lifetime on the initial conditions is revealed. • The effect of SRP on the solar apsidal resonance is revealed in details. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite-like carbon nitride (g-C 3 N 4) has been regarded as a promising photocatalyst for solar-to-chemical conversion. Nevertheless, the narrow absorption of light extremely limited its photocatalytic performance under near-infrared (NIR) irradiation. Herein, the Cu 7. 2 S 4 with outstanding NIR absorption was successfully introduced to g-C 3 N 4 nanosheets through a simple in-situ growth procedure. As expected, the constructed Cu 7.2 S 4 /g-C 3 N 4 (CSCN) photocatalysts exhibit superior H 2 production activity of 82 μmol g−1 h−1 under NIR light irradiation (λ > 800 nm), which outperforms currently reported g–C 3 N 4 –based NIR-driven H 2 production systems. Especially, the optimal sample CSCN-5 displays a robust activity of 66 μmol g−1 h−1 at λ = 850 nm monochromatic light irradiation. The excellent photocatalytic performance is linked to the extended optical absorption as well as the efficient separation efficiency of photoinduced carriers, which are evidenced by the UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and photoelectrochemical test. This work provides an effective approach for constructing a Cu 7.2 S 4 /g-C 3 N 4 photocatalytic system for the transformation of NIR solar energy into hydrogen. The novel NIR-driven Cu 7. 2 S 4 /g-C 3 N 4 composite photocatalyst was constructed through a convenient in situ growth process. As expected, the outstanding photocatalytic H 2 yield was 82 μmol g−1 h−1 under the irradiation of NIR light (λ > 800 nm), which outperforms currently reported g–C 3 N 4 –based NIR-driven H 2 production systems. More significantly, the sample CSCN-5 shows an optimum activity (66 μmol g−1 h−1) under λ = 850 nm monochromatic light irradiation. This work provides a feasible approach for achieving g–C 3 N 4 –based photocatalyst NIR-induced superior solar-to-chemical conversion. [Display omitted] • Cu 7·2 S 4 modified g-C 3 N 4 is prepared by a facile hydrothermal treatment method. • The Cu 7·2 S 4 /g-C 3 N 4 composites show a superior optical adsorption from visible to NIR. • The Cu 7·2 S 4 /g–C 3 N 4 –5 composite exhibits excellent HER of 82 μmol g−1 h−1 (λ > 800 nm). • The HER of Cu 7·2 S 4 /g–C 3 N 4 –5 shows no obvious change after 4 runs within 20 h. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Phospholipid-valproic acid (DP-VPA) is a prodrug for treating epilepsy. The present study explored the pharmacokinetics (PK) and exposure safety of DP-VPA to provide a basis for future studies exploring the safe dosage and therapeutic strategies for epilepsy. The study included a randomized placebo-controlled dose-escalation tolerance evaluation trial and a randomized triple crossover food-effect trial in healthy Chinese volunteers. A population pharmacokinetic (PopPK) model was established to analyze the PK of DP-VPA and active metabolite VPA. The exposure safety was assessed with the adverse drug reaction (ADR) in CNS. The PopPK of DP-VPA and metabolite VPA fitted a two-compartment model coupling one-compartment with Michaelis-Menten metabolite kinetics and first-order elimination. The absorption processes after single oral administration of DP-VPA tablet demonstrated nonlinear characteristics, including 0-order kinetic phase and time-dependent phase fitting Weibull distribution. The final model indicated that the DP-VPA PK was significantly affected by dosage and food. The exposure-safety relationship demonstrated a generalized linear regression; mild/moderate ADRs occurred in some subjects with 600 mg and all subjects with 1500 mg of DP-VPA, and no severe ADRs were reported up to 2400 mg. In conclusion, the study established a PopPK model describing the processing of DP-VPA and VPA in healthy Chinese subjects. DP-VPA showed good tolerance after a single dose of 600–2400 mg with nonlinear PK and was affected by dosage and food. Based on the association between neurological ADRs and higher exposure to DP-VPA by exposure-safety analysis, 900–1200 mg was recommended for subsequent study of safety and clinical effectiveness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Organic–inorganic hybrid perovskite solar cells have made great breakthroughs in the past few years, and spurred researchers to develop and experiment a variety of new architectures. One-dimensional nanostructures are naturally introduced in solar cells, because of their excellent charge transport properties and open-pore structure. However, the performances of these solar cells are inferior to their mesoporous counterparts, suggesting that some unique mechanisms maybe held behind devices operation. Here, a three-dimensional optical model combined with a two-dimensional axisymmetric semiconductor model is applied to investigate the influence of the architectural design of scaffolds on the properties of perovskite solar cells based on Al 2 O 3 nanorod arrays. Simulation results show a great dependence of device performance on the density, length and porosity of Al 2 O 3 nanorods, which decided the electron field distribution and carrier recombination loss inside the cells. Strikingly, an optimal length of 450 nm for Al 2 O 3 nanorods is obtained for the perovskite solar cells with efficiency over 20% at porosity of 0.7. The results obtained have some guidance function on the fabrication of high efficiency PSCs based on nanorods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose Levornidazole, the levo-isomer of ornidazole, is a third-generation nitroimidazole derivative newly developed after metronidazole, tinidazole, and ornidazole. An open-label, parallel-controlled, single-dose study was conducted for the investigation of the pharmacokinetic (PK) profile of levornidazole and its metabolites in healthy elderly Chinese subjects, and for the evaluation of 2 dosing regimens in the elderly. Methods Levornidazole was intravenously administered at 500 mg to healthy elderly (aged 60–80 years) or young subjects (aged 19–45 years). The PK profiles of levornidazole and its metabolites in elderly subjects were evaluated and compared with those in the young group. WinNonlin software was used for simulating the PK profile of levornidazole in the elderly population following the dosing regimens of 500 mg BID and 750 mg once daily for 7 days. Monte Carlo simulation was used for estimating the cumulative fraction of response and probability of target attainment of both dosing regimens against Bacteroides spp. Results The C max , AUC 0–24, and AUC 0–∞ values of levornidazole in the elderly group were 11.98 μg/mL, 131.36 μg·h/mL, and 173.61 μg·h/mL, respectively. The t 1/2 , CL t , and mean residence time from time 0 to infinity were 12.21 hours, 2.91 L/h, and 16.46 hours. The metabolic ratios of metabolites (M) 1, 2, 4, and 6 were <3.0%, and that of M16 was 17.70%. The urinary excretion values of levornidazole, M1, M2, M4, M6, and M16 over 96 hours were 10.21%, 0.92%, ~0%, 2.69%, 0.54%, and 41.98%. The PK properties of levornidazole and the urinary excretion of all metabolites were not statistically different between the 2 groups. The cumulative fraction of response was >90% against B fragilis and other Bacteroides spp, and the probability of target attainment was >90% when the minimum inhibitory concentration was ≤1 μg/mL, in both groups. Implications No dosing regimen adjustment is suggested when levornidazole is used in elderly patients with normal hepatic functioning and mild renal dysfunction. The findings from the PK/PD analysis imply that both regimens may achieve satisfactory clinical and microbiological efficacy against anaerobic infections in elderly patients. Chinese Clinical Trial Registry ( http://www.chictr.org.cn ) identifier: ChiCTR-OPC-16007938. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Design of virtual impedance-based fault current limiting control (VIFCL). • Integrated solution for the global fault current limiting at both DC and AC sides of the MMC. • Proposing a global fault current limiting control that can reduce the interrupted currents of the DCCB and DC current limiting reactor (CLR). The large current limiting reactor (CLR) and DC circuit breaker (DCCB) are required in the half-bridge modular multilevel converter (HB-MMC) project to isolate the DC fault. To limit the fault current and reduce the CLR, a global virtual impedance-based fault current limiting (VIFCL) control strategy is proposed in this paper. This strategy includes two parts: the first part is a simplified adaptive fault current limiting control for limiting the DC fault current by reducing the arm modulating voltage of the MMC adaptively. The second part is a virtual impedance control for limiting the AC currents and the arm currents of the MMCs by mapping the virtual impedance to the reactive power control. The effectiveness of the proposed VIFCL control strategy is verified in the PSCAD/EMTDC using a four-terminal HVDC grid. The proposed global VIFCL control can limit the interrupted currents of the DCCBs and reduce the CLR. The proposed strategy is beneficial for the MMCs to ride through the DC faults safely without a significant influence on the power recovery of the HVDC system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

While video games are one of the most common online entertainment activities, Internet gaming disorder (IGD) in adolescents is a critical issue that has become a widely raised public concern. This one-year longitudinal study examined the reciprocal associations between shyness, depression, and IGD symptoms in a sample of Chinese adolescents. A fully cross-lagged panel design was used, in which shyness, depression, and IGD symptoms were assessed at two time points with an interval of one year (T1 and T2). A total of 1,047 junior high school students (504 boys; 543 girls; mean age = 12.45 years) participated in the study. Cross-lagged analysis results indicated a significant positive correlation between shyness, depression, and IGD symptoms, as well as a dynamic and bidirectional relationship between them. Specifically, T1 shyness positively predicted T2 depression symptoms (β = 0.167, p < 0.001), T1 depression symptoms positively predicted T2 shyness (β = 0.141, p < 0.01), and T1 IGD symptoms positively predicted T2 depression symptoms (β = 0.073, p < 0.05). In addition to these findings, gender differences were identified in shyness (T1 and T2), IGD symptoms (T1 and T2), and depression symptoms (T2). The results also indicated that shyness and symptoms of depression could significantly positively predict each other over time, and IGD symptoms could significantly predict depression symptoms. However, depression symptoms could not significantly predict IGD symptoms over the one-year study period, and there was no significant two-way prediction between shyness and IGD symptoms. Thus, this study reveals possible reciprocal associations between shyness, depression, and IGD symptoms in Chinese adolescents and provides insights and suggestions for reducing online gaming addiction among adolescents from the perspective of shyness and depression. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] We developed an UPLC–MS/MS method for simultaneous determination of levornidazole and its three metabolites M1, M2 and M4 in human plasma and urine. [•] The method is fully validated in terms of linearity, specificity, precision and accuracy, recovery and stability under various conditions. [•] The method is successfully applied in a clinical pharmacokinetic study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• 9MW1411 is a humanised IgG1 mAb specifically neutralising S. aureus alpha-toxin. • This first-in-human trial characterised the safety, PK and immunogenicity of 9MW1411. • 9MW1411 had good safety and low immunogenicity after a single dose from 200 to 5000 mg. • Cmax, AUC0-t and AUC0-∞ of 9MW1411 demonstrated dose proportionality. • A single dose of 3000 mg 9MW1411 is appropriate for use in subsequent studies. 9MW1411 is a humanised monoclonal antibody against Staphylococcus aureus alpha-toxin. The safety, pharmacokinetics (PK) and immunogenicity of 9MW1411 should be characterised in humans before further clinical development. A single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled phase I clinical study was conducted in humans for the first time. A total of 42 healthy Chinese subjects were randomised to receive a single ascending dose of 9MW1411 (200, 600, 1500, 3000 or 5000 mg) or placebo. Safety, PK parameters and anti-drug antibody (ADA) were analysed. Monte Carlo simulations (MCS) were performed to predict the probability of target attainment (PTA) after single dose IV administration of 1500, 3000 and 5000 mg of 9MW1411. Thirty-four subjects received 9MW1411, completed the study and were included in data analysis. Five cases of drug-related AEs occurred in four subjects. All the adverse events (AEs) were mild or moderate. The C max , AUC 0-t and AUC 0-∞ of 9MW1411 increased with dose after IV administration of 200 to 5000 mg 9MW1411. The mean C max increased from 85.40 ± 5.43 to 2082.11 ± 343.10 µg/mL and AUC 0-∞ from 29,511.68 ± 5550.91 to 729,985.49 ± 124,932.18 h·µg/mL. The elimination half-life (T 1/2) was 19–23 days. 9MW1411 ADA was positive in three subjects. MCS indicated that a single dose of 3000 or 5000 mg 9MW1411 could achieve PTA > 90% for S. aureus. 9MW1411 has shown a good safety profile in healthy Chinese subjects after a single dose up to 5000 mg. A single dose of 3000 mg 9MW1411 is appropriate for use in subsequent studies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of small addition of different sintering aids (MoO3 and WO3) on the electrical properties of Ce0.9Nd0.1O2−δ has been investigated. The (Ce0.9Nd0.1)1−x M x O2−δ (x = 0.0; M = Mo, W, x = 0.01; Ce0.9Nd0.1O2−δ : NDC, (Ce0.9Nd0.1)0.99Mo0.01O2−δ : NDCMo; (Ce0.9Nd0.1)0.99W0.01O2−δ : NDCW) solid solutions were prepared and characterized. The X-ray diffraction patterns indicate that all the samples are single phases with a cubic fluorite structure. Moreover, from the field-emission scanning electron microscopy results, it is found (Ce0.9Nd0.1)0.99M0.01O2−δ (M = Mo, W) sintered at 1300 °C for 15 h have better sinterability than Ce0.9Nd0.1O2−δ . The total conductivity by electrochemical impedance spectroscopy are ranked as: NDCW  > NDCMo  > NDC measured at 700 °C, which is attributed to microstructures. It can be concluded that MoO3 and WO3 are both effective and WO3 seems to be more potential as sintering aids on the optimization of electrical properties for ceria-based electrolytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In order to identify competitive ion-conducting materials in ceria-carbonates composite electrolytes, M-NLCO (M = Ce0.8Sm0.2O2-δ (SDC), Ce0.8Gd0.2O2-δ (GDC), Ce0.8Y0.2O2-δ (YDC); NLCO = 0.53Li2CO3–0.47Na2CO3) sintered at different temperatures (600° C, 625° C, 650° C, 675° C and 700° C) have been prepared and characterized. It is found that independent of systems, the 675° C-sintered composites in M-NLCO always present the highest conductivities because of the best NLCO distribution and interfacial microstructures. Moreover, among three composites (sintered at 675° C), the total () and grain boundary () conductivities measured at 600° C are ranked as: SDC-NLCO (, ) ﹥ GDC-NLCO (, ) ﹥ YDC-NLCO (, ), which is attributed to ionic-radius compatibility between the dopant and the host as well as the NLCO distribution and interfacial microstructures. It can be concluded that ionic-radius compatibility between the dopant and the host, NLCO distribution and interfacial microstructures have important effects on improving ionic conductivities for ceria-carbonates composite electrolytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are an extensive class of small non-coding RNAs with important roles in the regulation of gene expression. Little study has been performed on identifying miRNAs in Bombyx mori (silkworm). Here, 41 conserved miRNAs were identified by a computational homology search approach and some of them were selected and confirmed experimentally. Some characteristics such as position-specific nucleotide distribution, evolutionary conservation and clustered organization have been described. Through general method of miRNA target identification, we also find that at least 4 miRNAs (miR-33/-190/-276/-7) target fibroin L chain transcripts, suggesting that miRNAs might play an important role in the regulation of silk protein production. In order to validate this, 3′-UTR of fibroin L chain mRNA was cloned and several expression vectors were constructed. Assays of semi-RT-PCR, histochemical and biochemical assays after agroinfiltration indicated that miRNAs can repress reporter gene (GUS) expression with sequence complement. Clearly, agroinfiltration proved a highly efficient method to identify the function of miRNAs inhibiting their targets mRNA in heterologous system. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: and thin films were grown by low-pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition (LP-MOCVD) on substrates. The films fabricated at under an hydrogen pressure of 76Torr had hexagonal structure with only one (0002) diffraction peak. The samples with low doping content have sharp absorption edges. It is found that the absorption edge and the emission peak positions of the film shift to high energy due to the Zn-doping. The band gap energy could be tuned in a wide range with the change of Zn content. The broadening of the emission peak could be attributed to the alloy fluctuations and the shallow defect in the samples. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Amorphous soft magnetic composites have been attracting attention because of its low core loss under high frequency application. It is demanded that the powder for fabricating amorphous soft magnetic composites has amorphous structure and nearly spherical shape, which facilitates the uniform coating of insulator on the surface of powder particles. In this paper, amorphous Fe 73.5 Si 13 B 11 Cr 1 C 1.5 (at%) powder was produced by gas-water combined atomization process which takes advantages of both gas atomization and water atomization, and its properties was compared with powder produced by gas atomization and water atomization. Gas-water combined atomization powder with particle size of −60 μm were found to be amorphous with low coercivity, and the shape of particles was nearly spherical. The permeability of magnetic powder cores prepared with three kinds of powder first increased and then decreased with annealing temperature, and the core loss first decreased and then increased. The cores prepared with gas-water combined atomization powder showed the best overall properties, with an effective permeability of 26.9, a relative permeability of 83.3% under a superimposed DC magnetic field of 7.96 kA/m, a core loss of 258 mW/cm3 under a frequency of 100 kHz, and a magnetization intensity B m of 0.05 T after annealing at 793 K in nitrogen gas. • Fe 73.5 Si 13 B 11 Cr 1 C 1.5 soft magnetic powder with amorphous microstructure is produced by gas-water combined atomization. • The cooling rate of gas-water combined atomization is close to water atomization, but higher than gas atomization. • The magnetic powder cores made of gas-water combined atomized powder have the high DC BIAS characteristics and low loss. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Contezolid (MRX-I) is a novel oxazolidinone with potent in vitro activity against gram-positive pathogens. The aim of this study was to establish the dose-pharmacokinetic (PK) exposure-pharmacodynamic (PD)–response relationship and to quantitatively evaluate the variability of MRX-I after continuous oral administration of 600 mg BID and 800 mg BID for 14 days under fed conditions in patients with skin and skin structure infections. Another goal was to evaluate the 2 dosing regimens against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus infections based on PK/PD analysis. PK data from healthy volunteers and patients were pooled to develop a population PK model using a nonlinear mixed effect modeling method. Monte Carlo simulations were used to predict probability of target attainment (PTA) and cumulative fraction of response after single oral administration of 600 and 800 mg of MRX-I under fed conditions. The PK profile of oral administration of MRX-I was described by using a 2-compartment model with first-order elimination. Absorption of MRX-I may be affected by food intake. Type of volunteers could affect absorption constant rate and volume of distribution in the peripheral compartment, and weight could affect volume of distribution in the central department. No obvious effect on PK parameters was identified for other factors such as age, sex, creatinine clearance, concomitant medicine, and baseline diseases. Based on Monte Carlo simulation, MRX-I 600 or 800 mg BID up to 14 days on ordinary fed status could produce satisfactory efficacy against methicillin-resistant S aureus , with cumulative fraction of response >90% for f AUC 0–24 /MIC targeted at 2.3. At MIC ≤2.0 μg/mL for MRX-I 600 mg BID, or at MIC ≤4.0 μg/mL for MRX-I 800 mg BID, with continuous administration for 14 days at fed status, both regimens could obtain satisfactory clinical and antibacterial efficacy, with PTA >90%. Hence, the MRX-I regimen of 800 mg BID for 7–14 days can be recommended for confirmative clinical trials in patients with skin and skin structure infections. PK profiles of MRX-I were well captured by using a 2-compartment PK model, and disease status, food intake, and weight were found to significantly affect PK profiles. A dosing regimen of 800 mg BID for 7–14 days with ordinary food intake was recommended for pivotal study based on simulated f AUC 0–24 /MIC and PTA values. Results suggest that dose adjustments are not necessary for patient sex in confirmatory studies. Chinese Clinical Trial Registration identifier: CTR20140056. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Thermoplastic carbon fibre reinforced polyetheretherketone (CF/PEEK) and thermoset CF/epoxy composites have been widely applied in various industries. However, there is still a lack of knowledge concerning the milling performance and residual mechanical behavior of these two types of composites. To address this issue, we conducted a comprehensive investigation of the machinability during milling of both composites, with a focus on cutting force, machining temperature, chip characteristics, and milling-induced damages. To our knowledge, this is the first report documenting the correlation between surface integrity under different cutting conditions and residual tensile behaviour in both composites. The results demonstrate that CF/PEEK exhibits better machining quality than CF/epoxy due to its ductile matrix and strong interface bonding with fibres. Furthermore, down-milling was found to be preferable to up-milling for minimizing top layer surface damage, while petal-shaped chips with good integrity were found to be generated by CF/PEEK during milling. Moreover, CF/PEEK exhibited a significantly higher residual tensile strength (12.05%–63.22%) compared to CF/epoxy. • This study provides the investigation of milling performance in CF/PEEK and CF/epoxy, filling a knowledge gap. • The effects of two milling strategies on damages were systematically investigated to obtain preferable milling strategy. • The findings on residual tensile strength indicated that CF/PEEK has significantly higher resilience compared to CF/epoxy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Levornidazole is a novel third-generation nitroimidazoles antibiotic which metabolism and disposition in human are not well known. We have previously developed two methods to quantify levornidazole and its phase I metabolites, Ml (Hydroxylation metabolite), M2 (N-dealkylation metabolite) and M4 (Oxidative dechlorination metabolite), in human plasma and urine. In this study, we developed three novel liquid chromatographic-tandem mass spectrometric (LC-MS/MS) methods and analyzed its phase II metabolites, sulfate conjugate (M6) and glucuronide conjugate (M16), in human plasma and urine, and the parent drug and above-mentioned five metabolites in human feces samples. Analytes and internal standard (IS) in human plasma were extracted by a solid-phase extraction procedure and separated on an ACQUITY UPLC CSH C18 column in gradient elution using acetonitrile and 0.1% formic acid aqueous solution as the mobile phase. The pretreatment procedures for urine and feces homogenate samples involved a protein precipitation followed by liquid-liquid extraction, and chromatographic separations were performed on the Atlantis T3 columns of different lengths and particle sizes (2.1 × 50 mm, 3 μm and 2.1 × 150 mm, 5 μm), respectively. The mobile phases consisted of formic acid and acetonitrile-methanol solution (v/v, 50:50) in gradient elution. The MS/MS analysis was conducted on TSQ Quantum triple quadrupole mass spectrometer using electrospray ionization with selected reaction monitoring (SRM) in the positive ion mode. The calibration curves for all analytes were linear and the validation ranges were as follows: 0.005–0.500 μg/mL for M6 and 0.005–2.500 μg/mL for M16 in plasma; 0.010–10.000 μg/mL for M6 and M16 in urine; 0.005–1.000 μg/mL for levornidazole, M2, M4 and M16, and 0.010–2.000 μg/mL for M1 and M6 in human feces homogenate. Across these matrices, mean intra- and inter- batch accuracy values were in the ranges of 80.0%–120.0%, and intra- and inter-batch precision values did not exceed 20%. It was fully validated including selectivity, linearity, matrix effect, extraction recovery, stability, dilution integrity, carryover and incurred sample analysis (ISR). These newly developed methods were successfully applied in pharmacokinetics, metabolism and disposition study of levornidazole in 12 healthy Chinese subjects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• The first population pharmacokinetic model of levornidazole in Chinese subjects was developed. • Pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic analysis of four sequential dosing regimens was performed. • Body weight was identified as a significant covariate of levornidazole clearance. • 750 mg q24h was proposed for patients against Bacteroides spp. (minimum inhibitory concentration ≤1 mg/L). Although sequential treatment with levornidazole has been used for anaerobic infection in clinical practice, there is no evidence-based dosing regimen. This study aimed to evaluate the pharmacokinetics (PK) of levornidazole in healthy subjects and patients, and to propose an evidence-based sequential dosing regimen by pharmacokinetic/pharmacodynamic (PK/PD) analysis. A population PK model was built using the data of 116 Chinese subjects, including 88 healthy young subjects, 12 healthy elderly subjects, and 16 patients with intra-abdominal anaerobic infection. PK/PD analysis was performed combining the minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values of levornidazole against 375 anaerobic strains. Four sequential dosing regimens (500 mg q12h, 1000 mg loading dose followed by 500 mg q12h, 750 mg q24h, and 1000 mg q24h) were evaluated in terms of cumulative fraction of response (CFR) and probability of target attainment (PTA) by Monte Carlo simulation. The concentration data of levornidazole and its active metabolites were described adequately by two- and one-compartment models, respectively. Body weight was identified as a significant covariate of levornidazole clearance. Simulations showed that satisfactory PTA (>90%) was achieved for the four dosing regimens when MIC ≤1 mg/L. Considering the simulation results, patients' safety and compliance, levornidazole 750 mg intravenous infusion q24h for 2 days followed by 750 mg oral dose q24h for 5 days was optimal for Bacteroides spp. with an identified MIC ≤1 mg/L. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Due to the excellent properties of PEEK and their widely applications in medical industry, it is necessary to conduct a comparative study into the drilling performance and residual tensile behavior of PEEK plates under varying cutting conditions. In this study, the effects of tool geometry, drilling parameters, and slope angles on the thrust force, tool temperature, hole quality are discussed. The residual tensile behavior of the drilled PEEK plates is elucidated in terms of the full-field strain evolution during tensile testing by the Digital Image Correction system. The results showed that drilling parameter and tool geometry affect significantly cutting forces, tool temperature, and resulting hole quality. The relationship between the machinability and the residual tensile property of PEEK is reported for the first time. Full-field strains during tensile testing are sensitive to the level of drilling-induced damages, which have an impact on the residual tensile property of PEEK components. • The relationship between the machinability and the residual tensile property of PEEK is reported for the first time. • The cutting performance of tool geometry on perpendicular and non-perpendicular drilling was systematically investigated. • The crescent drill can reduce cutting forces and tool temperature, improve hole quality and the residual tensile strength. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bi-doped La 2- x Bi x Cu 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 6 (LBCM- x , x = 0, 0.1 and 0.2) were synthesized as potential cathode materials for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells. The effects of 6s 2 lone pair electrons on the electrical and electrochemical properties of LBCMs were investigated. The results reveal that Bi 3+ affects the properties of LBCMs in two ways. First, Bi doping can promotes the formation of oxygen vacancies, which is consistent with the results of first-principles calculations. The formation of oxygen vacancies can increase the amount of Mn 3+ /Mn 4+ pairs for the hopping of electrons and accelerate the oxygen transportation. Second, Bi doping can affect the microstructure of LBCMs and make LBCM-0.1 has the smallest grain size. The dual effects of Bi doping result in the highest electrical conductivity (143.91 Scm −1 ) as well as the lowest polarization resistance (0.101 Ωcm 2 ) of LBCM-0.1 at 850 °C and make it a superior cathode candidate for solid oxide fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Meropenem is important for management of postneurosurgical meningitis, but the data about its penetration into cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) are inadequate. This prospective, open-label study investigated the pharmacokinetic profile of meropenem in patients with postneurosurgical meningitis, especially its CSF penetration. Methods A total of 82 patients with postneurosurgical meningitis were included to receive meropenem intravenously according to a regimen of 2 g every 8 hours, 1 g every 8 hours, or 1 g every 6 hours. After infusion of 4 doses, blood and CSF samples were collected simultaneously at predefined time points. The high-performance liquid chromatography ultraviolet method was used to determine the concentration of meropenem. Results The peak meropenem concentration in blood and CSF was 43.2 ± 5.3 and 2.4 ± 0.3 mg/L in the group who received 2 g every 8 hours; 28.9 ± 2.7 and 1.2 ± 0.2 mg/L in the group who received 1g every 8 hours; and31.5 ± 3.4 and 1.6 ± 0.2 mg/L in the group who received 1g every 6 hours. The maximal percent penetration into CSF was 17.6% ± 7.3%, 14.3% ± 1.7%, and 30.9% ± 24.2%, respectively. Conclusions Dosing regimens of meropenem 1 g every 6 hours and 2 g every 8 hours provided higher CSF penetration than 1 g every 8 hours. A higher dose and shorter dosing interval of meropenem may be more useful for clearance of pathogens. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently, organo–metal halide perovskites have attracted much attention of the scientific community relating to their successful application in the absorber layer of low-cost solar cells. However, enough is known about the material and device properties, to realize that much remains to be learned. In this study, a two-dimensional modeling of planar heterojunction perovskite solar cells was performed combining the optical and electrical responses to reveal the impact of the carrier diffusion length, the relative permittivity of absorber layer and the valence band offset of absorber/hole transport material (HTM). Simulation results presented a great dependence of power conversion efficiency (PCE) on the carrier diffusion length of perovskite layer. Meanwhile, to achieve high PCE, the frequency depended dielectric constant should not exceeded 40 and the double HTMs design was very effective to match the valence bands between the absorber and HTM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel composite electrolytes based on 20 mol% Gd doped CeO 2 with varying amounts of (Li/Na) 2 SO 4 have been synthesized. X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetry and differential scanning calorimetry, scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope were applied to characterize the phase components and microstructures of the composite electrolytes. Their ionic conductivities were determined by AC impedance spectroscopy. It has been found that the optimum sintering temperature and sulphate content for the composite electrolyte is 870 °C and 20 wt% (Li/Na) 2 SO 4 , respectively. Above 550 °C, a sharp increase in conductivity occurred, which can be interpreted as superionic phase transitions in the interface phases between GDC and sulphates. Both the high ionic conductivities above the transition temperature, 0.191, 0.298 and 0.372 S cm −1 at 550, 650 and 750 °C respectively, and low activation energy (0.303 eV) highlight composite GDC-20 wt% (Li/Na) 2 SO 4 a promising electrolyte candidate for application in intermediate temperature solid oxide fuel cells. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of novel perovskites LaM 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3− δ (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) are considered as promising cathode materials for intermediate-temperature solid oxide fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). Polycrystalline powders of LaM 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3− δ are synthesized by a modified Pechini method. Powder X-ray Rietveld refinements reveal that LaM 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3− δ series are in the orthorhombic perovskite structure within Pnma (no. 62) space group at room temperature. In situ high temperature X-ray diffractions indicate the existence of phase transformation from the orthorhombic Pnma phase to a higher symmetrical rhombohedral phase at elevated temperatures without any second phase formation for all these compounds. Multivalent states of M (Fe, Co, Ni and Cu) and Mn ions are testified by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy measurement (XPS). The electrical conductivity are measured to be 39.6, 85.3 and 48.1, 99.4 S cm −1 for M = Fe, Co, Ni and Cu, respectively and the corresponding impedance are 0.131, 0.106, 0.107 and 0.0634 Ω cm 2 at 850 °C. Among these compounds, LaCu 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3 −δ exhibits the highest electrical conductivity and the lowest electrode polarization resistances, which is consistent with its calculated smallest band gap and lowest oxygen vacancy formation energy. Moreover, they all exhibit excellent chemical compatibility with prototypical electrolyte Ce 0.8 Sm 0.2 O 2−δ (SDC). While the overall electrochemical properties of LaM 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3 −δ (M = Fe, Co, Ni) are high enough to fulfill the practical applications. Thus, these LaM 0.25 Mn 0.75 O 3− δ (M = Fe, Co, Ni, Cu) compounds are potential cathode materials for IT-SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The synthesis, crystal structure, and dielectric properties of the titled compounds were described. The structural symmetry was determined to be monoclinic P 2 1 / n (No. 14) space group. Based on the highly ordered array of alternating MgO 6 and SbO 6 octahedra, these double perovskites exhibited significant octahedral tilting distortion according to the Glazer's notation system a − a − c + . As the result of substituting different rare earth ions from La 3+ to Nd 3+ , both the tolerance factor ( t ) and coordination number (CN) were reduced simultaneously and the B-site lattice distorted more heavily with the increase in chemical pressure by adopting smaller Ln 3+ ion. For the investigation of dielectric properties, all the samples consistently presented weak frequency dependent characteristic with relatively low dielectric constant ( ε ') and low tangent loss (tan δ ). With the shrinkage of the Ln 3+ ion size, the corresponding ε ' decreased remarkably and the dispersive tan δ peaks around 300 K shifted to low temperature, indicating that the space-charge-hopping mechanism dominated permittivity property can be tuned by controlling the degree of lattice distortion via substituting different Ln 3+ ions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As a mixed oxygen ionic and electronic conductor, SrFe0.8Mo0.2O3-δ is confirmed to be a good cathode material for intermediate-temperature solid-state fuel cells (IT-SOFCs). The sample of SrFe0.8Mo0.2O3-δ is synthesized by a solid-state reaction method. Pure cubic SrFe0.8Mo0.2O3-δ perovskite, with space group of Pm-3m (no. 221) and lattice parameter a =3.9120(1) Å, is determined via Powder X-ray Rietveld refinements. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy testifies the existence of mixed oxidation states Fe2+/3+/4+ and Mo5+/6+ in the crystal. Thermogravimetry analysis consistently shows that the SrFe0.8Mo0.2O3-δ begins to the loss of lattice oxygen at about 450°C, which overlaps to the inflection temperature of the electrical conductivity profile. The maximum electrical conductivity obtained is about 50.20Scm−1 at 450°C, and the impedance 0.11 Ω cm2 at 850°C. The performance demonstrates that SrFe0.8Mo0.2O3-δ is a potential candidate as a cathode material for IT-SOFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: To date great efforts have been devoted to the development of solid oxide fuel cell (SOFC) devices that is able to run at intermediate temperature (IT) and to retain good electrochemical performance as in the high temperature regime. To this end, Tantalum (Ta) is doped into Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5−x Ta x O6−δ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) to further improve the electrochemical performance as the cathode materials for IT-SOFC. Pure orthorhombic Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5−x Ta x O6−δ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.15) samples, with space group Pnma (no. 62), are synthesized by a two-step method and identified via the powder X-ray Rietveld refinements. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and thermogravimetry results consistently show that the number of oxygen vacancy increases with the increasing of Ta content. The thermal expansion compatibility of the samples is found to match the electrolyte of La0.9Sr0.4Ga0.1Mg0.2O3−δ (LSGM) better than that of cobalt-containing electrode compounds. Finally, the higher oxygen vacancy concentration leads to the enhanced ionic conductivity although electrical conductivity is slightly decreased due to the oxygen vacancy blocking. Therefore, Ta-doped Sr2Fe1.5Mo0.5O6−δ is proved to be a promising candidate for future cathode materials of IT-SOFC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: An one-pot synthesis of aqueous ZnSe:Cu nanocrystals (NCs) is realized in aqueous solution by a facile yet efficient hydrothermal technique. The dopant emission spectrum of the NCs is tunable, spanning a wide range from 438 to 543nm. Room-temperature quantum yield for the NCs prepared at the optimal conditions reaches as high as 20% without any post-treatment. The ZnSe:Cu NCs prepared in a neutral aqueous solution (pH=8) are remarkably stable and exhibit comparatively high photoluminescent quantum yield (PL QY) as high as 17%. First-principles pseudopotential calculations using plane-wave basis functions have been performed. The formation energies of copper ions occupied in the interstitial octahedron and substitutional tetrahedral Zn2+ sites have been calculated. The occupation of copper ions in the interstitial octahedral site is found to be more thermodynamics-facilitated by −0.98eV. The density of state analysis indicates that the Cu-related emission is primary dominated by the substitutional tetrahedral Cu ions, and the large dopant related emission width of ZnSe:Cu NCs originated from the corresponding Cu 3d impurity band. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

In order to optimize the electrical properties of co-doped ceria electrolytes, Ce 0.8 Ca 0.15 Sm 0.05 O 2− δ (CCS) sintered at different temperatures (1150 °C, 1200 °C, 1250 °C, 1300 °C and 1350 °C for 8 h) have been prepared and systematically investigated. It is found that among these samples sintered at different conditions, the electrical conductivity ( σ ) measured at 800 °C can be ranked as: CCS 1250 °C : σ CCS 1250 ° C 800 ° C = 2.38 × 10 −2 S cm −1 > CCS 1200 °C : σ CCS 1200 ° C 800 ° C = 1.81 × 10 −2 S cm −1 > CCS 1150 °C : σ CCS 1150 ° C 800 ° C = 1.50 × 10 −2 S cm −1 > CCS 1300 °C : σ CCS 1300 ° C 800 ° C = 1.26 × 10 −2 S cm −1 > CCS 1350 °C : σ CCS 1350 ° C 800 ° C = 0.68 × 10 −2 S cm −1 . The electrical conductivity of CCS increases with the increase of sintering temperatures, and the 1250 °C-sintered sample presents the highest conductivity because of the best microstructures. However, the electrical conductivity of CCS decreases when the sintering temperatures goes beyond 1250 °C. We attribute this to the phase instability. It reveals that microstructures and the phase stability have important effects on the optimization of electrical properties for the co-doped ceria electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In order to optimize the electrical properties of co-doped ceria electrolytes, Ce0.8Ca0.15Sm0.05O2−δ (CCS) sintered at different temperatures (1150 °C, 1200 °C, 1250 °C, 1300 °C and 1350 °C for 8 h) have been prepared and systematically investigated. It is found that among these samples sintered at different conditions, the electrical conductivity (σ) measured at 800 °C can be ranked as: CCS1250 °C:  = 2.38 × 10−2 S cm−1 > CCS1200 °C:  = 1.81 × 10−2 S cm−1 > CCS1150 °C:  = 1.50 × 10−2 S cm−1 > CCS1300 °C:  = 1.26 × 10−2 S cm−1 > CCS1350 °C:  = 0.68 × 10−2 S cm−1. The electrical conductivity of CCS increases with the increase of sintering temperatures, and the 1250 °C-sintered sample presents the highest conductivity because of the best microstructures. However, the electrical conductivity of CCS decreases when the sintering temperatures goes beyond 1250 °C. We attribute this to the phase instability. It reveals that microstructures and the phase stability have important effects on the optimization of electrical properties for the co-doped ceria electrolytes. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Natural bioactive compounds have been studied for a long time for their chemopreventive and therapeutic potential in several chronic inflammatory diseases, including cancer. However, their physicochemical properties generally result in poor chemical stability and lack of in vivo bioavailability. Very few human clinical trials have addressed absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion of these compounds in relation to efficacy. This limits the use of these valuable natural compounds in the clinic. In this study, we examined caffeic acid (derivatives), carvacrol (derivatives), thymol, pterostilbene (derivatives), and N-(3-oxo-dodecanoyl)-l-homoserine lactone. These are natural compounds with strong anti-inflammatory properties derived from plants and bacteria. However, these compounds have poor water solubility or are chemically unstable. To overcome these limitations we have prepared liposomal formulations. Our results show that lipophilic 3-oxo-C12-homoserine lactone and stilbene derivatives can be loaded into liposomal lipid bilayer with efficiencies of 50–70%. Thereby, the liposomes solubilize these compounds, allowing intravenous administration without use of solvents. When compounds could not be loaded into the lipid bilayer (carvacrol and thymol) or are rapidly extracted from the liposomes in the presence of serum albumin (3-oxo-C12-homoserine lactone and pterostilbene derivatives), derivatization of the compound into a water-soluble prodrug was shown to improve loading efficiency and encapsulation stability. The phosphate forms of carvacrol and pterostilbene were loaded into the aqueous interior of the liposomes and encapsulation was unaffected by the presence of serum albumin. Chemical instability of resveratrol was improved by liposome-encapsulation, preventing inactivating cis–trans isomerization. For caffeic acid, liposomal encapsulation did not prevent oxidation into a variety of products. Still, by derivatization into a phenyl ester, the compound could be stably encapsulated without chemical degradation. Despite the instability of liposome-association of 3-oxo-C12-homoserine lactone and resveratrol, intravenous administration of these compounds inhibited tumor growth for approximately 70% in a murine tumor model, showing that simple solubilization can have important therapeutic benefits. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A highly sensitive quartz crystal microbalance with dissipation monitoring (QCM-D) biosensor for protein was developed using aptamer-functionalized gold nanoparticles (Apt-GNPs) for amplification. Human α-thrombin, an important physiological protease found in blood, was chosen as the target protein. Captured by immobilized aptamers, thrombin was determined on-line using Apt-GNPs to enhance both frequency and dissipation signals. The fabricated sandwich of aptamer/thrombin/Apt-GNPs on chip surface was confirmed by atomic force microscopy (AFM). Compared to direct assay, the detection limit for thrombin was down to 0.1nM, yielding about 2 orders of magnitude improvement in sensitivity. This aptamer-based QCM-D biosensor also showed good selectivity and repeatability in complex matrix. For the first time, the dual-signal enhancement of Apt-GNPs on QCM-D sensing was demonstrated, and such design could provide a promising detection strategy for proteins with two binding sites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: High-quality (110) Fe films with thickness of 200nm were grown on Al2O3 (0006) substrates by low-pressure metal organic chemical vapor deposition (LP-MOCVD). The effects of residual carbon and post-annealing treatment on magnetic properties of Fe films were studied. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) measurements revealed that almost all the interstitial carbon atoms in Fe films can be removed by annealing at temperature of 600°C. Vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM) showed that the in-plane (out-of-plane) coercivity of the film annealed at 600°C is clearly larger (smaller) than that of as-grown one, which can be assigned to the tensile stress relaxation due to the removal of carbon. As the annealing temperature increased from 600 to 750°C, the in-plane coercivity decreased while the out-of-plane coercivity increased. Meanwhile, the in-plane remanence ratios increased rapidly with the increase of annealing temperature, but the out-of-plane remanence ratios changed slightly. The origin of the changes of magnetic properties with annealing temperatures was discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]