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Rationale: The detection of organic nitrogen compounds in exhaled breath is expected to provide an early warning of diseases such as kidney disease. Detecting these trace disease markers in exhaled breath with complex composition and high moisture content is a challenge. Surface ionization (SI) shows a highly selective ionization of organic nitrogen compounds, and it is a good candidate for breath analysis combined with ion mobility spectrometry (IMS). Methods: A stepwise SI method of low‐temperature adsorption/high‐temperature ionization was proposed, and trimethylamine (TMA) was detected when combined with an ion mobility spectrometer. TMA at different concentrations and humidity levels and spiked in human breath was detected to evaluate the method's properties. Results: TMA with concentrations from 2 to 200 ppb was detected. The peak intensity of the TMA characteristic ions was linearly related to the “e” exponent of the concentration with a curve fit of 0.996. A standard deviation of less than 0.306% was obtained with 10 replicate analyses of 10 ppb TMA. The signal intensity difference between dry and wet (relative humidity > 93%) TMA samples is only 2.7%, and the recovery rate of the sample was 106.819%. Conclusions: SI‐IMS based on the stepwise SI method has the advantages of low ionization temperature, high detection sensitivity, strong resistance to humidity interference, and good repeatability. It is a promising method for detecting organic nitrogen compounds in exhaled breath. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

An optical thermometry strategy based on Mn2+‐doped dual‐wavelength emission phosphor has been reported. Samples with different doping content were synthesized through a high‐temperature solid‐phase method under an air atmosphere. The electronic structure of Li4Zn(PO4)2 was calculated using density functional theory, revealing it to be a direct band gap material with an energy gap of 4.708 eV. Moreover, the emitting bands of Mn2+ at 530 and 640 nm can be simultaneously observed when using 417 nm as the exciting wavelength. This is due to the occupation of Mn2+ at the Zn2+ site and the interstitial site. Further analysis was conducted on the temperature‐dependent emission characteristics of the sample in the range 293–483 K. Mn2+ has different responses to temperature at different doping sites in Li4Zn(PO4)2. Based on the calculations using the fluorescence intensity ratio technique, the maximum relative sensitivity at a temperature of 483 K was determined to be 1.69% K−1, while the absolute sensitivity was found to be 0.12% K−1. The results showed that the Li4Zn(PO4)2:Mn2+ phosphor has potential application in optical thermometry. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Here, Bi3+, Er3+ co‐activated gadolinium phosphors with multimode emission properties are prepared, which can emits blue, green, and orange light under the excitation of ultraviolet, 980 and 1550 nm, respectively. Moreover, BaGd2O4:Bi3+, Er3+ can show multicolor luminescence under different excitation conditions, such as pump light source, ambient temperature, working current, and other factors. Based on the dynamic luminescence characteristics, the dynamic anti‐counterfeiting experiments are designed based on the phosphor. At the same time, the material also shows multimode temperature sensing characteristics. Under the excitation of 980 nm laser, three strong up‐conversion signals Er3+ ions are generated at 528 nm (2H11/2), 555 nm (4S3/2), and 668 nm (4F9/2), which have different temperature dependences. Based on the fluorescence intensity ratio between thermal‐coupled energy levels (2H11/2/4S3/2) and nonthermal‐coupled energy levels (2H11/2/4F9/2) of Er3+ ions, respectively, the dual‐mode temperature thermometer was constructed with high‐temperature sensitivity. In addition, the fluorescence lifetime of Bi3+ ions also has a strong temperature dependence, which can be used as another temperature detection signal, greatly improving the stability of thermometers under harsh conditions. Therefore, the material has a bright prospect in the field of anti‐counterfeiting and temperature sensing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: There is a need for effective health service solutions to provide greater structure and support for implementing evidence‐based practice in back pain care. Patient involvement in developing these solutions is crucial to increase relevance, acceptability and uptake. Objectives: To determine patients' perceived needs and barriers to best‐practice back pain care, and potential solutions to better address care needs. The study is the third in a series of needs assessment studies feeding into the 'idea generation' for service design in a large teaching hospital in a culturally and linguistically diverse community in metropolitan Sydney, Australia. Design: We conducted a combination of focus groups and in‐depth interviews using an interpretive description approach. We used inductive thematic analysis to identify the main themes. Setting and Participants: We purposively sampled patients with diverse characteristics from the neurosurgery and physiotherapy outpatient clinics, in particular those whose primary language was English, Arabic, Persian or Mandarin. Non‐English audio recordings were translated and transcribed by bilingual researchers. Results: There were 24 participants (focus groups = 9; individual interviews = 15) when data saturation was reached. The analysis identified three key themes with several subthemes around what service designers needed to understand in helping people with back pain in this setting: (1) This is who I am; (2) It's not working for me; and (3) What I think I need. Discussion and Conclusion: This study highlights that perceived unmet needs of patients are underpinned by unhelpful beliefs about the causes of and solutions for back pain, misaligned care expectations, unclear expectations of the hospital role and fragmentations in the health system. To design and implement a service that can deliver better back pain care, several solutions need to be integrated around: developing new resources that challenge unhelpful beliefs and set realistic expectations; improving access to education and self‐management resources; focusing on individualized care; using a collaborative multidisciplinary approach within the hospital; and better connecting with and directing primary health care services. Patient or Public Contribution: A consumer representative of the Western Sydney Local Health District provided input during study conceptualisation and is duly recognized in the Acknowledgements section. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The discovery of the homometry of X‐ray diffraction dates back to the 1930s and shows the ambiguity in structure characterization purely from diffraction technologies. Since then, there has only been limited discussion on this topic with reference to several real structures and an efficient method for finding homometric structures for a known three‐dimensional structure is still lacking today. In this work, a method was developed to create a set of structures with the same interatomic distances as an original structure, which can then be identified as powder X‐ray diffraction or single‐crystal X‐ray diffraction homometric structures. This method was applied to the Inorganic Crystal Structure Database (ICSD) and homometric structures for 37 reported structures were found. Also it was found that homometric structures are encountered frequently in solving crystal structures when building initial models with only heavy atoms, which indicates that special caution is needed in interpreting XRD data with heavy‐atom methods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteosarcoma (OS) is a primary malignant bone tumour that mainly affects teenagers, with patients displaying poor prognosis. Budding uninhibited by benzimidazoles 1 (BUB1), a type of serine/threonine kinase that is linked to pro‐tumorigenic phenomena, has not been well studied in OS. Hence, this study aimed to explore the role of BUB1 in OS. The expression of BUB1 in OS specimens and cell lines was assessed using immunohistochemistry and Western blot analysis. Univariate and multivariate analyses were applied to evaluate the impact of BUB1 on patient survival. Cell counting kit‐8, wound‐healing and Transwell assays, as well as flow cytometry, were used to investigate the influence of BUB1 inhibition on OS in vitro. Moreover, a tumour xenograft model was established to investigate the in vivo effect of BUB1 inhibition on OS tumour growth. Results showed that BUB1 was overexpressed in OS specimens and cell lines. Furthermore, BUB1 overexpression was closely associated with the poor clinical outcomes of patients with OS. Inhibition of BUB1 markedly suppressed cell proliferation and tumour growth, cell migration, invasion and induced cell apoptosis of OS by blocking the PI3K/Akt and ERK signalling pathways. Thus, our study suggested that overexpression of BUB1 protein contributed to poor survival of OS patients and that inhibition of BUB1 resulted in considerable anti‐tumour activity associated with proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis of OS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hypertensive disorder in pregnancy is a disease that occurs during pregnancy. We aimed to analyze the morbidity and maternal and infant outcomes with respect to the hypertensive disorder in pregnancy in China in 2018. Clinical data of 38 590 cases from 161 hospitals were retrospectively collected. The differences in morbidity and maternal and infant mortality among the major regions and provinces were compared. The overall national average morbidity was 4.74%, and the ratios of gestational hypertension, preeclampsia, eclampsia, chronic hypertension, and chronic hypertension with superimposed preeclampsia were 29.17%, 55.02%, 0.66%, 6.53%, and 8.62%, respectively. The overall maternal mortality was 0.61/100 000, and the case fatality was 0.13%. Morbidity associated with hypertensive disorder in pregnancy was 7.74% in North China, 6.62% in Northwest China, 6.40% in Central China, 5.83% in Northeast China, 4.28% in East China, 3.85% in South China, and 2.88% in Southwest China. The morbidity in each province was 1.62-11.28%. The overall perinatal mortality was 3.59% (81.09% for stillbirths; 18.91% for neonatal deaths). Perinatal mortality decreased with increasing gestational weeks from 24 to 37 + 6 weeks. Perinatal mortality for delivery at 32 weeks of gestation in all regions of the country was <10%. Morbidity varied across regions in China, with the lowest in Southwest and the highest in North China. The low maternal mortality is related to the large-scale development of standardized maternal health care in China. For severe hypertensive disorder patients, gestation should be prolonged to 32 weeks as often as possible for better neonatal survival rates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Defect engineering is an effective way to modulate the intrinsic physicochemical properties of materials. In this work, δ‐MnO2 with oxygen vacancies is fabricated by a simple oxidation or reduction process, and the relationship between the electronic structure and pseudocapacitance is systematically studied through experimental analysis and theoretical calculations. The peaks in the Raman spectra of the as‐prepared samples are shifted compared with those of pure MnO2 and the Mn3+/Mn4+ ratio and O species content also change after the introduction of oxygen vacancies. The optimized samples exhibit a better specific capacitance of 207 F g−1 after the oxidation process and 181.4 F g−1 after the reduction treatment compared with only 143.9 F g−1 for the pure MnO2. The samples obtained through the oxidation or reduction process also retain 93.3 or 86.4 % of the initial capacity after 5000 cycles. The excellent properties are attributed to the enhanced conductivity and increased surface reactivity or electrochemically active sites. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the presence of oxygen vacancies leads to an increase in the density of states, which improves the redox reaction of MnO2. This study will provide a reference for exploring and designing highperformance pseudocapacitive materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide‐based superionic conductors with high ionic conductivity have been explored as candidates for solid‐state Li batteries. However, moisture hypersensitivity has made their manufacture complicated and costly and also impeded applications in batteries. Now, a sulfide‐based superionic conductor Li4Cu8Ge3S12 with superior stability was developed based on the hard/soft acid–base theory. The compound is stable in both moist air and aqueous LiOH aqueous solution. The electrochemical stability window was up to 1.5 V. An ionic conductivity of 0.9×10−4 S cm with low activation energy of 0.33 eV was achieved without any optimization. The material features a rigid Cu‐Ge‐S open framework that increases its stability. Meanwhile, the weak bonding between Li+ and the framework promotes ionic conductivity. This work provides a structural configuration in which weak Li bonding in the rigid framework promotes an environment for highly conductive and stable solid‐state electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sulfide‐based superionic conductors with high ionic conductivity have been explored as candidates for solid‐state Li batteries. However, moisture hypersensitivity has made their manufacture complicated and costly and also impeded applications in batteries. Now, a sulfide‐based superionic conductor Li4Cu8Ge3S12 with superior stability was developed based on the hard/soft acid–base theory. The compound is stable in both moist air and aqueous LiOH aqueous solution. The electrochemical stability window was up to 1.5 V. An ionic conductivity of 0.9×10−4 S cm with low activation energy of 0.33 eV was achieved without any optimization. The material features a rigid Cu‐Ge‐S open framework that increases its stability. Meanwhile, the weak bonding between Li+ and the framework promotes ionic conductivity. This work provides a structural configuration in which weak Li bonding in the rigid framework promotes an environment for highly conductive and stable solid‐state electrolytes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Classical crystallography is based on the translational periodicity of crystals and the analysis of discrete Bragg reflections. However, it is inadequate for determining disordered structures, of which the diffuse scattering is vital to evaluate the disorder level. The correlated disorder of IM‐18 presents as zigzag chains arranged in translational periodicity and the double four‐ring units randomly distributed along two dimensions. Supercell models regulated by multiple probabilities were systematically built to simulate the single‐crystal and powder X‐ray diffraction patterns in order to ascertain the specific disorder configuration in the single‐crystal or polycrystalline samples of IM‐18. The presence of defects in the polycrystalline sample was proved by combining 29Si magic angle spinning (MAS) NMR and 1H–1H double quantum MAS NMR spectra, and was quantitatively explored by the simulation method. The method could also elucidate other disordered structures in polycrystalline or single‐crystal samples, despite the presence of defects or multidimensional disorder. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Perovskites Ba1−xKxBi0.30Pb0.70O3−δ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) have been synthesized under 660 °C. P1 space group can describe well the structure of this solid solution. The valences are +3 and +5 for bismuth, +2 and +4 for lead in these compounds. The Tczer° (the highest temperature at which the sample shows zero electrical resistivity) of Ba1−xKxBi0.30Pb0.70O3−δ first increases from 8.2 K for x=0.02 to 11.4 K for x=0.15, then decreases about to 10.4 K for x=0.25. Perovskites Ba1−xKxBi0.30Pb0.70O3−δ (0.0 ≤ x ≤ 0.25) can be synthesized at 660 °C in air atmosphere and crystalize in P1 space group at room temperature. Most of them are hole‐doped superconductors. Their Tczer° is around 10 K, which first increases and then decreases with an increase of K in the sample. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copper antimony sulfides (CAS) are of great interest for their applications in solar absorbers. Here, a new series of CAS materials is reported, namely the Sr1−xPbxCuSbS3 (x = 0–0.2), which are synthesized via solid state reactions. The new compound SrCuSbS3 crystallizes in the orthorhombic space group Pbam and consists of 3D [CuSbS3]2− extended framework and Sr2+ ions. The [CuSbS3]2− framework is constructed by [CuS3]5− one‐dimensional chains and [SbS3]3− triangular pyramids. The compound is a semiconductor with a band gap of 1.91 eV. Partial replacement of Sr2+ by Pb2+ can narrow the band gap to 1.63 eV when the doping concentration is up to 20%. First‐principles calculations reveal that the SrCuSbS3 compound is a direct band gap semiconductor with the valence band maximum composed of Cu‐3d states and the conduction band minimum composed of Sb‐5p‐S‐3p states. The Pb orbitals play critical roles in narrowing the band gap of Sr1‐xPbxCuSbS3 (x = 0–0.2). The series of CAS materials also show evident photoelectric response properties which demonstrate their potential for applications for photovoltaic devices. In addition, these CAS materials are good photocatalysts for the photodegradation reaction of Rhodamine B (RhB). The Sr0.8Pb0.2CuSbS3 powder can degrade 100% of RhB within 3 h under simulated sunlight. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Preeclampsia is a major cause of adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes, but how to identify women and fetuses at increased risk for later adverse events is a challenge. This study aimed to investigate the risk factors for adverse maternal and perinatal outcomes in women with preeclampsia. Data from 1396 women with preeclampsia were retrospectively collected and analyzed. Eighteen candidate risk factors and 12 adverse outcomes were investigated. The following factors were found to be significantly associated with at least one adverse outcome: maternal age 35 years or older, multiple birth, the usage of assisted reproductive technology, living in a rural area, history of pregnancy-induced hypertension, male fetus, multigravida, or having polycystic ovary syndrome, hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, and low platelet count syndrome, intrahepatic cholestasis of pregnancy, cardiovascular disease, gestational diabetes mellitus, systemic lupus erythematosus, thyroid disease, or liver disease. Compared with patients without any identified risk factors, patients with preeclampsia with three or more risk factors were at increased risk for severe adverse outcomes. Those findings demonstrated that maternal risk factors could be used as indicators supplementary to clinical symptoms and laboratory test results for the risk assessment in women with preeclampsia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

ABSTRACT Objective To compare the sonographic-estimated fetal weights (EFW) calculated with the Hadlock formula and with the Woo formula in a group of Chinese pregnant women. Methods We prospectively recruited term pregnancies for sonographic biometric examination. EFWs were calculated according to two formulas and compared with the corresponding birth weight (BW). We also assessed the sensitivity, specificity, positive predictive value (PPV), and negative predictive value (NPV) of EFW for the diagnosis of small-for-gestational age (SGA) and large-for-gestational age (LGA) neonates. Results A total of 374 subjects who delivered within 7 days after the sonographic examinations was recruited. Using the Hadlock formula, the median absolute difference between EFW and BW was 182 g (15-308 g) and the median percentage difference was 5.3% (0.5-9.1%), whereas it was 230 g (62-367) and 7.1% (2.1-10.4%) for the Woo formula ( p < 0.001). Several factors, namely the fetal presentation, gender, and high amniotic quantity, showed no evident impact on this predictive difference. Among the 175 women who delivered within 2 days after ultrasound, the sensitivity and specificity of Hadlock EFW were 100% and 97.1% for the detection of SGA and 48.1% and 97.3% for the detection of LGA, respectively. The PPV and NPV were 44.4% and 100.0% for the detection of SGA and 76.5% and 91.1% for the detection of LGA, respectively. Conclusions EFWs calculated using the Hadlock formula for our research subjects were as accurate as those reported for other populations. The predictive performance showed a high NPV for the diagnosis of SGA and a relatively acceptable PPV for the diagnosis of LGA. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Clin Ultrasound 45:465-471, 2017 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Supercapacitors attract great interest because of the increasing and urgent demand for environment-friendly high-power energy sources. Ti3C2, a member of MXene family, is a promising electrode material for supercapacitors owing to its excellent chemical and physical properties. However, the highest gravimetric capacitance of the MXene-based electrodes is still relatively low (245 F g−1) and the key challenge to improve this is to exploit more pseudocapacitance by increasing the active site concentration. Here, a method to significantly improve the gravimetric capacitance of Ti3C2T x MXenes by cation intercalation and surface modification is reported. After K+ intercalation and terminal groups (OH−/F−) removing , the intercalation pseudocapacitance is three times higher than the pristine MXene, and MXene sheets exhibit a significant enhancement (about 211% of the origin) in the gravimetric capacitance (517 F g−1 at a discharge rate of 1 A g−1). Moreover, the as-prepared electrodes show above 99% retention over 10 000 cycles. This improved electrochemical performance is attributed to the large interlayer voids of Ti3C2 and lowest terminated surface group concentration. This study demonstrates a new strategy applicable to other MXenes (Ti2CT x, Nb2CT x, etc.) in maximizing their potential applications in energy storage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A series of perovskite BaTb1-xBixO3 (0.0≤ x≤0.25) solid solutions were synthesized by a typical solid-state method. Their structures were analyzed by a combination of X-ray diffraction, neutron diffraction, and selected-area electron diffraction. All of the materials crystalize in the P1 space group [a = 6.0582(1) Å, b = 6.0473(1) Å, c = 6.0693(1) Å, α = 60.00(1)°, β = 59.84(1)°, γ = 60.06(1)° for x = 0.0 at room temperature]. Magnetic measurements revealed that the magnetic-ordering temperature decreases with increasing Bi content in BaTb1-xBixO3; therefore, the presence of Bi decreases the magnetic interactions of Tb. Furthermore, the magnetic structure for BaTb1-xBixO3 has been fully described in space group P1. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Peripheral nerve injury ( PNI) usually results in poor functional recovery. Nerve repair is the common clinical treatment for PNI but is always obstructed by the chronic degeneration of the distal stump and muscle. Cell transplantation can alleviate the muscle atrophy after PNI, but the subsequent recovery of the locomotive function is seldom described. In this study, we combined cell transplantation and nerve repair to investigate whether the transplantation of embryonic spinal cord cells could benefit the delayed nerve repair. The experiment consisted of 3 stages: transection of the tibial nerve to induce 'pre-degeneration', a second surgery performed 2 weeks later for transplantation of E14 embryonic spinal cord cells or vehicle (culture medium) at the distal end of the injured nerve, and, 3 months later, the removal of the grafted cells and the cross-suturing of the residual distal end to the proximal end of a freshly cut ipsilateral common peroneal ( CP) nerve. Cell survival and fate after the transplantation were investigated, and the functional recovery after the cross-suturing was compared between the groups. The grafted cells could survive and generate motor neurons, extending axons that were subsequently myelinated and forming synapses with the muscle. After the cross-suturing, the axonal regeneration from the proximal stump of the injured CP nerve and the functional recovery of the denervated gastrocnemius muscle were significantly promoted in the group receiving the cells. Our study presents a new perspective indicating that the transplantation of embryonic spinal cord neurons may be a valuable therapeutic strategy for PNI. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Space group assignment for a Perovskite compound is a complex task when only powder X‐ray diffraction data obtained with Kα (both Kα1 and Kα2) radiation is available. Whole profile refinement of powder X‐ray diffraction data using Rietveld method is very good to check if the structural model is OK. However, it could not tell us that it is the only model to fit the data. More data are needed, such as X‐ray diffraction data obtained with single wave radiation (from Kα1 only or from synchrotron), neutron diffraction data, and/or electron diffraction data. The evidence for the space groups I4/mcm and Imma is refuted, and arguments in favor of space group P1 are presented. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Sepsis, a life‐threatening systemic infection, requires quick treatment. Gram‐negative bacteria (GNB) are the major causative pathogens and their endotoxin can be a surrogate biomarker for diagnosis. We explored a fast identification of GNB by first culturing blood to increase endotoxin levels and then detecting endotoxin by Tachypleus amebocyte lysate (TAL) with kinetic turbidimetric assay (KT‐TAL). Heating samples could significantly increase the endotoxin released from GNB; speed and time of centrifugation, and sample dilution could affect the endotoxin results. At a high GNB load, endotoxin was detected 3 h after culture, 6.5 h earlier than the BD BACTEC blood culture system detecting GNB. At a low GNB load, endotoxin was detected at 9 h after culture, 13 h earlier than by the BD BACTEC system. In a sepsis patient with Acinetobacter baumannii, we detected endotoxin at 12 h after culture, while the BD BACTEC system needed 28.5 h for detection, allowing physicians an earlier decision on appropriate treatment. A novel approach for earlier detection of Gram‐native bacteria (GNB) by combination of short blood culture (to increase the endotoxin level as surrogate marker for GNB) and KT‐TAL assay could provide much early GNB infection report than the conventional BD BACTEC system does, which would greatly benefit the early treatment decision making to rescue the sepsis patients' life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To compare the predictive accuracy of three risk assessment systems for cardiac complications among pregnant women with congenital heart disease (CHD).Methods: In a retrospective study, data were assessed from women with CHD at more than 20weeks of pregnancy who attended Shanghai Obstetrical Cardiology Intensive Care Center, China, between January 1, 1993 and December 31, 2014. CARPREG and ZAHARA risk scores, and modified WHO (mWHO) risk classification were applied retrospectively. Predictive accuracy was compared by receiver operating characteristic curve analysis.Results: A total of 730 women were included. The frequency of expected versus observed cardiac events was, respectively, 5.0% versus 7.8%, 27.0% versus 47.1%, and 75.0% versus 75.0% among patients with CARPREG scores of 0, 1, and >1; and 2.9% versus 5.8%, 7.5% versus 36.5%, 17.5% versus 30.8%, 43.1% versus 50.0%, and 70.0% versus 17.6% among those with ZAHARA scores of 0-0.50, 0.51-1.50, 1.51-2.50, 2.51-3.50, and 3.51 or more. For mWHO risk classifications I-IV, the cardiac event rate was 0%, 8.2%, 26.7%, 18.4%, and 15.4%, respectively. The area under the curve was 0.71 (95% confidence interval [CI] 0.67-0.76; P<0.001) for mWHO, 0.68 (95% CI 0.60-0.75; P<0.001) for ZAHARA, and 0.63 (95% CI 0.57-0.71; P=0.001) for CARPREG.Conclusion: The mWHO risk classification was the best system for predicting cardiac complications among Chinese pregnant women with CHD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To identify risk factors for heart failure (HF) during pregnancy among women with pre-existing cardiac disease. Methods A retrospective review was conducted of pregnant women with cardiac disease who attended Shanghai Obstetrical Cardiology Intensive Care Center, China, for delivery between January 1, 1993, and December 31, 2013. Independent predictors of HF were identified by logistic regression analysis. Results Among 1086 pregnant women with cardiac disease, 116 (10.7%) developed HF. In multivariate analysis, HF was associated with left ventricular systolic dysfunction (odds ratio [OR] 13.16, 95% confidence interval [CI] 3.62–47.80; P < 0.001), history of HF before pregnancy (OR 11.66, 95% CI 5.83–23.33; P < 0.001), twin pregnancy (OR 11.63, 95% CI 4.10–32.99; P < 0.001), sinus tachycardia (OR 4.60, 95% CI 2.77–7.62; P < 0.001), New York Heart Association functional class higher than II (OR 3.36, 95% CI 1.11–10.25; P = 0.033), and severe pulmonary arterial hypertension (OR 1.40, 95% CI 1.10–1.78; P = 0.007). Conclusion Women with cardiac disease who wish to become pregnant should be guided by risk factors for HF. Those who do conceive should be closely monitored during pregnancy to improve outcomes and reduce maternal mortality and morbidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges in materials science has been to prepare crystalline inorganic compounds with mesopores. Although several design strategies have been developed to address the challenge, expansion of pore sizes in inorganic materials is more difficult compared to that for metal-organic frameworks. Herein, we designed a novel mesoporous germanate PKU-17 with 3D 48×16×16-ring channels by introducing two large building units (Ge10 and Ge7 clusters) into the same framework. The key for this design strategy is the selection of 2-propanolamine (MIPA), which serves as the terminal species to promote the crystallization of Ge7 clusters. Moreover, it is responsible for the coexistence of Ge10 and Ge7 clusters. To our knowledge, the discovery of PKU-17 sets a new record in pore sizes among germanates. It is also the first germanate that exhibits a good selectivity toward CO2 over N2 and CH4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One of the challenges in materials science has been to prepare crystalline inorganic compounds with mesopores. Although several design strategies have been developed to address the challenge, expansion of pore sizes in inorganic materials is more difficult compared to that for metal-organic frameworks. Herein, we designed a novel mesoporous germanate PKU-17 with 3D 48×16×16-ring channels by introducing two large building units (Ge10 and Ge7 clusters) into the same framework. The key for this design strategy is the selection of 2-propanolamine (MIPA), which serves as the terminal species to promote the crystallization of Ge7 clusters. Moreover, it is responsible for the coexistence of Ge10 and Ge7 clusters. To our knowledge, the discovery of PKU-17 sets a new record in pore sizes among germanates. It is also the first germanate that exhibits a good selectivity toward CO2 over N2 and CH4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A germanate zeolite, PKU-14, with a three- dimensional large-pore channel system was structurally characterized by a combination of high-resolution powder X-ray diffraction, rotation electron diffraction, NMR, and IR spectroscopy. Ordered Ge4O4 vacancies inside the [46.612] cages has been found in PKU-14, in which a unique (H2O)2 dimer was located at the vacancies and played a structure-directing role. It is the first time that water clusters are found to be templates for ordered framework vacancies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Black TiO2 attracts enormous attention due to its large solar absorption and induced excellent photocatalytic activity. Herein, a new approach assisted by hydrogen plasma to synthesize unique H-doped black titania with a core/shell structure (TiO2@TiO2- xH x) is presented, superior to the high H2-pressure process (under 20 bar for five days). The black titania possesses the largest solar absorption (≈83%), far more than any other reported black titania (the record (high-pressure): ≈30%). H doping is favorable to eliminate the recombination centers of light-induced electrons and holes. High absorption and low recombination ensure the excellent photocatalytic activity for the black titania in the photo-oxidation of organic molecules in water and the production of hydrogen. The H-doped amorphous shell is proposed to play the same role as Ag or Pt loading on TiO2 nanocrystals, which induces the localized surface plasma resonance and black coloration. Photocatalytic water splitting and cleaning using TiO2- xH x is believed to have a bright future for sustainable energy sources and cleaning environment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Zeolites have been widely used in industry owing to their ordered micropores and stable frameworks. The pore sizes and shapes are the key parameters that affect the selectivity and efficiency in their applications in catalysis, sorption, and separation. Zeolites with pores defined by 10 and 12 TO4 tetrahedra are often used for various catalytic processes. To optimize the performance of zeolites, it is extremely desirable to fine-tune the pore sizes/shapes. The first germanosilicate zeolite with a three-dimensional 11×11×12-ring channel system, PKU-16 (PKU, Peking University) is presented. Nanosized PKU-16 was structurally characterized by the new three-dimensional rotation electron diffraction (RED) technique. PKU-16 is structurally related to the zeolite β polymorph C (BEC, 12×12×12-ring channels) by rotating half of the four-rings in double mtw units. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ba6Zn6ZrS14 was synthesized by a traditional salt-melt method with KI as flux. The pale yellow crystals of Ba6Zn6ZrS14 crystallize in the tetragonal space group I4/ mcm with a=16.3481 (4) Å and c=9.7221(6) Å. The structure features unique one-dimensional parallel [Zn6S9]6− and [ZrS5]6− straight chains. The D2 h-symmetric [Zn6S9]6− cluster serves as the building block of the [Zn6S9]6− chains. A powder sample was investigated by X-ray diffraction, optical absorption, and photoluminescence measurements. The compound shows multiple-absorption character with three optical absorption edges around 1.78, 2.50, and 2.65 eV, respectively, which are perfectly consistent with the results of first-principles calculations. Analysis of the density of states further revealed that the three optical absorption bands are attributable to the three S(3p6)→Zr(4d0) transitions due to the splitting of the Zr 4d orbitals in the D4 h crystal field. The multiband nature of Ba6Zn6ZrS14 also results in photocatalytic activity under visible-light irradiation and three band-edge emissions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

By using a rigid multicarboxylate ligand, 4,5-di(4′-carboxylphenyl)phthalic acid ( H4L), two CoII complexes formulated as [Co4L2(4,4′-bpy)(H2O)6] ⋅3.5 H2O (4,4′-bpy=4,4′-bipyridine) ( 1) and [Co2L(azene)(H2O)3] ⋅DMF (azene=( E)-1,2-di(pyridin-4-yl)diazene, DMF=dimethylformamide) ( 2) have been synthesized and structurally characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction. Complex 1 features a novel three-nodal (4,5,6)-connected 2 D framework with an unusual (32.42.5.63.7.8)(32.42.5.6)(32.46.52.64.7) topology. Complex 2 exhibits a novel two-nodal (4,7)-connected 3 D framework with an unusual (43.5.62)(45.55.69.7.8) topology. Ligand L4− displays different coordination modes in the two complexes. The complexes both exhibit electrocatalytic activities toward generating H2 and O2 from water with lowered overpotentials and enhanced currents. The different electrocatalytic properties of the two complexes are related to their different ligands and frameworks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel architecture of 3D graphene growth on porous Al2O3 ceramics is proposed for thermal management using ambient pressure chemical vapor deposition. The formation mechanism of graphene is attributed to the carbothermic reduction occurring at the Al2O3 surface to initialize the nucleation and growth of graphene. The graphene films are coated on insulating anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) templates and porous Al2O3 ceramic substrates. The graphene coated AAO possesses one-dimensional isolated graphene tubes, which can act as the media for directional thermal transport. The graphene/Al2O3 composite (G-Al2O3) contains an interconnected macroporous graphene framework with an extremely low sheet electrical resistance down to 0.11 Ω sq−1 and thermal conductivity with 8.28 W m−1 K−1. The G-Al2O3 provides enormous conductive pathways for electronic and heat transfer, suitable for application as heat sinks. Such a porous composite is also attractive as a highly thermally conductive reservoir to hold phase change materials (stearic acid) for thermal energy storage. This work displays the great potential of CVD direct growth of graphene on dielectric porous substrates for thermal conduction and electronic applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ga4B2O9, an aluminium-free mullite-type compound, was prepared by a boric-acid flux method and its structure was determined using powder X-ray diffraction techniques, in combination with transmission electron microscopy, solid-state 11B MAS-NMR and IR spectroscopies. GaO6 octahedra share edges in a trans-manner forming one-dimensional chains along the b direction, and the chains are further cross-linked by GaO5, BO3 and BO4 groups into a three-dimensional mullite-type structure. The disorder of the inter-chain groups results in a small unit cell for Ga4B2O9 compared with that for Al4B2O9, an ordered compound with a superstructure. By deconstructing the structure of Ga4B2O9, we were able to identify the fundamental building units and their linking rules which can be used to reconstruct the ordered and disordered structures. For Ga4B2O9, we found that the structure is intrinsically disordered within the ac plane, but ordered along the b axis. The three-dimensional structure can then be constructed by stacking the disordered ac sheets along the b axis (½ b) with a ½ a shift. The fundamental building units and exclusivity rules identified in this gallium borate mullite may also be useful for understanding other related mullite phases. The structure analysis applying the proposed method is used to recognize the structural features of Al4B2O9 and Al18B4O33. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Bone metastasis (BM) is a mortality‐related event of late‐stage cancer, with non‐small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) being a common origin for BM. However, the detailed molecular profiling of the metastatic bone ecosystem is not fully understood, hindering the development of effective therapies for advanced patients. In this study, we examined the cellular heterogeneity between primary tumours and BM from tissues and peripheral blood by single‐cell transcriptomic analysis, which was verified using multiplex immunofluorescence staining and public datasets. Our results demonstrate a senescent microenvironment in BM tissues of NSCLC. BM has a significantly higher infiltration of malignant cells with senescent characteristics relative to primary tumours, accompanied by aggravated metastatic properties. The endothelial‐mesenchymal transition involved with SOX18 activation is related to the cellular senescence of vascular endothelial cells from BM. CD4Tstr cells, with pronounced stress and senescence states, are preferentially infiltrated in BM, indicating stress‐related dysfunction contributing to the immunocompromised environment during tumour metastasis to bone. Moreover, we identify the SPP1 pathway‐induced cellular crosstalk among T cells, vascular ECs and malignant cells in BM, which activates SOX18 and deteriorates patient survival. Our findings highlight the roles of cellular senescence in modulating the microenvironment of BM and implicate anti‐senescence therapy for advanced NSCLC patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The role of nociceptive nerves in modulating immune responses to harmful stimuli via pain or itch induction remains controversial. Compared to conventional surgery, various implant surgeries are more prone to infections even with low bacterial loads. In this study, an optogenetic technique is introduced for selectively activating peripheral nociceptive nerves using a fully implantable, wirelessly rechargeable optogenetic device. By targeting nociceptors in the limbs of awake, freely moving mice, it is found that activation induces anticipatory immunity in the innervated territory and enhances the adhesion of various host cells to the implant surface. This effect mediates acute immune cell‐mediated killing of Staphylococcus aureus on implants and enables the host to win “implant surface competition” against Staphylococcus aureus. This finding provides new strategies for preventing and treating implant‐associated infections. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Water splitting requires development of cost‐effective multifunctional materials that can catalyze both the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) efficiently. Currently, the OER relies on the noble‐metal catalysts; since with other catalysts, its operation environment is greatly limited in alkaline conditions. Herein, an advanced water oxidation catalyst based on metallic Co9S8 decorated with single‐atomic Mo (0.99 wt%) is synthesized (Mo‐Co9S8@C). It exhibits pronounced water oxidization activity in acid, alkali, and neutral media by showing positive onset potentials of 200, 90, and 290 mV, respectively, which manifests the best Co9S8‐based single‐atom Mo catalyst till now. Moreover, it also demonstrates excellent HER performance over a wide pH range. Consequently, the catalyst even outperforms noble metal Pt/IrO2‐based catalysts for overall water splitting (only requiring 1.68 V in acid, and 1.56 V in alkaline). Impressively, it works under a current density of 10 mA cm−2 with no obvious decay during a 24 h (0.5 m H2SO4) and 72 h (1.0 m KOH) durability experiment. Density functional theory (DFT) simulations reveal that the synergistic effects of atomically dispersed Mo with Co‐containing substrates can efficiently alter the binding energies of adsorbed intermediate species and decrease the overpotentials of the water splitting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]