Search

Transition-metal cobalt-based chalcogenides have wide application in the fields of energy conversion and storage. Suitable morphologies can effectively improve the surface area and performance of the materials. Herein, we reported a simple and controlled strategy to fabricate the CoSe 2 with various shapes and applied these in water splitting. We successfully synthesized the spheres, wires and rods of CoSe 2 via facile hydrothermal process through regulating the addition of NH 4 F to alter the morphologies of samples. Among these samples, the as-prepared CoSe 2 spheres have urchin-like morphology with highly hollow structure, leading to large specific surface area and a great number of channels for promoting mass transfer efficiency. Therefore, the CoSe 2 spheres as electrocatalyst exhibits excellent oxygen evolution reaction and hydrogen evolution reaction performance in alkaline and acidic conditions, respectively. Electrochemical measurement illustrated that the CoSe 2 spheres as electrocatalyst shown small overpotential and superior stability, which could be a promising candidate of effective electrocatalyst., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Depression and sleep problems are highly prevalent disorders that are often comorbid with other medical disorders. We evaluated the prevalence and associations of these conditions in patients presenting to a Men's Health clinic. In this retrospective study, 124 patients presenting to a Men's Health clinic completed three urological questionnaires (International Index of Erectile Function [IIEF-5], International Prostate Symptom Score [IPSS], and Androgen Deficiency in Aging Males [ADAM]); and four non-urological questionnaires (Patient Health Questionnaire for depression [PHQ-9], STOP-BANG Sleep Apnea [OSA STOP-BANG], Insomnia Severity Index [ISI], and Epworth Sleepiness Scale [ESS]). Questionnaire results were evaluated in conjunction with patient clinical history and associated laboratory values via univariate and multivariate analysis. The mean age of the study participants was 54.1 years (SD 16). Comorbidities included hypertension (22.5%), vascular disease (15%), and diabetes mellitus (13.3%). Body Mass Index (BMI) was >25 in 77.3%. IIEF-5 scores were moderate-severe in 47.9%, ADAM questionnaire was positive in 79%, and IPSS scores were moderate-severe in 42.9% of patients. PHQ-9 demonstrated mild-severe depression in 38.6%, STOP-BANG showed intermediate-high risk for sleep apnea in 55.2%, ISI indicated moderate-severe insomnia in 18.1%, and ESS revealed mild-severe sleepiness in 16.6% of participants. On univariate analysis, BMI was associated with scores on the PHQ-9 (p = 0.035), STOP-BANG (p < 0.001), and ESS (p < 0.006). On multivariate analysis, positive ADAM questionnaire was associated with STOP-BANG (OR 3.29, 95% CI: 1.012-10.69), and IPSS with PHQ-9 (OR 4.64, 95% CI: 1.40-15.43) and ISI (OR 3.27, 95% CI: 1.06-10.1). Overall, patients presenting to a Men's Health Clinic were found to have high prevalence rates for risk of depression, insomnia and sleep apnea. Risks were elevated in older subjects, and those with increased BMI, hypogonadism, and lower urinary tract symptoms. Appropriate screening and referral to appropriate specialists are encouraged.

Purpose: We compared the effectiveness of targeted prophylaxis to augmented empirical prophylaxis and single agent empirical prophylaxis to prevent sepsis after transrectal prostate biopsy., Materials and Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the records of transrectal prostate biopsies performed during 3 years at 13 Southern California Kaiser Permanente® departments of urology. Targeted prophylaxis was guided by rectal culture bacterial susceptibility for use of a single prophylactic antibiotic while for empirical prophylaxis 1 antibiotic (single agent empirical prophylaxis) or multiple antibiotics (augmented empirical prophylaxis) were given according to the usual practice of the urologist. Sepsis was the primary outcome analyzed., Results: We reviewed 15,236 transrectal prostate biopsy cases. Targeted prophylaxis, single agent empirical prophylaxis and augmented empirical prophylaxis were administered in 26%, 58% and 16% of cases, respectively. The overall incidence of post-biopsy sepsis was 0.64%. On multivariable analysis there was no significant difference in the rate of post-biopsy sepsis after targeted prophylaxis compared to empirical prophylaxis (single agent and augmented empirical prophylaxis together) (OR 0.86, 95% CI 0.53-1.41, p = 0.561). However, on subanalysis augmented empirical prophylaxis showed a significantly lower incidence of sepsis than single agent empirical or targeted prophylaxis (OR 0.35, 95% CI 0.16-0.76, p = 0.008). Based on blood and urine cultures 38% of the patients with sepsis after transrectal prostate biopsy had been given the correct prophylactic antibiotic prior to biopsy. On multivariable analysis Asian/Pacific Islander or Hispanic/Latino ethnicity was associated with a higher incidence of harboring fluoroquinolone resistant bacteria on rectal swab cultures., Conclusions: This large retrospective study showed that augmented empirical prophylaxis was statistically superior to single agent empirical and targeted prophylaxis. Sepsis developed in a significant number of patients despite being given a prophylactic antibiotic to which the sepsis causing bacteria were sensitive., (Copyright © 2018 American Urological Association Education and Research, Inc. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

We report herein an efficient actively Q-switched Nd:YVO 4 /YVO 4 intracavity Raman laser operating at 1176 nm. Factors such as resonator geometry and pumping scheme are optimized to strengthen the power scalability and the conversion efficiency of the intracavity Raman laser. With a folded coupled cavity adopted to make full use of the high pump intensity on the Raman crystal, the first-order Stokes output of 10.32 W at 1176 nm is achieved under the incident pump power of 39 W and pulse repetition frequency of 160 kHz. The corresponding optical efficiency reaches 26.4%, and even higher efficiency of 27.8% is obtained at lower incident pump of 34.4 W.

We report an actively Q-switched Nd:YVO 4 /YVO 4 intracavity Raman laser at second-Stokes wavelength of 1313.6 nm, which is capable of operating efficiently under pulse repetition frequency higher than 80 kHz. A folded coupled cavity is adopted to optimize the fundamental and the Stokes resonators individually and make full use of the high pump intensity on the Raman crystal. With relatively high output coupling of 82% at 1313 nm, the average output power of 5.16 W at 1313 nm is achieved under the incident pump power of 36.7 W. The cascaded Raman emission at both the first- and second-Stokes wavelength of 1176 and 1313 nm is investigated to discuss the optimization of the second-Stokes generation.

Here we propose an efficient diode-end-pumped actively Q-switched 1176-nm Nd:YAG/Nd:YVO 4 hybrid gain intracavity Raman laser. By virtue of the construction of a coaxial double crystal, the laser not only can operate efficiently at low pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs), thereby realizing relatively high-energy and high-peak-power pulsed output, but also is capable of generating a high average output power at high PRFs. A maximum pulse energy of 0.54 mJ for the 1176-nm Stokes light is achieved at the PRF of 10 kHz, and the maximum average output power up to 9.80 W is obtained at the PRF of 100 kHz, while the incident pump power is 42.0 W.

We report herein an efficient eye-safe Raman laser, which is based upon Nd:YVO₄₋YVO₄ and in-band pumped by a wavelength-locked laser diode array at 878.6 nm. By virtue of mitigated thermal load and improved pump absorption, a maximum average output power of 5.2 W at 1525 nm is obtained under the incident pump power of 30.6 W with the pulse repetition frequency of 140 kHz, corresponding to an optical efficiency of 17.0%.