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Severe pneumonia in patients infected with the 2009 pandemic H1N1 (pH1N1) virus was partially attributed to excessive immune response. Anti-virus treatment for these patients was insufficient. Here we reported the therapy effect of sirolimus, an immunosuppressor, combined with oseltamivir and corticosteroid for a puerpera with severe pneumonia caused by pH1N1 virus. This patient has infected with the pH1N1 virus in late pregnancy, and antiviral therapy was not implemented timely. She developed severe pneumonia and ARDS rapidly and need receive a cesarean section on the 39th week after pregnancy. After giving birth to a healthy baby, she received a combination of oseltamivir, sirolimus and corticosteroid, and improved in the following days. Moreover, the cytokines in serum and viral loads in BALF decreased significantly. She recovered without infectious symptoms and was discharged. Sirolimus combined with oseltamivir and corticosteroid is likely responsible for lowering the viral loads, reducing the patient's cytokine level, and further improving her clinical outcomes. It provides evidence that adjuvant treatment was beneficial to patients with severe pneumonia induced by the pH1N1 virus.

Photocatalytic dehydrogenation of formic acid (FA), HCOOH→H2+CO2, is a promising strategy for hydrogen production. Although tremendous efforts have been made, developing efficient and robust system driven by visible light without noble metal still remains a huge challenge. Herein, we report for the first time the use of NiCoP nanoparticles anchored on CdS nanorods (NiCoP@CdS NRs) as a highly efficient and robust catalyst for photocatalytic FA dehydrogenation. NiCoP nanoparticles as cocatalyst can effectively separate the electron-hole pairs generated by CdS NRs. The H2 production rate of the NiCoP@CdS nanorods reached ~354 μmol mg−1 h−1 under visible light irradiation (λ > 420 nm) and the apparent quantum yield (AQY) was ~45.5 % at 420 nm which are among the best values ever reported in photocatalytic FA dehydrogenation systems. This work provides a prospective strategy for developing noble-metal-free photocatalytic FA dehydrogenation systems and hydrogen-based energy applications.

Photocatalytic dehydrogenation of formic acid is a promising strategy for H2 generation. In this work, we report the use of crystalline iron phosphide (FeP) nanoparticles as an efficient and robust cocatalyst on CdS nanorods (FeP@CdS) for highly efficient photocatalytic formic acid dehydrogenation. The optimal H2 evolution rate can reach ∼556 μmol·h-1 at pH 3.5, which is more than 37 times higher than that of bare CdS. Moreover, the photocatalyst demonstrates excellent stability; no significant decrease of the catalytic activity was observed during continuous testing for more than four days. The apparent quantum yield is ∼54% at 420 nm, which is among the highest values obtained using noble-metal-free photocatalysts for formic acid dehydrogenation. This work provides a novel strategy for designing highly efficient and economically viable photocatalysts for formic acid dehydrogenation.

The catalytic decomposition of formic acid to generate syngas (a mixture of H2 and CO) is a highly valuable strategy for energy conversion. Syngas can be used directly in internal combustion engines or can be converted to liquid fuels, meeting future energy challenges in a sustainable manner. Herein, we report the use of homogeneous molecular iron catalysts combined with a CdS nanorods (NRs) semiconductor to construct a highly efficient photocatalytic system for direct conversion of formic acid to syngas at room temperature and atmospheric pressure. Under optimal conditions, the photocatalytic system presents an activity of 150 mmol gcatalyst-1 h-1 towards H2 , and an apparent quantum yield (AQY) of 16.8 %, making it among the most active noble-metal-free photocatalytic systems for H2 evolution from formic acid under visible light. Meanwhile, these iron-based molecular catalysts also demonstrate remarkable enhancement in CO evolution with robust stability. The mechanistic role of the molecular catalyst is further investigated by using cyclic voltammetry, which suggests the formation of FeI species as the key step in the catalytic conversion of formic acid to syngas.

Electrochemical water splitting into hydrogen and oxygen is a promising strategy for future renewable energy conversion devices. The oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is considered as the bottleneck reaction in an overall water splitting system because it involves 4e− and 4H+ transfer processes. Currently, it is highly desirable to explore low-cost alternative catalysts for OER at ambient conditions. Herein, we report for the first time that nickel phosphide (Ni2P) nanosheets can be facilely grown on Fe foam (FF) as an efficient electrocatalyst for OER with excellent durability and catalytic activity under alkaline conditions. To reach a current density of 10 mA/cm2, the Ni2P-FF catalyst required a low overpotential of only 198 mV for OER. The catalyst's high OER activity and durability were well maintained at a high current density. The required overpotentials were only 267 and 313 mV to achieve the current densities of 100 and 300 mA/cm2, respectively. The combination of low-cost Fe foam with Ni2P provides a promising low-cost catalyst for large-scale application of electrocatalytic water splitting.

The catalytic decomposition of formic acid to generate syngas (a mixture of H

This paper presents a design scheme for the applicability of piezoelectric power generation device in road traffic environment, which overcomes the problem of limited application due to the existing technology inapplicability to the complicated and changeable road traffic environment. Then, the traffic environment applicability of the device is evaluated with respect to the traffic load, temperature and water. And the electrical output effects are tested under different loads. The results indicate that under the load of 2.86 times the standard traffic load, the overall deformation of the device is only 0.941 mm, and the device exhibits good compression stability. The maximum internal temperature change rate of the device under different ambient temperatures is 2.4 °C/h, which is far lower than the pavement. Furthermore, the weight of the device increases by only 2.1 g after 24 h of immersion in water, with no moisture inside the device. Therefore, the device has excellent applicability in the traffic environment. Finally, the voltage and power of the device under the 0.9 MPa – 5 Hz can reach 96 V and 43.264 mW, and the power density reaches 0.064 mW/cm3, which is much higher than existing devices. This work will promote the application of piezoelectric energy harvesting technology in road engineering.

The structure of piezoelectric energy harvester device has a significant impact on electromechanical conversion performance, and appropriate structural parameters are the important premise to ensure electromechanical conversion efficiency. In order to design the detailed structures which are more conducive to the electromechanical conversion in the d33 mode, and optimize or enhance the mechanical response of the piezoelectric energy harvesting unit, a finite element model was established to comprehensively analyze the influence of the detailed structures on the electromechanical response of the energy harvesting unit, based on the results, optimal detailed structural parameters are determined, and lateral mechanical environment of the energy harvesting unit is optimized. Finally, the stacked piezoelectric energy harvester device for road is made, and the rationality of optimization is verified by the MTS indoor comparative test. The results show that the protective pad with a fillet size of 3 mm, a thickness of 3 mm and an elastic modulus of 8000∼15000 MPa can effectively avoid edge stress concentration and obtain maximum top compressive stress for the energy harvesting unit, and also ensure durability and electrical output. Compared with the baseplate, the influence of the upper cover plate on electrical output is more significant, and the elastic modulus of the upper cover plate should be less than 2000 MPa, the thickness should be controlled within 8∼10 mm. The potential difference generated by the energy harvesting unit in lateral constraint environment is 40 % lower than that in no lateral constraint. Under load of 0.7 MPa-10 Hz, the terminal voltage of the optimization group is 2.2 times that of the control group, the average output power is 4.9 times, and the power density is 2.7 times, which shows the optimization rationality of detailed structures.

This paper presents a batch-processable cantilever piezoelectric device suitable for road traffic conditions, and the power it converts can provide a real-time safety warning for automobiles in hazardous areas. Based on road traffic characteristics, environment characteristics and construction convenience, a multilayer vertical butterfly array piezoelectric device with high sensitivity is designed. Furthermore, to verify the reliability of the device for the early warning in the laboratory stage, the power generation rules under different traffic conditions are studied systematically, and the applicable situations in different combinations of automobile types and speeds are clarified. Finally, the effects of instantaneous safety warning are verified, and the installation measure of device is determined. The results indicate that the power effect of the device first increases and then decreases with the increase in the speed (Corresponding to the vibration frequency generated by the axles of automobile). The power effect of a single device is optimal when simulating a light traffic conventional speed of 50–90 km/h (7–11 Hz), the maximum electrical output is 26 V-22.09 mW; while the power under heavy traffic is relatively poor, which is 20.8 V-7.84 mW. Moreover, the flashing effect of warning sign powered by a single device is better under the speeds, and the devices will be installed in front of the hidden section in piece-by-piece. The clean electric energy converted by the piezoelectric device will be helpful for real-time road safety early warning, reduce power loss for long-distance transmission of power grids, and promote the process of intelligent transportation applications.

Two new xanthones, 3-methoxy-1,4,8-trihydroxy-5-(1′,3′,4′-trihydroxybutan-2′-yl)-xanthone (1), 8-methoxy-1,3,4-trihydroxy-5-(1′,3′,4′-trihydroxybutan-2′-yl)-xanthone (2), and three known xanthones (3–5) were isolated from the fermentation products of a Phomopsis fungus. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, including extensive 1D and 2D NMR techniques. Compounds 1–5 were tested for their cytotoxicity against five human tumor cell lines (NB4, A549, SHSY5Y, PC3, and MCF7). Compound 1 showed cytotoxicity against A549 with IC50 values of 3.6 μM. Compound 2 showed cytotoxicity against SHSY5Y cells with IC50 value of 4.2 μM. The other compounds also showed potential cytotoxicity for some tested cell lines with IC50 values between 5.4–8.8 μM.

The present study investigates the effect of matrine on colon cancer cell viability and apoptosis and tumor growth in mice xenograft model. The results from MTT assay revealed a concentration and time dependent reduction in viability of HCT8 and HT29 colon cancer cells by matrine. The viability of HCT8 and HT29 cells was reduced to 24.67 and 29.32% on treatment with 4 µM/ml concentration of matrine after 48 h (P

Recent data indicate that the tight junction proteins are abnormally regulated in several human cancers and the expression of these proteins is involved in the etiology and progression of cancer. To explore the expression distinction of the tight junction proteins claudin-5, -7, -8 and -9 in the adjacent non-neoplastic tissues and cervical carcinoma tissues, 72 cervical carcinoma tissues and the samples of non-neoplastic tissues adjacent to the tumors were examined for expression of claudin-5, -7, -8 and -9 by streptavidin-perosidase immunohistochemical staining method. The positive expression rates of claudin-5 in cervical carcinoma tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues were 31.9% (23/72) and 51.4% (37/72) respectively (P < 0.05). The positive expression rates of claudin-7 in cervical carcinoma tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues were 47.2% and 50.0% respectively (P = 1.000). The positive expression rates of claudin-8 in cervical carcinoma tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues were 54.2 % and 27.8% respectively (P < 0.01). The positive expression rates of claudin-9 in cervical carcinoma tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues were 38.9% and 56.9% respectively (P < 0.05). Thus in our study, the expression of claudin-5 and claudin-9 was down-regulated while the expression of claudin-8 was up-regulated in cervical carcinoma tissues compared with adjacent non-neoplastic tissues. The expression of claudin-7 has no obviously difference between cervical carcinoma tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues. In addition, correlations between claudin-5, -8 and -9 expression with lymphatic metastasis were observed. Our study reveals that the expression of claudin-5, -8 and -9 altered between in cervical carcinoma tissues and adjacent non-neoplastic tissues.

In this study, composite [Formula: see text]-MnO2/activated carbon (AC) was prepared by chemical deposition method, and then it was assembled into electrode and electrochemical capacitor. Effects of reaction temperature and MnO2 content were studied. Materials were characterized by X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscope and electrochemical test. MnO2 prepared at 30[Formula: see text]C was amorphous, and it displayed the high specific capacitance as nearly four times as MnO2 at 80[Formula: see text]C. Due to MnO2 particles which would block carbon pores when its content was too high, the composite containing 30% of MnO2 exhibited the largest specific capacitance of 278.3[Formula: see text]F/g at 0.2[Formula: see text]A/g in K2SO4 electrolyte. The equivalent series resistance and charge transfer resistance of material were only 1.35[Formula: see text][Formula: see text] and 1.41[Formula: see text][Formula: see text], respectively. After 1000 cycles, the capacitance retention was still 91.6%. It indicated that chemical deposition was a facile, low cost and effective method to prepare MnO2/AC with good electrochemical performances.

Loquat (Eriobotrya japonica ) is a subtropical tree with commercially important fruit and with leaves that have medicinal uses against cough and asthma. Leaves contain significant amounts of phenols, flavonoids, triterpene acids, and polysaccharides. However, information of the triterpene acids and polysaccharides in leaves is limited. In this study, the contents of five major triterpene acids and total polysaccharides in the leaves of 11 species of Eriobotrya were determined using RP-HPLC and phenol-sulfuric acid method, respectively. Total concentration of triterpene acids varied from 8.38 to 22.35 mg g-1 DW. The concentration of triterpene acids was greater than 20 mg g-1 DW in E. bengalensis, E. prinoides and E. fragrans , and it was less than 10.0 mg g-1 DW in E. elliptica . Different drying temperature (40-80°C) of leaves did not affect the content of polysaccharides with highest content (80.8 mg g-1 DW) from E. prinoides . The contents of triterpene acid in six wild species and polysaccharides in 5 wild species were higher than that in cultivated loquat.

2 New xanthones (I) and (II) are isolated from the fermentation products of a Phomopsis fungus along with 4 known xanthones.