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Abstract The efficiency of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution is currently limited by poor light adsorption, rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers, and ineffective surface reaction rate. Although heterojunctions with innovative morphologies and structures can strengthen built‐in electric fields and maximize the separation of photogenerated charges. However, how to rational design of novel multidimensional structures to simultaneously improve the above three bottleneck problems is still a research imperative. Herein, a unique Cu2O─S@graphene oxide (GO)@Zn0.67Cd0.33S Three dimensional (3D) hollow heterostructure is designed and synthesized, which greatly extends the carrier lifetime and effectively promotes the separation of photogenerated charges. The H2 production rate reached 48.5 mmol g−1 h−1 under visible light after loading Ni2+ on the heterojunction surface, which is 97 times higher than that of pure Zn0.67Cd0.33S nanospheres. Furthermore, the H2 production rate can reach 77.3 mmol g−1 h−1 without cooling, verifying the effectiveness of the photothermal effect. Meanwhile, in situ characterization and density flooding theory calculations reveal the efficient charge transfer at the p‐n 3D hollow heterojunction interface. This study not only reveals the detailed mechanism of photocatalytic hydrogen evolution in depth but also rationalizes the construction of superior 3D hollow heterojunctions, thus providing a universal strategy for the materials‐by‐design of high‐performance heterojunctions.

Self-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) ultraviolet photodetectors (UVPDs) are promising for next-generation energy-saving and highly integrated optoelectronic systems. Constructing a heterojunction is an effective strategy to increase the photodetection performance of PEC UVPDs because it can promote the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. However, both crystal defects and lattice mismatch lead to deteriorated device performance. Here, we introduce a structural regulation strategy to prepare TiO2 anatase-rutile heterophase homojunctions (A-R HHs) with oxygen vacancies (OVs) photoanodes through an in situ topological transformation of titanium metal–organic framework (Ti-MOF) by pyrolysis treatment. The cooperative interaction between A-R HHs and OVs suppresses carrier recombination and accelerates carrier transport, thereby significantly enhancing the photodetection performance of PEC UVPDs. The obtained device realizes a high on/off ratio of 10,752, a remarkable responsivity of 24.15 mA W−1, an impressive detectivity of 3.28 × 1011 Jones, and excellent cycling stability. More importantly, under 365 nm light illumination, a high-resolution image of “HUST” (the abbreviation of Harbin University of Science and Technology) was obtained perfectly, confirming the excellent optical imaging capability of the device. This research not only presents an advanced methodology for constructing TiO2-based PEC UVPDs, but also provides strategic guidance for enhancing their performance and practical applications.

Abstract Background Familial hypercholesterolemia (FH) is underrecognized, and its association with coronary artery disease (CAD) remains limited, especially in China. We aimed to investigate the prevalence of FH and its relationship with CAD in a large Chinese cohort. Methods FH was defined using the Make Early Diagnosis to Prevent Early Death (MEDPED) criteria. The crude and age‐sex standardized prevalence of FH were calculated based on surveys of the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China (China‐PAR) project during 2007−2008. The associations of FH with incident CAD and its major subtypes were estimated with the cohort‐stratified multivariate Cox proportional hazard models based on the data from the baseline to the last follow‐up (2018−2020). Results Among 98,885 included participants, 190 participants were defined as FH. Crude and age−sex standardized prevalence and 95% confidence interval (CI) of FH were 0.19% (0.17%–0.22%) and 0.13% (0.10%–0.16%), respectively. The prevalence varied across age groups and peaked in the group of 60–

Abstract Background The effect of long‐standing prediabetes or its transition on incident cardiovascular disease (CVD) is unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the association of changes in fasting blood glucose (FBG) status with the risk of developing CVD. Methods This research included 12 145 Chinese adults aged 35–74 years and free from diabetes mellitus (DM) at baseline. Study participants were cross‐classified into six categories according to glucose at the first (1998–2001) and the second visit after 8 years: normal fasting glucose (NFG; 50–99 mg/dl), impaired FBG (IFG; 100–125 mg/dl), and DM. Cox proportional hazard regression model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) for CVD associated with transition of glucose status. Results During a median follow‐up of 5.5 years, 373 incident CVD cases occurred. Compared with participants remaining persistent NFG, a higher risk of developing CVD was identified among those remaining persistent IFG, progressing to DM from NFG or from IFG, with the multivariate‐adjusted HR (95% CI) of 1.792 (1.141, 2.816), 1.723 (1.122, 2.645) and 1.946 (1.120, 3.381), respectively. Furthermore, when stratified by glucose status at baseline, persistent IFG and progression from IFG to DM still increased CVD risk in comparison with reversion from IFG to NFG, with the multivariate‐adjusted HR (95% CI) of 1.594 (1.003, 2.532) and 1.913 (1.080, 3.389). Conclusions Participants with long‐standing IFG and progressing to DM had a higher risk of developing CVD. Further well‐designed studies are warranted to assess the association of other phenotypes or prediabetes duration with CVD.

Over-consumption of limited fossil fuels has caused serious environmental pollution and a global energy crisis, threatening human life and biodiversity. As an ideal, environmentally friendly renewable energy, hydrogen can satisfy human clean energy requirements. Therefore, whether hydrogen can be catalytically generated in the wastewater treatment process is a highly meaningful investigation. Herein, Bi2Te3/Te/C heterojunction nanowires with high specific surface area and rich pore structure were successfully synthesized. The efficient catalytic degradation process is accompanied by the generation of hydrogen. The catalytic degradation of methylene blue and methyl orange was achieved in less than 20 s and 150 s, respectively. Meanwhile, in scaled-up degradation/hydrogen production experiments, fast and efficient H2 production from NaBH4 can be realized in the presence of Bi2Te3/Te/C nanowires. The mechanism of efficient synergistic organic dye degradation and hydrogen production is due to the efficient carrier transfers and accumulation at the hetero-interface. In contrast to previous work, rapid degradation of organic dyes and hydrogen production by decomposition of NaBH4 were achieved without the help of high-cost catalysts such as precious metals. This work could provide an alternative pathway for the future degradation of organic matter in synergistic heterogeneous catalytic wastewater and recovery of by-products including hydrogen.

Abstract Background High sodium intake has been linked to the prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), but underlying mechanism remains unclear. This study aims to explore the role of chronic inflammation in the association between sodium and NAFLD. We also observed whether β-carotene, which had a strong anti-inflammatory effect, lowers the odds of NAFLD. Methods We performed mediation analyses to assess the mediating effects of C-reactive protein (CRP) and red cell distribution width (RDW) on the relationship between dietary sodium and NAFLD defined by the hepatic steatosis index (HSI) and the fatty liver index (FLI), respectively. Results A total of 6725 participants were included in this study. Compared with the high sodium-low carotene group, participants in the high sodium-high carotene group had 16% and 26% lower odds for HSI and FLI-defined NAFLD, respectively. There were positive indirect effects of dietary sodium intake on the HSI-defined NAFLD (indirect effect: 0.0057, 95% CI: 0.0021–0.0091, P

Abstract The relationship between exposure to household air pollution (HAP) from solid fuel use and cognition remains poorly understood. Among 401 older adults in peri-urban northern China enrolled in the INTERMAP-China Prospective Study, we estimated the associations between exposure to HAP and z-standardized domain-specific and overall cognitive scores from the Montreal Cognitive Assessment. Interquartile range increases in exposures to fine particulate matter (53.2-µg/m3) and black carbon (0.9-µg/m3) were linearly associated with lower overall cognition [− 0.13 (95% confidence interval: − 0.22, − 0.04) and − 0.10 (− 0.19, − 0.01), respectively]. Using solid fuel indoors and greater intensity of its use were also associated with lower overall cognition (range of point estimates: − 0.13 to − 0.03), though confidence intervals included zero. Among individual cognitive domains, attention had the largest associations with most exposure measures. Our findings indicate that exposure to HAP may be a dose-dependent risk factor for cognitive impairment. As exposure to HAP remains pervasive in China and worldwide, reducing exposure through the promotion of less-polluting stoves and fuels may be a population-wide intervention strategy to lessen the burden of cognitive impairment.

Background: Although both environmental and genetic factors were linked to coronary artery disease (CAD), the extent to which the association of air pollution exposure with CAD can be influenced by genetic risk was not well understood. Methods: A total of 41,149 participants recruited from the project of Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China (China-PAR) were included. Genetic risk scores of CAD were constructed based on 540 genetic variants. Long-term PM2.5 exposures were assessed by adopting satellite-based PM2.5 estimations at 1-km resolution. We used stratified Cox proportional hazards regression model to examine the impact of PM2.5 exposure and genetic risk on CAD risk, and further analyzed modification effect of genetic predisposition on association between PM2.5 exposure and CAD risk. Results: During a median of 13.01 years of follow-up, 1,373 incident CAD events were observed. Long-term PM2.5 exposure significantly increased CAD risk, and the hazard ratios (HRs) [95% confidence intervals (CIs)] were 1.27 (1.05–1.54) and 1.95 (1.57–2.42) among intermediate and high PM2.5 exposure groups compared to low PM2.5 exposure group. The relative risks of CAD were 40% (HR: 1.40, 95%CI: 1.18–1.66) and 133% (HR: 2.33, 95%CI: 1.94–2.79) higher among individuals at intermediate and high genetic risk than those at low genetic risk. Compared with individuals with both low genetic risk and low PM2.5 exposure, those with high genetic risk and high PM2.5 exposure had highest CAD risk, with HR of 4.37 (95%CI: 3.13–6.11). We observed significant multiplicative (P

Background: Inconsistent results have been reported in developed countries for relationships between sedentary behavior and cancer incidence and mortality, and evidence from the Chinese population is scarce. This study aimed to investigate such relationships in large Chinese population-based prospective cohorts and to explore the joint effect and interaction of sedentary behavior and moderate-to-vigorous physical activity (MVPA) on these relationships. Methods: We included 95,319 Chinese adults without cancer from 3 large cohorts and assessed their sedentary behavior and physical activity with a unified questionnaire. Cancer incidence and mortality were confirmed by interviewing participants or their proxies and checking hospital records and death certificates. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (95%CIs) for cancer and mortality were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Results: During 559,002 person-years of follow-up, 2388 cancer events, 1571 cancer deaths, and 4562 all-cause deaths were recorded. Sedentary behavior was associated with increased risk of developing cancer and deaths in a dose–response manner. The multivariable-adjusted HRs (95%CIs) were the following: HR = 1.16, 95%CI: 1.01‒1.33; HR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.04‒1.48; and HR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.04‒1.28 for cancer incidence, cancer mortality, and all-cause mortality, respectively, for those having ≥10 h/day of sedentary time compared with those having

Semantic segmentation of remote-sensing imagery strives to assign a pixel-wise semantic label. Since encoder-decoder networks have demonstrated tremendous success in natural image semantic segmentation, the adoption and extension of this kind of method are transferring such superior performance for the problems in remote-sensing. Facing the high-altitude angle of imaging and complex and diverse ground objects of remote-sensing data, it is necessary to strengthen the features’ distinguishability by enhancing the network’s capability. Nevertheless, the existing methods suffer from the structural stereotype, leveraging the short-range and long-range contextual information insufficiently. Attempting to address the problems mentioned above, a hierarchical self-attention embedded neural network with dense connection for remote sensing image semantic segmentation (HSDCN) is proposed. In the encoder stage, multiple self-attention modules (SAM) are embedded to model pixel-wise and channel-wise relationships at various scales hierarchically, making the representations more refined and discriminative. Then the dense connections are used to fuse the heterogeneous features. Thus, the network could produce logical and reasonable clues for labeling pixels. The extensive experiments are conducted on ISPRS Vaihingen and Potsdam benchmarks. And the results reveal significant improvements in comparison with other state-of-the-art methods.

ObjectivesThis study aims to explore the associations between serum and red blood cell (RBC) folate as indicators of short- and long-term folate status, respectively, and all-cause as well as CVD mortality among hypertensive patients with elevated homocysteine.MethodsA prospective cohort study of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (1999–2006) and 2015 Linked Mortality File was performed. All-cause and CVD mortality risk estimated using Cox proportional hazards models with adjusting for multiple potential covariates.ResultsA total of 1,753 hypertensive patients with elevated homocysteine [mean (SD) age, 68.5 (13.1)] were included in the analysis. During a median follow-up of 10.0 years, a total of 899 all-cause and 257 CVD deaths occurred. Compared the highest with the lowest quartile of RBC folate, the multivariable adjusted hazard ratios and 95% confidence intervals for all-cause and CVD death were 1.13 (0.92–1.39) and 1.47 (1.01–2.16) respectively. There was a significant and positive trend between RBC folate and the risk of CVD death (p for trend = 0.0196). No significant association was found between serum folate and mortality risk among the study sample.ConclusionsHigh level of RBC folate is associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality among hypertensive patients with elevated homocysteine while serum folate has no such effects.

Background: Active commuting as a contributor to daily physical activity is beneficial for cardiovascular health, but leads to more chances of exposure to ambient air pollution. This study aimed to investigate associations between active commuting to work with cardiovascular disease (CVD), mortality and life expectancy among general Chinese adults, and to further evaluate the modification effect of fine particulate matter (PM2.5) exposure on these associations. Methods: We included 76,176 Chinese adults without CVD from three large cohorts of the Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China project. Information about commuting mode and physical activity were collected by unified questionnaire. Satellite-based PM2.5 concentrations at 1-km spatial resolution was used for estimating PM2.5 exposure of participants. Hazard ratios (HRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) for CVD incidence, mortality and all-cause mortality were estimated using Cox proportional hazards regression models. Multiplicative interaction term of commuting mode and PM2.5 level was tested to investigate potential effect modification. Results: During 448,499 person-years of follow-up, 2230 CVD events and 2777 all-cause deaths were recorded. Compared with the non-active commuters, the multivariable-adjusted HRs (95% CIs) of CVD incidence and all-cause mortality were 0.95(0.85–1.05) and 0.79(0.72–0.87) for walking commuters, respectively. Corresponding HRs (95% CIs) for cycling commuters were 0.71(0.62–0.82) and 0.67(0.59–0.76). Active commuters over 45 years old were estimated to have more CVD-free years and life expectancy than non-active commuters under lower PM2.5 concentration. However, these beneficial effects of active commuting were alleviated or counteracted by long-term exposure to high PM2.5 concentration. Significant multiplicative interaction of commuting mode and PM2.5 level was showed in all-cause mortality, with the lowest risk observed in cycling participants exposed to lower level of PM2.5. Conclusions: Active commuting was associated with lower risk of CVD, all-cause mortality, and longer life expectancy among Chinese adults under ambient settings with lower PM2.5 level. It will be valuable to encourage active commuting among adults and develop stringent strategies on ambient PM2.5 pollution control for prevention of CVD and prolongation of life expectancy.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the association between fruit intake and stroke risk considering the genetic predisposition. We used data from 34,871 participants from the project of Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China (China-PAR project) from 2007 to 2020. A polygenic risk score comprising 534 genetic variants associated with stroke and its related factors was constructed to categorize individuals into low, intermediate, and high genetic risk groups. The associations of genetic and fruit intake with incident stroke were assessed by the Cox proportional hazard regression. We documented 2586 incident strokes during a median follow-up of 11.2 years. Compared with fruit intake < 200 g/week, similar relative risk reductions in stroke with adherence to fruit intake > 100 g/day across the genetic risk categories were observed (28–32%), but the absolute risk reductions were relatively larger in the highest genetic risk group (p for trend = 0.03). In comparison to those with a fruit intake < 200 g/week, those with a fruit intake >100 g/day in the low, intermediate, and high genetic risk groups had an average of 1.45 (95% CI, 0.61–2.31), 2.12 (1.63–2.59), and 2.19 (1.13–3.22) additional stroke-free years at aged 35, respectively. Our findings suggest that individuals with a high genetic risk could gain more absolute risk reductions and stroke-free years than those with a low genetic risk from increasing fruit intake for the stroke primary prevention.

Background: Diabetes caused substantial economic and health burden worldwide. However, the associations between air pollution and diabetes incidence were rarely reported in the developing countries, especially in China with relatively high PM2.5 concentrations. Objectives: A cohort-based study was conducted to assess the diabetes incidence associated with long-term exposure to ambient PM2.5. Methods: We collected individual health data and risk factors from the project of Prediction for Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Disease Risk in China (China-PAR Project) from 15 provinces over China. Diabetes was defined as fasting glucose levels ≥7.0 mmol/L at the follow-ups and/or the use of insulin or oral hypoglycemic agents and/or diagnosed medical history of diabetes during 2004 to 2015. Individual-level PM2.5 exposures were estimated from satellite-based PM2.5 concentrations (10 km spatial resolution) during the study period. Cox proportional hazards models with random intercepts of each cohort and region were employed to estimate the diabetes incidence attributable to PM2.5, after the adjustment for age, gender, body mass index, smoking status, education, work-related physical activity level, hypertension, urbanicity, county-level averaged years of education, and long-term levels of temperature and relative humidity. Results: A total of 88,397 subjects were analyzed with 580,928 person-years of follow-up after 2004, among which 6439 new cases of diabetes were observed. The mean age of the subjects was 51.7 years at baseline. For an increase of 10 μg/m3 in long-term PM2.5 exposure, the multivariable-adjusted percent increase in the diabetes incidence was estimated to be 15.66% (95% confidence interval: 6.42%, 25.70%). The adverse effects of PM2.5 were larger among females, rural subjects, non-smokers, normotensives, subjects younger than 65 years and subjects with body mass index

In this paper, we designed and synthesized a novel phenylazo-based fluorescent probe (RHN) for the sensing and imaging of hypochlorous acid (HClO) in mitochondria in living cells. In this process, HClO promoted the oxidation of the phenylazo group to generate a free Rhodol fluorophore moiety, which in turn restored strong fluorescence and realized the detection of HClO. As expected, RHN exhibited high selectivity, high sensitivity and rapid response, with detection limits as low as 22 nM (1.155 ng/mL). Importantly, the results of the cell imaging experiments indicated that RHN has the ability to image and sense HClO in mitochondria, which is of great significance for exploration of the specific role of HClO in both the immune system and diseases.

Background: It is known that home blood pressure (HBP) is a more reliable assessment of hypertension treatments than clinical blood pressure (BP). Despite this, HBP response to a salt substitute has only been evaluated by one study which, did not look at the salt substitute’s effect on family members and did not analyze by age, gender, or BP degree. The aim of this current study was to assess the effects of a low-sodium and high-potassium salt substitute on HBP among hypertensive patients and their family members. Methods: A total of 220 households (including 220 hypertensive patients and 380 their families) were randomly assigned to the regular salt or salt substitute groups. HBP was measured at the beginning, 3rd, 6th, and 12th months. Among the patients (n = 220), only home systolic blood pressure (HSBP) was significantly reduced, by an adjusted baseline BP of 4.2 mm Hg (95% CI: 1.3–7.0 mm Hg), in the salt substitute group compared with those in the regular salt group at each visit (all P < 0.05). There were no detectable differences between groups for home diastolic blood pressure (HDBP) at any visit. Among the family members, HSBP and HDBP were not significantly different between the groups. Furthermore, Individuals ≥60 years old, hypertensive patients with stage-2 hypertension, family members with hypertension, and women experienced greater HSBP reduction. Conclusions: Older subjects, those with higher blood pressure, and women experienced greater home blood pressure reduction from the salt substitute compared to regular salt.

Exposure to air pollution is a leading health risk factor. The variance components and contributions of indoor versus outdoor source determinants of personal exposure to air pollution are poorly understood, especially in settings of household solid fuel use. We conducted a panel study with up to 4 days of repeated measures of integrated gravimetric personal exposure to PM2.5 and black carbon in 787 men and women (ages 40–79) living in peri-urban villages in northern (Beijing and Shanxi) and southern (Guangxi) China. We simultaneously measured outdoor PM2.5 and collected questionnaire data on sociodemographic characteristics and indoor pollution sources including tobacco smoking and solid fuel stove use. We obtained over 2000 days of personal exposure monitoring which showed higher exposures in the heating season (geometric mean (GM): 108 versus 65 μg/m3 in the non-heating season for PM2.5) and among northern participants (GM: 90 versus 59 μg/m3 in southern China in the non-heating season for PM2.5). We used mixed-effects models to estimate within- and between-participant variance components and to assess the determinants of exposures. Within-participant variance in exposure dominated the total variability (68–95%). Outdoor PM2.5 was the dominant variable for explaining within-participant variance in exposure to PM2.5 (16%). Household fuel use (PM2.5: 8%; black carbon: 10%) and smoking status (PM2.5: 27%; black carbon: 5%) explained the most between-participant variance. Indoor sources (solid fuel stoves, tobacco smoking) were associated with 13–30% higher exposures to air pollution and each 10 μg/m3 increase in outdoor PM2.5 was associated with 6–8% higher exposure. Our findings indicate that repeated measurements of daily exposure are likely needed to capture longer-term exposures in settings of household solid fuel use, even within a single season, and that reducing air pollution from both outdoor and indoor sources is likely needed to achieve measurable reductions in exposures to air pollution.

Background: The concentration-response relationship between mortality and long-term exposure to fine particulate matter (PM2.5) has not been fully elucidated, especially at high levels of PM2.5 concentrations. Objective: We aimed to evaluate chronic effects of ambient PM2.5 exposure on deaths among Chinese adults in high-exposure settings. Methods: Participants of the Prediction for Atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease Risk in China (China-PAR) project were included from four prospective cohorts among Chinese adults aged ≥18 years old. The overall follow-up rate of the four cohorts was 93.4% until the recent follow-up survey that ended in 2015. The average of satellite-based PM2.5 concentrations during 2000–2015 at 1-km spatial resolution was assigned to each participant according to individual residence addresses. Based on the pooled analysis of individual data from the four cohorts, a Cox proportional hazards model was used to estimate the hazard ratio (HR) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (95% CIs) for the association of PM2.5 exposure with mortality after multivariate adjustment. Results: A total of 116,821 participants were eligible in the final analysis. During a mean of 7.7 years of follow-up, 6,395 non-accidental deaths and 2,507 cardio-metabolic deaths occurred. The mean of PM2.5 concentration was 64.9 μg/m3 ranging from 31.2 μg/m3 to 97.0 μg/m3. For each 10 μg/m3 increment in PM2.5, the HR was 1.11 (95% CI: 1.08–1.14) for non-accidental mortality and 1.22 (95% CI: 1.16–1.27) for cardio-metabolic mortality. In addition, a weak exponential curve for the concentration-response association between mortality and PM2.5 was observed among Chinese adults. Conclusions: Our study provided important evidence of the long-term effects of PM2.5 exposure on deaths among Chinese adults. The findings expand our knowledge on concentration-response relationship in high-exposure environments, which is essential to address the urgent challenge of reducing the disease burden attributable to PM2.5 exposure in rapidly industrializing countries such as China. Keywords: Satellite-based PM2.5, Long-term exposure, Cohort study, Mortality, Concentration-response relationship

Circularly polarized light (CPL) detection and polarization state recognition are required for a wide range of applications. Conventional polarization detection with optical components causes difficulties for miniaturization and integration. An effective design strategy is proposed for direct CPL detection with chiral material. Here, we realized direct CPL detection based on the combination of chiral photonic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) and ultraviolet-sensitive ZnO photoconductive material. The CNC layer deposited by evaporation-induced self-assembly established the left-handed chiral nematic structure with a photonic bandgap (PBG) to recognize left-handed CPL (LCPL) and right-handed CPL (RCPL) at specific wavelengths. The PBG of CNC layer has been modulated by the adjustment of chiral nematic pitch to match the semiconductor bandgap of ZnO film in ultraviolet region. The photocurrents under RCPL and LCPL are 2.23 × 10−6 A and 1.77 × 10−6 A respectively and the anisotropy factor Δgpc of 0.23 is acquired for the CPL detection based on the chiral photonic CNC. This design provides a new approach to the detection of CPL polarization state with competitive performance.

The investigation of photodetectors with broadband response and high responsivity is essential. Zinc Oxide (ZnO) nanowire has the potential of application in photodetectors, owing to the great optoelectrical property and good stability in the atmosphere. However, due to a large number of nonradiative centers at interface and the capture of surface state electrons, the photocurrent of ZnO based photodetectors is still low. In this work, 2D Bi2Se3/ZnO NWAs heterojunction with type-I band alignment is established. This heterojunction device shows not only an enhanced photoresponsivity of 0.15 A/W at 377 nm three times of the bare ZnO nanowire (0.046 A/W), but also a broadband photoresponse from UV to near infrared region has been achieved. These results indicate that the Bi2Se3/ZnO NWAs type-I heterojunction is an ideal photodetector in broadband detection.

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Photocatalytic water splitting into hydrogen is regarded as one of the key solutions to the deterioration of the global environment and energy. Due to the significantly reduced grain boundaries, ZnO nanorods facilitate a fast electron transfer through their smooth tunnels and are well suited as a photocatalyst. However, the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance of pristine ZnO nanorods is still low due to the high recombination rate of photogenerated electron-hole pairs and the less light absorption. Here, a novel structure about black ZnO nanorods (NRs)/TiO2-X mesoporous spheres (MSs) heterojunction has been prepared and the photocatalytic hydrogen evolution performance has been explored. The photocatalytic activity test results showed that ZnO NRs/TiO2-X MSs exhibited higher catalytic activity than ZnO NRs for hydrogen production. Compared to the pure ZnO NRs photoanode, the photocurrent of ZnO NRs/TiO2-X MSs heterojunction photoanode could reach 0.41 mA/cm2 in view of the expanding spectral response region and effective inhibition of e−/h+ recombination at the same condition. Using a relatively integrated experimental investigation and mechanism analysis, we scrutinized that after being treated with NaBH4, TiO2 MSs introduce oxygen vacancies expanding the photocatalytic activity of pure TiO2, and improving conductivity and charge transport capabilities through coating on ZnO NRs. More importantly, the results provide a promising approach in the NRs/MSs composite structure serving as photoanodes for photocatalytic hydrogen production.

In this work, MoS2 microspheres/PtCo-alloy nanoparticles (MoS2/PtCo-alloy NPs) were composited via a novel and facile process which MoS2 is functionalized by poly (N-vinyl-2-pyrrolidone) (PVP) and self-assembled with PtCo-alloy NPs. This new composite shows excellent electrocatalytic activity and great potential for dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) as a counter electrode (CE) material. Benefiting from heterostructure and synergistic effects, the MoS2/PtCo-alloy NPs exhibit high electrocatalytic activity, low charge-transfer resistance and stability in the cyclic voltammetry (CV) and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) test. Meanwhile, a high power-conversion efficiency (PCE) of 8.46% is achieved in DSSCs with MoS2/PtCo-alloy NP CEs, which are comparable to traditional Pt CEs (8.45%). This novel composite provides a new high-performance, stable and cheap choice for CEs in DSSCs.

Due to their high performance, photoelectrochemical ultraviolet (UV) photodetectors have attracted much attention, but the recombination of photogenerated electrons at the interface of photoanode/electrolyte limited further improvement of photoelectrochemical UV photodetectors (PEC UVPDs). Modification of TiO2 photoanode by SrTiO3 could improve the performance of UVPD, because the energy barrier that is established at the TiO2–SrTiO3 interface could accelerate the separation of the photogenerated electrons-holes pair. However, the recombination center that is caused by the preparation of TiO2@SrTiO3 core-shell heterostructured nanostructure decreases the performance of PEC UVPDs, which is still an important problem that hindered its application in PEC UVPDs. In this paper, we presented a Sr-doped free TiO2@SrTiO3 core-shell heterostructured nanowire arrays as a photoanode for the self-powered PEC UVPD. This will not only accelerate the separation of the photogenerated electrons-holes pair, but it will also reduce the recombination of photogenerated electron-hole pairs in the photoanode. The intrinsic effect of SrTiO3 reaction time on the J variations of UVPDs is investigated in detail. An impressive responsivity of 0.358 A·W−1 was achieved at 360 nm for the UVPD based on TiO2@SrTiO3 core-shell heterostructured nanowire arrays, which heretofore is a considerably high photoresponsivity for self-powered photoelectrochemical UVPDs. Additionally, this UVPD also exhibits a high on/off ratio, fast response time, excellent visible-blind characteristic, and linear optical signal response.

The dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC) is one candidate among the third-generation solar cells. The performance of most DSSCs based on TiO2 photoanode was limited by the low electron mobility within TiO2. To produce a much higher power conversion efficiency, Sn-doped TiO2 nanowire arrays were successfully prepared using a simple hydrothermal process. It was found that Sn doping augments electron mobility well and raises the flat band potential to improve the performance of DSSCs. The power conversion efficiency (η) of a DSSC based on the reasonable Sn-doped TiO2, N719 dye, platinized counter electrode and iodide/triiodide electrolyte reaches 8.75%. Furthermore, with an anatase TiO2 light scattering layer, a DSSC based on the Sn-doped TiO2 NWAs exhibits a remarkable power conversion efficiency of 9.43%, which is especially useful in weak light conditions.

Through introducing three sizes of holes in cladding, highly birefringent two-mode photonic crystal fibers (PCFs) are proposed. The full-vector finite-element method (FEM) is applied in the calculation of the transverse electric field vector distributions of the two modes, their effective indices, modal birefringence, chromatic dispersion, and confinement losses. The defect holes near the core region are deliberately designed to obtain high birefringence. Furthermore, the structural parameters are carefully selected to flatten chromatic dispersion curve and reduce confinement losses.

A new wide band gap polymer PIDT-AQx with indacenodithiophene (IDT) as the electron-rich unit and acenaphthoquinoxaline (AQx) as the electron-deficient unit has been designed and synthesized. The optical band gap of PIDT-AQx was 1.81 eV with a HOMO energy level of −5.13 eV. Polymer solar cells with the blend of PIDT-AQx/PC71BM as the active layer achieved a power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 4.56%, with an open-circuit voltage (Voc) of 0.84 V, a current density (Jsc) of 9.88 mA cm−2, and a fill factor (FF) of 55% without any solvent additives and pre- or post-treatments. The photovoltaic performance of PIDT-AQx could be slightly improved with a PCE up to 4.78% after thermal annealing due to enhanced Jsc. The results indicate that acenaphthoquinoxaline is a promising building block for developing conjugated polymers for efficient solar cells application.

Background and purposeAnti-inflammatory cytokine and its genetic variations may play an important role in the process of atherosclerosis. We assessed whether serum interleukin-10 (IL-10) and its genetic variations are associated with ischemic stroke in a Chinese general population.MethodsAn epidemiological survey on cardiovascular diseases and their risk factors was carried in a general population in Beijing in 2005. Serum IL-10, IL-6, p-selectin, soluble intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and C-reactive protein were analyzed using ELISA kits, while three IL-10 Single Nucleotide Polymorphisms (SNP) (rs1800872, rs1554286 and rs3021094) were genotyped in 1475 participants.ResultsA high serum IL-10 (top tertile) was significantly associated with ischemic stroke (multivariable adjusted odds ratio (OR) =0.50; 95%CI 0.31-0.81). Rs1800872 (AA vs. AC+CC genotype, OR=1.60; 1.06-2.39), rs1554286(TT vs. CT+CC genotype, OR=1.59; 1.06-2.39), and rs3021094 (CC/CA vs. AA genotype, OR=1.64; 1.04-2.60) were all significantly associated with ischemic stroke even after controlling for age, sex, smoking, systolic blood pressure, total cholesterol, glucose, body mass index and serum IL-10. The SNP score (a summary index of these SNPs) and IL-10 (top tertile) together significantly improved the discriminative power in predicting ischemic stroke by 3.3% (95%CI: 0.2-6.4, p=0.0398) compared to predictions based on conventional risk factors alone.ConclusionsThe lower serum IL-10 concentration and its selected genetic variations were significantly associated with an increased likelihood of ischemic stroke in this cross-sectional study. Our results suggest that more prospective studies should be conducted to provide stronger evidence justifying the use of IL-10 and its SNPs as new biomarkers to identify a predisposition towards ischemic stroke.

Self-powered photoelectrochemical (PEC) ultraviolet photodetectors (UVPDs) are promising for next-generation energy-saving and highly integrated optoelectronic systems. Constructing a heterojunction is an effective strategy to increase the photodetection performance of PEC UVPDs because it can promote the separation and transfer of photogenerated carriers. However, both crystal defects and lattice mismatch lead to deteriorated device performance. Here, we introduce a structural regulation strategy to prepare TiO2 anatase-rutile heterophase homojunctions (A-R HHs) with oxygen vacancies (OVs) photoanodes through an in situ topological transformation of titanium metal–organic framework (Ti-MOF) by pyrolysis treatment. The cooperative interaction between A-R HHs and OVs suppresses carrier recombination and accelerates carrier transport, thereby significantly enhancing the photodetection performance of PEC UVPDs. The obtained device realizes a high on/off ratio of 10,752, a remarkable responsivity of 24.15 mA W−1, an impressive detectivity of 3.28 × 1011 Jones, and excellent cycling stability. More importantly, under 365 nm light illumination, a high-resolution image of “HUST” (the abbreviation of Harbin University of Science and Technology) was obtained perfectly, confirming the excellent optical imaging capability of the device. This research not only presents an advanced methodology for constructing TiO2 -based PEC UVPDs, but also provides strategic guidance for enhancing their performance and practical applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background Plant-based diets are associated with a lower risk of cardiovascular diseases; however, little is known how the healthiness of the diet may be associated with blood pressure (BP). We aimed to modify three plant -based diet indices: overall plant-based diet index (PDI), healthy PDI (hPDI), and unhealthy PDI (uPDI) according to country-specific dietary guidelines to enable use across populations with diverse dietary patterns – and assessed their associations with BP.Design We used cross-sectional data including 4,680 men and women ages 40–59y in Japan, China, the United Kingdom, and the United States from the INTERnational study on MAcro/micronutrients and blood Pressure (INTERMAP). During four visits, eight BP measurements, and four 24-h dietary recalls were collected. Multivariable regression coefficients were estimated, pooled, weighted, and adjusted extensively for lifestyle/dietary confounders.Results Modified PDI was not associated with BP. Consumption of hPDI higher by 1SD was inversely associated with systolic (-0.82 mm Hg;95% CI:-1.32,-0.49) and diastolic BP (-0.49 mm Hg; 95% CI:-0.91, -0.28). In contrast, consumption of an uPDI was directly associated with systolic (0.77 mm Hg;95% CI:0.30,1.20). Significant associations between hPDI with BP were attenuated with separate adjustment for vegetables and whole grains; associations between uPDI and BP were attenuated after adjustment for refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, and meat.Conclusion An hPDI is associated with lower BP while a uPDI is adversely related to BP. Plant-based diets rich in vegetables and whole grains and limited in refined grains, sugar-sweetened beverages, and total meat may contribute to these associations. In addition to current guidelines, the nutritional quality of consumed plant foods is as important as limiting animal-based components.Trial registration number The observational INTERMAP study was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as NCT00005271.