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Background: Postpartum depression (PPD) is a prevalent psychiatric disorder during the postnatal period, and it exerts adverse impacts not only on mothers but also on infants, impairing the well‐being of the whole family. However, the role of peptides in the breast milk of mothers with PPD has not been studied. The purpose of this study was to unveil the peptidomic profile of PPD from breast milk samples. Methods: We performed comparative peptidomic profiling of human breast milk from PPD and control mothers using liquid chromatography–tandem mass spectrometry technology with iTRAQ‐8 labelling. GO and KEGG pathway analyses of precursor proteins were used to predict the underlying biological functions of differentially expressed peptides (DEPs). Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA) was further performed to explore the interactions and involved pathways of DEPs. Results: A total of 294 peptides from 62 precursor proteins were identified to be differentially expressed in the breast milk of PPD mothers compared with the control group. Bioinformatics analysis predicted that these DEPs were associated with ECM–receptor interaction, neuroactive ligand‐receptor interaction, cell adhesion molecule binding and oxidative stress in macrophages. These results indicate that DEPs from human breast milk may play a part in PPD and become promising noninvasive biomarkers. Peptides from human breast milk were expected to be noninvasive biomarkers for postpartum depression. Bioinformatics analysis of differentially expressed peptides found that the pathogenesis of postpartum depression was closely related to ECM remodelling and macrophage‐mediated inflammation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) is a serious opportunistic infection mainly diagnosed in patients with rheumatic conditions. However, PJP in anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5-positive dermatomyositis (MDA5 + DM) patients remains poorly understood. We aimed to investigate the 6-month PJP risk in newly diagnosed MDA5 + DM patients. Methods: A retrospective observational study of 105 inpatients with newly diagnosed MDA5 + DM was conducted at Renji Hospital from January 2018 to November 2019. Demographic information, clinical characteristics, and treatment data were recorded. The primary outcome was PJP incidence within 6 months after a MDA5 + DM diagnosis. Results: The analysis included 105 patients, including 13 patients diagnosed with PJP during the observation period. The median time from the MDA5 + DM diagnosis to PJP was 89 ± 38 days. Compared with the PJP − patients, the PJP + patients had a significantly greater risk of mortality (69.2% vs. 13.0% P < 0.001). Regarding the baseline comorbidities, hypertension (P = 0.013) and cancer (P = 0.02) were more common in the PJP + group. Additionally, a larger proportion of the PJP + patients received prolonged high-dose steroid therapy (≥ 60 mg/day and ≥ 1 month) (P = 0.022) and double or triple immunosuppressant therapy (P = 0.013). The multivariate analysis showed that PJP was independently associated with lymphopenia (ALC < 500 cells/µl) (OR: 5.434, 95% CI: 2.074–55.155; P = 0.012) and the combined use of cyclophosphamide (CTX) and tacrolimus (TAC) (OR: 10.695, 95% CI: 1.440–20.508; P = 0.005). Conclusion: There was a high incidence and mortality in the MDA5 + DM patients with PJP, with patients on combined immunosuppressive treatments, particularly CTX and TAC, being at a higher risk. Prolonged high-dose steroid therapy (≥ 60 mg/day and ≥ 1 month) was another risk factor for PJP. Key Points • There was a high incidence and mortality in the MDA5 + DM patients with PJP. • Most PJP cases occurred within 3 months after the MDA5 + DM diagnosis. • The 6-month infection risk of PJP increased with the administration of multiagent immunosuppression, especially the combination of CTX and TAC. • Prolonged high-dose steroid therapy (≥ 60 mg/day and ≥ 1 month) was another risk factor for PJP. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Considering the lack of systematic reviews on e-government research, this study includes research categories, spatial structure, research paradigms and noteworthy future topics in the domain of e-government. We collect 142 keywords from 2646 papers published in the Web of Science from 2000 to 2019 as the study object. Then, we identify four research categories: (1) technology and modelling in e-government, (2) drivers of e-government development, (3) public management and (4) governmental management. From public and government perspectives, we outline the spatial structure which includes theories and practices research and conclude four research paradigms: (1) theoretical modelling and application, (2) e-government development, (3) status of public management and (4) status of governmental management. Finally, we develop a 3D spatial map to analyse noteworthy topics and explore the well-studied themes: government-to-citizen, government-to-government and government-to-business, and the under-studied themes: government-to-civil society organisations and citizens-to-citizens, which helps scholars research e-government roundly. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: With the advent of the Internet of Things (IoT), the count of gadgets connected to the Internet has been increased. IoT, as a modern paradigm, has been used to describe the future in which physical things like RFID tags, sensors, actuators, and cellphones can intermingle for achieving shared purposes. Also, we can employ cloud computing for storing the things' information in the IoT. However, this information has been replicated through the network for increasing availability. In this paper, due to the NP‐hard nature of the replica selection problem, an improved version of ant colony optimization (IACO) has been applied. The impact of pheromone on the chosen path is converted by ants to invert the underlying logic of ACO. Due to the existence of different IoT centers, the IACO has been employed for selecting the replicated data in the IoT where the load balancing among IoT centers has been considered. In this method, an ant chooses the ideal point for its movement; then others may not pass the track that the preceding ants have been passed. The obtained outcomes have shown that the method has outperformed the ACO, HQFR, and RTRM approaches regarding the waiting time and load balancing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alumina-supported Pd-Zn bimetallic catalysts were prepared and evaluated for direct synthesis of hydrogen peroxide. The effect of Zn on the catalytic performance was studied via characterizations by transmission electron microscopy (TEM), temperature-programmed reduction (TPR), X-ray photoelectron energy spectroscopy (XPS), temperature-programmed desorption of H 2 /O 2 (H 2 -/O 2 -TPD), CO chemisorption and diffuse reflectance infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy of CO adsorption (CO-DRIFTS). H 2 O 2 productivity of up to 25431 mol kg Pd −1 h −1 was observed with the optimal bimetallic catalyst 1Pd5Zn, much higher than that over the monometallic catalyst 1Pd (8533 mol kg Pd −1 h −1 ). This increase may be attributed to the geometric change caused by the Zn additive and the electronic interactions between Pd and Zn. The addition of Zn increases the isolated Pd sites (the primary active sites for H 2 O 2 formation), which can promote H 2 O 2 selectivity. PdZn catalysts show a higher Pd dispersion and incremental Pd 0 content than monometallic Pd owing to electronic interactions between Pd and Zn, which result in increased H 2 O 2 productivity. However, a high Pd dispersion and incremental Pd 0 content can increase the H 2 O 2 hydrogenation rate, negatively affecting the H 2 O 2 selectivity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context:Silymarin is the main flavonoid extracted from milk thistle, which has been used to treat liver diseases. Objective:Thein vivoeffect of silymarin on HFD-induced insulin resistance and fatty liver in mice was studied. Materials and methods:Male C57BL/6 mice were fed with high-fat diet (HFD) to induce obesity and insulin resistance and treated with 30, 60 mg/kg silymarin for 18 days. Food intake, body weight and the content/histology of epididymal fat and liver tissue were examined; the content of lipids, AST, ALT and inflammatory cytokines in serum were estimated. Results:Administration of silymarin caused bodyweight loss in diet induced obesity (DIO) mice (HFD group: 47.7 g, 60 mg/kg group: 43.0 g) while the food intake remain unchanged. Silymarin (60 mg/kg) significantly reduced the epididymal fat mass (from 1.75 g to 1.12 g). Elevated plasma lipids (TC 6.1 mM, TG 1.3 mM, LDL 1.2 mM) in DIO mice were all suppressed by silymarin (TC 4.5 mM, TG 0.89 mM, LDL 0.9 mM), as well as insulin (5.1 ng/ml in HFD group to 2.0 ng/ml (60 mg/kg silymarin). Examination of cytokine levels (TNF-α, IL-1β and IL-6) in each group proved that silymarin treatment significantly decreased inflammation in DIO mice. Finally, silymarin effectively protected liver from HFD-induced injury as evidenced by decreasing histological damage and reducing ALT and AST levels, as follows: ALT; 47.4 U/L in HFD group to 28.4 U/L (60 mg/kg silymarin); AST; 150.1 U/L in HFD group to 88.1 U/L (60 mg/kg silymarin) in serum. Discussion and conclusion:Our results suggested that silymarin-induced alleviation of inflammatory response could be a mechanism responsible for its benefits against liver damage and insulin resistance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalyst layers (CLs) with spatially ordered structure can improve mass transport of reactants/products, which is essential for the high performance of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). In this study, aligned polyaniline (PANI) nanorods grown on gas diffusion layers by in situ polymerization are used as supports for platinum to fabricate ordered CLs. The length and diameter of the PANI nanorods can be controlled by optimizing the reaction temperatures or the aniline concentrations during the in situ polymerization process. With the optimized aligned PANI nanorods as supports of cathode, the mass specific power density of the PEMFC reaches 2.5 kW g Pt −1 , which is 21% higher than that of the conventional PEMFC without PANI. This improvement can be attributed to the reduced oxygen transport resistance revealed by oxygen gain and electrochemical impedance spectroscopy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The alkaline stability of 1,2-dimethylimidazolium with various N3-substituents (including butyl, benzyl and vinylbenzyl) and corresponding quaternary ammonium small molecular compounds, and the 1,2-dimethylimidazolium- and quaternary ammonium-based membranes are systemically studied in the same condition. The spectroscopy (such as NMR, FT-IR, XPS and mass spectrum) results of the two kinds of small molecular compounds indicate that the quaternary ammonium cations are more stable than 1,2-dimethylimidazolium cations in 3 M KOH at elevated temperature, especially at 80 °C. Moreover, the alkaline stability of the 1,2-dimethylimidazolium cations would be influenced by the N3-substitutions of the imidazolium, and N3-butyl substituted cation shows a better alkaline stability. The quaternary ammonium-based membrane are also more stable than the 1,2-dimethylimidazolium-based membrane in 1 M KOH at 60 °C. In addition, the performance of the alkaline direct methanol fuel cell using quaternary ammonium-based membrane (22 mW cm −2 ) is much better than that of the fuel cell using 1,2-dimethylimidazolium-based membrane (0.04 mW cm −2 ). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The cross-linked and alkali stable alkaline anion exchange membranes (AAEMs) based on 1,2-dimethylimidazolium (proved to be much more stable than C2-unsubstituted imidazolium cation) were prepared by a hot-pressing method. The properties of these membranes, e.g., water uptake, swelling degree, ion-exchange capacity, conductivity and thermal and chemical stability, were characterized systematically. The swelling degree of the membranes decreases with the decrease of the amount of 1,2-dimethylimidazolium salt, up to 5.8%. The membranes are thermally stable below 200 °C. Alkaline direct methanol fuel cell (ADMFC) fabricated by using CoO x /C as the cathode catalyst and PtRu/C as the anode catalyst presents a promising performance with the peak power density of 12.7 mW cm −2 at a current density of 45 mA cm −2 , indicating that the 1,2-dimethylimidazolium-functionalized AAEMs are promising for the application in ADMFCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Here, we develop a facile electrochemical polymerization method for the synthesis of polypyrrole (PPy) nanowires on Pd modified Nafion® membranes. Interestingly, with altering the deposition potential and temperature, we can easily tune the PPy nanowires from disordered nanostructures to well ordered vertically aligned nanowires. The various PPy nanowires show similar electronic conductivity but diverse hydrophobicity/hydrophilicity. The ordered PPy nanowires can significantly facilitate the mass transport and enhance the catalyst utilization. These two factors together make an obvious performance improvement of fuel cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A novel ultrasound-assisted surfactant-enhanced emulsification microextraction technique based on the solidification of a floating organic droplet followed by high performance liquid chromatography with diode array detection was developed for simultaneous determination of six fungicide residues in juices and red wine samples. The low-toxicity solvent, 1-dodecanol, was used as an extraction solvent. For its low density and proper melting point near room temperature, the extractant droplet was collected easily by solidifying it at a low temperature. The surfactant, Tween 80, was used as an emulsifier to enhance the dispersion of the water-immiscible extraction solvent into an aqueous phase, which hastened the mass-transfer of the analytes. Organic dispersive solvent typically required in common dispersive liquid–liquid microextraction methods was not used in the proposed method. Some parameters (e.g., the type and volume of extraction solvent, the type and concentration of surfactant, ultrasound extraction time, salt addition, and volume of samples) that affect the extraction efficiency were optimized. The proposed method showed a good linearity within the range of 5μgL−1–1000μgL−1, with the correlation coefficients (γ) higher than 0.9969. The limits of detection for the method ranged from 0.4μgL−1 to 1.4μgL−1. Further, this simple, practical, sensitive, and environmentally friendly method was successfully applied to determine the target fungicides in juice and red wine samples. The recoveries of the target fungicides in red wine and fruit juice samples were 79.5%–113.4%, with relative standard deviations that ranged from 0.4% to 12.3%. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A Pt-Nafion/C catalyst is synthesized through a modified ion-exchange method, in which [Pt(NH3)2]2+ cations exchange with H+ ions of Nafion/C composites and are reduced by H2. Based on the results from transmission electron microscopy and inductively coupled plasma atomic emission spectrometry, it is found that the average size of Pt particles is around 2.3 nm and the Pt loading is about 1.8 wt% in the Pt-Nafion/C catalyst. Although the Pt mass activities (MAs) toward oxygen reduction reaction tested in half cells are similar, when used as cathode catalyst for a direct methanol fuel cell, the Pt MA as high as 4.36 A mgPt −1 are achieved for the Pt-Nafion/C catalyst at 825 mV, which is 6 times higher than that of the Pt/C catalyst. The enhanced Pt utilization could be attributed to the defined location of Pt nanoparticles in the triple phase zones in electrode. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A new anion exchange membrane was synthesized by a green and facile route---chemically grafting polybenzimidazole (PBI) membrane with BrCH2CH3. The obtained membrane was characterized by means of ex-situ and in-situ tests (EDX, FTIR, AC impedance, single cell test and so on). The results suggested that the group of –CH2CH3 was successfully grafted onto N atom within PBI backbone, while with Br− as counter ion. The corresponding ionic conductivity and ethanol permeability were about 0.022 Scm−1 and 5.24 × 10−8 cm2s−1, respectively. Finally, single cell test suggested that air-breathing alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell with quaternized PBI membrane can deliver a peak power density of about 11 mWcm−2 even at ambient temperature of 13 °C, which was better than those of air-breathing alkaline direct methanol fuel cell in literatures. In addition, a possible reaction mechanism was also proposed and discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

new method was developed for the determination of fungicides in red wine using ultrasound-assisted ionic liquid dispersive liquid-phase microextraction followed by high-performance liquid chromatography. The ionic liquid, 1-hexyl-3-methylimidazolium hexafluorophosphate (IL) was quickly disrupted by ultrasonication and dispersed in wine as fine droplets. At this stage, the analytes were extracted into the fine droplets of IL. After centrifugation, the concentration of the enriched fungicides in the sedimented phase was determined. Extraction conditions including the type of extraction solvent, the extraction solvent volume, ultrasonication time, centrifugation time and sample pH were optimized. The performance of the method was studied in terms of linearity, precision, and recovery. Quantitative recoveries (>70%) except for pyrimethanil were obtained, and method precision was also satisfactory (RSD < 10%). Enrichment factors range from 100 to 200, and the limits of detection are at the low μg per liter level for most of the target compounds. [Figure not available: see fulltext.] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: A polymer electrolyte membrane for alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) was prepared by dipping Nafion112 membrane into KOH solution for some time at room temperature. The obtained membrane (Nafion112/KOH) exhibited higher mechanical properties and thermal stability than Nafion112 membrane. The ionic conductivity of Nafion112/KOH in 1 M, 2 M and 6 M KOH solutions was 0.011 S/cm, 0.026 S/cm, 0.032 S/cm, respectively, depending on internal OH− concentration and the volume fraction of the internal aqueous phase. Single cell performance suggested that active ADEFC with Nafion112/KOH membrane can deliver a peak power density of 58.87 mW/cm2 at 90 °C, meanwhile, it can stably run for at least 12 h above 0.2 V. On the other hand, Pt-free air breathing ADEFC with Nafion112/KOH can output a peak power density of 11.5 mW/cm2 at 60 °C, and the corresponding lifetime was as long as 473 h above 0.3 V. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Recently, KOH doped polybenzimidazole (PBI/KOH) membrane has been reported as polymer electrolyte membrane for alkaline direct alcohol fuel cell (ADAFC), but little is known about its durability for ADAFC application. In this paper, the durability of PBI/KOH membrane for air-breathing alkaline direct ethanol fuel cell (ADEFC) is evaluated by means of ex situ and in situ tests. In the case of ex situ durability test, the ionic conductivity of PBI/KOH degrades from initial 0.023Scm−1 to 0.01Scm−1 after 100h, and the degrading rate was 1.3×10−4 Scm−1 h−1. As for in situ test, Pt-free air-breathing ADEFC with PBI/KOH membrane can output a peak power density of 16mWcm−2 at 60°C. Moreover, it can stably operate for 336h above 0.3V. In addition, the interaction between KOH and PBI matrix is also explored by density functional theory study. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this paper, Fe2O3–SO4 2−/Nafion® composite membranes were prepared by a solution casting method. The physico-chemical properties of composite membranes were characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), SEM–EDX and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The water uptake ability, proton conductivity, and methanol permeability of the composite membranes were evaluated and compared with the recast Nafion® membrane. The results showed that the proton conductivity and the water uptake of the composite membranes were slightly higher than that of the recast Nafion® membrane. The composite membrane containing 5 wt.% Fe2O3–SO4 2- showed superior ability to suppress methanol crossover, and it further improved the direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) performances with both 1 M and 5 M methanol feeding, compared with the recast Nafion® membrane. The preliminary 30 h lifetime test of the DMFC with the composite membrane with 5% Fe2O3–SO4 2 − indicated that the composite membrane is stable working at the real DMFC operating conditions at least during the test. These results suggest the applicability of the composite membranes in DMFCs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: The effect of hydrous RuO2 (RuO2·xH2O) in anode on the performance of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) was examined by voltammetry, methanol stripping analysis, electrochemical impedance spectroscopy, polarization measurement and chronopotentiometry. The results showed that, compared with the DMFC with conventional structures, the dynamic response and quasi-steady state performance of the RuO2·xH2O-introduced DMFCs were significantly improved. The DMFC with RuO2·xH2O layer (ROL) sandwiched between anode catalyst layer and gas diffusion layer exhibited better quasi-steady state performance than those either with ROL sandwiched between anode catalyst layer and electrolyte membrane or with RuO2·xH2O uniformly distributed in anode catalyst layer. The maximum power density of the DMFC with this novel structure was 16% higher than the DMFC with the conventional structure. Moreover, the dynamic response of this RuO2·xH2O-introduced cell was more stable during 250-hour of operation when compared with that of the conventional cell. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The effect of Nafion® ionomer aggregation in solution on the structure of the cathode catalyst layer of a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was investigated by dynamic light scattering (DLS), laser particle sizer, electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The results showed that large aggregation particles were suppressed by the addition of NaOH to aqueous solutions of Nafion®, which led to a smaller agglomerate particle size distribution in the catalyst ink. The cathode catalyst layer made from the catalyst ink with NaOH addition showed a more uniform distribution of sulfur and Pt elements, a higher electrochemical active surface area (48% increase) and achieved a better performance in the DMFC than one made from the catalyst ink without NaOH addition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A five-layer catalyst coated membrane (CCM) based upon Nafion 115 membrane for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) was designed and fabricated by introducing a modified Nafion layer between the membrane and the catalyst layer. The properties of the CCM were determined by SEM, cyclic voltammetry, impedance spectroscopy, ruinous test and I–V curves. The characterizations show that the modified Nafion layers provide increased interface contact area and enhanced interaction between the membrane and the catalyst layer. As a result, higher Pt utilization, lower contact resistance and superior durability of membrane electrode assembly was achieved. A 75% Pt utilization efficiency was obtained by using the novel CCM structure, whereas the conventional structure gave 60% efficiency. All these features greatly contribute to the increase in DMFC performance. The DMFC with new CCM structure presented a maximum power density of 260mWcm−2, but the DMFC with conventional structure gave only 200mWcm−2 under the same operation condition. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs) consisting of multi-layer electrodes provide higher performance than those with the traditional electrode. The new electrode structure includes a hydrophilic thin film and a traditional catalyst layer. A decal transfer method was used to apply the thin film to the Nafion® membrane. Results show that the performance of a cell with the hydrophilic thin film is obviously enhanced. A cell with the optimal thin film electrode structure operating at 1 M CH3OH, 2 atm oxygen and 90 °C yields a current density of 100 mA/cm2 at 0.53 V cell voltage. The peak power density is 120 mW/cm2. The performance stability of a cell in a short-term life operation was also increased when the hydrophilic thin film was employed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) is a systemic small-vessel vasculitis associated with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and predominantly causes kidney and pulmonary injuries. Subarachnoid hemorrhage, a life-threatening manifestation of the central nervous system (CNS), rarely occurs in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). We report the case of a young man with spontaneous SAH recurrence and active nephritis. The patient was treated with a glucocorticoid pulse and intravenous cyclophosphamide (CTX) in combination with decreasing cerebral perfusion pressure and analgesic therapy. All the patients' symptoms except the proteinuria resolved. We reviewed the clinical characteristics of 34 previously reported cases of SAH with AAV, comprising six cases of MPA, eight cases of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), and 19 cases of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), and one case of unclassified AAV. All the cases showed features of active vasculitis. Concomitant nephritis and peripheral neuropathy were found in the MPA and EGPA cases with SAH, respectively. Renal and pulmonary manifestations were predominant in the patients with GPA and SAH. Ten patients had aneurysmal abnormalities, and six patients had cardiac abnormalities. Thirty-one patients were treated with glucocorticoids, and 18 patients received concurrent immunosuppressants. Patients with SAH had a mortality rate of 38.2%. The presence of cerebrovascular events or cardiac involvement in patients with AAV and SAH is associated with increased mortality of 64.3%. Our study indicates that SAH should be cautioned as a disease occurring in patients with AAV. Early diagnosis with aggressive immunosuppressive therapy can help improve the prognosis of patients with SAH. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We propose and study a stochastic delay single-species population system in polluted environment with psychological effect and pulse toxicant input. We establish sufficient conditions for the extinction, nonpersistence in the mean, weak persistence, and strong persistence of the single-species population and obtain the threshold value between extinction and weak persistence. Finally, we confirm the efficiency of the main results by numerical simulations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two C–C bridged Ni(II) complexes bearing β‐keto‐9‐fluorenyliminato ligands with electron‐withdrawing groups (─CF3), Ni{PhC(O)CHC[N(9‐fluorenyl)]CF2}2 (Ni1) and Ni{CF3C(O)CHC[N(9‐fluorenyl)]Ph}2 (Ni2), were synthesized by metal coordination reaction and different in situ bonding mechanisms. The C–C bridged bonds of Ni1 were formed by in situ intramolecular trifluoromethyl and 9‐fluorenyl carbon–carbon cross‐coupling reaction and those of Ni2 were formed by in situ intramolecular 9‐fluorenyl carbon–carbon radical coupling reaction mechanism. The obtained complexes were characterized using 1H NMR spectroscopy and elemental analyses. The crystal and molecular structures of Ni1 and Ni2 with C–C bridged configuration were determined using X‐ray diffraction. Ni1 and Ni2 were used as catalysts for norbornene (NB) polymerization after activation with B(C6F5)3 and the catalytic activities reached 106 gpolymer molNi−1 h−1. The copolymerization of NB and styrene catalyzed by the Ni1/B(C6F5)3 system showed high activity (105 gpolymer molNi−1 h−1) and the catalytic activities decreased with increasing feed content of styrene. All vinyl‐type copolymers exhibited high molecular weight (104 g mol−1), narrow molecular weight distribution (Mw/Mn = 1.71–2.80), high styrene insertion ratios (11.13–50.81%) and high thermal stability (Td > 380°C) and could be made into thin films with high transparency in the visible region (400–800 nm). Novel C–C bridged Ni(II) complexes bearing β‐keto‐9‐fluorenyliminato ligands with electron‐withdrawing groups were synthesized by metal coordination and different in situ intramolecular bonding mechanisms, and applied in the (co)polymerization of norbornene and styrene. The copolymers were obtained with high styrene monomer content, and exhibited high thermal stability, narrow molecular weight distribution and high transparency in the visible region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

High oxygen transport resistance in the cathode is a main cause of the low performance of high temperature proton exchange membrane fuel cell (HT-PEMFC), and therefore to determine the contribution of different mass transport processes to the oxygen transport resistance is beneficial to the subsequent research work. In this paper, the molecular diffusion resistance (R M) in the cathode was successfully calculated by measuring the limiting currents with using different diluent gases. And the oxygen transport resistance in phosphoric acid (R P A ) was analyzed by changing the humidity and temperature. It was found that the total oxygen transport resistance (R t o t a l ) increased obviously with the increase of the humidify, and the variation of R t o t a l under different conditions was mainly related to the change of R P A . Combined with the phenomenon that the experimental value of R M was less than the calculated value at high humidity, but higher than that at high operation temperature, we speculate that the cause of that R P A increased obviously at high humidity is the occupancy or blockage of gas phase transport channel in catalyst layer (CL) by phosphoric acid due to the water absorption of phosphoric acid in CL and the swelling of membrane. This consequence indicates that it is the change of phosphoric acid distribution that dominate C i s the R t o t a l at high humidity. Image 1 • The separation of molecular diffusion resistance from the total mass transport resistance of HT-PEMFC cathode was realized. • The relationship between the oxygen transport resistance in phosphoric acid and operating conditions was obtained. • The cause of the variation of oxygen transport resistance at different operating conditions was preliminarily analyzing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The significant use of platinum for catalyzing the cathodic oxygen reduction reactions (ORRs) has hampered the widespread use of polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). The construction of well-defined electrode architecture in nanoscale with enhanced utilization and catalytic performance of Pt might be a promising approach to address such barrier. Inspired by the highly efficient catalytic processes in enzymes with active centers embedded in charge transport pathways, here we demonstrate for the first time a design that allocates platinum nanoparticles (Pt NPs) at the boundaries with dual-functions of conducting both electrons by aid of polypyrrole and protons via Nafion® ionomer within hierarchical nanoarrays. By mimicking enzymes functionally, an impressive ORR activity and stability is achieved. Using this brand new electrode architecture as the cathode and the anode of a PEMFC, a high mass specific power density of 5.23 W mg−1Pt is achieved, with remarkable durability. These improvements are ascribed to not only the electron decoration and the anchoring effects from the Nafion® ionomer decorated PPy substrate to the supported Pt NPs, but also the fast charge and mass transport facilitated by the electron and proton pathways within the electrode architecture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The effect of structure evolution under working condition of MNC electrocatalysts on the OER activity and stability has been studied with the DFT method. • This work conducted a comprehensive evaluation method for MNC electrocatalysts by taking ΔG *OH as the screening criterion for OER activity and ΔE b of electrocatalysts under working conditions as the stability descriptor. • The stability of MNC electrocatalysts under working conditions, including high temperature, dynamic condition, local electric field and strong specific adsorption has been studied in detail. Developing low-cost, high activity and stability oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts is significantly important but still challenging for water electrolyzers. In this work, we calculated the OER activity and stability of Metal-Nitrogen-Carbon (MNC, M = Co, Ru, Rh, Pd, Ir) based electrocatalyst with different structures (MN 4 C 8 , MN 4 C 10 , MN 4 C 12) using density functional theory (DFT) method. These electrocatalysts were divided into three groups based on the value of ΔG *OH , that is ΔG *OH > 1.53 eV (PdN 4 C 8 , PdN 4 C 10 , PdN 4 C 12), ΔG *OH < 1.23 eV (RuN 4 C 8 , RuN 4 C 10 , RuN 4 C 12 , CoN 4 C 8 , CoN 4 C 10) and 1.23 eV < ΔG *OH < 1.53 eV (RhN 4 C 8 , RhN 4 C 10 , RhN 4 C 12 , IrN 4 C 8 , IrN 4 C 10 , IrN 4 C 12 , CoN 4 C 12), and ΔG *OH determine whether the structure evolution will appear. The results proved that MNC (M = Rh, Ir) with 1.23 eV < ΔG *OH < 1.53 eV shows higher OER activity due to moderate binding energy between reaction intermediates and MNC. Furthermore, these catalysts could maintain M N C structure without further oxidation and structural evolution under working conditions (high temperature, dynamic condition, local electric field and strong specific adsorption), therefore show excellent stability. However, MNC electrocatalyst with ΔG *OH > 1.53 eV or ΔG *OH < 1.23 eV revealed less stability under working conditions, due to their low intrinsic stability or structural evolution under working conditions, respectively. In conclusion, we proposed a comprehensive evaluation method for MNC electrocatalysts by taking ΔG *OH as the screening criterion for OER activity and stability, as well as ΔE b under working condition as descriptor of stability. This is of great significance for the design and screening of ORR, OER and HER electrocatalysts under working conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high performance polymer electrolyte thermogalvanic cell, which converts thermal energy to electrical energy directly, is transformed from a proton exchange membrane fuel cell. The transform is realized by connecting the anode and cathode chamber with a gas tube and filling hydrogen to both chambers. Provided a heat flux through the cell, hydrogen is consumed in the cold side and regenerated in the hot side while circulating in two chambers during operation. The Seebeck coefficient is 0.531 mV K −1 at a cold side temperature of 60.0 °C and the maximum power density could reach up to 20 μW cm −2 with a temperature difference of 15.3 °C between two electrodes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Glucocorticoids (GCs) are the most effective and commonly used drugs for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, a large number of side effects occur after long-term or high-dose glucocorticoid treatment, which severely restricts the use of glucocorticoids. Reconstituted high-density lipoprotein (rHDL), an emerging nanocarrier, is promising for targeted delivery to sites of inflammation and macrophages. Here, we prepared a steroid-loaded recombinant high-density lipoprotein and evaluated its therapeutic efficacy in a murine macrophage cell line (RAW264.7) and a lupus (MRL/lpr mice) mouse model. The obtained corticosteroid-loaded nanomedicine, named PLP-CaP-rHDL, exhibited desirable characteristics. Pharmacodynamics studies revealed that the nanoparticles could significantly reduce the levels of inflammatory cytokines in the macrophages in vitro and also effectively alleviate lupus nephritis in MRL/lpr mice without causing obvious side effects at a dose of 0.25 mg/kg. Thus, our newly developed steroid-loaded rHDL nanocarriers hold a great potential for anti-inflammatory therapy with reduced side effects and may provide a precise targeted therapy for SLE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We designed this study to investigate the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccine on epileptic seizures, as well as its adverse effects, in children with epilepsy (<18 years). This anonymous questionnaire study involved a multicenter prospective survey of outpatients and inpatients with epilepsy (＜18 years) registered in epilepsy clinics in eight hospitals in six cities of Shandong Province. A total of 224 children with epilepsy were included in the study. Fifty of them experienced general adverse events after vaccination. The most common local adverse events were pain or tenderness at the injection site. The most common systemic adverse effects were muscle soreness and headache. No severe adverse events were reported. There were no significant differences in the number of antiseizure medications (P = 0.459), gender (P = 0.336), etiology (P = 0.449), age (P = 0.499), duration of disease (P = 0.546), or seizure type (P = 0.475) between the patients with and without general adverse events. We found that the risk of seizure after vaccination was decreased in children who were seizure free for more than six months before vaccination. There was no significant difference in the number of seizures during the first month before vaccination, the first month after the first dose, and the first month after the second dose (P = 0.091). The benefits of vaccination against COVID-19 outweighed the risks of seizures/relapses and severe adverse events after vaccination for children with epilepsy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Phosphoric acid (PA), utilized as an electrolyte in high-temperature polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cells (HT-PEMFCs), has been observed to exert a detrimental effect on oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalyst, consequently compromising cell performance. To comprehensively elucidate the impact of phosphoric acid on ORR, this study employs a range of electrochemical techniques, including electrochemical impedance spectroscopy and voltammetry method. The negative influence of PA on commercial Pt/C electrocatalyst manifests differently under various potentials and PA concentrations. Upon the introduction of PA, the decay rate and amplitude of ECSA, as calculated by H upd adatoms, are notably smaller compared to the kinetic current density generated by the oxygen reduction reaction. Particularly, in the kinetic-controlled potential range, the negative impact of PA becomes more pronounced at higher electrode potentials, accompanied by a significantly steeper Tafel slope. Additionally, the EIS results suggest that phosphoric acid may gradually transform into polyphosphoric acid at a high concentration, accentuating the poisoning effect of PA under steady-state conditions. However, a high PA concentration can substantially alter the electrolyte properties, potentially leading to an inaccurate assessment of PA tolerance in electrocatalysts. Hence, it is imperative to consider the appropriate PA concentration when evaluating PA tolerance and to discern the poisoning mechanism under different electrode potentials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Gas diffusion layers (GDLs) of direct methanol fuel cells (DMFCs), consisting of a microporous layer (MPL) and a back layer (BL), influence the cell performance and stability significantly due to the critical function that the GDL undertook, i.e., distribution of reactants and removal of the products in electrodes. The hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of the GDLs are required to tailor to the transport/transfer of reactants/products depending on a specific electrode reaction. One important way to adjust the hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties of GDLs is to vary PTFE content in GDLs. In this paper, we employ infrared spectroscopy technique, specifically, diffuse reflection (DR) method and attenuation total reflection (ATR) method, to determine the PTFE content in both MPLs and BLs quantitatively by comparing the measured C-F intensity with the pre-calibrated standard plots. Compared to the ATR method, the DR method takes advantages of sensitivity, wide range and precision. By the DR method, we succeed in observing that PTFE in MPLs migrates to BLs, consistent with the corresponding EDX results for a sample experienced 600 h lifetime test, suggesting DR method an effective approach to determine quantitatively the hydrophilic/hydrophobic properties of both MPLs and BLs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In this paper, the reversible and the irreversible loss in performance of direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) single cells induced by freeze/thaw cycling are determined and discussed. The reversible loss in performance is attributed to the decreased activity of electrocatalysts due to the strong adsorption of the intermediates from methanol electro-oxidation at subzero temperatures, while the irreversible loss in performance is due to the damage of membrane electrode assembly (MEA) structure. It is found that the reversible degradation of performance is dominant when the cell operated at low current densities with O2; the irreversible degradation is more obvious when the cell discharged at high current densities or operated with air. A method, applying a reverse current on the single cell, is put forward to recover the reversible loss in performance. By this method, the voltage of the single cell operated with O2 at 100 mA cm−2 drops only about 16 mV after experiencing 100 freeze/thaw cycles between−10 and 60 °C. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A graphitic mesoporous carbon (denoted as GMC) was synthesized using resorcinol and formaldehyde as carbon precursors and iron nitrate as a graphitization catalyst. The GMC was characterized by X-ray diffraction, Raman spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and nitrogen adsorption. The results show that the GMC has a mesoporous structure and a high surface area of 403 m2 g−1, and particularly, a well-defined graphitic framework. Using the GMC as the support, a PtRu/GMC was synthesized to act as an electrocatalyst for the methanol oxidation reaction (MOR). A counterpart with Vulcan® XC-72 (denoted as XC) as the support was prepared for comparison. TEM images show that PtRu nanoparticles are distributed uniformly on the carbon supports for both electrocatalysts. The electrochemical activity of the PtRu/GMC toward the MOR is slightly higher than that of the PtRu/XC in both half cell and single cell measurements. The 1500h stability test of a single cell suggests that the PtRu/GMC is excellent stable. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Novel alkaline anion-exchange membranes (AAEMs) were synthesized by graft copolymerization of vinylbenzyl chloride onto pre-irradiated poly (tetrafluoroethylene-co-perfluoropropyl vinyl ether) film, followed by quaternization and alkalization. Two kinds of radiation modes, continuous radiation and dis-continuous radiation (with 15 min break in each hour''s radiation), were conducted to the PFA films. The structure of the AAEMs was characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR). The performances of the AAEMs, including ion exchange capacity (IEC), ionic conductivity, water uptake (WU) and methanol permeability, were investigated systematically. The results showed that the degree of grafting of the film prepared by continuous irradiation is higher than the one prepared by discontinuous irradiation, which results in higher IEC, WU and ionic conductivity. The continuously irradiated membrane exhibited a maximum ionic conductivity of 0.05Scm−1 at 60°C. A maximum power density of 16mWcm−2 for a direct methanol single cell was obtained at 60°C with the continuously irradiated membrane as the electrolyte, MnO2/C and PtRu/C as the cathode and anode electrocatalysts, respectively. This result indicates that the direct alcohol alkaline anion-exchange membrane fuel cell is a promising system with further improvement on AAEMs. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A carbon supported PtNi/C electrocatalyst synthesized via a polyol process was characterized by XRD, TEM and voltammetry techniques. The XRD analysis showed a decreased lattice constant of Pt for the PtNi/C catalyst compared with the Pt/C, indicating partial PtNi alloy formed. The PtNi/C exhibited enhanced mass activity towards methanol oxidation reaction as well as decreased CO stripping currents in alkaline media compared with the Pt/C. Density functional theory studies revealed the electronic structure modification of Pt by Ni atoms and weakened CO adsorption energy on the Pt3Ni than on the Pt4 clusters, which may account for the increased MOR activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: In this study, Nafion ionomer, as a kind of hyperdispersant, was added to polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) water dispersion system to suppress the size of PTFE particles in the ink of microporous layer (MPL). The agglomeration behavior of PTFE in ethanol and MPL were investigated by laser diffraction, dynamic light scattering (DLS) and metallurgical microscopes. The electronic resistance, pore size distribution, gas permeability and surface hydrophobic/hydrophilic properties were also characterized for prepared gas diffusion layers (GDLs). It was shown that PTFE water dispersion system suffered flocculating when dispersed in ethanol and this agglomeration behavior was reduced by employing Nafion ionomer. With the increase in the Nafion ionomer adopted in the MPL, not only the decreased hydrophobic property was shown in the MPL, but the decreased PTFE particle size was also achieved, which results in improved crosslink of carbon and pores themselves as well as the volume loss of pores in micron scale. The increased gas permeability and electronic conductivity of the GDL made the one employing the PTFE dispersion system with 1% Nafion content own its advantages as the cathode diffusion layer for a direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) under near-ambient conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Catalyst-coated membrane (CCM) and catalyzed diffusion medium (CDM) prepared either by brush painting method or by spraying method were compared for direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) anode and cathode. The pore structure and the morphology of the electrodes were characterized by mercury intrusion porosimetry (MIP) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Internal resistance corrected polarization curves were employed to separate the contribution of each compartment of the membrane electrode assembly (MEA) to the overall polarization. It was shown that the increased mass transport resistance in the anode diffusion layer made the anode in CDM form act as the methanol barrier. The CCM configuration and the increased pores in micron scales in the catalyst layer were in favor of improving the performance of both anode and cathode. Accounting for the effect of methanol permeation, the combination of the anode in CDM form prepared by brush painting method and the cathode in CCM form prepared by spraying method was finally selected as the optimized configuration for MEA, which had the highest DMFC performance under near-ambient conditions. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: A Pd layer was deposited on Nafion® membrane by electroless plating in order to reduce methanol crossover. The composite membrane was characterized by using the following techniques of X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscope (SEM), energy dispersive X-ray spectrometer (EDXS) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Methanol crossover was determined by the electrochemical method. The experimental results indicated that Pd film was successfully deposited onto the Nafion® membrane. The methanol permeability was effectively suppressed by the Pd layer, with methanol-related current decreasing from 64mA/cm2 (J lim) to 57mA/cm2 for 1M methanol and from 267mA/cm2 to 170mA/cm2 for 5M methanol, respectively. Furthermore, by employing the novel Pd-Nafion® composite electrolyte, the performance of single fuel cell was obviously improved with a high concentration of methanol such as 5M, indicating that depositing Pd layer onto the Nafion® membrane is an effective method to suppress the methanol crossover. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present study, a method based on transmission-line mode for a porous electrode was used to measure the ionic resistance of the anode catalyst layer under in situ fuel cell operation condition. The influence of Nafion content and catalyst loading in the anode catalyst layer on the methanol electro-oxidation and direct methanol fuel cell (DMFC) performance based on unsupported Pt–Ru black was investigated by using the AC impedance method. The optimal Nafion content was found to be 15wt% at C. The optimal Pt–Ru loading is related to the operating temperature, for example, about 2.0mg/cm for C, 3.0mg/cm for C. Over these values, the cell performance decreased due to the increases in ohmic and mass transfer resistances. It was found that the peak power density obtained was 217mW/cm with optimal catalyst and Nafion loading at C using oxygen. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: In the present paper, a 60h life-time test of a direct ethanol fuel cell (DEFC) at a current density of 20mAcm−2 (the beginning 38h) and 40mAcm−2 (the last 22h) was carried out. After the life-time test, the MEA could not achieve the former performance. X-ray diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and energy dispersive X-ray analysis (EDX) were employed to characterize the anode and cathode catalyst before and after the life-time test. The XRD and TEM results showed that the particle size of the anode catalyst increased from 2.3 to 3.3nm and the cathode from 3.0 to 4.6nm. The EDX results of PtSn/C anode catalysts before and after the life-time test indicated that the content of the oxygen and tin, especially the content of the platinum, decreased prominently after the life-time test. The results suggest that the agglomeration of electrocatalysts, the destruction of the anode catalyst together with the fuel/water crossover from anode to cathode concurrently contribute to the performance degradation of the DEFC. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

A series of 40 wt.% Pt/C electrocatalysts were prepared by a modified polyol process and an improved aqueous impregnation method with different impregnation time. The characterization results of TEM and XRD identically reveal that the size and distribution of Pt nanoparticles on carbon are controllable by modifying impregnation time in both routes. High dispersion of Pt nanoparticles on carbon is achieved by both methods with 15 min impregnation, while aggregation of Pt nanoparticles takes place with prolonging the impregnation time to 36 h, especially in the aqueous impregnation procedure. UV–vis spectroscopy measurements verified that the redox reaction between PtCl62- and formaldehyde could take place at a slow rate under ambient conditions via a two-step reaction path, where PtCl42- serves as an intermediate. On the other hand, PtCl62- anion can be directly reduced to Pt0 above 333 K in the modified polyol process through an autocatalytic pathway. The short-time-impregnated 40 wt.% Pt/C as cathode electrocatalysts in direct methanol fuel cell performs better than that of long-time-impregnated electrocatalysts. Experimental evidence provides clues for fundamental understanding of elementary steps of the redox reactions, which helps guiding the design and preparation of highly dispersed Pt catalyst with high metal loadings for fuel cells. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Researching of high performance and low-cost oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) electrocatalysts is one of the core issues for the rapid development of energy conversion and storage devices. Herein, a N and S dual-doped three-dimensional (3D) interconnected mesoporous carbon catalyst (CNS) was constructed via a facile hydrothermal-pyrolysis strategy. Benefiting from the 3D interconnected mesoporous architecture, CNS was endowed with a fast oxygen mass transfer rate together with plentiful of accessible active centers on the surface. Its ORR half-wave potential (E 1/2 ， 0.87 V) surpasses commercial Pt/C catalyst 50 mV in alkaline media. Its E 1/2 negatively shifts only 2 mV after 8000 cycles in half-cell tests. More importantly, the zinc-air battery with CNS as cathode catalyst delivers an excellent high peak power density of 144 mW cm−2. DFT calculation results show that when N and S are co-doped, the spin density of adjacent carbon atoms can be changed, thereby increasing the CNS's binding energy to oxygen and conductivity. The excellent comprehensive performance of CNS undoubtedly discloses its potential practical application in the energy conversation and storage area. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a nonthermal gliding arc discharge (GAD) was generated in an air flow driven by a 40-kHz alternating current (ac) constant-current electric power supply. The influence of gas flow rate on the discharge characteristics of gliding arc was investigated using electrical diagnostics and fast Fourier transform (FFT) analysis method. The average discharge power, total harmonic distortion rate of arc voltage (THD ${_{u}}$), total harmonic distortion rate of arc current (THD ${_{i}}$), and the resistance of arc were experimentally studied. As the air flow rate increased from 4 to 12 L/min, it was found that the average discharge power of the gliding arc gradually decreased from 407.9 to 187.8 W. However, because of the nonlinear characteristics of the GAD circuit, with air flow rate increasing, both THDu and THDi linearly increased, while the resistance of arc gradually decreased from 26.3 to 14.1 $\text{k}\Omega $. Totally, the air flow rate influenced the discharge characteristics of the gliding arc mainly by ruling the average discharge power. Finally, for a better understanding of the discharge characteristics of the gliding arc, a discharge circuit model was further analyzed based on the average discharge power and reactive power. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Charge transport processes involving the proton migration and electron transfer for different parts of membrane electrode assemble (MEA) play an essential role for developing the novel electrode and enhancing the electrochemical performance towards proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFCs). However, the coupled charge transport processes make it difficult for evaluating proton conductivity and electronic conductivity of different parts in MEAs under operation conditions of fuel cells. Here in this work, we propose an experiment approach for separating the electronic conductivity and proton conductivity of different components of MEA at the operating conditions of PEMFCs. This approach involves two different measuring devices, which both consist of electron or proton conducting layers, sealing layers and sample layer, followed by tailoring the thickness of sample layers and via electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) to quantity the electronic conductivity and proton conductivity of different layers. These experiment results show the great potential in the development of different components of MEA. Image 1 • Electronic conducitivity of different parts of MEA are explored. • Proton conductivity of CL and PEM were evaluated. • Interfaces, CL and PEM play a vital role in internal resistance of MEA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Undifferentiated connective tissue disease (UCTD) is known to induce adverse pregnancy outcomes and even recurrent spontaneous abortion (RSA) by placental vascular damage and inflammation activation. Anticoagulation can prevent pregnancy morbidities. However, it is unknown whether the addition of immune suppressants to anticoagulation can prevent spontaneous pregnancy loss in UCTD patients. The purpose of this study is to evaluate the efficacy of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and low-dose prednisone on recurrent pregnancy loss for women with UCTD.Methods: The Immunosuppressant for Living Fetuses (ILIFE) Trial is a three-arm, multicenter, open-label randomized controlled trial with the primary objective of comparing hydroxychloroquine combined with low-dose prednisone and anticoagulation with anticoagulation alone in treating UCTD women with recurrent spontaneous abortion. The third arm of using hydroxychloroquine combined with anticoagulant for secondary comparison. A total of 426 eligible patients will be randomly assigned to each of the three arms with a 1:1:1 allocation ratio. The primary outcome is the rate of live births. Secondary outcomes include adverse pregnancy outcomes and progression of UCTD.Discussion: This is the first multi-center, open-label, randomized controlled trial which evaluates the efficacy of immunosuppressant regimens on pregnancy outcomes and UCTD progression. It will provide evidence on whether the immunosuppressant ameliorates the pregnancy prognosis in UCTD patients with RSA and the progression into defined connective tissue disease.Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03671174 . Registered on 14 September 2018. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The strain effect on oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) activity and stability of FeNC electrocatalysts has been studied using density functional theory in this work. Based on the reaction free energy results, the rate-determining step (RDS) of ORR on FeNC is *OH → H2O, and the reaction proceeds with the pathway O2 → *OOH → *O → *OH → H2O on the Fe site. Tensile stress is favorable to enhance the ORR activity, and the highest ORR activity is obtained on the 6%-FeNC electrocatalyst. On the other hand, when the whole oxygen reduction process needs synergy between Fe and adjacent C atoms and proceeds with the pathway O2 → *OOH → *TS → *O & #OH → *O → *OH → H2O, the applied stress will decrease the ORR activity of the FeNC electrocatalyst. We further constructed a Cu@FeNC core–shell model to simulate strained FeNC. However, the adsorption energy of ORR intermediates on Cu@FeNC (1.9%-FeNC) is much weaker than on the corresponding 2%-FeNC, mainly due to the coordination between the Cu substrate and Fe atom. In addition, the formation energy and binding energy indicate that neither tensile nor compressive stress is conducive to the stability of the FeNC electrocatalyst. In summary, tensile stress could enhance the ORR activity of FeNC electrocatalysts when ORR occurs on the Fe atom only. What's more, we should pay more attention to the influence of interface interaction if utilizing a M@FeNC model to achieve strained FeNC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Despite the improvement in acute myeloid leukemia (AML) treatments, most patients had a poor prognosis and suffered from chemoresistance and disease relapse. Therefore, there is an urgent need for elucidation of mechanism(s) underlying drug resistance in AML. In the present study, we found that AML cells showed less susceptibility to adriamycin (ADR) in the presence of hypoxia, while inhibition of hypoxia‐inducible factor 1α (HIF‐1α) by CdCl2 can make AML cells re‐susceptibile to ADR even under hypoxia. Moreover, HIF‐1α is overexpressed and plays an important role in ADR‐resistance maintenance in resistant AML cells. We further found hypoxia or induction of HIF‐1α can significantly upregulate yes‐associated protein (YAP) expression in AML cells, and resistant cells express a high level of YAP. Finally, we found that YAP may not only enhance HIF‐1α stability but also promote HIF‐1α's activity on the target gene pyruvate kinase M2. In conclusion, our data indicate that HIF‐1α or YAP may represent a therapeutic target for overcoming resistance toward adriamycin‐based chemotherapy in AML. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Menopause syndrome generally includes psychological problems. Group treatment delivered via the Internet and mobile phone (imGT) may improve women's physiological and psychological conditions.Objective: To investigate the efficacy of group cognitive behavioural therapy of menopause-related mood swings and quality of life, delivered face to face or via the Internet and mobile phone.Methods: This protocol is for a randomized controlled clinical trial with a sample of 140 menopausal women divided into 2 groups: imGT and face-to-face group treatment (ffGT). The primary outcome will be the improvement in the menopausal symptoms of the two groups, as assessed by the Greene Climacteric Scale. The secondary outcomes will be: quality of life, assessed by the Short Form 36 Health Survey Questionnaire; insomnia, assessed by the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Inventory; anxiety, assessed by the Hamilton Anxiety Rating Scale; and therapeutic alliance, assessed by the Working Alliance Inventory-Short Revised and Client Sat-is-fac-tion Qes-tion-naire-8. imGT will be performed once a week for 1.5 h for 10 weeks with a daily 'Punched-in' on the WeChat app; ffGT will be performed once a week for 1.5 h for 10 weeks. All outcomes will be assessed at baseline, at a post-intervention evaluation (week 10), and at a follow-up evaluation (week 22).Discussion: This study will be the first clinical trial to examine the effects of imGT on menopausal women in China. If imGT is found to be non-inferior to ffGT, it will facilitate access to menopausal health services. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ovarian cancer remains the most fatal gynecologic malignancy worldwide due to delayed diagnosis as well as recurrence and drug resistance. Thus, the development of new tumor-related molecules with high sensitivity and specificity to replace or supplement existing tools is urgently needed. Cancer-testis antigens (CTAs) are exclusively expressed in normal testis tissues but abundantly found in several types of cancers, including ovarian cancer. Numerous novel CTAs have been identified by high-throughput sequencing techniques, and some aberrantly expressed CTAs are associated with ovarian cancer initiation, clinical outcomes and chemotherapy resistance. More importantly, CTAs are immunogenic and may be novel targets for antigen-specific immunotherapy in ovarian cancer. In this review, we attempt to characterize the expression of candidate CTAs in ovarian cancer and their clinical significance as biomarkers, activation mechanisms, function in malignant phenotypes and applications in immunotherapy. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]