Cationic cellulose nanofiber solid electrolytes: A pathway to high lithium-ion migration and polysulfide adsorption for lithium-sulfur batteries

Polyethylene oxide (PEO) solid electrolytes, acknowledged for their safety advantages over liquid counterparts, confront inherent challenges, including low ionic conductivity, restricted lithium ion migration, and mechanical fragility, notably pronounced in lithium‑sulfur batteries due to the polysulfide shuttling phenomenon. To address these limitations, we integrate a quaternary ammonium cation-modified cellulose (QACC) nanofiber, electrospun with cellulose acetate (CA) from recycled cigarette filters, into the PEO electrolyte matrix. The nitrogen atom within the quaternary ammonium group exhibits a pronounced affinity for polysulfide compounds, effectively curtailing polysulfide migration. Concurrently, Lewis acid-base interactions between quaternary ammonium groups and lithium salt anions facilitate the release of additional Li+, achieving a lithium-ion transference number 1.5 times higher than its pure PEO counterpart. Furthermore, the introduction of a larger trifluoromethanesulfonimide (TFSI) group on the QACC macromolecule (TFSI-QACC) disrupts the ordered arrangement of PEO macromolecules, resulting in a noteworthy enhancement in ionic conductivity, reaching 2.07 × 10-4 S cm-1 at 60 °C, thus addressing the challenge of low PEO electrolyte conductivity. Moreover, the nanofiber enhances the mechanical strength of the PEO electrolyte from 0.49 to 7.50 MPa, mitigating safety concerns related to lithium dendrites puncturing the electrolyte. Consequently, the composite PEO demonstrates exemplary performance in lithium symmetrical batteries, enduring 500 h of continuous operation and completing 100 cycles at both room and elevated temperatures. This integrated approach, transitioning from waste to wealth, adeptly addresses a spectrum of challenges in the efficiency of solid-state electrolytes, holding considerable promise for advancing lithium‑sulfur battery technology.

Novel Biomimetic "Spider Web" Robust, Super-Contractile Liquid Crystal Elastomer Active Yarn Soft Actuator

In nature, spider web is an interwoven network with high stability and elasticity from silk threads secreted by spider. Inspired by the structure of spider webs, light-driven liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) active yarn is designed with super-contractile and robust weavability. Herein, a novel biomimetic gold nanorods (AuNRs) @LCE yarn soft actuator with hierarchical structure is fabricated by a facile electrospinning and subsequent photocrosslinking strategies. Meanwhile, the inherent mechanism and actuation performances of the as-prepared yarn actuator with interleaving network are systematically analyzed. Results demonstrate that thanks to the unique "like-spider webs" structure between fibers, high molecular orientation within the LCE microfibers and good flexibility, they can generate super actuation strain (≈81%) and stable actuation performances. Importantly, benefit from the robust covalent bonding at the organic-inorganic interface, photopolymerizable AuNRs molecules are uniformly introduced into the polymer backbone of electrospun LCE yarn to achieve tailorable shape-morphing under different light intensity stimulation. As a proof-of-concept illustration, light-driven artificial muscles, micro swimmers, and hemostatic bandages are successfully constructed. The research disclosed herein can offer new insights into continuous production and development of LCE-derived yarn actuator that are of paramount significance for many applications from smart fabrics to flexible wearable devices.

[Effects of gelatin methacrylate anhydride hydrogel loaded with small extracellular vesicles derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells in the treatment of full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice]

Objective: To investigate the effects of gelatin methacrylate anhydride (GelMA) hydrogel loaded with small extracellular vesicles derived from human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells (hUCMSCs-sEVs) in the treatment of full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice. Methods: This study was an experimental study. hUCMSCs-sEVs were extracted by ultracentrifugation, their morphology was observed through transmission electron microscope, and the expression of CD9, CD63, tumor susceptibility gene 101 (TSG101), and calnexin was detected by Western blotting. The human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs), the 3rd and 4th passages of human epidermal keratinocytes (HEKs) and human dermal fibroblasts (HDFs) were all divided into blank control group (routinely cultured) and hUCMSC-sEV group (cultured with the cell supernatant containing hUCMSCs-sEVs). The cell scratch test was performed and the cell migration rates at 6, 12, and 24 h after scratching were calculated, the cell Transwell assay was performed and the number of migration cells at 12 h after culture was calculated, and the proportion of proliferating cells was detected by 5-acetylidene-2'-deoxyuridine and Hoechst staining at 24 h after culture, with sample numbers being all 3. The simple GelMA hydrogel and the GelMA hydrogel loaded with hUCMSCs-sEVs (hereinafter referred to as hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel) were prepared. Then the micromorphology of 2 kinds of hydrogels was observed under scanning electron microscope, the distribution of hUCMSCs-sEVs was observed by laser scanning confocal microscope, and the cumulative release rates of hUCMSCs-sEVs at 0 (immediately), 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, and 12 d after soaking hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel in phosphate buffer solution (PBS) were measured and calculated by protein colorimetric quantification (n=3). Twenty-four 6-week-old male C57BL/6J mice were divided into PBS group, hUCMSC-sEV alone group, GelMA hydrogel alone group, and hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel group according to the random number table, with 6 mice in each group, and after the full-thickness skin defect wounds on the back of mice in each group were produced, the wounds were performed with PBS injection, hUCMSC-sEV suspenson injection, simple GelMA coverage, and hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel coverage, respectively. Wound healing was observed on post injury day (PID) 0 (immediately), 4, 8, and 12, and the wound healing rates on PID 4, 8, and 12 were calculated, and the wound tissue was collected on PID 12 for hematoxylin-eosin staining to observe the structure of new tissue, with sample numbers being both 6. Results: The extracted hUCMSCs-sEVs showed a cup-shaped structure and expressed CD9, CD63, and TSG101, but barely expressed calnexin. At 6, 12, and 24 h after scratching, the migration rates of HEKs (with t values of 25.94, 20.98, and 20.04, respectively), HDFs (with t values of 3.18, 5.68, and 4.28, respectively), and HUVECs (with t values of 4.32, 19.33, and 4.00, respectively) in hUCMSC-sEV group were significantly higher than those in blank control group (P<0.05). At 12 h after culture, the numbers of migrated HEKs, HDFs, and HUVECs in hUCMSC-sEV group were 550±23, 235±9, and 856±35, respectively, which were significantly higher than 188±14, 97±6, and 370±32 in blank control group (with t values of 22.95, 23.13, and 17.84, respectively, P<0.05). At 24 h after culture, the proportions of proliferating cells of HEKs, HDFs, and HUVECs in hUCMSC-sEV group were significantly higher than those in blank control group (with t values of 22.00, 13.82, and 32.32, respectively, P<0.05). The inside of simple GelMA hydrogel showed a loose and porous sponge-like structure, and hUCMSCs-sEVs was not observed in it. The hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel had the same sponge-like structure, and hUCMSCs-sEVs were uniformly distributed in clumps. The cumulative release rate curve of hUCMSCs-sEVs from hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel tended to plateau at 2 d after soaking, and the cumulative release rate of hUCMSCs-sEVs was (59.2±1.8)% at 12 d after soaking. From PID 0 to 12, the wound areas of mice in the 4 groups gradually decreased. On PID 4, 8, and 12, the wound healing rates of mice in hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel group were significantly higher than those in the other 3 groups (P<0.05); the wound healing rates of mice in GelMA hydrogel alone group and hUCMSC-sEV alone group were significantly higher than those in PBS group (P<0.05). On PID 8 and 12, the wound healing rates of mice in hUCMSC-sEV alone group were significantly higher than those in GelMA hydrogel alone group (P<0.05). On PID 12, the wounds of mice in hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel group showed the best wound epithelization, loose and orderly arrangement of dermal collagen, and the least number of inflammatory cells, while the dense arrangement of dermal collagen and varying degrees of inflammatory cell infiltration were observed in the wounds of mice in the other 3 groups. Conclusions: hUCMSCs-sEVs can promote the migration and proliferation of HEKs, HDFs, and HUVECs which are related to skin wound healing, and slowly release in GelMA hydrogel. The hUCMSC-sEV/GelMA hydrogel as a wound dressing can significantly improve the healing speed of full-thickness skin defect wounds in mice.

[An analysis on clinical characteristics and prognosis-related risk factors in patients with drug-induced liver injury]

Objective: To explore the drugs and clinical characteristics causing drug-induced liver injury (DILI) in recent years, as well as identify drug-induced liver failure, and chronic DILI risk factors, in order to better manage them timely. Methods: A retrospective investigation and analysis was conducted on 224 cases diagnosed with DILI and followed up for at least six months between January 2018 and December 2020. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to identify risk factors for drug-induced liver failure and chronic DILI. Results: Traditional Chinese medicine (accounting for 62.5%), herbal medicine (accounting for 84.3% of traditional Chinese medicine), and some Chinese patent medicines were the main causes of DILI found in this study. Severe and chronic DILI was associated with cholestatic type. Preexisting gallbladder disease, initial total bilirubin, initial prothrombin time, and initial antinuclear antibody titer were independent risk factors for DILI. Prolonged time interval between alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and alanine aminotransferase (ALT) falling from the peak to half of the peak (T(0.5ALP) and T(0.5ALT)) was an independent risk factor for chronic DILI [area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) = 0.787, 95%CI: 0.697~0.878, P < 0.001], with cutoff values of 12.5d and 9.5d, respectively. Conclusion: Traditional Chinese medicine is the main contributing cause of DILI. The occurrence risk of severe DILI is related to preexisting gallbladder disease, initial total bilirubin, prothrombin time, and antinuclear antibodies. T(0.5ALP) and T(0.5ALT) can be used as indicators to predict chronic DILI.

[Effect of prenatal stressful life event exposure on child emotional and behavioral problem at age 2-6 years]

Objective: To investigate the influence of prenatal stressful life event (SLE) exposure on child emotional and behavioral problem at age 2-6 years and identify the most risk exposure period. Methods: A total of 2 524 mother-child pairs were selected from Shanghai Maternal-Child Pairs Cohort based on pregnant women form 2016 to 2018 in Shanghai. Prenatal SLE exposure was assessed by Life Events Scale for Pregnant Women Questionnaire during the first and third trimester of pregnancy. Child emotional and behavioral problem was evaluated by Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire at age 2-6 years. Multivariate binary logistic regression model and generalized estimating equation were conducted to quantify the association between prenatal SLE exposure and child emotional and behavioral problem at age 2-6 years, and identify the pregnancy period with strongest adverse effect. Results: The 2 524 mother-child pairs were divided into 4 groups: group with consistent low exposure to SLE (61.8%), group with high exposure to SLE in the first trimester (13.2%), group with high exposure to SLE in the third trimester (13.2%) and group with consistent high exposure to SLE (11.8%). The detection rates of emotional problem, hyperactivity, peer interaction problem and total difficulty score in children aged 3-6 years were highest in the group with consistent high exposure to SLE. Generalized estimating equation analysis showed that after controlling the confounding factors, compared with the consistent low exposure group, the children in the group with high exposure to SLE in the first trimester had significant increased risk for conduct problem at age 2-6 years (aOR=1.41, 95%CI:1.07-1.87). The children in the group with consistent high exposure to SLE were at increased risk for emotional problem, peer interaction problem, and high total difficulty score with the aOR of 1.41 (95%CI: 1.09-1.83), 1.46 (95%CI: 1.15-1.86) and 1.51(95%CI: 1.17-1.93). Conclusion: These findings indicated that prenatal exposure to SLE have adverse effect on child emotional and behavioral problem at age 2-6 years, especially the exposure in the first trimester.

Synergistic effect of stereo-complexation and interfacial compatibility in ammonium polyphosphate grafted polylactic acid fibers for simultaneously improved toughness and flame retardancy

Flammability and poor toughness of unmodified PLA limit its applications in various fields. Though ammonium polyphosphate (APP) is a green and effective flame retardant, it has poor compatibility with the matrix, leading to a decrease in mechanical properties. Stereo-complexation greatly improves the strength and heat resistance of traditional PLA. However, the effect of flame retardants on the formation of stereo-complexed crystals and the impact of stereo-complexation on flame retardancy have not been studied previously. In this research, PDLA chains were first in-situ reacted with APP particles for improved interfacial compatibility. By utilizing the characteristic of PLA enantiomers that can form stereo-complexed crystals, near-complete stereo-complexed PLA fibers with flame retardancy were produced via clean and continuous melt spinning. The compatibility between PDLA-g-APP and PLLA matrix was studied by SEM, rheological analyses and DSC. Strength and flexibility of the fibers were simultaneously enhanced compared to traditional PLA due to the synergistic effect of interfacial compatibility and stereo-complexation. Compared to traditional PLA, the peak heat release rate and total heat release in microcalorimetry test were reduced by 33 % and 22 %, respectively. The flame-retardant fibers achieved a V-0 rating in the UL-94 test, and an increase in LOI value from 19.4 % to 28.2 %.

Flexible Self-Supporting MOF-Based Bean Pod Cube Hollow Nanofibers for Ultralong Cycling and High Rate Na Storage

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have garnered significant attention due to their potential as an emerging energy storage solution. Tin sulfide (SnS) has emerged as a promising anode material for SIBs due to its impressive theoretical specific capacity of 1022 mA h g-1 and excellent electrical conductivity. However, its practical application has been hindered by issues such as large volume expansion, which adversely affects cycling stability and rate performance during the charge/discharge processes. In this study, a novel approach to address these issues by synthesizing the bean pod cube hollow metal-organic framework (MOF)-SnSx/NC@N-doped carbon nanofibers through a process involving electrospinning, PDA coating, and calcination. The Sn-MOF serves as a self-sacrificing template, facilitating the simultaneous dissociation of MOF and polymerization of dopamine, leading to the creation of hollow intermediates that retain tin components. Subsequent sulfidation results in the integration of the hollow MOF-SnSx/NC nanoparticles within 3D nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers, forming the distinctive bean pod cube composite structure. This unique configuration effectively shortens the diffusion path and mitigates volume expansion for sodium ions, ultimately yielding an exceptional high rate performance of 130 mA h g-1 (10 A g-1) and an ultralong cycling performance of 328 mA h g-1 even after 3500 cycles (2 A g-1) as the anode for SIBs.

Fabrication and Photothermal Actuation Performances of Electrospun Carbon Nanotube/Liquid Crystal Elastomer Blend Yarn Actuators

Liquid crystal elastomers (LCEs) are a kind of polymer network that combines the entropic elasticity of polymer networks and the mesogenic unit by means of mild cross-linking. LCEs have been extensively investigated in various fields, including artificial muscles, actuators, and microrobots. However, LCEs are characterized by the poor mechanical properties of the light polymers themselves. In this study, we propose to prepare a carbon nanotube/liquid crystal elastomer (CNT/LCE) composite yarn by electrospinning technology and a two-step cross-linking strategy. The CNT/LCE composite yarn exhibits a reversible shrinkage ratio of nearly 70%, a tensile strength of 16.45 MPa, and a relatively sensitive response speed of ∼3 s, enabling a fast response by photothermal actuation. The research disclosed in this article may provide new insights for the development of artificial muscles and next-generation smart robots.

A fast hemostatic and enhanced photodynamic 2-dimensional metal-organic framework loaded aerogel patch for wound management

Achieving rapid hemostasis and highly effective antibacterial holds significant importance in the early-stage treatment of wounds. In this study, a hybrid aerogel patch comprising carbon quantum dots (CQDs) modified 2-dimensional (2D) porphyrinic metal-organic framework (MOF) nanosheets was designed by incorporating gelatin methacrylate (GelMA) and polyacrylamide (PAM) based matrix. On one hand, CQDs were stably doped onto the surface of the 2D MOF nanosheets, thereby enhancing the photodynamic activity through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. After the preparation of hybrid aerogel patch, the patch loaded with CQDs-doped 2D MOF exhibited excellent photodynamic bactericidal activity against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus (>99.99 %) and Gram-negative Escherichia coli (>99.99 %). On the other hand, the hybrid patch with highly porous and absorbent structure can rapidly absorb blood to aggregate clotting components and form a hydration barrier covering the wound to enhance hemostasis. Besides, the hemolysis and cytotoxicity assays demonstrated a good biocompatibility of this designed patch. In summary, this 2D MOF-loaded aerogel patch holds a potential to achieve rapid hemostasis and effective anti-infection in the early-stage treatment of traumatic wounds.

Robust integration of light-driven carbon quantum dots with bacterial cellulose enables excellent mechanical and antibacterial biodegradable yarn

Due to the overuse of antimicrobial drugs, bacterial resistance became an urgent problem to be solved. In this study, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) with high photodynamic antibacterial activity were synthesized by a one-pot hydrothermal method and introduced into bacterial cellulose (BC) dispersion solution. Through a wet-spinning and wet-twisting processing strategy, bionic ordering nanocomposite macrofiber (BC/CQDs-based yarn) based on BC were obtained. The results showed that BC/CQDs-based yarn had excellent tensile strength (226.8 MPa) and elongation (22.2 %). Utilizing the light-driven generation of singlet oxygen (1O2) and hydroxyl radical (·OH), BC/CQDs-based yarn demonstrated remarkable antibacterial efficacy, with 99.9999 % (6 log, P < 0.0001) and 96.54 % (1.46 log, P < 0.0004) effectiveness against E. coli and S. aureus, respectively. At the same time, BC/CQDs-based yarn also displayed the characteristics of photothermal, fluorescent, and biodegradability. In summary, the application potential of BC/CQDs-based yarn is significant, opening up a new strategy for the development of sustainable green weaving and bio-based multi-function yarn.

[Technological development of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy]

The surgical outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy have shown remarkable improvement over the last two decades since its advent, due to advances in surgical concepts, techniques, and equipment. Today, ongoing research aims to compare the benefits and drawbacks of various surgical approaches, such as anterior, posterior, lateral, transvesical, and transperineal approaches, in terms of tumor control, functional recovery, and complication reduction in order to achieve the goal of pentafecta (no postoperative complications and negative surgical margins in addition to trifecta) to the maximum extent. It is imperative to explore and integrate novel technologies such as 5G remote surgery and artificial intelligence into the clinical practice of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy while ensuring patient safety, which has immense potential for substantial benefits to patients with prostate cancer.

[Functional outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy with preservation of pelvic stabilized structure and early elevated retrograde liberation of neurovascular bundle]

Objectives: To examine the functional outcomes of robot-assisted radical prostatectomy (RARP) with preservation of pelvic floor stabilized structure and early elevated retrograde liberation of the neurovascular bundle (PEEL). Methods: This study was a retrospective cohort study. Between June 1, 2022, and March 20, 2023, 27 cases of RARP with PEEL and 153 cases of RARP with preservation of pelvic floor stabilized structure (PPSS) were included in this study. All patients were males, aged (62.5±5.2) years (range: 50 to 73 years). There were 18 cases of ≤T2b stage and 9 cases of T2c stage. After 1∶1 propensity score matching, the postoperative functional outcomes of 27 cases of RARP with PEEL and 27 cases of RARP with PPSS were compared. All surgeries were performed by a single surgeon and included patients were clinically staged as cT1-2N0M0 without preoperative urinary incontinence or erectile dysfunction. In RARP with PEEL, the prostate was cut near the midline at the front when dissecting the neurovascular bundle, dissection was performed between the visceral layer of the pelvic fascia and the prostatic fascia, preserving the parietal layer and the visceral layer of the pelvic fascia, and the neurovascular bundle was retrogradely released from the apex. The cumulative probability curve was plotted using the Kaplan-Meier method and the Log-rank test was used to compare the differences in functional outcomes between the two groups. Univariate and multivariate analysis with the Cox proportional hazards model was used to compare postoperative urinary continence and sexual function. Results: The recovery time of continence and potency was significantly longer in the PPSS group than in the PEEL group (all P<0.05). The continence rate of the PEEL group was significantly higher than that of the PPSS group (92.59% vs. 68.10%, P=0.026) at 3 months after surgery. The potency rate of the PEEL group was also significantly higher than that of the PPSS group (40.70% vs. 15.10%, P=0.037) at 3 months after surgery. In the univariate analysis, compared to the PPSS technique, the PEEL technique was associated with a shorter recovery time of continence (HR=1.94, 95%CI: 1.08 to 3.48, P=0.027) and a shorter recovery time of potency (HR=2.06, 95%CI: 1.03 to 4.13, P=0.042). In the multivariate analysis, the PEEL technique was an independent prognosis factor for postoperative recovery of continence (HR=2.05, 95%CI: 1.01 to 4.17, P=0.047) and potency (HR=3.57, 95%CI: 1.43 to 8.92, P=0.007). All the cases of the PPSS group and the PEEL group were performed successfully with negative surgical margins. Conclusion: Compared with PPSS, PEEL may be more conducive to the recovery of urinary continence and sexual function after RARP.

MoNP-doped Defective Carbon Fibers with Bark-like Nanosurface as Effective Bifunctional Electrocatalysts for Zn-air Batteries

The flexible air electrode with high oxygen electrocatalytic performance and outstanding stability under various deformations plays a vital role in high-performance flexible Zn-air batteries (ZABs). Herein, a self-supported Mo, N, and P co-doped carbon cloth (MoNP@CC) with bark-like surface structure is fabricated by a facile two-step approach via a one-pot method and pyrolysis. The surface of the electrode shows a nanoscale "rift valley" and uniformly distributed active sites. Taking advantage of the nano-surface as well as transition metal and heteroatom doping, the self-supported electrocatalysis air electrode exhibits considerable oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) performance in terms of low overpotential (388 mV at 10 mA cm-2) for OER and a much positive potential (0.74V) at 1.0 mA cm-2 for ORR.. Furthermore, MoNP@CC is further used for the flexible ZAB to demonstrate its practical application. The MoNP@CC-based ZAB displays a good cycling performance for 3000 min and an open-circuit voltage of 1.44 V. This work provides a new approach to the construction of a high-performance, self-supported electrocatalysis electrode used for a flexible energy storage device.

Highly Stretchable and Fluorescent Visualizable Thermoplastic Polyurethane/Tetraphenylethylene Plied Yarn Strain Sensor with Heterogeneous and Cracked Structure for Human Health Monitoring

Smart wearable technology has been more and more widely used in monitoring and prewarning of human health and safety, while flexible yarn-based strain sensors have attracted extensive research interest due to their ability to withstand greater external strain and their significant application potential in real-time monitoring of human motion and health signals. Although several strain sensors based on yarn structures have been reported, it remains challenging to strike a balance between high sensitivity and wide strain ranges. At the same time, visual signal sensing is expected to be used in strain sensors thanks to its intuitiveness. In this work, thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and tetraphenylethylene (TPE) were wet-spun to fabricate flexible fluorescent fibers used as the substrate of the sensor, followed by the drop addition of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) beads and curing to produce a heterogeneous structure, which were further twisted into a plied yarn. Finally, a visualizable flexible yarn strain sensor based on solidified liquid beads and crack structure was obtained by loading polydopamine (PDA) and polypyrrole (PPy) in situ. The sensor exhibited high sensitivity (the GF value was 58.9 at the strain range of 143-184%), a wide working strain range (0-184%), a low monitoring limit (<0.1%), a fast response (58.82 ms), reliable responses at different frequencies, and excellent cycle durability (over 2000 cycles). At the same time, the yarn strain sensor also had excellent photothermal characteristics and a fluorescence crack visualization effect. These attractive advantages enabled yarn strain sensors to accurately monitor various human activities, showing great application potential in health monitoring, personalized medical diagnosis, and other aspects.

Study on the Construction of Interlayer Adjustable C@MoS2 Fiber Anode by Biomass Confining and its Lithium/Sodium Storage Mechanism

Building a stable and controllable interlayer structure is the key to improving the sodium storage cycling stability and rate performance of two-dimensional anode materials. This study explored the rich functional groups in bacterial cellulose culture medium in the way of biological self-assembly. Mo precursors were used to produce chemical bond in bacterial cellulose culture medium, and intercalation groups are introduced to achieve MoS2 localized nucleation and in situ localized construction of carbon intercalation stable interlaminar structure, thus improving ion transport dynamics and cycle stability. In order to avoid structural irreversibility of MoS2 at low potential, an extended voltage window of 1.5-4 V was selected for lithium/sodium intercalation testing. It was found that there was a significant improvement in sodium storage capacity and stability. During the electrochemical cycling process, in-situ Raman testing revealed that the structure of MoS2 was completely reversible, and the intensity changes of MoS2 characteristic peaks showed in-plane vibration without involving interlayer bonding fracture. Moreover, after the lithium sodium was removed from the intercalation C@MoS2 all structures have good retention.

High Electrochemical Capacity MnO2/Graphene Hybrid Fibers Based on Crystalline Regulatable MnO2 for Wearable Supercapacitors

Fiber-based supercapacitors (FSCs) exhibit desirable application potential and development prospects in wearable energy storage devices because of their flexibility and wearability. However, the low capacity in the unit volume and insufficient fiber strength hinder their further development in practical application. Herein, the MnO2 nanomaterials with regulatable crystalline structure were synthesized by one-step hydrothermal strategy. The formation of the MnO2 crystalline structure involved the "crimp-phase transition" process. Among them, the 2 × 2 tunnel type α-MnO2 nanowires exhibited excellent electrochemical capacitance (43.8 F g-1), high rate performance (61%, 0.25 to 6 A g-1), and remarkable cyclic stability (99%), which can be attributed to their good symmetry in space and high shared vertices proportion. On this basis, the α-MnO2 nanowires were coblended with GO to construct MnO2/rGO hybrid fibers by scalable continuous wet spinning and in situ acid reduction. Noteworthily, in MnO2/rGO hybrid fibers, the doping amount of MnO2 nanowires as high as 50 wt % could be achieved, while the strength reached 11.73 MPa, which can be ascribed to the superior surface morphology of MnO2 nanowires and the unique cement wall structure of hybrid fibers. Finally, the obtained hybrid fiber electrodes were assembled into symmetrical FSCs. Notably, the FSCs delivered remarkable volume specific capacitance (129.5 F cm-3) and impressive energy density (18 mWh cm-3) at 1.75 A cm-3. In addition, the assembled all-solid-state FSCs indicated excellent deformability and application potential. This work offers some insight for promoting the continuous preparation of fiber electrodes, the development of FSCs, and practical application in wearable energy textile.

Study on Dosimetric Benefits of Adaptive Brachytherapy in the Treatment of Postoperative Cervical Cancer Patients

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVE(S)

Image-guided adaptive brachytherapy (IGABT) has been proven to improve the local control and survival rate of cervical cancer patients, while reducing the side effects. However, IGABT is time-consuming and difficult to achieve in countries or hospitals with intense medical resources. Compared with radical cervical cancer patients, the anatomical change of postoperative patients during brachytherapy is small. We hypothesis that the dosimetric benefits of adaptive brachytherapy in the treatment of postoperative cervical cancer patients is limited. This study investigates whether there is a balance between the treatment quality and treatment efficiency in postoperative cervical cancer patients without using IGABT.

MATERIALS/METHODS

We retrospectively studied 30 postoperative cervical cancer patients who underwent brachytherapy. Each patient had a primary CT (PCT) and an adaptive CT (ACT). The plan developed on the PCT (PCT plan) was introduced into ACT for dose calculation (P-ACT plan) to evaluate the dosimetric effect of anatomy change. The dose difference between P-ACT plan and ACT plan and was compared.

RESULTS

The mean value of HRCTV D100% and V150% in P-ACT plan are 4.95% and 0.75% lower than those of ACT plan, the difference is not statistically significant (P>0.05). The D0.1cm³ of bladder, rectum and sigmoid in P-ACT plan are higher 2.13%, 3.17%, and 0.71% than ACT plan, respectively, but the increment is insignificant (P>0.05). The D2cm³ of bladder and rectum is slightly lower in ACT plan, while the D2cm³ of sigmoid is slightly lower in P-ACT plan. The dosimetric benefits of IGABT is not remarkable for postoperative cervical cancer patients.

CONCLUSION

The preliminary results of this study show that IGBAT is optional for postoperative patients with cervical cancer in countries or hospitals with tight medical resources. It is necessary to conduct a larger sample and more detailed research further.

Regeneration and modification of cellulose acetate from cigarette waste: Biomedical potential by encapsulation of tetracycline hydrochloride

Cigarette waste are pervasive litter on Earth, posing a major threat to organisms and ecosystems. However, these waste contain cellulose acetate (CA) and can be recycled, transforming into raw materials for new products. Polymers like CA can be used in biomedical applications as drug carriers and scaffolds for drug release. In this study, cigarette filters waste was collected, recycled and used for fabricating the nanofibrous membrane of cellulose acetate nanofibers (CFCA) through electrospinning technique. Tetracycline hydrochloride (TC) was encapsulated in the nanofibers to prevent bacterial infections. Various analyses were conducted: Scanning Electron Microscope (SEM), Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray Diffraction Analysis (XRD) and Thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). CA and CFCA exhibited high water uptake properties and exhibited similar breaking stress and strain values. Both CA and CFCA effectively acted as stable drug carriers, with sustained in vitro drug release. Antibacterial activity was demonstrated by the drug-loaded CA and CFCA nanofibers against, Gram-positive bacteria Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative bacteria Escherichia coli. Based on their cytotoxicity evaluations on mouse fibroblast cells (L929), CA and CFCA fibrous mats demonstrated no cytotoxicity and similar cell viability results. Consequently, the TC-loaded nanofibers made from CA and CFCA exhibited suitable properties for wound healing applications.

Association between chronic disease and depression among older adults in China: the moderating role of social participation

OBJECTIVES

Depression is an increasingly serious mental health problem worldwide. Therefore, this study aimed to explore the association between chronic disease and depression and to further test the moderating role of social participation in this association.

STUDY DESIGN

This is a cross-sectional study.

METHODS

We screened 6421 subjects from the 2018 wave of the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study database. Social participation and depressive symptoms were assessed using the 12-item self-made scale and 10-item Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression Scale, respectively. Hierarchical regression was used to determine the main effect of chronic disease and depression and the moderating effect of social participation on the relationship between chronic disease and depression.

RESULTS

In this study, 3172 (49.40%) eligible participants were male, 4680 (72.90%) older adults were concentrated in the 65-74 years group, and 68.20% reported good health status. In addition, gender, area, education level, marital status, health status, health insurance, health service utilization, and physical activity intensity were significant factors associated with participants' depression status (P < 0.05). The results also showed that a higher number of chronic diseases were associated with a higher depression score after adjusting for confounders (single disease: β = 0.074, P < 0.001; multimorbidity: β = 0.171, P < 0.001) and that social participation played a moderating role in this association (β = -0.030, P < 0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

This study tentatively suggests that a higher number of chronic diseases are associated with rising depression scores in the older Chinese population. In addition, the moderating effect of social participation suggests that more active social engagement should be promoted in this population to alleviate the depressive mood.

Hydrogel transformed from sandcastle-worm-inspired powder for adhering wet adipose surfaces

Normally, hydrogel adhesives do not perform well on adipose matters that are covered with bodily fluids. Besides, the maintenance of high extensibility and self-healing ability in fully swollen state still remains challenging. Based on these concerns, we reported a sandcastle-worm-inspired powder, which was made of tannic acid-functionalized cellulose nanofiber (TA-CNF), polyacrylic acid (PAA) and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The obtained powder can rapidly absorb diverse bodily fluids and transform into a hydrogel, displaying fast (＜3 s), self-strengthening and repeatable wet adhesion to adipose tissues. Due to the dense physically cross-linked network, the formed hydrogel still showed excellent extensibility (∼14 times) and self-healing ability after being immersed in water. Moreover, excellent hemostasis, antibacterial ability and biocompatibility make it suitable for numerous biomedical applications. With combined advantages of powders and hydrogels, such as good adaptability to irregular sites, efficient drug loading capacity and tissue affinity, the sandcastle-worm-inspired powder offers significant promise as tissue adhesive and repair materials. This work may open new avenues for designing high-performance bioadhesives with efficient and robust wet adhesiveness to adipose tissues.

Photodynamic activity enhanced by in situ biosynthetic BC/CQDs@PCN-224 membranes through FRET strategy

Porphyrin-based metal organic frameworks (MOFs) with efficient bactericidal performance have increasingly attracted attention in photodynamic inactivation materials. However, low reactive oxygen species (ROS) yield and drug residue hazards of current porphyrin-MOFs materials lead to unsatisfactory clinical therapeutic effects. In this paper, carbon quantum dots (CQDs) were encapsulated into PCN-224, which enhanced the photodynamic activity of the MOFs through fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) process. Singlet oxygen (¹O₂) detection confirmed that the photodynamic activity of CQDs-doped PCN-224 (CQDs@PCN-224) was enhanced than that of pristine PCN-224 under illumination. Furthermore, the CQDs@PCN-224 were firmly embedded into bacterial cellulose (BC) nanofibrous membranes by using an eco-friendly biosynthetic approach, efficiently preventing MOFs leakage during use. The results of bactericidal assays demonstrated that BC/CQDs@PCN-224 membrane with higher photodynamic activity causes more severe disruption to bacterial structure and possesses better antibacterial efficiency (>99.99 % reduction of both Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli O157:H7 within 30 min) than BC/PCN-224 membrane under visible light illumination (500 W, 15 cm height, λ ≥ 420 nm). In addition, the biosynthesized BC/CQDs@PCN-224 membrane showed good hemocompatibility and low cytotoxicity, revealing that the BC- and MOFs-based material with enhanced PDI efficiency and satisfying safety has great potential in medical fields.

Dynamic Pluronic F127 Crosslinking Enhancement of Biopolymeric Nanocomposites for Piezo-Triboelectric Single-Hybrid Nanogenerators and Self-Powered Sensors

Biomechanical and nanomechanical energy harvesting systems have gained a wealth of interest, resulting in a plethora of research into the development of biopolymeric-based devices as sustainable alternatives. Piezoelectric, triboelectric, and hybrid nanogenerator devices for electrical applications are engineered and fabricated using innovative, sustainable, facile-approach flexible composite films with high performance based on bacterial cellulose and BaTiO₃ , intrinsically and structurally enhanced by Pluronic F127, a micellar cross-linker. The voltage and current outputs of the modified versions with multiwalled carbon nanotube as a conductivity enhancer and post-poling effect are 38 V and 2.8 µA cm^-2 , respectively. The multiconnective devices' power density can approach 10 µW cm^-2 . The rectified output power is capable of charging capacitors, driving light-emitting diode lights, powering a digital watch and interfacing with a commercial microcontroller board to operate as a piezoresistive force sensor switch as a proof of concept. Magnetoelectric studies show that the composites have the potential to be incorporated into magnetoelectric systems. The biopolymeric composites prove to be desirable candidates for multifunctional energy harvesters and electronic devices.

Scalable functionalized liquid crystal elastomer fiber soft actuators with multi-stimulus responses and photoelectric conversion

Liquid crystal elastomer (LCE) fibers exhibit large deformation and reversibility, making them an ideal candidate for soft actuators. It is still challenging to develop a scalable strategy and endow fiber actuators with photoelectric functions to achieve tailorable photo-electro-thermal responsiveness and rapid large actuation deformation. Herein, we fabricated a multiresponsive actuator that consists of LCE long fibers obtained by continuous dry spinning and further coated it with polydopamine (PDA)-modified MXene ink. The designed PDA@MXene-integrated LCE fiber is used for shape-deformable and multi-trigger actuators that can be photo- and electro-thermally actuated. The proposed LCE fiber actuator combines an excellent photothermal and long-term electrically conductive PDA@MXene and a shape-morphing LCE fiber, enabling their robust mechanical flexibility, multiple fast responses (∼0.4 s), and stable and large actuation deformation (∼60%). As a proof-of-concept, we present near-infrared light-driven artificial muscle that can lift 1000 times the weight and an intelligent circuit switch with stable controllability and fast responsiveness (∼0.1 s). Importantly, an adaptive smart window system that integrates light-driven energy harvesting/conversion functions is ingeniously constructed by the integration of a propellable curtain woven by the designed fiber and solar cells. This work can provide insights into the development of advanced intelligent materials toward soft robotics, sustainable energy savings and beyond.

Electrospun PVB/AVE NMs as mask filter layer for win-win effects of filtration and antibacterial activity

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused serious social and public health problems. In the field of personal protection, the facial masks can prevent infectious respiratory diseases, safeguard human health, and promote public safety. Herein, we focused on preparing a core filter layer for masks using electrospun polyvinyl butyral/apocynum venetum extract nanofibrous membranes (PVB/AVE NMs), with durable interception efficiency and antibacterial properties. In the spinning solution, AVE acted as a salt to improve electrical conductivity, and achieve long-lasting interception efficiency with adjustable pore size. It also played the role of an antibacterial agent in PVB/AVE NMs to achieve win-win effects. The hydrophobicity of PVB-AVE-6% was 120.9° whereas its filterability reached 98.3% when the pressure drop resistance was 142 Pa. PVB-AVE-6% exhibited intriguing properties with great antibacterial rates of 99.38% and 98.96% against S. aureus and E. coli, respectively. After a prolonged usability test of 8 h, the filtration efficiency of the PVB/AVE masks remained stable at over 97.7%. Furthermore, the antibacterial rates of the PVB/AVE masks on S. aureus and E. coli were 96.87% and 96.20% respectively, after using for 2 d. These results indicate that PVB/AVE NMs improve the protective performance of ordinary disposable masks, which has certain application in air filtration.

Study on the Controllable Preparation of Nd3+ Doped in Fe3O4 Nanoparticles for Magnetic Protective Fabrics

Magnetic protective fabrics with fine wearability and great protective properties are highly desirable for aerospace, national defense, and wearable protective applications. The study of the controllable preparation method of Nd3+ doped in Fe3O4 nanoparticles with supposed magnetic properties remains a challenge. The characterization of the microstructure, elemental composition, and magnetic properties of NdFe2O4 nanoparticles was verified. Then, the surface of NdFe2O4 was treated with glyceric acid to provide sufficient –OH. Subsequently, the connection of the nanoparticle by the succinimide group was studied and then grafted onto cotton fabrics as its bridging effect. The optimal loading rate of the functional fabrics with nanoparticles of an average size of 230 nm was 1.37% after a 25% alkali pretreatment. The color fatness to rubbing results showed better stability after washing and drying. The corresponding hysteresis loop indicated that the functional fabrics exhibited typical magnetism behavior with a closed “S” shape and a magnetic saturation value of 17.61 emu.g−1 with a particle size of 230 nm. However, the magnetic saturation value of the cotton fabric of 90 nm was just 4.89 emu.g−1, exhibiting controllable preparation for the aimed electromagnetic properties and great potential in radiation protective fields. The electrochemical properties of the functional fabrics exhibited extremely weak electrical conductivity caused by the movement of the magnetic dipole derived from the NdFe2O4 nanoparticles.

Proteomic study on CUMS-induced senile depression mice's frontal lobe cortex and the regulating effect of KTLD formula

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to investigate the protein expression of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CUMS)-induced senile depression in SAMP-8 mice's frontal lobe cortex and the regulating effect of the kidney tonifying and liver dispersing (KTLD) formula.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

A total of 15 male SAMP-8 mice were randomly divided into control, CUMS, and KTLD groups. CUMS and KTLD mice were subjected to CUMS for 21 days. Control group mice were kept to normal feeding. At the same time as molding, the herbal gavage (KTLD formula, 19.5 g/kg/d) was given from the beginning of the stress stimulation, while the control group and the CUMS group mice were given the same volume of saline for 21 days. Open-field testing (OFT) was used to assess the mice's depression levels. Isobaric tags for relative and absolute quantification (iTRAQ) were used to identify differentially expressed proteins (DEPs) in mice's frontal lobe cortex. Bioinformatics analysis including Gene Ontology (GO); Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathway enrichment, and protein-protein interaction (PPI) networks were utilized to study the DEPs connections.

RESULTS

Results revealed that mice with senile depression experienced more anxiety and depression than control mice, whereas KTLD mice had the opposite experience. Biological processes including transport, regulation of transcription, and DNA-templated were identified in both KTLD and CUMS. The KEGG enrichment study of the DEPs in KTLD revealed their involvement in the MAPK signaling pathway, glutamatergic synapse, dopaminergic synapse, axon guidance, and ribosome. KEGG pathway enrichment showed that the mechanism of senile depression and the pathway of KTLD are closely related to axonal conductance and ribosomes. According to the PPI analysis, disease-related proteins regulated by KTLD revealed that some proteins, such as GLOI1 and TRRAP, have potential interactions. This provides fresh insight into how KTLD works to cue senile depression.

CONCLUSIONS

KTLD treats senile depression via multiple targets and pathways, which may include regulations of 467 DEPs. Proteomics showed significant changes in protein levels in geriatric depression and after KTLD intervention. Senile depression involves the cross-linking and modulation of signal pathways, presenting a pattern of multiple pathways and multiple targets. According to a protein pathway enrichment and protein interaction model of KTLD in senile depression, KTLD is capable of treating senile depression via multiple pathways and targets.

Loss of RAP2A Aggravates Cartilage Degradation in TMJOA via YAP Signaling

Abnormal stress loading has been considered a major contributor to the initiation of temporomandibular joint osteoarthritis (TMJOA), but studies to date have not identified a functional molecule that transforms physical stress into biological or biochemical signaling in chondrocytes in response to excessive mechanical stress. Ras-related protein Rap-2a (RAP2A) is reportedly a molecular switch that relays extracellular matrix rigidity signals via the Hippo/Yes-associated protein (YAP) pathway. In the present study, RAP2A diminished with cartilage degradation in unilateral anterior crossbite-induced TMJOA mice, as well as severe cartilage matrix degeneration and TMJOA formation in Cre-loxP-mediated conditional RAP2A knockout mice. RAP2A in chondrocytes regulated the Hippo/YAP pathway directly in response to matrix stiffness, and RAP2A/Hippo/YAP was critical for a chondrocyte phenotype switch and matrix synthesis function. Loss of RAP2A impaired cartilage homeostasis and altered chondrocyte phenotype via Hippo/YAP/SRY-box transcription factor 9 signaling. It may be possible to generate therapeutic strategies using RAP2A or YAP to attenuate the TMJOA pathological process at an early stage. This is the first study to reveal the molecular function of RAP2A in TMJOA progression as a mechanotransduction molecule in condylar chondrocytes.

FeCo/N-co-doped 3D carbon nanofibers as efficient bifunctional oxygen electrocatalyst for Zn-air batteries

Flexible zinc-air batteries (ZABs) are expected to become a promising candidate in energy storage equipment for wearable electronic devices. However, the sluggish kinetics of the oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) have impeded the development of ZABs. Herein, an FeCo- and N-codoped bifunctional electrocatalyst (FeCoNCF) is fabricated by simple one-pot and pyrolysis strategies. Concretely, the bacterial cellulose (BC) and Prussian blue analogue (PBA) derived transition metal and nitrogen doped carbon (M-N-C) composites provide ORR and OER active sites. FeCoNCF exhibits outstanding ORR and OER activities. It displays a favorable high half-wave potential (0.81 V) and a low overpotential at 10 mA cm^-2 (341 mV), which are on a par with commercial Pt/C and RuO₂, and shows outstanding stability. The sandwich-type flexible zinc-air battery containing FeCoNCF shows a favorable power density (49.29 mW cm^-2) and superior cycling stability.

Amphiphilic sodium alginate-polylysine hydrogel with high antibacterial efficiency in a wide pH range

Bacterial infection is a major pathological factor leading to persistent wounds. With the aging of population, wound infection has gradually become a global health-issue. The wound site environment is complicated, and the pH changes dynamically during healing. Therefore, there is an urgent need for new antibacterial materials that can adapt to a wide pH range. To achieve this goal, we developed a thymol-oligomeric tannic acid/amphiphilic sodium alginate-polylysine hydrogel film, which exhibited excellent antibacterial efficacy in the pH range from 4 to 9, achieving the highest achievable 99.993 % (4.2 log units) and 99.62 % (2.4 log units) against Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram-negative Escherichia coli, respectively. The hydrogel films exhibited excellent cytocompatibility, suggesting that the materials are promising as a novel wound healing material without the concern of biosafety.

High-Performance Room-Temperature NO2 Gas Sensor Based on Au-Loaded SnO2 Nanowires under UV Light Activation

Optical excitation is widely acknowledged as one of the most effective means of balancing sensor responses and response/recovery properties at room temperature (RT, 25 °C). Moreover, noble metals have been proven to be suitable as photosensitizers for optical excitation. Localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) determines the liberalization of quasi-free electrons in noble metals under light irradiation, and numerous injected electrons in semiconductors will greatly promote the generation of chemisorbed oxygen, thus elevating the sensor response. In this study, pure SnO₂ and Au/SnO₂ nanowires (NWs) were successfully synthesized through the electrospinning method and validated using XRD, EDS, HRTEM, and XPS. Although a Schottky barrier led to a much higher initial resistance of the Au/SnO₂ composite compared with pure SnO₂ at RT in the dark, the photoinduced resistance of the Au/SnO₂ composite became lower than that of pure SnO₂ under UV irradiation with the same intensity, which confirmed the effect of LSPR. Furthermore, when used as sensing materials, a detailed comparison between the sensing properties of pure SnO₂ and Au/SnO₂ composite toward NO₂ in the dark and under UV irradiation highlighted the crucial role of the LSPR effects. In particular, the response of Au/SnO₂ NWs toward 5 ppm NO₂ could reach 65 at RT under UV irradiation, and the response/recovery time was only 82/42 s, which far exceeded those under Au modification-only or optical excitation-only. Finally, the gas-sensing mechanism corresponding to the change in sensor performance in each case was systematically proposed.

Strong and robust cellulose-based enzymatic membrane with gradient porous structure in dynamically catalytic removal of sulfonamides antibiotics

Enzyme membrane systems (EMS) have generated considerable interest because of their advantages of accelerating reactions, eliminating product inhibition, and enhancing conversion rates. However, there are deficiencies in the efficient fabrication of affinity carrier membranes and dynamic catalytic separation properties. Herein, a strong and highly flexible spunlaced viscose/bacterial cellulose (BC) composite membrane in situ embedded with graphene oxide (GO) was developed by combining a scalable bio-synthesis method with atom transfer radical polymerization technology. Notably, the layer-by-layer growth of BC on composite film and the addition of GO resulted in an entangled network with strong hydrogen bonding, endowing the resulting membrane with superior mechanical properties and flexibility, while facilitating a gradient structure and porous transport channels. Subsequently, a novel and highly efficient EMS was constructed by using abundant molecular brushes on composite membrane as immobilized enzyme carrier. The resulting EMS exhibited a high throughput (2.17 L/min*m²) and an interception rate (98.64%) in dynamic catalytic sulfonamide antibiotic wastewater activated with syringaldehyde mediator. Meanwhile, the removal rates of sulphapyridine and sulfamethazine were 97.20% and 94.78% under 0.14 MPa and 15 min, respectively. This efficient and scalable manufacturing strategy is of great significance and may pave a novel pathway for antibiotics wastewater treatment and recycling.

Long-term changes in cerebral and ocular hemodynamics after carotid endarterectomy in symptomatic patients with unilateral carotid artery stenosis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of the current study was to describe the alternation pattern of cerebral and ocular blood flow velocities (BFVs) in symptomatic patients with unilateral carotid stenosis after carotid endarterectomy.

PATIENTS AND METHODS

20 symptomatic patients underwent carotid endarterectomy for ≥ 50% unilateral carotid stenosis. Cerebral and ocular hemodynamics were evaluated by Transcranial Doppler (TCD) and Color Doppler imaging (CDI), respectively, first preoperatively, then during the following several days after carotid endarterectomy before discharge, and finally two to sixteen months later.

RESULTS

Statistically significant improvements in the BFVs were recorded in the ipsilateral anterior cerebral artery (ACA), middle cerebral artery (MCV) and short posterior ciliary artery (SPCA) during the following several days after carotid endarterectomy. Preoperative retrograde flows of the ipsilateral ophthalmic artery (OA) in two patients returned to anterograde direction immediately following carotid endarterectomy. At the follow-up of two to sixteen months, the BFVs of the ipsilateral ACA, MCA and SPCA tended to decline and were no longer statistically significant from the preoperative values.

CONCLUSIONS

Carotid endarterectomy significantly increased the flow velocities of ipsilateral cerebral anterior circulation and OA branching artery in patients with unilateral carotid stenosis early after surgery. At the long-term follow-up, the flow velocities in the ipsilateral hemisphere had the tendency to reduce and approach the preoperative level.

Manufacturing Technics for Fabric/Fiber-Based Triboelectric Nanogenerators: From Yarns to Micro-Nanofibers

Triboelectric nanogenerator (TENG), as a green energy harvesting technology, has aroused tremendous interest across many fields, such as wearable electronics, implanted electronic devices, and human-machine interfaces. Fabric and fiber-structured materials are excellent candidates for TENG materials due to their inherent flexibility, low cost, and high wearing comfort. Consequently, it is crucial to combine TENG with fabric/fiber materials to simultaneously leverage their mechanical energy harvesting and wearability advantages. In this review, the structure and fundamentals of TENG are briefly explained, followed by the introduction of three distinct methods for preparing fabric/fiber structures: spinning and weaving, wet spinning, and electrospinning. In the meantime, their applications have been discussed, focusing primarily on energy harvesting and wearable self-powered sensors. Finally, we discussed the future and challenges of fabric and fiber-based TENGs.

[Outcomes at discharge of preterm infants born <34 weeks' gestation]

Objective: To investigate the incidence and trend of short-term outcomes among preterm infants born <34 weeks' gestation. Methods: A secondary analysis of data from the standardized database established by a multicenter cluster-randomized controlled study "reduction of infection in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) using the evidence-based practice for improving quality (REIN-EPIQ) study". This study was conducted in 25 tertiary NICU. A total of 27 192 infants with gestational age <34 weeks at birth and admitted to NICU within the first 7 days of life from May 2015 to April 2018 were enrolled. Infants with severe congenital malformation were excluded. Descriptive analyses were used to describe the mortality and major morbidities of preterm infants by gestational age groups and different admission year groups. Cochran-Armitage test and Jonckheere-Terpstra test were used to analyze the trend of incidences of mortality and morbidities in 3 study-years. Multiple Logistic regression model was constructed to analyze the differences of outcomes in 3 study-years adjusting for confounders. Results: A total of 27 192 preterm infants were enrolled with gestational age of (31.3±2.0) weeks at birth and weight of (1 617±415) g at birth. Overall, 9.5% (2 594/27 192) of infants were discharged against medical advice, and the overall mortality rate was 10.7% (2 907/27 192). Mortality for infants who received complete care was 4.7% (1 147/24 598), and mortality or any major morbidity was 26.2% (6 452/24 598). The incidences of moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis, severe intraventricular hemorrhage or periventricular leukomalacia, proven necrotizing enterocolitis, and severe retinopathy of prematurity were 16.0% (4 342/27 192), 11.9% (3 225/27 192), 6.8% (1 641/24 206), 3.6% (939/25 762) and 1.5% (214/13 868), respectively. There was a decreasing of the overall mortality (P<0.001) during the 3 years. Also, the incidences for sepsis and severe retinopathy of prematurity both decreased (both P<0.001). However, there were no significant differences in the major morbidity in preterm infants who received complete care during the 3-year study period (P=0.230). After adjusting for confounders, infants admitted during the third study year showed significantly lower risk of overall mortality (adjust OR=0.62, 95%CI 0.55-0.69, P<0.001), mortality or major morbidity, moderate to severe bronchopulmonary dysplasia, sepsis and severe retinopathy of prematurity, compared to those admitted in the first study year (all P<0.05). Conclusions: From 2015 to 2018, the mortality and major morbidities among preterm infants in Chinese NICU decreased, but there is still space for further efforts. Further targeted quality improvement is needed to improve the overall outcome of preterm infants.

Visible Light-Induced Room-Temperature Formaldehyde Gas Sensor Based on Porous Three-Dimensional ZnO Nanorod Clusters with Rich Oxygen Vacancies

Oxygen vacancy (V_O) is a kind of primary point defect that extensively exists in semiconductor metal oxides (SMOs). Owing to some of its inherent qualities, an artificial manipulation of V_O content in one material has evolved into a hot research field, which is deemed to be capable of modulating band structures and surface characteristics of SMOs. Specific to the gas-sensing area, V_O engineering of sensing materials has become an effective means in enhancing sensor response and inducing light-enhanced sensing. In this work, a high-efficiency microwave hydrothermal treatment was utilized to prepare a V_O-rich ZnO sample without additional reagents. The X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy test revealed a significant increase in V_O proportion, which was from 9.21% in commercial ZnO to 36.27% in synthesized V_O-rich ZnO possessing three-dimensional and air-permeable microstructures. The subsequent UV-vis-NIR absorption and photoluminescence spectroscopy indicated an extension absorption in the visible region and band gap reduction of V_O-rich ZnO. It turned out that the V_O-rich ZnO-based sensor exhibited a considerable response of 63% toward 1 ppm HCHO at room temperature (RT, 25 °C) under visible light irradiation. Particularly, the response/recovery time was only 32/20 s for 1 ppm HCHO and further shortened to 10/5 s for 10 ppm HCHO, which was an excellent performance and comparable to most sensors working at high temperatures. The results in this work strongly suggested the availability of V_O engineering and also provided a meaningful candidate for researchers to develop high-performance RT sensors detecting volatile organic compounds.

Biomass-derived nanocellulose aerogel enable highly efficient immobilization of laccase for the degradation of organic pollutants

Laccase is a promising biocatalyst for pollutant degradation and water purification. However, laccase can only improve the stability of enzyme activity and achieve its significant catalytic effect after effective immobilization. Herein, we report a general strategy to integrate nanocellulose aerogel and laccase for high-efficiency degradation of organic pollutants. Biomass-derived functional bacterial cellulose (BC) aerogel with a nanonetwork structure and high porosity was prepared by biosynthesis, solvent replacement, and atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) procedures. Subsequently, a biocatalyst platform was fabricated by "coupling" ATRP-modified BC aerogel with abundant active sites with laccase through ion coordination. The results demonstrated the biocatalyst platform not only has good biological affinity, but also has high enzyme load and structural stability. Meanwhile, the degradation rates of reactive red X-3B and 2, 4-dichlorophenol reached 94.5% and 85.2% within 4 h, respectively. The strategy disclosed herein could provide a practical method for the degradation of organic pollutants.

POS1002 DIAGNOSTIC DELAY AND ITS ASSOCIATED FACTORS IN CHINESE AXIAL SPONDYLOARTHRITIS: A RETROSPECTIVE STUDY

Background

Few data on the prolonged diagnosis and its associated factors in Chinese axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is available.

Objectives

To delineate the landscape of diagnostic delay in Chinese axSpA, investigate its associated factors and explore its potential impact on medication modalities.

Methods

A total of 1,295 patients fulfilling the ASAS classification criteria were obtained. Demographic and clinical data were collected through predesigned questionnaires and available medical records. Logistic regression analyses in univariate and multivariable model were performed, using the median of diagnostic delay as cut-off point for group classification. Differences between early and late diagnosed group were subsequently compared by the Pearson chi-square test or Mann-Whitney U test.

Results

The median (IQR) diagnostic delay in Chinese axSpA was 3.0 (1.0~7.0) years and 24.8% of them reported a history of misdiagnosis. Older age at onset (OR=0.97, P<0.001) and higher education attainment (P=0.001) were correlated with early diagnosis of axSpA, whereas coming from less developed areas (P=0.002), a history of peripheral arthritis at the time of diagnosis (OR=1.58, P=0.002) and history of misdiagnosis (OR=1.98, P<0.001) increased the risk of diagnostic delay. Medication modalities were similar between two groups, but the proportion with no medication ever and percentage without regular medication in recent 3 months were higher in the late diagnosed group than early group (26.5% vs. 20.7%, P=0.02; 34.7% vs. 28.6%, P=0.02).

Conclusion

Our findings depicted a detailed spectrum of diagnostic delay in Chinese axSpA, verified five associated factors and pinpointed a remarkable treatment delay even after diagnosis, especially in late diagnosis group.

References

[1]Masson Behar V, Dougados M, Etcheto A, Kreis S, Fabre S, Hudry C, et al. Diagnostic delay in axial spondyloarthritis: A cross-sectional study of 432 patients. Joint bone spine. 2017;84(4):467-71.

Figure 1.

Cumulative distribution of age at onset and age at diagnosis in Chinese axSpA

(A) the entire group. (B) stratified by early and late diagnosed group. (C) stratified by education level (college, middle school, secondary school). (D) stratified by history of peripheral arthritis when diagnosed. (E) stratified by history of misdiagnoses when diagnosed. (F) stratified by native place, as statistical significance was found between eastern coastal and western China, only these two groups were presented.

Disclosure of Interests

None declared

OP0247 RISK FACTORS FOR SEVERE COVID-19 OUTCOMES: A STUDY OF IMMUNE-MEDIATED INFLAMMATORY DISEASES, THERAPIES AND COMORBIDITIES IN A LARGE US HEALTHCARE SYSTEM

Background

The risk of acquiring COVID-19, and the severity of illness if acquired, in the context of immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and their therapy, remains incompletely understood. Reported infection rates and outcomes have varied depending on the IMIDs being studied, the nature and size of the study population, and the presence or absence of appropriate control populations. Having more reliable analysis on larger populations is essential for current and future pandemics.

Objectives

Health records from one of the largest health systems in the US are analyzed to determine whether specific IMIDs, including common rheumatologic conditions and specific immunomodulatory drugs, are associated with certain COVID-19 outcomes, using multivariate models that include common chronic comorbidities.

Methods

Patients (pts) with and without IMIDs who were tested for SARS-CoV-2 antigen (n=1,101,431) were identified from the EHR from Providence St. Joseph Health, which serves much of the western US. Immunomodulatory drug therapy was defined as use within three months prior to the first test. Multivariate logistic regression (LR) was applied with machine learning metrics (feature importance, p-value) reported on an 80% training set and AUROC reported on 20% test set.

Results

Rates for positive COVID-19 tests, invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and mortality were not greater in the IMID than non-IMID population, whilst hospitalization was similar (Table 1). Importance and statistical significance of selected factors are shown in (Figure 1). The most important risk factors for hospitalization were age and heart failure. Heart failure was the most important risk factor for IMV, and age for increased mortality. Diabetes showed weak associations with these three outcomes. Spondyloarthritis was weakly associated with decreased hospitalization, IMV, and death. The use of conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDS) and corticosteroids (CS) showed a weak association with hospitalization, and rituximab (RTX) showed a weak association with increased mortality. Limitations include lack of vaccination status and IMID disease severity/flare status. Testing was not universal.

Table 1.

COVID-19 test results, hospitalization, invasive mechanical ventilation, and mortality

Tested for COVIDCOVID+Hospitalized n, % of COVID+IMV n, % of COVID+Mortality % of COVID+n (%)n, % of testedn, % of COVID+All pts1,101,431 (100%)128,962 (11.7%)19,704 (15.3%)1,001 (0.8%)2,232 (1.7%)Pts without selected IMIDs1,049,007 (95.3%)123,943 (11.8%)18,729 (15.1%)959 (0.8%)2,165 (1.7%)Pts with selected rheumatologic IMIDs28,411 (2.5%)2,974 (10.5%)578 (19.4%)27 (0.9%)51 (1.7%)Pts with other selected IMIDs24,013 (2.2%)2,045 (8.5%)397 (19.4%)15 (0.7%)16 (0.8%)

Selected rheumatologic IMIDs = RA, SpA, PsA, SLE, PsO, SSc; Other selected IMIDs = IBD, MS.

Figure 1.

Odds ratio (OR) for selected risk factors for COVID-19 positive test, hospitalization, IMV, and mortality

Conclusion

This analysis of COVID+ patients (n=1,101,431) from a large US health care system analyzes outcomes of patients with and without IMIDs; the majority were rheumatologic IMIDs. Patients with IMIDs had a similar rate of hospitalization, IMV, and death as those without IMIDs. The strongest associations with COVID-19 severity included heart failure and age. Spondyloarthritis was weakly associated with favorable outcomes whilst other conditions, including rheumatologic, were not worse than those of non-IMID patients. csDMARDs and corticosteroids were weakly associated with hospitalization and RTX with increased mortality. Other therapies were not associated with severe adverse outcomes.

Acknowledgements

Philip Mease and Qi Wei contributed equally and share first authorship. Swedish Medical Foundation and Pfizer investigator-initiated study grant.

Disclosure of Interests

Philip J Mease Speakers bureau: AbbVie, Amgen, Eli Lilly, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, UCB, Consultant of: AbbVie, Aclaris, Amgen, Boehringer Ingelheim, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, GlaxoSmithKline, Inmagene, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun Pharma, UCB, Grant/research support from: AbbVie, Amgen, Bristol Myers Squibb, Eli Lilly, Galapagos, Gilead, Janssen, Novartis, Pfizer, Sun Pharma, Swedish Medical Foundation, UCB, Qi Wei Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Swedish Medical Foundation, Michael Chiorean Speakers bureau: Pfizer, BMS, Takeda, AbbVie, Janssen, Medtronic, Consultant of: Pfizer, Lilly, Janssen, Arena, Medtronic, BMS, AbbVie, Grant/research support from: Takeda, Pfizer, Novartis, Swedish Medical Foundation, Lulu Iles-Shih Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Swedish Medical Foundation, Jennifer Hadlock Grant/research support from: Pfizer, Swedish Medical Foundation

LncRNA ABHD11-AS1 promotes tumor progression in papillary thyroid carcinoma by regulating EPS15L1/EGFR signaling pathway

OBJECTIVES

lncRNA ABHD11 antisense RNA 1 (ABHD11-AS1) acts as an oncogene involved in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) occurrence and progression. ABHD11-AS1 exerts biologic functions by some miRNAs and proteins to regulate multiple targets. Identification of novel mechanism of ABHD11-AS1 could be helpful in therapeutic targeting for PTC treatment.

METHODS

Differentially expressed lncRNAs were selected from TCGA database. qRT-PCR analysis was applied to examine the expression of ABHD11-AS1 in PTC cell lines and tissues. The relationship of ABHD11-AS1 expression and clinicopathological features was analyzed by Kaplan-Meier analysis. Two PTC cell lines (TPC-1 and KTC-1) were transfected with pcDNA 3.1, pcDNA3.1-ABHD11-AS1, si-NC and si-ABHD11-AS1, respectively, to verify the ABHD11-AS1 oncogene-regulating capacity to promote tumor progression. The cell metastasis and proliferation had been evaluated both in vitro and in vivo.

RESULTS

High expression of ABHD11-AS1 was found in PTC tissues (P < 0.01), which was significantly correlated with lymph node metastasis (P < 0.05). ABHD11-AS1 overexpression noticeably promoted cell proliferation, migration, and invasion capabilities, which were obviously decreased upon ABHD11-AS1 knockdown. ABHD11-AS1 positively regulated EGFR/EPS15L1 pathway, as EGFR, EPS15L1, STAT3, and p-STAT3 were activated.

CONCLUSION

ABHD11-AS1 promotes tumor progression in PTC by regulating EPS15L1/EGFR pathway.

Bio-inspired hydrogels with fibrous structure: A review on design and biomedical applications

Numerous tissues in the human body have fibrous structures, including the extracellular matrix, muscles, and heart, which perform critical biological functions and have exceptional mechanical strength. Due to their high-water content, softness, biocompatibility and elastic nature, hydrogels resemble biological tissues. Traditional hydrogels, on the other hand, have weak mechanical properties and lack tissue-like fibrous structures, limiting their potential applications. Thus, bio-inspired hydrogels with fibrous architectures have piqued the curiosity of biomedical researchers. Here, we review fabrication strategies for fibrous hydrogels and their recent progress in the biomedical fields of wound dressings, drug delivery, tissue engineering scaffolds and bioadhesives. Challenges and future perspectives are also discussed.

Neutral particles pushed or pulled by laser pulses: erratum

We present an erratum to our Letter [Opt. Lett.41, 230 (2016)10.1364/OL.41.000230]. This erratum corrects three typing errors. The corrections have no influence on the results and conclusions of the original Letter.