Design and Synthesis of Electrocatalysts Base on Catalysis-Unit Engineering.

It is a pressing need to develop new energy materials to address the existing energy crisis. However, screening optimal targets out of thousands of materials candidates remains a great challenge. Herein, we propose and validate an alternative concept for highly effective materials screening based on dual-atom salphen catalysis units. Such an approach simplifies the design of catalytic materials and reforms the trial-and-error experimental model into a building-blocks-assembly like process. Firstly, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed on a series of potential catalysis units which were possible to synthesize. Then, machine learning (ML) was employed to define the structure-performance relationship and acquire chemical insights. Afterwards, the projected catalysis units were integrated into covalent organic frameworks (COFs) to validate the concept Electrochemical tests confirm that Ni-SalphenCOF and Co-SalphenCOF are promising conductive agent-free oxygen evolution reaction (OER) catalysts. This work provides a fast-tracked strategy for design and development of functional materials, which serves as a potentially workable framework for seamlessly integrating DFT calculations, ML, and experimental approaches. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Defect-Induced All-Solid-State Frustrated Lewis Pair on Metal-Organic Monolayer Accelerating Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction with H2O Vapor.

Understanding the structure-performance relationships of a frustrated Lewis pair (FLP) at the atomic level is key to yielding high efficiency in activating chemically "inert" molecules into value-added products. A sound strategy was developed herein through incorporating oxygen defects into a Zr-based metal-organic layer (Zr-MOL-D) and employing Lewis basic proximal surface hydroxyls for the in situ formation of solid heterogeneous FLP (Zr4-δ-VO-Zr-OH). Zr-MOL-D exhibits a superior CO2 to CO conversion rate of 49.4 µmol g-1 h-1 in water vapor without any sacrificing agent or photosensitizer, which is about 12 times higher than that of pure MOL (Zr-MOL-P), with extreme stability even after being placed for half a year. Theoretical and experimental results reveal that the introduction of FLP converts the process of the crucial intermediate COOH* from an endothermic reaction to an exothermic spontaneous reaction. This work is expected to provide new prospects for developing efficient MOL-based photocatalysts in FLP chemistry through a sound defect-engineering strategy.

Airway necrosis and granulation tissue formation caused by Rhizopus oryzae leading to severe upper airway obstruction: a case report.

Pulmonary Mucormycosis is a fatal infectious disease with high mortality rate. The occurrence of Mucormycosis is commonly related to the fungal virulence and the host's immunological defenses against pathogens. Mucormycosis infection and granulation tissue formation occurred in the upper airway was rarely reported. This patient was a 60-year-old male with diabetes mellitus, who was admitted to hospital due to progressive cough, sputum and dyspnea. High-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) and bronchoscopy revealed extensive tracheal mucosal necrosis, granulation tissue proliferation, and severe airway stenosis. The mucosal necrotic tissue was induced by the infection of Rhizopus Oryzae, confirmed by metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) in tissue biopsy. This patient was treated with the placement of a covered stent and local instillation of amphotericin B via bronchoscope. The tracheal mucosal necrosis was markedly alleviated, the symptoms of cough, shortness of breath, as well as exercise tolerance were significantly improved. The placement of airway stent and transbronchial microtube drip of amphotericin B could conduce to rapidly relieve the severe airway obstruction due to Mucormycosis infection.

Long-term exposure to air pollutants and new-onset migraine: A large prospective cohort study.

BACKGROUNDS: Short-term exposure to air pollutants increases the risk of migraine, but the long-term impacts of exposure to multiple pollutants on migraine have not been established. The aim of this large prospective cohort study was to explore these links. METHODS: A total of 458,664 participants who were free of migraine at baseline from the UK Biobank were studied. Cox proportional hazards models were used to estimate the risk of new-onset migraine from combined long-term exposure to four pollutants, quantified as an air pollution score using principal component analysis. RESULTS: During a median (IQR) follow-up of 12.5 (11.8, 13.2) years, a total of 5417 new-onset migraine cases were documented. Long-term exposure to multiple air pollutants was associated with an increased risk of new-onset migraine, as indicated by an increased in the SDs of PM2.5 (hazard ratio (HR): 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.06, P = 0.009), PM10 (HR: 1.07, 95% CI: 1.04-1.10, P < 0.001), NO2 (HR: 1.10, 95% CI: 1.07-1.13, P < 0.001) and NOx (HR: 1.04, 95% CI: 1.01-1.07, P = 0.005) in the main model. The air pollution score showed a doseresponse association with an increased risk of new-onset migraine. Similarly, compared with those of the lowest tertile, the HRs (95% CI) of new-onset migraine were 1.11 (95% CI: 1.04-1.19, P = 0.002) and 1.17 (95% CI: 1.09-1.26, P < 0.001) in tertiles 2 and 3, respectively, according to the main model (P trend < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Long-term individual and joint exposure to multiple air pollutants is associated with an increased risk of new-onset migraine.

Piperlongumine inhibits esophageal squamous cell carcinoma in vitro and in vivo by triggering NRF2/ROS/TXNIP/NLRP3-dependent pyroptosis.

Pyroptosis, a type of programmed cell death, is characterized by cell swelling with bubbles, and the release of inflammatory cell cytokines. Piperlongumine (PL) is a natural bioactive product extracted from Piper longum L, which can effectively exert anti-tumor activities in cancer. However, the effects and the exact molecular mechanisms of PL in esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC) remain unclear. This research aimed to investigate the role and mechanism of PL on ESCC in vitro and in vivo. In vitro, the MTT results showed that the IC50 of PL in ESCC cells was 28.55 µM. Moreover, PL significantly suppressed malignant behavior by promoting pyroptosis of ESCC cells by inhibiting proliferation, migration, invasion, and colony formation of KYSE-30 cells, up-regulating expressions of ASC, Cleaved-caspase-1, NLRP3, and GSDMD, while inducing the generation of ROS. Further, NRF2 knockdown promoted TXNIP expression, while overexpression of NRF2 inhibited TXNIP expression. However, after PL treatment, this effect was reversed. In addition, PL significantly inhibited the malignant behavior of ESCC cells while the inhibitory effects were reversed by DMF (NRF2 activator) or NAC (ROS eliminator) treatment. Finally, PL markedly increased expressions of ASC, Cleaved-caspase-1, NLRP3, GSDMD, and the generation of ROS while the effects were reversed by TXNIP knockdown or RUS (TXNIP inhibitor) treatment. In vivo, the KYSE-30 xenograft model confirmed that PL inhibited the growth of ESCC transplanted tumors by promoting cell pyroptosis. In conclusion, the results suggested that PL inhibited the malignant behavior of ESCC cells in vitro and tumorigenesis of ESCC in vivo by inhibiting NRF2 and promoting ROS-TXNIP-NLRP3-mediated pyroptosis.

[Microbial Diversity and Population Structure of Different Salinized Soil Types in Hebei Province].

The objective of this study was to explore the microbial diversity and community composition under saline soil and to screen the salt-tolerant microbial flora from salinization habitats. The soil from three different habitats(primary salinization, secondary salinization, and healthy soil) in Hebei Province were sampled. The convention method and high-throughput sequencing technology were used to examine the physicochemical properties and microorganism diversity. The soil chemical properties of the three habitats were significantly different. Compared with those of field soil, the soil OM, AP, AK, TS, and EC values of greenhouse soil and TS and EC values of coastal saline soil were significantly higher. However, other chemical indexes of coastal saline soil were significantly lower. The diversity index and abundance of soil bacteria in greenhouse soil were the highest, followed by those in field soil and coastal saline soil as the lowest. The diversity index and abundance of fungi in two saline habitats were significantly lower than that in field soil. The community structure of saline soil was analyzed at the phylum and genus levels. Chloroflexi and its genera and Ascomycota and its genera, such as Trichocladium and Fusarium, were the dominant microbial groups in saline soil. EC and TS were the main factors affecting microbial diversity and community composition. EC and TS were positively correlated with unclassified_A4b, unclassified_Chloroflexi, unclassified_α-Proteobacteria, Trichocladium, unclassified_Chaetomiaceae, Crassicarpon, Cephaliophora, and Sodiomyces. The results of this study lay the foundation for future research on screening microbial resources needed for saline soil remediation.

A Novel Approach of Customized Pelvic Implant Design Based on Symmetrical Analysis and 3D Printing.

In pelvic trauma patients, the mismatch of complex geometries between the pelvis and fixation implant is a fundamental cause of unstable and displaced pelvic ring disruption, in which secondary intervention is strongly considered. The geometrical matching in the current customized implant design and clinical practice is through the nonfractured hemi-pelvis for the fractured pelvis. This design philosophy overlooks the anatomical difference between the hemipelves, and further, the geometrical asymmetry at local area still remains unknown. This study analyzed the anatomical asymmetry of a patient's 3D pelvic models from 13 patients. The hemipelves of each patient were registered by using an iterative closet algorithm to an optimum position with minimum deviations. The high deviation regions were summarized between the hemipelves in each case, and a color map was drawn on a hemipelvis model that identified the areas that had a high possibility to be symmetrically different. A severe pelvic trauma case was used to comprehend the approach by designing a 3D printed implant. Each fracture was then registered to the mirrored uninjured hemipelvis by using the same algorithm, and customized fixation implants were designed with reference to the fractured model. The customized fixation plates showed that the implants had lower geometrical deviation when attached onto the re-stitched fracture side than onto the mirrored nonfractured bone. These results indicate that the symmetrical analysis of bone anatomy and the deviation color map can assist with implant selection and customized implant design given the geometrical difference between symmetrical bones. The novel approach provides a scientific reference that improves the accuracy and overall standard of 3D printed implants.

Clinical application of endobronchial ultrasonography-guided transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy-a single center, large sample, real-world study.

BACKGROUND: Endobronchial ultrasonography-guided transbronchial needle aspiration biopsy (EBUS-TBNA) has been used for more than 10 years in China. Its clinical application and diagnostic value in different diseases with large sample was lack of report. METHODS: A retrospective analysis was performed about the application and diagnostic value of EBUS-TBNA in different disease of patients in Respiratory Intervention Center of Guangzhou Institute of Respiratory Health from January 2012 to July 2020. RESULTS: A total 5758 patients were included with 182 patients excluded for lack of information. Finally, data of 5576 patients (3798 males and 1778 females) were analyzed. For anesthetize, most patients were undergoing general anesthesia of intravenous with spontaneous breathing (69.4%), followed by general anesthesia of intravenous and inhalation with tracheal intubation and mechanical ventilation (17.9%) and conscious sedation and analgesia (12.8%). Lymph nodes were the main sites of biopsy obtained (76.4%). Tumors accounted for the highest proportion of disease (66.4%), followed by infection diseases (9.9%), sarcoidosis (3.9%), lymphoma (1.1%), and others (18.7%). The sensitivity of EBUS-TBNA for diagnosis of tumor was 89.7%, and 40.8% for infection diseases. There were significant differences in the puncture site and proportions of diseases between male and females (both p < 0.05). Higher diagnostic value was found in male patients (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: EBUS-TBNA has good diagnostic value for different mediastinal and central pulmonary space-occupying lesions diseases, with highest sensitivity for tumors. Higher diagnostic value was found in male patients.

Covalent Organic Framework with Multiple Redox Active Sites for High-Performance Aqueous Calcium Ion Batteries.

Organic materials are promising for cation storage in calcium ion batteries (CIBs). However, the high solubility of organic materials in an electrolyte and low electronic conductivity remain the key challenges for high-performance CIBs. Herein, a nitrogen-rich covalent organic framework with multiple carbonyls (TB-COF) is designed as an aqueous anode to address those obstacles. TB-COF demonstrates a high reversible capacity of 253 mAh g-1 at 1.0 A g-1 and long cycle life (0.01% capacity decay per cycle at 5 A g-1 after 3000 cycles). The redox mechanism of Ca2+/H+ co-intercalated in COF and chelating with C═O and C═N active sites is validated. In addition, a novel C═C active site was identified for Ca2+ ion storage. Both computational and empirical results reveal that per TB-COF repetitive unit, up to nine Ca2+ ions are stored after three staggered intercalation steps, involving three distinct Ca2+ ion storage sites. Finally, the evolution process of radical intermediates further elucidates the C═C reaction mechanism.

Multiple Lung Cavity Lesions, Thoracic Wall Abscess and Vertebral Destruction Caused by Streptococcus constellatus Infection: A Case Report.

Disseminated infection caused by Streptococcus constellatus was seldom occurred. We reported a case of Streptococcus constellatus infection, presenting as multiple pulmonary cavities, thoracic wall abscess and vertebral destruction. The 37-year-old male had recurrent fever, chest wall swelling and pain, and lower limb numbness, he had weak physical condition and previously suffered from poorly controlled diabetes and severe periodontal disease for 3 years. Definite diagnosis of Streptococcus constellatus infection was made by metagenomic next­generation sequencing (mNGS) in abscess drainage fluid. Systemic antibiotics and thoracic wall drainage were given, and the pulmonary cavity and the thoracic intermuscular abscess were significantly decreased. Few to no study reported the disseminated infection (pulmonary cavities, thoracic wall abscess and vertebral destruction) caused by Streptococcus constellatus. This case report highlighted the importance of mNGS for accurate diagnosis, as well as the timely drainage and antibiotics for effective treatment of Streptococcus constellatus infection.

Quantitative Assessment of Dimensional Evaluation and Artefacts from Filling Materials with CBCT Using Standard Phantom Roots.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the accuracy of dimensional evaluation and representation of artefacts generated by different gutta-percha (GP) cones with or without sealer with CBCT using a reproducible, standardised phantom root methodology. METHODS: The reproducible artificial phantom roots with six root canal sizes from #25 to #50 and 0.04 taper were aligned according to the jaw curvature in a stone model for dimensional measurements. Each root was scanned while empty and filled with four types of filling materials. The specimens were scanned using the CS 9300 3D (Carestream Dental, Rochester, NY, USA) (at two different resolutions), 3D Accuitomo (J Morita, Kyoto, Japan) and NewTom VGi (Verona, Italy) CBCT systems. The hyperdense and hypodense axial slice artefacts from root canal sizes #40, #45 and #50 were recorded. RESULTS: Dimensions were significantly smaller and more accurate with CS 9300/0.09 mm voxel size than with other protocols. The hypodense band was found mostly in the CS 9300 3D system with 0.18 mm voxel size, especially in the buccal-lingual (95%) and coronal (64%) sections. The 3D Accuitomo CBCT system showed the lowest presence of the hypodense band. Areas of both light and dark artefacts were significantly larger in the coronal third than in the apical and middle thirds. CONCLUSION: Artefacts in the coronal locations and in buccal-lingual sections were more evident in the CS 9300 3D system with a 0.18-mm voxel size.

Long-term efficacy and safety of the Dumon stent for treatment of benign airway stenosis.

BACKGROUND: The long-term efficacy of the Dumon stent in the treatment of benign airway stenosis is unclear. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study was to evaluate the long-term efficacy and safety of the Dumon stent in patients with benign airway stenosis. METHODS: We retrospectively reviewed patients with benign airway stenosis who were treated with a Dumon stent at the First Affiliated Hospital of Guangzhou Medical University between March 2014 and October 2021. We included patients with successful removal of silicone stents after implantation. The clinical data and information on bronchoscopic interventional procedures and related complications were collected and analyzed. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients with benign airway stenosis were included. The stent was placed mainly in the trachea (44.4%) and left main bronchus (43.4%). The main type of stenosis was post-tuberculosis bronchial stenosis (57.6%). The overall cure rate was 60.6%. Stent-related complications included retention of secretions (70.7%), granuloma formation (67.7%), stent angulation (21.2%), and stent migration (12.1%). The stent was less effective for left main bronchus stenosis (p = 0.012). Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified that stent placement for more than 13 months, a stent-intervention number of ⩽ 1 predicted a favorable outcome. CONCLUSION: The efficacy and safety of the Dumon stent for benign airway stenosis need improvement. The stent is less effective for left main bronchus stenosis; regular follow-up is required in such cases. Stent placement for > 13 months and no more than once stent intervention within a 6-month period were associated with a favorable outcome.

Topological Insulator Bi2 Se3 -Assisted Heterostructure for Ultrafast Charging Sodium-Ion Batteries.

The development of fast charging materials offers a viable solution for large-scale and sustainable energy storage needs. However, it remains a critical challenge to improve the electrical and ionic conductivity for better performance. Topological insulator (TI), a topological quantum material that has attracted worldwide attention, hosts unusual metallic surface states and consequent high carrier mobility. Nevertheless, its potential in promising high-rate charging capability has not been fully realized and explored. Herein, a novel Bi2 Se3 -ZnSe heterostructure as excellent fast charging material for Na+ storage is reported. Ultrathin Bi2 Se3 nanoplates with rich TI metallic surfaces are introduced as an electronic platform inside the material, which greatly reduces the charge transfer resistance and improves the overall electrical conductivity. Meanwhile, the abundant crystalline interfaces between these two selenides promote Na+ migration and provide additional active sites as well. As expected, the composite delivers the excellent high-rate performance of 360.5 mAh g-1 at 20 A g-1 and maintains its electrochemical stability of 318.4 mAh g-1 after 3000 long cycles, which is the record high for all reported selenide-based anodes. This work is anticipated to provide alternative strategies for further exploration of topological insulators and advanced heterostructures.

Airway morphological abnormalities of bronchiolitis assessed by endobronchial optical coherence tomography.

BACKGROUND: A few studies have reported the medium-sized and small airway morphological abnormalities of bronchiolitis. Whether spirometry or impulse oscillometry (IOS) is correlated with airway remodeling of bronchiolitis remains unclear. OBJECTIVES: Aiming to demonstrate the airway morphological abnormalities of bronchiolitis obliterans (BO) and diffuse panbronchiolitis (DPB) assessed by endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT), and elucidate whether spirometric and IOS parameters have correlation with the airway remodeling of bronchiolitis. METHODS: We recruited 18 patients with bronchiolitis (BO, n = 9; DPB, n = 9) and 17 control subjects. Assessments of clinical features, St. George's respiratory questionnaire (SGRQ), chest computed tomography (CT), spirometry, IOS, and EB-OCT were performed in all enrolled subjects. The correlation between EB-OCT and lung function parameters was studied and analyzed. RESULTS: The magnitude of abnormalities of spirometric and IOS parameters was significantly greater in patients with bronchiolitis than that in control subjects (p < 0.05). Patients with BO had notably lower forced expiratory volume in 1 s (FEV1), forced vital capacity (FVC), FEV1/FVC, maximal mid-expiratory flow (MMEF)% pred and higher resonant frequency (Fres), and area of reactance (AX) than those with DPB (p < 0.05). The EB-OCT measurement among patients with bronchiolitis and between the bronchus in the left and the right lung demonstrated a heterogeneous distribution of airway calibers, presenting a high intra- and inter-individual variability. Patients with bronchiolitis had notably greater airway wall area (p < 0.05) compared with control, while BO presented greater magnitude of airway abnormalities than DPB. Fres and the difference in airway resistance at 5 and 20 Hz (R5-R20) correlated negatively with medium-sized and small airway inner area, and correlated positively with airway wall area (p < 0.05), whose correlation coefficients were higher than those of spirometric parameters. CONCLUSION: Bronchiolitis, BO and DPB, manifested a heterogeneous distribution of airway calibers with significant intra- and inter-individual variability. IOS parameters, rather than spirometry, correlated better with medium-sized and small airway remodeling in bronchiolitis assessed by EB-OCT measurement.

Citrobacter freundii induces sepsis with new-onset status seizure in an adult: A case report and literature review.

RATIONALE: Sepsis with brain abscess induced by Citrobacter freundii in adults has rarely been reported and is extremely pathogenic with a high mortality rate. Early diagnosis of the infection still remains challenging. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 27-year-old woman was transferred to our emergency department for fever, status seizure and refractory hypotension. Administration of midazolam, propofol and sodium valproate could not attenuate the seizure except for the addition of vecuronium. The blood white blood cell count was 42.91 (109/L) with 80% neutrophils, and procalcitonin was 22.46ng/mL. DIAGNOSES: Both deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid of C freundii were detected in blood by metagenomic next-generation sequencing of pathogens,the diagnosis of septic shock and brain abscess caused by C freundii was highly suspected. INTERVENTIONS: On day 1, antibiotics of cefoperazone sodium and sulbactam sodium 6g/day, immunoglobulin, and hydrocortisone were used with suspected septic shock. Continuous renal replacement therapy was used to eliminate excessive lactate, ammonia, myohemoglobin and creatinine. On day 2, a brain computed tomography scan revealed multiple patchy slightly low densities in the brain, antibiotics were adjusted to meropenem intravenously 3g/day. OUTCOMES: On day 2, a brain computed tomography scan revealed multiple patchy slightly low densities in the brain, she died on day 3. LESSONS: Clinicians should consider the possibility of brain abscess when evaluating a patient with new-onset dizziness, fever, seizure, or other neurologic symptoms or signs, especially for patients whose mental status changes. metagenomic next generation sequencing and resistance genes could be considered when cerebrospinal fluid or blood results are negative and clinical manifestations are highly suspected of infection or when the treatment time is limited.

Deep Learning-Based Segmentation of Airway Morphology from Endobronchial Optical Coherence Tomography.

BACKGROUND: Manual measurement of endobronchial optical coherence tomography (EB-OCT) images means a heavy workload in the clinical practice, which can also introduce bias if the subjective opinions of doctors are involved. OBJECTIVE: We aim to develop a convolutional neural network (CNN)-based EB-OCT image analysis algorithm to automatically identify and measure EB-OCT parameters of airway morphology. METHODS: The ResUNet, MultiResUNet, and Siamese network were used for analyzing airway inner area (Ai), airway wall area (Aw), airway wall area percentage (Aw%), and airway bifurcate segmentation obtained from EB-OCT imaging, respectively. The accuracy of the automatic segmentations was verified by comparing with manual measurements. RESULTS: Thirty-three patients who were diagnosed with asthma (n = 13), chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD, n = 13), and normal airway (n = 7) were enrolled. EB-OCT was performed in RB9 segment (lateral basal segment of the right lower lobe), and a total of 17,820 OCT images were collected for CNN training, validation, and testing. After training, the Ai, Aw, and airway bifurcate were readily identified in both normal airway and airways of asthma and COPD. The ResUNet and the MultiResUNet resulted in a mean dice similarity coefficient of 0.97 and 0.95 for Ai and Aw segmentation. The accuracy Siamese network in identifying airway bifurcate was 96.6%. Bland-Altman analysis indicated there was a negligible bias between manual and CNN measurements for Ai (bias = -0.02 to 0.01, 95% CI = -0.12 to 0.14) and Aw% (bias = -0.06 to 0.12, 95% CI = -1.98 to 2.14). CONCLUSION: EB-OCT imaging in conjunction with ResUNet, MultiResUNet, and Siamese network could automatically measure normal and diseased airway structure with an accurate performance.

Hierarchical clock-scale hand-drawn mapping as a simple method for bronchoscopic navigation in peripheral pulmonary nodule.

BACKGROUND: A feasible and economical bronchoscopic navigation method in guiding peripheral pulmonary nodule biopsy is lacking. OBJECTIVE: To investigate the utility of hierarchical clock-scale hand-drawn mapping for bronchoscopic navigation in peripheral pulmonary nodules. METHODS: We developed a hierarchical clock-scale hand-drawn mapping for bronchoscopic navigation in peripheral pulmonary nodules. Patients with peripheral pulmonary nodules were recruited and assigned to two groups in this retrospective study, subjects in VBN group received conventional bronchoscopy in conjunction with virtual bronchoscopic navigation (VBN) and radial probe endobronchial ultrasound (RP-EBUS) for biopsy (VBN group), while HBN group underwent ultrathin bronchoscopy and RP-EBUS under the guidance of hand-drawn bronchoscopic navigation (HBN). The demographic characteristics, procedural time, operating cost and diagnostic yield were compared between these two groups. RESULTS: Forty-eight patients with peripheral pulmonary nodule were enrolled in HBN group, while 42 in VBN group. There were no significant differences between VBN and HBN groups in terms of age, gender, lesion size, location and radiographic type. The time of planning pathway (1.32 vs. 9.79 min, P < 0.001) and total operation (23.63 vs. 28.02 min, P = 0.002), as well as operating cost (758.31 ± 125.21 vs.1327.70 ± 116.25 USD, P < 0.001) were markedly less in HBN group, compared with those in VBN group. The pathological diagnostic efficiency of benign and malignant disease in HBN group appeared similar with those in VBN group, irrespective of the size of pulmonary lesion (larger or smaller than 20 mm). The total diagnostic yield of HBN had no marked difference from that of VBN (75.00% vs. 61.90%, P = 0.25). CONCLUSIONS: Hierarchical clock-scale hand-drawn mapping for bronchoscopic navigation could serve as a feasible and economical method for guiding peripheral pulmonary nodule biopsy, providing a comparable diagnostic yield in comparison with virtual bronchoscopic navigation.

Rich Indium-Vacancies In2 S3 with Atomic p-n Homojunction for Boosting Photocatalytic Multifunctional Properties.

Design and development of highly efficient photocatalytic materials are key to employ photocatalytic technology as a sound solution to energy and environment related challenges. This work aims to significantly boost photocatalytic activity through rich indium vacancies (VIn ) In2 S3 with atomic p-n homojunction through a one-pot preparation strategy. Positron annihilation spectroscopy and electron paramagnetic resonance reveal existence of VIn in the prepared photocatalysts. Mott-Schottky plots and surface photovoltage spectra prove rich VIn In2 S3 can form atomic p-n homojunction. It is validated that p-n homojunction can effectively separate carriers combined with photoelectrochemical tests. VIn decreases carrier transport activation energy (CTAE) from 0.64 eV of VIn -poor In2 S3 to 0.44 eV of VIn -rich In2 S3 . The special structure endows defective In2 S3 with multifunctional photocatalysis properties, i.e., hydrogen production (872.7 µmol g-1 h-1 ), degradation of methyl orange (20 min, 97%), and reduction in heavy metal ions Cr(VI) (30 min, 98%) under simulated sunlight, which outperforms a variety of existing In2 S3 composite catalysts. Therefore, such a compositional strategy and mechanistic study are expected to offer new insights for designing highly efficient photocatalysts through defect engineering.

Changes in Patellar Morphology Following Soft Tissue Surgical Correction of Recurrent Patellar Dislocation in Children with Low-Grade Trochlear Dysplasia.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the changes in patellar morphology following soft tissue surgical correction of recurrent patellar dislocation in children with low-grade trochlear dysplasia. METHODS: The prospective cohort study was performed between November 2007 and December 2012. Finally, 25 cases, with the mean age of 8.4 years (range from 7 to 10 years), were admitted to the study. All patients were diagnosed as bilateral recurrent patellar dislocation associated with femoral trochlear dysplasia. The knee that suffered injury or was dislocated was treated with medial patellar retinacular plasty (surgery group). The contralateral knee, which served as a control, was treated conservatively (conservative group). Axial CT scans were undertaken in all patients to assess the patellar morphological characteristics. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 60.8 months (range 48 to 75 months). Preoperatively, there were no statistically significant differences between the patellar morphology in the two groups (P > 0.05). Many radiological parameters of patellar morphology were significantly different between the two groups at the final follow-up, including well-known parameters, such as the mean patellar width (surgery group, 40.58 mm [SD 1.26]; conservative group, 36.41 mm [SD 1.17]; P < 0.05), the mean patellar thickness (surgery group, 11.59 mm [SD 0.74]; conservative group, 9.38 mm [SD 0.56]; P < 0.05) and the mean Wiberg index (surgery group, 0.54 [SD 0.06]; conservative group, 0.72 [SD 0.08]; P < 0.05). There are also little-known parameters, such as the ratio of length of lateral patella to medial patella (surgery group, 1.26 [SD 0.17]; conservative group, 1.69 [SD 0.21]; P < 0.05), which was a measurement of facet asymmetry. However, the Wiberg angle was not significantly different between the two groups (surgery group, 128.63° [SD 9.05]; conservative group, 125.47° [SD 13.96°]; P > 0.05) at the final follow-up. No complications were found. CONCLUSIONS: The patellar morphology can be significantly improved by early soft tissue surgical correction in children with patellar instability associated with low-grade femoral trochlear dysplasia.

Visible-Light-Responsive UiO-66(Zr) with Defects Efficiently Promoting Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

It is of great importance to understand the relationship between the structure and properties at the atomic level, which provides a solid platform for the design of efficient heterogeneous catalysts. However, it remains a challenge to elucidate the roles of the structure of reaction sites in the catalytic activity of active sites due to the lack of understanding of the structure of specific active site species. Herein, taking the metal-organic framework (MOF) UiO-66(Zr) as a prototype, MOF catalysts with all-solid-state frustrated Lewis pairs (FLPs) Zr3+-OH were synthesized in situ by adding acetic acid (HAc) as a modulator. By introducing missing linkers, UiO-66(Zr) first becomes a visible-light-responsive photocatalyst for CO2 reduction. The in situ Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum reveals that b-CO32- is the key intermediate for the activation of CO2 molecules through FLPs Zr3+-OH. Moreover, defective UiO-66(Zr) could "self-breath" by surface hydroxyls. This finding not only provides a new avenue for utilizing UV-responsive MOFs by defect engineering but also sheds light on its catalytic activity at the atomic level.