Nanorefractive index transducer using a ring cavity with an internal h-shaped cavity grounded on Fano resonance.

Building on the Fano resonance observation, a new refractive index transducer structure at the nanoscale is proposed in this article, which is a refractive index transducer consisting of a metal-insulator-metal (MIM) waveguide structure coupled with a ring cavity internally connected to an h-shaped structure (RCIhS). Using an analytical method based on COMSOL software and finite element method (FEM), the effect of different geometric parameters of the structure on the trans-mission characteristics of the system is simulated and analyzed, which in turn illustrates the effect of the structural parameters on the output Fano curves. As simulation results show, the internally connected h-shaped structure is an influential component in the Fano resonance. By optimizing the geometrical parameters of the structure, the system finally accomplishes a sensitivity (S) of 2400 nm/RIU and a figure of merit (FOM) of 68.57. The sensor has also been demonstrated in the realm of temperature detection, having tremendous potential for utilization in future nano-sensing and optically integrated systems.

A novel multifunctional anti-PD-L1-CD16a-IL15 induces potent cancer cell killing in PD-L1-positive tumour cells.

Cancer is the most acute disease and the leading cause of patient death worldwide. Both chemotherapy and molecular-based therapies play an important role in curing cancer. However, the median and overall survival of patients is poor. To date, immune therapies have changed the treatment methods for cancer patients. Programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1, also known as B-H1, CD274) is a well-studied tumor antigen. PD-L1 is overexpressed in colon cancer, lung cancer, and so on and plays a vital role in cancer development. In this study, anti-PD-L1 single-domain antibodies were identified from recombinant human PD-L1 (rhPD-L1)-immunized llamas. Then, we generated a novel multifunctional anti-PD-L1-CD16a-IL15 antibody targeting PD-L1-positive tumor cells. Anti-PD-L1-CD16a-IL15 was constructed by linking the Interleukin-2 (IL-2) signal peptide, anti-PD-L1 single domain antibody (anti-PD-L1-VHH) and anti-cluster of differentiation 16a single domain antibody (anti-CD16a-VHH), and Interleukin-15/Interleukin-15 receptor alpha (IL15/IL-15Rα). This anti-PD-L1-CD16a-IL15 fusion protein can be expressed and purified from HEK-293F cells. In vitro, our data showed that the anti-PD-L1-CD16a-IL15 fusion protein can recruit T cells and drive natural killer cells (NK) with specific killing of PD-L1-overexpressing tumor cells. Furthermore, in the xenograft model, the anti-PD-L1-CD16a-IL15 fusion protein inhibited tumor growth with human peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs). These data suggested that the anti-PD-L1-CD16a-IL15 fusion protein has a latent function in antitumour activity, with better guidance for future cancer immunotherapy.

Exergy Analysis of Phase-Change Heat-Storage Coupled Solar Heat Pump Heating System.

With the rapid development of industrialization, the excessive use of fossil fuels has caused problems such as increased greenhouse gas emissions and energy shortages. The development and use of renewable energy has attracted increased attention. In recent years, solar heat pump heating technology that uses clean solar energy combined with high-efficiency heat pump units is the development direction of clean heating in winter in northern regions. However, the use of solar energy is intermittent and unstable. The low-valley electricity policy is a night-time electricity price policy. Heat pump heating has problems such as frosting and low efficiencies in cold northern regions. To solve these problems, an exergy analysis model of each component of a phase-change heat-storage coupled solar heat pump heating system was established. Exergy analysis was performed on each component of the system to determine the direction of optimization and improvement of the phase-change heat-storage coupled solar heat pump heating system. The results showed that optimizing the heating-end heat exchanger of the system can reduce the exergy loss of the system. When the phase-change heat-storage tank meets the heating demand, its volume should be reduced to lower the exergy loss of the tank heat dissipation. Air-type solar collectors can increase the income exergies of solar collectors.

Flexible ferroelasticity in monolayer PdS2: a DFT study.

As an unusual mechanical response, the ferroelastic phenomenon in two-dimensional materials has been reported both experimentally and theoretically in recent years. Here, we present the theoretical findings of ferroelastic switching in monolayer PdS2. We demonstrate four types of PdS2 allotropes, showing excellent ferroelasticity with low ferroelastic barriers and strong switching signals. The ferroelastic transitions in monolayer PdS2 include the lattice rotation in penta-α PdS2, the transformation between penta-α PdS2 and penta-ß PdS2, the transformation between penta-α PdS2 and penta-γ PdS2, the transformation between penta-ß PdS2 and penta-γ PdS2, the transformation between penta-α PdS2 and δ PdS2, and the lattice rotation in δ PdS2. The ferroelastic transitions between these four allotropes have revealed the flexible ferroelasticity in monolayer PdS2. Specifically, the flexible switching in PdS2 allotropes may efficiently control the anisotropic transport of electrons. Thus, the presence of these outstanding mechanical properties endows PdS2 with great potential for applications in next-generation shape memory devices.

SO2 Electrocatalytic Oxidation Properties of Pt-Ru/C Bimetallic Catalysts with Different Nanostructures.

Electrocatalytic oxidation of SO2 has been applied in many fields, and electrocatalyst is the focus of the research. Platinum-based electrocatalysts are the hot spot in this reaction. Although the properties of these materials have been optimized to a certain extent, there is still room for improvement in activity and long-term durability. In light of this, two kinds of carbon-supported Pt-Ru bimetallic electrocatalysts (PtRu/C alloy catalyst and Ru@Pt/C core-shell catalyst) were prepared by the microwave reduction method. The experiments demonstrate that the enhancement in the activity of bimetallic catalysts originates from the electronic effect and bifunctional effect between Pt and Ru. Bimetallic catalyst contains a large number of RuOxHy, which promotes the reaction. Because of the high Pt utilization, Ru@Pt/C catalyst with the Pt shell has a higher performance than alloy catalyst. The unit Pt mass activity of PtRu/C and Ru@Pt/C is 1.73 and 2.43 times that of Pt/C, respectively. Ru@Pt/C exhibits excellent stability in the high acid environment and is a promising SO2 electrocatalyst.

High-Performance Pt Catalyst with Graphene/Carbon Black as a Hybrid Support for SO2 Electrocatalytic Oxidation.

In the electrochemical Bunsen reaction, which is the key reaction of the sulfur-iodide cycle, the main overpotential corresponds to the oxidation of SO2. The catalysts currently used for the liquid phase electrocatalytic oxidation of SO2 are mainly based on noble metals, which have excellent corrosion resistance and catalytic activity in an acidic environment. To improve the performance of the commercial Pt catalyst, a Pt catalyst with reduced graphene oxide (RGO) and carbon black as a hybrid support was synthesized by the microwave-assisted polyol reduction process. The large two-dimensional planar structure of RGO was a better anchor for Pt nanoparticles, and a catalyst with fine and uniform distribution of Pt particles was obtained. The carbon black interior prevented the agglomeration of RGO, forming a stereoscopic catalyst structure. The electrochemical test results showed that the RGO/carbon black hybrid support catalyst possessed a higher electrocatalytic activity than the single support catalysts and could be used as an efficient and stable catalyst for the SO2 electrolyzer.

Treatment of type 2 diabetes mellitus in a primary care setting in Taiwan: comparison with secondary/tertiary care.

BACKGROUND: This study investigated the status of diabetes control and management in patients treated in a primary healthcare setting and compared the results with data previously obtained for secondary/tertiary care patients in Taiwan. METHODS: This study was conducted at 51 primary healthcare stations randomly selected island-wide in Taiwan in 2001. A total of 1302 type 2 diabetes patients who had been followed-up for more than 1 year were included. Blood was collected for centralized HbA1c assay. The remaining data and information were collected by review of medical records and patient interview. RESULTS: Compared with the results of a previous study on patients treated in a secondary/tertiary care setting, a significantly smaller percentage of primary care patients were receiving insulin therapy. Primary care patients also had a shorter duration of diabetes, a higher HbA1c level, better blood pressure control and a lower prevalence of complications. The proportion of patients achieving optimal control of glycemia and blood pressure was low. Patients aged < 65 years had a significantly shorter duration of diabetes, poorer diabetes control and better blood pressure control than elderly patients aged > or = 65 years. Primary care patients aged > or = 65 years had a significantly higher frequency of stroke than those aged < 65 years. The elderly group of secondary/tertiary care patients had a significantly higher frequency of coronary heart disease and stroke. Duration of diabetes and hypertension were the leading risk factors for complications in diabetes patients treated in both primary and secondary/tertiary care settings. CONCLUSION: Diabetes control was poorer in primary care than in secondary/tertiary care patients, but control of blood pressure was better in primary care patients. The shorter duration of diabetes and better control of blood pressure in primary care patients and in patients aged < 65 years compared with their elderly counterparts might be related to a lower prevalence of complications.