Multi-metal ions co-regulated vanadium oxide cathode toward long-life aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Interlayer intercalation engineering shows great feasibility to improve the structure stability of the layered oxides. Although high Zn-storage capability has been attained based on the pillar effect of multifarious intercalants, an in-depth understanding the synergistic effect of intercalated multiple metal ions is still in deficiency. Herein, alkali metal ion K+, alkaline earth metal ion Mg2+ and trivalent metal ion Al3+ are introduced into the VO interlayer of V2O5. Due to the different electronegativity and hydrated ion radius of K+, Mg2+ and Al3+, adjusting the relative proportions of these metal ions can achieve an appropriate interlayer spacing, stable layer structure and regular morphology, which facilitates the transport kinetics of Zn2+. Under the synergistic effect of pre-intercalated multi-metal ion, the optimal tri-metal ion intercalated hydrated V2O5 cathode exhibits a high specific capacity of 382.4 mAh g-1 at 0.5 A g-1, and long-term cycling stability with capacity retention of 86 % after 2000 cycles at the high current density of 10 A g-1. Ex-situ and kinetic characterizations reveal the fast charge transfer and reversible Zn2+ intercalation mechanism. The multi-ion engineering strategy provides an effective way to design desirable layered cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries.

Rare earth elements induced electronic engineering in Rh cluster toward efficient alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction.

The unique electronic and crystal structures of rare earth metals (RE) offer promising opportunities for enhancing the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) properties of materials. In this work, a series of RE (Sm, Nd, Pr and Ho)-doped Rh@NSPC (NSPC stands for N, S co-doped porous carbon nanosheets) with sizes less than 2 nm are prepared, utilizing a simple, rapid and solvent-free joule-heat pyrolysis method for the first time. The optimized Sm-Rh@NSPC achieves HER performance. The high-catalytic performance and stability of Sm-Rh@NSPC are attributed to the synergistic electronic interactions between Sm and Rh clusters, leading to an increase in the electron cloud density of Rh, which promotes the adsorption of H+, the dissociation of Rh-H bonds and the release of H2. Notably, the overpotential of the Sm-Rh@NSPC catalyst is a mere 18.1 mV at current density of 10 mAcm-2, with a Tafel slope of only 15.2 mV dec-1. Furthermore, it exhibits stable operation in a 1.0 M KOH electrolyte at 10 mA cm-2 for more than 100 h. This study provides new insights into the synthesis of composite RE hybrid cluster nanocatalysts and their RE-enhanced electrocatalytic performance. It also introduces fresh perspectives for the development of efficient electrocatalysts.

Janus Binder Chemistry for Synchronous Enhancement of Iodine Species Adsorption and Redox Kinetics toward Sustainable Aqueous Zn-I2 Batteries.

Currently, the desired research focus in energy storage technique innovation has been gradually shifted to next-generation aqueous batteries holding both high performance and sustainability. However, aqueous Zn-I2 batteries have been deemed to have great sustainable potential, owing to the merits of cost-effective and eco-friendly nature. However, their commercial application is hindered by the serious shuttle effect of polyiodides during reversible operations. In this work, a Janus functional binder based on chitosan (CTS) molecules was designed and prepared; the polar terminational groups impart excellent mechanical robustness to hybrid binders; meanwhile, it can also deliver isochronous enhancement on physical adsorption and redox kinetics toward I2 species. By feat of highly effective remission to shuttle effect, the CTS cell exhibits superb electrochemical storage capacities with long-term robustness, specifically, 144.1 mAh g-1, at a current density of 0.2 mA g-1 after 1500 cycles. Simultaneously, the undesired self-discharging issue could be also well-addressed; the Coulombic efficiency could remain at 98.8 % after resting for 24 h. More importantly, CTS molecules endow good biodegradability and reusable properties; after iodine species were reloaded, the recycled devices could also deliver specific capacities of 73.3 mAh g-1, over 1000 cycles. This Janus binder provides a potential synchronous solution to realize high comprehensive performance with high iodine utilization and further make it possible for sustainable Zn-I2 batteries.

Interfacial-Confined Isochronous Conversion to Biphasic Selenide Heterostructure with Enhanced Adsorption Behaviors for Robust High-Rate Na-Ion Storage.

Sodium-ion batteries (SIBs) have gradually become one of the most promising energy storage techniques in the current era of post-lithium-ion batteries. For anodes, transitional metal selenides (TMSe) based materials are welcomed choices , owing to relatively higher specific capacities and enriched redox active sites. Nevertheless, current bottlenecks are blamed for their poor intrinsic electronic conductivities, and uncontrollable volume expansion during redox reactions. Given that, an interfacial-confined isochronous conversion strategy is proposed, to prepare orthorhombic/cubic biphasic TMSe heterostructure, namely CuSe/Cu3 VSe4 , through using MXene as the precursor, followed by Cu/Se dual anchorage. As-designed biphasic TMSe heterostructure endows unique hierarchical structure, which contains adequate insertion sites and diffusion spacing for Na ions, besides, the surficial pseudocapacitive storage behaviors can be also proceeded like 2D MXene. By further investigation on electronic structure, the theoretical calculations indicate that biphasic CuSe/Cu3 VSe4 anode exhibits well-enhanced properties, with smaller bandgap and thus greatly improves intrinsic poor conductivities. In addition, the dual redox centers can enhance the electrochemical Na ions storage abilities. As a result, the as-designed biphasic TMSe anode can deliver a reversible specific capacity of 576.8 mAh g-1 at 0.1 A g-1 , favorable Na affinity, and reduced diffusion barriers. This work discloses a synchronous solution toward demerits in conductivities and lifespan, which is inspiring for TMSe-based anode development in SIBs systems.

Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty with Severe Acetabular Defect: A Preliminary Exploration and Attempt of Robotic-Assisted Technology.

BACKGROUND: Robotic-assisted technology may be useful in hip revision cases with acetabular defects. However, data on the use of robotic-assisted technology for such complex diseases is lacking. CASE PRESENTATION: This case study described the adoption of MAKO robotic-assisted treatment of revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) combined with severe acetabular defect (Paprosky type IIIB). Robotic-assisted technology accurately achieved preoperative planning; the acetabular component and augment were placed in the original position and angle as planned. Robotic-assisted acetabular reaming was successful in a single pass, preserving the remaining acetabular bone mass very well with no procedure-related complications. The Harris Hip Score (HHS) at 6 months postoperatively was 84 and the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities (WOMAC) Osteoarthritis Index was 24. CONCLUSION: Robotic-assisted technology can help in the accurate reconstruction of acetabular defect in complex hip revision surgery.

Xanthatin inhibits corneal neovascularization by inhibiting the VEGFR2­mediated STAT3/PI3K/Akt signaling pathway.

Alkali burn is one of the main causes of corneal injury. The inflammation and neovascularization caused by alkali burns aggravate corneal damage, resulting in loss of vision. The aim of the present study was to evaluate the efficacy of xanthatin in the treatment of alkali burn­induced inflammation and neovascularization. A CCK­8 assay was used to detect the effects of different concentrations of xanthatin on the proliferation of human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). The effects of xanthatin on the migration of HUVECs and the ability of lumen formation were examined using a scratch test and lumen formation assay, respectively. A total of 60 Sprague­Dawley rats were randomly divided into two groups to establish a corneal alkali burn model, and were treated with PBS and xanthatin eye drops four times a day. A slit lamp microscope recorded changes of the cornea at 0, 4, 7, 10 and 14 days, and the inflammatory indices of the cornea and the neovascular area were evaluated. The expression levels of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and pigment epithelium­derived factor (PEDF) in the cornea under different treatment conditions were detected using immunofluorescence and western blot analysis. In order to investigate the mechanism of xanthatin on the inhibition of inflammation and neovascularization, HUVECs were treated with xanthatin and PBS following VEGF treatment. The subcellular localization of signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) was detected using immunofluorescence. The expression levels of VEGF receptor 2 (VEGFR2), STAT3, phosphoinositide 3­kinase (PI3K) and Akt were detected using western blot analysis. The results revealed that xanthatin inhibited the proliferation of HUVECs in a concentration­dependent manner. The migration ability and lumen­forming ability of the HUVECs were also inhibited by xanthatin. Slit lamp microscopy showed that the inflammatory index and the area of neovascularization in the xanthatin­treated group were significantly reduced, compared with those in the PBS treatment group. The xanthatin treatment group exhibited a lower protein expression level of VEGF and increased protein expression level of PEDF, compared with the PBS treatment group. In the VEGF­treated HUVECs, xanthatin significantly decreased the expression levels of p­VEGFR2, phosphorylated (p­)STAT3, p­PI3K and p­Akt. In conclusion, the present study confirmed that xanthatin inhibited corneal neovascularization and inflammation in the alkali burn model, elucidating the underlying mechanisms involved in its protective effects. Therefore, xanthatin may be a novel drug for the treatment of corneal alkali burn.

Altered intrinsic brain activities in patients with acute eye pain using amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation: a resting-state fMRI study.

OBJECTIVE: Many previous studies have reported that pain symptoms can lead to significant brain function and anatomical changes, whereas the intrinsic brain activity changes in acute eye pain (EP) patients remain unknown. Using the amplitude of low-frequency fluctuation (ALFF) method, this study aimed to evaluate the spontaneous brain activity alterations and their relationships with clinical features in acute EP patients. PARTICIPANTS AND METHODS: A total of 20 patients with EP (15 males and 5 females) and 20 healthy controls (HCs; 15 males and 5 females) closely matched in age, sex, and education underwent resting-state functional magnetic resonance imaging scans. The ALFF method was applied to assess spontaneous brain activity changes. The ALFF values of the EP patients were distinguished from those of the HCs using a receiver operating characteristic curve. Pearson's correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between the mean ALFF signal values from many brain regions and the clinical features in EP patients. RESULTS: Compared with the HCs, acute EP patients had significantly lower ALFF in the left and right precentral/postcentral gyrus and left precuneus. In contrast, acute EP patients showed higher ALFF values in the right and left parahippocampal gyri and left caudate. However, no relationship was observed between the mean ALFF signal values from the different areas and clinical manifestations in the acute EP patients. CONCLUSION: We demonstrated that acute EP patients showed abnormal intrinsic brain activities in the precentral/postcentral gyrus and limbic system, which might provide useful information for explaining neural mechanisms in EP patients.

[Levels of IL-8,IL-10 in patients with chronic periodontitis and coronary heart disease].

PURPOSE: To detect the level of interleukin-8 (IL-8) and interleukin-10 (IL-10) in serum and gingival crevicular fluid in patients with chronic severe periodontitis (CP) and coronary heart disease (CHD) and investigate the relationship between CP and CHD. METHODS: Thirty patients with CHD and CP(group A), twenty-five patients with only CP(group B) and thirty healthy controls (group C) were included in this study. Gingival crevicular fluid and serum IL-8, IL-10 levels were detected by ELISA. SPSS 11.5 software package was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: The periodontal indexes including bleeding on probing and probing depth were significantly different among the 3 groups. In group A and B, the level of IL-8 in gingival crevicular fluid and serum were significantly lower, whereas the IL-10 level was significantly higher, in comparison to those in group C (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IL-8 and IL-10 may be associated with the pathogenesis of periodontitis and CHD. There may be a relationship between CHD and CP.

[Elimination of interference in the determination of selenium in high purity tellurium by HG-AFS].

The samples were decomposed with HNCO3 +HCl, and Fe(3+)-citric acid mix solution was added to eliminate interferences. The elimination and mechanism of tellurium interference with selenium determination by HG-AFS were studied, and the residuary influence of NO3- and NO2- was investigated. The interference of ferric trichloride, hydrochloric acid, citric acid and PBH concentration with the fluorescence intensity of selenium was observed by the orthogonal test design combined with the mono-factor test. The detection limit was 0.15 microg x L(-1). The relative standard deviation of a solution containing 27.01 microg x L(-1) selenium in sample was in the range of 3.1%-4.2% (n = 11), and the recoveries of selenium were 96.1%-102.3%. The results obtained were satisfied, and the method was successfully applied to the determination of selenium in high purity tellurium samples.