Quantitative study of the effects of early standardized ambulation on sleep quality in patients after hepatectomy.

Background: Sleep quality has been always an important problem for patients after hepatectomy. The main purpose of the study is to investigate the effects of early ambulation on sleep quality in patients after liver resection via a quantitative study. Methods: Patients undergoing liver tumor resection were randomly divided into two groups, and the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used to assess the postoperative activities and sleep quality. Results: Patients who started early ambulation after liver resection had significantly better sleep quality, faster recovery of gastrointestinal function and shorter lengths of postoperative hospital stay compared with the control group. And there was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups. Conclusion: Early standardized physical activities are feasible for patients after liver resection, which can significantly improve patient's sleep quality, reduce patient's pain and the nursing workload, and achieve rapid recovery.

Construction of cluster-based supramolecular wire and rectangle.

Reactions of [Et4N][Tp*WS3(CuCl)3] (1) (Tp* = hydridotris(3,5-dimethylpyrazol-1-yl)borate) with 2 equiv. of AgOTf (OTf- = trifluoromethanesulfonate) and 1 equiv. of several bidentate pyridine ligands including 2,5-bis(pyridine-4-yl)thiazolo[5,4-d]thiazole (L1), 2,7-di(pyridin-4-yl)-9H-fluorene (L2), 2,7-di(pyridin-4-yl)-9H-carbazole (L3), and 2,7-di(pyridin-4-yl)-9H-fluoren-9-one (L4) afforded four W/Cu/S cluster-based supramolecular compounds [(Tp*WS3Cu2Cl)2(L1)] (2), {[(Tp*WS3Cu3)2(µ-Cl)2(µ4-Cl)]2(L2)2}(OTf)2 (3), {[(Tp*WS3Cu3)2(µ-Cl)2(µ4-Cl)]2(L3)2}(OTf)2 (4) and {[(Tp*WS3Cu3)2(µ-Cl)2(µ4-Cl)]2(L4)2}(OTf)2 (5). Compounds 2-5 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, UV-vis, 1H NMR, and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The neutral cluster 2 behaves as a supramolecular wire constructed by L1 bridging two butterfly-shaped [Tp*WS3Cu2Cl] cores. The cluster cations of 3-5 contain two [(Tp*WS3Cu3)2(µ-Cl)2(µ4-Cl)]+ cores linked by two L2, L3, or L4 ligands, which finally formed a cationic supramolecular rectangle. The third-order nonlinear-optical (NLO) properties of 3-5 in DMF were also investigated by Z-scan techniques and their NLO responses were enhanced compared to those of their precursor 1.

Heterobimetallic Cluster-Based Coordination Polymers: Assembly, Structures and Third-Order Nonlinear Optical Properties.

Reactions of (NH4 )2 WS4 with CuCN, CuCN/1,2-bis(4-pyridyl)propane (bppa) or [Cu(MeCN)4 ]PF6 /bppa under different reaction conditions afforded a set of two- or three-dimensional W/Cu/S cluster-based coordination polymers including {[Et4 N]2 [WS4 Cu4 (µ-CN)2 (µ-I)2 ]}n (1), [WS4 Cu4 (µ-CN)2 (bppa)2 ]n (2) and {[WS4 Cu4 (bppa)4 ](PF6 )2 }n (3), respectively. Compound 2 can be readily formed from reaction of 1 with bppa under solvothermal conditions. Compounds 1 and 2 feature two-dimensional networks with a "sql" topology, while 3 possesses a two-fold interpenetrated three-dimensional net with a rare "reo" topology. Compounds 1-3 in DMF exhibited different third-order nonlinear optical responses, and they all showed a reverse saturable absorption while 2 held a strong self-focusing effect.

The solvent-induced isomerization of silver thiolate clusters with symmetry transformation.

A novel ligand-stabilized Ag12 nanocluster was synthesized as a model cluster to investigate the solvent-induced isomerization of Ag12 clusters. Another two novel Ag12 clusters as well as their related symmetry transformations were also successfully obtained through the above solvent-induced isomerization process.

In Situ Generation of Bifunctional Fe-Doped MoS2 Nanocanopies for Efficient Electrocatalytic Water Splitting.

Design and synthesis of non-noble metal electrocatalysts with high activity and durability for the electrolysis of water is of great significance for energy conversion and storage. In this work, we prepared a series of Fe-doped MoS2 nanomaterials by simple one-pot solvothermal reactions of (NH4)2MoS4 with FeCl3·6H2O. An optimized working electrode of Fe-MoS2-5 displayed high hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) activity with a relatively small overpotential of 173 mV to achieve a current density of 10 mA cm-2 in 0.5 M H2SO4, along with no significant change in catalytic performance even after 1000 cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles. Fe-MoS2 nanoparticles on nickel foam (NF; denoted as Fe-MoS2/NF) exhibited an overpotential of 230 mV at 20 mA cm-2 for the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and 153 mV at 10 mA cm-2 for the HER in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte. Fe-MoS2/NF was stable for more than 140 h under these conditions. Furthermore, the two electrode system of Fe-MoS2/NF (anode)//Fe-MoS2/NF (cathode) electrodes demonstrated excellent electrocatalytic activity toward overall water splitting with a low potential of 1.52 V at 10 mA cm-2 in 1.0 M KOH electrolyte.

A hierarchically-assembled Fe-MoS2/Ni3S2/nickel foam electrocatalyst for efficient water splitting.

The development of bifunctional non-noble metal electrocatalysts demonstrating high activity and stability for the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) is of great significance for renewable and clean energy. In this work, we report hierarchically structured integrated Fe-MoS2/Ni3S2/NF (NF = nickel foam) materials prepared by a facile in situ solvothermal method, and among them, the Fe-doped MoS2 was assembled into spine-like nanorods. The optimized electrocatalyst (denoted as Fe-MoS2/Ni3S2/NF-2) demonstrated excellent activity and durability for performing the HER and OER in an alkaline electrolyte (pH = 14) with low overpotentials of 130.6 mV and 256 mV (vs. RHE) at a current density of 10 mA cm-2, as well as no significant loss in catalytic performance even after 2000 cyclic voltammetry (CV) cycles. An outstanding durability of 180 h could be achieved for OER. The overall water splitting made up of the two-electrode system with Fe-MoS2/Ni3S2/NF-2 as both the anode and the cathode required a voltage of only 1.61 V to drive a current density of 10 mA cm-2 along with an outstanding long-term stability of 20 h, displaying its great potential for application in water splitting. The effective construction of multi-component synergistic structures shows a good pathway for high-performance electrocatalysis and energy storage.

Early enforced mobilization after liver resection: A prospective randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: This randomized controlled study investigated the feasibility of early ambulation after liver resection and the effect of the amount of activity on postoperative recovery. METHODS: A total of 120 patients who underwent liver resection were randomly divided into two groups for the comparative analysis of the following factors: amount of activity, pain control, sleeping state, perioperative gastrointestinal function recovery, incidence of complications and postoperative hospital stay. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, patients undergoing liver resection performing early postoperative ambulation had faster gastrointestinal function recovery (First exhaust time 2.2 ±â€¯1.4 vs. 3.3 ±â€¯2.3 p < 0.01; First flatus time 2.3 ±â€¯1.7 vs. 3.1 ±â€¯2.5 p = 0.04) and shorter postoperative hospital stays (6.6 ±â€¯2.3 vs. 7.7 ±â€¯2.1 p = 0.01), with statistically significant differences. There was no significant difference in the incidence of postoperative complications between the two groups (p > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Early ambulation after liver resection is safe and feasible. It can reduce the patient's pain and economic burden, increase the patient's comfort, reduce the nursing workload, achieve rapid recovery, and improve patient satisfaction.

Kinetic step-growth polymerization: A dissipative particle dynamics simulation study.

Kinetic step-growth polymerization is studied by dissipative particle dynamics coupled with our previously developed reaction algorithm on a coarse-grained level. The simulation result proves that this step-growth polymerization obeys the second-order reaction kinetics. We apply this algorithm to study the step-growth polymerization using the subunits with different flexibilities or within confinement. Good agreement of the number fraction distributions with the Flory distribution is obtained, implying that this algorithm is reasonable to describe such a kind of step-growth polymerization. This algorithm can further supply a convenient platform for simulating typical step-growth polymerization in reactive polymer systems.

[Pb(Tab)2(4,4'-bipy)](PF6)2: two-step ambient temperature quantitative solid-state synthesis, structure and dielectric properties.

Ambient temperature solid-state reaction of Pb(OAc)2 with TabHPF6 afforded an intermediate product [Pb(Tab)2]2(PF6)4, which further reacted with 4,4'-bipy in the solid state to generate a unique 2D cationic coordination polymer [Pb(Tab)2(4,4'-bipy)](PF6)2 in quantitative yield. Both complexes possess a low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss in the high electric field frequency range.

[PyH][{TpMo(µ(3)-S)4Cu3}4(µ(12)-I)]: a unique tetracubane cluster derived from the S-S bond cleavage and the iodide template effects and its enhanced NLO performances.

Reactions of [Et4N][TpMoS(S4)] with three equiv. of CuI in MeCN or in pyridine gave rise to one dicubane and one tetracubane anionic clusters, [Et4N]2[{TpMo(µ3-S)3Cu3I}2(µ-I){Cu(µ-I)2(µ4-I)2}] and [PyH][{TpMo(µ3-S)4Cu3}4(µ12-I)], and their third-order nonlinear optical (NLO) responses were greatly enhanced relative to that of the precursor.

[Effects of acupuncture intervention on hepatic platelet-derived growth factor signaling pathway in CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis rats].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the effect of acupuncture stimulation of "Taichong" (LR 3), "Qimen" (LR 14), etc. on hepatic platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF) signal pathway activity at the protein and mRNA levels in hepatic fibrosis rats. METHODS: Forty-six SD rats were randomly divided into control (10 rats), model (12 rats), acupuncture (12 rats) and non-acupoint (12 rats) groups. Hepatic fibrosis model was established by intraperitoneal injection of mixture solution of 50% CCl4 and olive oil [1:1, 3 times on the 1st week (W), twice/W thereafter for 5 more weeks]. During modeling, acupuncture stimulation of "Taichong" (LR 3), "Qimen" (LR 14), "Ganshu" (BL 18) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) was conducted simultaneously. At the end of the experiments, all the rats were sacrificed for collecting their liver and blood samples, followed by separation of the hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). ELISA, Western blot and Real-time quantitative PCR techniques were used to detect the content of serum PDGF and expression levels of PDGF-beta receptor (PDGF-beta R), extracellular signal-regulated kinase (ERK1/2), c-jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) and P 38 genes and proteins of HSCs, respectively. RESULTS: Compared to the control group, serum PDGF content, and expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein and P 38 protein of HSCs in the model group were upregulated significantly (P < 0.01, P < 0.05). In comparison with the model group, serum PDGF content, and the expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein of HSCs in the acupuncture group were down-regulated apparently (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). No significant differences were found between the acupuncture and non-acupoint groups in serum PDGF content and between the model group and non-acupoint group in the expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein, JNK protein and P 38 protein of HSCs, as well as between the model group and acupuncture group in the expression levels of JNK protein and P 38 protein of HSCs (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture intervention can effectively down-regulate serum PDGF content, and expression levels of PDGF-beta R mRNA and protein, ERK mRNA and protein of HSCs in liver fibrosis rats, which may contribute to its effect in improving liver fibrosis through down-regulating PDGF signal pathway activity.

[Inhibitory effect of acupuncture on hepatic extracellular matrix production in carbon tetrachloride-induced liver fibrosis rats].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the protective effect of acupuncture intervention on liver in carbon tetrachloride induced hepatic fibrosis rats and to reveal its impact on extracellular matrix production in the liver tissue. METHODS: A total of 46 SD rats were randomly divided into control group (n = 10), model group (n = 12), sham group (n = 12) and acupuncture group (n = 12). Hepatic fibrosis model was established by intraperitoneal injection of 50% olive oil containing CCl (1 mL/kg), 3 times in the 1st week and twice per week from the 2nd to the 6th week. During the fibrosis model establishment, acupuncture of "Taichong" (LR 3), "Qimen" (LR 14), "Ganshu" (BL 18) and "Zusanli" (ST 36) was carried out simultaneously. In the sham group, non-acupuncture points (0.5 cm left to the above-mentioned real points) were punctured. The treatment was conducted 3 times a week in the first three weeks and then twice a week for the last three weeks. Serum levels of hyaluronic acid (HA), liminin (LN) and precollagen (PC III) were determined by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay for assessing the hepatic fibrosis degree. Primary hepatic stellate cells (HSC) were separated. Western blot assay was used to detect the expression of alpha-smooth muscle actin (SMA), alpha 1 (l) collagen, fibronectin, matrix metalloproteinase (MMP)-9 (components of extracellular matrix, ECM) and tissue inhibitor of metalloprotei-nase-1 (TIMP-1, an inhibitor of MMP-9) proteins of HSC. Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to detect the expression levels of alpha-SMA, alpha 1 (1) collagen and fibronectin genes of HSC. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, contents of serum HA, LN and PC III, expression levels of alpha-SMA, alpha 1 (I) collagen and fibronectin proteins and genes, and TIMP-1 protein of HSC were significantly increased in the model group (P < 0.01, P < 0.05), while MMP-9 protein (an enzyme for degradating ECM) expression level of HSC in the model group was down-regulated significantly (P < 0.01), suggesting a formation of hepatic fibrosis, impairment of the liver tissue fibrosis and imbalance of degradation of ECM. H.E. staining showed an ameliorated liver injury (disorder of hepatocyte arrangement, hepatocyte necrosis, formation of pseudolobule, etc.) in the acupuncture group in comparison with the model group. In comparison with the model group, serum HA and LN contents, expression levels of alpha-SMA, alpha 1(I) collagen and fibronectin proteins, and alpha-SMA mRNA and fibronectin mRNA of HSC were downregulated considerably in the acupuncture group (P < 0.05, P < 0.01). On the contrary, MMP-9 protein expression level of HSC was up-regulated remarkably in the acupuncture group compared with the model group (P < 0.05). No significant changes were found in all the aforementioned indexes in the sham group, and serum PC III content as well as alpha 1 (I) collagen mRNA and TIMP-1 protein expression levels of HSC in the acupuncture group compared with those in the model group (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: Acupuncture treatment can significantly relieve CCl4-induced hepatic fibrosis in hepatic fibrosis rats probably by inhibiting the synthesis and deposite of HA and LN, down-regulating expression levels of alpha-SMA, alpha 1(1) collagen and fibronectin proteins, and alpha-SMA mRNA and fibronectin mRNA of HSC as well as up-regulating MMP-9 protein expression of HSC.

Acupuncture combined with curcumin attenuates carbon tetrachloride-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats.

BACKGROUND: Increasingly, studies demonstrate the effectiveness of acupuncture therapy against liver fibrosis. Curcumin is a natural product with antifibrotic effects, but has poor pharmacokinetic profiles. This study aimed to evaluate whether acupuncture combined with curcumin could more potently attenuate liver fibrosis in chemical intoxicated rats. METHODS: 60 Sprague-Dawley male rats were randomly divided into control, model, sham, acupuncture, curcumin and combination therapy groups. During the establishment of fibrosis using carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)), acupuncture at LR3, LR14, BL18 and ST36 and/or curcumin treatment by mouth were performed simultaneously. After treatment, pathological indexes and histology for hepatic injury and fibrogenesis were detected. The expression of extracellular matrix (ECM) components was also determined. RESULTS: Acupuncture combined with curcumin potently protected the liver from CCl(4)-induced injury and fibrogenesis, as indicated by reduced levels of serum aspartate aminotransferase, alanine aminotransferase, alkaline phosphatase, hyaluronic acid, laminin and procollagen III. Combined use also led to significant liver histological improvements. Furthermore, combined use effectively inhibited ECM expression such as α-smooth muscle actin, fibronectin and α1(1) collagen. CONCLUSIONS: Acupuncture treatment could significantly enhance the antifibrotic efficacy of curcumin on CCl(4)-induced hepatic fibrosis in rats in vivo, suggesting that a combination of acupuncture with curcumin may be exploited for the prevention of hepatic fibrosis.

Dielectric anisotropy of the single crystal of isopropylviologen copper(I) triiodide.

Solvothermal reactions of CuI with isopropanol, 4,4'-bipyridine, I(2) and a small amount of water in MeCN produced one coordination compound [isopropylviologen][CuI(3)] (isopropylviologen = N,N'-diisopropyl-4,4'-bipyridinium) (1). The dielectric constants of the single crystal of 1 along the three crystal axes are different with the largest diversity ratio of ∼3.3, showing dielctric anisotropic behavior. Under low temperature (<273 K) or medium electric field frequency range (1 KHz-1 MHz), the dielectric constant of the title compound is nearly unchanged, exhibiting a temperature/frequency-independent characteristics. The crystalline powder of 1 has a low dielectric constant and low dielectric loss in the medium electric field frequency range, which is comparable to the traditional low-k material SiO(2).

Iodobismuthates with N-alkyl- or N,N'-dialkyl-4,4'-bipyridinium: syntheses, structures and dielectric properties.

The solvothermal reactions of BiI(3), KI, I(2), 4,4'-bipyridine (4,4'-bipy), and a small amount of water in alcohol and acetonitrile produced four bipyridinium iodobismuthates {[MQ](3)[Bi(2)I(6)(µ-I)(3)][Bi(2)I(6)(µ-I)(2)(MQ)(2)](3)} (1, MQ(+) = N-methyl-4,4'-bipyridinium), {[EQ](3)[Bi(2)I(6)(µ-I)(3)][Bi(2)I(6)(µ-I)(2)(EQ)(2)](3)} (2, EQ(+) = N-ethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium), [MV][BiI(5)] (Eur. J. Inorg. Chem., 2010, 5326) (3, MV(2+) = N,N'-dimethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium), and [EV](2)[Bi(4)I(10)(µ-I)(4)(µ(3)-I)(2)] (4, EV(2+) = N,N'-diethyl-4,4'-bipyridinium). In these reactions, 4,4'-bipy was partly or completely alkylated by alkyl groups generated from the cleavage of C-O bond of alcohols, forming the N-alkyl-4,4'-bipyridinium cation (Q(+)) and the N,N'-dialkyl-4,4'-bipyridinium dication (V(2+)), respectively. Compounds 1-4 were characterized by elemental analysis, IR, (1)H NMR and single-crystal X-ray diffraction analysis. The optical, electrical conductive and dielectric properties of these compounds were investigated. The dielectric constants of the Q(+)-based compounds were larger than the values of the V(2+)-based ones, which showed that the weak electrostatic interactions in the structures may benefit the polarizability of molecules, thereby resulting in a larger dielectric response of the structures under an external electric field, while the strong electrostatic interactions between the positive and negative charge units would lead to a low dielectric constant (low-k) behavior of these compounds.

A case of acute thallotoxicosis successfully treated with double-filtration plasmapheresis.

The authors report a 48-year-old Chinese woman who presented with acute peripheral neuritis with progressive alopecia. Laboratory examinations disclosed a high blood concentration of thallium (97 microg/L) versus a normal value (0.9 microg/L), and she was diagnosed as having acute thallotoxicosis. After her hospitalization, the cutantest of dimercaptopropansulfonate sodium was positive and the patient refused to take Prussian blue because it caused constipation. She rapidly entered remission after assistance via double-filtration plasmapheresis (DFPP), suggesting the potential efficacy of DFPP for thallotoxicosis.