Lead-rivet strategy of growing perovskite nanocrystals for excellent toxicity inhibition and spinning application.

Lead halide perovskite has demonstrated remarkable potential in the wearable field due to its exceptional photoelectric conversion capability. However, its lead toxicity issue has consistently been subject to criticism, significantly impeding its practical application. To address this challenge, an innovative approach called lead-rivet was proposed for the in-situ growth of perovskite crystalline structures. Through the formation of S-Pb bonds, each Pb2+ ion was firmly immobilized on the surface of the silica matrix, enabling in situ growth of perovskite nanocrystals via ion coordination between Cs+ and halide species. The robust S-Pb bonding effectively restricted the mobility of lead ions and stabilized the perovskite structure without relying on surface ligands, thereby not only preventing toxicity leakage but also providing a favorable interface for depositing protective shells. The obtained perovskites exhibit intense and narrow-band fluorescence with full-width at half-maximum less than 23 nm and show excellent stability to high temperature (above 202 °C) and high humidity (water immersion over 27 days), thus making it possible to be used in varies textile technologies including melt spinning and wet spinning. The lead leakage rate of particles is only 4.15 % demonstrating excellent toxicity inhibition performance. The prepared fibers maintained good extensibility and flexibility which could be used for 3D-printing and textiles weaving. Most importantly, the detected Pb2+ leaching was negligible as low as to 0.732 ppb which meet the standard of World Health Organization (WHO) for drinking water (<10 ppb), and the cell survival rate remained 99.196 % for PLA fluorescent filament after 24 h cultivation which showing excellent safety to human body and environment. This study establishes a controllable and highly adaptable synthesis method, thereby providing a promising avenue for the safe utilization of perovskite materials.

Impacts of microplastic and seawater acidification on unicellular red algae: Growth response, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzymes, and extracellular polymer substances.

Microplastics (MPs) pollution and seawater acidification have increasingly become huge threats to the ocean ecosystem. Their impacts on microalgae are of great importance, since microalgae are the main primary producers and play a critical role in marine ecosystems. However, the impact of microplastics and acidification on unicellular red algae, which have a unique phycobiliprotein antenna system, remains unclear. Therefore, the impacts of polystyrene-MPs alone and the combined effects of MPs and seawater acidification on the typical unicellular marine red algae Porphyridium purpureum were investigated in the current study. The result showed that, under normal seawater condition, microalgae densities were increased by 17.75-41.67 % compared to the control when microalgae were exposed to small-sized MPs (0.1 µm) at concentrations of 5-100 mg L-1. In addition, the photosystem II and antioxidant enzyme system were not subjected to negative effects. The large-sized MPs (1 µm) boosted microalgae growth at a low concentration of MPs (5 mg L-1). However, it was observed that microalgae growth was significantly inhibited when MPs concentration increased up to 50 and 100 mg L-1, accompanied by the remarkably reduced Fv/Fm value and the elevated levels of SOD, CAT enzymes, phycoerythrin (PE), and extracellular polysaccharide (EPS). Compared to the normal seawater condition, microalgae densities were enhanced by 52.11-332.56 % under seawater acidification, depending on MPs sizes and concentrations, due to the formed CO2-enrichment condition and appropriate pH range. PE content in microalgal cells was significantly enhanced, but SOD and CAT activities as well as EPS content markedly decreased under acidification conditions. Overall, the impacts of seawater acidification were more pronounced than MPs impacts on microalgae growth and physiological responses. These findings will contribute to a substantial understanding of the effects of MPs on marine unicellular red microalgae, especially in future seawater acidification scenarios.

Association between calcium-phosphorus balance and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis: A meta-analysis.

STUDY DESIGN: A systematic review and meta-analysis. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the association between calcium-phosphorus balance and adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS). METHODS: Databases, including PubMed, OVID database, Web of Science, CBM database and CNKI database were searched for the relevant case control studies and cross-sectional studies. Two authors selected studies and extracted data independently. Data analysis was performed by Review Manager Software 5.0. Subgroup analysis was performed on the serum level of vitamin D according to gender and menstruation. RESULTS: Five studies were included, with a total of 646 cases of AIS and 791 controls. AIS group had a lower serum level of vitamin D compared to control group [MD = -6.74, 95% CI (-9.47, -4.00)]. Gender and menstruation condition were thought to have no effect on the primary outcome of vitamin D level by subgroup analysis [MD = -5.97, 95% CI (7.61, -4.34)]. The AIS group had a lower calcium level [SMD= -0.77, 95% CI (-1.51, -0.02)] and calcitonin level compared to control group. There was no statistical difference in phosphorus level [SMD=0.5, 95% CI (-0.46, 0.57)] and parathyroid hormone level [SMD = -0.11, 95% CI (-0.54, -0.31)]. Meanwhile, the observational indexes, including serum levels of calcium, phosphorus, parathyroid hormone and calcitonin were within normal limits. CONCLUSION: Vitamin D deficiency may be involved in the pathogenesis of AIS by influencing the regulation of calcium-phosphors metabolism on human bone. Therefore, we suggest to screen vitamin D level in AIS patients. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level III, Therapeutic Study.

A systematic review of unilateral versus bilateral percutaneous vertebroplasty/percutaneous kyphoplasty for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures.

OBJECTIVE: The aim of this study was to compare the unilateral and bilateral approaches in treating osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. METHODS: Based on the principles and methods of the Cochrane systematic reviews, the records of the Cochrane Library, PubMed, Web of Science, Chinese Bio-medicine database, China Journal Full-text Database, VIP database, and Wanfang database were reviewed until October 2014. The randomized controlled trials on unilateral and bilateral approaches to percutaneous vertebroplasty (PVP)/percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) for osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures were included. The risk of bias of included trials was assessed based on the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions Version. The RevMan Software 5.0 was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: Fifteen randomized controlled trials with a total of 850 patients were included. Risk of bias in the included studies was inevitable. There was no statistically significant difference in visual analog scale, vertebral height, kyphotic angular, and quality of life. The main operative complications were bone cement leakage and adjacent vertebral fracture, without difference between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: In view of the current evidence, there is insufficient evidence to show any difference between the unilateral and bilateral approaches in both the PVP and PKP treatment in osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: Level I, Therapeutic study.

Subcutaneous Versus Submuscular Anterior Transposition of the Ulnar Nerve for Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Randomized Controlled Trials and Observational Studies.

Subcutaneous and submuscular anterior ulnar nerve transposition have been widely used in patients with cubital tunnel syndrome. However, the reliable evidence in favor of 1 of 2 surgical options on clinical improvement remains controversial. To maximize the value of the available literature, we performed a systematic review and meta-analysis to compare subcutaneous versus submuscular anterior ulnar nerve transposition in patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. PubMed, Cochrane Library, and EMBASE databases were searched for randomized and observational studies that compared subcutaneous transposition with submuscular transposition of ulnar nerve for cubital tunnel syndrome. The primary outcome was clinically relevant improvement in function compared to the baseline. Randomized and observational studies were separately analyzed with relative risks (RRs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). Two randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and 7 observational studies, involving 605 patients, were included. Our meta-analysis suggested that no significant differences in the primary outcomes were observed between comparison groups, both in RCT (RR, 1.16; 95% CI 0.68-1.98; P = 0.60; I2= 81%) and observational studies (RR, 1.01; 95% CI 0.95-1.08; P = 0.69; I2 = 0%). These findings were also consistent with all subgroup analyses for observational studies. In the secondary outcomes, the incidence of adverse events was significantly lower in subcutaneous group than in submuscular group (RR, 0.54; 95% CI 0.33-0.87; P = 0.01; I2 = 0%), whereas subcutaneous transposition failed to reveal more superiority than submuscular transposition in static two-point discrimination (MD, 0.04; 95% CI -0.18-0.25; P = 0.74; I = 0%). The available evidence is not adequately powered to identify the best anterior ulnar nerve transposition technique for cubital tunnel syndrome on the basis of clinical outcomes, that is, suggests that subcutaneous and submuscular anterior transposition might be equally effective in terms of postoperative clinical improvement. However, differences in clinical outcomes metrics should be noted, and these findings largely rely on the outcomes data from observational studies that are potentially subject to a high risk of selection bias. Therefore, more high-quality and adequately powered RCTs with standardized clinical outcomes metrics are necessary for proper comparison of these techniques.

Anterior Subcutaneous versus Submuscular Transposition of the Ulnar Nerve for Cubital Tunnel Syndrome: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

OBJECTIVE: To pool reliable evidences for the optimum anterior transposition technique in the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome by comparing the clinical efficacy of subcutaneous and submuscular anterior ulnar nerve transposition. METHODS: A comprehensive search was conducted in PubMed MEDLINE, Cochrane Library, EMBASE, Web of Science, OVID AMED, EBSCO and potentially relevant surgical archives. Risk of bias of each included studies was evaluated according to Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions. The risk ratio (RR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI) were calculated for the clinical improvement in function compared to baseline. Heterogeneity was assessed across studies, and subgroup analysis was also performed based on the study type and follow-up duration. RESULTS: Three studies with a total of 352 participants were identified, and the clinically relevant improvement was used as the primary outcomes. Our meta-analysis revealed that no significant difference was observed between two comparison groups in terms of postoperative clinical improvement in those studies (RR 1.04, 95% CI 0.86 to 1.25, P = 0.72). Meanwhile, subgroup analyses by study type and follow-up duration revealed the consistent results with the overall estimate. Additionally, the pre- and postoperative motor nerve conduction velocities were reported in two studies with a total of 326 patients, but we could not perform a meta-analysis because of the lack of concrete numerical value in one study. The quality of evidence for clinical improvement was 'low' or 'moderate' on the basis of GRADE approach. CONCLUSIONS: Based on small numbers of studies with relatively poor methodological quality, the limited evidence is insufficient to identify the optimum anterior transposition technique in the treatment of cubital tunnel syndrome. The results of the present study suggest that anterior subcutaneous and submuscular transposition might be equally effective in patients with ulnar neuropathy at the elbow. Therefore, more high-quality randomized controlled trials with standardized clinical improvement metrics are required to further clarify this topic and to provide reproducible pre- and postoperative objective outcomes.