Engineering surface framework TiO6 single sites for unprecedented deep oxidative desulfurization.

Catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ODS) using titanium silicate catalysts has emerged as an efficient technique for the complete removal of organosulfur compounds from automotive fuels. However, the precise control of highly accessible and stable-framework Ti active sites remains highly challenging. Here we reveal for the first time by using density functional theory calculations that framework hexa-coordinated Ti (TiO6) species of mesoporous titanium silicates are the most active sites for ODS and lead to a lower-energy pathway of ODS. A novel method to achieve highly accessible and homogeneously distributed framework TiO6 active single sites at the mesoporous surface has been developed. Such surface framework TiO6 species exhibit an exceptional ODS performance. A removal of 920 ppm of benzothiophene is achieved at 60°C in 60 min, which is 1.67 times that of the best catalyst reported so far. For bulky molecules such as 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT), it takes only 3 min to remove 500 ppm of DMDBT at 60°C with our catalyst, which is five times faster than that with the current best catalyst. Such a catalyst can be easily upscaled and could be used for concrete industrial application in the ODS of bulky organosulfur compounds with minimized energy consumption and high reaction efficiency.

Synergistic effect of K and Zn on Fe-based catalysts for efficient CO2 hydrogenation.

Excessive emission of CO2 into the atmosphere has severely impacted the global ecological environment. Converting CO2 into valuable chemicals and fuels is of great significance for sustainable development. However, low activity and undesirable selectivity often result from the inherent inertness of CO2. Herein, K- or/and Zn-modified Fe-based catalysts were prepared by an incipient-wetness impregnation method for CO2 hydrogenation via a cascade reaction. The results indicate that K species exist as K2O while Zn species exist as ZnFe2O4. In the CO2 hydrogenation pathway, K2O facilitates the adsorption of CO2 and restrains the adsorption of H2, accelerating the transformation of CO2 into C2-C4 olefins rather than paraffins while Zn species promote the dispersion of Fe species, leading to improved activity. Synergistically, a K- and Zn-modified Fe-based catalyst (2Zn-10K-Fe/Al) shows excellent catalytic CO2 hydrogenation activity, achieving a CO2 conversion of 77% which is 1.8 times that (42%) of the unmodified Fe-based catalyst (Fe/Al). Our catalyst also shows a significantly promoted selectivity to C2-C4 olefins of 17% in comparison with the Fe/Al catalyst (0%). It is envisioned that such a binary effect of elements might contribute to the low-cost and industrial production of Fe-based catalysts for selective CO2 conversion.

Integrative analysis reveals that SLC38A1 promotes hepatocellular carcinoma development via PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling via glutamine mediated energy metabolism.

Although hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) is rather frequent, little is known about the molecular pathways underlying its development, progression, and prognosis. In the current study, we comprehensively analyzed the deferentially expressed metabolism-related genes (MRGs) in HCC based on TCGA datasets attempting to discover the potentially prognostic genes in HCC. The up-regulated MRGs were further subjected to analyze their prognostic values and protein expressions. Twenty-seven genes were identified because their high expressions were significant in OS, PFS, DFS, DSS, and HCC tumor samples. They were then used for GO, KEGG, methylation, genetics changes, immune infiltration analyses. Moreover, we established a prognostic model in HCC using univariate assays and LASSO regression based on these MRGs. Additionally, we also found that SLC38A1, an amino acid metabolism closely related transporter, was a potential prognostic gene in HCC, and its function in HCC was further studied using experiments. We found that the knockdown of SLC38A1 notably suppressed the growth and migration of HCC cells. Further studies revealed that SLC38A1 modulated the development of HCC cells by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling via glutamine mediated energy metabolism. In conclusion, this study identified the potentially prognostic MRGs in HCC and uncovered that SLC38A1 regulated HCC development and progression by regulating PI3K/AKT/mTOR signaling via glutamine mediated energy metabolism, which might provide a novel marker and potential therapeutic target in HCC.

Intraparticle ripening to create hierarchically porous Ti-MOF single crystals for deep oxidative desulfurization.

The catalytic oxidative desulfurization (ODS) technique is able to remove sulfur compounds from fuels, conducive to achieving deep desulfurization for the good of the ecological environment. Ti-based metal-organic frameworks (Ti-MOFs) possessing good affinity to organic reactants and considerable numbers of Ti active sites are promising catalysts for ODS. However, current Ti-MOFs suffer from severe diffusion limitations caused by the size mismatch between sole micropores and bulky sulfur compounds, leading to poor ODS performance. Here, a facile method of intraparticle ripening without any additive is developed to obtain hierarchically meso-microporous Ti-MIL-125 single crystals (Meso-Ti-MIL-125) for the first time. Such Meso-Ti-MIL-125 shows a BET surface area of 1401 m2 g-1 and a mesoporous volume that is 1.7 times as high as that of the conventional Ti-MIL-125. Our novel Meso-Ti-MIL-125 exhibits excellent catalytic performance in the ODS of a series of bulky thiophenic sulfur compounds, completely removing benzothiophene (BT), dibenzothiophene (DBT), and 4,6-dimethyldibenzothiophene (DMDBT) from model fuels, which is, respectively, 2.4 times, 1.5 times, and 6.7 times higher than the removal achieved with conventional Ti-MIL-125. Such a facile synthetic strategy is envisioned to be applied in many kinds of crystalline materials, such as zeolites, for industrial production.

High-intensity focused ultrasound versus transarterial chemoembolization for hepatocellular carcinoma: a meta-analysis.

PURPOSE: The application of high-intensity focused ultrasound (HIFU) in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) was promising. However, whether the effect of HIFU is comparable with that of transarterial chemoembolization (TACE) has not been determined. MATERIALS AND METHODS: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, WanFang Data, CqVip, CNKI, and CBM databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs), cohort studies, and case-control studies. The methodological quality of each study was evaluated. When there is no statistical heterogeneity, the fixed effect model would be used to merge data. Otherwise, the random effect model would be utilized. Sensitivity analyses were conducted by excluding one study each time. Subgroup analyses were conducted based on age, sex, tumor number, relative number of the patients with Child-Pugh C grade in each group, the percentage of patients with Child-Pugh C grade in the whole study, and tumor load. Publication bias was evaluated by Egger's test and Begg's test. RESULTS: Six cohort studies including 188 patients from HIFU group and 224 patients from TACE group were obtained for further analysis. The meta-analysis suggested HIFU and TACE showed no differences in postoperative 1-year overall survival (OS) rate, tumor response (including complete response, partial response, stable disease, and progressive disease), and postoperative complications. Moreover, compared with TACE, HIFU showed higher postoperative 6-month and 2-year OS rates. Subgroup analyses, meta regression analysis and sensitivity analyses indicated the findings above were reliable. Additionally, no potential publication bias was detected. CONCLUSION: For HCC, when compared with TACE, HIFU might show comparable safety but better effect. Considering the limitations of current studies, more well-designed studies are needed to validate our conclusion.

Comparative clinical outcomes of different therapies for traumatic meniscal tears in adults: A protocol for systematic review and network meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Meniscus tears are usually classified as degenerative or traumatic tears according to their pathogenesis. At present, traumatic meniscal tears are generally believed to have high healing potential. In recent years, multiple treatments have been described for traumatic meniscal tears, such as the inside-out technique, outside-in technique, all-inside technique, biological augmentation of meniscal repair, meniscectomy, and non-surgical treatment. However, the functional recovery of the knee joint and healing of the meniscus after treatment are quite different from the results reported in the literature, which requires more reliable evidence-based medical findings. This study will evaluate evidence from multiple types of research comparing different therapies for traumatic meniscal tears in adults. METHODS: We will search the EMBASE, Cochrane Library (the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials [CENTRAL], Cochrane Methodology Register), PubMed, Web of Science (Science and Social Science Citation Index), China Knowledge Network, CBM, Wanfang data, and VIP electronic databases from their inception to August 10, 2021, with no language restrictions. We will also manually search Baidu and Google Scholar to identify randomized controlled studies, non-randomized controlled studies, and cohort studies on the treatment of traumatic meniscal tears. Two researchers will independently screen the literature, extract the data, and evaluate the quality of the studies. Software programs, including Microsoft Access, Excel, Stata (Version 15), WinBUGS (Version 1.4.3), and ADDIS (Version 1.16.8), were used to analyze and manipulate the data. RESULTS: In this study, the main outcomes were physical function and healing rate, based on the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index, Lysholm Knee Scoring Scale, Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score, Functional Recovery Scale, and clinical healing rate. The secondary indexes included total cost, cost-effectiveness ratio, incremental cost-effectiveness ratio, Tegner activity scale score, visual analogue scale, numerical rating scale, and meniscal tear complications. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review will provide reliable evidence-based findings for the clinical application of different therapies for traumatic meniscal tears in adults.

Effectiveness and safety of focused ultrasound ablation surgery compared with radiofrequency ablation in primary hepatocellular carcinoma treatment: a meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The effectiveness and safety of focused ultrasound ablation surgery (FUAS) for primary hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) treatment has not been fully evaluated. This study analyzed the effectiveness and safety of FUAS compared to radiofrequency ablation (RFA). METHODS: Studies published before November 1, 2020, in the following databases were analyzed: PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang Data, CqVip, China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), and Chinese Biomedical (CBM) database. All publications were reviewed independently by two authors. Both randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohort studies examining the effectiveness and safety of FUAS and RFA were considered. RCTs and cohort studies' methodological quality were evaluated using the Cochrane collaboration tool and the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale, respectively. RESULTS: A total of 6,597 records were identified, from which 3 cohort studies were selected for quantitative synthesis. All studies had relatively high methodological quality. The meta-analysis indicated that FUAS and RFA had comparable 3-month overall survival (OS) rates [risk ratio (RR): 0.99, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.86 to 1.14], 6-month OS rates (RR: 1.03, 95% CI: 0.82 to 1.29), and 1-year OS rates (RR: 0.96, 95% CI: 0.84 to 1.11). Also, individual studies reported that the tumor response (reflected by tumor response and tumor ablation rate) and posttreatment complications were comparable between patients treated with FUAS and patients treated with RFA. Due to the limited number of studies reporting tumor response and posttreatment complications, further meta-analyses could not be conducted. DISCUSSION: FUAS and RFA were comparable in terms of effectiveness and safety in the treatment of primary HCC. However, current evidence is limited, and more prospective RCTs are warranted to confirm these findings.

Kupffer Cell-Derived TNF-α Triggers the Apoptosis of Hepatic Stellate Cells through TNF-R1/Caspase 8 due to ER Stress.

PURPOSE: To investigate the roles of ER stress in Kupffer cells (KCs) and KC-derived TNF-α in the apoptosis of hepatic stellate cells (HSCs). METHODS: A rat model of liver fibrosis was established. Liver and blood serum samples were collected. Liver function assays, Masson staining, Sirius Red staining, ELISAs, and TUNEL and immunohistochemical staining were performed. Liver function, liver fibrosis, KC phenotype, inflammatory factors, and number of active HSCs were investigated. KCs were isolated, treated with tunicamycin, and then, cocultured with primary hepatic stellate cells. ELISAs, immunofluorescence staining, flow cytometry, and Western blotting were performed. KC phenotype, inflammatory factors, HSC apoptosis, and TNF-R1/caspase 8 pathway activity were examined. RESULT: s. ER stress in KCs reduced the levels of liver function markers, reduced the degree of liver fibrosis, and increased the number of KCs with the M1 phenotype and the expression of TNF-α. The increase in KC-derived TNF-α reduced the number of active HSCs and increased the activity of TNF-R1/caspase 8. Furthermore, ER stress in KCs promoted the polarization of KCs towards the M1 phenotype and increased the expression of TNF-α. The increase in KC-derived TNF-α triggered the apoptosis of HSCs and the activation of TNF-R1/caspase 8 in vitro, which was consistent with the in vivo results. CONCLUSION: ER stress in KCs promotes the polarization of these cells towards the M1 phenotype and increases the expression of TNF-α. Then, the increase in KC-derived TNF-α triggers the apoptosis of HSCs through TNF-R1/caspase 8.

Normal-state properties of the quasi-one-dimensional superconductor Ta4Pd3Te16.

We examined the physical properties of the quasi-one-dimensional superconductor Ta4Pd3Te16 in the normal state by detailed measurements of susceptibility, in-plane anisotropic resistivity, magnetoresistance, Hall resistivity, and Seebeck coefficient. The large Wilson ratio, as inferred from normal-state susceptibility, indicates strong electron-electron interaction. The Hall and Seebeck coefficients show not only significant temperature-dependent behavior, indicating the multiband effect, but also an obvious anomaly around T 1 = 40 K. Analyses of both the Hall resistivity and thermopower using a two-band model indicate that the electrons dominate the electrical transport at low temperatures. Our results imply that it is the quantum fluctuations of the charge order taking place in the temperature range 30-50 K that may result in the abnormal normal-state properties of Ta4Pd3Te16.

Retroperitoneal versus open intraperitoneal necrosectomy in step-up therapy for infected necrotizing pancreatitis: A meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: Step-up therapy is the recommended therapy for infected necrotizing pancreatitis (INP). However, the most appropriate secondary therapy for use after initial drainage has not been fully determined. This meta-analysis was designed to evaluate the efficacy and safety of retroperitoneal versus open intraperitoneal necrosectomy as part of a step-up strategy for INP. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight online databases were searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) and cohorts comparing retroperitoneal and open intraperitoneal step-up approaches for treating INP. The data was pooled with a random-effects model. RESULTS: A total of 21 controlled studies (one RCT and twenty cohorts) and 2177 patients were included in this study. Our meta-analysis showed that the retroperitoneal group had a lower postoperative complication rate [risk ratio (RR) = 0.575, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.459 to 0.719, P < 0.001], lower postoperative mortality (RR = 0.525, 95% CI = 0.430 to 0.642, P < 0.001), higher technical success rate (RR = 1.313, 95% CI = 1.017 to 1.694, P = 0.037), similar surgical reintervention rate (RR = 0.930, 95% CI = 0.783 to 1.106, P = 0.411), shorter operative time [standardized mean difference (SMD) = -2.402, 95% CI = -3.642 to -1.161, P < 0.001], and shorter hospital stay (SMD = -2.034, 95% CI = -3.041 to -1.026, P < 0.001) than the open group. These results were supported by a subgroup analysis. CONCLUSION: For treating INP, the retroperitoneal approach is safer and more effective than the open intraperitoneal approach.

Peculiar phase diagram with isolated superconducting regions in ThFeAsN1-x O x.

ThFeAsN1-x O x ([Formula: see text]) system with heavy electron doping has been studied by the measurements of x-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat. The non-doped compound exhibits superconductivity at [Formula: see text] K, which is possibly due to an internal uniaxial chemical pressure that is manifested by the extremely small value of As height with respect to the Fe plane. With the oxygen substitution, the T c value decreases rapidly to below 2 K for [Formula: see text], and surprisingly, superconductivity re-appears in the range of [Formula: see text] with a maximum [Formula: see text] of 17.5 K at x = 0.3. For the normal-state resistivity, while the samples in intermediate non-superconducting interval exhibit Fermi liquid behavior, those in other regions show a non-Fermi-liquid behavior. The specific heat jump for the superconducting sample of x = 0.4 is [Formula: see text], which is discussed in terms of anisotropic superconducting gap. The peculiar phase diagram in ThFeAsN1-x O x presents additional ingredients for understanding the superconducting mechanism in iron-based superconductors.

Unique [Mn6Bi5]- Nanowires in KMn6Bi5: A Quasi-One-Dimensional Antiferromagnetic Metal.

We report a new quasi-one-dimensional compound KMn6Bi5 composed of parallel nanowires crystallizing in a monoclinic space group C2/ m with a = 22.994(2) Å, b = 4.6128(3) Å, c = 13.3830(13) Å and ß = 124.578(6)°. The nanowires are infinite [Mn6Bi5]- columns each of which is composed of a nanotube of Bi atoms acting as the cladding with a nanorod of Mn atoms located in the central axis of the nanotubes. The nanorods of Mn atoms inside the Bi cladding are stabilized by Mn-Mn bonding and are defined by distorted Mn-centered cluster icosahedra of Mn13 sharing their vertices along the b axis. The [Mn6Bi5]- nanowires are linked with weak internanowire Bi-Bi bonds and charge balanced with K+ ions. The [Mn6Bi5]- nanowires were directly imaged by high-resolution transmission electron microscopy and scanning transmission electron microscopy. Magnetic susceptibility studies show one-dimensional characteristics with an antiferromagnetic transition at ∼75 K and a small average effective magnetic moment (1.56 µB/Mn for H ∥ b and 1.37 µB/Mn for H ⊥ b) of Mn from Curie-Weiss fits above 150 K. Specific heat measurements reveal an electronic specific heat coefficient γ of 6.5(2) mJ K-2(mol-Mn)-1 and a small magnetic entropy change Δ Smag ≈ 1.6 J K-1 (mol-Mn)-1 across the antiferromagnetic transition. In contrast to a metallic resistivity along the column, the resistivity perpendicular to the column shows a change from a semiconducting behavior at high temperatures to a metallic one at low temperatures, indicating an incoherent-to-coherent crossover of the intercolumn tunneling of electrons.

Superconductivity at 35 K by self doping in RbGd2Fe4As4O2.

We report synthesis, crystal structure and physical properties of a novel quinary compound RbGd2Fe4As4O2. The new iron oxyarsenide is isostructural to the fluo-arsenide KCa2Fe4As4F2, both of which contain separate double Fe2As2 layers that are self hole-doped in the stoichiometric composition. Bulk superconductivity at [Formula: see text] K is demonstrated by the measurements of electrical resistivity, dc magnetic susceptibility and heat capacity. An exceptionally high value of the initial slope of the upper critical field ([Formula: see text]d[Formula: see text]/d[Formula: see text] [Formula: see text] T K-1) is measured for the polycrystalline sample.

Investigation for role of tissue factor and blood coagulation system in severe acute pancreatitis and associated liver injury.

This study aims to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying the pathogenesis of severe acute pancreatitis (SAP) and SAP-associated liver injury, we performed an association analysis of the functions of tissue factor (TF) and blood coagulation system in both SAP patients and mouse SAP model. Our results showed that serum TF and tissue factor-microparticle (TF-MP) levels were highly up-regulated in both SAP patients and SAP mouse model, which was accompanied by the dysfunction of blood coagulation system. Besides, TF expression was also highly up-regulated in the Kupffer cells (KCs) of SAP mouse model. After inhibiting KCs in SAP mouse model, the amelioration of blood coagulation system functions was associated with the decrease in serum TF and TF-MPs levels, and the reduction of SAP-associated liver injury was associated with the decrease of TF expression in KCs. In conclusion, the dis-regulated TF expression and associated dysfunction of blood coagulation system are critical factors for the pathogenesis of SAP and SAP-associated liver injury. TF may serve as a potential and effective target for treating SAP and SAP-associated liver injury.

Bone marrow stromal cells attenuate LPS-induced mouse acute liver injury via the prostaglandin E 2-dependent repression of the NLRP3 inflammasome in Kupffer cells.

The nucleotide-binding and oligomerization domain-like receptor 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome participates in the pathogenesis of acute liver injury during sepsis. Bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) attenuate sepsis through prostaglandin E 2 (PGE2) by increasing the interleukin-10 (IL-10) production of macrophages; moreover, NLRP3 inflammasome assembly is effectively regulated by IL-10 during infection. Whether BMSCs have an effect on the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome and its underlying mechanism is unclear. Administering of BMSCs to mice or KCs after LPS stimulating have improved liver function and reduced activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in KCs. The beneficial effect of BMSCs was enhanced by over-expression of PGE2 and eliminated by silence of PGE2. Additionally, The IL-10 levels in the serum and supernatant were increased by given BMSCs and further increase by PGE2 over-expressed BMSCs, but decreased markedly by PGE2 silenced BMSCs. Furthermore, extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1 (ERK1) inhibitor reduced IL-10 production in KCs and blocked the inhibitory effect of PGE2 on the activation of the NLRP3 inflammasome. Our data reveal a novel mechanism of BMSC-mediated suppression of the activation of KCs through the secretion of PGE2 by BMSCs, which promotes KCs to secrete IL-10, leading to the inhibition of the NLRP3 inflammasome in KCs.

Superconductivity in KCa2Fe4As4F2 with Separate Double Fe2As2 Layers.

We report the synthesis, crystal structure, and physical properties of a quinary iron arsenide fluoride, KCa2Fe4As4F2. The new compound crystallizes in a body-centered tetragonal lattice (space group I4/mmm, a = 3.8684(2) Å, c = 31.007(1) Å, Z = 2) that contains double Fe2As2 conducting layers separated by insulating Ca2F2 layers. Our measurements of electrical resistivity, direct-current magnetic susceptibility, and heat capacity demonstrate bulk superconductivity at 33 K in KCa2Fe4As4F2.

LXRα represses LPS-induced inflammatory responses by competing with IRF3 for GRIP1 in Kupffer cells.

Liver X receptors (LXRs) in the nucleus play important roles in lipid metabolism and inflammation. The mechanism of LXR regulation of the LPS-induced Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) inflammatory signaling pathway remains to be elucidated. C57/BL6 mice were randomly divided into four groups: control, T0901317 (a LXRs agonist), LPS and T0901317+LPS. Additionally, Kupffer cells isolated from male C57/BL6 mice were divided into the same four groups. A decreased amount of inflammatory cells infiltrated the portal areas and the hepatic sinusoids in the livers of mice in the T0901317+LPS group than in those of mice in the LPS group. In the T0901317+LPS group, the serum levels of alanine aminotransferase (ALT), aspartate aminotransferase (AST), and tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) were lower, while the serum level of interleukin-10 (IL-10) was higher. In vitro, Kupffer cells pretreated with T0901317 for 24h presented reduced TNF-α, interferon-beta (IFN-ß) and interleukin-1 beta (IL-1ß) levels, while the IL-10 level increased; however, the mRNA and protein expression levels of interferon regulatory factor 3 (IRF3) and glucocorticoid receptor-interacting protein 1 (GRIP1) were not significantly reduced. The co-IP data illustrated that LXRα bound to GRIP1 specifically in the T0901317+LPS group, while less IRF3 was bound to GRIP1 in the T0901317+LPS group than in the LPS group. Furthermore, the DNA-binding activity of NF-κB was decreased by pretreating Kupffer cells with T0901317 for 24h. These results suggest that activated LXRα competes with IRF3 for GRIP1 binding, thus repressing IRF3 and NF-κB transcriptional activity and inhibiting the inflammatory response initiated by LPS in Kupffer cells.

A qualitative research on the behaviors caused by fear of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients / 中国实用护理杂志

Objective To explore the behaviors caused by fear of hypoglycemia in type 2 diabetic patients, and deeply analyze the causes of these behaviors, providing help for medical staff to fully understand the inner demands of diabetic patients with hypoglycemia, so as to manage the blood glucose effectively, laying the foundation of Hypoglycemia Fear Survey-behavior scale suitable for domestic type 2 diabetic patients. Methods The interpretative phenomenological analysis method was used guided by the knowledge-attitude-belief-practice and social cognitive theory, 33 patients with hypoglycemia from 5 hospitals with different levels were interviewed by semi-structured interview. Results Four themes were extracted, including excess sensitivity, caution, avoidance and compromise. The theme excess sensitivity contained three kinds of behaviors, that were meal with sensitive alertness, drug sensitivity and excessive response to the hypoglycemia, while the theme caution contained two kinds of behaviors, that were strive to blood sugar stable and must prepare food. Conclusions The results show that the fear of hypoglycemia is serious in type 2 diabetic patients, and they make many behavior change to avoid it, affecting their quality of life and glycemic management. Medical staff should attach importance to the inner feelings and behaviors of diabetic patients with hypoglycemia, and provide guidance and support after comprehensive assessment, working together with the patient to realize the effective management of blood glucose.

Coexistence of superconductivity and complex 4 f magnetism in Eu0.5Ce0.5BiS2F.

EuBiS2F is a self-doped superconductor due to the mixed valence of Eu. Here we report that, with the Ce substitution for Eu by 50 at.%, the material exhibits ferromagnetic ordering at 8 K for the Ce-4 f moment, superconductivity at 2.2 K in the BiS2 layers and possibly antiferromagnetic ordering at 2.1 K for the Eu-4 f spins. The Eu valence is essentially divalent with the Ce incorporation. We tentatively interpret the coexistence of ferromagnetism and superconductivity by considering different Bi-6p orbitals that are responsible for the superconductivity itself and for mediating the ferromagnetic interaction, respectively. We argue that the antiferromagnetic ordering of the Eu-4 f spins is most likely due to a magnetic dipole-dipole interaction.

Multiband superconductivity in Ta4Pd3Te16 with anisotropic gap structure.

We carried out measurements of the magnetoresistance, magnetic susceptibility and specific heat on crystals of the low-dimensional transition metal telluride Ta4Pd3Te16. Our results indicate that Ta4Pd3Te16 is an anisotropic type-II superconductor in the clean limit with the extracted Ginzburg-Landau parameter KGL = 84. The upper critical field Hc2(T) shows an anomalous temperature dependence at low temperatures and the anisotropy of Hc2(T) is strongly T-dependent, both of which indicate a multiband scenario. The electronic specific heat Cel(T) can be consistently described by a two-gap (s + d waves) model from the base temperature T/Tc ~ 0.12 up to Tc. Our results suggest nodal and multiband superconductivity in Ta4Pd3Te16.