The functionalization of gold nanoparticles as a novel platform for the highly efficient electrochemical detection of silver ions.

Herein, a novel electrochemical biosensor was constructed for the highly efficient detection of silver ions. A porous platform constructed with functionalized gold nanoparticles (AuPP) was electropolymerized on the gold electrode surface. The obtained polymer, analogous to a metal-organic framework, was used as the sensing platform together with cytosine-Ag+-cytosine interaction for dual signal amplification. The scanning electron microscopy (SEM) image of the AuPP platform exhibited a porous structure and considerable binding sites for C-riched single stranded DNA, leading to predictable silver ion preconcentration. Based on this strategy, the biosensor showed that the peak current in differential pulse voltammetry rose linearly as the concentration of silver ion increased from 0.005 to 3 µM with a detection limit of 1.3 nM. In addition, in the presence of other metal ions, such as Pb2+, Mn2+, Ni2+, Co2+, Cu2+, Zn2+, Na+, Ca2+, and Cd2+, at the same concentration, the current signal remained almost unchanged, manifesting high selectivity for Ag+. This proposed sensor might exhibit a novel fabrication method for metal ion detection with the aid of multiple AuPP materials by designing ligands with different functional groups.

Microstructure Features and High Temperature Oxidation Resistance of In-Situ TiN-Ti Composite Coatings by Plasma Transferred Arc Welding.

In order to improve the high temperature oxidation resistance of Ti6Al4V alloy, the in-situ TiN-Ti composite coatings were prepared with Ti-Cr-Ni-Nb powders by plasma transferred arc welding. Nitrogen gas was used as the transport gas and provided N source for the formation reaction of TiN. Microstructure features and high temperature oxidation behaviors of the composite coatings were studied. The phases in the composite coatings were TiN, Ti, CrN, and NiTi. It was clearly observed that in-situ TiN particles were evenly distributed in the Ti matrix. A little Nb atom dissolved in TiN particles, and others dissolved in the Ti matrix. By comparing the curve of Ti6Al4V alloy to that of the composite coatings, the oxidation mass gain of the composite coatings was comparatively less. The oxidation film of the composite coatings was smooth and compact, and no crack was visibly observed. Based on the results of the high temperature tests, the composite coatings exhibited superior high temperature oxidation resistance than Ti6Al4V alloy both at 650 °C and at 850 °C.

Acupuncture improves postoperative symptoms of pigmented villonodular synovitis: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: Pigmented villonodular synovitis (PVNS) is a benign proliferative disease of synovial joint, synovial sac and tendon sheath. PVNS is usually treated by surgery, but postoperative joint dysfunction and pain will be accompanied, which seriously affects the quality of life. The purpose of this review is to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of this intervention in patients with pain and dysfunction caused by postoperative symptoms of PVNS. METHODS: We will search the EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database (CBM), Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI), Wanfang Database, the Chongqing VIP (VIP), the US National Institute of Health, the NIH clinical registry Clinical Trials, the ICTRP, and the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry and the Chinese clinical registry, from their inception to 1st July 2020. Randomized controlled trials that include patients with postoperative symptoms of pigmented villonodular synovitis receiving acupuncture therapy versus a control group will be included. The selection of studies, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be conducted by 2 independent researchers. A third review author resolved disagreements. The dichotomous data will be presented as risk ratios with 95% confidence intervals (CIs) and the continuous data will be presented as weighted mean differences or standardized mean differences with 95% CIs. Evidence quality will be evaluated using the GRADE system. RESULTS: The results will be disseminated through a peer-reviewed journal publication. CONCLUSIONS: This systematic review will provide updated evidence of various types of acupuncture specifically focuses on its effectiveness and safety for patients' pain and dysfunction caused by post-operation of pigmented villonodular synovitis. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not necessary as this review will not require data from individual patients. The results of this will be published through peer-reviewed journal articles or conference presentations. REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework (OSF). 2020, July 7. 10.17605/OSF.IO/CZW9P.

Acupuncture and manual therapy for rotator cuff tears: A protocol for systematic review and meta analysis.

BACKGROUND: The tears of rotator cuff is caused by the tears or aseptic inflammation of tendon tissue such as subscapular muscle, supraspinatus muscle, infraspinatus muscle, teres minor muscle, and so on, which make up the rotator cuff. Managements of rotator cuff disease often include acupuncture and manual therapy, usually delivered together. The aim of this review is to assess the effectiveness and safety of such interventions in patients with pain and dysfunction caused by rotator cuff tears. METHODS: We will search the EMBASE, the Cochrane Library, Ovid MEDLINE, PubMed, Web of Science, Chinese Biomedical Literature Database, Chinese National Knowledge Infrastructure, Wanfang Database, the Chongqing VIP, the US National Institute of Health, the NIH clinical registry Clinical Trials, the International Clinical Trials Registry Platform, the Australian New Zealand Clinical Trials Registry and the Chinese clinical registry, from their inception to April 1, 2020. Randomized controlled trials that include patients with rotator cuff tears receiving acupuncture and manual therapy versus a control group will be included. The selection of studies, data extraction and risk of bias assessment will be conducted by 2 independent researchers. A third review author will resolve disagreements. The dichotomous data will be presented as risk ratios with 95% CIs and the continuous data will be presented as weighted mean differences or standardized mean differences with 95% CIs. Evidence quality will be evaluated using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation system. DISCUSSION: This systematic review will provide updated evidence of various types of acupuncture and manual therapy specifically focuses on its effectiveness and safety for patients' pain and dysfunction caused by rotator cuff tears. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval is not necessary as this review will not require data from individual patients. The results of this will be published through peer-reviewed journal articles or conference presentations. REGISTRATION: Open Science Framework Preregistration. Registration number 10.17605/OSF.IO/M3NKV.

Design of an InP/ZnO core-shell nanocone array solar cell with efficient broadband light absorption enhancement.

We design a standing semiconductor-dielectric core-shell nanocone array (CSNCA) that can not only concentrate the incident light into the structure, but also confine most of the concentrated light to the semiconductor (indium phosphide) core region, which remarkably enhances the light absorption of the more material-saving semiconductor core. We find guided resonance features along the radial and FP-resonant features along the axial direction by analyzing the electric field patterns at the absorption spectrum peaks. The CSNCA can support multiple higher-order HE modes, in comparison to the bare nanocone array (BNCA). Results based on detailed balance analysis demonstrate that the core-shell design gives rise to higher short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage, and thus higher power conversion efficiency. Detailed research is focused on the 1 µm high CSNCAs, and a remarkable power conversion efficiency enhancement (42.2%) is gained compared with the BNCAs.

Influence of gold nanoparticles in different aggregation states on the fluorescence of carbon dots and its application.

Herein, gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) in solution protected by various concentration of DNA at different aggregation states were found to have different quenching effect to the fluorescence of carbon dots (CDs). Au NPs wrapped up in more amount of DNA were able to quench the fluorescence of CDs more effectively, and vice versa. Based on this phenomenon, a facile and novel fluorescence sensing platform without labeling was constructed by designing the sequence of DNA as the aptamer of the detection target. With the addition of specific molecule, taking acetamiprid as representative, DNA was prior to bind with target and the Au NPs became less protected, leading to the fluorescence recovery of the CDs. Experimental results showed that the fluorescence of CDs was linearly recovered by acetamiprid in the concentration range of 7.8 × 10-9-1.4 × 10-6 mol/L, with the detection limit of 1.5 × 10-9 mol/L. This promising sensor might provide a new aspect for exploring the versatile application of CDs in various fields.

Broadband light absorption enhancement in randomly rotated elliptical nanohole arrays for photovoltaic application.

Semiconducting nanohole arrays have been considered as a promising candidate for high-efficiency solar cells. In this paper, the optical absorption property of randomly rotated elliptical nanohole arrays consisting of 1×1, 2×2, and 4×4 cells has been investigated. It is found that the average ultimate efficiency of the arrays increases with the increase of the size of the supercell. The 4×4 array has the highest ultimate efficiency, and the efficiency of the 4×4 array is less sensitive to the parameters of the random rotation angle than that of the 1×1 and 2×2 arrays. The comparison of absorption spectra of the three arrays shows that the number of absorption peaks of the 1×1 array is the least, but the peak is the highest and narrowest, and that of the 4×4 array is the most, but the peak is the lowest and broadest. The spatial Fourier spectroscopy analysis of the array shows that the 4×4 arrays have the most Fourier spectrum components and the largest absorption mode density. The enhancement of optical absorption of the 4×4 array is attributed to the folding of energy bands, the increase of the energy density of states caused by large supercells, and the overcoupling between incident light and Bloch resonant modes in the structure. The improved stability of the ultimate efficiency of the 4×4 arrays is because the distribution of the energy density of states of the 4×4 arrays with different random parameters tends to be the same, which leads to almost the same absorption efficiency of the different 4×4 arrays.

Toward high performance nanoscale optoelectronic devices: super solar energy harvesting in single standing core-shell nanowire.

Single nanowire solar cells show great promise for next-generation photovoltaics and for powering nanoscale devices. Here, we present a detailed study of light absorption in a single standing semiconductor-dielectric core-shell nanowire (CSNW). We find that the CSNW structure can not only concentrate the incident light into the structure, but also confine most of the concentrated light to the semiconductor core region, which boosts remarkably the light absorption cross-section of the semiconductor core. The CSNW can support multiple higher-order HE modes, as well as Fabry-Pérot (F-P) resonance, compared to the bare nanowire (BNW). Overlapping of the adjacent higher-order HE modes results in broadband light absorption enhancement in the solar radiation spectrum. Results based on detailed balance analysis demonstrate that the super light concentration of the single CSNW gives rise to higher short-circuit current and open-circuit voltage, and thus higher apparent power conversion efficiency (3644.2%), which goes far beyond that of the BNW and the Shockley-Queisser limit that restricts the performance of a planar counterparts. Our study shows that the single CSNW can be a promising platform for construction of high performance nanoscale photodetectors, nanoelectronic power sources, super miniature cells, and diverse integrated nanosystems.

Enhanced light absorption in perpendicular elliptical silicon nanocone array for solar cells.

Silicon nanowire-based arrays have demonstrated superior light trapping properties and great potential for next-generation photovoltaics. In this paper, we propose a perpendicular elliptical nanocone (PENC) array solar cell, which introduces an asymmetry in the direction parallel to the array surface in addition to the asymmetry in the direction normal to the array surface, which has been implemented in the circular nanocone (CNC) array. The PENC array displays more and higher resonant absorption peaks in the long wavelength compared with the CNC array. The newly exhibiting absorption peaks are found to be derived from periodical Bloch modes by the band-folding of the PENC array and cavity modes introduced by the asymmetry of the elliptical nanocone. The ultimate efficiency of the optimal PENC array is 24.3%, which is 17.4% higher than that of the optimal CNC one with the same nanocone height and 59.1% higher than that of the flat counterpart coated with a 70 nm zinc-oxide antireflection film. When the nanocone height is between 0.3 and 5.0 µm and the incident angle is between 0° and 80°, the PENC array demonstrates better light trapping property compared with the CNC ones.

Efficient broadband light absorption in elliptical nanohole arrays for photovoltaic application.

We propose a perpendicular elliptical silicon nanohole (PE-SiNH) array for light absorption in thin film silicon solar cells. Our analysis shows that this architecture is capable of increasing the absorption of a thin film silicon solar cell by 11.3% in comparison to that of the optimal circular SiNH array. The process of breaking the mirror symmetries is responsible for the increase of the coupled modes. The PE-SiNH structures show additional near-zero spatial Fourier components compared with the circular SiNH structure, which helps to couple more incident light into slow Bloch modes. The mode interaction between adjacent elliptical nanoholes is in favor of the coupling of the incident light into channeling modes and, therefore, enhances light absorption in the short wavelength region.

Broadband absorption enhancement in elliptical silicon nanowire arrays for photovoltaic applications.

Semiconducting nanowire arrays have emerged as a promising route toward achieving high efficiencies in solar cells. Here we propose a perpendicular elliptical silicon nanowire (PEE-SiNW) array for broadband light absorption in thin film silicon solar cells. Simulation results reveal that light absorption enhancement is originated from the split of the principal modes as well as the excitation of high order modes caused by the asymmetry of the elliptical nanowires and the enhanced mode coupling between adjacent elliptical nanowires attained by the appropriate arrangement of nanowires. An ultimate efficiency of 29.1% is achieved for the optimal PEE-SiNW array, which is 16.4% higher than that of the circular SiNW array with the same fill fraction.

[Controlled study on treatment of cervical spondylopathy of the nerve root type with acupuncture, moxibustion and massage as main].

OBJECTIVE: To probe into clinical value of comprehensive program of acupuncture, moxibustion and massage as main for treatment of cervical spondylopathy of the nerve root type. METHODS: Five centers, single blind, randomized controlled method were used, 660 cases were divided into a treatment group of 317 cases and a control group of 311 cases. They were treated respectively with comprehensive program of acupuncture, moxibustion and massage as main, and comprehensive program of physical therapy as main. Establish syndrome detection scale and multiply dimensional effect assessment indexes, and evaluate the therapeutic effects and safety. RESULTS: The cured rate, the cured-markedly effective rate were 42.9%, 64.4% in the treatment group, respectively, better than 16.7%, 36.3% in the control group (P<0.01); after treatment of 2 weeks, clinical symptoms improved in the both groups, but the treatment group was better than the control group in the improvement degrees of neck-shoulder-limb pain, neck rigidity, abnormality of cervical anteflexion, etc. (P<0.01 or P<0.05); the treatment group was shorter than the control group in the time of producing the effect and therapeutic course (P<0.01). CONCLUSION: Comprehensive program of acupuncture, moxibustion and massage as main is safe and effective for treatment of cervical spondylopathy, with a better therapeutic effect compared with the comprehensive program of physical therapy.