Self-adaptive photochromism.

Organisms with active camouflage ability exhibit changeable appearance with the switching of environments. However, manmade active camouflage systems heavily rely on integrating electronic devices, which encounters problems including a complex structure, poor usability, and high cost . In the current work, we report active camouflage as an intrinsic function of materials by proposing self-adaptive photochromism (SAP).

Gated off-site radical injection: Bidirectional conductance modulation in single-molecule junctions.

Uncovering the effects of radical injection into responsive organic molecules is a long-sought goal, and the single-molecule junctions provide a unique way to investigate molecular conductance evolution during the radical injection. We can modulate the main channel conductance by using electronic injection from off-site neutral radicals acting as gating terminals. Two families of cyclopentadienone derivatives were synthesized, featuring the inter-pyridyl main conductance channel and the inter-radical paths that are linear (FCF) or cross conjugated (PCP).

Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MR imaging features of hepatocellular carcinoma in non-cirrhotic liver.

Objective: To evaluate clinical, pathological and gadolinium-ethoxybenzyl-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI) findings of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) in non-cirrhotic livers and compare with HCC in cirrhotic livers.

Methods: This retrospective study included patients with pathologically confirmed HCC who underwent preoperative Gd-EOB-DTPA-enhanced MRI between January 2015 and October 2021. Propensity scores were utilized to match non-cirrhotic HCCs (NCHCCs) patients with cirrhotic HCCs (CHCCs) patients.

Fe-N sites coupled with FeC on porous carbon from plastic wastes for oxygen reduction reaction.

Isolated Fe-N sites coupled with FeC nanoparticles co-embedded in N-doped porous carbon were fabricated using polyethylene terephthalate wastes as carbon sources. Benefiting from the synergistic effect between Fe-N sites and FeC, and the hierarchical porous structure, the catalyst exhibits outstanding ORR performance, realizing the concept of turning trash into treasure.

77 % Photothermal Conversion in Blatter-Type Diradicals: Photophysics and Photodynamic Applications.

Diradicals based on the Blatter units and connected by acetylene and alkene spacers have been prepared. All the molecules show sizably large diradical character and low energy singlet-triplet gaps. Their photo-physical properties concerning their lowest energy excited state have been studied in detail by steady-state and time-resolved absorption spectroscopy.

Management of chronic Stanford type A aortic dissection combined with Neri type C coronary occlusion: a case report and literature review.

While there are many reports on partial aortic root remodelling, it is rarely performed for chronic aortic dissection of the coronary artery. This case report describes a 71-year-old male patient with chronic aortic dissection who was admitted to hospital due to repeated palpitations and chest distress. He had a long-term occlusion of the right coronary artery and an abnormal origin of the left vertebral artery.

Quasi-Free Electron States Responsible for Single-Molecule Conductance Enhancement in Stable Radical.

Stable organic radicals, which possess half-filled orbitals in the vicinity of the Fermi energy, are promising candidates for electronic devices. In this Letter, using a combination of scanning-tunneling-microscopy-based break junction (STM-BJ) experiments and quantum transport theory, a stable fluorene-based radical is investigated. We demonstrate that the transport properties of a series of fluorene derivatives can be tuned by controlling the degree of localization of certain orbitals.

Systematic Retrospective Analysis of Risk Factors and Preventive Measures of Bone Cement Leakage in Percutaneous Kyphoplasty.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to analyze the risk factors of bone cement leakage in percutaneous kyphoplasty (PKP) treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs), and provide suggestions for reducing bone cement leakage.

Methods: A retrospective study of 517 cases of OVCFs treated with PKP were divided into 2 groups according to whether they had bone cement leakage or not, leakage group (n = 72) and non-leakage group (n = 445). The risk factors of leakage were systematically analyzed using clinical baseline data, imaging observation data, and surgery-related factors.

The effect of coupled inhibitory-facilitatory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation on shaping early reorganization of the motor network after stroke.

Neural plasticity is a major factor driving cortical reorganization after stroke. This study aimed to evaluate functional connectivity (FC) changes in the cortical motor network after coupled inhibitory-facilitatory repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) treatment and to assess the correlation between FC changes and functional recovery, further characterizing the neural mechanisms underlying the beneficial effects of rTMS. We randomly divided 63 patients with acute stroke into four groups: (1) Group A received coupled inhibitory-facilitatory rTMS [1 Hz over the contralesional primary motor cortex (M1) and 10 Hz over ipsilesional M1]; (2) Group B received a contralesional sham stimulation and ipsilesional 10 Hz stimulation; (3) Group C received a contralesional 1 Hz rTMS and ipsilesional sham stimulation; and (4) Group D received bilateral sham stimulation only.

Comparison of clinical efficacy between retention and removal of the vertebral bony endplate in anterior cervical discectomy and fusion for the treatment of cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Background: Anterior cervical discectomy and fusion (ACDF) have a history of more than 60 years to treat cervical spondylotic myelopathy. This study is based on the original classic surgical procedure to remove the bony endplate to expand the range of vertical decompression to analyze and compare the clinical efficacy of two different ACDF in treating cervical spondylotic myelopathy.

Methods: The inpatients in hospital were randomly divided into two groups A and B.

Enhanced photostability of aggregation induced emission by hydrophobic groups.

Since the aggregation induced emission (AIE) phenomenon was reported, many research groups have used this unique AIE effect to develop chemo- or bio-sensors for detecting ions, gases, explosives, proteins, and enzymes. Most of these sensors work in their aggregate state, therefore, fluorescence stability has become one of the important problem, and unfortunately, as far as we know, there is no paper to discuss what factors can improve the fluorescence stability of AIE compounds in the aggregate state, if the fluorescence stability of the sensors are poor, there will seriously affect the detection result. In this article, we found that compounds with hydrophobic long alkyl substituents can maintain stable fluorescence intensity for a long time in the aggregate state.

New barbituric acid derivatives for data encryption and decryption based on the mechanochromic fluorescence effect.

Two barbituric acid derivatives CB-Ph and CB-Me were synthesized, both of which show a strong aggregation induced emission (AIE) effect. It was found that these two compounds show almost the same absorption and emission spectra. As a result, they show the same yellow color in daylight and the same yellow-green color under UV at 365 nm.

LncRNA MALAT1 mediates proliferation of LPS treated-articular chondrocytes by targeting the miR-146a-PI3K/Akt/mTOR axis.

The study aimed to investigate the regulation of long noncoding RNA (lncRNA), Metastasis associated lung adenocarcinoma transcript 1 (MALAT1) in osteoarthritis (OA) development. Isolated rat chondrocytes treated with lipopolysaccharide (LPS) were used as OA cell model. Results from quantitative real-time PCR (Q-PCR) showed that, in OA patients and OA cell model, the expression of MALAT1 and PI3K was clearly reduced, while the miR-146a levels were increased.

Multi-purpose barbituric acid derivatives with aggregation induced emission.

Three D-π-A barbituric acid derivatives with simple structure and intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) mechanisms were synthesized. Molecular dynamics simulations have successfully explained that CB-1 exhibits the best aggregate induced emission (AIE) activity due to the electron-deficient barbituric acid and the electron-rich carbazole exhibit a conformation which similar to π-π stacking, resulting in a strong electrostatic attraction between the molecules, meanwhile the N-atom substituent of the carbazole is n-propane plays a hydrophobic role. At the same time, barbituric acid derivatives also have mechanochromic fluorescent properties.

Detection of nitroaromatics based on aggregation induced emission of barbituric acid derivatives.

Barbituric acid derivatives with typical aggregation induced emission (AIE) are reported. Their emission wavelengths varied with water fraction of their solution. UV-visible absorption spectroscopy and theoretical calculations revealed the intramolecular charge transfer (ICT) possibility from donor to acceptor and the mechanism was confirmed as a restriction of intramolecular motion (RIM).

Fabrication and characterization of a Cu-Pd-TNPs polymetallic nanoelectrode for electrochemically removing nitrate from groundwater.

A novel Cu-Pd-TNPs (Copper-Palladium-TiO Nanopores) polymetallic nanoelectrode was fabricated, and then used to catalytically reduce dissolved nitrate in groundwater. The aim was to develop a high efficient nanoelectrode for removing nitrate from groundwater. The Cu-Pd-TNPs polymetallic nanoelectrode was fabricated by plating Pd onto a TiO nanoporous matrix and then plating Cu onto the layer which is previous coating.

Effect of ultrasonication on the fibril-formation and gel properties of collagen from grass carp skin.

Controlling the fibril-formation process of collagen in vitro to fabricate novel biomaterials is a new area in the field of collagen research. This study aimed to determine the effect of ultrasonication on collagen fibril formation and the properties of the resulting collagen gels. Native collagen, extracted from the skin of grass carp, self-assembled under ultrasonic conditions (at different ultrasonic power and duration).

Effect of heat treatment on the enzymatic stability of grass carp skin collagen and its ability to form fibrils in vitro.

Background: The molecular configuration, molecular weight distribution and thermal transition enthalpy (ΔH) of grass carp skin (GCS) collagens after heat treatment under different conditions were measured using circular dichroism, gel filtration chromatography and differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The enzymatic stability of collagen was evaluated using different enzymes, while the ability to form fibrils in vitro was assessed by morphological observation of collagen fibrils and turbidity testing.

Results: The ΔH values, in-solution molecular aggregation and the stability to enzymatic hydrolysis of GCS collagen decreased irreversibly and progressively with the duration of heat treatment at 33 °C, which was the onset endothermic temperature obtained from the DSC curve.

Effect of hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether-sonodynamic therapy (HMME-SDT) on hypertrophic scarring.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to explore the potential for hematoporphyrin monomethyl ether-Sonodynamic Therapy (HMME-SDT) treatment of hypertrophic scars within rabbit ears.

Methods: 60 white rabbits were randomly divided into five groups: (1) untreated controls, (2) lesioned, (3) lesioned + HMME, (4) lesioned + US (Ultrasound), and (5) lesioned +HMME-SDT. After induction of a lesion upon the ears of the rabbits, hypertrophic scars were assessed at 14, 28, 42 and 56 days post-lesion +/- treatment.

[Measurement of retinal nerve fiber layer thickness in Leber hereditary optic neuropathy by optical coherence tomography].

Objective: To evaluate retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness in patients and unaffected carriers of Leber hereditary optic neuropathy (LHON) by optical coherence tomography (OCT).

Methods: This case-control study enrolled 42 LHON maternal family members with mitochondrial DNA G11778A mutation and 100 normal volunteers. RNFL thickness was measured by Stratus OCT in each participant.

Shear thickening and jamming in densely packed suspensions of different particle shapes.

We investigated the effects of particle shape on shear thickening in densely packed suspensions. Rods of different aspect ratios and nonconvex hooked rods were fabricated. Viscosity curves and normal stresses were measured using a rheometer for a wide range of packing fractions for each shape.

Generality of shear thickening in dense suspensions.

Suspensions are of wide interest and form the basis for many smart fluids. For most suspensions, the viscosity decreases with increasing shear rate, that is, they shear thin. Few are reported to do the opposite, that is, shear thicken, despite the longstanding expectation that shear thickening is a generic type of suspension behaviour.

Blends of POSS-PEO(n=4)(8) and high molecular weight poly(ethylene oxide) as solid polymer electrolytes for lithium batteries.

Solid polymer electrolyte blends were prepared with POSS-PEO(n=4)8 (3K), poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO(600K)), and LiClO4 at different salt concentrations (O/Li = 8/1, 12/1, and 16/1). POSS-PEO(n=4)8/LiClO4 is amorphous at all O/Li investigated, whereas PEO(600K) is amorphous only for O/Li = 8/1 and semicrystalline for O/Li = 12/1 and 16/1. The tendency of PEO(600K) to crystallize limited the amount of POSS-PEO(n=4)(8) that could be incorporated into the blends, so that the greatest incorporation of POSS-PEO(n=4)(8) occurred for O/Li = 8/1.

[Quantitative determination of the (E) - and (Z) -diastereomers of resveratrol and resveratrol glucoside in the roots of Polygonum cuspidatum by HPLC and elementary study on their fluorescence].

Aim: To establish an optimal HPLC method for the determination of the (E)- and (Z)-diastereomers of resveratrol and resveratrol glucoside from the roots of Polygonum cuspidatum.

Methods: The determination was conducted by using reversed-phase high liquid chromatography. Nucleodur 100-5 C18 column (250 mm x 4.