Pathologic Changes in Wild Birds Infected with Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza A(H5N8) Viruses,South Korea, 2014

In January 2014, an outbreak of infection with highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) A(H5N8) virus began on a duck farm in South Korea and spread to other poultry farms nearby. During this outbreak, many sick or dead wild birds were found around habitats frequented by migratory birds. To determine the causes of death, we examined 771 wild bird carcasses and identified HPAI A(H5N8) virus in 167. Gross and histologic lesions were observed in pancreas, lung, brain, and kidney of Baikal teals, bean geese, and whooper swans but not mallard ducks. Such lesions are consistent with lethal HPAI A(H5N8) virus infection. However, some HPAI-positive birds had died of gunshot wounds, peritonitis, or agrochemical poisoning rather than virus infection. These findings suggest that susceptibility to HPAI A(H5N8) virus varies among species of migratory birds and that asymptomatic migratory birds could be carriers of this virus.     

Kinetics of Serologic Responses to MERS Coronavirus Infection in Humans,South Korea

We investigated the kinetics of serologic responses to Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) infection by using virus neutralization and MERS-CoV S1 IgG ELISA tests. In most patients, robust antibody responses developed by the third week of illness. Delayed antibody responses with the neutralization test were associated with more severe disease.     

Facile synthesis of partially oxidized Mn3O4-functionalized carbon cathodes for rechargeable Li–O2 batteries

High charging overpotential (low energy efficiency) is one of the most important challenges preventing the use of current nonaqueous Li–O₂ batteries. This study demonstrates direct in situ-incorporation of metal oxides on carbon during synthesis and the associated application to nonaqueous Li–O₂ battery catalysts. The partially oxidized Mn₃O₄ (Mn₃O₄/Mn₅O₈)-incorporating carbon cathode shows an average overpotential reduction of ∼8% charge/discharge during 40 cycles in a rechargeable nonaqueous Li–O₂ cell. Here, we suggested the possibility that only a small amount of the oxide species (<5%) could show catalytic effects during charge in a rechargeable Li–O₂ cell.

Only a small amount of manganese oxide species (<5%) in carbon shows catalytic effects during charging in a rechargeable Li–O₂ cell.     

Problems and hopes perceived by mothers,fathers and physicians of children receiving palliative care

Background

The quality of shared decision making for children with serious illness may depend on whether parents and physicians share similar perceptions of problems and hopes for the child.

Objective

(i) Describe the problems and hopes reported by mothers, fathers and physicians of children receiving palliative care; (ii) examine the observed concordance between participants; (iii) examine parental perceived agreement; and (iv) examine whether parents who identified specific problems also specified corresponding hopes, or whether the problems were left ‘hopeless’.

Method

Seventy‐one parents and 43 physicians were asked to report problems and hopes and perceived agreement for 50 children receiving palliative care. Problems and hopes were classified into eight domains. Observed concordance was calculated between parents and between each parent and the physicians.

Results

The most common problem domains were physical body (88%), quality of life (74%) and medical knowledge (48%). The most common hope domains were quality of life (88%), suffering (76%) and physical body (39%). Overall parental dyads demonstrated a high percentage of concordance (82%) regarding reported problem domains and a lower percentage of concordance on hopes (65%). Concordance between parents and physicians regarding specific children was lower on problem (65–66%) and hope domains (59–63%). Respondents who identified problems regarding a child's quality of life or suffering were likely to also report corresponding hopes in these domains (93 and 82%, respectively).

Conclusion

Asking parents and physicians to talk about problems and hopes may provide a straightforward means to improve the quality of shared decision making for critically ill children.     

A III-nitride nanowire solar cell fabricated using a hybrid coaxial and uniaxial InGaN/GaN multi quantum well nanostructure

III-Nitride nanowires are currently considered as next generation photovoltaic materials due to their excellent physical properties together with reduced dislocation densities, increased surface area and thus enhanced light absorption and direct path for carrier transport. Here, we investigate the photovoltaic characteristics of a solar cell fabricated from a novel hybrid nanostructure comprising uniaxial and coaxial InGaN/GaN multi-quantum wells (MQWs) along with an InGaN nano-cap layer. Various characterization methods were employed to study the optical and structural properties of the hybrid nanostructure. Transmission electron microscopy images revealed the hybrid nanostructure consists of distinct uniaxial and coaxial InGaN/GaN MQWs along with the InGaN nano-cap layer. The InGaN/GaN MQW architectures have a significant effect on the performance of the photovoltaic device. The solar cell fabricated with the hybrid nanostructure exhibits superior photovoltaic performance compared to the uniaxial as well as the coaxial InGaN/GaN nanowire MQW structures. The improved photovoltaic characteristic is primarily attributed to the considerably larger InGaN active area grown in the hybrid nanostructure. A conversion efficiency of 1.16% along with a fill factor of 70% was obtained for the device fabricated with the hybrid nanostructure. This study provides an experimental demonstration of the improvement of III-nitride nanowire based solar cells incorporating uniaxial and coaxial InGaN/GaN MQWs.

Solar cells fabricated with hybrid nanowires comprising InGaN/GaN uniaxial and coaxial multi-quantum wells with an InGaN nano-cap layer.     

Correction: Highly sensitive and wearable gas sensors consisting of chemically functionalized graphene oxide assembled on cotton yarn

Correction for ‘Highly sensitive and wearable gas sensors consisting of chemically functionalized graphene oxide assembled on cotton yarn’ by Min-A. Kang et al., RSC Adv., 2018, 8, 11991–11996.

The authors regret that one of the funding bodies listed in the Acknowledgements section of the original article is incorrect. A revised version of the Acknowledgements section, in which ‘NRF-2016M3A7B4900119’ is replaced by ‘NRF-2017M3D9A1073502’, can be found below.This research was supported by a grant (2011-0031636) from the Center for Advanced Soft Electronics under the Global Frontier Research Program of the Ministry of Science, ICT and Future Planning, Korea. This research was also supported by Nano/Material Technology Development Program through the National Research Foundation of Korea (NRF) funded by the Ministry of Education, Science and Technology (NRF-2017M3D9A1073502).The Royal Society of Chemistry apologises for these errors and any consequent inconvenience to authors and readers.     

A near-infrared photoinverter based on ZnO and quantum-dots

Near-infrared (NIR) photoswitching transistors have been fabricated using a hybrid structure of zinc oxide (ZnO) and quantum-dots (QDs). The ZnO active layer was prepared using a solution process, while colloidal QDs were inserted between a silicon dioxide (SiO₂) gate insulator and a ZnO active layer. The small band gap QDs (1.59 eV) were used to absorb low-energy NIR photons, generate photo-excited carriers, and inject them into the conduction band of the ZnO film. The device with the interfacial QDs induced photocurrents upon exposure to 780 nm-wavelength light. The photoresponsivity of the ZnO/QD device was 0.06 mA W⁻¹, while that of the device without QDs was 1.7 × 10⁻⁵ mA W⁻¹, which indicated that the small band gap QDs enabled a photo-induced current when exposed to NIR light. Furthermore, a photoinverter was prepared which was composed of a ZnO/QDs phototransistor and a load resistor. Photoswitching characteristics indicated that the photoinverter was well modulated by a periodic light signal of 780 nm in wavelength. The results demonstrate a useful way to fabricate NIR optoelectronics based on ZnO and QDs.

A near-infrared photoinverter was fabricated based on ZnO and quantum-dots. We found that the small band gap quantum-dots could absorb low-energy near-infrared photons, generate photo-excited carriers, and inject them into the conduction band of ZnO.     

黄连纱条治疗难治性创口感染2例

<正>多重耐药菌即1种微生物对3类(比如氨基糖苷类、红霉素、β-内酰胺类)或3类以上抗菌药物同时耐药。随着抗菌药物应用日益广泛,细菌耐药性已成为国际、国内医院感染和社区感染普遍存在的问题。对于难治性(多重耐药菌感染)创口的治疗,某中医院普通外科采取中医特色自制黄连纱条对难治性感染创口进行治疗。2010—2014年共治疗25例难治性创口感染患者,均已进行分泌物细菌培     

Synthesis of silver sulfide nanoparticles and their photodetector applications

Silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag₂S NPs) are currently being explored as infrared active nanomaterials that can provide environmentally stable alternatives to heavy metals such as lead. In this paper, we describe the novel synthesis of Ag₂S NPs by using a sonochemistry method and the fabrication of photodetector devices through the integration of Ag₂S NPs atop a graphene sheet. We have also synthesized Li-doped Ag₂S NPs that exhibited a significantly enhanced photodetector sensitivity via their enhanced absorption ability in the UV-NIR region. First-principles calculations based on a density functional theory formalism indicated that Li-doping produced a dramatic enhancement of NIR photoluminescence of the Ag₂S NPs. Finally, high-performance photodetectors based on CVD graphene and Ag₂S NPs were demonstrated and investigated; the hybrid photodetectors based on Ag₂S NPs and Li-doped Ag₂S NPs exhibited a photoresponse of 2723.2 and 4146.0 A W⁻¹ respectively under a light exposure of 0.89 mW cm⁻² at 550 nm. Our novel approach represents a promising and effective method for the synthesis of eco-friendly semiconducting NPs for photoelectric devices.

Silver sulfide nanoparticles (Ag₂S NPs) are currently being explored as infrared active nanomaterials that can provide environmentally stable alternatives to heavy metals such as lead.