Practical aspects of electrophoretic deposition to produce commercially viable supercapacitor energy storage electrodes

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a highly convenient and demonstrated industrial operation for the manufacture of surface coatings. Recent years are seeing increasing evidence in using this technique to produce energy storage electrodes (notably for lithium-ion batteries, solid-state devices, supercapacitors, and flow batteries), but their advancement for industrialisation remains unclear. Using activated carbon (AC) as an exemplary supercapacitor material, this study reports the practical aspects of porous energy storage electrodes produced by the EPD technique. Practical electrodes with commercially viable parameters are shown, specifically high density active material (in excess of 9.8 mg cm⁻²) and very thick coating layer (about 168 μm). Research investigations including colloidal electrolyte formulations, electrode deposition parameters and cell performance testing are reported. Materials and electrode properties were studied by various charactersisation tools. Prototype A7 sized pouch cells were assembled and tested to show evidence of practical EPD electrodes in a commercial cell format. Electrochemical performance of EPD over slurry casting is presented. In short, this research shows the successful production of practical EPD electrodes for electrochemical energy storage, which is directly relevant for scale-up industrial adoption and can be applied as a platform electrode manufacturing technology for any battery and supercapacitor materials.

Electrophoretic deposition (EPD) is a highly convenient and demonstrated industrial operation for coatings manufacture. It is now suitable for the production of practical energy storage electrodes for batteries, capacitors & solid-state devices.     

Two-step preparation of Keggin-PW12@UIO-66 composite showing high-activity and long-life conversion of soybean oil into biodiesel

A polyoxometalate acid can be encapsulated into a metal–organic framework to construct a novel kind of solid-acid catalyst. In this work, the two-step method —high-temperature preparation of Zr₆O₄(OH)₄(CH₃COO)₁₂ and low-temperature self-assembly—has been adopted to synthesize the PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite (PW₁₂ = H₃PW₁₂O₄₀; UIO-66 = Zr₆O₄(OH)₄(OOC–C₆H₄–COO)₁₂). The as-synthesized PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite exhibits highly crystalline, good octahedron morphology, large specific surface area (1960 m² g⁻¹) and high thermal stability (>500 °C), which clearly demonstrates the potential as a solid-acid catalyst. Additionally, the PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite may be accomplished with 85% utilization of H₃PW₁₂O₄₀ and 95% yield through this synthetic procedure. The performances of the PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite are investigated by catalyzing the simultaneous transesterification and esterification of soybean oil into biodiesel. Under the optimal conditions, the conversion of the soybean oil into biodiesel would exceed 90% over the as-synthesized PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite. As the crucial indexes for industrial prospects, the recycling and life experiments were surveyed. After 10 times recycling and 4 weeks, the structure and performance of the PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite remained unchanged and in the meantime the PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite still maintained a high activity to convert soybean oil into biodiesel.

A Keggin-PW₁₂@UIO-66 composite has been synthesized solvothermally through a two-step process and employed as a solid acid catalyst to convert soybean oil into biodiesel.     

Realizing high performance flexible supercapacitors by electrode modification

It is well known that the structure of an electrode material seriously affects its electrochemical performance. In this study, we prepare hybrid structured NiCo₂S₄@PPy nanoarchitectures by a hydrothermal method and subsequent electrodeposition process. The specific capacitance of the obtained sample is 1733.23 C g⁻¹ at 1 A g⁻¹. The assembled asymmetric device presents an energy density of 59.59 W h kg⁻¹ at 1404.04 W kg⁻¹. The excellent electrochemical performance can be attributed to the synergistic effect between the high theoretical specific capacitance of the NiCo₂S₄ sheets and the superior cycling stability of the PPy film. The device also shows an outstanding mechanical flexibility at different bending angles.

We prepare hybrid structured NiCo₂S₄@PPy nanoarchitectures by a hydrothermal method and subsequent electrodeposition process. The assembled asymmetric device presents an energy density of 59.59 W h kg⁻¹ at 1404.04 W kg⁻¹.     

基于网络药理学和分子对接研究钩藤治疗动脉粥样硬化的有效成分和作用机制

[目的]基于网络药理学和分子对接研究钩藤治疗动脉粥样硬化的有效成分、靶点及通路。[方法]利用TCMSP数据库并结合筛选条件,确定钩藤的主要有效成分和有效成分相应的靶点,构建有效成分-靶点网络;利用GeneCards、DisGeNET、OMIM及TTD数据库确定动脉粥样硬化的疾病靶点,获取药物靶点与疾病靶点的交集,并对交集靶点进行PPI网络分析、GO生物功能富集分析和KEGG通路富集分析,应用Cytoscape 3.9.0软件中的“Analyze Network”工具,构建有效成分-靶点-通路网络,筛选出核心成分、核心靶点、核心通路,并对核心成分与核心靶点之间的亲和力进行分子对接验证。[结果]筛选出33种有效成分,其中一种有效成分没有相应的靶点,筛选出1 608个疾病靶点和115个药物与疾病的交集靶点。PPI分析得到的主要靶点为AKT1、TNF、IL-6、IL-1β、TP53、JUN、CASP3、MMP9、PTGS2等。GO生物功能富集分析获得生物过程条目22个、细胞成分条目57个、分子功能条目100个。KEGG通路富集分析筛选出20条信号通路,主要为脂质和动脉粥样硬化、MAPK、癌症信...     

Severe radiation thyroiditis after radioactive iodine for treatment of Graves’ disease

Radiation thyroiditis resulting from radioactive iodine-131 treatment for Graves’ disease is an uncommon complication. Although a majority of patients are asymptomatic or manifest mild symptoms that can be managed conservatively, published literature describing severe radiation thyroiditis resulting in significant morbidity is lacking. We herein report on six patients with severe radiation thyroiditis that resulted in hospitalisation, including an unusual complication of myopericarditis.     

Effects and long‐term follow‐up of using umbilical cord blood–derived mesenchymal stromal cells in pediatric patients with severe BK virus‐associated late‐onset hemorrhagic cystitis after unrelated cord blood transplantation

This is a retrospective study to evaluate the efficacy and safety of umbilical cord blood–derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) for the treatment of pediatric patients with severe BK virus–associated late‐onset hemorrhagic cystitis (BKV‐HC) after unrelated cord blood transplantation (UCBT). Thirteen pediatric patients with severe BKV‐HC from December 2013 to December 2015 were treated with MSCs. The number of MSCs transfused in each session was 1 × 10⁶/kg once a week until the symptoms improved. The median follow‐up time was 1432 (89‐2080) days. The median frequency of MSC infusion was 2 (1‐3), with eight cured cases and five effective cases; the total efficacy rate was 100%. The copy number of urine BKV DNA was 4.43 (0.36‐56.9) ×10⁸/mL before MSC infusion and 2.67 (0‐56.3) ×10⁸/mL after MSC infusion; the difference was not significant (P = .219). There were no significant differences in the overall survival, disease‐free survival, and the incidence of relapse and acute and chronic graft‐versus‐host disease between the MSC infusion group and non‐MSC infusion group. There was also no significant difference in the cytomegalovirus, Epstein‐Barr virus (EBV), and fungal and bacterial infection rates between the two groups. Although umbilical cord blood–derived MSCs do not reduce the number of BKV DNA copies in the urine, the cells have a high efficacy rate and minimal side effects in treating severe BKV‐HC after UCBT among pediatric patients. MSCs do not affect the rates of relapse, long‐term infection, or survival of patients with leukemia.     

妊娠早期胎儿颈部透明层厚度与胎儿预后的前瞻性队列研究

目的探讨妊娠早期胎儿颈部透明层(NT)厚度与胎儿预后的关系。方法收集2015年12月至2018年12月于南京大学医学院附属鼓楼医院行妊娠早期胎儿NT厚度测量的单胎孕妇,共4958例建立前瞻性研究队列,进行妊娠早期胎儿结构超声筛查、妊娠早期血清学筛查、妊娠中期超声筛查及对新生儿出生后28 d的体格检查。根据妊娠早期超声筛查的结果,分为胎儿NT增厚(≥3.0 mm)者167例与NT厚度正常者4791例;将胎儿NT增厚的孕妇,分为胎儿单纯NT增厚者86例与NT增厚合并结构异常者81例。分析不同NT厚度胎儿的预后,并重点对单纯NT增厚与NT增厚合并结构异常胎儿的妊娠结局进行分析。妊娠早期超声筛查发现胎儿结构异常或血清学筛查结果为高风险的孕妇,经绒毛穿刺取样术行染色体微阵列分析(CMA)检测以明确产前诊断。结果(1)胎儿NT厚度正常孕妇的妊娠结局:共4791例孕妇,包括胎儿NT厚度正常且无结构异常者4726例,其中妊娠中期及产后新诊断结构异常83例,4688例活产;胎儿NT厚度正常但结构异常的孕妇65例,其中61例孕妇终止妊娠,4例活产。(2)胎儿单纯NT增厚孕妇的妊娠结局:86例孕妇中,66例(76.7%,66/86)行CMA检测,3例胎儿诊断为21三体综合征;除7例孕妇选择终止妊娠外,余79例行妊娠中期超声检查、新生儿出生后28 d体格检查、新生儿电话随访至6~21个月均未发现发育异常。(3)胎儿NT增厚合并结构异常孕妇的妊娠结局:81例孕妇中,73例(90.1%,73/81)行CMA检测,其中32例的胎儿为染色体非整倍体异常。70例选择终止妊娠,2例妊娠中期自然流产,9例活产。(4)NT增厚是否合并结构异常胎儿的产前诊断结果及预后比较:单纯NT增厚的胎儿染色体非整倍体的发生率为3.5%(3/86),合并结构异常者为39.5%(32/81),两者比较,差异有统计学意义(χ2=32.7,P<0.01);胎儿单纯NT增厚孕妇的健康新生儿存活率为91.9%(79/86),合并结构异常者为9.9%(8/81),两者比较,差异有统计学意义(χ2=112.3,P<0.01)。结论妊娠早期,超声筛查胎儿NT及结构,能提高出生缺陷的产前筛查率。单纯NT增厚胎儿的染色体非整倍体的发生率较低,新生儿健康存活率较高。     

Cutaneous manifestation of IgG4-related disease mimicking dermatitis artefacta

Dermatitis artefacta is a self-inflicted cutaneous disease presenting as sharply delineated ulcers, usually in accessible sites such as the head and neck. IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a recently recognised immune-mediated condition causing a fibroinflammatory process, resulting in the formation of tumefactive lesions in various organs, rarely presenting primarily in the skin. We report a case of cutaneous IgG4-RD clinically presenting as dermatitis artefacta.     

Interrelationships Between BDNF,Superoxide Dismutase,and Cognitive Impairment in Drug-Naive First-Episode Patients With Schizophrenia

The pathogenesis and etiology of schizophrenia (SCZ) remains unclear. Accumulating studies showed that complex interrelationships between brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) and an imbalanced redox system has a crucial role in the psychopathology of SCZ. However, the influence of the interrelationships of BDNF and superoxide dismutase (SOD) on cognitive impairment and clinical symptomatology in drug-naive first-episode (DNFE) SCZ patients has not been studied thoroughly. Serum BDNF levels, plasma total SOD, manganese-SOD (Mn-SOD), copper/zinc-containing SOD (CuZn-SOD) activities, and malondialdehyde (MDA) levels were measured in 327 DNFE patients with SCZ and 391 healthy controls. Cognitive functions were measured using the Repeatable Battery for the Assessment of Neuropsychological status (RBANS) and clinical symptoms were evaluated by the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Compared with the controls, the DNFE patients had increased activities of total SOD and CuZn-SOD, and reduced levels of BDNF and MDA. BDNF levels were positively correlated with CuZn-SOD activity in patients. In addition, we found that elevated Mn-SOD and CuZn-SOD activities were related to PANSS depression factor. Moreover, an interactive effect of BDNF levels and Mn-SOD activity was associated with attentional index score in the patients. Therefore, our findings suggested that interrelationships between BDNF and antioxidant mechanisms might underlie the pathological mechanisms of cognitive impairments and symptomatology in the DNFE patients with SCZ.