Elucidating Facet-Dependent Photocatalytic Activities of Metastable CdS and Au@CdS Core-Shell Nanocrystals.

Controlling the crystal facets of semiconductor nanocrystals (NCs) has been proven as an effective approach to tune their physicochemical properties. However, the study on facet-engineering of metastable zinc blende CdS (zb-CdS) and its heterostructures is still not fully explored. In this study, the zb-CdS and Au@zb-CdS core-shell NCs with tunable terminating facets are controllably synthesized, and their photocatalytic performance for water splitting are evaluated. It is found that the {111} facets of the zb-CdS NCs display higher intrinsic activity than the {100} counterparts, which originates from these surfaces being much more efficient, facilitating electron transition to enhance the adsorption ability and the dissociation of the adsorbed water, as revealed by theoretical calculations. Moreover, the Au@zb-CdS core-shell NCs exhibit better photocatalytic performance than the zb-CdS NCs terminated with the same facets under visible light irradiation (≥400 nm), which is mainly ascribed to the accelerated electron separation at the interface, as demonstrated by femtosecond transient absorption (fs-TA) spectroscopy. Importantly, the quantum yield of plasmon-induced hot electron transfer quantified by fs-TA in the Au@zb-CdS core-shell octahedrons can be reached as high as 1.2% under 615 nm excitation, which is higher than that of the Au@zb-CdS core-shell cubes. This work unravels the face-dependent photocatalytic performance of the metastable semiconductor NCs via a combination of experiments and theoretical calculations, providing the understanding of the underlying mechanism of these photocatalysts.

State of the art, trends, hotspots, and prospects of injection materials for controlling bleeding.

Traumatic haemorrhage is a prevalent clinical condition, and effective and timely haemostasis is crucial for the preservation of patients' lives. In recent years, injectable hemostatic materials have gained significant attention due to their excellent hemostatic efficacy, biocompatibility, and biodegradability, making them widely applied in the treatment of incompressible traumatic haemorrhage. Systematic analysis of injectable hemostatic materials is crucial for research in this area. This article provides a comprehensive review of the development and research trends of injectable hemostatic materials over the past 20 years using visualization techniques. Analysis of collaboration and co-citation networks revealed localized research collaboration networks, highlighting the need for enhanced international collaboration in the field of injectable hemostatic materials. Current research focuses primarily on hemostatic materials, hemostatic processes, and hemostatic mechanisms. Injectable hemostatic materials with excellent performance offer promising strategies for wound healing. This review provides a comprehensive and systematic summary of injectable hemostatic materials, offering valuable guidance for the development and clinical application of novel injectable hemostatic materials. Additionally, visualized methodology and mapping analysis are effective data mining methods that provide approaches and strategies for clear knowledge network analysis. These methods facilitate better understanding and interpretation of research dynamics in the field of injectable hemostatic materials, thereby guiding and inspiring future research.

SERS detection of triazole pesticide residues on vegetables and fruits using Au decahedral nanoparticles.

Triazole pesticides are widely used in modern agricultural practices to improve agricultural production quality. Simultaneously, unreasonable and standardized use of triazole pesticides could induce a series of potential diseases of humans. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy has attracted enormous research attention because of its label-free and fingerprint detection capability to noninvasively trace extremely low concentration analytes. To the best of our knowledge, there is a lack of systematic comparison regarding the Raman spectral information of triazole pesticides in existing literatures. In this work, we successfully captured the characteristic peaks of six different triazole pesticides individually and simultaneously using Au decahedral nanoparticles. The proposed method exhibited remarkable detection sensitivity, a wide dynamic range, and the capability for in-situ detection of multiple pesticide residues on bean, apple, and vegetable surfaces with satisfactory recovery rates. Therefore, our proposed SERS platform have great applications in agricultural products safety, environmental monitoring and other fields.

Visible-Light-Driven Selective Hydrogenation of Nitrostyrene over Layered Ternary Sulfide Nanostructures.

Selective hydrogenation of nitrostyrenes is a great challenge due to the competitive activation of the nitro groups (─NO2 ) and carbon-carbon (C═C) double bonds. Photocatalysis has emerged as an alternative to thermocatalysis for the selective hydrogenation reaction, bypassing the precious metal costs and harsh conditions. Herein, two crystalline phases of layered ternary sulfide Cu2 WS4 , that is, body-centered tetragonal I-Cu2 WS4 nanosheets and primitive tetragonal P-Cu2 WS4 nanoflowers, are controlled synthesized by adjusting the capping agents. Remarkably, these nanostructures show visible-light-driven photocatalytic performance for selective hydrogenation of 3-nitrostyrene under mild conditions. In detail, the I-Cu2 WS4 nanosheets show excellent conversion of 3-nitrostyrene (99.9%) and high selectivity for 3-vinylaniline (98.7%) with the assistance of Na2 S as a hole scavenger. They also can achieve good hydrogenation selectivity to 3-ethylnitrobenzene (88.5%) with conversion as high as 96.3% by using N2 H4 as a proton source. Mechanism studies reveal that the photogenerated electrons and in situ generated protons from water participate in the former hydrogenation pathway, while the latter requires the photogenerated holes and in situ generated reactive oxygen species to activate the N2 H4 to form cis-N2 H2 for further reduction. The present work expands the rational synthesis of ternary sulfide nanostructures and their potential application for solar-energy-driven organic transformations.

Halide Ions Regulating the Morphologies of PbS and Au@PbS Core-Shell Nanocrystals: Synthesis, Self-Assembly, and Electrical Transport Properties.

The geometry and surface state of nanocrystals (NCs) strongly affect their physiochemical properties, self-assembly behaviors, and potential applications, but there is still a lack of a facile method to regulate the exposed facets of the NCs, especially metal@semiconductor core-shell NCs. Herein, we present a reproducible approach for tuning the morphology of PbS NCs from nanocubes to nano-octahedrons by introducing lead halides as precursors. Excitingly, the method can be easily extended to the synthesis of metal@PbS core-shell NCs with single-crystalline shells and specific exposed facets. In addition, the halide passivation layers on the NCs are found to greatly improve their antioxidant ability. Therefore, the Cl-passivated NCs can self-assemble into atomic-coupled monolayer films via oriented attachment under ambient conditions, which exhibit enhanced electrical conductivities compared with uncoupled counterparts. The precise synthesis of nanocrystals with tunable shapes and the construction of self-assembled films provide a way to expand their application in high-performance optoelectronic devices.

A systematic review and meta-analysis of the effects of general anesthesia combined with continuous paravertebral block in breast cancer surgery and postoperative analgesia.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to compare the effects of general anesthesia (GA) combined with continuous paravertebral block (CPVB) in breast cancer surgery via systematic review and meta-analysis, in order to provide a theoretical basis for the clinical use of CPVB surgical analgesia. METHODS: A search of the PubMed, Embase, Medline, Ovid, Springer, and Web of Science databases was conducted to screen clinical trials on GA + CPVB for breast cancer surgery published before December 31, 2020. The Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Intervention 5.0.2 was adopted for bias risk assessment, and Review Manager 5.3 software (RevMan, The Cochrane Collaboration, http://tech.cochrane.org/revman) was applied for meta-analysis of the literature. RESULTS: A total of 15 studies that satisfied the requirements were included, involving a total of 1,435 research subjects. The results of our meta-analysis showed the following: the visual analogue scale (VAS) score of the observation group (group A) was significantly reduced [mean difference (MD) =-0.68; 95% confidential interval (CI): -1.04 - -0.33; Z=3.80; P=0.0001]; the level of monocyte chemoattractant protein -1 (MCP-1) was notably decreased (MD =-18.64; 95% CI: -29.68 - -7.61; Z=3.31; P=0.0009); the level of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was markedly lower (MD =-1.89; 95% CI: -2.66 - -1.13; Z=4.87; P<0.00001); the interleukin-6 (IL-6) level was obviously reduced (MD =-12.10; 95% CI: -19.22 - -4.99; Z=3.33; P=0.0009); and the incidence of postoperative adverse reactions was substantially decreased (MD = 0.16; 95% CI: 0.07-0.36; Z=4.47; P<0.00001). Compared with group B, the differences of the above five indicators showed statistical significance. In addition, the heart rate (HR) (MD =-1.56; 95% CI: -6.20 - 3.08; Z=0.66; P=0.51), mean arterial pressure (MAP) (MD = 4.66; 95% CI: -0.12 -9.43; Z=1.91; P=0.06), Ramsay score (MD =0.44; 95% CI: -0.06-0.93; Z=1.73; P=0.08) of patients in group A showed no statistical differences compared to group B. CONCLUSIONS: GA + CPVB applied to breast cancer surgery for analgesia can reduce the levels of MCP-1, TNF-α, and IL-6 in patients, thereby providing good postoperative analgesia. Therefore, GA + CPVB could effectively reduce the incidence of pain and adverse reactions in patients, and is effective for analgesia in breast cancer surgery.

A meta-analysis and systematic review of propofol on liver ischemia-reperfusion injury protection during hepatocellular carcinoma anesthesia surgery.

BACKGROUND: At present, liver cancer deaths of China account for about half of the global liver cancer deaths. The most common physiological change in anesthesia surgery for liver cancer is liver ischemia-reperfusion injury (LIRI). METHODS: The Chinese and English medical databases were searched using a combination of the following search terms: "propofol", "liver cancer", "anesthesia surgery", and "ischemia reperfusion injury" in Chinese or English language, respectively. The articles taking patients received propofol intravenous anesthesia surgery for LIRI in the experimental group and patients received intravenous anesthesia with non-propofol drugs for LIRI in the control group were searched. Rev Man 5.3 software was used for meta-analysis. RESULTS: A total of 18 articles were included, and most were considered to have low-risk bias (that is, medium- and high-quality publications). The meta-analysis results indicated that the superoxide dismutase (SOD) levels from the blockage of the hepatic hilum (B-HH) to the 15-minute opening of the hepatic hilum (O-HH) showed a mean deviation (MD) of -0.33 nU/mL and 95% confidential interval (CI) of -1.81 to 1.15 nmol/L (P<0.05). The levels of malondialdehyde (MDA) from B-HH to O-HH showed a MD of 1.80 nmol/L and 95% CI of 1.53 to 2.07 nmol/l (P<0.05). The MD of alanine transaminase (ALT) levels from B-HH to O-HH was 8.24 IU/L with 95% CI 6.43 to 10.06 IU/L (P<0.05). The MD of aspartate transaminase (AST) levels from B-HH to O-HH was -11.73 IU/L with 95% CI -14.04 to -9.43 IU/L (P<0.05). The RevMan5.3 software was used to draw the funnel chart for each indicator from B-HH to OHH. The results revealed that the circles in some articles were concentrated on the midline and were basically symmetrical with the midline, indicating that the research accuracy was high and there was no bias in publication. DISCUSSION: This meta-analysis confirmed that propofol exerted a protective effect on LIRI during anesthesia surgery with hepatic hilar blockade.

Degradation of ofloxacin using peroxymonosulfate activated by nitrogen-rich graphitized carbon microspheres: Structure and performance controllable study.

Nitrogen-rich graphitized carbon microspheres (NGCs) with hierarchically porous were constructed by self-assembly. Under different heat treatment conditions, the structure, morphology and properties of NGCs were studied by using multiple characterization techniques. The results showed that the chemical microenvironments (e.g. surface chemistry, degree of graphitization and defective, etc.) and microstructures properties (e.g. morphology, specific surface area, particle size, etc.) could be delicately controlled via thermal carbonization processes. The degradation of ofloxacin (OFLX) by NGCs activated peroxymonosulfate (PMS) was studied systematically. It was found that the synergistic coupling effect between optimum N or O bonding species configuration ratio (graphitic N and C=O) and special microstructure was the main reason for the enhanced catalytic activity of NGC-800 (calcination temperature at 800°C). Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) experiments and radical quenching experiments indicated that the hydroxyl (•OH), sulfate (SO4•-) and singlet oxygen (1O2) were contributors in the NGC-800/PMS systems. Further investigation of the durability of chemical structures and surface active sites revealed that undergo N bonding species configuration reconstruction and cannibalistic oxidation during PMS activation reaction. The used NGC-800 physicochemical properties could be recovered by heat treatment to achieve the ideal catalytic performance. The findings proposed a valuable insight for catalytic performance and controllable design of construction.

NaOH-induced formation of 3D flower-sphere BiOBr/Bi4O5Br2 with proper-oxygen vacancies via in-situ self-template phase transformation method for antibiotic photodegradation.

In this study, a novel 3D flower-sphere BiOBr/Bi4O5Br2 with proper-oxygen vacancies (OV) was successfully synthesized by using 3D BiOBr as a self-sacrificed template, NaOH as a structure-driving reagent and midwifery agent of OV. The synthesis mechanism was systematically studied. It revealed that Bi4O5Br2 lamina generated via in-situ phase transfer tightly interspersed in the interior and surface of 3D BiOBr hierarchical structures; calcination temperature, stirring time and -OH concentration can optimize the composition and structure of materials. Also, the calcination conditions (temperatures and air or N2 atmosphere) can regulate the OV's concentration. Ultimately, 3D hierarchical architectures, the optimal heterojunction composition and OV with proper concentrations three positive factors synergistically promoted the photoelectric activity of BiOBr/Bi4O5Br2-OV, making it exhibit ultrahigh photocatalytic activity for antibiotic photodegradation (tetracycline, TC; ciprofloxacin, CIP). We believe the synthesis methods and design idea mentioned in this paper have high instructive significance to prepare high-performance materials.

[Ammonium Adsorption Characteristics in Aqueous Solution by Titanate Nanotubes].

Titanate nanotubes (TNTs) were synthesized via a hydrothermal method using P25 and NaOH as the raw materials. The composition and morphology of the nanotubes were characterized by X-ray diffraction and transmission electron microscopy. The adsorption characteristics and the rules of ammonium in aqueous solutions were tested in the static system. The results showed that when the alkali concentration was 10 mol·L-1, titanate nanotubes with a length of approximately 120 nm and a diameter of approximately 8 nm were obtained. The equilibrium adsorption capacity of ammonium was 10.67 mg·g-1. When the pH ranged between 3 and 8, TNTs effectively adsorbed ammonium. The equilibrium adsorption time was 1 h, and this followed the pseudo second-order model. The results from the intra-particle model also showed that the adsorption process of ammonium by TNTs was controlled by surface adsorption and inter-particle diffusion. The Temkin model gave the best fit for the adsorption of ammonium onto TNTs. The thermodynamic experiments showed that the adsorption of titanate nanotubes on ammonium was a spontaneous endothermic process. Coexisting anions and cations had an inhibitory effect on the adsorption of ammonium. The order of influence was SO42- > Cl- > H2PO4- and K+ > Na+ > Ca2+, respectively. The adsorption effect of ammonium by regenerated TNTs remained more than 88.64% after five repeat usages. The results of Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy showed that the ammonium adsorption mechanism of titanate nanotubes was ion-exchange between NH4+ and Na+ in the TNTs. Titanate nanotubes can effectively remove ammonium from water because of their good recycling capacity and large adsorption capacity.

A mitochondrial targeted two-photon iridium(III) phosphorescent probe for selective detection of hypochlorite in live cells and in vivo.

Endogenous hypochlorite ion (ClO(-)) is a highly reactive oxygen species (ROS) that is produced from hydrogen peroxide and chloride ions catalyzed by myeloperoxidase (MPO). And mitochondrion is one of the major sources of ROS including ClO(-). In the present work, a two-photon phosphorescent probe for ClO(-) in mitochondria was developed. An iridium(III) complex bearing a diaminomaleonitrile group as ClO(-) reactive moiety specifically responded to ClO(-) over other ions and ROSs. When the probe was reacted with ClO(-) to form an oxidized carboxylate product, a significant enhancement in phosphorescence intensity was observed under one-photon (402 nm) and two-photon (750 nm) excitation, with a two-photon absorption cross-section of 78.1 GM at 750 nm. More importantly, ICP-MS results and cellular images co-stained with Mito-tracker Green demonstrated that this probe possessed high specificity for mitochondria. This probe was applied in the one- and two-photon imaging of ClO(-) in vitro and in vivo. The results suggested endotoxin lipopolysaccharide (LPS) induced ClO(-) mostly generated in the liver of zebrafish.