Flexible and Robust Core-Shell PANI/PVDF@PANI Nanofiber Membrane for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

Developing high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials that are lightweight and flexible and have excellent mechanical properties is an ideal choice for modern integrated electronic devices and microwave protection. Herein, we report the preparation of core-shell polyaniline (PANI)-based nanofiber membranes for EMI shielding through seed polymerization. Electrospinning a PANI solution leads to homogeneously dispersed PANI on the nanofiber surface, with abundant attachment sites for aniline through electrostatic adsorption and hydrogen bonding interaction, allowing PANI to grow on the nanofiber surfaces. This stable core-shell heterostructure provides more interfaces for reflecting and absorbing microwaves. The PANI/PVDF@PANI membranes achieved a shielding efficiency (SE) of 44.7 dB at a thickness of only 1.2 mm, exhibiting an exceptionally high specific EMI shielding effectiveness (SE/t) of 372.5 dB cm-1. Furthermore, the composite membrane exhibits outstanding mechanical stability, durability, air permeability, and moisture permeability, also making it suitable for applications such as EM shielding clothing.

Four-ray interference model for complete characterization of tubular anti-resonant hollow-core fibers.

We propose a comprehensive four-ray interference model based on simple geometric optics that can be employed to characterize all the structural parameters of an anti-resonant hollow-core fiber with tubular cladding structures in a non-invasive and fast way. Combining this model with white-light side-scattering spectroscopy, the outer and the inner radii of the jacket tube can be measured with sub-micron accuracy. The improved illumination source and collimator enable fast spectrum acquisition and identification of the key interference peaks of the four rays. A fitting-based estimate of the interference peaks fully exploits a wealth of spectra acquired at different rotation angles and can help to retrieve the diameter of the cladding tubes with high resolution of 0.17 µm, which exceeds the diffraction limit of the probe light. We also report for the first time, to the best of our knowledge, the polarization and the transverse mode dependences in the side-scattering interference spectra, with which the glass wall thicknesses of the cladding tubes can be estimated on the basis of our four-ray interference model as well.

Stretchable Heterogeneous Polymer Networks of High Adhesion and Low Hysteresis.

Adhesives are ubiquitous, but the mutual exclusion between hyperelasticity and adhesiveness impedes their uses in emerging techniques such as flexible/stretchable electronics. Herein, we propose a strategy to synthesize hyperelastic adhesives (HEAs), by designating hyperelasticity and adhesiveness to the bulk and the surface of a polymer network, respectively. The bulk is hyperelastic but nonadhesive, and the surface is viscoelastic but adhesive, while the HEA is hyperelastic and adhesive. We exemplify the principle by synthesizing poly(butyl acrylate) as the bulk and poly(butyl acrylate-co-isobornyl acrylate) as the surface. The resulting HEA exhibits a low hysteresis of 4% at 100% strain and an adhesion energy of 270 J m-2. Moreover, the HEA is optically transparent, thermally stable, spontaneously adhesive to various materials, and mechanically stable against cyclic load, relaxation, and creep. We demonstrate two applications enabled by the unique combination of hyperelasticity and adhesiveness. The proposed strategy is generic, paving new avenues for stretchable yet resilient adhesives for diverse applications.

Comparison of the effect of ticagrelor combined with tirofiban versus clopidogrel combined with tirofiban on inflammation response and prognosis of patients with unstable angina pectoris in long term follow-up.

To investigate the effect of ticagrelor combined with tirofiban versus clopidogrel combined with tirofiban on inflammation response and prognosis of patients with unstable angina pectoris (UA). The present prospective study included a total of 291 patients who were diagnosed as unstable UA from January 2018 to December 2019. All UA patients were divided into two groups: ticagrelor combined with tirofiban group (n = 159) and clopidogrel combined with tirofiban group (n = 132). Serum levels of C-reactive protein (CRP), interleukin-1ß, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-α, and matrix metalloproteinase-9 were measured using commercially available enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay kits. Kaplan-Meier (K-M) curve was performed for analysis of cumulative incidences of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs). Both ticagrelor combined with tirofiban and clopidogrel combined with tirofiban significantly decreased the serum levels of inflammatory factors in UA patients. Compared to clopidogrel combined with the tirofiban group, ticagrelor combined with the tirofiban group had a lower platelet aggregation rate and improved cardiac function of UA patients. Besides, ticagrelor combined with tirofiban group had a better prognosis and the K-M curve showed that UA patients treated by ticagrelor and tirofiban had lower incidences of MACEs in one-year follow-up. The treatment of ticagrelor combined with tirofiban significantly attenuated inflammation response and improved the prognosis of UA patients.

Lower long-term mortality in obese patients with community-acquired pneumonia: possible role of CRP.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and mortality in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in China. METHODS: In total, 909 patients with CAP were recruited for this study from January 2010 to June 2015. All patients were selected and divided into 4 groups according to their body mass index (BMI) values. All patients' clinical information was recorded. The associations among mortality; BMI; the 30-day, 6-month and 1-year survival rates for different BMI classes; the etiology of pneumonia in each BMI group; and the risk factors for 1-year mortality in CAP patients were analyzed. RESULT: With the exception of the level of C-reactive protein (CRP), no other clinical indexes showed significant differences among the different BMI groups. No significant differences were observed among all groups in terms of the 30-d and 6-month mortality rates (p>0.05). There was a significantly lower risk of 1-year mortality in the obese group than in the nonobese group, (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that there were seven independent risk factors for 1-year mortality in CAP patients, namely, age, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, obesity, APACHE II score, level of CRP and CAP severity. CONCLUSION: Compared with nonobese patients with CAP, obese CAP patients may have a lower mortality rate, especially with regard to 1-year mortality, and CRP may be associated with the lower mortality rate in obese individuals than in nonobese individuals.

Lower long-term mortality in obese patients with community-acquired pneumonia: possible role of CRP

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate the relationship between obesity and mortality in patients with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP) in China. METHODS: In total, 909 patients with CAP were recruited for this study from January 2010 to June 2015. All patients were selected and divided into 4 groups according to their body mass index (BMI) values. All patients' clinical information was recorded. The associations among mortality; BMI; the 30-day, 6-month and 1-year survival rates for different BMI classes; the etiology of pneumonia in each BMI group; and the risk factors for 1-year mortality in CAP patients were analyzed. RESULT: With the exception of the level of C-reactive protein (CRP), no other clinical indexes showed significant differences among the different BMI groups. No significant differences were observed among all groups in terms of the 30-d and 6-month mortality rates (p>0.05). There was a significantly lower risk of 1-year mortality in the obese group than in the nonobese group, (p<0.05). Logistic regression analysis showed that there were seven independent risk factors for 1-year mortality in CAP patients, namely, age, cardiovascular disease, cerebrovascular disease, obesity, APACHE II score, level of CRP and CAP severity. CONCLUSION: Compared with nonobese patients with CAP, obese CAP patients may have a lower mortality rate, especially with regard to 1-year mortality, and CRP may be associated with the lower mortality rate in obese individuals than in nonobese individuals.

MiR-490-5p inhibits the metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma by down-regulating E2F2 and ECT2.

We intended to evaluate miR-490-5p expression in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) tissues and detect the potential targets of miR-490-5p. In vitro experiments were conducted to further investigate the biological function of miR-490-5p on HCC cell metastasis. We investigated the abnormally expressed miRNAs in HCC tissues, and the miR-490-5p expression level was detected by qRT-PCR. E2F2 and ECT2 were proved to be the potential targets of miR-490-5p by luciferase reporter assay. The expression levels of E2F2 and ECT2 were determined using Western blot. Transwell assay was used to analyse the impact of miR-490-5p on metastasis of HCC cells. Four high-expressed miRNAs, and seven low-expressed miRNAs, including miR-490-5p, were detected in HCC tissues. The expression level of miR-490-5p was connected with the tumor size, tumor node metastasis (TNM) stage, and survival ratio of HCC patients. E2F2 and ECT2 were the targets of miR-490-5p, and miR-490-5p inhibited HCC cell metastasis through down-regulating the expressions of E2F2 and ECT2. The over-expressed miR-490-5p could restrain the metastasis of HCC cells by down-regulating E2F2 and ECT2 expression levels.