One-Dimensional Copper-Doped Rb2AgI3 with Efficient Sky-Blue Emission as a High-Performance X-ray Scintillator.

Scintillators have garnered heightened attention for their diverse applications in medical imaging and security inspection. Nonetheless, commercial scintillators encounter challenges with costly rare-earth metals and toxic elements like thallium (Tl), driving the need for sustainable, cost-effective, and eco-friendly alternatives to meet contemporary X-ray detection demands. This study focuses on exploring the potential of Cu+-doped Rb2AgI3 as an effective metal halide (MH) scintillator. One-dimensional (1D) Rb2AgI3 and Cu+-doped Rb2AgI3 single crystals (SCs) were synthesized by using the conventional temperature-lowering crystallization method. When excited by UV light, Cu+-doped SCs emitted a broad sky-blue light at 490 nm with a high photoluminescence (PL) quantum yield (PLQY) of 76.48%. Remarkably, under X-ray excitation, these Cu+-doped SCs demonstrated an outstanding light yield of 36,293 photons MeV-1, a relatively low detection threshold of 1.022 µGyair s-1, and a rapid scintillation decay time of 465 ns. The prepared translucent scintillation film has good uniformity and flexibility, with a high spatial resolution of 10.2 lp mm-1. These results position Cu+-doped Rb2AgI3 as a leading candidate among promising X-ray scintillators, offering superior scintillation light yield, excellent stability, and nontoxicity.

In vivo non-contact regions of proximal scaphoid in six extreme wrist positions.

INTRODUCTION: Fractures of the scaphoid are the most common carpal injuries, account for 80-90% of all carpal fractures. 5-15% nonunion of scaphoid fractures were reported even with adequate primary treatment, which probably progresses to osteoarthritic changes several decades later. Researches regarding to scaphoid physiological characteristic in vitro and in vivo and kinds of trials in clinical practice are being kept on going, which contribute much to our clinical practice. With the advancing wrist arthroscopy, 3D-print patient-specific drill guide, and intraoperative fluoroscopic guidance, dorsal approach (mini-invasive and percutaneous technique) is being popular, through which we can implant the screw in good coincidence with biomechanics and with less disturbing tenuous blood supply of the scaphoid. Investigating the noncontact area of the dorsal proximal scaphoid in different wrist positions can facilitate preoperatively estimating insert point of the screw. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Eight volunteers were recruited to accept CT scans in six extreme wrist positions. The images of DICOM mode were imput into the Mimics analytical system, the segmented scaphoid, lunate and radius were exported in mode of ASCII STL and were opened in the software of Geomagic studio. We created four planes based on anatomic markers on the surface of the radius and scaphoid to confine the proximal scaphoid to form the so-called non-contact regions. We measured and compared the areas in six targeted positions. RESULTS: Amidst six extreme wrist positions, area of the non-contact region in extreme dorsal extension (59.81 ± 26.46 mm2) was significantly the smallest, and it in extreme palmar flexion significantly was largest (170.51 ± 30.44 mm2). The non-contact regions increased in order of dorsal extension, supination, ulnar deviation, radial deviation, pronation and palmar flexion. As for two-group comparison, the non-contact region showed significantly larger (p < 0.05) in palmar flexion than the others except for in pronation individually, and in radial deviation (p < 0.05) than in dorsal extension. CONCLUSIONS: Sufficient space was available for the screw started from the dorsal approach despite the wrist positions.

Optical polarization properties of TPP2MnBr4 perovskite crystal adjusted by the self-trapping state.

Low-dimensional networked organic-inorganic hybrid metal halide crystal has become an emerging hotspot material due to its opportunities and advantages in the development of white-light-emitting diodes. Therefore, its photoluminescence (PL) mechanism is important. Herein, we study the PL behavior of columniform TPP2MnBr4 crystals using multi-spectroscopy. The temperature-dependent PL data show that the PL of the TPP2MnBr4 crystal originates from the recombination of a self-trapping exciton. A polarization-dependent PL test suggests that the self-trapping exciton is anisotropic, which indicates that the distribution of self-trapping states is sensitive to the orientation of the crystal axis. Space-resolved PL spectroscopy shows that the anisotropy of PL gradually weakens along the orientation of the columniform crystal, which has a longer relaxation distance than traditional light-wave-guiding behavior. Thus, anisotropy of PL can exist before it disappears in the crystal. Our results elucidate the PL mechanism of low-dimensional networked organic-inorganic hybrid metal halide crystals and provide a foundation for advanced optical polarization devices based on them.

Sn(II)-doped one-dimensional hybrid metal halide [C5H14NO]CdCl3 single crystals with broadband greenish-yellow light emission.

Low-dimensional organic-inorganic hybrid halides, as an important branch of metal halide materials, have attracted much attention due to their excellent photoelectric properties. Herein, we designed one new hybrid cadmium chloride [C5H14NO]CdCl3 based on combinations of the d10 metal cation (Cd2+) and choline chloride molecules. [C5H14NO]CdCl3 single crystals belong to the orthorhombic Pna21 space group and show a one-dimensional (1D) structure with distorted [CdCl5O]5- octahedra. The second harmonic generation (SHG) response of [C5H14NO]CdCl3 exhibits an intensity of approximately 0.4 × KDP. Moreover, the photoluminescence properties of the [C5H14NO]CdCl3 crystal are activated by doping with Sn2+ ions having stereochemically active lone pair 5s2 electrons. Under UV excitation conditions, bright greenish-yellow light emission can be observed, and the quantum efficiency (PLQY) is as high as 91.27%. The luminescence mechanism is revealed by combining the results of temperature dependent luminescence and density functional theory (DFT) calculation. This work can serve as a guide for the design and synthesis of emerging optical materials.

Controlled Iodine Phase Transfer of Covalent Organic Framework Membranes for Instant but Sustained Disinfection.

Freestanding membranes of CuCl2-implanted TpPa covalent organic frameworks (COFs) were mechanochemically produced. The resulting membrane had a high I2 adsorption capacity (566.78 g·mol-1) in cyclohexane, which corresponds to 2.2I2 per unit cell with 1.3I2 immobilized on 3Cl- ions (60%) and 0.9 on 3N atoms (40%). Upon being placed in aqueous media, the membrane released 61.1% of its loaded I2 mainly by its Cl- ions within 10 min and the remaining 38.9% mainly from its N atoms within about 5 h. Thanks to that, the COF membranes loaded with 1.5 mg of I2 could be repetitively utilized to kill about 108 CFU/mL E. coli in 0.5-3 min at least five times, after which the membranes could retain their bactericidal activity for 4 h against 108 CFU/mL E. coli. This highlights the promising application of I2-loaded TpPa-CuCl2 COF membranes for instant and sustained disinfection.

Thermally Induced Reversible Fluorescence Switching of Lead Chloride Hybrids for Anticounterfeiting and Encryption.

Metal halide hybrids with thermally induced fluorescence transition have the potential to be utilized as the next generation of smart materials in optoelectronic devices. However, the fabrication of thermochromic materials with simultaneously reversible and lower transition temperatures is still a challenge. Herein, we present a novel one-dimensional (1D) organic-inorganic lead chloride hybrid (TPA)PbCl3-Green (TPA = tetrapropylammonium) single crystal that exhibits green emission and up to 30% photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY). It is worth noting that the (TPA)PbCl3-Green crystal changes emission from green to blue light when heated at 323 K. The emission spectra indicate that the blue light is attributed to the combination of two emission peaks located at 438 and 520 nm, respectively. Furthermore, the green luminescence is restored after natural cooling to room temperature. The dynamic transition process is demonstrated via steady-state photoluminescence, single-crystal X-ray diffraction (SCXRD), and powder X-ray diffraction (XRD). (TPA)PbCl3-Green crystals and (TPA)PbCl3-Green@PVP complexes have also been explored as fluorescent security inks for dynamic anticounterfeiting and message encryption as well as optical logic gate applications due to the excellent cycling stability and low transition temperature. This material offers a completely new option for thermochromic materials used for security information.

The long-term curative effect analysis of trans-articular plate combined with Kirschner wires in the treatment of fracture-dislocation of the fifth carpometacarpal joint.

Purpose: To evaluate the long-term curative effect analysis of trans-articular plate combined with Kirschner wires in the treatment of fracture-dislocation of the fifth carpometacarpal joint. Methods: From July 2016 to September 2021, 21 patients with fracture-dislocation of the fifth carpometacarpal joint were treated with trans-articular plate combined with Kirschner wires internal fixation. Each patient's gender, age, dominant hand, injured hand, trauma mechanism, the time between injury and surgery, the range of motion of the bilateral wrist in flexion, extension, radial deviation and ulnar deviation, grip strength of each side, the time of return to work, and follow-up time were recorded. The QDASH score and Cooney wrist function score were used to evaluate the postoperative function. The VAS system was used to evaluate postoperative pain. Results: The follow-up time was 37.0 ± 19.0 months and the time between injury and surgery was 1.3 ± 0.5 days. In the injured side and the contralateral side, the range of motion of the wrist flexion were 58.3 ± 4.0° and 60.5 ± 3.1°, the range of motion of the wrist radial deviation were 25.7 ± 3.3° and 26.9 ± 2.9°, the range of motion of the wrist ulnar deviation were 28.1 ± 3.7° and 29.5 ± 3.1° respectively with no significant difference. The range of motion of the wrist extension (54.0 ± 3.4°) in the injured side was smaller than that in the contralateral side (56.7 ± 3.7°) with significant difference. The grip strength of the injured side and the contralateral side were 96.1 ± 9.5 LB and 100.7 ± 9.7LB respectively with no significant difference. The QDASH score was 3.8 ± 1.8, Cooney wrist function score was 94.5 ± 4.2, VAS score was 1.0 ± 0.8 and the time of return to work was 5.1 ± 0.9 weeks. In the 21 cases, no postoperative complications such as incision infection, failure of internal fixation, fracture nonunion or fracture malunion occurred. Conclusion: The method of trans-articular plate combined with Kirschner wires is one of the alternative treatments for the fracture-dislocation of the fifth carpometacarpal joint. The long-term follow-up results were satisfactory.

The curative effect analysis of a modified Kirschner wires and locking plate internal fixation method for the fifth metacarpal neck fracture.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the efficacy of a modified internal fixation method for the treatment of fifth metacarpal neck fracture. METHODS: From March 2018 to December 2019, 12 patients with the fifth metacarpal neck fractures of the hands were treated with the Kirschner wires and locking plate internal fixation method. Each patient's gender, age, dominant hand, injured hand, trauma mechanism, preoperative and postoperative deformity (angulation and the length of the fifth metacarpal), the range of motion of the metacarpophalangeal joint and grip strength of each side, the time of return to work, and follow-up time were recorded and calculated. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 16.8 months, and the angulations of preoperative and postoperative deformity were 40.0 ± 3.7°and 17.6 ± 1.7°, respectively. The length of the fifth metacarpals of preoperative and postoperative deformity were 51.5 ± 2.1 mm and 60.0 ± 1.8 mm, respectively. At the last follow-up, the range of motion of the fifth metacarpophalangeal joint of the injured side and the contralateral side were 84.3 ± 3.6°and 86.5 ± 2.0°, and the grip strength of the injured side and the contralateral side were 74.8 ± 6.1 LB and 78.6 ± 8.3 LB, respectively, without statistically significant differences. QDASH score was 2.0 ± 1.0, and the time of return to work was 6.0 ± 0.7 weeks. CONCLUSION: The modified internal fixation method is one of the alternative treatments for the fifth metacarpal neck fracture with good curative effects.

Bioinspired, Nanostructure-Amplified, Subcutaneous Light Harvesting to Power Implantable Biomedical Electronics.

Implantable biomedical electronics hold immense promise for in vivo personalized healthy monitoring and even precise therapeutic intervention. Tremendous miniaturization of indwelling modules enables implanted biomedical devices to perform multiple functions with ultralow power consumption but exacerbates the technical challenges of supplying effective power to the devices in vivo. In this Perspective, we summarize new developments in transmitting near-infrared light from sunlight or a light-emitting diode into subcutaneously implanted photovoltaic cells, in which the light utilization efficiency can be amplified with the aid of nanostructured rear reflectors. Considering the many natural examples of nanostructure-induced structural coloration displayed by submarine animals, we wish to open up new prospects of bioinspired, nanostructure-amplified, subcutaneous light harvesting to power implanted biomedical electronics.

Light-Emitting Metal-Organic Halide 1D and 2D Structures: Near-Unity Quantum Efficiency, Low-Loss Optical Waveguide and Highly Polarized Emission.

Organic-inorganic metal-halide materials (OIMMs) with zero-dimensional (0D) structures offer useful optical properties with a wide range of applications. However, successful examples of 0D structural OIMMs with well-defined optical performance at the micro-/nanometer scale are limited. We prepared one-dimensional (1D) (DTA)2 SbCl5 ⋅DTAC (DTAC=dodecyl trimethyl ammonium chloride) single-crystal microrods and 2D microplates with a 0D structure in which individual (SbCl5 )2- quadrangular units are completely isolated and surrounded by the organic cation DTA+ . The organic molecular unit with a long alkyl chain (C12 ) and three methyl groups enables microrod and -plate formation. The single-crystal microrods/-plates exhibit a broadband orange emission peak at 610 nm with a photoluminescence quantum yield (PLQY) of ca. 90 % and a large Stokes shift of 260 nm under photoexcitation. The broad emission originates from self-trapping excitons. Spatially resolved PL spectra confirm that these microrods exhibit an optical waveguide effect with a low loss coefficient (0.0019 dB µm-1 ) during propagation, and linear polarized photoemission with a polarization contrast (0.57).

Flow-through arterialized venous free thenar flaps for palmar soft tissue defects in fingers.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of venous free thenar flaps for reconstructing palmar soft tissue defects in fingers. METHODS: From December 2018 to October 2019, 11 patients with palmar soft tissue defects in fingers were treated using venous free thenar flaps. At the final follow-up, the range of thumb radial and palmar abduction on the injured side and opposite side was calculated. The total active movement (TAM) of the injured and opposite fingers and flap sensibility recovery were also recorded. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 13.4 months, all flaps survived, and all wounds at the donor sites healed with no skin necrosis. At the last follow-up, the average range of thumb radial abduction and thumb palmar abduction on the injured side was 96.6% and 95.9% of the value on the opposite side, respectively. The average TAM of the injured fingers was 98.2% of the value of the opposite fingers. Sensation in the flaps was restored to grade S2 to S3. CONCLUSION: Venous free thenar flaps can be alternatives for reconstructing palmar soft tissue defects in fingers.

Color Tunable Self-Trapped Emissions from Lead-Free All Inorganic IA-IB Bimetallic Halides Cs-Ag-X (X = Cl, Br, I).

Multi-metallic halides of group IA and IB metals are emerged as a new class of color tunable emitters. While chalcogenides and perovskites are extensively studied, these families of materials are little explored. In comparison, herein, lead and cadmium free bimetallic Cs-Ag-X (X = Cl, Br, I) halides are reported where the larger ion Ag+ helped in incorporating all the halide ions which in turn tune their emission color in spanning from 397 nm (violet) to 820 nm (near infrared) as a function of their composition. The synthesis method adopted here is the solvent free ball milling of respective halides of Cs and Ag and took the record shortest time and in bulk scale. From decay lifetimes, emissions from these bimetallic halides are found as a result of fast recombination of self-trapped excitons, which exhibited not only reasonably high quantum yield in the range of 17-68% but also excellent stability to air and moisture under ambient conditions. These also show wide Stokes shift with relatively longer decay lifetimes ranging above the exciton and below the surface trap or dopant induced emissions of inorganic semiconductors, indicating a new class of materials having unique identity of their optical behaviors.

Comparison of the modified direct closure method and skin grafting for wounds at the anterolateral thigh flap donor site.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to compare the modified direct closure method and traditional skin grafting for wounds at the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap donor site. METHODS: Among 29 consecutive patients with wounds at the ALT flap donor site, 14 underwent the modified direct closure method (MDC group) and 15 underwent traditional skin grafting (SG group). The operative time, follow-up time, complications, Vancouver Scar Scale (VSS) score, and Scar Cosmesis Assessment and Rating (SCAR) score of the two groups were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: The mean follow-up times in the MDC and SG group were 16.1 and 16.7 months, respectively. Two patients showed partial skin necrosis after skin grafting, but the remaining patients' wounds healed uneventfully. The operative time in the MDC group was an average of about 64 minutes shorter than that in the SG group. The average VSS and SCAR scores in the MDC group were 2.1 and 3.0 points lower, respectively, than those in the SG group. CONCLUSIONS: Compared with traditional skin grafting, the modified direct closure method is more efficient for repair of wounds at the ALT flap donor site because of its shorter operative time, better postoperative appearance of the donor site, and higher patient satisfaction.

Application of a modified dorsoulnar artery pedicle flap in the repair of thumb tip defects: A case report.

Between February 2012 and March 2014 10 patients were admitted to the Affiliated Hospital of Nantong University for surgery due to a thumb tip defect. Nine of these patients were male and one was female and there were 7 cases of left thumb defects and 3 cases of right thumb defects. The surgical procedures followed were first, modification of the flap tail to an equilateral triangle, which facilitated pedicle suturing of soft tissue defects, caused mild tension and effectively reduced venous disorders, and second complete opening of the flap pedicle to the soft tissue defects at the tunnel. All patients were followed up at 6 and 12 months after surgery. Grip and pinch strength were measured 6 and 12 months after surgery. Static two-point discrimination testing of the modified flap showed minor differences from the uninjured hand. Post-surgery grip and pinch strength were restored to approximately 85% of the level of that in the uninjured hand. The modified dorsoulnar artery pedicle flap provided excellent thumb tip defect coverage and is an effective and safe technique for the restoration of grip and pinch strength to the hand after the repair of a thumb tip defect.

Arm Growth and Facet Modulation in Perovskite Nanocrystals.

Highly emissive isotropic CsPbX3 (X = Cl, Br, and I) perovskite nanocrystals are typically observed in a six-faceted cube shape. When a unique approach is adopted and the reaction medium is enriched with halides, arm growth on all six facets was carried out and reported. Analysis suggested that these armed nanostructures were obtained from intermediate polyhedron shaped structures having 26 facets, and these were formed under halide-deficient conditions. Surface energy calculations further supported the possible existence of all facets for both of these structures under different halide composition environments. The entire study was first explored for CsPbBr3 and then extended to CsPbCl3; however, for CsPbI3 nanocrystals, Sr(II) dopant was used for obtaining stable emission. Arm lengths could also be tuned with a function of reaction temperature for CsPbBr3. Formation of stable facets in polyhedron shaped nanostructures and their transformation to respective hexapods under halide-deficient and halide-rich conditions add new fundamental concepts for these nanostructures and their shape evolutions.

Cd-Cu-Fe-S quaternary nanocrystals exhibiting excellent optical/optoelectronic properties.

Quaternary Cd-Cu-Fe-S nanocrystals (NCs) exhibiting a strong size tunable photoluminescence were synthesized for the first time by tuning the reaction temperature from 120 °C to 210 °C. The preparation procedure involved cadmium acetate, copper acetate, iron chloride, and sulfur powder dissolved in oleylamine as precursors. The wavelength of the emission can be tuned from 640 nm to nearly 1000 nm by only changing the size of the as-prepared NCs from 3.0 nm to 15 nm. Interestingly, these NCs possess a relatively high quantum yield of over 57% without coating any wide band-gap shell materials. The study on the optoelectronic properties of Cd-Cu-Fe-S NCs, where an order of photocurrent was enhanced under AM1.5 illumination, demonstrated their suitability as optically active components to fabricate optoelectronic devices.

Bovine serum albumin assisted preparation of ultra-stable gold nanoflowers and their selective Raman response to charged dyes.

In this work, we demonstrated a facile, one-pot approach for preparation of gold nanoflowers by using tetrachloroauric acid as a gold precursor, ascorbic acid as a reductant, and bovine serum albumin (BSA) as a ligand. It was found that the morphology of the as-prepared gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) was dependent on the concentration of BSA introduced into the reaction solutions. It is identified that BSA directed the preferential growth along the 〈111〉 direction, which contributed to the anisotropic growth of Au NPs and thus the formation of Au nanoflowers. An increased concentration of BSA reduced the reactivity of the gold precursor, leading to the formation of Au nanoflowers with increased size, which could also be obtained by decreasing the amount of reductant added. The Au nanoflowers were ultra-stable in the presence of chloride ions under acidic pH, making them suitable for selective detection of oppositely charged dyes via surface-enhanced Raman scattering according to the isoelectric point (∼4.7) of BSA capped on their surface.

Water-Borne Perovskite Quantum Dot-Loaded, Polystyrene Latex Ink.

Highly lipophilic nanocrystals (NCs) of cesium lead halides were successfully embedded in polystyrene (PS) particles by deliberately controlling the swelling of the PS particles in the mixtures of good and bad organic solvents. The resulting composite particles were readily transferred into water via simple stepwise solvent exchange, which yielded water-borne perovskite NC-based inks with outstanding structural and chemical stability in aqueous media. Minimal change in the photoluminescence (PL) of the NCs loaded in the PS particles was visible after 1 month of incubation of the composite particles in water in a broad pH range from 1 to 14, which could otherwise be hardly realized. Loading into the PS particles also made the NCs highly stable against polar organic solvents, such as ethanol, intense light irradiation, and heat. The NC PL intensity slightly changed after the composite particles were heated at 75°C and under irradiation of strong blue light (@365 nm) for 1 h. Furthermore, the PS matrices could effectively inhibit the exchange of halide anions between two differently sized perovskite NCs loaded therein, thereby offering a considerable technical advantage in the application of multiple perovskite NCs for multicolor display in the future.

Medial versus lateral approach to harvesting of anterolateral thigh flap.

OBJECTIVE: This study was performed to evaluate two classic procedures guided by anatomic markers for harvesting the anterolateral thigh (ALT) flap: one began with an incision on the lateral side to identify perforators emerging from the muscle to the superficial tissue and to track the perforators upward to the upper stem vessel, and the other began with an incision on the medial side to identify the vessel branch from the stem artery and to track it downward to the flap perforators. METHODS: Twenty-eight consecutive patients with tissue defects repaired with ALT flaps were investigated; 13 and 15 patients underwent the lateral and medial incision technique, respectively. The surgeon's subjective view regarding procedural difficulty and the operative times were statistically analyzed. RESULTS: All flaps were harvested successfully. A two-paddle flap from one thigh in the medial group failed due to necrosis; all others survived completely. Subjectively, harvesting of flaps starting with a lateral incision was somewhat difficult, and the operative time was significantly longer using the lateral technique. CONCLUSIONS: Classic procedures to harvest the anterolateral thigh flap are still practicable, and starting with a medial incision is more efficient than starting with a lateral incision. Type of study/level of evidence: Therapeutic IV.

Treatment of AC dislocation by reconstructing CC and AC ligaments with allogenic tendons compared with hook plates.

BACKGROUND: The purpose of this study was to compare outcomes between allograft reconstruction and hook plate fixation for acute dislocation of the acromioclavicular joint with a minimum 2-year follow-up. METHODS: A retrospective comparative study of patients treated for acute acromioclavicular joint dislocation from February 2010 to December 2014 in our hospital, consisting of 16 patients who were followed-up, was performed. Eight patients were treated for acute AC dislocation and underwent surgical reconstruction as follows: the coracoclavicular and acromioclavicular ligaments were reconstructed with the allogenic tendon. The other eight patients were treated with hook plates to maintain the AC joint reset. At the latest follow-up, radiographic analysis and the Constant and University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) scores were used to evaluate shoulder function. The satisfaction of the patients in terms of the efficacy and visual analog scale (VAS) data were also recorded. RESULTS: After an average follow-up of 30.3 months (range 24-46 months), no patient had dislocated their joint again at the final follow-up based on X-ray examination. The Constant score was 94.4 for the allogenic tendon group and 93.8 for the hook plate group (P = 0.57). According to the UCLA scale (P = 0.23) or VAS (P = 0.16), we found no significant difference between the two groups. All patients reported that they were very satisfied or satisfied with the outcome of surgery, and no significant difference (P = 0.08) was found between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS: The use of allogenic tendon for reconstruction of the coracoclavicular and acromioclavicular ligaments shows excellent outcomes in terms of the recovery of clinical function or radiographic outcomes for acute AC dislocation. Compared with the hook plate, the hardware did not need to be removed.