Boosting the photocatalytic performance via isomeric configuration design in covalent organic frameworks.

Two COFs (BT-COF1 and BT-COF2) with isomeric configuration were reported. Compared with BT-COF1, BT-COF2 with the narrower bandgap, smaller resistance and more evident charge transfer property exhibits superior catalytic performance in the photooxidation of sulfides.

A covalent organic framework as a photocatalyst for window ledge cross-dehydrogenative coupling reactions.

A benzothiadiazole-involving donor-acceptor (D-A) covalent organic framework (COF), which has high crystallinity and strong light-harvesting capability (ranging from 300 to 800 nm), can serve as a highly effective photocatalyst for window ledge aerobic cross-dehydrogenative coupling (CDC) reactions (such as Mannich and aza-Henry reactions) even at a gram level.

[Acupuncture combined with auricle cutting method for blood stasis-type psoriasis: a randomized controlled trial].

OBJECTIVE: To verify the clinical efficacy of acupuncture combined with auricle cutting method for treatment of blood stasis-type psoriasis. METHODS: Fifty-six cases of blood stasis-type psoriasis were randomly divided into a combined therapy group, a auricle cutting group, an acupuncture group and a control group, 14 cases in each one. Based on regular treatment of TCM decoction in four groups, the combined therapy group was treated with acupuncture and auricle cutting method, and the auricle cutting group was treated with sham-acupuncture and auricle cutting, and the acupuncture group was treated with acupuncture and sham auricle cutting, and the control group was treated with sham-acupuncture and sham auricle cutting. The acupuncture was applied at Dazhui (GV 14), Feishu (BL 13), Ganshu (BL 18) and Geshu (BL 17), etc., and manipulated with routine technique; in the sham acupuncture, the needle was inserted into dermis layer so that the needles could be swung without being dropped out. In the auricle cutting, erbeixin (P1) of unilateral auricle was selected and cut by Chan needle to perform bloodletting; in the sham auricle cutting, the neighborhood approximately 0.5 cm next to erbeixin (P) of auricle was selected as cutting area. The treatment was given once a day, seven days as a treatment session for totally two sessions. Psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) before and after treatment was observed and efficacy of each group was compared. RESULTS: The effective rate was 57.1% (8/14) in the combined therapy group, which was superior to 14.3% (2/14) in the auricle cutting group, 7.1% (1/14) in the acupuncture group and 0.0% (0/14) in the control group (all P < 0.05). The scores of PASI were all decreased in each group after the treatment (all P < 0.05), which was the most significant in the combined therapy group (all P < 0.05). After factorial analysis, the main effect was P < 0.05 in the auricle cutting, P < 0.05 in the acupuncture and P < 0.05 in interaction effect of combined therapy. CONCLUSION: The scores of PASI of blood stasis-type psoriasis could be effectively reduced by acupuncture, auricle cutting method and TCM decoction, among which the interaction effect of auricle cutting and acupuncture combined with TCM decoction is the most significant.

In situ investigation of the 3D mechanical microstructure at nanoscale: nano-CT imaging method of local small region in large scale sample.

To investigate the local micro-/nanoscale region in a large scale sample, an image reconstruction method for nanometer computed tomography (nano-CT) was proposed in this paper. In the algorithm, wavelets were used to localize the filtered-backprojection (FBP) algorithm because of its space-frequency localization property. After the implementation of the algorithm, two simulation local reconstruction experiments were performed to confirm its effectiveness. Three evaluation criteria were used in the experiments to judge the quality of the reconstructed images. The experimental results showed that the algorithm proposed in this paper performed best because (1) the quality of its results had improved 20%-30% compared to the results of FBP and 10%-30% compared to the results of another wavelet algorithm; (2) the new algorithm was stable under different circumstances. Besides, an actual reconstruction experiment was performed using real projection data that had been collected in a CT experiment. Two-dimensional (2D) and three-dimensional (3D) images of the sample were reconstructed. The microstructure of the sample could be clearly observed in the reconstructed images. Since much attention has been directed towards the nano-CT technique to investigate the microstructure of materials, this new wavelet-based local tomography algorithm could be considered as a meaningful effort.

[Impacts of electroacupuncture on left hippocampus NAA/Cr for patients of Uygur and Han nationality with mild cognitive impairment].

OBJECTIVE: To observe the clinical efficacy of electroacupuncture (EA) on mild cognitive impairment (MCI) for patients of Uygur and Han nationality and explore the national diversity among the patients with MCI. METHODS: Twenty-five cases were divided into Han nationality group (15 cases) and Uygur nationality group (10 cases) according to patient's nationality. In either group, EA was applied to Baihui (GV 20), Fengchi (GB 20), Xuanzhong (GB 39), Fuliu (KI 7), Sanyinjiao (SP 6) and Taixi (KI 3), once per day, 15 treatments made one session and there were 5 days at the interval among the sessions. Totally, 3 sessions of treatment were required. The proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (1H-MRS) was used to observe the changes in the ratio of N-acetylaspartate and creatine (NAA/Cr) on the left hippocampus for the patients in two groups before and after treatment as well as the changes in the results of the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) separately. RESULTS: NAA/Cr in Uygur nationality group was higher than that in Han nationality group before treatment (1.659 +/- 0.418 vs 1.137 +/- 0.190, P < 0.05). After treatment, MMSE and MoCA scores all increased apparently as compared with those before treatment in two groups (P < 0.05, P < 0.01), and NAA/Cr on the left hippocampus in either group was up-regulated as compared with that before treatment (both P < 0.01). CONCLUSION: EA can improve the overall cognitive function for the patients with MCI. There is the national diversity in the partial brain metabolite level between Uygur patients and Han patients with MCI.