Ibuprofen degradation by a synergism of facet-controlled MIL-88B(Fe) and persulfate under simulated visible light.

The photocatalysis/persulfate (PS) hybrid system has proven to be a promising method for degrading organic pollutants from aqueous solutions. In this study, three MIL-88B(Fe) iron-based metal-organic framework (MOF) phases with different facet content were prepared and used both as photocatalysts and catalysts for PS activation to remove ibuprofen (IBP). The results showed that there was a close correlation between the exposed facets and the catalytic activity. MIL-88B(Fe)-1 (M88B1) with exposed {100} facets and proportionally more {101} facets showed the best catalytic activity. The optimum PS dosage used in this study was 60 mg/L. The presence of Cl-, SO42-, and NO3- all inhibited the degradation of IBP. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) showed that M88B1 possessed more Fe2+ than the other two MIL-88B(Fe) MOF phases, making it easier to generate active radicals through PS activation. The UV-vis diffuse reflectance spectra (DRS), photoluminescence (PL), and electrochemical analysis indicated that M88B1 possessed the highest light absorption, most active sites, and fastest charge transfer ability. Radical scavenging and electron spin resonance (ESR) experiments demonstrated that SO4-•, •OH, O2-•, and 1O2 species participated in the IBP degradation process. Furthermore, density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to identify the crystallographic facets, band structure, and total density of states of MIL-88B(Fe) to further confirm the mechanism of MIL-88B(Fe) as a photocatalyst and a PS activator. This work provides new insights into the synergism between photocatalysis and persulfate activation by facet-controlled MOFs for environmental remediation.

Improvement in the Output Power of Near-Ultraviolet LEDs of p-GaN Nanorods through SiO2 Nanosphere Mask Lithography with the Dip-Coating Method.

In this paper, the conditions of the dip-coating method of SiO2 nanospheres are optimized, and a neatly arranged single-layer SiO2 array is obtained. On this basis, a "top-down" inductively coupled plasma (ICP) technique is used to etch the p-GaN layer to prepare a periodic triangular nanopore array. After the etching is completed, the compressive stress in the epitaxial wafer sample is released to a certain extent. Then, die processing is performed on the etched LED epitaxial wafer samples. The LED chip with an etching depth of 150 nm has the highest overall luminous efficiency. Under a 100 mA injection current, the light output power (LOP) of the etched 150 nm sample is 23.61% higher than that of the original unetched sample.

Epitaxial Growth of GaN on Magnetron Sputtered AlN/Hexagonal BN/Sapphire Substrates.

Magnetron sputtering is adopted to deposit ~25 nm thick AlN on the surface of hexagonal BN(h-BN)/sapphire substrates, followed by epitaxial GaN growth on top of the AlN/h-BN/sapphire substrate using a metal-organic chemical vapor deposition system. Compared to GaN grown on the h-BN/sapphire surface directly, this method results in a continuous and smooth GaN film with a smaller root mean square roughness. Besides, the introduction of the sputtered AlN layer reduces the dislocation density of GaN by 35.7%. We provide a pathway of GaN epitaxy on the h-BN surface, which significantly improves its surface morphology and crystal quality.

Analysis and Multi-Objective Optimization for Reducing Energy Consumption and Improving Surface Quality during Dry Machining of 304 Stainless Steel.

Cutting quality and production cleanliness are main aspects to be considered in the machining process, and determining the optimal cutting parameters is a significant measure to reduce energy consumption and optimize surface quality. In this paper, 304 stainless steel is adopted as the research objective. The regression models of the specific cutting energy, surface roughness, and microhardness are constructed and the inherent influence mechanism between cutting parameters and output responses are analyzed by analysis of variance (ANOVA). The desirability analysis method is introduced to perform the multi-objective optimization for low energy consumption (LEC) mode and low surface roughness (LSR) mode. Optimal combination of process parameters with composite desirability of 0.925 and 0.899 are obtained in such two modes respectively. As indicated by the results of multi-objective genetic algorithm (MOGA), genetic algorithm (GA) combined with weighted-sum-type objective function and experiment, the relative deviation values are within 10%. Moreover, the results also reveal that the feed rate is the most significant factor affecting the three responses, while the correlation of cutting depth is less noticeable. The effect of low feed rate on microhardness is primarily related to the mechanical load caused by extrusion, and the influence at high feed rate is determined by plastic deformation.

Tribological Performance of Micro-Groove Tools of Improving Tool Wear Resistance in Turning AISI 304 Process.

AISI 304 has good physical and chemical properties and thus is widely used. However, due to the low thermal diffusivity, the cutting temperature of AISI 304 is high accelerating the wear of the tool. Therefore, tool wear is a major problem in machining hard cutting materials. In this study, we developed a new type of micro-groove tool whose rake surface was distributed with micro-groove by powder metallurgy based on the finite element temperature field morphology. We compared the wear of the proposed micro-groove tool with an untreated one by using a scanning electron microscope (SEM) and an X-ray energy spectrum. The abrasive, adhesive, and oxidation wear of the rake and the flank face of the micro-groove tool were lower than that of the untreated one. Due to the micro-groove on the rake face of the tool, the contact length between the tool and chip was reduced, leaving more extension space. Furthermore, chip extrusion deformation was avoided, and the energy caused by chip deformation was reduced. After 70 min of cutting, the counterpart reached the specified wear amount while the main cutting force, the feed resistance, and the cutting depth resistance of the proposed micro-groove tool were reduced by 16.1%, 33.9%, and 40.1%, respectively. With regard to steady state, the cutting temperature was reduced by 17.2% and the wear width of the flank face was reduced by 36.7%.

Using a Multi-Layer Stacked AlGaN/GaN Structure to Improve the Current Spreading Performance of Ultraviolet Light-Emitting Diodes.

To obtain excellent current spreading performance of ultraviolet light-emitting diodes (UVLEDs), a 60-period stacked Si modulation-doped n-AlGaN/u-GaN structure is proposed to replace the traditional n-AlGaN structure. The high-resolution X-ray diffraction ω-scan rocking curves show that the periodic growth of AlGaN and GaN layers plays a positive role in reducing dislocation density. Compared with the conventional UV light-emitting diodes (LEDs), light emission micrographs of devices with a multi-layer stacked n-AlGaN/u-GaN structure reveal higher brightness and a more uniform distribution. In addition, the output power and external quantum efficiency under a 20-mA injection current are increased by 22% and 26.5%, respectively. Experimental and simulation results indicate that a multi-layer stacking structure can alleviate the current crowding effect in four ways: (1) a reduction in dislocation density; (2) replacement of quasi-two-dimensional electron transport with electronic bulk transport to enhance electron mobility; (3) an increase in electron concentration without improving the impurity concentration; and (4) a weakening of the electron scattering effect by reducing the impurity concentration.

Tissue distribution and elimination features of florfenicol in hybrid sturgeon cultured in cool water.

In order to understand pharmacokinetics in vivo and tissue residues of florfenicol in Hybrid sturgeon cultured in cold water, changes in concentration of florfenicol in plasma, muscle, liver and kidney of sturgeon after administration were measured by high performance liquid chromatography mass spectrometry. The results show that after 15.0 mg/kg dose administration, the concentration change in plasma and liver, kidney and muscle of sturgeon are suitable for the one compartment open model. Florfenicol pharmacokinetic parameters in plasma, liver, kidney and sturgeon muscle showed that the peak concentration (Cmax ) were 549.7, 551.8, 958.2 and 405.4 µg/kg, respectively. The peak time (Tmax ) was 17.5, 14.2, 14.0 and 20.8 hr, respectively. The elimination half-life (T1/2 ) was 75.1, 99.8, 68.8 and 75.5 hr, respectively. Area under the curve were 70,048.9, 63,850.6, 109,579.9 and 53,437.3 µg/kg hr, respectively. Mean residence time was 100.6, 96.4, 96.5 and 104.6 hr, respectively. The absorption speed and elimination of florfenicol in cold water cultured sturgeon is slow, and the peak concentration is low, but the florfenicol was widely distributed in the body of sturgeon. The results provide a theoretical basis for formulation of medication and withdrawal period of florfenicol used in sturgeon cultured in cold water.

Novel Visual Nasogastric Tube Insertion System: A Feasibility and Efficiency Study in a Manikin.

Background. Conventional nasogastric tube placement is an essential clinical procedure; however, complications may arise from blind manipulation. We tested the feasibility and efficiency of a visual nasogastric tube insertion system (VNGS) using a manikin. Methods. A microimaging fiber (0.8 mm) was integrated into the nasogastric tube to create the VNGS. Twenty inexperienced physicians were enrolled and assigned to the visual or conventional group. Each physician performed 10 repeated nasogastric tube insertions with visual guidance or the conventional method; another 20 inexperienced medical students received nasogastric tube insertion training using visual guidance or the conventional method. Results. The nasogastric tube successfully reached the stomach and the narrow anatomic structures were visualized with the VNGS. Time required for insertion was significantly shorter in the visual group compared to the conventional group (22.56 ± 3.08 versus 37.30 ± 4.12 seconds, P < 0.001). Tube misplacement was observed in 19/100 cases (19%) in the conventional group; no misplacement was observed in the visual group. Less mucosal damage was noted in the visual group (3.43 ± 1.63 versus 9.86 ± 2.31 cm2). Medical students performed better NGT insertions (shorter insertion time and less procedure-related complications) after undergoing the visual guidance training. Conclusions. The VNGS may provide a new technique for nasogastric tube insertion applicable to clinical use or simulation training.

Endobronchial ultrasound and bronchial artery embolization for Dieulafoy's disease of the bronchus in a teenager: A case report.

Dieulafoy's disease of the bronchus is a relatively rare cause of hemoptysis. It can be completely asymptomatic and diagnosed as an incidental finding on bronchoscopy. At the other end of the spectrum, it can present with potentially fatal hemorrhage. We present a case of a 13-year old boy who suffered from massive hemoptysis. Endobronchial ultrasound (EBUS) and bronchial artery embolization (BAE) proved useful in the initial management. This case may support the role of EBUS in the diagnosis of Dieulafoy's disease as well as other intrapulmonary vascular lesions.

Voluntary is better than involuntary cough peak flow for predicting re-intubation after scheduled extubation in cooperative subjects.

BACKGROUND: In this study, we compared the predictive accuracy of voluntary cough peak flow (V-CPF) and involuntary cough peak flow (IV-CPF) for re-intubation in mechanically ventilated subjects. METHODS: Endotracheally intubated patients who passed a spontaneous breathing trial and assessment of readiness for extubation were enrolled. Before extubation, V-CPF and IV-CPF were measured. Re-intubation was recorded at 72 h after extubation. RESULTS: A total of 115 extubations in 106 cooperative subjects (including 9 subjects with second extubation) and 5 extubations in 5 uncooperative subjects were recorded. At 72 h, 20 (17.4%) and 1 (25%) instances of re-intubation occurred in cooperative and uncooperative subjects, respectively. In cooperative subjects, those who had been successfully extubated had higher V-CPF than re-intubated subjects (81.3 ± 41.4 vs 51.3 ± 31.7, P = .003). However, rates were not significantly different with IV-CPF (70.9 ± 39.8 vs 55.7 ± 37.9, P = .121). Areas under the curve of the receiver operating characteristic in V-CPF and IV-CPF were 0.743 ± 0.057 and 0.632 ± 0.069 (P < .001 and P = .058, respectively, compared with area under the curve = 0.5). V-CPF had higher predictive accuracy for re-intubation than IV-CPF (P = .034). In subjects with a lower quartile and third quartile V-CPF (≤ 43.2 L/min and 43.2-68.4 L/min, respectively), V-CPF was similar to IV-CPF. However, in second quartile and upper quartile V-CPF (68.4-99.0 L/min and > 99.0 L/min, respectively), V-CPF was higher than IV-CPF (82.1 ± 9.6 vs 66.6 ± 19.5 L/min, P < .001; 135.5 ± 29.8 vs 116.2 ± 38.2 L/min, P = .006, respectively). Overall, V-CPF was higher than IV-CPF (76.0 ± 41.4 vs 68.2 ± 39.7, P = .003). In uncooperative subjects, the IV-CPF was higher than V-CPF (40.2 ± 10.2 vs 79.2 ± 29.0, P = .042). CONCLUSIONS: V-CPF is noninvasive. It is much more accurate than IV-CPF as a predictor of re-intubation in cooperative patients because the IV-CPF may underestimate cough strength in patients with high V-CPF. However, it is unclear which is optimal for use in uncooperative patients.

Liquid-based cytological test of samples obtained by catheter aspiration is applicable for the bronchoscopic confirmation of pulmonary malignant tumors.

The aim of the present study is to confirm the value of electronic bronchoscopy-aided catheter aspiration technique with liquid-based cytological test in the diagnosis of bronchogenic carcinoma. A total of 815 patients of lung cancer were evaluated by bronchoscopy between February 2011 and June 2012. Catheter aspiration technique and forceps biopsy during bronchoscopy were employed to obtain adequate tissue specimens. Liquid-based cytological test and conventional smears for catheter aspiration were used for cytological detection of the tumors. For all cytological specimens, slide preparations with LCT and CS were reviewed by two senior pathologists, who were blinded to patient medical history. Complications related to electronic bronchoscopy, such as bleeding, were clinically judged as light, moderate or severe by the needs for clinical interventions. The diagnostic yield of catheter aspiration in endobronchial visible lesions (tumor, infiltrative and necrotic lesions) was 94.6% (success rates concerning malignancy), which was slightly higher than that of the forceps biopsy (91.4%, P<0.05). The diagnostic yield of catheter aspiration in endobronchial invisible lesions (normal, compressive and nonspecific lesions) was 82.8%, which was significantly higher than that of the forceps biopsy (51.4%, P<0.01). The combination of the forceps biopsy with the cytological analysis of the catheter aspiration increased the diagnostic sensitivity in both lesion types (P<0.05). For catheter aspiration, the positive rate of lung cancer by liquid-based cytological test was superior to that by conventional smears (P<0.05). The catheter aspiration is a sampling technique that produces higher diagnostic rate for lung cancers compared with forceps biopsy. Liquid-based cytological test is routinely applicable for the diagnosis of lung cancer using samples collected through electronic bronchoscopy.

A novel visual sputum suctioning system is useful for endotracheal suctioning in a dog model.

OBJECTIVE: This study is to test the effectiveness of fiber-optic-guided endotracheal suction catheter (visual sputum suctioning system or VSSS) in dog models. METHODS: Dog sputum models were established by administering dimethoate emulsifiable. Twenty-seven intubated dogs were equally randomized into three groups of conventional suctioning (CS) group, VSSS with no supplemental oxygen (VSSS) group and VSSS with 100% oxygen (VSSS/O2) group. The suctioning efficiency, vital signs and tracheal wall injury were assessed. RESULTS: The VSSS/O2 (8.6 ± 0.7g) and VSSS groups (8.5 ± 0.9 g) collected significantly more sputum than the CS group (5.9 ± 0.8 g) (P < 0.05 for VSSS/O2 group versus CS group; P < 0.05 for VSSS group versus CS group). Immediately after suctioning, the arterial partial pressure of oxygen (PaO2 ) of VSSS/O2 group was significantly higher than that of the VSSS group or the CS group (both P < 0.05), and 5 min after suction the PaO2 , the mean arterial pressure (MAP) and heart rate (HR) in all groups returned to the baseline (p = 0.54, P = 0.67, P = 0.11, respectively). Moreover, in the VSSS/O2 and VSSS groups all the three variables were higher than the CS group at 5 min after suctioning (P < 0.01, P = 0.03; P = 0.02, P < 0.01; P = 0.02, P = 0.01 respectively). CONCLUSIONS: Visual sputum suctioning system collected more sputum and caused less tracheal mucosa damage than conventional suctioning.

Clinical significance of annexin II expression in human non-small cell lung cancer.

The aim of the present study is to explore the role of annexin II in the development and progression of human non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). Real-time quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction was conducted to detect annexin II mRNA expression. Annexin II protein expression was also determined by western blot. In addition, annexin II expression was analyzed by immunohistochemistry in 137 clinicopathologically characterized NSCLC cases. The correlation of annexin II expression with patients' survival rate was assessed by Kaplan-Meier analysis and Cox regression. Our results showed that the expression levels of annexin II mRNA and protein in NSCLC tissues were significantly higher than those in non-cancerous tissues. Immunohistochemistry analysis showed that annexin II expression was significantly correlated with tumor diameter, pathological grade, pT status, pN status, and pleural invasion. The results of the Kaplan-Meier analysis indicated that a high expression level of annexin II resulted in a significantly poor prognosis of NSCLC patients. Multi-variate Cox regression analysis revealed that annexin II expression level was an independent prognostic parameter for the overall survival rate of NSCLC patients. In conclusion, these results suggested that annexin II up-regulation was associated with poor prognosis in NSCLC; therefore, it might act as a prognostic marker and a new potential target for NSCLC treatment.