Off-Stoichiometry of Sodium Iron Pyrophosphate as Cathode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries with Superior Cycling Stability.

As one of the important devices for large-scale electrochemical energy storage, sodium-ion batteries have received much attention due to the abundant resources of raw materials. However, whether it is a base station power source, an energy storage power station, or a start-stop power supply, long energy cycle life (more than 5000 cycles), high stability, and safety performance are application prerequisites. Regrettably, currently, few sodium-ion batteries can meet this requirement, mainly due to shortcomings in positive electrode performance. We report a sufficiently stable sodium-ion battery cathode material, Na2Fe0.95P2O7, that retains 97.5% capacity after 5000 charge/discharge cycles. The use of nonstoichiometry in the lattice enables simultaneous modification of the crystal and electronic structure, promoting Na2Fe0.95P2O7 to be extremely stable while still being able to achieve a capacity of 92 mAh g-1 and stable cycling at high temperatures up to 60 °C. Our results confirm the positive effect of nonstoichiometric ratios on the performance of Na2Fe0.95P2O7 and provide a reliable idea to promote the practical application of sodium-ion batteries.

Availability and stability of palliative care for family members of terminally ill patients in an integrated model of health and social care.

BACKGROUND: Palliative care and the integration of health and social care have gradually become the key direction of development to address the aging of the population and the growing burden of multimorbidity at the end of life in the elderly. AIMS: To explore the benefits/effectiveness of the availability and stability of palliative care for family members of terminally ill patients in an integrated institution for health and social care. METHODS: This prospective observational study was conducted at an integrated institution for health and social care. 230 patients with terminal illness who received palliative care and their family members were included. Questionnaires and scales were administered to the family members of patients during the palliative care process, including quality-of-life (SF-8), family burden (FBSD, CBI), anxiety (HAMA), and distress (DT). We used paired t-tests and correlation analyses to analyze the data pertaining to our research questions. RESULTS: In the integrated institution for health and social care, palliative care can effectively improve quality of life, reduce the family's burden and relieve psychological impact for family members of terminally ill patients. Palliative care was an independent influencing factor on the quality of life, family burden, and psychosocial status. Independently of patient-related and family-related factors, the results are stable and widely applicable. CONCLUSION: The findings underline the availability and stability of palliative care and the popularization of an integrated service model of health and social care for elder adults.

A High-Entropy Intergrowth Layered-Oxide Cathode with Enhanced Stability for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Layered transition metal oxides are widely considered as ideal cathode materials for SIBs. However, the existing P2 and O3 structures possess specific issues, which limit their practical applications. To address these issues, this work designed a novel intergrowth layered oxide cathode with P2 and O3 phases by implementing Cu and Ti into the structure with the formation of high-entropy cathode materials with superior performance for SIBs. The electrochemical test results show that the optimized high-entropy cathode with the P2/O3 intergrowth structure possesses a high initial discharge capacity of 157.85 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C, an excellent rate performance of 84.41 mAh g-1 at 10 C, and long-term stability with capacity retention of 83.25% after 500 cycles at 5C. Furthermore, the analysis results of ex situ XRD and in situ XRD indicate that the adverse phase transition of P2-O2 under high voltage is effectively suppressed. This work indicates that the integration of high-entropy strategy with the two-phase intergrowth structure can effectively stabilize the layered structure, suppress the slipping of transition metal layers, and improve electrochemical performance, which provides a new approach for designing high-performance and practical layered transition metal oxide cathode materials for advanced SIBs.

Yolk-Shell Construction of Na3 V2 (PO4 )2 F3 with Copper Substitution Microsphere as High-Rate and Long-Cycling Cathode Materials for Sodium-Ion Batteries.

Na3 V2 (PO4 )2 F3 (NVPF) is emerging as a promising cathode material for high-voltage sodium-ion batteries. Whereas, the inferior intrinsic electrical conductivity leading to poor rate performance and cycling stability. To address this issue, a strategy of synthesizing unique yolk-shell structured NVPF with copper substitution via spray drying method is proposed. Besides, the synergistic modulation of both crystalline structure and interfacial properties results in significantly enhanced intrinsic and interfacial conductivity of NVPF. The optimized yolk-shell structured cathode materials can possess a high capacity of 117.4 mAh g-1 at 0.1 C, and remains a high-capacity retention of 91.3% after 5000 cycles. A detailed investigation of kinetic properties combined with in situ XRD technology and DFT calculations, has been implemented, particularly with regard to electron conduction and sodium ion diffusion. Consequently, the yolk-shell structured composition of Na3 V1.94 Cu0.06 (PO4 )2 F3 with nitrogen-modified carbon coating layer shows the lowest polarization potential because of the effectively enhanced electronic conductivity and Na+ diffusion process in the bulk phase. The robust electrochemical performance suggests that developing the unique yolk-shell structure with the collaboration of interface and bulk crystal properties is a favorable strategy to design cathode material with a high performance for sodium-ion batteries.

Development and implementation of a prognostic model for clear cell renal cell carcinoma based on heterogeneous TLR4 expression.

Objective: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most common subtype among renal cell carcinomas and has the worst prognosis, originating from renal tubular epithelial cells. Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) plays a crucial role in ccRCC proliferation, infiltration, and metastasis. The aim of this study was to construct a prognostic scoring model for ccRCC based on TLR4 expression heterogeneity and to explore its association with immune infiltration, thereby providing insights for the treatment and prognostic evaluation of ccRCC. Methods: Using R software, a differential analysis was conducted on normal samples and ccRCC samples, and in conjunction with the KEGG database, a correlation analysis for the clear cell renal cell carcinoma pathway (hsa05211) was carried out. We observed the expression heterogeneity of TLR4 in the TCGA-KIRC cohort and identified its related differential genes (TRGs). Based on the expression levels of TRGs, consensus clustering was employed to identify TLR4-related subtypes, and further clustering heatmaps, principal component, and single-sample gene set enrichment analyses were conducted. Overlapping differential genes (ODEGs) between subtypes were analysed, and combined with survival data, univariate Cox regression, LASSO, and multivariate Cox regression were used to establish a prognostic risk model for ccRCC. This model was subsequently evaluated through ROC analysis, risk factor correlation analysis, independent prognostic factor analysis, and intergroup differential analysis. The ssGSEA model was employed to explore immune heterogeneity in ccRCC, and the performance of the model in predicting patient prognosis was evaluated using box plots and the oncoPredict software package. Results: In the TCGA-KIRC cohort, TLR4 expression was notably elevated in ccRCC samples compared to normal samples, correlating with improved survival in the high-expression group. The study identified distinct TLR4-related differential genes and categorized ccRCC into three subtypes with varied survival outcomes. A risk prognosis model based on overlapping differential genes was established, showing significant associations with immune cell infiltration and key immune checkpoints (PD-1, PD-L1, CTLA4). Additionally, drug sensitivity differences were observed between risk groups. Conclusion: In the TCGA-KIRC cohort, the expression of TLR4 in ccRCC samples exhibited significant heterogeneity. Through clustering analysis, we identified that the primary immune cells across subtypes are myeloid-derived suppressor cells, central memory CD4 T cells, and regulatory T cells. Furthermore, we successfully constructed a prognostic risk model for ccRCC composed of 17 genes. This model provides valuable references for the prognosis prediction and treatment of ccRCC patients.

Causal relationships between delirium and Parkinson's disease: a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization study.

BACKGROUND: Previous observational studies have suggested a notably elevated prevalence of delirium in individuals diagnosed with Parkinson's disease (PD), thereby implying a potential increased susceptibility to delirium among PD patients. However, it is imperative to acknowledge that observational studies inherently possess limitations, rendering it arduous to establish a definitive causal or reverse causal association between delirium and PD. METHODS: To explore the relationship between delirium and PD, a bidirectional two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) was conducted using summary statistics obtained from genome-wide association studies. The main analysis was performed using the inverse-variance weighted (IVW) method, with further analyses conducted using MR Egger, weighted median, and weighted mode to ensure accuracy of findings. Additionally, Cochran's Q statistics and MR Egger intercept were utilized to assess heterogeneity and horizontal pleiotropy, respectively. RESULTS: According to the results obtained from the IVW model, no compelling evidence was found to support a potential causal association between delirium and PD (IVW: odds ratio [OR]: 0.996, 95% confidence interval CI 0.949-1.043, P = 0.845). Additionally, in the reverse direction, based on the results obtained from the IVW model, no significant evidence was found to support a causal association between PD and delirium (IVW: OR: 1.078, 95%CI 0.960-1.204, P = 0.225). A sensitivity analysis verified the reliability of the results. CONCLUSION: According to the MR findings, a bidirectional causal relationship between delirium and PD is not observed. It is crucial to conduct further research in clinical practice to investigate the association between delirium and the risk of PD.

PSMA7 promotes the malignant proliferation of esophageal cancer.

Background: It is important to explore novel molecules that play a key role in esophageal cancer (ESCA) progression. Methods: Two ESCA tissue expression profile microarrays (GSE92396 and GSE17351) data from GEO were downloaded, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs) were analyzed using GEO2R. The DEGs common to both microarrays were analyzed for protein-protein interactions, KEGG and GO. The altered expression of proteasome 20S subunit α 7 (PSMA7) in ESCA tissues was analyzed using information from publicly available databases (GEO, TCGA, TNMplot). PSMA7 was overexpressed or knocked down in Eca109 and KYSE150 cells using transfection, and the effects on cell proliferation, migration, invasion and apoptosis were examined using CCK-8, Transwell, and flow cytometry experiments. Results: 284 common DEGs were identified, and 10 core proteins, HSP90AA1, AURKA, CDC6, PCNA, MCM5, KAT2B, GRB2, MYBL2, PSMA7, and CKAP5, involved in ESCA progression were identified. PSMA7 mRNA level was significantly increased in ESCA tissues. PSMA7 overexpression significantly promoted the proliferation, migration and invasion of Eca109 and KYSE150 cells, and significantly promoted apoptosis. In contrast, PSMA7 knockdown inhibited their proliferation and motility, and significantly suppressed apoptosis. Conclusion: This study analyzed multiple proteins that may play a key role in ESCA progression, and identified the pro-cancer role of PSMA7.

Decoding the diagnostic potential of T cell repertoires in peripheral blood of patients from amnestic mild cognitive impairment to Alzheimer's disease.

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is currently an incurable neurodegenerative disorder and is the most common etiological cause of dementia. Consequently, it has severe burden on its patients and on their caregivers and represents a global health concern. Clinical investigations have indicated that a dysregulation of peripheral T cell immune homeostasis may be involved in the pathogenesis of AD, as well as in the early stages of AD, characterized by mild cognitive impairment (MCI). However, the characteristics and concomitant feasibility of the use of T-cell receptor (TCR) typing for disease diagnosis remains largely unknown. We employed a high-throughput sequencing and multidimensional bioinformatics analyses for the identification of TCR repertoires present in peripheral blood samples of 10 patients with amnestic MCI (aMCI), 10 patients with AD, and 10 healthy controls (HCs). Based on the characteristics of the TCR repertoires in the amount and diversity of combinations of V-J, the spectrum of immune defense, and differentially expressed genes (DEGs), single and specific TCR profiles were observed in the patient samples of aMCI and AD compared to profiles of HCs. In particular, the diversity of TCR clonotypes manifested a pattern of "decreased first and then increased" pattern during the progression from aMCI to AD, a pattern that was not observed in HC samples. Additionally, a total of 46 and 35 amino acid CDR3 sequences with consistent and reverse expressive abundance with diversity of TCR clonotypes were identified, respectively. Taken together, we provide novel and essential preliminary evidence demonstrating the presence of diversity of T cell repertoires from differentially expressed V-J gene segments and amino acid clonotypes using peripheral blood samples from patients with AD, aMCI, and from HC. Such findings have the potential to reveal potential mechanisms through which aMCI progresses to AD and provide a reference for the future development of immune-related diagnoses and therapies for AD.

The Ability to Use Contextual Information in Object and Scene Recognition in Patients with Mild Cognitive Impairment.

BACKGROUND: The ability to understand and make use of object-scene relationships are critical for object and scene recognition. OBJECTIVE: The current study assessed whether patients with mild cognitive impairment (MCI), possibly in the preclinical phase of Alzheimer's disease, exhibited impairment in processing contextual information in scene and object recognition. METHODS: In Experiment 1, subjects viewed images of foreground objects in either semantic consistent or inconsistent scenes under no time pressure, and they verbally reported the names of foreground objects and backgrounds. Experiment 2 replicated Experiment 1, except that subjects were required to name scene first. Experiment 3 examined object and scene recognition accuracy baselines, recognition difficulty, familiarity with objects/scenes, and object-scene consistency judgements. RESULTS: There were contextual consistency effects on scene recognition for MCI and healthy subjects, regardless of response sequence. Scenes were recognized more accurately under the consistent condition than the inconsistent condition. Additionally, MCI patients were more susceptible to incongruent contextual information, possibly due to inhibitory deficits or over-dependence on semantic knowledge. However, no significant differences between MCI and healthy subjects were observed in consistency judgement, recognition accuracy, recognition difficulty and familiarity rating, suggesting no significant impairment in object and scene knowledge among MCI subjects. CONCLUSIONS: The study indicates that MCI patients retain relatively intact contextual processing ability but may exhibit inhibitory deficits or over-reliance on semantic knowledge.

Toxic encephalopathy and peripheral neuropathy of poisoning by Avermectin Pyridine: a case report and a review of the literature.

Background: Avermectin Pyridaben (AVP) is an insecticide with extreme neurotoxicity in human, causing critical symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, coma and respiratory failure within a short time after oral ingestion. Neurological sequelae or even death may occur because of delayed treatment or excessive toxic dose. Case presentation: We report a 15-year-old girl who presented with coma, respiratory failure, limb weakness, ataxia symptoms after ingestion of a toxic dose of AVP. Soon after the poisoning, the patient was treated with life-saving mechanical ventilation and haemodialysis. Subsequently brain Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) and nerve conduction study (NCS) and electromyography (EMG) demonstrated toxic encephalopathy and peripheral nerve injury. Over the next 2 months the patient's limb function gradually recovered under treatment with hyperbaric oxygen, glucocorticoid pulses and neurotrophic drugs. Conclusion: This case documents a rare presentation of toxic encephalopathy complicated with peripheral neuropathy following AVP poisoning. Seven other similar cases of poisoning in terms of common symptoms and effective treatment have also been summarised for providing clinicians with experience in diagnosis and therapy.

Integrative analysis of HASMCs gene expression profile revealed the role of thrombin in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis.

We explored the effect of thrombin on human aortic smooth muscle cells (HASMCs) and further analyzed its role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis (AS). Thrombin-induced differentially expressed genes (DEGs) in HASMCs were identified by analyzing expression profiles from the GEO. Subsequently, enrichment analysis, GSEA, PPI network, and gene-microRNAs networks were interrogated to identify hub genes and associated pathways. Enrichment analysis results indicated that thrombin causes HASMCs to secrete various pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, exacerbating local inflammatory response in AS. Moreover, we identified 9 HUB genes in the PPI network, which are closely related to the inflammatory response and the promotion of the cell cycle. Additionally, we found that thrombin inhibits lipid metabolism and autophagy of HASMCs, potentially contributing to smooth muscle-derived foam cell formation. Our study deepens a mechanistic understanding of the effect of thrombin on HASMCs and provides new insight into treating AS.

Survival benefit of prophylactic cranial irradiation in limited-stage small-cell lung cancer in modern magnetic resonance imaging staging: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

BACKGROUND: The use of prophylactic cranial irradiation (PCI) in patients suffering from limited-stage small-cell lung cancer (LS-SCLC) remains controversial in modern brain magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) staging. To this end, a systematic review with meta-analysis was hereby performed to investigate the overall survival (OS) in these patients. METHODS: Relevant studies from the PubMed and EMBASE databases were reviewed, and pooled hazard risks were obtained using fixed-effects models. The PRISMA 2020 checklist was used. RESULTS: Fifteen retrospective studies were identified, with a total of 2,797 patients with LS-SCLC included in the analysis, 1,391 of which had received PCI. For all included patients, PCI was associated with improved OS [hazard ratio (HR): 0.64, 95% confidence interval (CI): 0.58-0.70]. The combination of subgroup analysis and sensitivity analysis suggested that the effect of PCI on OS was independent of primary tumor treatment, proportion of complete response (CR), median age, PCI dose, publication years, etc. Additionally, the OS curve of 1,588 patients having undergone thoracic radiotherapy (TRT) as the primary tumor treatment from 8 studies were reconstructed, and the pooled 2-, 3- and 5-year OS rates of limited stage patients were 59% vs. 42%, 42% vs. 29% and 26% vs. 19% (HR: 0.69, 95% CI: 0.61-0.77) in the PCI group and the no PCI group, respectively. Another reconstructed OS curve of 339 patients having undergone radical surgery as the primary tumor treatment from 2 studies presented better results, and the pooled 2-, 3- and 5-year OS rates of in the PCI group and the no PCI group were 85% vs. 71%, 70% vs. 56% and 52% vs. 39% (HR: 0.59, 95% CI: 0.40-0.87), respectively. CONCLUSIONS: This meta-analysis demonstrates a significant beneficial effect of PCI on the OS in patients with LS-SCLC in modern pretreatment MRI staging. However, considering the absence of a strict follow-up of brain MRI recommended by the guideline for the control group from most of the included studies, the superiority of PCI to the treatment strategy of no PCI plus brain MRI surveillance remains unclear.

The complete chloroplast genome sequence of Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross: a medicinal plant.

Persicaria perfoliata (L.) H. Gross is an herbal medicine with a long history of common use in China. In this study, we sequenced and assembled the complete chloroplast genome sequence of P. perfoliata and investigated its phylogenetic relationship in the family Polygonaceae. The total genome size is 160,585 bp in length with 37.96% GC content, consisting of a small single-copy (SSC) of 12,876 bp, a large single-copy (LSC) of 85,439 bp, and two inverted repeats (IRs) of 31,135 bp. The cp genome contains 128 genes, including 35 tRNA genes, eight rRNA genes, and 85 protein-coding genes. The phylogenetic tree showed that P. perfoliata was closely related to P. maackiana, and Persicaria exhibited a closer relationship with Bistorta in the family Polygonaceae. This work provides a molecular basis for investigating the evolutionary status, phylogenetic relationships, and population genetics of this species.

Factors associated with mental health outcomes among caregivers of older adults in long-term care facilities during COVID-19 post-epidemic era in Shandong, China.

Background: COVID-19 pandemic has altered the work mode in long-term care facilities (LTCFs), but little is known about the mental health status of caregivers of older adults. Methods: A total of 672 formal caregivers of older adults in LTCFs and 1,140 formal patient caregivers in hospitals (comparison group) responded to an online survey conducted from March 25, 2022 to April 6, 2022. Five psychological scales, including Insomnia Severity Index (ISI), Generalized Anxiety Disorder-7 (GAD-7), Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), The 5-item World Health Organization Wellbeing Index (WHO-5) and Perceived Stress Scale-14 item (PSS-14), were applied to assess participants' mental health status. Factors, including sex, profession, marital status, economic conditions, length of working experience, frequent night shift beyond 1 day per week and having organic diseases, were included in logistic regression analysis to identify associated factors with mental health outcomes of formal caregivers of older adults in LTCFs. Results: Caregivers of older adults in LTCFs developed similar severe psychological symptoms with patient caregivers in hospital setting. For caregivers of older adults in LTCFs, unmarried status was a potent risk factor for insomnia, anxiety, impaired wellbeing and health risk stress, with odds ratios ranging from 1.91 to 3.64. Frequent night shift beyond 1 day per week was associated with higher risks of insomnia, depression and impaired wellbeing. Likewise, having organic disease or inferior economic condition, and being nurses appeared to be independent predictors for multiple mental health-related outcomes. Conclusion: During COVID-19 post-epidemic era, caregivers of older adults in LTCFs had a higher prevalence of psychological symptoms, especially those with particular risk factors. Special attention should be paid to promote their mental health.

Baicalin Alleviates Thrombin-Induced Inflammation in Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells.

Atherosclerosis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the arterial intima. As AS represents the most common type of vascular disease, it affects millions of individuals and is a source of high morbidity and mortality rates worldwide. Overwhelming evidence indicates that AS-related inflammation is mediated by proinflammatory cytokines, chemokines, adhesion molecules and inflammatory signaling pathways, with each of these factors being shown to play critical roles during the entire progression of AS. While a number of drugs have been approved for use in the treatment of AS, their benefits are modest, which underscores the urgency for the development of new drug therapies. In part, these deficits in effective drugs can be attributable to the lack of a clear understanding of the molecular mechanisms of AS. In this study, we investigate the capacity for thrombin to trigger inflammation and induce cell proliferation in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). We then assessed the effects of baicalin and its potential mechanisms on VSMC inflammation as induced by thrombin. Baicalin, which is a natural bioactive compound of S. baicalensis Georgi (SBG), exerted a protective effect against thrombin-induced VSMC inflammation as resulting from the upregulation of PAR-1. This protection as exerted by baicalin appears to reside in its capacity to produce an inhibitory effect on the thrombin-induced activation of the ERK1/2 pathway. These findings suggest that baicalin may be a promising candidate for the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Carbon-Decorated Na3V2(PO4)3 as Ultralong Lifespan Cathodes for High-Energy-Density Symmetric Sodium-Ion Batteries.

In this work, several carbon-decorated Na3V2(PO4)3 materials (NVP@C-750/800/850) are successfully fabricated using a sol-gel approach and subsequent heat treatment. When NVP@C-800 is used as a cathode, it shows an ultralong cycle life (2000 cycles) at a high rate of 10C, which is superior to the other two electrodes and those of reported NVP@C cathodes in the literature. The excellent results of NVP@C-800 are attributed to its nanostructure and the well-defined conductive carbon layer. The symmetric sodium (Na)-ion battery (SIB) with NVP@C-800 as both a cathode and an anode shows a high capacity at 40 mA g-1 with a voltage plateau of about 1.79 V and energy density of 113 W h kg-1, revealing that NVP@C is of great application prospect.

Elevated plasma levels of exosomal BACE1­AS combined with the volume and thickness of the right entorhinal cortex may serve as a biomarker for the detection of Alzheimer's disease.

Long non-coding RNA (lncRNA) and exosomes are involved in the pathological process of Alzheimer's disease (AD), the pathological changes of which are usually first observed in the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus. The aim of the present study was to determine whether the measurement of plasma exosomal lncRNA combined with image data of the entorhinal cortex and hippocampus could be used as a biomarker of AD. A total of 72 patients with AD and 62 controls were recruited, and the expression levels of several lncRNAs were assessed. Of the recruited participants, 22 patients and 26 controls received brain 3D­BRAVO sequence magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scans, which were analyzed using an automated analysis tool. The plasma exosomal ß­site amyloid precursor protein cleaving enzyme­1­antisense transcript (BACE1­AS) levels in patients with AD were significantly higher compared with the controls (P<0.005). Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis revealed that the area under the curve (AUC) was 0.761 for BACE1­AS, the sensitivity was 87.5%, and the specificity was 61.3%. Analysis of MRI images indicated that the right entorhinal cortex volume (P=0.015) and thickness (P=0.022) in patients with AD were significantly smaller. The AUC was 0.688 for the right entorhinal cortex volume, with a sensitivity of 59.1%, and the specificity was 84.6%. The AUC was 0.689 for right entorhinal cortex thickness, with a sensitivity of 80.8%, and the specificity was 59.1%. A series­parallel test which integrated the BACE1­AS with the right entorhinal cortex volume and thickness, raised the specificity and sensitivity to 96.15 and 90.91%, respectively. A logistic regression model demonstrated that combination of the 3 indices provided improved sensitivity and specificity simultaneously, particularly when adjusting for age and sex (AUC, 0.819; sensitivity, 81%; specificity, 73.1%). The results of the present study demonstrated that detection of plasma exosomal BACE1­AS levels combined with the volume and thickness of the right entorhinal cortex may be used as a novel biomarker of AD.

High-Quality Boron Nitride Nanosheets and Their Bioinspired Thermally Conductive Papers.

Hexagonal boron nitride has displayed increased potential in heat dissipation applications due to its desirable high thermal conductivity and remarkable thermal stability. However, the large-yield and high-quality preparation of boron nitride nanosheets (BNNSs) has been still an enormous challenge. In present work, we developed a universal exfoliation strategy to synthesize few-layer and defect-free BNNSs, which involved the intercalation of hexafluorosilicates/sodium hydroxide into BN crystals followed by exfoliation through a mild stirring process. The yield and concentration of as-obtained BNNS reached up to 78.5% and 12.78 mg/mL, respectively. More importantly, this method has been proven to exfoliate other layered materials like graphene (G), MoS2, and WS2. These as-obtained BNNSs can be directly used for constructing freestanding papers with high thermal conductivities. Typically, the thermal conductivities of the BNNS-G hybrid paper were up to 63.5 W/mK along the in-plane direction and 7.4 W/mK along the through-plane direction. According to the thermal interface materials performance measures, BNNS-G hybrid paper shows great promising applications for heat transfer in integrated circuit packaging.

Baicalin Protects against Thrombin-Induced Cell Injury in Human Umbilical Vein Endothelial Cells.

Thrombin plays a pivotal role in the pathogenesis of atherosclerosis. Baicalin, an active flavonoid compound, was shown to attenuate the development of atherosclerosis, but the mechanism remains elusive. In the present study, the role and mechanism of baicalin in thrombin-induced cell injury was investigated in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVECs). Our results showed that baicalin significantly reduced thrombin-induced apoptosis of HUVECs. Additional experiments showed that baicalin inhibited thrombin-induced NF-κB activation and PAR-1 expression. In addition, baicalin decreased thrombin-induced PAR-1 expression by inhibiting ERK pathway. These results indicated that baicalin has protective effects on thrombin-induced cell injury in HUVECs possibly through inhibition of PAR-1 expression and its downstream NF-κB activation, which was mediated by ERK1/2 activation.

New insight into the aggregation of graphene oxide in synthetic surface water: Carbonate nanoparticle formation on graphene oxide.

Graphene oxide (GO), used in a wide variety of applications, is increasingly being introduced into aquatic environments; this situation calls for research on GO aggregation and sedimentation to regulate the environmental behaviors and risks. Many studies have investigated the aggregation and the mechanism of GO in water with a single background salt (monosalt system); however, this may not reflect real water environments where multiple salts coexist (multisalt system). A typical synthetic surface water (soft water) with representative multisalts was therefore used to study the aggregation and sedimentation of GO. The GO concentration-dependent aggregation (low concentration aggregation, high concentration stability) was observed in the soft water, and this concentration-dependent aggregation is opposite to the aggregation in monosalt systems (NaCl or CaCl2 solutions). The presence of GO sheets induced the formation of amorphous CaMg(CO3)2 nanoparticles on the GO surfaces in the soft water, and the formed nanoparticles promoted the aggregation and sedimentation of low concentrations of GO through bridging action. Neutral and alkaline conditions were favorable for the formation of CaMg(CO3)2 nanoparticles and the induced GO aggregation. These findings show a new mechanism of GO aggregation in environmentally relevant waters and help us to better evaluate the environmental fate of GO.