Vacuum Evaporation Plating Enabling ≤ 10 µm Ultrathin Lithium Foils for Lithium Metal Batteries.

Lithium (Li) metal is widely recognized as a viable candidate for anode material in future battery technologies due to its exceptional energy density. Nevertheless, the commercial Li foils in common use are too thick (≈100 µm), resulting in a waste of Li resources. Herein, by applying the vacuum evaporation plating technology, the ultra-thin Li foils (VELi) with high purity, strong adhesion, and thickness of less than 10 µm are successfully prepared. The manipulation of evaporation temperature allows for convenient regulation of the thickness of the fabricated Li film. This physical thinning method allows for fast, continuous, and highly accurate mass production. With a current density of 0.5 mA cm-2 for a plating amount of 0.5 mAh cm-2, VELi||VELi cells can stably cycle for 200 h. The maximum utilization of Li is already more than 25%. Furthermore, LiFePO4||VELi full cells present excellent cycling performance at 1 C (1 C = 155 mAh g-1) with a capacity retention rate of 90.56% after 240 cycles. VELi increases the utilization of active Li and significantly reduces the cost of Li usage while ensuring anode cycling and multiplication performance. Vacuum evaporation plating technology provides a feasible strategy for the practical application of ultra-thin Li anodes.

Ninety-day postoperative mortality and complications in continuous and unselected single-stage revisions for chronic periprosthetic joint infection.

PURPOSE: Single-stage revision has gained significant attention as a major surgical approach for periprosthetic joint infection (PJI). However, the 90-day mortality and complication profile of single-stage revision is poorly characterized. The purposes of this study were to determine the incidence rates of and identify the risk factors for 90-day postoperative mortality and complications of single-stage revision for chronic PJI. METHODS: A retrospective review was conducted on patients who underwent single-stage revision for PJI between August 2000 and May 2022. Patient demographics, 90-day mortality, and postoperative complications were recorded. Complications were categorized into systemic and local complications. Patients in this study were further categorized into knee and hip revision groups. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to identify significant independent predictors of the outcome measures. RESULTS: 348 patients (144 knees and 204 hips) were included in this study. The 90-day mortality rate was 0.9%. The incidence rates of postoperative complications in knee and hip surgeries were 31.3% and 19.6%, respectively. The most common complication was deep-vein thrombosis (DVT). Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was the independent predictor of mortality. In the knee revision group, fungal infection was identified as the independent predictor of recurrent PJI; regular alcohol use was predictive of wound dehiscence. Among hip PJI patients, age ≥ 80 years was independently associated with DVT; RA was found to be a predictor of dislocation and wound dehiscence. CONCLUSION: For continuous and unselected patients with chronic PJI, single-stage revision demonstrated a satisfactory 90-day mortality. Nevertheless, the 90-day postoperative complication rates after single-stage revision in both knee and hip groups were relatively high.

Syntaxin 7 modulates seizure activity in epilepsy.

The exact pathogenesis of epilepsy, one of the most common and devastating diseases of the nervous system, is not fully understood. Syntaxin7 (STX7) is a member of the SNARE superfamily, which mediates membrane fusion events in all cells. However, the role STX7 plays in epilepsy remains unclear. Therefore, this study investigates the role of STX7 in epilepsy. Our study found that the expression of STX7 was reduced in the epileptic brain and that overexpression of STX7 decreased the susceptibility to epileptic seizures and alleviated epileptic activity in a kainic acid-induced model and pentylenetetrazole-induced kindling model of epilepsy, whereas the downregulation of STX7 showed opposite effects. Whole-cell patch-clamp recordings showed that STX7 does not affect the intrinsic excitability of neurons, but rather the excitation/inhibition ratio mediated by affecting the release of presynaptic γ-aminobutyric acid neurotransmitters. Transmission electron microscopy results showed that STX7 did not affect the density of inhibitory synapses but could affect the density of inhibitory vesicles. Taken together, these results reveal a previously unknown function of STX7 in epilepsy and suggest that STX7 may serve as a novel target for epilepsy therapy.

MBD5 regulates NMDA receptor expression and seizures by inhibiting Stat1 transcription.

Epilepsy is considered to result from an imbalance between excitation and inhibition of the central nervous system. Pathogenic mutations in the methyl-CpG binding domain protein 5 gene (MBD5) are known to cause epilepsy. However, the function and mechanism of MBD5 in epilepsy remain elusive. Here, we found that MBD5 was mainly localized in the pyramidal cells and granular cells of mouse hippocampus, and its expression was increased in the brain tissues of mouse models of epilepsy. Exogenous overexpression of MBD5 inhibited the transcription of the signal transducer and activator of transcription 1 gene (Stat1), resulting in increased expression of N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) subunit 1 (GluN1), 2A (GluN2A) and 2B (GluN2B), leading to aggravation of the epileptic behaviour phenotype in mice. The epileptic behavioural phenotype was alleviated by overexpression of STAT1 which reduced the expression of NMDARs, and by the NMDAR antagonist memantine. These results indicate that MBD5 accumulation affects seizures through STAT1-mediated inhibition of NMDAR expression in mice. Collectively, our findings suggest that the MBD5-STAT1-NMDAR pathway may be a new pathway that regulates the epileptic behavioural phenotype and may represent a new treatment target.

The hypothalamic steroidogenic pathway mediates susceptibility to inflammation-evoked depression in female mice.

BACKGROUND: Depression is two-to-three times more frequent among women. The hypothalamus, a sexually dimorphic area, has been implicated in the pathophysiology of depression. Neuroinflammation-induced hypothalamic dysfunction underlies behaviors associated with depression. The lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced mouse model of depression has been well-validated in numerous laboratories, including our own, and is widely used to investigate the relationship between neuroinflammation and depression. However, the sex-specific differences in metabolic alterations underlying depression-associated hypothalamic neuroinflammation remain unknown. METHODS: Here, we employed the LPS-induced mouse model of depression to investigate hypothalamic metabolic changes in both male and female mice using a metabolomics approach. Through bioinformatics analysis, we confirmed the molecular pathways and biological processes associated with the identified metabolites. Furthermore, we employed quantitative real-time PCR, enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, western blotting, and pharmacological interventions to further elucidate the underlying mechanisms. RESULTS: A total of 124 and 61 differential metabolites (DMs) were detected in male and female mice with depressive-like behavior, respectively, compared to their respective sex-matched control groups. Moreover, a comparison between female and male model mice identified 37 DMs. We capitalized on biochemical clustering and functional enrichment analyses to define the major metabolic changes in these DMs. More than 55% of the DMs clustered into lipids and lipid-like molecules, and an imbalance in lipids metabolism was presented in the hypothalamus. Furthermore, steroidogenic pathway was confirmed as a potential sex-specific pathway in the hypothalamus of female mice with depression. Pregnenolone, an upstream component of the steroid hormone biosynthesis pathway, was downregulated in female mice with depressive-like phenotypes but not in males and had considerable relevance to depressive-like behaviors in females. Moreover, exogenous pregnenolone infusion reversed depressive-like behaviors in female mice with depression. The 5α-reductase type I (SRD5A1), a steroidogenic hub enzyme involved in pregnenolone metabolism, was increased in the hypothalamus of female mice with depression. Its inhibition increased hypothalamic pregnenolone levels and ameliorated depressive-like behaviors in female mice with depression. CONCLUSIONS: Our study findings demonstrate a marked sexual dimorphism at the metabolic level in depression, particularly in hypothalamic steroidogenic metabolism, identifying a potential sex-specific pathway in female mice with depressive-like behaviors.

Interleukin-11 Is Elevated in Patients with Atrial Fibrillation, Correlates with Serum Fibrosis Markers, and Represents a Therapeutic Target for Atrial Fibrosis.

INTRODUCTION: Inflammatory cytokines are closely associated with developing cardiac fibrosis. This research aimed to explore the significant role of IL-11 in atrial fibrosis progression and potential therapeutic targets. METHODS: 207 AF patients and 160 healthy subjects were included in the case-control study. Blood samples were analyzed for the level of IL-11 by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Angiotensin II (Ang II)-treated fibrosis mouse models were generated, and expression of IL-11 mRNA and protein was detected by RT-qPCR and Western blot. IL-11 antagonist was used to evaluating atrial fibrosis-related markers. RESULTS: The persistent atrial fibrillation patients (n = 76) had significantly larger left atrial size, higher serum levels of hypertrophic protein BNP, proinflammatory cytokine high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP), and interleukin-6 (IL-6) compared to paroxysmal atrial fibrillation patients (n = 131), and healthy subjects (all p < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlation between serum IL-11 and cardiac fibrosis markers BNP (r = 0.394, p < 0.001), CTX-I (r = 0.418, p < 0.001), PICP (r = 0.306, p < 0.001), PIIINP (r = 0.335, p < 0.001), and TGF-ß1 (r = 0.273, p < 0.001). In the fibrosis mouse model, Ang II infusion significantly upregulated IL-11 mRNA and protein expression in the left atrium of mice (p < 0.05), as well as staining intensity of Masson trichrome, the intensity of α-SMA, and it increased mRNA expression of collagen I and III in atrial tissue. IL-11 antagonist treatment significantly attenuated Masson trichrome, number of α-SMA-positive myofibroblasts in atrial tissue. Also, it significantly reduced the p-ERK1/2 in atrial tissue of mice infused with Ang II (p < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: IL-11 is upregulated in the serum of AF patients, and IL-11 inhibitor significantly inhibited Ang II-induced atrial fibrosis, a key pathological feature of AF. Therefore, IL-11 could be a potential therapeutic target for AF.

Bilayer Actuator with Overload Protection on the Basis of Semicrystalline Polyurethane.

Response to external stimuli plays a significant role in the environmental adaptation of living matters and intelligent devices. Most stimulus-response systems in nature can respond to appropriate stimuli, and inhibit the response under excessive stimuli, such as excessive heat or water, which can be called overload protection. However, even though various responsive materials have been developed for different stimuli, most of them are not protective against the overload stimuli. In this work, a bilayer actuator based on semicrystalline polyurethane is designed, which can respond differently to proper stimuli and excessive stimuli, i.e., water. This actuator can bend gradually under the proper stimulation of water, but will straighten and even bend reversely with excessive stimulation. The mechanism behind the reversible and adjustable actuator with overload protection is investigated both experimentally and theoretically, and the competition between dynamic factors and thermodynamic stability in the swelling process is considered the main cause.

Prospective prescription review system correlated with more rational PPI medication use, better clinical outcomes and reduced PPI costs: experience from a retrospective cohort study.

INTRODUCTION: Proton pump inhibitor (PPI) abuse poses an overwhelming threat to the allocation of medical resources and places a heavy burden on global medical expenses. In this study, we put forward our prospective prescription review system and evaluated the effects of this system on clinical outcomes, rational medication use and costs related to PPIs. METHODS: A retrospective cohort study was conducted in which the included patients were divided into a preintervention group (2019.10-2020.09) and a postintervention group (2020.10-2021.09). To reduce the bias of patients' baseline characteristics, the propensity score matching (PSM) method was employed. The primary endpoints were the incidence of stress ulcers (SUs), the improvement and cure rates of gastrointestinal haemorrhage, the defined daily dose (DDD), the drug utilization index (DUI) and the DDD/100 patient-days. The secondary endpoints included the types of unreasonable medication orders for PPIs, the PPI utilization rate and PPI costs. RESULTS: A total of 53,870 patients were included to evaluate the secondary endpoints, and 46,922 patients were paired by PSM and assessed to evaluate the primary endpoints. The number of PPIs used and PPI costs were significantly lower in the postintervention group than in the preintervention group (P < 0.001). The rationality evaluation results showed that the frequency of PPI use and the number of drug interactions were significantly higher in the preintervention group than in the postintervention group (P < 0.01). The proportion of patients taking oral PPIs was significantly increased in the postintervention group (29.30% vs. 34.56%, p < 0.01). For the utilization of PPIs both for prevention and treatment, the DUI and DDD/100 patient-days were substantially decreased in the postintervention group (P < 0.001 and P < 0.05, respectively). The incidence of SUs in the postintervention group was 44.95%, and that in the preintervention group was 51.93% (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: The implementation of the prospective prescription review system on rational PPI use correlated with reduced PPI costs, more rational PPI medication use and better clinical outcomes, and this system is worthy of long-term implementation for further improvement of rational drug use.

[Three-dimensional reconstruction of femur based on Laplace operator and statistical shape model].

Reconstructing three-dimensional (3D) models from two-dimensional (2D) images is necessary for preoperative planning and the customization of joint prostheses. However, the traditional statistical modeling reconstruction shows a low accuracy due to limited 3D characteristics and information loss. In this study, we proposed a new method to reconstruct the 3D models of femoral images by combining a statistical shape model with Laplacian surface deformation, which greatly improved the accuracy of the reconstruction. In this method, a Laplace operator was introduced to represent the 3D model derived from the statistical shape model. By coordinate transformations in the Laplacian system, novel skeletal features were established and the model was accurately aligned with its 2D image. Finally, 50 femoral models were utilized to verify the effectiveness of this method. The results indicated that the precision of the method was improved by 16.8%-25.9% compared with the traditional statistical shape model reconstruction. Therefore, the method we proposed allows a more accurate 3D bone reconstruction, which facilitates the development of personalized prosthesis design, precise positioning, and quick biomechanical analysis.

Long-Cycling All-Solid-State Batteries Achieved by 2D Interface between Prelithiated Aluminum Foil Anode and Sulfide Electrolyte.

All-solid-state batteries (ASSBs) with alloy anodes are expected to achieve high energy density and safety. However, the stability of alloy anodes is largely impeded by their large volume changes during cycling and poor interfacial stability against solid-state electrolytes. Here, a mechanically prelithiation aluminum foil (MP-Al-H) is used as an anode to construct high-performance ASSBs with sulfide electrolyte. The dense Li-Al layer of the MP-Al-H foil acts as a prelithiated anode and forms a 2D interface with sulfide electrolyte, while the unlithiated Al layer acts as a tightly bound current collector and ensures the structural integrity of the electrode. Remarkably, the MP-Al-H anode exhibits superior lithium conduction kinetics and stable interfacial compatibility with Li6 PS5 Cl (LPSCl) and Li10 GeP2 S12 electrolytes. Consequently, the symmetrical cells using LPSCl electrolyte can work at a high current density of 7.5 mA cm-2 and endure for over 1500 h at 1 mA cm-2 . Notably, ≈100% capacity is retained for the MP-Al-H||LPSCl||LiCoO2 full cell with high area loadings of 18 mg cm-2 after 300 cycles. This work offers a pathway to improve the interfacial and performance issues for the application of ASSBs.

CircTMOD3 promotes lipopolysaccharide-induced chondrocyte apoptosis in osteoarthritis by sponging miR-27a.

INTRODUCTION: The progression of osteoarthritis (OA) requires the involvement of lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammation, in which circTMOD3 plays an important role. We predicted that circTMOD3 could interact with miR-27a to inhibit LPS-induced chondrocyte apoptosis and explored the interaction between circTMOD3 and miR-27a in OA. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Total RNAs were isolated from cartilage tissue samples from both OA patients (n = 62) and controls (n = 62) and subjected to RT-qPCRs to determine circTMOD3 and miR-27a (mature and premature) expression. Subcellular location of circTMOD3 and its interaction with premature miR-27a were analyzed using subcellular fractionation assay and RNA-RNA pulldown assay, respectively. CircTMOD3 was overexpressed in chondrocytes to study its role in miR-27a maturation. The roles of circTMOD3 and miR-27a in LPS-induced chondrocyte apoptosis were analyzed using cell apoptosis assay. RESULTS: CircTMOD3 and premature miR-27a levels were increased while mature miR-27a level was decreased in OA. CircTMOD3 was located in both nuclear and cytoplasm fractions of chondrocytes. CircTMOD3 directly interacted with premature miR-27a and promoted LPS-induced chondrocyte apoptosis, while miR-27a inhibited LPS-induced chondrocyte apoptosis. Moreover, circTMOD3 overexpression suppressed miR-27a maturation and reduced the inhibitory effects of miR-27a on LPS-induced chondrocyte apoptosis. CONCLUSION: CircTMOD3 suppresses miR-27a maturation in OA to promote chondrocyte apoptosis induced by LPS.

The application of magnetic anchoring traction device in assisting donor liver bench surgery in classic orthotopic liver transplantation.

OBJECTIVE: To explore the clinical application of a newly developed magnetic anchoring traction (MAT) system in the liver bench trimming and transplantation surgery. BACKGROUND: The conventionally limited space, vision, and exposure have always been a challenge for the quality of surgery in the liver bench trimming due to the fact that the exposure depends largely on the experience of surgeon. To deal with this problem, a MAT system is developed as an alternative support to enhance exposure. The preliminarily experiments on animals verified its feasibility and reliability in the practical use, and its clinical application and effects were examined in the present research. METHODS: A total of 20 DCD (donation of cardiac death) donor livers were collected and divided evenly between the magnetic anchor traction (MAT) assisted group (n = 10) and the manual assisted group (n = 10). The results and quality assessment from experts about the liver bench surgery performed by two groups were examined and compared. RESULTS: The MAT system can be employed effectively to compete and replace the manual assistance to achieve a better exposure in the liver bench trimming. No statistical difference was found regarding the baseline data between the MAT and the manual groups. In the inferior vena cava and hepatic artery trimming, the MAT group outperformed the manual group remarkably in many aspects. The surgery time for liver bench shortened considerably after a quick grasp of MAT skills by surgeons. CONCLUSION: The MAT system provides a more stable, reliable and qualified local exposure in the liver bench surgery, and can preferably be employed to replace the manual assistance in the procedures of liver transplantation.

Elucidating the cation hydration ratio in water-in-salt electrolytes for carbon-based supercapacitors.

The solvation of cations is one of the important factors that determine the properties of electrolytes. Rational solvation structures can effectively improve the performance of various electrochemical energy storage devices. Water-in-Salt (WIS) electrolytes with a wide electrochemically stable potential window (ESW) have been proposed to realize high cell potential aqueous electrochemical energy storage devices relying on the special solvation structures of cations. The ratio of H2O molecules participating in the primary solvation structure of a cation (a cation hydration ratio) is the key factor for the kinetics and thermodynamics of the WIS electrolytes under an electric field. Here, acetates with different cations were used to prepare WIS electrolytes. And, the effect of different cation hydration ratios on the properties of WIS electrolytes was investigated. Various WIS electrolytes exhibited different physicochemical properties, including the saturated concentration, conductivity, viscosity, pH values and ESW. The WIS electrolytes with a low cation hydration ratio (<100%, an NH4-based WIS electrolyte) or a high cation hydration ratio (>100%, a K-based WIS electrolyte and a Cs-based WIS electrolyte) exhibit more outstanding conductivity or a wide ESW, respectively. SCs constructed from active carbon (AC) and these WIS electrolytes exhibited distinctive electrochemical properties. A SC with an NH4-based WIS electrolyte was characterized by higher capacity and better rate capability. SCs with a K-based WIS electrolyte and a Cs-based WIS electrolyte were characterized by a wider operating cell potential, higher energy density and better ability to suppress self-discharge and gas production. These results show that a WIS electrolyte with a low cation hydration ratio or a high cation hydration ratio is suitable for the construction of power-type or energy-type aqueous SCs, respectively. This understanding provides the foundation for the development of novel WIS electrolytes for the application of SCs.

Clinical analysis of 103 cases of tuberculous meningitis complicated with hyponatremia in adults.

OBJECTIVE: Tuberculous meningitis (TBM) is a common infection of the central nervous system. TBM with hyponatremia is very common. If hyponatremia is not treated properly, it might affect the outcome of TBM patients. METHODS: We included 226 patients diagnosed with TBM who were admitted from August 2010 to August 2015 and retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of patients with and without hyponatremia. RESULTS: In total, 45.6% (103/226) patients had hyponatremia and 54.4% (123/226) patients did not have hyponatremia. Serum sodium and severity of TBM were independent prediction factors of poor outcomes in TBM. The prognosis of patients with hyponatremia was worse than that of patients without hyponatremia. The mortality was 3.9% (4/103) in the hyponatremia group, while 0% (0/123) in the non-hyponatremia group. The degree of hyponatremia was related to imaging, cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) cell count and protein, severity of TBM, time to correct hyponatremia, and prognosis. We analyzed the causes of hyponatremia and found syndrome of inappropriate secretion of antidiuretic hormone (SIADH) was the most common cause (77.7%, 80/103), followed by cerebral salt wasting (CSW) (17.5%, 18/103). Comparing SIADH and CSW, there was a significant difference in mean blood pressure, albumin, and hematocrit, and no significant difference in demographic characteristics, imaging, CSF cell count and protein, severity, occurrence and correction time of hyponatremia, or prognosis. CONCLUSION: TBM with hyponatremia was dominated by moderate hyponatremia, which often manifested as SIADH. The more severe hyponatremia was, the longer the correction time of hyponatremia, which will affect the prognosis of TBM patients.

Effective Treatment of Single-Stage Revision Using Intra-Articular Antibiotic Infusion for Polymicrobial Periprosthetic Joint Infection.

BACKGROUND: The treatment of polymicrobial periprosthetic joint infection (PJI) confronted distinct challenges. No reports have assessed the efficacy of local antibiotic delivery combined with 1-stage exchange in polymicrobial PJI. METHODS: Between January 2013 and December 2018, we retrospectively analyzed the data of 126 patients, including 19 polymicrobial PJIs and 107 monomicrobial PJIs, who underwent single-stage revision using intra-articular antibiotic infusion. The risk factors, microbiology, infection control rate, and clinical outcomes were compared between the 2 groups. RESULTS: Higher body mass index, presence of a sinus tract, and prior revisions were the risk factors for polymicrobial PJI. Isolation of Staphylococcus epidermidis, Streptococcus, Enterococcus, and Gram-negative pathogens was highly associated with polymicrobial PJI. Of the 19 polymicrobial PJIs, only 2 patients occurred infection recurrence, which is similar with the result of 6 of 107 patients in the monomicrobial PJI (P = .225). The Harris Hip Score of the polymicrobial group showed no difference from that of the monomicrobial group (78 vs 80; P = .181). Nevertheless, the polymicrobial group exhibited inferior Hospital for Special Surgery knee score relative to the monomicrobial group (77 vs 79; P = .017). CONCLUSION: With rational and targeted use of antibiotics, single-stage revision can effectively control polymicrobial infections, and achieve favorable outcomes similar to that in monomicrobial patients. However, this regimen is still needed to be further confirmed, especially in the infections with different microbial species simultaneously. Additionally, obese patients with a sinus tract and those who had prior revisions had a greater risk of polymicrobial PJI.

Development and identification of an elite wheat-Hordeum californicum T6HcS/6BL translocation line ND646 containing several desirable traits.

Hordeum californicum (H. californicum, 2n=2X=14, HcHc), one of the wild relatives of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), harbors many desirable genes and is a potential genetic resource for wheat improvement. In this study, an elite line ND646 was selected from a BC4F5 population, which was developed using 60Co-γ irradiated wheat-H. californicum disomic addition line WJ28-1 (DA6Hc) as the donor parent and Ningchun 4 as the recurrent parent. ND646 was identified as a novel wheat-H. californicum 6HcS/6BL translocation line using genomic in situ hybridization (GISH), fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH), and H. californicum-specific expressed sequence tag (EST) markers. Further evaluation revealed that ND646 had excellent performance in several traits, such as a higher sedimentation value (SV), higher water absorption rate (WAR), and higher hardness index (HI). More importantly, it had more kernels per spike (KPS), a higher grain yields (GY), and good resistance to powdery mildew, leaf rust, and 2,4-D butylate (2,4-D). Its excellent phenotypic performance laid the foundation for further investigation of its genetic architecture and makes ND646 a useful germplasm resource for wheat breeding.

[Network Meta-analysis of Chinese medicine injections in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis].

This study aims to systematically evaluate the efficacy and safety of Chinese medicine injections in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Specifically, randomized controlled trial(RCT) in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with Chinese medicine injections was retrieved from PubMed, EMbase, Cochrane Library, Web of Science, Wanfang, CNKI, VIP, and SinoMed(from inception to February 16, 2022). RevMan 5.3 and Stata 15.0 were employed for data analysis. Finally, 53 RCTs, involving 4 280 patients were included. The experimental groups involved the following injections: including Danshen Chuanxiongqin Injection, Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection, Danhong Injection, Dengzhan Xixin Injection, Gugua Extract Injection, Honghua Injection, Lugua Polypeptide Injection, Lugua Polypeptide Injection + Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection, Shuxuetong Injection, Zhengqing Fengtongning Injection, Compound Danshen Injection, and Xuebijing Injection. The network Meta-analysis showcased the following trends.(1) As for improving total clinical effective rate, the surface under the cumulative ranking curve(SUCRA) followed the order of conventional treatment of western medicine combined with Xuebijing Injection > combined with Gugua Extract Injection > combined with Compound Danshen Injection > combined with Danshen Chuanxiongqin Injection > combined with Honghua Injection > combined with Zhengqing Fengtongning Injection > combined with Danhong Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection > combined with Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Dengzhan Xixin Injection.(2) As for improving erythrocyte sedimentation rate(ESR), SUCRA followed the order of conventional treatment of western medicine combined with Xuebijing Injection > combined with Shuxuetong Injection > combined with Honghua Injection > combined with Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Gugua Extract Injection > combined with Danhong Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection > combined with Dengzhan Xixin Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection + Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Danshen Chuanxiongqin Injection > combined with Zhengqing Fengtongning Injection.(3) As for improving rheumatoid factor(RF), SUCRA followed the order of conventional treatment of western medicine combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection > combined with Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection + Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Gugua Extract Injection > combined with Danshen Chuanxiongqin Injection > combined with Zhengqing Fengtongning Injection > combined with Danhong Injection > combined with Dengzhan Xixin Injection.(4) As for improving C-reactive protein(CRP), SUCRA followed the order of conventional treatment of western medicine combined with Xuebijing Injection > combined with Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection + Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Honghua Injection > combined with Danshen Chuanxiongqin Injection > combined with Dengzhan Xixin Injection > combined with Gugua Extract Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection > combined with Zhengqing Fengtongning Injection > combined with Danhong Injection.(5) As for alleviating morning stiffness, SUCRA followed the order of conventional treatment of western medicine combined with Shuxuetong Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection > combined with Dengzhan Xixin Injection > combined with Xuebijing Injection > combined with Gugua Extract Injection > combined with Zhengqing Fengtongning Injection > combined with Danhong Injection > combined with Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Honghua Injection.(6) As for improving disease activity score(DAS28), SUCRA followed the order of conventional treatment of western medicine combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection + Tanshinone Ⅱ_A Sodium Sulfonate Injection > combined with Lugua Polypeptide Injection > combined with Zhengqing Fengtongning Injection > combined with Honghua Injection > combined with Gugua Extract Injection > combined with Dengzhan Xixin Injection. The experimental groups had lower incidence of adverse reactions than the control group. The results of network Meta-analysis suggest that on the combination of conventional treatment of western medicine with Chinese medicine injections can improve the efficacy on rheumatoid arthritis. However, in view of the great differences in the quality and number of studies included for different therapies, the SUCRA of Chinese medicine injections need to be further verified with high-quality multi-center, large-sample, randomized double-blind trials.

Siloxane-Based Organosilicon Materials in Electrochemical Energy Storage Devices.

Siloxane-based molecular material, by virtue of its unique chemical structure, thermal and electrochemical properties, has triggered tremendous research interest and sparked a revolution for energy storage in the past years. Siloxanes and their analogues are generally demonstrated to be more environmentally friendly, durable, and safer when employed to reconstruct the nano-micro surface structure of electrodes, separators, and their interfaces with electrolytes. To better understand the recent and comprehensive achievement of siloxane-based materials in energy storage, a systematic summary is necessary to provide important clues, aiming at achieving better electrochemical properties. In this Minireview, siloxane materials are presented comprehensively and systematically in terms of molecule design, functionality, and unique superiority for lithium-ion batteries and supercapacitors. The challenges, perspectives, and future directions of siloxane-based organosilicon materials are put forward for higher performance and wider application in electrochemical energy storage devices.

Serosa-Mimetic Nanoarchitecture Membranes for Highly Efficient Osmotic Energy Generation.

Osmotic energy stored between seawater and freshwater is a clean and renewable energy source. However, developing high-efficiency and durable permselective membranes for harvesting osmotic energy remains a longstanding bottleneck. Herein, we report that a nanocomposite membrane with a biological serosa-mimetic structure can achieve high-performance osmotic energy generation through the coupling of two-dimensional (2D) sulfonated covalent organic framework (COF) nanosheets and anion-grafted aramid nanofibers (ANFs). As verified by theoretical calculations and experimental investigations, the 2D COF nanosheets not only provide abundant one-dimensional (1D)/2D nanofluidic channels to synergistically benefit an ultrafast ion migration but also enable high cation permselectivity via the covalently tethered anions. The grafted ANFs increase the mechanical strength of the membrane and further improve the ion diffusion/rectification. When it was applied in an osmotic power generator, the biomimetic membrane delivered a power density of 9.6 W m-2, far surpassing the commercial benchmark of 5.0 W m-2. This work could boost the viability of osmotic energy conversion toward a sustainable future.

Three Birds with One Stone: Preventive Protection of Paper Materials by ZnO-PHMB and UV-531 Composite Systems.

As the most frequently used archival materials for painting and recording, paper lays the groundwork for the development of prosperous human civilization. However, its susceptibility to three primary factors including external ultraviolet light, increased acidity, and biological pathogens in long-term storage shortens the longevity of paper. Therefore, the protection of paper-based cultural relics is extremely urgent. Inspired by the three adverse factors affecting the protection of cultural relics, we herein propose to combine the ultraviolet absorber 2-hydroxy-4-(octyloxy)benzophenone (UV-531) and alkaline zinc oxide (ZnO) nanoparticles innovatively into the antibacterial agent polyhexamethylene biguanidine hydrochloride (PHMB) to realize the strategy of three birds with one stone for relics protection. This study illustrates that the tensile strength and the folding endurance of different test papers are guaranteed by coating them with the composite reagents, and molds including Mucor, Trichoderma, and Aspergillus niger are effectually sterilized. In addition, a hand-painted Chinese ink-wash painting with beautiful flowers is chosen as the object for simulating cultural relics protection, and negligible color fading is observed in aging experiments. From the perspective of effectiveness, simplicity, and economy, this strategy sheds light on preservative protection of paper-based relics in long-term storage.