Facile design and synthesis of a nickel disulfide/zeolitic imidazolate framework-67 composite material with a robust cladding structure for high-efficiency supercapacitors.

In this paper, a core-shell structure nickel disulfide and ZIF-67 composite electrode material (NiS2/ZIF-67) was synthesized by a two-step method. Firstly, spherical NiS2 was synthesized by a hydrothermal method, dispersed in methanol, then reacted and coated by adding cobalt ions and 2-methylimidazole to obtain the NiS2/ZIF-67 core-shell composite. The NiS2/ZIF-67 composite shows a high specific capacitance (1297.9 F g-1 at 1 A g-1) and excellent cycling durability (retaining 110.0% after 4000 cycles at 5 A g-1). Furthermore, the corresponding hybrid supercapacitor (NiS2/ZIF-67//AC HSC) has an energy density of 9.5 W h kg-1 at 411.1 W kg-1 (6 M KOH) and remarkable cycling stability (maintaining 133.3% after 5000 cycles). Its excellent electrochemical performance may be due to the core-shell structure and the synergistic effect between the transition metal sulfide and metal-organic framework. These results indicate that the NiS2/ZIF-67 composite as an electrode material with a core-shell structure has potential application in high-efficiency supercapacitors.

Poly-l-Lysine-Modified Graphene Field-Effect Transistor Biosensors for Ultrasensitive Breast Cancer miRNAs and SARS-CoV-2 RNA Detection.

(Mi)RNAs are important biomarkers for cancers diagnosis and pandemic diseases, which require fast, ultrasensitive, and economical detection strategies to quantitatively detect exact (mi)RNAs expression levels. The novel coronavirus disease (SARS-CoV-2) has been breaking out globally, and RNA detection is the most effective way to identify the SARS-CoV-2 virus. Here, we developed an ultrasensitive poly-l-lysine (PLL)-functionalized graphene field-effect transistor (PGFET) biosensor for breast cancer miRNAs and viral RNA detection. PLL is functionalized on the channel surface of GFET to immobilize DNA probes by the electrostatic force. The results show that PGFET biosensors can achieve a (mi)RNA detection range of five orders with a detection limit of 1 fM and an entire detection time within 20 min using 2 µL of human serum and throat swab samples, which exhibits more than 113% enhancement in terms of sensitivity compared to that of GFET biosensors. The performance enhancement mechanisms of PGFET biosensors were comprehensively studied based on an electrical biosensor theoretical model and experimental results. In addition, the PGFET biosensor was applied for the breast cancer miRNA detection in actual serum samples and SARS-CoV-2 RNA detection in throat swab samples, providing a promising approach for rapid cancer diagnosis and virus screening.

Controllable synthesis of hollow spherical nickel chalcogenide (NiS2 and NiSe2) decorated with graphene for efficient supercapacitor electrodes.

New carbon-loaded nickel chalcogenide electrode materials (NiS2/GO and NiSe2/rGO) have been synthesized through an easy-to-operate process: NiSe2 was obtained based on NiS2 hollow spheres, and was successfully synthesized with l-cysteine assistance under the hydrothermal method at 120 °C. GO of different mass fraction was added together with l-cysteine. The electrochemical performance of NiS2/GO and NiSe2/rGO has been greatly improved because the formation of a carbon-loaded layer effectively increased the specific surface area and reduced the charge transport resistance. Compared with pure NiS2 and NiSe2, NiS2/GO and NiSe2/rGO presented much better specific capacitance (1020 F g-1 and 722 F g-1 respectively at a current density of 1 A g-1) and more superior rate capability (when the current density was raised to 5 A g-1 the specific capacitance remained at 569 F g-1 and 302 F g-1). This work highlights the advantages of nickel compounds through a very simple experimental method, and contributes to providing a good reference for preparation of superior supercapacitor materials with high performance.

[Outcome of acute promyelocytic leukemia with homoharringtonine (HHT) and ATRA].

OBJECTIVE: To assess complete remission (CR), the overall survival (OS), event-free survival (EFS) and adverse events of newly diagnosed acute promyelocytic leukemia (APL) with homoharringtonine (HHT) plus ATRA, to evaluate the therapeutic effect by comparing HHT plus ATRA with daunorubicin plus ATRA as induction regimen (HA with DA as post-remission regimen). METHODS: 115 APL patients (54 in HHT group, 61 in DNR group) after long-term follow-up were enrolled in the analyses of clinical feature, chromosome karyotype, molecular biology, OS and EFS. RESULTS: The overall CR of 115 patients was 100%, the median interval to achieve hematological CR was 32 (22 - 43) days, the overall median OS was within 0.23 - 77.34 months, median EFS was within 0.23 - 77.34 months. 3-year OS rate was 93%, 5-year OS rate 93%, 3-year EFS rate 85% and 5-year RFS rate 75% respectively. Converting to PML-RARα PCR-negative after the induction therapy in the HHT and DNR group was 31.3% and 15.5% respectively, at the end of 1 consolidation course was 68.6% and 77.6% respectively, while the remaining 4 patients tested PML-RARα PCR-negative at the end of 2 consolidation courses in the DNR group. While both groups obtained the identical molecular biology relapse rate (9.8% and 8.6%, respectively). Survival analysis indicated that no significant difference was found on OS and EFS between the HHT group and the DNR group (P = 0.206 and 0.506). 5-year OS rate was 87% for the HHT group while 98% for the DNR group, 5-years EFS rate was 80% for the HHT group while 71% for the DNR group. And the risk group was not the factor affecting OS and EFS (P = 0.615 and 0.416). Grade 2 fever in the HHT group was less than in the DNR group during induction therapy. And no difference was found in terms of liver dysfunction, renal dysfunction, cardiac dysfunction, and hematologic toxicity between two groups. CONCLUSION: Our study demonstrated comparable therapeutic effect of HHT or DNR on APL. HHT was also well tolerated and didn't cause serious adverse events.