Thermal modulation of surface-enhanced Raman scattering and plasmon-induced catalysis in Ag nanoparticle/ZnO microrod composites.

The surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) performance and photocatalytic degradation of dye molecules absorbed on Ag nanoparticle-decorated ZnO microrods are investigated at 20 and 50 °C. The role of temperature in the mechanism is elucidated. This work provides insight into the optimization of temperature-dependent plasmon-induced catalysis using similar materials.

Xylarkarynone A and B: Two Bioactive Eremophilane Sesquiterpenes from Xylaria sp. HHY-2.

A new compound xylarkarynone A (1), a first reported natural product compound xylarkarynone B (2) and eight known compounds (3-10) were isolated from Xylaria sp. HHY-2. Their structures were elucidated by spectroscopic methods, DP4+ probability analyses and electronic circular dichroism (ECD) calculations. The bioactivities of isolated compounds were assayed. Compound 1 exhibited obvious activity against A549 cells with an IC50 value of 6.12±0.28 µM. Additionally, compound 1 showed moderate antifungal activities against Plectosphaerella cucumerina and Aspergillus niger with minimum inhibitory concentrations (MICs) of both 16 µg/mL, which was at the same grade with positive control nystatin. Most compounds exhibited varying degrees of inhibitory activity against P. cucumerina, indicating that Xylaria sp. has potential as inhibitors against P. cucumerina.

The Effect of Unintended Facet Arthrodesis on the Treatment Outcome of Dynamic Neutralization System for Lumbar Degenerative Diseases.

Purpose: This study aimed to examine the influence of unintended facet arthrodesis on the therapeutic effectiveness of the dynamic neutralization system (Dynesys). Methods: This retrospective study enrolled consecutive patients who underwent posterior decompression and dynamic stabilization for lumbar spondylosis or spinal stenosis. Follow-up assessments included lumbar radiography, lumbar vertebral computerized tomography (CT), visual analog scale (VAS), and Oswestry disability index (ODI). Patients were classified into the facet fusion and non-fusion groups. The differences in the VAS scores for back pain and leg pain, ODI, intervertebral range of motion (ROM) at the surgical segments, and upper adjacent segments were assessed before and after treatment. Results: A total of 49 patients (29 males and 20 females) aged 31-65 years were enrolled and followed-up for over 40 months. Among the patients, 16 (32.7%) experienced unintended facet arthrodesis and were assigned to the fusion group, whereas the remaining patients were assigned to the non-fusion group. There was a significant increase in the incidence of facet arthrodesis in the surgical segments over time post-surgery (χ2 = 6.2, p < 0.05). The ROM of the surgical and upper adjacent segments, VAS scores for back pain and leg pain, and ODI were all significantly different before and after the operation (p < 0.05), but not between the fusion and non-fusion groups (p > 0.05). Conclusion: Although unintended facet arthrodesis is common after Dynesys procedure, the presence of facet arthrodesis does not significantly affect the efficacy of Dynesys in treating lumbar degenerative diseases.

Investigation of non-line-of-sight underwater optical wireless communications with wavy surface.

Underwater optical wireless communication (UOWC) systems have been widely researched to achieve high-speed and secure wireless communications. The non-line-of-sight (NLOS) UOWC system that uses the water surface to reflect signal light is widely studied to overcome the line-of-sight (LOS) channel limitation, particularly the channel blockage issue by marine biology or complex underwater topography. However, most previous NLOS UOWC studies have assumed a flat water surface or a general sine or cosine surface wave model for simplicity, leading to inaccurate performance estimations. In this paper, we build a theoretical NLOS UOWC framework with the Pierson wave model which considers both spatial correlation and time relativity information of wave incorporating wind speed, and investigate the signal-noise-ratio (SNR) and bit-error-rate (BER) performance. Results show that compared with the previous flat surface, the wavy surface can reduce the probability of achieving a satisfying signal level by up to 70%, affecting the performance of NLOS UOWC systems. Furthermore, we investigate the multiple-input-multiple-output (MIMO)-based NLOS UOWC under wavy surfaces. Results show that the MIMO principle can reduce the impact of the wavy surface, where the probability of achieving a satisfying signal level can be increased by up to 50% using the 2 × 4 MIMO configuration. However, results also show that further increasing the number of receivers may not further improve the system performance. The proposed model enables more accurate design and analysis of NLOS UOWC systems by accounting for the overlooked impact of wavy surfaces.

Building a Flexible and Highly Ionic Conductive Solid Electrolyte Interphase on the Surface of Si@C Anodes by Binary Electrolyte Additives.

Si@C as a high specific capacity anode material for lithium batteries (LIBs) has attracted a lot of attention. However, the severe volume change during lithium de-embedding causes repeated rupture/reconstruction of the solid electrolyte interphase (SEI), resulting in poor cycling stability of the Si-based battery system and thus hindering its application in commercial batteries. Using electrolyte additives to form an excellent SEI is considered to be a cost-effective method to meet this challenge. Here, the classical film-forming additive vinyl carbonate (VC), and the newly emerging lithium salt additive lithium difluorophosphate (LiDFP), are chosen as synergistic additives to improve the electrode-electrolyte interface properties. Final results show that the VC additive generates flexible polycarbonate components at the electrode/electrolyte interface, preventing the fragmentation of Si particles. However, the organic components show high impedance, inhibiting the fast transport of Li+. This defect can be supplemented from the decomposition substances of the LiDFP additive. The derived inorganic products, such as LiF and Li3PO4, can strengthen the reaction kinetics of the electrode, reduce the interfacial impedance, and promote the Li+ transport. Thus, the synergistic effect of VC and LiDFP additives builds an effective SEI with good flexibility and high ionic conductivity and then significantly improves the cycling and rate stability of Si@C anodes. The experimental results show that the utilization of LiDFP and VC additives to modify the Si@C anode interface enhances the capacity retention of the Si@C/Li half-cell after 100 cycles from 68.2% to 85.1%. Besides, the possible mechanism of action between VC and LiDFP is proposed by using the spectral characterization technique and density functional theory (DFT) calculations. This research opens up a new possibility for improvement of SEI, and provides a simple way to achieve high-performance Si-based LIBs.

Segmental and transmural motion of the rat myocardium estimated using quantitative ultrasound with new strategies for infarct detection.

Introduction: The estimation of myocardial motion abnormalities has great potential for the early diagnosis of myocardial infarction (MI). This study aims to quantitatively analyze the segmental and transmural myocardial motion in MI rats by incorporating two novel strategies of algorithm parameter optimization and transmural motion index (TMI) calculation. Methods: Twenty-one rats were randomly divided into three groups (n = 7 per group): sham, MI, and ischemia-reperfusion (IR) groups. Ultrasound radio-frequency (RF) signals were acquired from each rat heart at 1 day and 28 days after animal model establishment; thus, a total of six datasets were represented as Sham1, Sham28, MI1, MI28, IR1, and IR28. The systolic cumulative displacement was calculated using our previously proposed vectorized normalized cross-correlation (VNCC) method. A semiautomatic regional and layer-specific myocardium segmentation framework was proposed for transmural and segmental myocardial motion estimation. Two novel strategies were proposed: the displacement-compensated cross-correlation coefficient (DCCCC) for algorithm parameter optimization and the transmural motion index (TMI) for quantitative estimation of the cross-wall transmural motion gradient. Results: The results showed that an overlap value of 80% used in VNCC guaranteed a more accurate displacement calculation. Compared to the Sham1 group, the systolic myocardial motion reductions were significantly detected (p < 0.05) in the middle anteroseptal (M-ANT-SEP), basal anteroseptal (B-ANT-SEP), apical lateral (A-LAT), middle inferolateral (M-INF-LAT), and basal inferolateral (B-INF-LAT) walls as well as a significant TMI drop (p < 0.05) in the M-ANT-SEP wall in the MI1 rats; significant motion reductions (p < 0.05) were also detected in the B-ANT-SEP and A-LAT walls in the IR1 group. The motion improvements (p < 0.05) were detected in the M-INF-LAT wall in the MI28 group and the apical septal (A-SEP) wall in the IR28 group compared to the MI1 and IR1 groups, respectively. Discussion: Our results show that the MI-induced reductions and reperfusion-induced recovery in systolic myocardial contractility could be successfully evaluated using our method, and most post-MI myocardial segments could recover systolic function to various extents in the remodeling phase. In conclusion, the ultrasound-based quantitative estimation framework for estimating segmental and transmural motion of the myocardium proposed in our study has great potential for non-invasive, novel, and early MI detection.

The enhancement of mechanical properties and uniform degradation of electrodeposited Fe-Zn alloys by multilayered design for biodegradable stent applications.

Pure Fe is a potential biodegradable stent material due to its better biocompatibility and mechanical properties, but its degradation rate needs to be improved. Alloying with Zn to form Fe-Zn alloy is anticipated to meet the degradation rate requirements while retaining the iron's inherent properties. Therefore, Fe-Zn alloys with monolayered and multilayered structures were prepared by electrodeposition. The alloys' composition, microstructure, mechanical properties, in vitro degradation and biocompatibility were assessed. Results showed that the Zn content ranged from 2.1 wt% to 11.6 wt%. After annealing at 450°C, all the alloys consisted of α(Fe) solid solution and Zn-rich B2 ordered coherent phase, except for the alloy with 11.6 wt% Zn content, in which a Fe3Zn10 phase appeared. The layered structure consisted of alternating columnar-grain and nano-grain layers, which compensated for the intrinsic brittleness of electrodeposited metals and improved the galvanic effect of the alloy, thus increasing the strength and plasticity and changing the corrosion from localized to uniform while augmenting the corrosion rate. The yield strength of the multilayered alloy exceeded 350 MPa, its elongation was more than 20%, and its corrosion rate obtained by immersion test in Hank's solution reached 0.367 mm·y-1. Fe-Zn alloys with lower Zn content had good cytocompatibility with the human umbilical vein endothelial cells and good blood compatibility. The above results verified that the multilayered Fe-Zn alloy prepared by electrodeposition presented enhanced mechanical properties, higher degradation rate, uniform degradation mechanism and good biocompatibility. It should be qualified for the application of biodegradable stents. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: A potential biodegradable Fe-Zn alloy, which is difficult to be obtained by the metallurgical method, was prepared by electrodeposition to solve the low degradation rate of iron-based biomaterials. A multilayered microstructure design composed of alternating columnar-grain and nano-grain layers was achieved by changing the electrical parameters. The layered design compensated for the intrinsic poor plasticity of electrodeposited metals. It increased the galvanic effect of the alloy, thus augmenting the corrosion rate and changing the corrosion mode of the alloy from localized to uniform corrosion. The yield strength of multilayered alloy exceeded 350 MPa; its elongation was more than 20%. Moreover, the layered alloy had good cytocompatibility and blood compatibility. It indicates that the alloy is qualified for biodegradable stent application.

A whirlpool of emotion: How entrepreneurs' empathy affects employees' emotional exhaustion.

Drawing upon upper echelons and self-determination theories, we hypothesize and test a mediating process linking entrepreneurs' empathy to employees' emotional exhaustion and the moderating role of psychological empowerment. Based on a dyadic-survey study of entrepreneurs and their employees in high-tech new ventures in China, we conducted the empirical test by using hierarchical linear modeling (HLM) and found that entrepreneurs' empathy has a negative effect on employees' emotional exhaustion, and psychological empowerment not only partially mediates the relationship between entrepreneurs' empathy and employees' emotional exhaustion but also positively moderates the above relationship. This study frames an integrative perspective of emotions and psychologies and sheds a nuanced understanding of the mechanisms linking empathy with emotional exhaustion. Limitations and future directions are addressed.

Effect of distributed Bragg reflectors on photoluminescence properties of CH3NH3PbI3 film.

The nanoporous (NP) GaN distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) was prepared by using electrochemical etching. Then the NP-GaN DBR was pretreated by using ozone treatment. Atomic force microscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) were used to investigate the influence of ozone treatment on the structure of the substrates. The hybrid organic-inorganic CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite films were grown on the NP-GaN DBR and reference substrates by using a one-step solution method. The XRD and field emission scanning electron microscopy test results indicate the high quality of the prepared CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite films. The photoluminescence intensity of the prepared CH3NH3PbI3 perovskite film on the NP-GaN DBR substrate is ~ 3.5 times higher than that of the film on the reference substrate, with a 3.6 nm spectral blue-shift. The enhancement should be contributable to amplify spontaneous emission by resonant cavity, while the blue-shift could be contributable to stoichiometric difference of the films on different substrates.

Ultrasound high-definition microvasculature imaging with novel quantitative biomarkers improves breast cancer detection accuracy.

OBJECTIVES: To overcome the limitations of power Doppler in imaging angiogenesis, we sought to develop and investigate new quantitative biomarkers of a contrast-free ultrasound microvasculature imaging technique for differentiation of benign from malignant pathologies of breast lesion. METHODS: In this prospective study, a new high-definition microvasculature imaging (HDMI) was tested on 521 patients with 527 ultrasound-identified suspicious breast masses indicated for biopsy. Four new morphological features of tumor microvessels, microvessel fractal dimension (mvFD), Murray's deviation (MD), bifurcation angle (BA), and spatial vascularity pattern (SVP) as well as initial biomarkers were extracted and analyzed, and the results correlated with pathology. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to study the performance of different prediction models, initial biomarkers, new biomarkers, and combined new and initial biomarkers in differentiating benign from malignant lesions. RESULTS: The new HDMI biomarkers, mvFD, BA, MD, and SVP, were statistically significantly different in malignant and benign lesions, regardless of tumor size. Sensitivity and specificity of the new biomarkers in lesions > 20 mm were 95.6% and 100%, respectively. Combining the new and initial biomarkers together showed an AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 97% (95% CI: 95-98%), 93.8%, and 89.2%, respectively, for all lesions regardless of mass size. The classification was further improved by adding the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System (BI-RADS) score to the prediction model, showing an AUC, sensitivity, and specificity of 97% (95% CI: 95-98%), 93.8%, and 89.2%, respectively. CONCLUSION: The addition of new quantitative HDMI biomarkers significantly improved the accuracy in breast lesion characterization when used as a complementary imaging tool to the conventional ultrasound. KEY POINTS: • Novel quantitative biomarkers extracted from tumor microvessel images increase the sensitivity and specificity in discriminating malignant from benign breast masses. • New HDMI biomarkers Murray's deviation, bifurcation angles, microvessel fractal dimension, and spatial vascularity pattern outperformed the initial biomarkers. • The addition of BI-RADS scores based on US descriptors to the multivariable analysis using all biomarkers remarkably increased the sensitivity, specificity, and AUC in all size groups.

Soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitor can protect the femoral head against tobacco smoke exposure-induced osteonecrosis in spontaneously hypertensive rats.

Exposure to tobacco smoke (TS) has been considered a risk factor for osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH). Soluble epoxide hydrolase inhibitors (sEHIs) have been found to reduce inflammation and oxidative stress in a variety of pathologies. This study was designed to assess the effect of sEHI on the development of ONFH phenotypes induced by TS exposure in spontaneously hypertensive (SH) rats. SH and normotensive Wistar Kyoto (WKY) rats were exposed to filtered air (FA) or TS (80 mg/m3 particulate concentration) 6 h/day, 3 days/week for 8 weeks. During this period, sEHI was delivered through drinking water at a concentration of 6 mg/L. Histology, immunohistochemistry, and micro-CT morphometry were performed for phenotypic evaluation. As results, TS exposure induced significant increases in adipocyte area, bone specific surface (BS/BV), and trabecular separation (Tb.SP), as well as significant decreases in bone mineral density (BMD), percent trabecular area (Tb.Ar), HIF-1a expression, bone volume fraction (BV/TV), trabecular numbers (Tb.N), and trabecular thickness (Tb.Th) in both SH and WKY rats. However, the protective effects of sEHI were mainly observed in TS-exposed SH rats, specifically in the density of osteocytes, BMD, Tb.Ar, HIF-1a expression, BV/TV, BS/BV, Tb.N, and Tb.SP. Our study confirms that TS exposure can induce ONFH especially in SH rats, and suggests that sEHI therapy may protect against TS exposure-induced osteonecrotic changes in the femoral head.

Comparing deep learning-based automatic segmentation of breast masses to expert interobserver variability in ultrasound imaging.

Deep learning is a powerful tool that became practical in 2008, harnessing the power of Graphic Processing Unites, and has developed rapidly in image, video, and natural language processing. There are ongoing developments in the application of deep learning to medical data for a variety of tasks across multiple imaging modalities. The reliability and repeatability of deep learning techniques are of utmost importance if deep learning can be considered a tool for assisting experts, including physicians, radiologists, and sonographers. Owing to the high costs of labeling data, deep learning models are often evaluated against one expert, and it is unknown if any errors fall within a clinically acceptable range. Ultrasound is a commonly used imaging modality for breast cancer screening processes and for visually estimating risk using the Breast Imaging Reporting and Data System score. This process is highly dependent on the skills and experience of the sonographers and radiologists, thereby leading to interobserver variability and interpretation. For these reasons, we propose an interobserver reliability study comparing the performance of a current top-performing deep learning segmentation model against three experts who manually segmented suspicious breast lesions in clinical ultrasound (US) images. We pretrained the model using a US thyroid segmentation dataset with 455 patients and 50,993 images, and trained the model using a US breast segmentation dataset with 733 patients and 29,884 images. We found a mean Fleiss kappa value of 0.78 for the performance of three experts in breast mass segmentation compared to a mean Fleiss kappa value of 0.79 for the performance of experts and the optimized deep learning model.

Quantitative Biomarkers for Cancer Detection Using Contrast-Free Ultrasound High-Definition Microvessel Imaging: Fractal Dimension, Murray's Deviation, Bifurcation Angle & Spatial Vascularity Pattern.

A growing body of evidence indicates that there is a strong correlation between microvascular morphological features and malignant tumors. Therefore, quantification of these features might allow more accurate differentiation of benign and malignant tumors. The main objective of this research project is to improve the quantification of microvascular networks depicted in contrast-free ultrasound microvessel images. To achieve this goal, a new series of quantitative microvessel morphological parameters are introduced for differentiation of breast masses using contrast-free ultrasound-based high-definition microvessel imaging (HDMI). Using HDMI, we quantified and analyzed four new parameters: 1) microvessel fractal dimension (mvFD), a marker of tumor microvascular complexity; 2) Murray's deviation (MD), the diameter mismatch, defined as the deviation from Murray's law; 3) bifurcation angle (BA), abnormally decreased angle; and 4) spatial vascular pattern (SVP), indicating tumor vascular distribution pattern, either intratumoral or peritumoral. The new biomarkers have been tested on 60 patients with breast masses. Validation of the feature's extraction algorithm was performed using a synthetic data set. All the proposed parameters had the power to discriminate the breast lesion malignancy (p < 0.05), displaying BA as the most sensitive test, with a sensitivity of 90.6%, and mvFD as the most specific test, with a specificity of 92%. The results of all four new biomarkers showed an AUC = 0.889, sensitivity of 80% and specificity of 91.4% In conclusion, the added value of the proposed quantitative morphological parameters, as new biomarkers of angiogenesis within breast masses, paves the way for more accurate breast cancer detection with higher specificity.

Identification of cell-free DNA methylation patterns unique to the human left ventricle as a potential indicator of acute cellular rejection.

Increased levels of donor-derived cell-free DNA (dd-cfDNA) in recipient plasma have been associated with rejection after transplantation. DNA sequence differences have been used to distinguish between donor and recipient, but epigenetic differences could also potentially identify dd-cfDNA. This pilot study aimed to identify ventricle-specific differentially methylated regions of DNA (DMRs) that could be detected in cfDNA. We identified 24 ventricle-specific DMRs and chose two for further study, one on chromosome 9 and one on chromosome 12. The specificity of both DMRs for the left ventricle was confirmed using genomic DNA from multiple human tissues. Serial matched samples of myocardium (n = 33) and plasma (n = 24) were collected from stable adult heart transplant recipients undergoing routine endomyocardial biopsy for rejection surveillance. Plasma DMR levels increased with biopsy-proven rejection grade for individual patients. Mean cellular apoptosis in biopsy samples increased significantly with rejection severity (2.4%, 4.4% and 10.0% for ACR 0R, 1R, and 2R, respectively) but did not show a consistent relationship with DMR levels. We identified multiple DNA methylation patterns unique to the human ventricle and conclude that epigenetic differences in cfDNA populations represent a promising alternative strategy for the non-invasive detection of rejection.

Radial Motion Estimation of Myocardium in Rats with Myocardial Infarction: A Hybrid Method of FNCCGLAM and Polar Transformation.

Ultrasound elastography is a novel approach of evaluating regional myocardial systolic function and detecting infarcted area. This study aims to evaluate the radial motion of myocardial infarction (MI) area in left ventricular parasternal short axis (PSAX) view using a hybrid method of fast normalized cross-correlation and global analytic minimization (FNCCGLAM) and polar transformation. Fifteen rats were randomly selected for sham group, MI group and ischemia-reperfusion (IR) group (N = 5 for each group). The ultrasound radiofrequency data of the PSAX view of rat heart were acquired. After polar transformation of the data, the infarcted myocardium with the change of mechanical property was tracked over one myocardial systolic phase by the proposed method in comparison with fast normalized cross-correlation (FNCC) and dynamic programming analytic minimization (DPAM). To obtain a clear visualization of the myocardium, the inverse polar transformation was performed. The results indicated that the use of FNCCGLAM refined the myocardial displacements to obtain high-quality myocardial elastographic map with a higher contrast-to-noise ratio and dynamically tracked the infarcted myocardial segment with a higher success rate in comparison with FNCC and DPAM. It was found that the radial systolic motion of the infarcted anterior segment in the MI group reduced significantly (p < 0.05) in comparison with the sham group, while the systolic function of that myocardial segment in the IR group recovered at some extent. The results in this study suggest that FNCCGLAM is superior to FNCC and DPAM with the improved accuracy and robustness of motion estimation and has potentials as displacement estimator in ultrasound elastography.

Preparation and Characterization of Paramagnetic Bis (8-Hydroxyquinoline) Manganese Crystals.

The magnetic properties of π-conjugated bis (8-hydroxyquinoline) manganese (Mnq2) crystals are investigated. Rod-shaped Mnq2 crystals are prepared by using the physical vapor deposition method. Field emission scanning electronic microscopy spectra show that the Mnq2 nanorods have perfect plane quadrangular ends. Energy dispersive spectrometer and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis demonstrates that the powders and nanorods are the same compound with a high purity. X-ray diffraction analysis shows the high crystal quality of the prepared Mnq2 nanorods. The magnetic measurement, using alternating gradient magnetometer and magnetic property measurement system superconducting quantum interference device vibrating sample magnetometer, indicates that the prepared Mnq2 nanorods show a paramagnetic property at room temperature. First-principles density functional theory (DFT) calculations are used to study the electronic structure and magnetic properties of the prepared Mnq2 crystals. DFT calculations show that the magnetic moment of the Mnq2 isolated molecule is 5 µB, which mainly comes from the localized Mn 3d orbital. The energy difference between the antiferromagnetic and ferromagnetic states of the Mnq2 monoclinic cell is only 0.1 meV, which may explain the paramagnetic property observed in the prepared Mnq2 nanorods and also indicates the difficulty of preparing intrinsic ferromagnetic Mnq2 crystals.

Another Whipple's triad? Pericardial, myocardial and valvular disease in an unusual case presentation from a Canadian perspective.

BACKGROUND: Whipple's disease is a clinically relevant multi-system disorder that is often undiagnosed given its elusive nature. We present an atypical case of Whipple's disease involving pan-valvular endocarditis and constrictive pericarditis, requiring cardiac intervention. A literature review was also performed assessing the prevalence of atypical cases of Whipple's disease. CASE PRESENTATION: A previously healthy 56-year-old male presented with a four-year history of congestive heart failure with weight loss and fatigue. Notably, he had absent gastrointestinal symptoms. He went on to develop pan-valvular endocarditis and constrictive pericarditis requiring urgent cardiac surgery. A clinical diagnosis of Whipple's disease was suspected, prompting duodenal biopsy sampling which was unremarkable, Subsequently, Tropheryma whipplei was identified by 16S rDNA PCR on the cardiac valvular tissue. He underwent prolonged antibiotic therapy with recovery of symptoms. CONCLUSIONS: Our study reports the first known case of Whipple's disease involving pan-valvular endocarditis and constrictive pericarditis. A literature review also highlights this presentation of atypical Whipple's with limited gastrointestinal manifestations. Duodenal involvement was limited and the gold standard of biopsy was not contributory. We also highlight the Canadian epidemiology of the disease from 2012 to 2016 with an approximate 4% prevalence rate amongst submitted samples. Routine investigations for Whipple's disease, including duodenal biopsy, in this case may have missed the diagnosis. A high degree of suspicion was critical for diagnosis of unusual manifestations of Whipple's disease.

In Situ SERS Detection of Photocatalytic Degradation of Aminothiophenol on Carbon-Nanotubes/CoPt Hollow Nanoparticles Composite.

The phenol derivatives, as one kind of hormone, are analogous to endocrine disruptors with high carcinogenicity. The photocatalytic technology is an effective approach to mitigate environmental pollution by utilizing solar energy to degrade organic pollutants. In this work, CoPt hollow nanoparticles (NPs) attached to carbon nanotubes (CNTs) are employed to catalytically decompose the p-aminothiophenol (PATP) molecules under light irradiation, which is monitored by using surface-enhanced Raman scattering spectra. The effect of temperature on the catalytic efficacy of CoPt hollow NPs is investigated. Moreover, the use of CNTs coating on CoPt NPs is found to accelerate the photocatalytic degradation rate of PATP molecules, attributed to the enhanced plasmon-exciton coupling interaction of the CoPt/CNTs hybrid configuration.

A Review of Supercapacitors Based on Graphene and Redox-Active Organic Materials.

Supercapacitors are a highly promising class of energy storage devices due to their high power density and long life cycle. Conducting polymers (CPs) and organic molecules are potential candidates for improving supercapacitor electrodes due to their low cost, large specific pseudocapacitance and facile synthesis methods. Graphene, with its unique two-dimensional structure, shows high electrical conductivity, large specific surface area and outstanding mechanical properties, which makes it an excellent material for lithium ion batteries, fuel cells and supercapacitors. The combination of CPs and graphene as electrode material is expected to boost the properties of supercapacitors. In this review, we summarize recent reports on three different CP/graphene composites as electrode materials for supercapacitors, discussing synthesis and electrochemical performance. Novel flexible and wearable devices based on CP/graphene composites are introduced and discussed, with an eye to recent developments and challenges for future research directions.