All Plant-Based Compact Supercapacitor in Living Plants.

Biomass-based energy storage devices (BESDs) have drawn much attention to substitute traditional electronic devices based on petroleum or synthetic chemical materials for the advantages of biodegradability, biocompatibility, and low cost. However, most of the BESDs are almost made of reconstructed plant materials and exogenous chemical additives which constrain the autonomous and widespread advantages of living plants. Herein, an all-plant-based compact supercapacitor (APCSC) without any nonhomologous additives is reported. This type of supercapacitor formed within living plants acts as a form of electronic plant (e-plant) by using its tissue fluid electrolyte, which surprisingly presents a satisfying electrical capacitance of 182.5 mF cm-2 , higher than those of biomass-based micro-supercapacitors reported previously. In addition, all constituents of the device come from the same plant, effectively avoid biologically incompatible with other extraneous substances, and almost do no harm to the growth of plant. This e-plant can not only be constructed in aloe, but also be built in most of succulents, such as cactus in desert, offering timely electricity supply to people in extreme conditions. It is believed that this work will enrich the applications of electronic plants, and shed light on smart botany, forestry, and agriculture.

A 3D-printed analytical device seamlessly integrating sample treatment for electrochemical detection of IAA in Marchantia polymorpha.

Because of the pivotal point of Marchantia polymorpha (M. polymorpha) in plant evolution, its auxin (mainly indole-3-acetic acid, IAA) levels could provide useful evidence for the study of the evolution of IAA. However, M. polymorpha could not be easily pretreated for electrochemical detection because they are at the entry level of land plants. Herein, we designed a three-dimensional (3D)-printed analytical device for seamless integration of sample treatment and electrochemical detection. Specifically, the electrochemical cell could be used as a mortar in which a tiny plant sample could be ground with a 3D-printed pestle, followed by mixing with the buffer solution under vibration for electrochemical detection of IAA with a disposable working electrode at the bottom of the cell. Using our strategy, the limits of quantification could reach 0.05 µmol L-1 after optimization of parameters. We were able to demonstrate that IAA in different tissues of wild-type and mutant M. polymorpha could be successfully differentiated after they were treated with the 3D-printed analytical device. The obtained results were comparable to the samples blended with zirconium beads while the differences of IAA levels in different tissues of M. polymorpha agreed well with previous reports. This study suggested the potential of sample treatment integrated with electrochemical detection for analysis of IAA using the 3D printing techniques and their possible applications in the research of plants and other fields.

Co3O4-MoSe2@C nanocomposite as a multi-functional catalyst for electrochemical water splitting and lithium-oxygen battery.

Co3O4-MoSe2@C nanocomposite has been prepared by a convenient method via combining hydrothermally synthesized MoSe2@C and Co3O4. When catalyzing the hydrogen evolution reaction and oxygen evolution reaction, the catalyst features low overpotentials of 144 mV and 360 mV (both at 10 mA cm-2current density), respectively. It can also serve as the cathode in the lithium-oxygen battery and the device shows a low charging-discharging overpotential of 1.50 V with a stable performance of over 200 cycles at current density of 1000 mA g-1, shedding light on the design and synthesis of novel multifunctional electrocatalysts for energy conversions.

Breastfeeding Evaluation Indicators System is a Promising Evaluation Tool for Preterm Infants in Neonatal Intensive Care Units (NICU).

BACKGROUND Breast feeding can enhance preterm infants' neurodevelopmental outcome, regulate immune function development. This study aims to develop breastfeeding evaluation indicators system in neonatal intensive care units (NICU) and to provide theoretical basis for all-round evaluation of breast feeding quality for hospitalized preterm infants. MATERIAL AND METHODS This study was performed based on Avedis Donabedian's theory of medical care quality. Preterm infant breast feeding evaluation indicators system frame was initially formed by using literature review, clinical on-spot observation and expert consultation methods. By using specialists meeting method and Delphi method, evaluation indicators system for preterm infants breastfeeding was verified and established. Breastfeeding evaluation indicators system were performed in NICU of hospitals in Binzhou and Shanghai. Feasibility and usability of indicators system were examined. RESULTS Breastfeeding evaluation indicators system for preterm infants comprise 3 levels, including level 1 (3 indicators), level 2 (7 indicators), and level 3 (18 indicators). Recognition rates of importance for level 2 and 3 range from 94.4% to 100.0% and 80.6% to 100.0%, respectively. Mean of Likert rating for level 2 and 3 range from 3.31 to 3.89 and 3.03 to 3.97, which are all higher than the average value of 2.50. Kendall's coefficient and its significance test showed that consistency of experts' opinion for indicators' importance is high (P<0.001). This strategy of combining qualitative and quantitative methods could be used in overall evaluation of the breastfeeding quality in NICUs. CONCLUSIONS Indicators system is feasible and is a promising evaluation tool for continuously improving breastfeeding quality for preterm infants in NICUs.

Immobilization of poly-L-lysine brush via surface initiated polymerization for the development of long-term antibacterial coating for silicone catheter.

Bacterial colonization of indwelling catheter remains a major threat in healthcare units worldwide. Developing approaches to prevent catheter-associated infections (CAIs) is, therefore, in great demand. Herein, to endow silicone catheter with long-term antibacterial properties, antimicrobial poly-L-lysine (PLL) brush was developed on the surface of catheter via surface initiated ring open polymerization. Surface characterizations confirmed the successful immobilization of PLL. The PLL-tethered catheter showed potent antibacterial activities against catheter-associated urinary tract infections (CAUTIs) related pathogens. Moreover, after immersing in simulated body fluid for 28 days or incubating at 60 °C for 65 days, the bactericidal properties of PLL-tethered catheter were still retained. Furthermore, the PLL-tethered catheter exhibited good anti-infection activity and biocompatibility in vivo. The PLL-tethered surfaces hold great potential in the development of antibacterial silicone catheter to combat CAIs in clinical applications.

Vibration for enhancement of electrochemical analysis of biomolecules in a droplet on the rough surface of a disposable working electrode.

Although electrochemical detection of microliters-level solutions is attractive for analysis of low-amount biological samples, its performance could be weakened by limited mass transfer due to low Reynolds number and laminar flow. Herein we designed a 3D-printed electroanalytical device to apply vibration for improvement of mass transfer during electrochemical detection. In our approach, the droplet-size sample solution containing Indole-3-acetic acid (IAA, as a model) was directly applied on the effective surface of a disposable working electrode. We demonstrated that vibration could enhance electrochemical responses of IAA more on the rough surface than on the smooth surface of the working electrodes. After optimization, the sensitivity for electrochemical detection of a 20-µL droplet under vibration with the voltage of 7 V increased more than 100% compared with the static condition. The enhanced electrochemical responses brought by vibration could be achieved reproducibly, which could be ascribed to improved mass transfer. Our strategy could be practically applied for differentiation of IAA in different tissues of Marchantia polymorpha with enhanced responses. This study suggested that vibration might become a simple and effective method to improve mass transfer in analysis of microliter-volume solutions, which might be extended for more biochemical assays.

A study on the effects of health behavior and sports participation on female college students' body mass index and healthy promoting lifestyle.

Objective: Life form and body composition may affect the health of college students. This study will explore the relationship between the demographic variables of female college students and their body composition and health promoting lifestyle, so as to provide useful reference for the future design and planning of college students' physical and mental health courses and improving their physical activity level. Methods: Using the method of questionnaire and bioelectrical resistance measurement, a questionnaire on healthy lifestyle of college students was constructed on the basis of consulting a large number of relevant research literature. Relevant survey samples were obtained through random sampling, and their body composition was measured; use SPSS21.0 statistical analysis software to conduct statistical analysis on relevant indicators. Results and conclusions: (1) at present, female college students generally lack leisure activities and sleep, the proportion of regular fitness habits is low, and the number of snacks and average daily online time are generally too high; The overweight rate and body fat rate of female college students are generally too high, while the standard rate of muscle weight is generally too low. (2) Female college students' health promoting lifestyle has the highest score of self-realization, followed by interpersonal support and the worst behavior of sports participation; The older the college students, the worse their sports participation and overall health promotion behavior; The better the Conscious health status, the better the self-realization, exercise participation and nutritional behavior; The more exercise time per day, the higher their participation in sports and the stronger their health responsibility; The more time spent on the Internet every day, the worse the health responsibility and sports participation. (3) The more time female college students spend on the Internet every day, the higher the probability of overweight. Those with regular exercise habits have a lower proportion of overweight and high body fat rate, while the better their sleep and night snack behavior, the lower their body fat rate. The older college students are, the larger their visceral fat area is, the better their exercise habits and sleep behavior are, the smaller their visceral fat area is, and the lower their visceral fat level is.

Characteristics and Rehabilitation Training Effects of Shoulder Joint Dysfunction in Volleyball Players under the Background of Artificial Intelligence.

With the development of volleyball technology, the frequent competition, the fierce competition, and the increase of sports load, the requirements for the athletes' own body, intelligence, combat, heart, and skills are getting higher and higher. Volleyball is one of the most popular sports in the world. It attracts people all over the world with its strong team appeal and its own unique charm. This study mainly discusses the characteristics of shoulder joint dysfunction in volleyball players and the effect of rehabilitation training under the background of artificial intelligence. By sorting out the development process of artificial intelligence technology, it can be analyzed that artificial intelligence technology already has a certain knowledge reserve, can make corresponding mechanized feedback, and can make correct judgments based on experience in more complex situations. This study compared volleyball athletes with handicap and barrier-free shoulder joints and observed the characteristics of shoulder pain, stability, and flexibility caused by subacromial impingement syndrome. It also looked at whether subacromial impingement syndrome athletes differ in volleyball spiking sequence and mobilization and recruitment of muscle power during swing spikes compared to athletes with normal shoulder function in the full kinetic chain. According to the volleyball intelligent competition platform, the implementation and application of ideas such as data collection, result feedback, adjustment of training plan, implementation of training plan, and real-time monitoring are regularly monitored. On the one hand, through timely assessment and detection of shoulder function of volleyball players, functional training is carried out for weaknesses to prevent injury; on the other hand, after a mild injury occurs, timely targeted training should be taken to find and correct wrong actions, and strengthen the weak part of muscle strength, so as to reduce the probability of repeated injury and improve sports performance and athletic ability. In the new system, after collecting and sorting, testers can directly upload to the web page in the form of Excel for automatic filling, grasp the test information of athletes in time, generate automatic warning, and save time. The monitoring content determined by this study mainly includes three index systems, including load, training preparation performance, and recovery. According to the self-provided evaluation system of relevant test equipment and the experience of expert coaches, the evaluation standards for each index are formulated. There was a statistically significant difference in the scores between the rehabilitation group and the pre-rehabilitation group during the study (P < 0.05). This study attempts to find the characteristics and rules of FMS scores of women's volleyball players of different levels, so as to provide more targeted physical training for volleyball players, promote the all-round development of physical fitness, and avoid the risk of sports injuries. This study provides more effective and comprehensive recommendations for the prevention and recovery of shoulder injuries in volleyball players. This study provides more effective and comprehensive recommendations for the prevention and recovery of shoulder injuries in volleyball players. The results of the study can provide reference for the scientific training and rehabilitation of volleyball players and make suggestions for the treatment and prevention of subacromial impingement syndrome.

Dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with high-performance liquid chromatography-diode array detection for the determination of N-methyl carbamate pesticides in vegetables.

This paper described a simple, rapid and efficient method for the determination of N-methyl carbamate pesticides in tomato, cucumber, carrot and lettuce samples by dispersive liquid-liquid microextraction coupled with HPLC-diode array detection. Some experimental parameters that influenced the extraction efficiency, such as types and volumes of extraction and disperser solvents, extraction time and salt effect were examined and optimized. Under optimum conditions, the LOD of the method were 0.5-3.0 µg/kg depending on the compounds and the kind of vegetables. The linearities of the method were obtained in the range of 10.0-300 µg/kg for aldicarb, MTMC, carbofuran and carbaryl, and 20.0-600 µg/kg for isoprocarb, with the correlation coefficients ranging from 0.9921 to 0.9993. The RSD varied from 2.9 to 7.5% (n=5). The recoveries of the method for the five carbamates from vegetable samples at two different spiking levels were ranged from 77.8 to 98.2%. Results showed that the method we proposed can meet the requirements for the determination of N-methyl carbamate in vegetable samples and was finally applied to the analysis of target pesticides in vegetable samples taken from local markets.

Laser-Assisted Fabrication of Microphotocapacitors with High Energy Density and Output Voltage.

Self-powered devices have great potential in daily applications ranging from portable electronics to wearable body sensors, yet their working lifetime and performance are normally limited by the low energy density of the power unit as well as additional resistive losses induced by connections between electronic and power moieties. Herein, we report an effective programmable laser-assisted fabrication of facilely integrated microphotocapacitors (integrated devices of solar cells and microsupercapacitors, mPCs) exhibiting high output voltage and energy density (32.3 µWh cm-2). An mPC pack (8 mPCs in series within a size of 3 × 3 cm2) delivers an excellent Voc of 7.3 V, and an output voltage of 90 V can be obtained with an array of 14 mPC packs when tested outdoors under solar illumination (63 mW cm-2), setting a new benchmark for integrated self-charging power packs. These devices have also shown good stability (stable operation over 2000 cycles, 2.1 × 104 s) and performance under low- or intermittent-intensity light illuminations, highlighting their abilities to work indoors or under cloudy weather.

In Situ Formation of Surface-Induced Oxygen Vacancies in Co9S8/CoO/NC as a Bifunctional Electrocatalyst for Improved Oxygen and Hydrogen Evolution Reactions.

Creating oxygen vacancies and introducing heterostructures are two widely used strategies in Co-based oxides for their efficient electrocatalytic performance, yet both strategies have rarely been used together to design a bifunctional electrocatalyst for an efficient overall water splitting. Herein, we propose a facile strategy to synthesize oxygen-defect-rich Co9S8/CoO hetero-nanoparticles with a nitrogen-doped carbon shell (ODR-Co9S8/CoO/NC) through the in situ conversion of heterojunction along with surface-induced oxygen vacancies, simply via annealing the precursor Co3S4/Co(OH)2/ZIF-67. The as-prepared ODR-Co9S8/CoO/NC shows excellent bifunctional catalytic activities, featuring a low overpotential of 217 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) and 160 mV at 10 mA cm-2 in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). This performance excellency is attributed to unique heterostructure and oxygen defects in Co9S8/CoO nanoparticles, the current work is expected to offer new insights to the design of cost-effective, noble-metal-free electrocatalysts.

Microfluidic Devices for Monitoring the Root Morphology of Arabidopsis Thaliana in situ.

Plant roots play critical roles in absorbing nutrients for the growth and development of plants as well as adapting different environments. Currently, there is no satisfactory way to track dynamic information when studying roots at the high temporal and spatial resolution. Herein, a simple microfluidic device with crossed microchannels was utilized for a microscopic investigation of Arabidopsis thaliana roots in situ. Our experimental results showed that the microfluidic system combined with a microscope could be conveniently utilized for the quantification of primary roots and root hairs with a change of micrometers within a time of minutes. Using the same approach, the influences of high salinity stress could also be investigated on different parts of roots, including the root cap, meristematic zone, elongation zone, mature zone, and root hairs. More importantly, the growth of roots and root hairs could be quantified and compared in a solution of abscisic acid and indole-3-acetic acid, respectively. Our study suggested that the microfluidic system could become a powerful tool for the quantitative investigation of Arabidopsis thaliana roots.

The Value of Serum Cell-Free DNA Levels in Patients With Schizophrenia.

Background: Schizophrenia is a severe mental disorder, which has a major impact on the quality of life and imposes a huge burden on the family. However, the pathogenesis of schizophrenia remains unclear and there are no specific biomarkers. Therefore, we intend to explore whether cf-DNA levels are related to the occurrence and development of schizophrenia. Methods: We analyzed and compared the concentration of cf-DNA in 174 SZ patients and 100 matched healthy controls by using quantitative real-time PCR by amplifying the Alu repeats. Results: We found that cf-DNA levels in peripheral blood reliably distinguished SZ patients from healthy controls (P < 0.05). The ROC analysis also supports the above conclusion. By tracking the absolute concentration of serum cf-DNA in primary cases, we found a distinct increase before treatment with antipsychotics, which decreased progressively after treatment. Conclusions: The present work indicates that cf-DNA may improve the efficiency of disease diagnosis, and the level of cf-DNA plays a predictive role in the development of schizophrenia. By evaluating the level of cf-DNA, we might play a certain role in a more reasonable and standardized clinical treatment of schizophrenia.

Association between Delayed Lactogenesis â ¡ and Early Milk Volume among Mothers of Preterm Infants.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to evaluate the effect of delayed lactogenesis Ⅱ on early milk volume in mothers expressing milk for their preterm infants. METHODS: 142 mothers with preterm infants participated in a longitudinal cohort study, the milk volumes over 14 days postpartum between mothers with delayed lactogenesis Ⅱ (≥ 72 hours) and mothers with non-delayed lactogenesis Ⅱ(< 72 hours) were compared using Wilcoxon's rank sum tests. RESULTS: The prevalence of delayed lactogenesisⅡ among mothers of preterm infants was 36.0% (36/100). There existed negative correlations between the onset of lactogenesis Ⅱ and the daily milk volumes( rs = -0.525∼-0.354, p = .002 ∼ p < .001). The milk volumes in every 24-hour of the 14 days postpartum in delayed group were significantly less than that in non-delayed group (p = .002 ∼ p < .001). After controlling for the covariates, pregnancy-induced hypertension syndrome, delayed expression initiation, shorter daily sleeping time were found to be the risk factors for delayed lactogenesis Ⅱ. CONCLUSION: Delayed lactogenesis Ⅱ was associated with lower milk volume in early postpartum period. Women who were at risk for delayed lactogenesis Ⅱ need targeted interventions and additional support during pregnancy and postpartum.

Phyto-phospholipid complexes (phytosomes): A novel strategy to improve the bioavailability of active constituents.

Although active constituents extracted from plants show robust in vitro pharmacological effects, low in vivo absorption greatly limits the widespread application of these compounds. A strategy of using phyto-phospholipid complexes represents a promising approach to increase the oral bioavailability of active constituents, which is consist of ''label-friendly" phospholipids and active constituents. Hydrogen bond interactions between active constituents and phospholipids enable phospholipid complexes as an integral part. This review provides an update on four important issues related to phyto-phospholipid complexes: active constituents, phospholipids, solvents, and stoichiometric ratios. We also discuss recent progress in research on the preparation, characterization, structural verification, and increased bioavailability of phyto-phospholipid complexes.

A novel nanosuspension of andrographolide: Preparation, characterization and passive liver target evaluation in rats.

Andrographolide (Andro) is an excellent anti-inflammatory bicyclic diterpene γ-lactone. However, the poor solubility limits its application as injection for the treatment of acute inflammation. To meet the clinical needs for emergency, the Andro nanosuspensions injection was first prepared by the wet milling technique. The Andro nanosuspensions were composed of 3% Andro, 5% poloxamer 188 as the non-ionic stabilizer, 0.05% sodium deoxycholate or 0.1% sodium tauroursodeoxy cholate as the ionic stabilizer, and prepared by 350rpm speed and 12cycles of grinding with 0.4mm zirconium oxide pearls. The nanosuspensions showed hexagonal morphology with particle size of 300nm, and no change in crystalline state of Andro after milling. The nanosuspensions had a significant increase in saturation solubility, and could completely release within 0.25h (bulk Andro within 24h). The lyophilized product of Andro nanosuspensions with mannitol (5%) as lyoprotectant had good physical and chemical stability during the 6-month storage period. The pharmacokinetic and tissue distribution results showed that it was rapidly eliminated from the blood and largely distributed in the liver. Overall, the Andro nanosuspensions may be used as a potential formulation for the treatment of liver infections owing to its passive liver targeting function.

Evaluation of the antitumor effect of dexamethasone palmitate and doxorubicin co-loaded liposomes modified with a sialic acid-octadecylamine conjugate.

Dexamethasone palmitate has the potential to inhibit the activity of tumor-associated macrophages, which promote cancer proliferation, invasion, and metastasis; however, only very high and frequent doses are capable of inducing antitumor effects. With the aim to reduce the anticancer dose and decrease the nonspecific toxicity, we designed a liposomal system to co-deliver dexamethasone palmitate and doxorubicin. Furthermore, a ligand conjugate sialic acid-octadecylamine, with enhanced affinity towards the membrane receptors over-expressed in tumors, was anchored on the surface of the liposomes to increase drug distribution to the tumor tissue. Co-loaded liposomes were developed using lipid film hydration method to load dexamethasone palmitate and remote loading technology to load doxorubicin. The co-loaded liposomes modified with sialic acid-octadecylamine represented comparable physicochemical properties and blood plasma profiles with conventional co-loaded liposomes, but the biodistribution proved that sialic acid-octadecylamine modified liposomes accumulated more in tumor. The co-loaded liposomes showed higher tumor growth suppression than the single-drug loaded liposomes, while showing no additional drug toxicity in S180-bearing Kunming mice. The co-loaded liposomes modified with sialic acid-octadecylamine achieved a significantly better antitumor effect, and induced "shedding" of cancerous tissue in the mice. These finding suggested that co-loaded liposomes modified with sialic acid-octadecylamine provided a safe therapeutic strategy with outstanding anticancer activity.

Paper-based analytical devices for electrochemical study of the breathing process of red blood cells.

Herein we utilized the filter paper to physically trap red blood cells (RBC) to observe the breathing process of red blood cells based on the permeability of the filter paper. By integrating double-sided conductive carbon tape as the working electrodes, the device could be applied to monitor electrochemical responses of RBC for up to hundreds of minutes. The differential pulse voltammetry (DPV) peak currents increased under oxygen while decreased under nitrogen, indicating that RBC could take in and release oxygen. Further studies demonstrated that the RBC suspension could more effectively take in oxygen than the solution of hemoglobin and the supernatant of RBC, suggesting the natural advantage of RBC on oxygen transportation. This study implied that simple paper-based analytical devices might be effectively applied in the study of gas-participating reactions and biochemical detections.