Dye-Sensitized Commercial TiO2 for the Construction of Robust Nanocoatings with the Enhanced Transmittance and Visible-Light-Activated Photocatalytic Self-Cleaning Properties.

TiO2-based nanocoatings exhibit great promise in practical applications owing to their superior photocatalytic property. However, because of the wide band gap of TiO2, its photocatalytic capacity is only limited in the ultraviolet range. Herein, we designed and constructed robust SiO2@TiO2 composite nanocoatings with improved transmittance and visible-light-activated photocatalytic self-cleaning properties. Sulfonated cobalt(II) phthalocyanine (CoPcTs) was used as an organic dye to sensitize commercial TiO2 nanoparticles (Degussa P25) to form CoPcTs-P25 for visible-light photocatalysis. CoPcTs-P25 and small-sized solid silica nanoparticles (SSNs) were utilized as two building blocks, and acid-catalyzed silica sol (ACSS) was used as a binder to fabricate the nanocoatings via a simple dip-coating method without requiring any post-processing. By tuning the mass ratios of SSNs to CoPcTs-P25, the nanocoating with the optimized property showed the highest transmittance of ca. 97.0% at the wavelength of 566 nm, higher photocatalytic activity of degrading the organic pollutants than N-TiO2-based nanocoatings, high mechanical firmness of 3H level in pencil hardness test and 4A level in tape adhesion test, and good weather resistance. In short, the dye-sensitized commercial P25 TiO2 nanoparticles should be a promising building block for low-cost and easy preparation of robust nanocoatings with enhanced transmittance and visible-light-activated photocatalytic self-cleaning properties.

Research Advances of Nonfused Ring Acceptors for Organic Solar Cells.

The last few decades have witnessed the rapid development of organic solar cells (OSCs). High power conversion efficiencies (PCEs) of over 19% have been successfully achieved due to the emergence of fused-ring acceptors (FRAs). However, the high complexity and low yield for the material synthesis result in high production costs of FRAs, limiting the further commercial application of OSCs. In contrast, nonfused ring acceptors (NFRAs) with the merits of facile synthesis, high yield, and preferable stability can promote the development of low-cost OSCs. Currently, the PCEs of NFRAs-based OSCs have exceeded 17%, which is expected to reach efficiency comparable to that of the FRAs-based OSCs. This review describes the advantages of the recent advances in NFRAs, which emphasizes exploring how the chemical structures of NFRAs influence molecular conformation, aggregation, and packing modes. In addition, the further development of NFRA materials is prospected from molecular design, morphological control, and stability perspectives.

Large mechanical properties enhancement in ceramics through vacancy-mediated unit cell disturbance.

Tailoring vacancies is a feasible way to improve the mechanical properties of ceramics. However, high concentrations of vacancies usually compromise the strength (or hardness). We show that a high elasticity and flexural strength could be achieved simultaneously using a nitride superlattice architecture with disordered anion vacancies up to 50%. Enhanced mechanical properties primarily result from a distinctive deformation mechanism in superlattice ceramics, i.e., unit-cell disturbances. Such a disturbance substantially relieves local high-stress concentration, thus enhancing deformability. No dislocation activity involved also rationalizes its high strength. The work renders a unique understanding of the deformation and strengthening/toughening mechanism in nitride ceramics.

Discrete Element Modelling of Cold Crushing Tests Considering Various Interface Property Distributions in Ordinary Refractory Ceramics.

The microstructures and local properties of ordinary refractory ceramic materials are heterogeneous and play a role in the fracture behavior of ordinary refractory ceramic materials. It is important to consider them in numerical modeling. Herein, the discrete element (DE) method was applied to determine the influences of heterogeneity of ordinary refractory ceramic materials by applying statistically distributed interface properties (uniform, Weibull), as opposed to constant interface properties, among the elements. Uniaxial cold crushing tests were performed as a case study. A reasonable loading strain rate for receiving quasi-static loading conditions and computation efficiency was evaluated. The loading wall displacement was recorded to present the stress-strain curves of cold crushing tests. Furthermore, the effects of the interface property distributions on the load/displacement curve, fracture energy, cold crushing strength, and fracture events were investigated. The results reveal that the DE method is a promising method for visualizing and quantifying the post-peak fracture process and crack events in ordinary refractory ceramics. Different interface property distributions contribute to significant variances in the load/displacement curve shape and fracture pattern. The heterogeneity of ordinary refractory ceramics can be further determined by comparing the experimental curves and fracture propagation along with an inverse identification approach.

Luminescence-guided and visibly transparent solar concentrators based on silicon quantum dots.

In this work, we demonstrate a new tapered prism-shaped luminescent solar concentrator (LSC), which guides most of the luminescence toward one edge instead of four, for the solar window application. Only one Si photovoltaic (PV) strip attached to the light-emitting sidewall is needed to collect the luminescence, which further reduces PV material cost and avoids electrical mismatch. To achieve high visible transmission and mitigate reabsorption, colloidal silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) with ultraviolet-selective absorption and large Stokes shift are used as the fluorophores. With the SiQD concentration equal to 8 mg mL-1, the SiQD-LSC as a solar window can attain a power conversion efficiency (PCE) equal to 0.27%, while ensuring high average visible transmission (AVT = 86%) and high color rendering index (CRI = 94 with AM1.5G as the incident spectrum). When adjusted to front-facing, the Si PV strip can harvest not only the direct sunlight but also the concentrated SiQD fluorescence guided from the LSC. As a result, the overall solar window PCE can be increased to 1.18%, and the PCE of the front-facing Si PV strip alone can be increased by 7% due to the luminescence guided from the SiQD-LSC.

Effect of probiotics combined with applied behavior analysis in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder: a prospective randomized controlled trial. / ç›Šç”ŸèŒè”åˆåº”ç”¨è¡Œä¸ºåˆ†æžæ³•æ²»ç–—å„¿ç«¥å­¤ç‹¬ç—‡è°±ç³»éšœç¢çš„å‰çž»æ€§éšæœºå¯¹ç §ç ”ç©¶.

OBJECTIVES: To study the effect of probiotics combined with applied behavior analysis (ABA) in the treatment of children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). METHODS: A total of 41 children with ASD who attended the Affiliated Hospital of Jiangsu University from May 2019 to December 2020 were enrolled and randomly divided into an observation group with 21 children and a control group with 20 children. The children in the observation group were given oral probiotics combined with ABA intervention, while those in the control group were given ABA intervention alone. The treatment outcomes were compared between the two groups. Autism Treatment Evaluation Checklist (ATEC) was used to evaluate the severity of behavioral symptoms in both groups before intervention and at 3 months after intervention. The fecal samples were collected to analyze the difference in intestinal flora between the two groups based on 16s rRNA high-throughput sequencing. RESULTS: Before intervention, there was no significant difference in the ATEC score between the observation and control groups (P>0.05). At 3 months after intervention, both groups had a significant reduction in the ATEC score, and the observation group had a significantly lower ATEC score than the control group (P<0.05). Before intervention, there was no significant difference in the composition of intestinal flora between the observation and control groups. At 3 months after intervention, there was a significant difference in the composition of intestinal flora between the observation and control groups. Compared with the control group, the observation group had significantly higher relative abundances of Bifidobacterium, Lactobacillus, Coprobacillus, Ruminococcus, Prevotella, and Blautia (P<0.05) and significantly lower relative abundances of Shigella and Clostridium (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Probiotics may improve the effect of conventional ABA intervention in children with ASD by regulating intestinal flora.

Visibly Transparent Solar Windows Based on Colloidal Silicon Quantum Dots and Front-Facing Silicon Photovoltaic Cells.

We demonstrate luminescent solar concentrators (LSCs) based on colloidal silicon quantum dots (SiQDs) as UV-selective fluorophores and coupled with front-facing silicon photovoltaic cells for the solar window application. The visibly transparent LSC composed of a thin layer of liquid SiQD suspension sandwiched between two thin glass slabs constitutes the windowpane, while strips of silicon photovoltaic cells with their front surfaces adhering to the LSC rear surface form the window frame. Furthermore, the LSC perimeter is surrounded by reflecting mirrors for preventing the fluorescence from leaking out through the edges. The SiQDs dispersed in 1-octadecene selectively absorb UV light and re-emit red fluorescence with quantum efficiency about 40%. Owing to the negligible overlap between the absorbance and photoluminescence spectra, the reabsorption effect is insignificant. The front-facing silicon photovoltaic strips located at the window frame can produce electricity by harvesting not only solar radiation but also the SiQD-generated fluorescence propagating from the windowpane. For the SiQD-LSC with the total light absorbing area equal to 12 cm × 12 cm and the reflecting mirrors tilted 45°, an overall power conversion efficiency of 2.47% under simulated sunlight can be obtained of which about 6% is contributed by the SiQD fluorescence. Meanwhile, the SiQD-LSC retains high spectral quality with average visible transmission and color rendering index through the windowpane equal to 86% and 94, respectively.

Correlation between Interleukin-17 gene polymorphism and osteoarthritis susceptibility in Han Chinese population.

BACKGROUND: Interleukin-17 (IL-17), a pleiotropic cytokine, plays a significant role in the inflammatory diseases. By a pilot study with small population, IL-17 polymorphisms (IL-17A rs2275913 and IL-17F rs763780) showed a more potential risk factor in knee osteoarthritis (OA) in our recruited subjects. In the current study, the association between IL-17A rs2275913 and IL-17F rs763780and the risk of OA in a Chinese population is studied. METHODS: The IL-17A rs2275913 and IL-17F rs763780 polymorphisms were determined in 594 knee OA cases and 576 healthy controls, using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism assay. The relationship between genotype distribution and disease risk, as well as OA severity was analyzed by Chi-square test and multivariate logistic regression. RESULTS: The experimental results indicated that the polymorphism in IL-17 gene rs2275913 site were related to knee OA risk after the adjustment of BMI, sex, age, smoking and drinking status (AA vs. GG: odds ratio (OR), 1.411; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.021-1.950; P = 0.040; A allele vs. G allele: OR, 1.192; P = 0.037; 95% CI, 1.012-1.404;). Similarly, subjects who are bearing the rs763780 variant genotypes (TC and CC) and C allele also had a higher susceptibility to knee OA compared with those who are bearing the TT genotype (TC vs. TT, OR: 1.312; P = 0.039; 95% CI: 1.017-1.692; CC vs. TT, OR: 2.812, P = 0.006, 95% CI: 1.338-5.909; C allele Vs. T allele, OR:1.413, P = 0.002, 95% CI:1.141-1.751). In the meantime, one high-risk haplotypes, AC (OR was 7.22, P < 0.01) was found. Both two polymorphisms do not correlated with OA severity based on Kellgren-Lawrence (K&L) scales. Finally, serum IL-17 levels of knee OA patients were greatly higher than those of controls (P = 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: With the limited size sample, our study shows that IL-17 gene polymorphisms possibly related to the high-risk knee OA occurrence.

Expression of microRNA­27a in a rat model of osteonecrosis of the femoral head and its association with TGF­ß/Smad7 signalling in osteoblasts.

The present study assessed whether microRNA (miR)­27a is an influential factor in steroid­induced osteonecrosis of the femoral head (ONFH) and investigated the underlying mechanism of action. The results indicated that serum miR­27a was decreased in a rat model of ONFH compared with that in control rats. It was also observed that increased miR­27a expression promoted osteogenic differentiation and cell proliferation, inhibited caspase­3/9 and B­cell lymphoma­2­associated X protein expression and induced alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)­2, runt­related transcription factor (Runx)2 and osteonectin mRNA expression in osteoblastic MC3T3­E1 cells. miR­27a mimics also induced transforming growth factor (TGF)­ß and Smad7 protein expression in MC3T3­E1 cells. Furthermore, transfection with TGF­ß expression plasmid was able to enhance the effects of miR­27a mimics on osteoblastic differentiation, cell proliferation, ALP activity, BMP­2, Runx2 and osteonectin mRNA expression, and Smad7 protein expression in the MC3T3­E1 cells. Transfection with a TGF­ß or Smad7 expression plasmid also enhanced the effects of miR­27a mimics on osteoblastic differentiation, cell proliferation, ALP activity and osteonectin mRNA expression in the MC3T3­E1 cells. Taken together, the results of the present study suggested that the induction of TGF­ß/Smad7 signaling in osteoblasts may be a potential mechanism by which miR­27a regulates steroid­induced ONFH.

Effects of crocin on inflammatory activities in human fibroblast-like synoviocytes and collagen-induced arthritis in mice.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease, characterized by the irreversible joint destruction resulted from the attack of inflammatory cells to the joints. Recent studies demonstrated that crocin is able to alleviate arthritis and suppress inflammatory responses, implying crocin as a potential promising antiarthritic agent. In this study, we confirmed the effect of crocin on RA and revealed its underlying mechanism by measuring lipopolysaccharides (LPS)-stimulated cytokine production in presence or absence of crocin. The effect of crocin was also tested in vivo using a mouse model of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). It was found that crocin significantly repressed the LPS-induced expression of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α, interleukin (IL)-1ß, and IL-6 in human fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS). We tested the effect of crocin on nuclear factor-kappa B (NF-κB) signaling and observed that cells pre-treated with 500 µM of crocin exhibited lower levels of LPS-induced p-IκBα, p-IκB kinase (IKK) α/ß, and p65 expression than those of untreated cells. In addition, we found when cells were stimulated with IKKß, crocin pre-treatment showed significantly inhibitory effect on the luciferase activity of IL-1ß. In vivo results also showed that crocin treatment dramatically reduced plasma levels of TNF-α, IL-1ß, and IL-6 in CIA mice. Crocin is efficient to suppress the productions of TNF-α, IL-6, and IL-1ß by blocking NF-κB signal activation through its interaction with IKK, suggesting that crocin could be an efficient treatment for RA.

Anthracene-arylamine hole transporting materials for perovskite solar cells.

Two arylamine-based hole transporting materials with an anthracene π-linker have been synthesized and tested for perovskite solar cells. Improved power conversion efficiency and stability were achieved by employing A102 compared with that of spiro-OMeTAD.

Molecular Engineering of Simple Benzene-Arylamine Hole-Transporting Materials for Perovskite Solar Cells.

Three benzene-arylamine hole-transporting materials (HTMs) with different numbers of terminal groups were prepared. It is noted that the molecule with three arms (H-Tri) shows a lower highest occupied molecular orbital level and a better film morphology on perovskite layer than the molecules with two or four arms (H-Di, H-Tetra). When these molecules were applied to the perovskite solar cells, the H-Tri-based one showed better performance compared with the H-Di- or H-Tetra-based ones. Photoluminescence and impedance spectroscopy demonstrate that H-Tri can improve the hole-electron separation efficiency and decrease the charge recombination, thus leading to a better performance. Moreover, the H-Tri-based device shows a comparable performance and a much less materials cost than the conventional spiro-OMeTAD. Therefore, we have presented a new low-cost and high-performance HTM through simple molecular engineering.

[Change of inflammatory cytokines levels in both synovial fluid and plasm of patients with primary knee medical osteoarthritis after high tibial osteotomy].

Objective: To investigate interleukin-1ß (IL-1ß), IL-6, and IL-17 levels in both synovial fluid and serum of patients with primary knee medial osteoarthritis (OA) after high tbial osteotomy (HTO). Methods: Twenty-six patients with primary knee medial OA undergoing HTO between January 2011 and June 2014 (experimental group) and 30 healthy individuals (control group) were recruited into the study. There was no significant difference in gender, age, and body mass index between 2 groups ( P>0.05). The X-ray film was taken to record healing time at osteotomy site, to measure the tibiofemoral angle, and to assess limb alignment after HTO. Visual analogue scale (VAS) pain score and knee society score (KSS) were used to evaluate pain level and function of the knee. The IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-17 concentrations in both plasma and synovial fluid were measured before operation and at 6, 12, and 18 months after operation in the experimental group using ELISA method; the levels in plasma were measured in control group. Results: Primary healing of incisions was achieved in patients. All patients were followed up 18-24 months (mean, 21 months). The X-ray film showed osseous healing at osteotomy site at 9-14 weeks (mean, 11.5 weeks). The average tibiofemoral angle was 167.5° (range, 165-170°) after bone healing. Satisfactory limb alignment was obtained in all patients. The postoperative VAS pain score was significantly decreased and KSS score was significantly improved when compared with preoperative scores ( P<0.05), but no significant difference was found between different time points after operation ( P>0.05). The preoperative plasma and synovial fluid IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-17 concentrations were significantly higher in patients than controls ( P<0.05). The postoperative IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-17 concentrations in plasma and synovial fluid were significantly lower than preoperative ones in patients ( P<0.05), but the concentrations were significantly higher than those in controls ( P<0.05). The postoperative plasma and synovial fluid IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-17 concentrations were significantly declined in patients, but there was no significant difference between different time points after operation ( P>0.05). Conclusion: HTO can significantly improve the pain symptom and joint function and reduce IL-1ß, IL-6, and IL-17 levels in both plasma and synovial fluid of patients with medial compartment knee OA, but these cytokines can not return to normal level.

[Effect of intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma on interleukin-17 expression in synovial fluid and venous plasma of knee osteoarthritis patients].

Objective: To investigate the interleukin-17 (IL-17) levels changes in both synovial fluid and venous plasma of patients with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA) after intra-articular injection of platelet-rich plasma (PRP). Methods: Between January 2015 and January 2016, 30 patients with primary knee OA were treated by intra-articular injection of PRP once a week for 3 weeks (trial group). Thirty healthy individuals were recruited into the study as control. There was no significant difference in gender, age, and body mass index between 2 groups ( P>0.05). Visual analogue scale (VAS) score and Knee Society Score (KSS) were used to evaluate pain level and function of the knee for patients with OA. The IL-17 levels in both venous plasma and synovial fluid were measured before injection and at 1, 3, 6, and 12 months after injection in trial group and the IL-17 levels in venous plasma were measured in control group. The levels were determined using ELISA method. Results: There was no knee joint swelling, fever, local infection, or other uncomfortable symptoms for all patients in process of PRP injection. All patients were followed up 13.5 months on average (range, 12-15 months). In trial group, the VAS scores at different time points after injection were significantly lower than that before injection ( P<0.05). And the KSS scores at different time points after injection were significantly higher than that before injection ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in VAS and KSS scores between different time points after injection ( P>0.05). The IL-17 levels in venous plasma before and after injection in trial group were significantly higher than that in control group ( P<0.05). The IL-17 levels in venous plasma at each time point after injection were significantly lower than that before injection ( P<0.05). There was no significant difference in IL-17 levels in both venous plasma and synovial fluid between different time points after injection ( P>0.05). Conclusion: Intra-articular injection of PRP can significantly release the pain symptoms, improve joint function, and reduce IL-17 levels in both synovial fluid and venous plasma of the patients with knee OA, but IL-17 levels can not reduce to normal level.