Hexagonal Carbon Nanoplates Decorated with Layer-Engineered MoS2: High-Performance Cathode Materials for Zinc-Ion Batteries.

Hexagonal carbon nanoplates bearing MoS2 (HCN@MoS2) were synthesized using two-dimensional (2D) microporous organic polymers as templating materials. The layer number of MoS2 in HCN@MoS2 and the 2D morphology of composites were critical factors to achieve high-performance cathode materials for aqueous zinc-ion batteries. The best cathode performance was obtained with HCN@MoS2 bearing 2-3 layered MoS2 (HCN@MoS2-2), showing excellent discharge capacities of 602 mAh/g (@50 mA/g), 498 mAh/g (@0.1 A/g), and 328 mAh/g (@1 A/g). The promising electrochemical performance of HCN@MoS2-2 is attributable to the facilitated insertion of zinc ions into 2-3 layered MoS2 due to the reduced lattice energy and the efficient electrochemical utilization of composite materials.

[CORRIGENDUM: Development of a Diabetic Foot Ulceration Prediction Model and Nomogram].

This corrects the article on p. 280 in vol. 51, PMID: 34215707.

Pharmacopuncture Effects on Insomnia Disorder: Protocol for a Multi-Site, Randomized, Acupuncture-Controlled, Clinical Trial.

Insomnia is a common health problem that can lead to various diseases and negatively impact quality of life. Pharmacopuncture is a new type of acupuncture that involves applying herbal medicine extracts to acupoints. Korean medicine doctors frequently use it to treat insomnia disorder. However, there is insufficient evidence to support the effectiveness and safety of pharmacopuncture for insomnia disorder. We designed a pragmatic randomized controlled trial to compare the effectiveness of pharmacopuncture and acupuncture for insomnia disorder. This multi-site, randomized, acupuncture-controlled trial will enroll 138 insomnia patients. The subjects will be randomly assigned to one of two groups, pharmacopuncture or acupuncture, at a 2:1 ratio. For 4 weeks, the participants will receive ten sessions of pharmacopuncture or acupuncture treatment and will be followed up for 4 weeks after the treatment ends. The Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index score is the primary outcome measure. Insomnia severity index score, sleep parameters recorded using actigraphy and sleep diaries, physical symptoms associated with insomnia, emotions, quality of life, medical costs, and safety are the secondary outcome measures. The findings of this trial willprovide evidence that will be useful in clinical decision-making for insomnia treatment strategies.

Core-Shell ZnO@Microporous Organic Polymer Nanospheres as Enhanced Piezo-Triboelectric Energy Harvesting Materials.

Core-shell nanospheres were prepared by the homogeneous coating of piezoelectric ZnO nanorod aggregates with triboelectric microporous organic polymer (MOP). The small energy harvesting performance of ZnO@MOP was significantly enhanced, compared with those of ZnO and MOP, due to the piezoelectrification-induced polarization of inner ZnO and the enhanced generation of tribopositive charges of MOP. Piezo-triboelectric nanogenerators (PTENGs) fabricated with ZnO@MOP showed peak-to-peak voltages of up to 534 V and a maximum power density of 1.19 mW cm-2 . In addition, the PTENGs showed excellent durability for 30 000 cycles, demonstrating as efficient power sources for charging electrolytic capacitors and for operating 200 green light emitting diode bulbs.

Defect-rich CeO2 in a hollow carbon matrix engineered from a microporous organic platform: a hydroxide-assisted high performance pseudocapacitive material.

A microporous organic polymer (MOP) was utilized for the engineering of nanoparticulate CeO2 in a hollow carbon matrix (H-C/CeO2). After CeO2 nanoparticles were incorporated into a hollow MOP platform (H-MOP) through the decomposition of cerium acetate, successive carbonization produced H-C/CeO2. The redox feature of defective CeO2 in a conductive carbon matrix induced promising pseudocapacitive behavior. In particular, the H-C/CeO2 showed excellent electrochemical performance in an alkaline electrolyte (KOH), due to the hydroxide ion-assisted redox behavior of defective CeO2. H-C/CeO2-3 with an optimized amount of CeO2 showed specific capacitances of up to 527 (@0.5 A g-1) and 493 F g-1 (@1 A g-1). Even at high current densities of 10 and 20 A g-1, the H-C/CeO2-3 maintained high capacitances of 458 and 440 F g-1, respectively. After 10 000 cycling tests, the H-C/CeO2-3 retained the 94-95% capacitance of the first cycle.

[Development of a Diabetic Foot Ulceration Prediction Model and Nomogram].

PURPOSE: This study aimed to identify the risk factors for diabetic foot ulceration (DFU) to develop and evaluate the performance of a DFU prediction model and nomogram among people with diabetes mellitus (DM). METHODS: This unmatched case-control study was conducted with 379 adult patients (118 patients with DM and 261 controls) from four general hospitals in South Korea. Data were collected through a structured questionnaire, foot examination, and review of patients' electronic health records. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to build the DFU prediction model and nomogram. Further, their performance was analyzed using the Lemeshow-Hosmer test, concordance statistic (C-statistic), and sensitivity/specificity analyses in training and test samples. RESULTS: The prediction model was based on risk factors including previous foot ulcer or amputation, peripheral vascular disease, peripheral neuropathy, current smoking, and chronic kidney disease. The calibration of the DFU nomogram was appropriate (χ² = 5.85, p = .321). The C-statistic of the DFU nomogram was .95 (95% confidence interval .93~.97) for both the training and test samples. For clinical usefulness, the sensitivity and specificity obtained were 88.5% and 85.7%, respectively at 110 points in the training sample. The performance of the nomogram was better in male patients or those having DM for more than 10 years. CONCLUSION: The nomogram of the DFU prediction model shows good performance, and is thereby recommended for monitoring the risk of DFU and preventing the occurrence of DFU in people with DM.

Nanoparticulate Conjugated Microporous Polymer with Post-Modified Benzils for Enhanced Pseudocapacitor Performance.

Conjugated microporous polymer (CMP)-based energy-storage materials were developed for pseudocapacitors. Nanoparticulate CMP (N-CMP) with an average diameter of 41±4 nm was prepared through kinetic growth control in the Sonogashira coupling of 1,3,5-triethynylbenzene with 1,4-diiodobenzene. The N-CMP is rich in a diphenylacetylene moiety in its chemical structure. Through the FeCl3 -catalyzed oxidation of diphenylacetylene moieties, N-CMP with benzil moieties (N-CMP-BZ) was prepared and showed enhanced electrochemical performance as an electrode material of pseudocapacitors, compared with CMP, CMP-BZ, and N-CMP. In model studies, the benzil was redox active and showed two-electron reduction behavior. The excellent electrochemical performance of N-CMP-BZ is attributable to the enhanced utilization of functional sites by a nanosize effect and the additional redox contribution of benzil moieties.

Fabrication of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) Fiber@Microporous Organic Polymer with Amino Groups@Cu Films for Flexible and Metal-Economical Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Materials.

Flexible and metal-economical electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding films were fabricated based on microporous organic polymer (MOP) chemistry. MOP with amino groups (MOP-A) could be introduced to the surface of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) fibers. Due to the microporosity and amino groups of MOP-A, Ag+ could be easily incorporated into PET@MOP-A. Through Ag-catalyzed electroless Cu deposition, PET@MOP-A@Cu films were fabricated. The morphological and chemical structures of the PET@MOP-A@Cu were characterized by scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction studies, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. Among the films, the PET@MOP-A@Cu-40 with 41 wt % Cu (a thickness of 0.64 µm) showed excellent EMI shielding performance with 64.3-73.8 dB against an EM of 8-12 GHz. Moreover, it showed retention of the original EMI shielding performance against 1000 bending (R = 5 mm) tests.

Electroacupuncture for treatment-resistant insomnia: study protocol for a randomised, controlled, assessor-blinded, pilot clinical trial.

INTRODUCTION: A considerable number of insomnia patients experience sleep disturbance even with long-term use of hypnotic medication. Previous studies have indicated that electroacupuncture (EA) could be an efficacious treatment for managing insomnia. However, few trials have been conducted to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of EA for treatment-resistant insomnia. This pilot study aims to explore the feasibility and preliminary effectiveness and safety of EA as an adjunct treatment for treatment-resistant insomnia. METHODS AND ANALYSIS: This is a multicentre, randomised, usual care controlled and assessor-blinded pilot study protocol. Fifty patients presenting with sleep problems who have been taking hypnotic medication for more than 3 months will be randomly allocated to either an EA group or a usual care group at a 1:1 ratio. The EA group will undergo 12 EA treatment sessions twice a week for 6 weeks whereas the usual care group will not receive EA treatment. All the participants will receive a brochure containing educational information on sleep hygiene. The primary outcome will be the measured mean change of the total score of the Insomnia Severity Index from the baseline to week 7. The secondary outcome regarding sleep quality will be measured using the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index, a sleep diary and actigraphy. Moreover, we will assess the quality of life, the direct and indirect cost of treating insomnia for economic evaluation. After 4 weeks, the subjects will visit the research sites for a follow-up assessment. ETHICS AND DISSEMINATION: Ethical approval of this study protocol was established by the institutional review boards of the each involved study site. All potential subjects will be provided written informed consent. The results of this study will be accessible in peer-reviewed publications and be presented at academic conference. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER: KCT0003235.

Colloidal Template Synthesis of Nanomaterials by Using Microporous Organic Nanoparticles: The Case of C@MoS2 Nanoadsorbents.

The so-called colloidal template synthesis has been applied to the preparation of surface-engineered nanoadsorbents. Colloidal microporous organic network nanotemplates (C-MONs), which showed a high surface area (611 m2 g-1 ) and enhanced microporosity, were prepared through the networking of organic building blocks in the presence of poly(vinylpyrrolidone) (PVP). Owing to entrapment of the PVP in networks, the C-MONs showed good colloidal dispersion in EtOH. MoS2 precursors were incorporated into the C-MONs and heat treatment afforded core-shell-type C@MoS2 nanoparticles with a diameter of 80 nm, a negative zeta potential (-39.5 mV), a high surface area (508 m2 g-1 ), and excellent adsorption performance towards cationic dyes (qmax =343.6 and 421.9 mg g-1 for methylene blue and rhodamine B, respectively).

Nanoporous Organic Network Coating of Nanostructured Polymer Films with Enhanced Adsorption Performance toward Particulate Matter.

This work shows that the surface properties of polyurethane acrylate (PUA) films can be controlled by the coating of nanoporous organic networks (NONs). By the NON coating, the hydrophilic nature of nanostructured PUA (N-PUA) film was converted to superhydrophobic surface. The NON-coated N-PUA films (N-PUA-NONs) were applied as stationary adsorbents for the capture of particulate matter (PM) in air. Compared with the original PUA films, the N-PUA-NON films showed much enhanced capture performance toward PM and recyclability through water washing, indicating the potential of outdoor application as stationary self-cleaning adsorbents under natural surroundings.

Microporous Porphyrin Networks Mimicking a Velvet Worm Surface and Their Enhanced Sensitivities toward Hydrogen Chloride and Ammonia.

This work shows that the functions of microporous organic network materials can be enhanced through engineering of the material structure. Mimicking the surface structure of velvet worms, we prepared the aligned 1D structure (rod) of microporous porphyrin networks by the Sonogashira coupling of tetrakis(4-ethynylphenyl)porphyrin with 1,4-diiodobenzene in an anodic aluminum oxide plate. The length of the 1D structure was controlled in the range of 1-5 µm. The velvet worm surface-like microporous porphyrin networks (Velvet-MPNs) showed higher sensitivities to hydrogen chloride and ammonia gases by up to ∼14 and 4.6 times, respectively, compared with a control MPN material without rods.

Thin Coating of Microporous Organic Network Makes a Big Difference: Sustainability Issue of Ni Electrodes on the PET Textile for Flexible Lithium-Ion Batteries.

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) fibers (PET-Fs) were coated with microporous organic networks (MONs) by the Sonogashira coupling of tetra(4-ethynylphenyl)methane with 1,4-diiodobenzene. Ni was deposited on the PET-F@MON via electroless deposition. Interestingly, although Ni on the PET-F showed a sharp decrease in conductivity in repeated bending tests, the PET-F@MON@Ni showed excellent retention of conductivity. We suggest that thin MON layers play roles of an efficient binder for Ni attachment to fibers and a structural buffer for the relaxation of bending strain. The positive effect of MON was supported by scanning electron microscopy studies of the PET-F@Ni or PET-F@MON@Ni retrieved after 2000 bending numbers. Although Ni on the PET-F showed severe detachment after bending tests, PET-F@MON@Ni retained the original morphologies. The pouch cells of lithium-ion batteries fabricated using PET-F@MON@Ni as the current collectors showed excellent performance against bending.

Ticks collected from migratory birds, including a new record of Haemaphysalis formosensis, on Jeju Island, Korea.

Migratory birds may disperse parasites across ecological barriers, and recent climate change may alter the pattern of ectoparasite dispersal via changed patterns of bird migration. In order to document the parasitization of migratory birds by Ixodidae ticks on Jeju Island in Korea, we examined 934 migratory birds comprising 75 species for ticks from 2010 to 2012. In total, 313 ticks were collected from 74 migratory birds across 17 avian species and identified based on morphological keys. These ticks represented six species: Haemaphysalis flava, H. formosensis, H. longicornis, H. concinna, Ixodes turdus and I. nipponensis. Of particular note was the presence of H. formosensis, a species not previously reported to have been found in Korea, and H. concinna, which had not been previously reported on Jeju Island. The dominant tick species found were H. flava (226 ticks, 72.2 %) and I. turdus (54 ticks, 17.3 %), and ground-dwelling thrushes such as Pale thrushes (Turdus pallidus; 39 birds, 52.7 %) were the most important hosts. Although H. longicornis is the most abundant and prevalent terrestrial tick on Jeju Island, the species accounted for only 3.8 % of the total ticks collected in this study, suggesting that ticks on migratory birds may differ from the local tick fauna and that exotic ticks may be introduced via migratory birds. Therefore, long-term programs for tick and tick-borne disease surveillance are recommended to understand the role of migratory animals in the introduction of exotic species and associated pathogens and in life cycles of ticks at different stages in this region.

New record of Lipoptena fortisetosa (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) collected from Siberian roe deer on Jeju Island, Korea.

Lipoptena deer keds (Diptera: Hippoboscidae) are blood-sucking ectoparasites of mammals, and only one species, Lipoptena cervi (L.), has previously been reported from the Republic of Korea. A study of Siberian roe deer Capreolus pygargus Pallas on Jeju Island, south of the Korean mainland, led to the discovery of a second species of deer ked, Lipoptena fortisetosa Maa, for Korea. In total, 518 deer keds were collected from 19 adult and juvenile deer examined from May to October 2012. The infestation of all of the deer examined and the occurrence on newly born deer suggest a high prevalence and abundance of L. fortisetosa parasitizing Siberian roe deer throughout Jeju Island. This deer represents a new host species for L. fortisetosa.