Balancing Flexible Side Chains on 2D Conjugated Acceptors Enables High-Performance Organic Solar Cell.

Balancing the rigid backbones and flexible side chains of light-harvesting materials is crucially important to reach optimized intermolecular packing, micromorphology, and thus photovoltaic performance of organic solar cells (OSCs). Herein, based on a distinctive CH-series acceptor platform with 2D conjugation extended backbones, a series of nonfullerene acceptors (CH-6F-Cn) are synthesized by delicately tuning the lengths of flexible side chains from n-octyl to n-amyl. A systemic investigation has revealed that the variation of the side chain's length can not only modulate intermolecular packing modes and crystallinity but also dramatically improve the micromorphology of the active layer and eventual photovoltaic parameters of OSCs. Consequently, the highest PCE of 18.73% can be achieved by OSCs employing D18:PM6:CH-6F-C8 as light-harvesting materials.

Continuous Nanomanufacturing of Inorganic Lead Halide Perovskite Nanocrystals with High-Concentration Precursors.

The microscale flow preparation scheme has been widely used in the preparation of inorganic perovskite nanocrystals (NCs). It is considered to be the most promising method for large-scale production. Recently, it has been suggested that increasing the precursor concentration can further improve efficiency, but there is still a lack of understanding of high-concentration synthesis. Here, we develop a microscale flow synthesis scheme using high-concentration precursors, and the typical concentration value in the reaction phase reaches 0.035 mol/L using cesium acetate. The CsPbBr3 NCs with sharp photoluminescence (PL) at 515.7 nm can be obtained, and their PL quantum yield after post-treatment exceeds 90%. The effect of the molar ratio of Pb/Cs (Rm), reaction time, reaction temperature, and excess ligands on this flow reaction is studied. Several new phenomena are observed in our experiment. At 120 °C, some Cs4PbBr6 NCs exist in addition to the usual CsPbBr3 nanoplatelets. Excess ligands lead to the formation of numerous Cs4PbBr6 NCs with a bright green PL, and these NCs will spontaneously transform into a nonemission form in the film. Moreover, mixed-halide CsPbBrxI3-x NCs and CsPbI3 NCs are also prepared in this scheme, and then they are used to obtain LEDs in a range of colors.

Propofol modulates neural dynamics of thalamo-cortical system associated with anesthetic levels in rats.

The thalamocortical system plays an important role in consciousness. How anesthesia modulates the thalamocortical interactions is not completely known.  We simultaneously recorded local field potentials(LFPs) in thalamic reticular nucleus(TRN) and ventroposteromedial thalamic nucleus(VPM), and electrocorticographic(ECoG) activities in frontal and occipital cortices in freely moving rats (n = 11). We analyzed the changes in thalamic and cortical local spectral power and connectivities, which were measured with phase-amplitude coupling (PAC), coherence and multivariate Granger causality, at the states of baseline, intravenous infusion of propofol 20, 40, 80 mg/kg/h and after recovery of righting reflex. We found that propofol-induced burst-suppression results in a synchronous decrease of spectral power in thalamus and cortex (p < 0.001 for all frequency bands). The cross-frequency PAC increased by propofol, characterized by gradually stronger 'trough-max' pattern in TRN and stronger 'peak-max' pattern in cortex. The cross-region PAC increased in the phase of TRN modulating the amplitude of cortex. The functional connectivity (FC) between TRN and cortex for α/ß bands also significantly increased (p < 0.040), with increased directional connectivity from TRN to cortex under propofol anesthesia. In contrast, the corticocortical FC significantly decreased (p < 0.047), with decreased directional connectivity from frontal cortex to occipital cortex. However, the thalamothalamic functional and directional connectivities remained largely unchanged by propofol anesthesia.  The spectral powers and connectivities are differentially modulated with the changes of propofol doses, suggesting the changes in neural dynamics in thalamocortical system could be used for distinguishing different vigilance levels caused by propofol. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11571-022-09912-0.

Propeller vs Quasi-Planar 6-Cantilever Small Molecular Platforms with Extremely Two-Dimensional Conjugated Extension.

Two exotic 6-cantilever small molecular platforms, characteristic of quite different molecular configurations of propeller and quasi-plane, are established by extremely two-dimensional conjugated extension. When applied in small molecular acceptors, the only two cases of CH25 and CH26 that could contain six terminals and such broad conjugated backbones have been afforded thus far, rendering featured absorptions, small reorganization and exciton binding energies. Moreover, their distinctive but completely different molecular geometries result in sharply contrasting nanoscale film morphologies. Finally, CH26 contributes to the best device efficiency of 15.41 % among acceptors with six terminals, demonstrating two pioneered yet highly promising 6-cantilever molecular innovation platforms.

IKVAV peptide-containing hydrogel decreases fibrous scar after spinal cord injury by inhibiting fibroblast migration and activation.

Fibrous scar is one of the major factors that hinder functional recovery in patients with spinal cord injury (SCI). Studies have shown that the laminin α1 peptide chain ile-les-val-ala-Val (IKVAV) promoted axonal growth and motor function recovery in rats after SCI. However, whether IKVAV could ameliorate SCI via reducing the formation of fibrous scar was not clear. A SCI model was constructed by transecting the rat spinal cord with a scalpel and implanting poly (N-propan-2-ylprop-2-enamide) (PNIPAM)-b-poly (AC-PEG-COOH) (PNPP) or PNIPAM-b-poly (AC-PEG-IKVAV) (PNPP-IKVAV) hydrogel. 14 days later hematoxylin-eosin staining and immunohistochemical staining were used to assess the effect of PNPP-IKVAV on scar formation. The effect of PNPP-IKVAV on endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress was investigated by immunohistochemical staining. NIH-3T3 cells were used for in vitro scratching experiments and a transforming growth factor 1 (TGF-ß1) activation model was constructed to assess the role of PNPP-IKVAV. In this study, PNPP-IKVAV inhibited fibroblast migration and suppressed TGF-ß1 activation and ER stress (ERS) to reduce the extracellular matrix secretion by fibroblasts.

Effects of dexmedetomidine on dynamic lung compliance in general anesthesia with desflurane: A randomized controlled study.

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of dexmedetomidine on lung compliance in patients under general anesthesia with desflurane. Methods: This prospective, randomized, double-blind, controlled trial included 51 patients who received general anesthesia undergoing lower limb fracture surgery. Participants were assigned to either the experimental (loading dose of 0.25 µg/kg dexmedetomidine over 10 min, followed by a maintenance dose of 0.3 µg/kg/h until the end of the surgery) or control (0.9% saline) group. Anesthesia was maintained with desflurane, analgesics and muscle relaxants. The two groups were compared for hemodynamic parameters, dynamic lung compliance, oxygenation index, and postoperative complications. Results: While dynamic lung compliance showed no significant difference between the two groups at T1 (P = 0.321), it was significantly higher in the experimental group at all other time points (all P < 0.001). In the control group, Cdyn at T4, T5, T6, and T7 were lower than that at T1 (P = 0.032, 0.043, 0.032 and 0.018, respectively). There were no significant between-group differences in the mean arterial pressure and heart rate. Compared to the control group, the experimental group had a higher oxygenation index at T1 (P < 0.001), T2 (P < 0.001), T3 (P < 0.001), T4 (P = 0.02), and T5 (P = 0.016) and significantly lower peak airway pressure at all time points (all P < 0.001). Both groups had comparable postoperative outcomes. Conclusions: Dexmedetomidine infusion at a loading dose of 0.25 µg/kg and maintenance dose of 0.3 µg/kg/h improved dynamic lung compliance in patients receiving desflurane during general anesthesia.

Dynamics of macroplastics and microplastics formed by biodegradable mulch film in an agricultural field.

Conventional plastic mulch brings agronomic and economic benefits to crop production, but a large amount of plastic waste amasses when the mulch is removed from the fields after harvest. Soil-biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) has emerged as a promising alternative to conventional plastic mulch as it can be tilled into the soil after harvest, thereby alleviating disposal problems. However, direct evidence on complete degradation of biodegradable mulch under natural conditions is still lacking. We quantified the dynamics of macro- (>5 mm) and microplastics (0.1-5 mm in size) in four years after a one-time application of mulch in a field with monoculture maize. The BDM feedstock was polybutyleneadipate-co-terephthalate (PBAT) and polylactic acid (PLA)-based, and both a clear and black BDM were tested. The BDM plastic mulch films degraded into macro- and micoplastics. Macroplastics disappeared 2.5 years after mulch incorporation. We developed a new extraction method for biodegradable microplastics using a sequential density fractionation approach with a H2O and a ZnCl2 solution. Microplastic concentrations in the soil ranged from 350 to 525 particles/kg after 2.5 years, 175 to 250 particles/kg after 3 years, and 50 to 125 particles/kg after 3.5 year following mulch incorporation. This continuous decrease of detectable plastic particle concentrations in soil suggests that BDMs fragment degrade into smaller and smaller particles, which eventually may biodegrade completely. While we cannot ascertain whether persistent and undetectable nanoplastics may form, macro- and microplastics formed from BDM seem to disappear with time.

Intraoperative right heart function with individualized mechanical ventilation in laparoscopic surgery with Trendelenburg positioning: A randomized-controlled study.

BACKGROUND: The intraoperative effects of mechanical ventilation with individualized positive end-expiratory pressure guided by dynamic compliance on right heart function remains undefined. OBJECTIVES: To investigate whether individualized ventilation is superior to standard ventilation in protecting the right heart during abdominal laparoscopic surgery in the Trendelenburg position. METHODS: Forty patients who underwent abdominal laparoscopic surgery were randomly divided into two groups: Group T (titrimetric positive end-expiratory pressure [PEEP]) and Group I (intentional PEEP, 5 cmH2O). Parameters of right ventricular function were measured using transesophageal echocardiography, which included tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion, early-to-late filing ratio of the right ventricle, and right ventricular end-diastolic area/left ventricular end-diastolic area ratio during mechanical ventilation. RESULTS: No significant difference in the tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion or early-to-late filling ratio of the right ventricle was noted between the groups during the whole procedure (P>0.05). We noticed an increase in right ventricular end-diastolic area/left ventricular end-diastolic area ratio at T0 vs. T2 in Group T (0.53±0.02 vs. 0.60±0.06, respectively; P = 0.0208) and Group I (0.54±0.01 vs. 0.62±0.06, respectively; P = 0.0018). CONCLUSIONS: Intraoperative lung-protective ventilation with dynamic compliance-guided PEEP does not have obvious side effects on the right heart function when compared with standard protective ventilation during laparoscopic surgery in the Trendelenburg position.

Altered functional and directed connectivity in propofol-induced loss of consciousness: A source-space resting-state EEG study.

OBJECTIVE: General anesthesia might disrupt neuronal network communications measured by functional connectivity (FC; undirected connectivity) and directional information flow (directed connectivity). We sought to characterize the state-dependent effects of propofol on cortico-cortical undirected and directed FC. METHODS: We collected 256-channel high-density EEGs from 14 patients undergoing surgery while awake (AWA) or in propofol-induced moderate sedation (SED) or loss of consciousness (LOC) states. Using source-space EEG, we estimated neuronal oscillatory activity for 68 cortical regions of interest. FC was analyzed using the weighted phase lag index. Directed connectivity was computed using directed phase transfer entropy (dPTE) as a measure of information flow in the bilateral prefrontal, frontal, parietal, and occipital areas. RESULTS: FC strength evidently reduced during LOC compared with those during the AWA and SED states. The dPTE analysis showed significant propofol-induced changes in directed connectivity. In the alpha band, the prefrontal-to-frontal information flow was significantly stronger in the AWA than in the SED (p = 0.033) and LOC states (p = 0.033). The parietal-to-frontal dPTE was significantly weaker during LOC than during the AWA (p = 0.033) and SED states (p = 0.007). Finally, a loss of occipital-to-frontal connectivity occurred during LOC but not the AWA state (p = 0.001). In the beta band, the dominant occipital-to-frontal direction of information flow in the AWA state was gradually converted to a frontal-to-occipital direction during LOC. CONCLUSIONS: Propofol-induced unconsciousness is marked by a decrease in FC and posterior-to-anterior (feedforward) directed connectivity, which may be useful as a measure to discriminate different conscious states caused by propofol administration. SIGNIFICANCE: The study demonstrates that propofol produces state-dependent effects on cortico-cortical undirected and directed FC, supporting the idea that propofol induces loss of consciousness may through disrupting network interactions and cortical coordination.

Management of Donor and Acceptor Building Blocks in Dopant-Free Polymer Hole Transport Materials for High-Performance Perovskite Solar Cells.

The dominant hole transport material (HTM) in state-of-the-art perovskite solar cells (PSCs) is Spiro-OMeTAD, which needs to be doped using hydrophilic dopants to improve its hole mobility and conductivity, resulting in inferior device stability. Here, we propose an effective molecular design strategy to construct dopant-free polymer HTMs by selecting four structurally related polymers and investigating their structure-property relationship. It is found that the donor and acceptor units with longitudinal conjugate extension, such as BDT-T and BDD, could not only enhance the planarity of the conjugated polymer backbone and tune the energy levels but also promote the face-on orientation, resulting in superior charge extraction and transport. The optimized device utilizing dopant-free polymer HTM shows a high open-circuit voltage of 1.19 V and a champion efficiency of 24.04 % with greatly improved operational stability, making it among the best performance PSCs based on dopant-free HTMs.

Intelligent Algorithm-Based Echocardiography to Evaluate the Effect of Lung Protective Ventilation Strategy on Cardiac Function and Hemodynamics in Patients Undergoing Laparoscopic Surgery.

The aim of this study was to analyze the effect of optimal pulmonary compliance titration of PEEP regimen on cardiac function and hemodynamics in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. 120 patients undergoing elective laparoscopic radical resection of colorectal cancer were included as the study subjects and randomly divided into the experimental group (n = 60) and the control group (n = 60). The control group had a fixed positive end-expiratory pressure (PEEP) = 5 cmH2O. The experimental group had transesophageal ultrasound monitoring through on an improved noise reduction algorithm (ONLM) based on nonlocal mean filtering (NLM) according to optimal pulmonary compliance titration of PEEP. There was significant difference in cerebral oxygen saturation and blood glucose level at T4-T6 between the experimental group and the control group (P < 0.05); the signal-to-noise ratio (SNR), figure of merit (FOM), and structural similarity (SSIM) of ONLM algorithm were significantly higher than those of NLM algorithm and Bayes Shrink denoising algorithm, and the differences were statistically significant (P < 0.05); there was significant difference in stroke volume (SV) and cardiac output (CO) at T4-T6 between the experimental group and the control group (P < 0.05); there was significant difference in pH, partial pressure of carbon dioxide (PCO2), and PO2 at T4-T6 between the experimental group and the control group (P < 0.05); pH was higher, and PCO2 and PO2 were lower in the experimental group. The results showed that transesophageal ultrasound based on the ONLM algorithm can accurately assess cardiac function and hemodynamics in patients undergoing laparoscopic surgery. In addition, optimal pulmonary compliance titration of PEEP could better maintain arterial acid-base balance during perioperative period and increase cerebral oxygen saturation and CO, but this strategy had no significant effect on hemodynamics.

Synthesis, Biological Evaluation, and Molecular Docking Studies of Hydrazones as Novel Xanthine Oxidase Inhibitors.

A series of hydrazones, 2-cyano-N'-(4-diethylamino-2-hydroxybenzylidene)acetohydrazide (1), N'-(5-bromo-2-hydroxy-3-methoxybenzylidene)-3-chlorobenzohydrazide monohydrate (2·H2O), N'-(2-hydroxy-3-methylbenzylidene)-4-nitrobenzohydrazide (3), and N'-(2-hydroxy-3-trifluoromethoxybenzylidene)-4-nitrobenzohydrazide (4), were prepared and structurally characterized by elemental analysis, IR and 1H NMR spectra, and single crystal X-ray determination. Xanthine oxidase inhibitory activities of the compounds were studied. Among the compounds, 2-cyano-N'-(4-diethylamino-2-hydroxybenzylidene)acetohydrazide shows the most effective activity. Docking simulation was performed to insert the compounds into the crystal structure of xanthine oxidase at the active site to investigate the probable binding modes.

Achieving over 18 % Efficiency Organic Solar Cell Enabled by a ZnO-Based Hybrid Electron Transport Layer with an Operational Lifetime up to 5†Years.

Although organic solar cells (OSCs) have delivered an impressive power conversion efficiency (PCE) of over 19 %, most of them demonstrated rather limited stability. So far, there are hardly any effective and universal strategies to improve stability of state-of-the-art OSCs. Herein, we developed a hybrid electron-transport layer (ETL) in inverted OSCs using ZnO and a new modifying agent (NMA), and significantly improved the stability and PCEs for all the tested devices. In particular, when applied in the D18 : N3 system, its inverted OSC exhibits so far the highest PCE (18.20 %) among inverted single-junction OSCs, demonstrating an extrapolated T80 lifetime of 7572 h (equivalent to 5 years under outdoor exposure). This is the first report with T80 over 5000 h among OSCs with over 18 % PCE. Furthermore, a high PCE of 16.12 % can be realized even in a large-area device (1 cm2 ). This hybrid ETL strategy provides a strong stimulus for highly prospective commercialization of OSCs.

Dezocine relieves the postoperative hyperalgesia in rats through suppressing the hyper-action of Akt1/GSK-3ß pathway.

The relieving role of dezocine in pain after surgery was previously reported, while the potential mechanism was not completely clear. Therefore, the current research probed into the regulatory mechanism of dezocine in pain after surgery. A postoperative pain model was established by performing plantar incision surgery on the juvenile Sprague-Dawley rats. After the rats were treated with dezocine or SC79 (Akt1 activator), the paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency of rats were detected to evaluate the mechanical allodynia and thermal hyperalgesia. After the plantar tissue, dorsal root ganglions, and spinal cord of rats were collected, the expressions of Akt1, p-Akt1, GSK-3ß, and p-GSK-3ß in the tissues were determined by western blot to evaluate the activation state of the Akt1/GSK-3ß pathway. After surgery, the paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency of rats were lessened, whereas the ratios of p-Akt1/Akt1 and p-GSK-3ß/GSK-3ß were augmented in rat plantar tissue, dorsal root ganglions, and spinal cord. After treatment with dezocine alone, the paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency of postoperative rats were elevated, but ratios of p-Akt1/Akt1 and p-GSK-3ß/GSK-3ß were reduced. After co-treatment with dezocine and SC79, SC79 reversed the effects of dezocine on elevating the paw withdrawal threshold and paw withdrawal latency, and reducing the ratios of p-Akt1/Akt1 and p-GSK-3ß/GSK-3ß in postoperative rats. Dezocine ameliorated the postoperative hyperalgesia in rats via repressing the hyper-action of Akt1/GSK-3ß pathway.

Impact of Succinylcholine vs. Rocuronium on Apnea Duration for Rapid Sequence Induction: A Prospective Cohort Study.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to evaluate the impact of 1.5 mg/kg succinylcholine or 1.2 mg/kg rocuronium, vs. 1.0 mg/kg succinylcholine on apnea duration in patients underwent rapid sequence induction (RSI). METHODS: This prospective cohort study was conducted in the Department of Anesthesiology in Shanghai General Hospital from July 2020 to November 2020. Apnea duration was defined as the time from apnea prompted by the PETCO2 waveform to the time the point of oxygen saturation declined to 90% (T90) and 95% (T95) after succinylcholine or rocuronium administration. The primary outcome included T90 and T95 changes in 1.5 mg/kg vs. 1.0 mg/kg succinylcholine groups and 1.5 mg/kg succinylcholine vs. 1.2 mg/kg rocuronium groups. RESULTS: A total of 265 participants were subjected for analysis. The succinylcholine (1.0 mg/kg) group had a significantly longer T90 (50.72, 95% confidence interval [CI, 7.60, 94.38], P = 0.015) and T95 (48.09, 95% CI [7.11, 89.07], P = 0.012) than the succinylcholine (1.5 mg/kg) group. In addition, significantly longer T90 (56.84, 95% CI [16.24, 97.44], P = 0.003) and T95 (50.57, 95% CI [12.58, 88.57], P = 0.003) were observed in the rocuronium (1.2 mg/kg) group than those in the succinylcholine (1.5 mg/kg) group. No severe side events were observed during the operation. CONCLUSION: Rocuronium and the lower dose of succinylcholine may be recommended to patients underwent RSI.

Macro- and microplastic accumulation in soil after 32 years of plastic film mulching.

Plastic film mulch (PFM) is a double-edged-sword agricultural technology, which greatly improves global agricultural production but can also cause severe plastic pollution of the environment. Here, we characterized and quantified the amount of macro- and micro-plastics accumulated after 32 years of continuous plastic mulch film use in an agricultural field. An interactive field trial was established in 1987, where the effect of plastic mulching and N fertilization on maize yield was investigated. We assessed the abundance and type of macroplastics (>5 mm) at 0-20 cm soil depth and microplastic (<5 mm) at 0-100 cm depth. In the PFM plot, we found about 10 times more macroplastic particles in the fertilized plots than in the non-fertilized plots (6796 vs 653 pieces/m2), and the amount of film microplastics was about twice as abundant in the fertilized plots than in the non-fertilized plots (3.7 × 106 vs 2.2 × 106 particles/kg soil). These differences can be explained by entanglement of plastics with plant roots and stems, which made it more difficult to remove plastic film after harvest. Macroplastics consisted mainly of films, while microplastics consisted of films, fibers, and granules, with the films being identified as polyethylene originating from the plastic mulch films. Plastic mulch films contributed 33%-56% to the total microplastics in 0-100 cm depth. The total number of microplastics in the topsoil (0-10 cm) ranged as 7183-10,586 particles/kg, with an average of 8885 particles/kg. In the deep subsoil (80-100 cm) the plastic concentration ranged as 2268-3529 particles/kg, with an average of 2899 particles/kg. Long-term use of plastic mulch films caused considerable pollution of not only surface, but also subsurface soil. Migration of plastic to deeper soil layers makes removal and remediation more difficult, implying that the plastic pollution legacy will remain in soil for centuries.

Exosomes Derived from ADSCs Attenuate Sepsis-Induced Lung Injury by Delivery of Circ-Fryl and Regulation of the miR-490-3p/SIRT3 Pathway.

Sepsis-induced lung injury is a clinical syndrome characterized by injury of alveolar epithelium cells (AECs). Previous investigations illustrate that exosomes secreted from adipose-derived stem cells (ADSCs) have therapeutic effects in a variety of disease treatments, but roles and mechanisms regarding ADSC-derived exosomes in sepsis-induced lung injury are unclear. In this study, high-throughput sequencing was used to explore the molecular delivery of ADSC exosomes. A sepsis-induced lung injury mouse model and a lipopolysaccharide-induced AEC damage model were used for mechanistic analysis. The results showed that ADSC exosomes have high levels of the circular RNA (circ)-Fryl. Downregulation of circ-Fryl suppressed ADSC protective effects exosomes against sepsis-induced lung injury by decreasing apoptosis and inflammatory factor expression. Bioinformatics and luciferase reporting experiments showed that miR-490-3p and SIRT3 are downstream targets of circ-Fryl. miR-490-3p overexpression or SIRT3 silencing reversed ADSC exosome protective effects. Studying the mechanism showed that overexpression of circ-Fryl promoted autophagy activation by inducing SIRT3/AMPK signaling. Autophagy activation can suppress sepsis-induced lung injury by decreasing apoptosis and inflammatory factor expression. Taken together, our results suggest that exosomes derived from ADSCs attenuate sepsis-induced lung injury by delivery of circ-Fryl and regulation of the miR-490-3p/SIRT3 pathway.

Transversus abdominis plane block provides effective and safe anesthesia in the cesarean section for an amyotrophic lateral sclerosis parturient: A case report.

RATIONALE: Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive neurodegenerative disease with the fatal course of muscle weakness. The published experience of anesthesia management in the cesarean section with ALS parturient is scant. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 34-year-old woman was admitted to our center complaining of obvious dysphagia together with atrophy and weakness of quadriceps at 24 weeks of her pregnancy. Cesarean was planned at 36 weeks' gestation due to the rapid deterioration of the mother. DIAGNOSES: The results of neurological examination, electromyography and spinal magnetic resonance imaging suggested ALS according to the EI Escorial World Federation of Neurology criteria. INTERVENTIONS: Ultrasound-guided transversus abdominis plane block with 0.6 minimum alveolar concentration sevoflurane was used in this ALS parturient during her cesarean section procedure. OUTCOMES: This anesthesia strategy successfully met the demands of the surgery, helped avoid prolonged ventilation and prevent maternal respiratory complications. LESSONS: Transversus abdominis plane block with subanesthetic concentrations of sevoflurane can provide effective and safe anesthesia in the cesarean section for a patient with ALS.

Concurrently Improved Jsc, Fill Factor, and Stability in a Ternary Organic Solar Cell Enabled by a C-Shaped Non-fullerene Acceptor and Its Structurally Similar Third Component.

A ternary strategy is recognized as a promising approach that enjoys both the simplicity of fabrication conditions and potential to improve performance in organic solar cells. Herein, a C-shaped narrow band gap non-fullerene acceptor GL1 with a C2v symmetry based on a new core was designed and synthesized. A power conversion efficiency (PCE) of 11.43% was achieved by employing PBDB-T:GL1 as an active layer to fabricate photovoltaic devices. To further promote photovoltaic performance, following a similar-structure prescreen principle, a middle band gap acceptor F-2Cl with the same backbone shape, side-chain distribution, and dipole moment orientation as GL1 was introduced as the guest acceptor into the active layer. Thus, benefiting from the collaboration of complementary absorption, cascade energy levels, and well-modified microstructure of the active layer, a 13.17% PCE was obtained with concurrently elevated Jsc, fill factor, and stability for the optimized ternary device. This work presents a successful example of prescreening the third component to simplify the workload for a high-performance ternary device.