A Porous and Conductive Graphite Nanonetwork Forming on the Surface of KCu7S4 for Energy Storage.

A flexible all-solid-state supercapacitor is fabricated by building a layer of porous and conductive nanonetwork on the surface of KCu7S4 nanowires supported on the carbon fiber fabric, where the porous and conductive nanonetwork is assembled by graphite nanoparticles. This porous graphite layer plays a key role in providing ion diffusion channels to access the KCu7S4 through the pores for electrochemical reactions and forming electron transport pathways from the graphite network to the electronic collector of the carbon fiber fabric. This flexible supercapacitor exhibits excellent electrochemical performance with high specific capacitance of 408 F g-1 at a current density of 0.5 A g-1 and high energy density of 36 Wh kg-1 at a power density of 201 W kg-1. Moreover, it is cost-effective, easy to scale up and environmentally friendly with high flexibility. Our investigation demonstrates that such a porous and conductive nanonetwork could be used to improve the charge storage efficiency for a wide range of electrode materials.

Quantitative 3-T diffusion tensor imaging in detecting optic nerve degeneration in patients with glaucoma: association with retinal nerve fiber layer thickness and clinical severity.

INTRODUCTION: To investigate the association of quantitative 3-T diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) with retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness measured by optical coherence tomography (OCT) and clinical severity in detecting optic nerve degeneration in patients with primary closed-angle glaucoma. METHODS: Twenty three patients (42 eyes; 9 men, 14 women) with primary closed-angle glaucoma and 20 healthy controls were enrolled in this study. Both DTI and OCT were performed on the optic nerves of all subjects. The mean diffusivity (MD), fractional anisotropy (FA), and eigenvalue maps were obtained for quantitative analysis. RNFL thickness and quantitative electrophysiology were also performed on all subjects. The association of quantitative DTI with RNFL thickness and glaucoma stage was analyzed. RESULTS: Compared with control nerves, the FA, λ[parallel], and λ[perpendicular] values, and RNFL thickness in affected nerves decreased, while MD increased in patients with primary glaucoma (p < 0.05). There was a significant correlation between FA, MD, λ[parallel], and λ[perpendicular] and the mean RNFL thickness (P < 0.01). The mean FA and λ[perpendicular] values derived with DT MR imaging correlated well with glaucoma stage (P < 0.05), but the mean MD and λ[parallel] values did not correlate with glaucoma stage (P > 0.05). CONCLUSION: DTI measurement could detect abnormality of the optic nerve in patients with glaucoma and may serve as a biomarker of disease severity.

[Wound healing after pancreaticojejunostomy in piglets: a comparison between two anastomotic methods].

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate wound healing after types of pancreaticojejunostomy. METHODS: After resection of the pancreatic head, 38 domestic piglets were divided into two groups according to the types of anastomoses: group I: binding pancreaticojejunostomy, a new technique designed and advocated by professor Peng Shuyou; group II: end-to-end pancreaticojejunal invagination. Anastomotic strength in vivo and histopathological findings were assessed on operative day and postoperative day 5 and 10. RESULTS: Bursting pressure was 139.7 +/- 8.0, 178.7 +/- 9.7 and 268.8 +/- 12.8 mm Hg in group I on day 0, 5 and 10, whereas 67.3 +/- 7.9, 96.2 +/- 10.4 and 130.6 +/- 9.3 mm Hg in group II. The gain on day 0 to 5 and 5 to 10 was 27.9% and 50.5% in group I and 42.9% and 35.7% in group II, respectively. A significant difference was observed between group I and group II, and between 5 and 10 day after anastomoses (P < 0.01). Breaking strength was 4.5 +/- 0.4, 6.6 +/- 0.4 and 10.0 +/- 0.6 N in group I on day 0, 5 and 10 and 4.6 +/- 0.6, 5.8 +/- 0.5 and 7.1 +/- 0.6 N in group II. Although a similar value was shown in both types of anastomoses on day 0, a rapider gain was demonstrated on day 0 to 5 and 5 to 10 in group I (44.8% and 52.9%) than in group II (25.4% and 22.0%). A significant difference was found on day 5 and 10 between the two types of anastomoses (P < 0.05 and P < 0.01). Anastomotic site was well repaired by connective tissue and the cut surface of pancreatic stump was covered by mucosal epithelium in group I on day 10, but the cut surface was incompletely repaired by granulation tissue and no, regeneration of the epithelium was found in group II. CONCLUSION: Anastomotic strength of binding pancreaticojejunostomy was stronger than end-to-end pancreaticojejunal invagination and the healing was better and rapid.