Deploying a Dipole Electric Field at the CsPbI3 Perovskite/Carbon Interface for Enhancing Hole Extraction and Photovoltaic Performance.

Carbon-based CsPbI3 perovskite solar cells without hole transporter (C-PSCs) have achieved intense attention due to its simple device structure and high chemical stability. However, the severe interface energy loss at the CsPbI3/carbon interface, attributed to the lower hole selectivity for inefficient charge separation, greatly limits device performance. Hence, dipole electric field (DEF) is deployed at the above interface to address the above issue by using a pole molecule, 4-trifluoromethyl-Phenylammonium iodide (CF3-PAI), in which the ─NH3 group anchors on the perovskite surface and the ─CF3 group extends away from it and connects with carbon electrode. The DEF is proven to align with the built-in electric field, that is pointing toward carbon electrode, which well enhances hole selectivity and charge separation at the interface. Besides, CF3-PAI molecules also serve as defect passivator for reducing trap state density, which further suppresses defect-induced non-radiative recombination. Consequently, the CsPbI3 C-PSCs achieve an excellent efficiency of 18.33% with a high VOC of 1.144 V for inorganic C-PSCs without hole transporter.

Electrodeposition of High-Quality Ni/SiC Composite Coatings by Using Binary Non-Ionic Surfactants.

In order to increase the hardness, wear resistance and corrosion resistance of nickel-based coatings, pure nickel is often co-electrodeposited with silicon carbide (SiC) particles. However, SiC particles tend to agglomerate and precipitate in the bath, which reduces the amounts of nanoparticles and causes nonuniformity. Herein, we solve these problems by using binary non-ionic surfactants (Span 80 and Tween 60) to effectively disperse SiC particles (binary-SiC) in the bath, which suppresses nanoparticles agglomeration and leads to uniformly distributed SiC particles in the composite coatings. In comparison to the Ni/SiC coatings electrodeposited from the commonly used SDS-modified SiC, the coatings prepared with binary-SiC (Ni/binary-SiC) show finer crystallization and a smoother surface. In addition, the Ni/binary-SiC coatings exhibit higher hardness (556 Hv) and wear resistance (2.95 mg cm-2). Furthermore, higher corrosion resistance is also achieved by the Ni/binary-SiC coatings.

Implementation of evidence in preventing medical device-related pressure injury in ICU patients using the i-PARIHS framework.

AIM: To examine the effectiveness of implementing the evidence in preventing medical device-related pressure injury (MDRPI) in intensive care patients. BACKGROUND: MDRPI is a common problem that significantly complicates patients' medical condition. However, evidence in preventing MDRPI is not properly implemented in clinical practice. METHODS: A pre- and post-implementation study was conducted using the Integrated Promoting Action on Research Implementation in Health Services (i-PARIHS) framework. A baseline survey was implemented; barriers and enablers of evidence implementation were analysed to inform facilitation support strategies, such as training nursing staff and developing resources and tools. Changes in nurses, patients and the system were assessed after evidence implementation. RESULTS: Nurses' knowledge scores and evidence compliance significantly improved. The incidence of MDRPI in patients decreased from 24.39% to 4.26%. Standardized care and workflows to prevent MDRPI were established. CONCLUSION: The i-PARIHS framework supported effective implementation of the evidence in preventing MDRPI, narrowing the gap between evidence and clinical practice. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING MANAGEMENT: We provide an effective case of transforming evidence into practice based on the i-PARIHS framework. It can be used as a reference for colleagues in intensive care unit (ICU) or other settings to implement MDRPI prevention.

Protective effect of hydrogen-rich saline on pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophyin rats: possible role of JAK-STAT signaling.

BACKGROUND: Molecular hydrogen has been shown to have antioxidant effect and have been used to prevent oxidative stress-related diseases. The goal of this study was to explore if hydrogen-rich saline (HRS) plays a cardioprotective effect on abdominal aortic constriction (AAC) induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats. 60adult Sprague-Dawley rats received surgically the AAC for 6-week. After the surgery, the rats were randomly divided into 4 groups (15 for each):1: sham-operated (sham); 2: AAC-model; 3: AAC + Low HRS (LHRS); and 4: AAC + High HRS (HHRS). The rats in sham and AAC-model groups were treated with normal saline intraperitoneally, while rats in LHRS and HHRS groups were intraperitoneally treated with 3 or 6 mL/kg HRS daily, respectively, for 6-week. RESULTS: The ratios of HW/BW and LVW/BW were shown in an order of Model > LHRS > HHRS > SHAM groups. The cardiac hypertrophy was also manifested with increased expressions of atrial natriuretic peptide (ANP), brain natriuretic peptides (BNP) and fibrosis of cardiac tissues in AAC-model group, which could likewise be restrained in LHRS and HHRS groups. Moreover, the JAK-STAT (Janus Kinase-Signal transducers and activators of transcription) signaling molecule expressions were decreased with HRS treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed a protective effect of HRS on pressure overload-induced cardiac hypertrophy in rats, which may be associated to a decreasing in JAK-STAT signaling pathway.

Facile Fabrication of Binary Nanoscale Interface for No-Loss Microdroplet Transportation.

Binary nanoscale interfacial materials are fundamental issues in many applications for smart surfaces. A binary nanoscale interface with binary surface morphology and binary wetting behaviors has been prepared by a facile wet-chemical method. The prepared surface presents superhydrophobicity and high adhesion with the droplet at the same time. The composition, surface morphology, and wetting behaviors of the prepared surface have been systematic studied. The special wetting behaviors can be contributed to the binary nanoscale effect. The stability of the prepared surface was also investigated. As a primary application, a facile device based on the prepared binary nanoscale interface with superhydrophobicity and high adhesion was constructed for microdroplet transportation.

Bioinspired Composite Coating with Extreme Underwater Superoleophobicity and Good Stability for Wax Prevention in the Petroleum Industry.

Wax deposition is a detrimental problem that happens during crude oil production and transportation, which greatly reduces transport efficiency and causes huge economic losses. To avoid wax deposition, a bioinspired composite coating with excellent wax prevention and anticorrosion properties is developed in this study. The prepared coating is composed of three films, including an electrodeposited Zn film for improving corrosion resistance, a phosphating film for constructing fish-scale morphology, and a silicon dioxide film modified by a simple spin-coating method for endowing the surface with superhydrophilicity. Good wax prevention performance has been investigated in a wax deposition test. The surface morphology, composition, wetting behaviors, and stability are systematically studied, and a wax prevention mechanism is proposed, which can be calculated from water film theory. This composite coating strategy which shows excellent properties in both wax prevention and stability is expected to be widely applied in the petroleum industry.

Association between essential hypertension and three vasoactive peptides, urotensin II, endothelin and adrenomedullin.

AIM: The aim of the study is to measure the vasoactive peptides, urotensin II (UII), endothelin (ET) and adrenomedullin (ADM) in a well-characterized population of normal controls and patients with essential hypertension, and to study their association with this disease. METHODS: The contents of plasma UII, ET and ADM were measured by radioimmunoassay in 40 normal controls and 120 patients with essential hypertension. Echocardiographic examinations were performed using an ultrasonic system, and the left ventricular end diastolic diameter (LVEDd) along with the left ventricular posterior wall thickness (LVPWT) and interventricular septal thickness (IST) were determined. The left ventricular mass index (LVMI) was calculated according to the method reported by Devereux et al. RESULTS: Plasma UII, ET and ADM contents were increased in patients than healthy controls (3.28 ± 1.257 pmol/L vs. 1.80 ± 0.639 pmol/L, p < 0.01), and correlated with the severity of hypertension in patients. Besides, all the three vasoactive peptides in plasma had significant correlations with SBP, IST, LVPWT, LVMI (p ≤ 0.05), while they showed insignificant associations with LVEDd (p > 0.05). UII was remarkably associated with ADM content, while the association of UII level with LVEDd and ET content were not significant. CONCLUSION: The vasoactive peptides UII, ET and ADM may be involved in the pathophysiologic process of essential hypertension, and function as the indicators for severity of this disease.

Meta-analysis of interactions between arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi and biotic stressors of plants.

Naturally, simultaneous interactions occurred among plants, herbivores, and soil biota, that is, arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF), nematodes, and fungal pathogens. These multiple interactions play fundamental roles in driving process, structure, and functioning of ecosystems. In this study, we conducted a meta-analysis with 144 papers to investigate the interactions between AMF and plant biotic stressors and their effects on plant growth performance. We found that AMF enhanced plant tolerance to herbivores, nematodes, and fungal pathogens. We also found reciprocal inhibition between AMF and nematodes as well as fungal pathogens, but unidirectional inhibition for AMF on herbivores. Negative effects of AMF on biotic stressors of plants depended on herbivore feeding sites and actioning modes of fungal pathogens. More performance was reduced in root-feeding than in shoot-feeding herbivores and in rotting- than in wilt-fungal pathogens. However, no difference was found for AMF negative effects between migratory and sedentary nematodes. In return, nematodes and fungal pathogens generated more reduction of root colonization in Non-Glomeraceae than in Glomeraceae. Our results suggested that AMF positive effects on plants might be indirectly mediated by competitive inhibition with biotic stressors of plants. These positive and negative interactions make potential contributions to maintaining ecosystem stability and functioning.

Hydrogen-containing saline attenuates doxorubicin-induced heart failure in rats.

Interactions between doxorubicin (DOX) and iron generate reactive oxygen species and contribute to DOX-induced heart failure. Hydrogen, as a selective antioxidant, is a promising potential therapeutic option for the treatment of a variety of diseases. Therefore, we investigated the preventive effects of hydrogen treatment on DOX-induced heart failure in rats. We found that cardiac function was significantly improved and that the plasma levels of oxidative-stress markers and myocardial autophagic activity were decreased in animals treated with hydrogen-containing saline. Therefore, we conclude that hydrogen-containing saline may have beneficial effects for doxorubicin-induced heart failure.

How Do Tourists' Value Perceptions of Food Experiences Influence Their Perceived Destination Image and Revisit Intention? A Moderated Mediation Model.

The food experience is an important part of the tourism experience. Although it is crucial to comprehend the significance of tourists' perception of food experiences, there is a scarcity of research investigating the impact of tasting local food on tourists' perceptions and behaviors. This study employs structural equation modeling to empirically examine the relationship between tourists' value perceptions of food experiences, their perceived destination image, and their revisit intention. In addition, the moderating effects of tourists' genders on the aforementioned relationships are also explored. A renowned restaurant brand, Nanjing Impressions, which specializes in offering the unique cuisine of the city of Nanjing, China, is chosen as the research case. A grand total of 500 questionnaires were distributed, and, out of these, 458 questionnaires were deemed legitimate and kept for further analysis. The results indicate that the functional, social, emotional, cultural, and health values of local food experienced by tourists have significant positive impacts on their perceived destination image and revisit intention. Moreover, perceived destination image partially mediates the relationships between tourists' value perceptions of food experiences and their revisit intention. Gender is found to partially moderate the relationships between the proposed constructs. The current study offers noteworthy theoretical contributions and provides valuable practical suggestions for tourism destination managers.

In emergency situations, tracheal intubation replaces fiberoptic bronchoscopy to extract foreign bodies from the airway, a case report.

Introduction: Foreign bodies in the airways can cause significant morbidity and mortality. If emergency personnel are unable to clear an airway obstruction frequently results in cardiac arrest. Patient concerns: A 78-year-old man developed a persistent cough and dyspnoea after consuming alcohol. Fiberoptic bronchoscopy was performed, revealing complete blockage of the main airways on both sides by fish. Diagnosis: Endotracheal foreign body. Interventions: The foreign body was removed with an endotracheal tube under the guidance of a fiberoptic bronchoscope. Outcomes: The airway foreign body had been successfully removed and the man recovered uneventfully. Conclusion: When repeated attempts to extract airway foreign bodies under the guidance of bronchoscopy have failed, endotracheal intubation can be considered as a viable alternative in emergency situations.

The metabolites from traditional Chinese medicine targeting ferroptosis for cancer therapy.

Cancer is a major disease with ever-increasing morbidity and mortality. The metabolites derived from traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) have played a significant role in combating cancers with curative efficacy and unique advantages. Ferroptosis, an iron-dependent programmed death characterized by the accumulation of lipid peroxide, stands out from the conventional forms of cell death, such as apoptosis, pyroptosis, necrosis, and autophagy. Recent evidence has demonstrated the potential of TCM metabolites targeting ferroptosis for cancer therapy. We collected and screened related articles published in or before June 2023 using PubMed, Google Scholar, and Web of Science. The searched keywords in scientific databases were ferroptosis, cancer, tumor, traditional Chinese medicine, botanical drugs, and phytomedicine. Only research related to ferroptosis, the metabolites from TCM, and cancer was considered. In this review, we introduce an overview of the current knowledge regarding the ferroptosis mechanisms and review the research advances on the metabolites of TCM inhibiting cancer by targeting ferroptosis.

Moisture is not always bad: H2O accelerates the conversion of DMAPbI3 intermediate to CsPbI3 for boosting the efficiency of carbon-based perovskite solar cells to over 16.

Inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite has exhibited great application potential in perovskite solar cells (PSCs) due to its suitable optical bandgap and high chemical stability. However, the perovskite phases of CsPbI3 are not stable at room temperature, where they transition to non-perovskite phases. Humidity or water has been thought to be the primary factor inducing this phase transition, which should be avoided throughout the procedure of film and device processing. Surprisingly, the present study indicates that preparing a precursor solution in humid air is beneficial to the growth of high-quality CsPbI3 perovskite to enhance device performance. It is demonstrated that the incorporation of H2O in the precursor solution from humid air or by intentional addition significantly changes the composition of coordination compounds and increases the amount of low iodine coordination complexes. As a result, the crystallization of dimethylammonium lead iodide (DMAPbI3) intermediate is suppressed well, which accelerates its subsequent conversion to CsPbI3 perovskite. Consequently, an oriented CsPbI3 perovskite film with improved crystallinity and lower defect density is obtained. Most importantly, carbon-based PSCs (C-PSCs) based on the CsPbI3 perovskite film achieve an efficiency of 16.05%, a new record for inorganic C-PSCs.

Spatially selective defect management of CsPbI3 films for high-performance carbon-based inorganic perovskite solar cells.

Defects formed at the surface, buried interface and grain boundaries (GB) of CsPbI3 perovskite films considerably limit photovoltaic performance. Such defects could be passivated effectively by the most prevalent post modification strategy without compromising the photoelectric properties of perovskite films, but it is still a great challenge to make this strategy comprehensive to different defects spatially distributed throughout the films. Herein, a spatially selective defect management (SSDM) strategy is developed to roundly passivate various defects at different locations within the perovskite film by a facile one-step treatment procedure using a piperazine-1,4-diium tetrafluoroborate (PZD(BF4)2) solution. The small-size PZD2+ cations could penetrate into the film interior and even make it all the way to the buried interface of CsPbI3 perovskite films, while the BF4- anions, with largely different properties from I- anions, mainly anchor on the film surface. Consequently, virtually all the defects at the surface, buried interface and grain boundaries of CsPbI3 perovskite films are effectively healed, leading to significantly improved film quality, enhanced phase stability, optimized energy level alignment and promoted carrier transport. With these films, the fabricated CsPbI3 PSCs based on carbon electrode (C-PSCs) achieve an efficiency of 18.27%, which is among the highest-reported values for inorganic C-PSCs, and stability of 500 h at 85 °C with 65% efficiency maintenance.

A wear and heat-resistant hydrophobic fluoride-free coating based on modified nanoparticles and waterborne-modified polyacrylic resin.

Hydrophobic coatings have attracted extensive research due to their broad application prospects. However, hydrophobic coatings in practical applications are often limited by their insufficient stability and are difficult to be applied on a large scale. In this regard, wear and heat resistance are key aspects that must be considered. In this paper, a method for preparing a robust hydrophobic coating with modified ZrO2 particles as the core component and modified acrylic resin is proposed. First, γ-aminopropyltriethoxysilane (APTES) was used to silanize ZrO2 to obtain Si-ZrO2 nanoparticles, which were grafted with amino groups. Then, the nanoparticles reacted with isocyanates to be grafted with hydrophobic groups. A simple spray method was developed to deposit a hydrophobic (141.8°) coating using the mixture containing the modified nanoparticles and non-fluorinated water-based silicon-modified acrylic resin (WSAR) that was prepared by free radical polymerization. The obtained coating exhibited a rough surface and the particles and resin were closely combined. Compared with pure resin coating, the composite coating exhibited 150% enhancement in wear resistance and it could wear 45 meters at a pressure of 20 kPa. Moreover, the coating could maintain the hydrophobic property even when it lost 70% quality or after it was heated at 390 °C. The thermogravimetric results showed that the temperature could reach 400 °C before the quality of the fluorine-free coating dropped to 90%. In addition, the coating could easily take away graphite or silicon carbide powder under the impact of water droplets, showing excellent self-cleaning performance.

Mechanosensitive Piezo1 protein as a novel regulator in macrophages and macrophage-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Macrophages are the most important innate immune cells in humans. They are almost ubiquitous in peripheral tissues with a large variety of different mechanical milieus. Therefore, it is not inconceivable that mechanical stimuli have effects on macrophages. Emerging as key molecular detectors of mechanical stress, the function of Piezo channels in macrophages is becoming attractive. In this review, we addressed the architecture, activation mechanisms, biological functions, and pharmacological regulation of the Piezo1 channel and review the research advancements in functions of Piezo1 channels in macrophages and macrophage-mediated inflammatory diseases as well as the potential mechanisms involved.

High-throughput metagenomics analysis in early and precise diagnosis of eosinophilic meningoencephalitis complicated with respiratory failure: A case report.

RATIONALE: Human infection with Angiostrongylus cantonensis is uncommon and has only been sporadically reported in the literature. Patients infected with A cantonensis usually have a delayed diagnosis and sometimes a poor prognosis. PATIENT CONCERNS: A 70-year-old woman presented to the respiratory department with complaints of headache, chest pain, myalgia, fatigue, and anorexia for 7 days. DIAGNOSES: Complete blood count showed eosinophilia. The serum was tested showing a positive finding of A cantonensis antibody. Cerebrospinal fluid was tested using high-throughput metagenomics analysis and 16 reads for A cantonensis were mapped. The patient was diagnosed with A cantonensis infection. INTERVENTIONS: The patient received a 7-day course of albendazole and 4-day course of prednisone. OUTCOMES: When discharged from the hospital, the patient still suffered from fatigue and poor memory. Aminotransferase levels were high due to albendazole's liver toxicity. In a post-discharge follow-up about 1 month later she had recovered completely both physically and mentally, and peripheral eosinophil count and aminotransferase levels were both normal. LESSONS: Because the direct identification of parasites is difficult, high-throughput metagenomics analysis may provide a reliable alternative tool for the diagnoses of infection with A cantonensis. When albendazole is prescribed, caution must be taken with respect to its liver toxicity.

Dimethyl sulfoxide: a promising solvent for inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite.

Inorganic CsPbI3 perovskite is an important photovoltaic material due to its suitable band gap and high chemical stability. However, it is a challenge to grow high-quality CsPbI3 perovskite because the stability of perovskite phase is low and is sensitive to solvent. So far, most of CsPbI3 perovskites in high-performance perovskite solar cells (PSCs) were prepared from N,N-dimethylformamide, a highly toxic solvent, and no successful case has been reported for dimethyl sulfoxide (DMSO), which is environmentally-friendly with considerably higher complexation capability. Herein, we reveal that forming DMSO-based adduct is the main cause for limiting the quality of CsPbI3 perovskite from DMSO-based solutions, which would inhibit the formation of DMAPbI3 (DMA = dimethylammonium, (CH3)2NH2+) intermediate. Then, by introducing a vacuum treatment, DMSO molecules could be efficiently extracted from the adduct to induce the formation of DMAPbI3 intermediate. After annealing, the intermediate is transitioned to the CsPbI3 perovskite with enhanced crystallinity, high orientation, low defect density, and high uniformity. By using the CsPbI3 perovskite as a light absorber, the PSCs based on carbon electrode (C-PSCs) achieve an efficiency of 16.7%, a new record for inorganic C-PSCs.

[Expert consensus on implementation strategy of awake prone positioning for non-intubated patients in China (2023)].

The awake prone position plays an important role in the treatment of hypoxemia and the improvement of respiratory distress symptoms in non-intubated patients. It is widely used in clinical practice because of its simple operation, safety, and economy. To enable clinical medical staff to scientifically and normatively implement prone position for awake patients without intubation, the committees of consensus formulation, guided by evidence-based methodology and Delphi method, conducted literature search, literature quality evaluation and evidence synthesis around seven topics, including indications and contraindications, evaluation, implementation, monitoring and safety management, termination time, complication prevention and health education of awake prone position. After two rounds of expert letter consultation, Expert consensus on implementation strategy of awake prone positioning for non-intubated patients in China (2023) was formulated, and provide guidance for clinical medical staff.

Growth of ZnO nanowires on fibers for one-dimensional flexible quantum dot-sensitized solar cells.

One-dimensional flexible solar cells were fabricated through vertical growth of ZnO nanowires on freestanding carbon fibers and subsequent deposition of CdS quantum dots (QDs). Under light illumination, excitons were generated in the CdS QDs and dissociated in the ZnO/CdS interface. Photoelectrochemical characterization indicates that fiber quantum dot-sensitized solar cells (QDSCs) could effectively absorb visible light and convert it to electric energy. The photoelectrochemical performance was enhanced after the deposition of a ZnS passivating layer on the CF/ZnO/CdS surface. The highest conversion efficiency of about 0.006% was achieved by the fiber QDSCs. A higher conversion efficiency was expected to be achieved after some important parameters and cell structure were optimized and improved.