Highlights
A bi-service host with lithiophilic/sulfiphilic Fe
2
CoSe
4
quantum dots embedded in three-dimensional ordered nitrogen-doped carbon skeleton is elaborately developed for both the sulfur ...cathode and Li anode synchronously.
The highly dispersed Fe
2
CoSe
4
quantum dots can not only act as a redox accelerator to promote the bidirectional conversion of LiPSs but also regulate the uniform Li plating/stripping to mitigate the growth of Li dendrite.
The assembled Li-S full batteries achieve excellent long-term cyclability and a remarkable areal capacity of 8.41 mAh cm
2
at high sulfur loading of 8.50 mg cm
2
, and the pouch full battery also displays high capacity and cycling-stability at lean electrolyte condition.
The commercial viability of lithium–sulfur batteries is still challenged by the notorious lithium polysulfides (LiPSs) shuttle effect on the sulfur cathode and uncontrollable Li dendrites growth on the Li anode. Herein, a bi-service host with Co-Fe binary-metal selenide quantum dots embedded in three-dimensional inverse opal structured nitrogen-doped carbon skeleton (3DIO FCSe-QDs@NC) is elaborately designed for both sulfur cathode and Li metal anode. The highly dispersed FCSe-QDs with superb adsorptive-catalytic properties can effectively immobilize the soluble LiPSs and improve diffusion-conversion kinetics to mitigate the polysulfide-shutting behaviors. Simultaneously, the 3D-ordered porous networks integrated with abundant lithophilic sites can accomplish uniform Li deposition and homogeneous Li-ion flux for suppressing the growth of dendrites. Taking advantage of these merits, the assembled Li–S full batteries with 3DIO FCSe-QDs@NC host exhibit excellent rate performance and stable cycling ability (a low decay rate of 0.014% over 2,000 cycles at 2C). Remarkably, a promising areal capacity of 8.41 mAh cm
−2
can be achieved at the sulfur loading up to 8.50 mg cm
−2
with an ultra-low electrolyte/sulfur ratio of 4.1 μL mg
−1
. This work paves the bi-serve host design from systematic experimental and theoretical analysis, which provides a viable avenue to solve the challenges of both sulfur and Li electrodes for practical Li–S full batteries.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
The AMS-02 has measured the cosmic-ray electron (plus positron) spectrum up to ∼TeV with unprecedented precision. The spectrum can be well described by a power law without any obvious features above ...10 GeV. The satellite instrument Dark Matter Particle Explorer (DAMPE), which was launched a year ago, will measure the electron spectrum up to 10 TeV with high-energy resolution. The cosmic electrons beyond TeV may be attributed to few local cosmic-ray sources, such as supernova remnants. Therefore, spectral features, such as cut-off and bumps, can be expected at high energies. In this work, we provide a careful study on the perspective of the electron spectrum beyond TeV. We first examine our astrophysical source models on the latest leptonic data of AMS-02 to give a self-consistent picture. Then we focus on the discussion about the candidate sources, which could be electron contributors above TeV. Depending on the properties of the local sources (especially on the nature of Vela), DAMPE may detect interesting features in the electron spectrum above TeV in the future.
Abstract
Background
To combat the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, nonpharmaceutical interventions (NPIs) were implemented worldwide, which impacted a broad spectrum of acute respiratory ...infections (ARIs).
Methods
Etiologically diagnostic data from 142 559 cases with ARIs, who were tested for 8 viral pathogens (influenza virus IFV, respiratory syncytial virus RSV, human parainfluenza virus HPIV, human adenovirus HAdV, human metapneumovirus HMPV, human coronavirus HCoV, human bocavirus HBoV, and human rhinovirus HRV) between 2012 and 2021, were analyzed to assess the changes in respiratory infections in China during the first COVID-19 pandemic year compared with pre-pandemic years.
Results
Test-positive rates of all respiratory viruses decreased during 2020, compared to the average levels during 2012–2019, with changes ranging from −17.2% for RSV to −87.6% for IFV. Sharp decreases mostly occurred between February and August when massive NPIs remained active, although HRV rebounded to the historical level during the summer. While IFV and HMPV were consistently suppressed year-round, RSV, HPIV, HCoV, HRV, and HBoV resurged and went beyond historical levels during September 2020–January 2021, after NPIs were largely relaxed and schools reopened. Resurgence was more prominent among children <18 years and in northern China. These observations remain valid after accounting for seasonality and long-term trend of each virus.
Conclusions
Activities of respiratory viral infections were reduced substantially in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic, and massive NPIs were likely the main driver. Lifting of NPIs can lead to resurgence of viral infections, particularly in children.
Test-positive rates of 8 respiratory viruses decreased during the COVID-19 pandemic, compared with average levels during 2012–2019. IFV and HMPV were consistently suppressed. RSV, HPIV, HCoV, HRV, and HBoV resurged after nonpharmaceutical interventions were largely relaxed and schools reopened.
Aims
Sodium‐glucose cotransporter‐2 inhibitors (SGLT‐2i) have off‐target effects on haemoconcentration and anti‐inflammation. The impact of SGLT‐2i on the risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in ...patients with diabetes mellitus (DM) remains unclear. This study aimed to evaluate the risk of newly diagnosed VTE in patients with DM using SGLT‐2i in comparison to dipeptidyl peptidase‐4 inhibitors (DPP‐4i) or glucagon‐like peptide‐1 receptor agonists (GLP‐1RA).
Materials and Methods
In this nationwide retrospective cohort study, we used data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Patients with diabetes aged 20 years or older who received SGLT‐2i, DPP‐4i, or GLP‐1RA between 1 May 2016, and 31 December 2020, were included. The risks of VTE in SGLT‐2i users were compared with those of DPP‐4i and GLP‐1RA users. A Cox regression model with stabilised inverse probability of treatment weighting was used to calculate hazard ratio (HR) for VTE risk. Additionally, a meta‐analysis of relevant articles published before 23 May 2023, was conducted.
Results
Data from 136,530 SGLT‐2i, 598,280 DPP‐4i, and 5760 GLP‐1RA users were analysed. SGLT‐2i use was associated with a lower risk of VTE than DPP‐4i (HR, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.59–0.84; p < 0·001), but not with GLP‐1RA (HR, 1.39; 95% CI, 0.32–5.94; p = 0.66). Our meta‐analysis further supported these findings (SGLT‐2i vs. DPP‐4i: HR, 0.71; 95% CI, 0.62–0.82; p < 0·001; SGLT‐2i vs. GLP‐1RA: HR, 0.91; 95% CI, 0.73–1.15; p = 0.43), suggesting the robustness of our retrospective analysis.
Conclusions
In patients with DM, SGLT‐2i was associated with a lower risk of VTE compared to DPP‐4i, but not GLP‐1RA.
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BFBNIB, FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
A visible-light-engaged 2-fold site-selective alkylation of indole derivatives with aliphatic ethers or alcohols has been accomplished for easy access to symmetric 3,3′-bisindolylmethane derivatives. ...The experimental data suggest a sequential photoredox catalysis induced radical addition and proton-mediated Friedel–Crafts alkylation mechanism.
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IJS, KILJ, NUK, PNG, UL, UM
Facile formation of carbon-heteroatom bonds is a long-standing objective in synthetic organic chemistry. However, direct cross-coupling with readily accessible alkenyl acetates via inert C‒O ...bond-cleavage for the carbon-heteroatom bond construction remains challenging. Here we report a practical preparation of stereoselective tri- and tetrasubstituted alkenyl silanes and stannanes by performing cobalt-catalyzed C‒O silylation and stannylation of alkenyl acetates using silylzinc pivalate and stannylzinc chloride as the nucleophiles. This protocol features a complete control of chemoselectivity, stereoselectivity, as well as excellent functional group compatibility. The resulting alkenyl silanes and stannanes show high reactivities in arylation and alkenylation by Hiyama and Stille reactions. The synthetic utility is further illustrated by the facile late-stage modifications of natural products and drug-like molecules. Mechanistic studies suggest that the reaction might involve a chelation-assisted oxidative insertion of cobalt species to C‒O bond. We anticipate that our findings should prove instrumental for potential applications of this technology to organic syntheses and drug discoveries in medicinal chemistry.
Described is our effort toward establishing a practical and sustainable synthesis of bis(2‐hydroxy‐3,5‐di‐t‐butylphenyl)methanone. In it, we found the phenol‐aldehyde condensation could be ...efficiently catalyzed by sulfonic acid‐functionalized microporous carbon spheres (MCS‐SO3H). Additionally, we developed practical and sustainable procedures for the synthesis of the title ligand by applying readily available reagents in lieu of toxic chromium trioxide and fuming boron tribromide.
Described are updated procedures for the synthesis of bis(2‐hydroxy‐3,5‐di‐t‐butylphenyl)methanone.
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FZAB, GIS, IJS, KILJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, SAZU, SBCE, SBMB, UL, UM, UPUK
The cosmic-ray (CR) e± excess observed by AMS-02 can be explained by dark matter (DM) annihilation. However, the DM explanation requires a large annihilation cross section which is strongly ...disfavored by other observations, such as the Fermi-LAT gamma-ray observation of dwarf galaxies and the Planck observation of the cosmic microwave background (CMB). Moreover, the DM annihilation cross section required by the CR e± excess is also too large to generate the correct DM relic density with thermal production. In this work we use the Breit–Wigner mechanism with a velocity dependent DM annihilation cross section to reconcile these tensions. If DM particles accounting for the CR e± excess with v∼O(10−3) are very close to a resonance in the physical pole case, their annihilation cross section in the Galaxy reaches a maximal value. On the other hand, the annihilation cross section would be suppressed for DM particles with smaller relative velocities in dwarf galaxies and at recombination, which may affect the gamma-ray and CMB observations, respectively. We find a proper parameter region that can simultaneously explain the AMS-02 results and the thermal relic density, while satisfying the Fermi-LAT and Planck constraints.
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GEOZS, IJS, IMTLJ, KILJ, KISLJ, NLZOH, NUK, OILJ, PNG, SAZU, SBCE, SBJE, UILJ, UL, UM, UPCLJ, UPUK, ZAGLJ, ZRSKP
Cervical cancer is the fourth most common cancer in women worldwide. Increasing evidence has shown that miRNAs are related to the progression of cervical cancer. However, the mechanisms that affect ...the prognosis of cancer are still largely unknown. In the present study, we sought to identify miRNAs associated with poor prognosis of patient with cervical cancer, as well as the possible mechanisms regulated by them. The miRNA expression profiles and relevant clinical information of patients with cervical cancer were obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA). The selection of prognostic miRNAs was carried out through an integrated bioinformatics approach. The most effective miRNAs with synergistic and additive effects were selected for validation through in vitro experiments. Three miRNAs (miR-216b-5p, miR-585-5p, and miR-7641) were identified as exhibiting good performance in predicting poor prognosis through additive effects analysis. The functional enrichment analysis suggested that not only pathways traditionally involved in cancer but also immune system pathways might be important in regulating the outcome of the disease. Our findings demonstrated that a synergistic combination of three miRNAs may be associated, through their regulation of specific pathways, with very poor survival rates for patients with cervical cancer.
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IZUM, KILJ, NUK, PILJ, PNG, SAZU, UL, UM, UPUK
Background:
Little is known about immediate responses of blood perfusion to the balloon pulmonary angioplasty (BPA) procedure.
Objectives:
To investigate the changes in pulmonary perfusion of ...balloon-dilated vessels and untreated vessels with before, immediately after a single BPA and at follow-up.
Design:
Retrospective single-center cohort study.
Methods:
Patients who had chronic thromboembolic pulmonary hypertension (CTEPH) and completed the pulmonary perfusion single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging before, immediately after BPA and at follow-up were included. We evaluated the perfusion defects of both-lung, BPA target (balloon dilated) and non-target (untreated) vessel segments according to Begic 3-point scale in each lung segment.
Results:
Forty patients (40 BPA procedures) were included and were given next BPA after 89 (62–125) days. The hemodynamic parameters including mPAP, PVR, and RAP were significantly improved after a single BPA. Visual scoring results of pulmonary perfusion imaging in 40 BPAs showed the perfusion defect scores of target vessels reduced from 5.6 ± 2.6 to 4.2 ± 2.2 (p < 0.001) immediately after BPA, and then further diminished to 3.1 ± 1.9 (p < 0.001) at follow-up. While in the non-target vessels, the post-BPA perfusion defect scores did not change significantly (13.4 ± 4.7 versus 12.8 ± 4.6, p = 0.182), but tended to decrease at follow-up (12.2 ± 4.2). However, there were 17 BPAs of which the post-BPA perfusion defect scores of non-target vessels increased significantly (p < 0.001), but decreased at follow-up.
Conclusion:
In addition to improving the blood perfusion of target vessels, BPA also has a certain effect on the perfusion of some non-target vessels.