Impacts of different methylprednisolone administration routes in patients with sudden hearing loss or Meniere’s disease

Background:Evidence suggests that glucocorticoids are important in the treatment of sudden hearing loss(SHL)and Meniere’s disease(MD).However,different glucocorticoid administration methods may have a significant impact on treatment outcomes.Objective:This study aimed to investigate effects of different glucocorticoid administration methods on sudden hearing loss and Meniere’s disease.Methods:In this study,glucocorticoids were administered orally in 18 patients,by retroauricular injection in 15 patients and by intratympanic injection in 15 patients.White blood cell(WBC)count,serum Kt,fasting plasma glucose(FPG),body temperature,heart rate and blood pressure were used to evaluate effects of glucocorticoids on patients with hearing loss.Visual analog scale(VAS)of pain and sleep disorders were also surveyed,and pure tone audiometry(PTA)results were compared among groups to evaluate efficacy of different glucocorticoids administration methods.Result:WBC count,heart rate and blood pressure were higher in patients taking oral glucocorticoids,while body temperature,serum Kt and FPG levels did not change in all three groups.However,patients who received intratympanic injection of glucocorticoids experienced more pain,while those taking oral glucocorticoids reported more sleep impairment.Treatment efficacy on hearing loss was not significantly different among the three groups.Conclusion:These findings suggest that systemic glucocorticoid administration can result in greater whole body responses than local administration,but with similar hearing treatment efficacy.

Toward practical photoelectrochemical water splitting and CO_(2) reduction using earth-abundant materials

Photoelectrochemical(PEC)fuel generation from water splitting and CO_(2)reduction(CO_(2)R)utilizing solar energy holds immense potential to solve the current energy and environmental issues.In the past decades,numerous studies have been devoted to this fast-growing research field,and it is essential to develop efficient photoelectrodes with earth-abundant materials for the practical application of PEC systems.A thorough review of earth-abundant materials and associated devices for PEC fuel generation is beneficial to uncover the inherent obstacles and pave the way for future research.Herein,we summarize the recent progress of earth-abundant light-absorbers and cocatalysts in the PEC systems.The unbiased configurations and scaling-up strategies of PEC devices using earth-abundant materials are examined.A comparison between PEC water splitting and CO_(2)R is carried out to promote better understanding of the design principles for practical materials and devices.Last,the prospects on advanced materials,underlying mechanisms,and reaction systems of PEC water splitting and CO_(2)R are proposed.

Application of high resolution computer tomography in external ear canal cholesteatoma diagnosis

Objective: To evaluate High Resolution Computer Tomography(HRCT) in the diagnosis of external ear canal cholesteatoma.Methods: In this retrospective study, HRCTs of 27 patients with external ear canal cholesteatoma were reviewed. The changes in the external ear canal, tympanic membrane(TM), scutum, tympanum and mastoid were measured and categorized.Results: Fourteen patients showed no or mild destruction in the external ear canal(stage Ⅰ group). Eight patients had obvious enlargement in the external ear canal(stage Ⅱ group) but showed limited destructions of the mastoid bone and no damage of the tympanums. Five patients had serious destruction of the mastoid bone and damage of the tympanum(stage Ⅲ group). All patients in the stage Ⅲ group showed a compression of manubriums and TMs, with 3 having damages on ossicular chain. Bone destruction of the vertical section of facial nerve canal was discovered in one case in the stage Ⅲ group.Conclusion: HRCT can provide detail information about the extent of external ear canal cholesteatoma. Such information can be used to identify special situations with serious complications and to differentiate external ear canal cholesteatoma from middle ear cholesteatoma.

Synergy of porous structure and cation doping in Ta3N5 photoanode towards improved photoelectrochemical water oxidation

Herein,a cross-linked porous Ta3N5 film was prepared via a simple solution combustion route followed by a high-temperature nitridation process for photoelectrochemical(PEC) water oxidation.Meanwhile,the metal cations(Mg2+ and Zr4+) were incorporated into the porous Ta3N5 to enhance the PEC performance.The porous Mg/Zr co-doped Ta3N5 photoanode yielded a photocurrent density of 1.40 mA cm^(-2) at 1.23 V vs RHE,which is 5.6 times higher than that of the dense Ta3N5 photoanode.The enhanced performance should be ascribed to the synergistic effect of porous structure and cation doping,which can enlarge the electrochemical active surface area and accelerate the charge transfer by introducing ON substitution defects.Subsequently,Co(OH)2 cocatalyst was loaded on the Mg/Zr-Ta3N5 photoanode to negatively shift the onset potential to 0.45 V vs RHE and further improve the photocurrent density to 3.5 mA cm^(-2)at 1.23 V vs.RHE,with a maximum half-cell solar to hydrogen efficiency of 0.45%.The present study provides a new strategy to design efficient Ta3N5 photoelectrodes via the simultaneous control of the morphology and composition.

STING-mediated IL-6 Inhibits OATP1B1 Expression via the TCF4 Signaling Pathway in Cholestasis

Background and Aims Organic anion-transporting polypeptides(OATPs)play a crucial role in the transport of bile acids and bilirubin.In our previous study,interleukin 6(IL-6)reduced OATP1B3 levels in cholestatic disease.However,it remains unclear whether IL-6 inhibits OATP1B1 expression in cholestatic diseases.This study aimed to investigate whether IL-6 can inhibit OATP1B1 expression and explore the underlying mechanisms.Methods The effect of stimulator of interferon genes(STING)signaling on inflammatory factors was investigated in a cholestatic mouse model using RT-qPCR and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.To assess the impact of inflammatory factors on OATP1B1 expression in hepatocellular carcinoma,we analyzed OATP1B1 expression by RT-qPCR and Western Blot after treating PLC/PRF/5 cells with TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6.To elucidate the mechanism by which IL-6 inhibits OATP1B1 expression,we examined the expression of the OATP1B1 regulator TCF4 in PLC/PRF/5 and HepG2 cells using RT-qPCR and Western Blot.The interaction mechanism betweenβ-catenin/TCF4 and OATP1B1 was investigated by knocking downβ-catenin/TCF4 through siRNA transfection.Results The STING inhibitor decreased inflammatory factor levels in the cholestatic mouse model,with IL-6 exhibiting the most potent inhibitory effect on OATP1B1.IL-6 downregulatedβ-catenin/TCF4,leading to decreased OATP1B1 expression.Knocking-downβ-catenin/TCF4 counteracted theβ-catenin/TCF4-mediated repression of OATP1B1.Conclusions STING-mediated IL-6 up-regulation may inhibit OATP1B1,leading to reduced transport of bile acids and bilirubin by OATP1B1.This may contribute to altered pharmacokinetics in patients with diseases associated with increased IL-6 production.

Direct low-temperature synthesis of graphene on various glasses by plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition for versatile, cost-effective electrodes

Catalyst-free and scalable synthesis of graphene on various glass substrates at low temperatures is of paramount significance to numerous applications such as low-cost transparent electronics and state-of-the-art displays. However, systematic study within this promising research field has remained scarce thus far. Herein, we report the direct growth of graphene on various glasses using a low-temperature plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition method. Such a facile and scalable approach guarantees the growth of uniform, transfer-free graphene films on various glass substrates at a growth temperature range of 400-600 ℃. The morphological, surface wetting, optical, and electrical properties of the obtained graphene can be tailored by controlling the growth parameters. Our uniform and high-quality graphene films directly integrated with low-cost, commonly used glasses show great potential in the fabrication of multi-functional electrodes for versatile applications in solar cells, transparent electronics, and smart windows.

Chemical vapor deposition growth of large-scale hexagonal boron nitride with controllable orientation

Chemical vapor deposition （CVD） synthesis of large-domain hexagonal boron nitride （h-BN） with a uniform thickness is very challenging, mainly due to the extremely high nucleation density of this material. Herein, we report the successful growth of wafer-scale, high-quality h-BN monolayer films that have large single-crystalline domain sizes, up to -72 μm in edge length, prepared using a folded Cu-foil enclosure. The highly confined growth space and the smooth Cu surface inside the enclosure effectively reduced the precursor feeding rate together and induced a drastic decrease in the nucleation density. The orientation of the as-grown h-BN monolayer was found to be strongly correlated to the crystallographic orientation of the Cu substrate： the Cu （111） face being the best substrate for growing aligned h-BN domains and even single-crystalline monolayers. This is consistent with our density functional theory calculations. The present study offers a practical pathway for growing high-quality h-BN films by deepening our fundamental understanding of the process of their growth by CVD.

Synthesis and application of transition metal phosphides as electrocatalyst for water splitting

With continuous research on photocatalytic water splitting, searching for efficient catalyst for hydrogen evolution reaction(HER) becomes popular topic in addition to main catalyst research. Transition metal phosphides are receiving intense attention due to its abundance in the Earth's crust and comparable catalytic properties to noble metals. In this review, the synthesis approaches, HER reaction mechanism,photocatalytic activity, approaches to improve the activity of transition metal phosphides were reviewed and discussed. It was showed that the transition metal phosphides have great potential to reduce the cost of photocatalyst and promising application on water splitting. The stability problem and participation of poisonous reactant and product in its synthesis reaction limit its application and developing in a certain extent, but with the continuous efforts on the development and improvement of the synthesis methods,transition metal phosphides will find wide application in water splitting.

Yolk-shell structured Co-C/Void/Co9S8 composites with a tunable cavity for ultrabroadband and efficient low- frequency microwave absorption

A yolk-shell structured Co-C/Void/CogS8 ternary composite composed of a Co nanoparticle-embedded porous carbon core and Co9S8 shell was synthesized by the sulfidation of a Co-based zeolitic imidazolate framework and subsequent pyrolysis. The composition and interior cavity of the Co-C/Void/CogS8 composite could be precisely modulated by controlling the sulfidation reaction. Due to the abundant heterointerfaces, well-controlled cavity, and magnetic-dielectric synergistic effects, the Co-C/Void/CogS8 exhibited excellent and tunable microwave- absorbing properties. The optimized Co-C/Void/Cog~ having a loading of 25 wt.% and thickness only 2.2 mm, displayed an ultrabroad absorption bandwidth of 8.2 GHz at high frequencies. Moreover, the composite could achieve an extremely high reflection loss of -54.02 dB at low frequencies by adjusting its loading to 30 wt.%. This study provides a new insight into promising lightweight microwave-absorbing materials with ultrabroad absorption bandwidths and strong low-frequency absorption.

Novel Cu_3P/g-C_3N_4 p-n heterojunction photocatalysts for solar hydrogen generation

Developing efficient heterostructured photocatalysts to accelerate charge separation and transfer is crucial to improving photocatalytic hydrogen generation using solar energy. Herein, we report for the first time that p-type copper phosphide（Cu3P） coupled with n-type graphitic carbon nitride（g-C3N4） forms a p-n junction to accelerate charge separation and transfer for enhanced photocatalytic activity.The optimized Cu3P/g-C3N4 p-n heterojunction photocatalyst exhibits 95 times higher activity than bare g-C3N4, with an apparent quantum efficiency of 2.6% at 420 nm. A detail analysis of the reaction mechanism by photoluminescence,surface photovoltaics and electrochemical measurements revealed that the improved photocatalytic activity can be ascribed to efficient separation of photo-induced charge carriers. This work demonstrates that p-n junction structure is a useful strategy for developing efficient heterostructured photocatalysts.

Recent advances in photodynamic therapy based on emerging two-dimensional layered nanomaterials

Photodynamic therapy(PDT)is a promising non-invasive therapy approach for various diseases including malignant tumor.The process of PDT involves three interrelated aspects,namely photosensitizer(PS),light source,and oxygen,among which PS is the decisive factor that determines its anticancer efficiency.There exist some defects in currently applied PDT,such as inadequate production of reactive oxygen species(ROS),poor penetration of exciting light,insufficient oxygen supply,and nonselective distribution of PS.With unique physicochemical and optical properties,two-dimensional nanomaterials(2DNMs)have aroused great interest in biomedical fields.2DNMs-based PDT is promising to significantly improve antitumor efficacy compared to conventional PDT.In this review,we will firstly introduce the underlying mechanism of PDT and how 2DNMs are absorbed and distribute inside tumor cells.After that,we will not only illustrate how 2DNMs-based PDT can enhance tumor-killing efficacy and minimize side-effects through conquering the above-mentioned defects of conventional PDT and the preparation process of 2DNMs,but also elaborate recent advances about 2DNMs-based PDT.Lastly,we will summarize the challenges and future prospects of 2DNMs-based PDT.

Towards all-fiber structure pulsed mid-infrared laser by gas-filled hollow-core fibers

We report here on a diode-pumped pulsed mid-infrared laser source based on gas-filled hollow-core fibers(HCFs)towards an all-fiber structure by the tapering method. The pump laser is coupled into an acetylene-filled HCF through a tapered single-mode fiber. By precisely tuning the wavelength of the diode to match different absorption lines of acetylene near 1.5 μm, mid-infrared emission around 3.1–3.2 μm is generated. With 2 m HCFs and3 mbar acetylene gas, a maximum average power of 130 m W is obtained with a laser slope efficiency of ~24%.This work provides a potential scheme for all-fiber mid-infrared fiber gas lasers.

Mn atomic layers under inert covers of graphene and hexagonal boron nitride prepared on Rh（111）

Intercalation of metal atoms into the interface of graphene and its supporting substrate has become an intriguing topic for the sake of weakening the interface coupling and constructing metal atomic layers under inert covers. However, this novel behavior has rarely been reported on the analogous hexagonal boron nitride （h-BN） synthesized on metal substrates. Here, we describe a comparative study of Mn intercalation into the interfaces of graphene/Rh（111） and h-BN/Rh（111）, by using atomically-resolved scanning tunneling microscopy （STM） and density functional theory （DFT） calculations. The intercalation was performed by annealing as-deposited Mn clusters, and the starting temperature of Mn intercalation into h-BN/Rh（111） was found to be ~80 ~C higher than that for graphene/Rh（111）. Moreover, the intercalated islands of h-BN/Mn/Rh（111） usually possess more irregular shapes than those of graphene/Mn/Rh（111）, as illustrated by temperature-dependent STM observations. All these experimental facts suggest a stronger interaction of Mn with h-BN/Rh（111） than that with graphene/Rh（111）.

Expert recommendations on collection and annotation of otoscopy images for intelligent medicine

Middle and outer ear diseases are common otological diseases worldwide.Otoscopy and otoendoscopy exami-nations are essential first steps in the evaluation of patients with otological diseases.Misdiagnosis often occurs when the doctor lacks experience in interpreting the results of otoscopy or otoendoscopy,leading to delays in treatment or complications.Using deep learning to process otoscopy images and developing otoscopic artificial-intelligence-based decision-making systems will become a significant trend in the future.However,the uneven quality of otoscopy images is among the major obstacles to development of such artificial intelligence systems,and no standardized process for data acquisition,and annotation of otoscopy images in intelligent medicine has yet been fully established.The standards for data storage and data management are unified with those of other specialties and are introduced in detail here.This expert recommendation criterion improved and standardized the collection and annotation procedures for otoscopy images and fills the current gap in otologic intelligent medicine;it would thus lay a solid foundation for the standardized collection,storage,and annotation of oto-scopy images and the application of training algorithms,and promote the development of automatic diagnosis and treatment for otological diseases.The full text introduced image collection(including patient preparation,equipment standards,and image storage),image annotation standards,and quality control.