Understanding Bridging Sites and Accelerating Quantum Efficiency for Photocatalytic CO_(2) Reduction

We report a novel double-shelled nanoboxes photocatalyst architecture with tailored interfaces that accelerate quantum efficiency for photocatalytic CO_(2) reduction reaction(CO_(2)RR)via Mo–S bridging bonds sites in S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3)@2H–MoTe_(2).The X-ray absorption near-edge structure shows that the formation of S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3)@2H–MoTe_(2) adjusts the coordination environment via interface engineering and forms Mo–S polarized sites at the interface.The interfacial dynamics and catalytic behavior are clearly revealed by ultrafast femtosecond transient absorption,time-resolved,and in situ diffuse reflectance–Infrared Fourier transform spectroscopy.A tunable electronic structure through steric interaction of Mo–S bridging bonds induces a 1.7-fold enhancement in S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3)@2H–MoTe_(2)(5)photogenerated carrier concentration relative to pristine S_(v)–In_(2)S_(3).Benefiting from lower carrier transport activation energy,an internal quantum efficiency of 94.01%at 380 nm was used for photocatalytic CO_(2)RR.This study proposes a new strategy to design photocatalyst through bridging sites to adjust the selectivity of photocatalytic CO_(2)RR.

Transarterial embolization is an acceptable bridging therapy to hepatocellular carcinoma prior to liver transplantation

BACKGROUND Hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)is an aggressive malignant neoplasm that requires liver transplantation(LT).Despite patients with HCC being prioritized by most organ allocation systems worldwide,they still have to wait for long periods.Locoregional therapies(LRTs)are employed as bridging therapies in patients with HCC awaiting LT.Although largely used in the past,transarterial embolization(TAE)has been replaced by transarterial chemoembolization(TACE).However,the superiority of TACE over TAE has not been consistently shown in the literature.AIM To compare the outcomes of TACE and TAE in patients with HCC awaiting LT.METHODS All consecutive patients with HCC awaiting LT between 2011 and 2020 at a single center were included.All patients underwent LRT with either TACE or TAE.Some patients also underwent percutaneous ethanol injection(PEI),concom-itantly or in different treatment sessions.The choice of LRT for each HCC nodule was determined by a multidisciplinary consensus.The primary outcome was waitlist dropout due to tumor progression,and the secondary outcome was the occurrence of adverse events.In the subset of patients who underwent LT,complete pathological response and post-transplant recurrence-free survival were also assessed.RESULTS Twelve(18.5%)patients in the TACE group(only TACE and TACE+PEI;n=65)and 3(7.9%)patients in the TAE group(only TAE and TAE+PEI;n=38)dropped out of the waitlist due to tumor progression(P log-rank test=0.29).Adverse events occurred in 8(12.3%)and 2(5.3%)patients in the TACE and TAE groups,respectively(P=0.316).Forty-eight(73.8%)of the 65 patients in the TACE group and 29(76.3%)of the 38 patients in the TAE group underwent LT(P=0.818).Among these patients,complete pathological response was detected in 7(14.6%)and 9(31%)patients in the TACE and TAE groups,respectively(P=0.145).Post-LT,HCC recurred in 9(18.8%)and 4(13.8%)patients in the TACE and TAE groups,respectively(P=0.756).Posttransplant recurrence-free survival was similar between the groups(P log-rank test=0.71).CONCLUSION Dropout rates and posttransplant recurrence-free survival of TAE were similar to those of TACE in patients with HCC.Our study reinforces the hypothesis that TACE is not superior to TAE as a bridging therapy to LT in patients with HCC.

Nerve growth factor-basic fibroblast growth factor poly-lactide co-glycolid sustained-release microspheres and the small gap sleeve bridging technique to repair peripheral nerve injury

We previously prepared nerve growth factor poly-lactide co-glycolid sustained-release microspheres to treat rat sciatic nerve injury using the small gap sleeve technique.Multiple growth factors play a synergistic role in promoting the repair of peripheral nerve injury;as a result,in this study,we added basic fibroblast growth factors to the microspheres to further promote nerve regeneration.First,in an in vitro biomimetic microenvironment,we developed and used a drug screening biomimetic microfluidic chip to screen the optimal combination of nerve growth factor/basic fibroblast growth factor to promote the regeneration of Schwann cells.We found that 22.56 ng/mL nerve growth factor combined with 4.29 ng/mL basic fibroblast growth factor exhibited optimal effects on the proliferation of primary rat Schwann cells.The successfully prepared nerve growth factor-basic fibroblast growth factor-poly-lactide-co-glycolid sustained-release microspheres were used to treat rat sciatic nerve transection injury using the small gap sleeve bridge technique.Compared with epithelium sutures and small gap sleeve bridging alone,the small gap sleeve bridging technique combined with drug-free sustained-release microspheres has a stronger effect on rat sciatic nerve transfection injury repair at the structural and functional level.

Tuning the Mottness in Sr_(3)Ir_(2)O_(7)via Bridging Oxygen Vacancies

The electronic evolution of Mott insulators into exotic correlated phases remains puzzling,because of electron interaction and inhomogeneity.Introduction of individual imperfections in Mott insulators could help capture the main mechanism and serve as a basis to understand the evolution.Here we utilize scanning tunneling microscopy to probe the atomic scale electronic structure of the spin-orbit-coupling assisted Mott insulator Sr_(3)Ir_(2)O_(7).It is found that the tunneling spectra exhibit a homogeneous Mott gap in defect-free regions,but near the oxygen vacancy in the rotated Ir O_(2)plane the local Mott gap size is significantly enhanced.We attribute the enhanced gap to the locally reduced hopping integral between the 5d electrons of neighboring Ir sites via the bridging planar oxygen p orbitals.Such bridging defects have a dramatic influence on local bandwidth,thus provide a new way to manipulate the strength of Mottness in a Mott insulator.

Investigation the Correlation between Thermal Bridging and Geometries in Concrete Buildings

This article focuses on the investigation of the correlation between thermal bridging and various geometric configurations. The article employs QuickField software for conducting three-dimensional steady-state heat transfer simulations to investigate the thermal behaviors of diverse geometric shapes. Significantly, this study involves the simulation of four distinct geometries including concrete circular, square, rectangular, and triangular column through an insulated concrete layer while all geometries maintain the consistent surface areas. The simulations yield findings indicating that circular thermal bridging has the best thermal performance, while rectangular thermal bridging displays comparatively the lowest thermal efficiency. Furthermore, the results indicate that alterations in the perimeter of thermal bridge interfaces, while maintaining a constant area, exert a more pronounced influence on the thermal performance of the geometries compared to proportional changes in area while preserving the perimeter. The study’s findings aid building designers and architects in creating more energy-efficient structural and architectural elements by incorporating thermally efficient geometries and forms. .

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation:An effective bridging therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma patients

AIM:To analyze whether high-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU) ablation is an effective bridging therapy for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC).METHODS:From January 2007 to December 2010,49 consecutive HCC patients were listed for liver transplantation(UCSF criteria).The median waiting time for transplantation was 9.5 mo.Twenty-nine patients received transarterial chemoembolization(TACE) as a bringing therapy and 16 patients received no treatment before transplantation.Five patients received HIFU ablation as a bridging therapy.Another five patients with the same tumor staging(within the UCSF criteria) who received HIFU ablation but not on the transplant list were included for comparison.Patients were comparable in terms of Child-Pugh and model for end-stage liver disease scores,tumor size and number,and cause of cirrhosis.RESULTS:The HIFU group and TACE group showed no difference in terms of tumor size and tumor number.One patient in the HIFU group and no patient in the TACE group had gross ascites.The median hospital stay was 1 d(range,1-21 d) in the TACE group and two days(range,1-9 d) in the HIFU group(P < 0.000).No HIFU-related complication occurred.In the HIFU group,nine patients(90%) had complete response and one patient(10%) had partial response to the treatment.In the TACE group,only one patient(3%) had response to the treatment while 14 patients(48%) had stable disease and 14 patients(48%) had progressive disease(P = 0.00).Seven patients in the TACE group and no patient in the HIFU group dropped out from the transplant waiting list(P = 0.559).CONCLUSION:HIFU ablation is safe and effective in the treatment of HCC for patients with advanced cirrhosis.It may reduce the drop-out rate of liver transplant candidate.

Bridging and downstaging treatments for hepatocellular carcinoma in patients on the waiting list for liver transplantation

Several therapeutic procedures have been proposed as bridging treatments for patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)awaiting liver transplantation(LT).The most used treatments include transarterial chemoembolization and radiofrequency ablation.Surgical resection has also been successfully used as a bridging procedure,and LT should be considered a rescue treatment in patients with previous HCC resection who experience tumor recurrence or post-treatment severe decompensation of liver function.The aims of bridging treatments include decreasing the waiting list dropout rate before transplantation,reducing HCC recurrence after transplantation,and improving post-transplant overall survival.To date,no data from prospective randomized studies are available;however,for HCC patients listed for LT within the Milan criteria,prolonging the waiting time over 6-12 mo is a risk factor for tumor spread.Bridging treatments are useful in containing tumor progression and decreasing dropout.Furthermore,the response to pre-LT treatments may represent a surrogate marker of tumor biological aggressiveness and could therefore be evaluated to prioritize HCC candidates for LT.Lastly,although a definitive conclusion can not be reached,the experiences reported to date suggest a positive impact of these treatments on both tumor recurrence and post-transplant patient survival.Advanced HCC may be downstaged to achieve and maintain the current conventional criteria for inclusion in the waiting list for LT.Recent studies have demonstrated that successfully downstaged patients can achieve a 5-year survival rate comparable to that of patients meeting the conventional criteria without requiring downstaging.

Long-term outcomes of hepatocellular carcinoma that underwent chemoembolization for bridging or downstaging

BACKGROUND Prospective study of 200 patients with hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)that underwent liver transplant(LT)after drug-eluting beads transarterial chemoembolization(DEB-TACE)for downstaging versus bridging.Overall survival and tumor recurrence rates were calculated,eligibility for LT,time on the waiting list and radiological response were compared.After TACE,only patients within Milan Criteria(MC)were transplanted.More patients underwent LT in bridging group.Five-year post-transplant overall survival,recurrence-free survival has no difference between the groups.Complete response was observed more frequently in bridging group.Patients in DS group can achieve posttransplant survival and HCC recurrence-free probability,at five years,just like patients within MC in patients undergoing DEB-TACE.AIM To determine long-term outcomes of patients with HCC that underwent LT after DEB-TACE for downstaging vs bridging.METHODS Prospective cohort study of 200 patients included from April 2011 through June 2014.Bridging group included patients within MC.Downstaging group(out of MC)was divided in 5 subgroups(G1 to G5).Total tumor diameter was≤8 cm for G1,2,3,4(n=42)and was>8 cm for G5(n=22).Downstaging(n=64)and bridging(n=136)populations were not significantly different.Overall survival and tumor recurrence rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method.Additionally,eligibility for LT,time on the waiting list until LT and radiological response were compared.RESULTS After TACE,only patients within MC were transplanted.More patients underwent LT in bridging group 65.9%(P=0.001).Downstaging population presented:higher number of nodules 2.81(P=0.001);larger total tumor diameter 8.09(P=0.001);multifocal HCC 78%(P=0.001);more post-transplantation recurrence 25%(P=0.02).Patients with maximal tumor diameter up to 7.05 cm were more likely to receive LT(P=0.005).Median time on the waiting list was significantly longer in downstaging group 10.6 mo(P=0.028).Five-year posttransplant overall survival was 73.5%in downstaging and 72.3%bridging groups(P=0.31),and recurrence-free survival was 62.1%in downstaging and 74.8%bridging groups(P=0.93).Radiological response:complete response was observed more frequently in bridging group(P=0.004).CONCLUSION Tumors initially exceeding the MC down-staged after DEB-TACE,can achieve post-transplant survival and HCC recurrence-free probability,at five years,just like patients within MC in patients undergoing DEB-TACE.

High intensity focused ultrasound,liver disease and bridging therapy

High-intensity focused ultrasound(HIFU)is a noninvasive modality that uses an extracorporeal source of focused ultrasound energy.This technique was introduced by Lynn et al and is able to induce coagulative necrosis in selected tissues without damaging adjacent structures.Although HIFU has been studied for 50years,recent technological developments now allow its use for tumours of the liver,prostate and other sites.In liver disease,HIFU has been used to treat unresectable,advanced stages of hepatocellular carcinoma(HCC)and liver metastases.Hepatocellular carcinoma is a serious health problem worldwide and is endemic in some areas because of its association with hepatitis B and C viruses(in 20%of cases).Liver transplantation(LT)has become one of the best treatments available because it removes both the tumour and the underlying liver disease such as cirrhosis(which is present in approximately 80%of cases).The prerequisite for longterm transplant success depends on tumour load and strict selection criteria regarding the size and number of tumour nodules.The need to obtain the optimal benefit from the limited number of organs available has prompted strict selection criteria limited to only those patients with early HCC who have a better long-term outcome after LT.The so-called"bridging therapy"has the aim of controlling disease burden for patients who are on the organ transplant waiting list.Amongst various treatment options,transarterial chemoembolisation and radiofrequency ablation are the most popular treatment choices.Recently,Cheung et al demonstrated that HIFU ablation is a safe and effective method for the treatment of HCC patients with advanced cirrhosis as a bridging therapy and that it reduced the dropout rate from the liver transplant waiting list.In this commentary,we discuss the current value of HIFU in the treatment of liver disease,including its value as a bridging therapy,and examine the potential advantages of other therapeutic strategies.

Bridging the injured spinal cord with neural stem cells

Spinal cord injury （SCI） damages not only the gray matter neurons, but also the white matter axonal tracts that carry signals to and from the brain, re- suiting in permanent loss of function below injury. Neural stem cells （NSCs） have high therapeutic potential for reconstruction of the injured spinal cord since they can potentially fnrm neuronal relays to bridge functional con-nectivity between separated spinal cord segments. This requires host axonal regeneration into and connectivity with donor neurons, and axonal growth and connectivity of donor neurons to host central nervous system （CNS） circuitry. In this mini-review, we will discuss key studies that explore novel neuronal relay formation by grafting NSCs in models of SCI, with emphasis on long-distance axonal growth and connectivity of NSCs grafted into in-jured spinal cord.

Chitosan tube bridging autologous nerve segments for the repair of long-segmental sciatic nerve defects

BACKGROUND：Previous tissue-engineered nerve studies have focused on artificial nerve and nerve cell cultures.The effects of regeneration chambers with autologous nerve bridging for the repair of nerve defects remain unclear.OBJECTIVE：To explore the feasibility and advantages of chitosan tube bridging autologous nerve segments for repairing 12-mm sciatic nerve defects in rats.DESIGN,TIME AND SETTING：A randomized,controlled,animal study using nerve tissue engineering was performed at the Animal Laboratory and Laboratory of Histology and Embryology,Liaoning Medical University from June 2008 to March 2009.MATERIALS：Chitosan powder was purchased from Jinan Haidebei Marine Bioengineering,China.METHODS：A sciatic nerve segment of approximately 8 mm was excised from the posterior margin of the piriformis muscle of Sprague Dawley rats.The two nerve ends shrank to form a 12-mm defect,and the nerve defect was repaired using a chitosan tube bridging autologous nerve segment （bridge group）,a chitosan tube-encapsulated autologous nerve segment （encapsulation group）,and a chitosan tube alone （chitosan tube alone group）,respectively.MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES：Histological and ultrastructural changes of the injured sciatic nerve;number of regenerated myelinated nerve fibers; nerve conduction velocity; leg muscle atrophy; and sciatic nerve functional index.RESULTS：At 4 months after implantation,the chitosan tube was absorbed.The tube was thin,but maintained the original shape,and vascular proliferation was observed around the tube.In the bridge group,regenerative myelinated nerve fibers were thick and orderly,with a thick myelin sheath and intact axonal structure.The number of myelinated nerve fibers and nerve conduction velocity were significantly greater compared with the other groups （P〈 0.01）.Moreover,nerve and muscle function was significantly improved following chitosan tube bridging autologous nerve segment treatment compared with the other groups （P〈 0.05 or P 〈 0.01）.CONCLUSION：Chitosan tube bridging autologous nerve segments exhibited better repair effects on nerve defects compared with chitosan tubeencapsulated autologous nerve segments and a chitosan tube alone.This method provided a simple and effective treatment for long-segmental nerve defects.

Modeling of fiber bridging in fluid flow for well stimulation applications

Accurate acid placement constitutes a major concern in matrix stimulation because the acid tends to penetrate the zones of least resistance while leaving the low-permeability regions of the formation untreated.Degradable materials(fibers and solid particles)have recently shown a good capability as fluid diversion to overcome the issues related to matrix stimulation.Despite the success achieved in the recent acid stimulation jobs stemming from the use of some products that rely on fiber flocculation as the main diverting mechanism,it was observed that the volume of the base fluid and the loading of the particles are not optimized.The current industry lacks a scientific design guideline because the used methodology is based on experience or empirical studies in a particular area with a particular product.It is important then to understand the fundamentals of how acid diversion works in carbonates with different diverting mechanisms and diverters.Mathematical modeling and computer simulations are effective tools to develop this understanding and are efficiently applied to new product development,new applications of existing products or usage optimization.In this work,we develop a numerical model to study fiber dynamics in fluid flow.We employ a discrete element method in which the fibers are represented by multi-rigid-body systems of interconnected spheres.The discrete fiber model is coupled with a fluid flow solver to account for the inherent simultaneous interactions.The focus of the study is on the tendency for fibers to flocculate and bridge when interacting with suspending fluids and encountering restrictions that can be representative of fractures or wormholes in carbonates.The trends of the dynamic fiber behavior under various operating conditions including fiber loading,flow rate and fluid viscosity obtained from the numerical model show consistency with experimental observations.The present numerical investigation reveals that the bridging capability of the fiber–fluid system can be enhanced by increasing the fiber loading,selecting fibers with higher stiffness,reducing the injection flow rate,reducing the suspending fluid viscosity or increasing the attractive cohesive forces among fibers by using sticky fibers.

Case of angina pectoris at rest and during effort due to coronary spasm and myocardial bridging

We present a case of a 71-year-old male who hadchest symptoms at rest and during effort. He had felt chest oppression during effort for 1 year,and his chest symptoms had recently worsened. One month before admission he felt chest squeezing at rest in the early morning. He presented at our institution to evaluate his chest symptoms. Electrocardiography and echocardiography failed to show any specific changes. Because of the possibility that his chest symptoms were due to myocardial ischemia,he was admitted to our institution for coronary angiography(CAG). An initial CAG showed mild atherosclerotic changes in the proximal segment of the left anterior descending coronary artery(LAD) and mid-segment of the left circumflex coronary artery. Subsequent spasm provocation testing using acetylcholine revealed a bilateral coronary vasospasm,which was relieved after the intracoronary infusion of nitroglycerin. Finally,a CAG showed myocardial bridging(MB) of the mid-distal segments of the LAD. Fractional flow reserve using the intravenous administration of adenosine triphosphate was positive at 0.77,which jumped up to 0.90 through the myocardial bridging segments when the pressure wire was pulled back. Thus,coronary vasospasm and MB might have contributed to his chest symptoms at rest and during effort. Interventional cardiologists should consider the presence of MB as a potential cause of myocardial ischemia.

Sleeve bridging of the rhesus monkey ulnar nerve with muscular branches of the pronator teres: multiple amplification of axonal regeneration

Multiple-bud regeneration, i.e., multiple amplification, has been shown to exist in peripheral nerve regeneration. Multiple buds grow towards the distal nerve stump during proximal nerve fiber regeneration. Our previous studies have verified the limit and validity of multiple ampli- fication of peripheral nerve regeneration using small gap sleeve bridging of small donor nerves to repair large receptor nerves in rodents. The present study sought to observe multiple ampli- fication of myelinated nerve fiber regeneration in the primate peripheral nerve. Rhesus monkey models of distal ulnar nerve defects were established and repaired using muscular branches of the right forearm pronator teres. Proximal muscular branches of the pronator teres were su- tured into the distal ulnar nerve using the small gap sleeve bridging method. At 6 months after suture, two-finger flexion and mild wrist flexion were restored in the ulnar-sided injured limbs of rhesus monkey. Neurophysiological examination showed that motor nerve conduction veloc- ity reached 22.63 _＋ 6.34 m/s on the affected side of rhesus monkey. Osmium tetroxide staining demonstrated that the number of myelinated nerve fibers was 1,657 ＋ 652 in the branches of pronator teres of donor, and 2,661 ~ 843 in the repaired ulnar nerve. The rate of multiple amplification of regenerating myelinated nerve fibers was 1.61. These data showed that when muscular branches of the pronator teres were used to repair ulnar nerve in primates, effective regeneration was observed in regenerating nerve fibers, and functions of the injured ulnar nerve were restored to a certain extent. Moreover, multiple amplification was subsequently detected in ulnar nerve axons.

High-intensity focused ultrasound ablation as a bridging therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma patients awaiting liver transplantation

The scarcity of liver grafts in Asia leads to a significant dropout of patients from liver transplant waiting lists, particularly patients with hepatocellular carcinoma and a low model for end-stage liver disease score. In order to reduce dropping out, different bridging therapies are employed. We report the use of high-intensity focused ultrasound ablation as a bridging therapy for a patient with hepatocellular carcinoma of stage two and an extremely low platelet count (20×10 9 /L). The ablation was successful. Blood tests showed that his liver function was similar before and after the treatment. No adhesion was encountered in the liver transplantation performed six months later.

Bridging therapy and direct mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of cardiogenic cerebral infarction with anterior circulation macrovascular occlusion

BACKGROUND Intravenous thrombolysis is an important treatment for cerebral infarction.However,it is difficult to achieve good results if the patient is complicated with anterior circulation macrovascular occlusion.In addition,the vascular recanalization rate is low,so mechanical thrombectomy,that is,bridging therapy,is needed AIM To investigate the efficacy and safety of bridging therapy and direct mechanical thrombectomy in the treatment of cardiogenic cerebral infarction with anterior circulation macrovascular occlusion.METHODS Ninety-six patients in our hospital with cardiogenic cerebral infarction with anterior circulation macrovascular occlusion from January 2017 to July 2020 were divided into a direct thrombectomy group(n=48)and a bridging group(n=48).Direct mechanical thrombectomy was performed in the direct thrombectomy group,and bridging therapy was used in the bridging treatment group.Comparisons were performed for the treatment data of the two groups(from admission to imaging examination,from admission to arterial puncture,from arterial puncture to vascular recanalization,and from admission to vascular recanalization),vascular recanalization rate,National Institutes of Health Stroke Scale(NIHSS)and Glasgow Coma Scale(GCS)scores before and after treatment,prognosis and incidence of adverse events.RESULTS In the direct thrombectomy group,the time from admission to imaging examination was 24.32±8.61 min,from admission to arterial puncture was 95.56±37.55 min,from arterial puncture to vascular recanalization was 54.29±21.38 min,and from admission to revascularization was 156.88±45.51 min,and the corresponding times in the bridging treatment group were 25.38±9.33 min,100.45±39.30 min,58.14±25.56 min,and 161.23±51.15 min;there were no significant differences between groups(P=0.564,0.535,0.426,and 0.661,respectively).There was no significant difference in the recanalization rate between the direct thrombectomy group(79.17%)and the bridging group(75.00%)(P=0.627).There were no significant differences between the direct thrombectomy group(16.69±4.91 and 12.12±2.07)and the bridging group(7.13±1.23) and(14.40±0.59)in preoperative NIHSS score and GCS score(P=0.200 and 0.203,respectively).After the operation,the NIHSS scores in both groups were lower than those before the operation,and the GCS scores were higher than those before the operation.There was no significant difference in NIHSS and GCS scores between the direct thrombectomy group(6.91±1.10 and 14.19±0.65)and the bridging group(7.13±1.23 and 14.40±0.59)(P=0.358 and 0.101,respectively).There was no significant difference in the proportion of patients who achieved a good prognosis between the direct thrombectomy group(52.08%)and the bridging group(50.008%)(P=0.838).There was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events between the direct thrombectomy group(6.25%)and the bridging group(8.33%)(P=0.913).CONCLUSION Bridging therapy and direct mechanical thrombectomy can safely treat cardiogenic cerebral infarction with anterior circulation macrovascular occlusion,achieve good vascular recanalization effects and prognoses,and improve the neurological function of patients.

Laser-Derived Interfacial Confinement Enables Planar Growth of 2D SnS_(2) on Graphene for High-Flux Electron/Ion Bridging in Sodium Storage

Establishing covalent heterointerfaces with face-to-face contact is promising for advanced energy storage,while challenge remains on how to inhibit the anisotropic growth of nucleated crystals on the matrix.Herein,faceto-face covalent bridging in-between the 2 D-nanosheets/graphene heterostructure is constructed by intentionally prebonding of laser-manufactured amorphous and metastable nanoparticles on graphene,where the amorphous nanoparticles were designed via the competitive oxidation of Sn-O and Sn-S bonds,and metastable feature was employed to facilitate the formation of the C-S-Sn covalent bonding in-between the heterostructure.The face-to-face bridging of ultrathin SnS;nanosheets on graphene enables the heterostructure huge covalent coupling area and high loading and thus renders unimpeded electron/ion transfer pathways and indestructible electrode structure,and impressive reversible capacity and rate capability for sodium-ion batteries,which rank among the top in records of the SnS_(2)-based anodes.Present work thus provides an alternative of constructing heterostructures with planar interfaces for electrochemical energy storage and even beyond.

Autologous nerve segment-bridging regeneration chambers for the repair of sciatic nerve defects

Proximal and distal nerve defects exhibit chemotactic growth over certain distances. Our previous studies demonstrated that Schwann cells survive in autologous nerve segments that are bridged by regeneration chambers and secrete various bioactive substances. However, more data are required to determine the required length of regeneration chambers for chemotaxis and nutrition of neural regeneration, as well as the length of repaired nerve defects to replace the effect of autologous nerve grafting. In the present study, sciatic nerve defects of 12, 16, 20 mm were repaired using a regeneration chamber of 6, 8, and 10 mm in length respectively. These were bridged with autologous nerve segments. Results showed that the bridging of two 6-mm long regeneration chambers to repair a 12-mm nerve defect exhibited similar effects to autologous nerve grafting.

DYNAMIC CRACK MODELS ON PROBLEM OF BRIDGING FIBER PULL-OUT OF COMPOSITE MATERIALS

An elastic analysis of an internal central crack with bridging fibers parallel to the free surface in an infinite orthotropic anisotropic elastic plane was performed. A dynamic model of bridging fiber pull-out of composite materials was presented. Resultingly the fiber failure is governed by maximum tensile stress, the fiber breaks and hence the crack extension should occur in self-similar fashion. By the methods of complex functions, the problem studied can be transformed into the dynamic model to the Reimann-Hilbert mixed boundary value problem, and a straightforward and easy analytical solution is presented. Analytical study on the crack propagation subjected to a ladder load and an instantaneous pulse loading is obtained respectively for orthotropic anisotropic body. By utilizing the solution, the concrete solutions of this model are attained by ways of superposition.

Myocardial bridging analysis by coronary computed tomographic angiography in a Saudi population

AIM: To assess the incidence, location, morphology and clinical association of myocardial bridging in a Saudi population using coronary computed tomographic angiography(CCTA). METHODS: A total of 350 CCTA of Saudi patients were included in this study(236 men, 114 women) with a mean age of 56.3 years. All patients were examined for appropriateness criteria of CCTA indications(typical chest pain, recent onset cardiomyopathy, left bundle branch block, etc.). The scans were retrospectively reviewed for the presence of myocardial bridging and any other pathological association. RESULTS: Myocardial bridging was found in 89 of 350(22.5%) patients. Most of the intramuscular segments were of the superficial type and found in the mid left anterior descending(LAD)(24.6%), followed by distal LAD(3.7%), diagonal branches(2%), ramus intermedius artery(1.4%) and obtuse marginal artery(0.8%). No myocardial bridging was detected in the right coronary or circumflex arteries. No significant differences were found between males and females(P = 0.14). Coronary artery atherosclerosis was found in 51 of 89(57.3%) patients with MB. Atherosclerotic plaques were not detected in the intramuscular or distal segment of bridging arteries. Dynamic compression was observed in 35(94.5%) patients with full encasement. No evidence of myocardial hypoperfusion was found in the territories supplied by the bridging arteries. CONCLUSION: CCTA is excellent in analyzing myocardial bridging in a Saudi population and the results are comparable to other populations. However, finding the real incidence may need a large multicenter study.