Tunable Internal and Surface Structures of the Bifunctional Oxygen Perovskite Catalysts

Perovskite oxide ceramics attracts significant attention as a strong candidate of bifunctional oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER) electrocatalyst for the metal‐air batteries. Numerous approaches to the viability of bifunctional perovskite electrocatalyst represent that the electro­chemical performance is highly correlated with defect chemistry, surface structure, and overall polycrystalline perovskite structure. By making use of the intrinsic flexibility of internal structure and high nonstoichiometry in perovskite oxide, the heat treatment effect of the complex Ba_0.5Sr_0.5Co_xFe_1‐xO_3‐δ (x = 0.2 and 0.8) perovskites in argon atmosphere at 950 °C (Ar‐BSCF5582 and Ar‐BSCF5528) on the surface structure/defect chemistry and electrocatalytic performance is intensively investigated. Upon heat‐treatment in argon atmosphere, the amorphous thickness layer increases from ≈20 to 180–200 nm in BSCF5582, while there is little change in BSCF5528 with ≈20 nm. The electrocatalytic performance of BSCF5582 catalyst both in ORR and OER deteriorates seriously, while Ar‐BSCF5528 demonstrates a significant increase of electro­chemical performance in ORR. This study demonstrates that the electrochemical performances of a perovskite catalyst can be significantly determined by the simultaneous modification of both surface structure and internal defect chemistry, which are explained with transmission electron microscopy and atomic‐selective X‐ray absorption fine structure analyses, respectively.     

Mechanically Recoverable and Highly Efficient Perovskite Solar Cells: Investigation of Intrinsic Flexibility of Organic–Inorganic Perovskite

Highly efficient solar cells with sustainable performance under severe mechanical deformations are in great demand for future wearable power supply devices. In this regard, numerous studies have progressed to implement flexible architecture to high‐performance devices such as perovskite solar cells. However, the absence of suitable flexible and stretchable materials has been a great obstacle in the replacement of largely utilized transparent conducting oxides that are limited in flexibility. Here, a shape recoverable polymer, Noland Optical Adhesive 63, is utilized as a substrate of perovskite solar cell to enable complete shape recovery of the device upon sub‐millimeter bending radii. The employment of stretchable electrodes prevents mechanical damage of the perovskite layer. Before and after bending at a radius of 1 mm, power conversion efficiency (PCE) is measured to be 10.75% and 10.4%, respectively. Additionally, the shape recoverable device demonstrates a PCE of 6.07% after crumpling. The mechanical properties of all the layers are characterized by nanoindentation. Finite element analysis reveals that the outstanding flexibility of the perovskite layer enables small plastic strain distribution on the deformed device. These results clearly demonstrated that this device has great potential to be utilized in stretchable power supply applications.     

布鲁杆菌性化脓性关节炎1例

布鲁菌病是系统性感染性疾病,临床表现多样,在非流行区易被忽视。本病以骨关节受累常见,关节症状多数为反应性关节炎,以单关节化脓性关节炎为首发表现的病例少见。本文报道1例布鲁杆菌性化脓性单膝关节炎的临床表现和诊疗情况。     

Clinical,Virological and Immunological Features from Patients Infected with Re-Emergent Avian-Origin Human H7N9 Influenza Disease of Varying Severity in Guangdong Province

BackgroundThe second wave of avian influenza H7N9 virus outbreak in humans spread to the Guangdong province of China by August of 2013 and this virus is now endemic in poultry in this region.MethodsFive patients with H7N9 virus infection admitted to our hospital during August 2013 to February 2014 were intensively investigated. Viral load in the respiratory tract was determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (Q-PCR) and cytokine levels were measured by bead-based flow cytometery.ResultsFour patients survived and one died. Viral load in different clinical specimens was correlated with cytokine levels in plasma and broncho-alveolar fluid (BALF), therapeutic modalities used and clinical outcome. Intravenous zanamivir appeared to be better than peramivir as salvage therapy in patients who failed to respond to oseltamivir. Higher and more prolonged viral load was found in the sputum or endotracheal aspirates compared to throat swabs. Upregulation of proinflammatory cytokines IP-10, MCP-1, MIG, MIP-1α/β, IL-1β and IL-8 was found in the plasma and BALF samples. The levels of cytokines in the plasma and viral load were correlated with disease severity. Reactivation of herpes simplex virus type 1(HSV-1) was found in three out of five patients (60%).ConclusionExpectorated sputum or endotracheal aspirate specimens are preferable to throat swabs for detecting and monitoring H7N9 virus. Severity of the disease was correlated to the viral load in the respiratory tract as well as the extents of cytokinemia. Reactivation of HSV-1 may contribute to clinical outcome.     

Survival Nomogram for Curatively Resected Korean Gastric Cancer Patients: Multicenter Retrospective Analysis with External Validation

BackgroundA small number of nomograms have been previously developed to predict the individual survival of patients who undergo curative resection for gastric cancer. However, all were derived from single high-volume centers. The aim of this study was to develop and validate a nomogram for gastric cancer patients using a multicenter database.MethodsWe reviewed the clinicopathological and survival data of 2012 patients who underwent curative resection for gastric cancer between 2001 and 2006 at eight centers. Among these centers, six institutions were randomly assigned to the development set, and the other two centers were assigned to the validation set. Multivariate analysis using the Cox proportional hazard regression model was performed, and discrimination and calibration were evaluated by external validation.ResultsMultivariate analyses revealed that age, tumor size, lymphovascular invasion, depth of invasion, and metastatic lymph nodes were significant prognostic factors for overall survival. In the external validation, the concordance index was 0.831 (95% confidence interval, 0.784–0.878), and Hosmer-Lemeshow chi-square statistic was 3.92 (P = 0.917).ConclusionsWe developed and validated a nomogram to predict 5-year overall survival after curative resection for gastric cancer based on a multicenter database. This nomogram can be broadly applied even in general hospitals and is useful for counseling patients, and scheduling follow-up.     

A Quantitative and Dynamic Model of the Arabidopsis Flowering Time Gene Regulatory Network

Various environmental signals integrate into a network of floral regulatory genes leading to the final decision on when to flower. Although a wealth of qualitative knowledge is available on how flowering time genes regulate each other, only a few studies incorporated this knowledge into predictive models. Such models are invaluable as they enable to investigate how various types of inputs are combined to give a quantitative readout. To investigate the effect of gene expression disturbances on flowering time, we developed a dynamic model for the regulation of flowering time in Arabidopsis thaliana. Model parameters were estimated based on expression time-courses for relevant genes, and a consistent set of flowering times for plants of various genetic backgrounds. Validation was performed by predicting changes in expression level in mutant backgrounds and comparing these predictions with independent expression data, and by comparison of predicted and experimental flowering times for several double mutants. Remarkably, the model predicts that a disturbance in a particular gene has not necessarily the largest impact on directly connected genes. For example, the model predicts that SUPPRESSOR OF OVEREXPRESSION OF CONSTANS (SOC1) mutation has a larger impact on APETALA1 (AP1), which is not directly regulated by SOC1, compared to its effect on LEAFY (LFY) which is under direct control of SOC1. This was confirmed by expression data. Another model prediction involves the importance of cooperativity in the regulation of APETALA1 (AP1) by LFY, a prediction supported by experimental evidence. Concluding, our model for flowering time gene regulation enables to address how different quantitative inputs are combined into one quantitative output, flowering time.