Electrochemical Conversion of Methane to Ethylene in a Solid Oxide Electrolyer

Conversion of methane to ethylene with high yield remains a fundamental challenge due to the low ethylene selectivity, severe carbon deposition and instability of catalysts. Here we demonstrate a conceptually different process of in situ electrochemical oxidation of methane to ethylene in a solid oxide electrolyzer under ambient pressure at 850 °C. The porous electrode scaffold with an in situ-grown metal/oxide interface enhances coking resistance and catalyst stability at high temperatures. The highest C2 product selectivity of 81.2% together with the highest C2 product concentration of 16.7% in output gas (12.1% ethylene and 4.6% ethane) is achieved while the methane conversion reaches as high as 41% in the initial pass. This strategy provides an optimal performance with no obvious degradation being observed after 100 h of high temperature operation and 10 redox cycles, suggesting a reliable electrochemical process for conversion of methane into valuable chemicals

Revealing the Therapeutic Targets and Mechanism of Ginsenoside Rg1 for Liver Damage Related to Anti-Oxidative Stress Using Proteomic Analysis

Ginsenoside Rg1 is an important active substance isolated from the root of ginseng. In previous studies, Rg1 has shown excellent therapeutic effects in antioxidant, anti-inflammatory, and metabolic modulation. However, the therapeutic targets of Rg1 are still unknown. In this study, we investigated the therapeutic effects of Rg1 on oxidative stress-related liver damage. The oxidative stress damage model was achieved by intraperitoneal injection of D-galactose (D-gal) for 42 consecutive days in C57BL/6J mice. Rg1 treatment started on Day 16. Body weight, liver weight, degree of hepatic oxidative stress damage, serum lipid levels, and hepatic lipid and glucose metabolism were measured. Proteomics analysis was used to measure liver protein expression. The differential expression proteins were analyzed with bioinformatics. The results showed that Rg1 treatment attenuated liver damage from oxidative stress, reduced hepatic fat accumulation, promoted hepatic glycogen synthesis, and attenuated peripheral blood low-density lipoprotein (LDL), cholesterol (CHO), and triglycerides (TG) levels. Proteomic analysis suggested that Rg1 may regulate hepatocyte metabolism through ECM–Receptor, the PI3K-AKT pathway. The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and activator of transcription 1 (STAT1) may be the key protein. In conclusion, this study provides an experimental basis for further clarifying the specific mechanism of Rg1 in the treatment of oxidative stress damage-related liver disease

Anterior fusion technique for multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy: a retrospective analysis of surgical outcome of patients with different number of levels fused.

OBJECTIVE: The anterior approach for multilevel CSM has been developed and obtained favorable outcomes. However, the operation difficulty, invasiveness and operative risks increase when multi-level involved. This study was to assess surgical parameters, complications, clinical and radiological outcomes in the treatment of 2-, 3- and 4-level CSM. METHODS: A total of 248 patients with 2-, 3- or 4-level CSM who underwent anterior decompression and fusion procedures between October 2005 and June 2011 were divided into three groups, the 2-level group (106 patients), the 3-level group (98 patients) and the 4-level group (44 patients). The clinical and Radiographic outcomes including Japanese Orthopedic Association (JOA) score, Neck Disability Index (NDI) score, Odom's Scale, hospital stay, blood loss, operation time, fusion rate, cervical lordosis, cervical range of motion (ROM), and complications were compared. RESULTS: At a minimum of 2-year follow-up, no statistical differences in JOA score, NDI score, Odom's Scale, hospital stay, fusion rate and cervical lordosis were found among the 3 groups. However, the mean postoperative NDI score of the 4-level group was significantly higher than that in the other two groups (P<0.05), and in terms of postoperative total ROM, the 3-level group was superior to the 4-level group and inferior to 2-level group (P<0.05). The decrease rate of ROM in the 3-level group was significantly higher than that in the 2-level group, and lower than that in the 4-level group (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: As the number of involved levels increased, surgical results become worse in terms of operative time, blood loss, NDI score, cervical ROM and complication rates postoperatively. An appropriate surgical procedure for multilevel CSM should be chosen according to comprehensive clinical evaluation before operation, thus reducing fusion and decompression levels if possible

Electrochemical conversion of methane to ethylene in a solid oxide electrolyzer

Conversion of methane into ethylene is important for chemical feedstocks, but is challenged by catalysts with low selectivity and performance degradation. Here the authors report electrochemical oxidation of methane in a solid oxide electrolyzer, achieving ethylene production with high selectivity and yield

Enrichment of Semiconducting Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes by Carbothermic Reaction for Use in All-Nanotube Field Effect Transistors

Selective removal of metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) and consequent enrichment of semiconducting SWCNTs were achieved through an efficient carbothermic reaction with a NiO thin film at a relatively low temperature of 350 °C. All-SWCNT field effect transistors (FETs) were fabricated with the aid of a patterned NiO mask, in which the as-grown SWCNTs behaving as source/drain electrodes and the remaining semiconducting SWCNTs that survive in the carbothermic reaction as a channel material. The all-SWCNT FETs demonstrate improved current ON/OFF ratios of ∼10³

A 65-year-old male developed numbness in his two hands and weakness in his four extremities for 2 years.

<p>Preoperative imaging studies showed that the spinal cord compressed at C3–C6. He was performed with 3-level ACHDF. After operation, his JOA scores improved from 7 preoperation to 13 postoperation. <b>a</b> Preoperative lateral X-ray. The segmental lordosis of C2–C7 was defined as the angle formed by the lower endplate of C2 vertebral body and the upper endplate of C7 vertebral body. <b>b</b> Preoperative MRI. <b>c</b> 2-year postoperative MRI. <b>d</b> 2-year postoperative lateral X-ray.</p

A 62-year-old female patient with cervical spondylotic myelopathy at the C3–C6 level.

<p>She was performed with 3-level ACHDF. The postoperative lateral view of this patient showed displacement of the titanium mesh cage and screw loosening at the three months follow-up. <b>a</b> Immediate postoperative lateral X-ray. <b>b</b> 3-month postoperative lateral X-ray.</p

Demographic data of patients.

<p>Statistical significance was set at a P<0.05.</p><p>The Kruskal-Wallis <i>H</i> test was used to investigate whether the statistical differences exist among the groups.</p><p>*Operative time: P = 0.000 (2-level and 3-level groups); P = 0.000(2-level and 4-level groups); P = 0.000 (3-level and 4-level groups) by Nemenyi test.</p>#<p>Blood loss: P = 0.000 (2-level and 3-level groups); P = 0.000(2-level and 4-level groups); P = 0.000 (3-level and 4-level groups) by Nemenyi test.</p

Showing number of different procedures in three groups.

<p>ACCF: anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion;</p><p>ACDF: anterior cervical discectomy and fusion;</p><p>DCF: Discontinuous corpectomy and fusion (DCF) with reservation of the middle vertebra;</p><p>ACHDF: anterior cervical hybrid decompression and fusion.</p

Complications.

<p>Statistical significance was set at a P<0.05.</p><p>The chi-square test was used in the comparisons of the complication among the groups.</p><p>*Total: P = 0.038 (2-level and 3-level groups); P = 0.010(2-level and 4-level groups); P = 0.000 (3-level and 4-level groups).</p