Electrochemical codeposition of nickel oxide and polyaniline

Nickel oxide (NiOx) and polyaniline (PAni) were electrocodeposited from NiSO4 and aniline through cyclic voltammetric scans to afford PAni–NiOx composite film at controlled pH environment. The electrochemical activities of the film were investigated by cyclic voltammetry in 0.1 M NaOH and 0.1 M H2SO4, respectively. Typical redox couples of PAni in 0.1 M H2SO4 appeared at approximately 0.2 and 0.4 V vs. saturated calomel electrode (SCE); Ni(II)/Ni(III) redox couple was observed at approximately 0.4 V vs. SCE in 0.1 M NaOH. The morphologies and elemental components of the films were inspected by scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray diffraction. The stability of nickel oxide in the films was found to be enhanced against acidic environments. Electrochemical catalytic behavior of NiOx within the composite film was conserved and demonstrated by catalytic oxidation of methanol and ethanol

Efficacy of endoluminal interventional therapy in diabetic peripheral arterial occlusive disease: a retrospective trial

<p>Abstract</p> <p>Background</p> <p>The purpose of this study was to assess the efficacy of interventional therapy for peripheral arterial occlusive disease and the difference between diabetic patients and non-diabetic patients.</p> <p>Methods</p> <p>139 consecutive patients between September 2006 and September 2010 who underwent percutaneous lower extremity revascularization for arterial lesions were divided into diabetes group (n = 62) and non-diabetes group (n = 77). Before intervention, rest ankle brachial indexes and three dimensional computed tomography angiography from abdominal aorta to tiptoe were performed. The interventional treatments included angioplasty with or without stenting. The clinical outcomes included rest ankle-brachial indexes, primary patency rates, secondary patency rates and limb-salvage rates for 6-month, 12-month, 24-month and 36-month after treatment. The primary and secondary patency rates of all interventions and the limb-salvage rates of the patients are illustrated by Kaplan-Meier curves and compared by log-rank analysis.</p> <p>Results</p> <p>The interventional operation success rates were 98.4% (61/62) in diabetes group and 100% (77/77) in non-diabetes group. The re-interventional operation success rates were 85.7% (18/21) in diabetes group and 76.9% (20/26) in non-diabetes group. The mean value of ankle brachial indexes was significantly increased after intervention (0.397 ± 0.125 versus 0.779 ± 0.137, t = -25.780, <it>P </it>< 0.001) in diabetes group and (0.406 ± 0.101 versus 0.786 ± 0.121, t = -37.221, <it>P </it>< 0.001) in non-diabetes group. Perioperative 30-day mortality was 0%. Major complications included groin hematoma in 7.2%, and pseudoaneurysm formation 2.2%. In diabetes group, 6, 12, 24, and 36-month primary patency rates were 88.7% ± 4.0%, 62.3% ± 6.6%, 55.3% ± 7.0%, and 46.5% ± 7.5%; secondary patency rates were 93.5% ± 3.1%, 82.3% ± 5.1%, 70.8% ± 6.5%, and 65.7% ± 7%; limb-salvage rates were 95.2% ± 2.7%, 87.7% ± 4.4%, 85.5% ± 4.8%, and 81.9% ± 5.8%. In non-diabetes group, 6, 12, 24, and 36-month primary patency rates were 90.9% ± 3.3%, 71.8% ± 5.4%, 71.8% ± 5.4%, and 60.9% ± 6.2%; secondary patency rates were 96.1% ± 2.2%, 91.6% ± 3.3%, 82.7% ± 4.8%, and 71.8% ± 6.2%; limb-salvage rates were 97.4% ± 1.8%, 94.4% ± 2.7%, 90.6% ± 3.7%, and 83.1% ± 5.4%. The differences between two groups were not significant (<it>P </it>> 0.05).</p> <p>Conclusion</p> <p>With a low risk of morbidity and mortality, the percutaneous revascularization accepted by patients does not affect ultimate necessary surgical revascularization and consequently should be considered as the preferred therapy for chronic lower extremity ischemia. The efficacy and prognosis of interventional therapy in diabetic patients is similar that in non-diabetic patients.</p

Observational constraints on cosmic neutrinos and dark energy revisited

Using several cosmological observations, i.e. the cosmic microwave background anisotropies (WMAP), the weak gravitational lensing (CFHTLS), the measurements of baryon acoustic oscillations (SDSS+WiggleZ), the most recent observational Hubble parameter data, the Union2.1 compilation of type Ia supernovae, and the HST prior, we impose constraints on the sum of neutrino masses (\mnu), the effective number of neutrino species (\neff) and dark energy equation of state ($w$), individually and collectively. We find that a tight upper limit on \mnu can be extracted from the full data combination, if \neff and $w$ are fixed. However this upper bound is severely weakened if \neff and $w$ are allowed to vary. This result naturally raises questions on the robustness of previous strict upper bounds on \mnu, ever reported in the literature. The best-fit values from our most generalized constraint read \mnu=0.556^{+0.231}_{-0.288}\rm eV, \neff=3.839\pm0.452, and $w=-1.058\pm0.088$ at 68% confidence level, which shows a firm lower limit on total neutrino mass, favors an extra light degree of freedom, and supports the cosmological constant model. The current weak lensing data are already helpful in constraining cosmological model parameters for fixed $w$. The dataset of Hubble parameter gains numerous advantages over supernovae when $w=-1$, particularly its illuminating power in constraining \neff. As long as $w$ is included as a free parameter, it is still the standardizable candles of type Ia supernovae that play the most dominant role in the parameter constraints.Comment: 39 pages, 15 figures, 7 tables, accepted to JCA