Dying and relational aftermath concerns among terminal cancer patients in China

The need to make sense of one's mortality is of central concern for death studies. We aimed to explore the meaning of aftermath concerns in the process of preparing for dying. Using a qualitative approach, we explored aftermath concerns among 25 participants with terminal cancer in China. Three aftermath concern themes were developed from the participants' narratives: mental concerns about parents, material concerns about children, and spiritual concerns about the self. Aftermath concerns are relational because they are not about what happens within an individual, but between individuals which are manifested within the broader cultural, social, economic and political contexts

Engineering Nanopatterned Structures to Orchestrate Macrophage Phenotype by Cell Shape

Physical features on the biomaterial surface are known to affect macrophage cell shape and phenotype, providing opportunities for the design of novel “immune-instructive” topographies to modulate foreign body response. The work presented here employed nanopatterned polydimethylsiloxane substrates with well-characterized nanopillars and nanopits to assess RAW264.7 macrophage response to feature size. Macrophages responded to the small nanopillars (SNPLs) substrates (450 nm in diameter with average 300 nm edge-edge spacing), resulting in larger and well-spread cell morphology. Increasing interpillar distance to 800 nm in the large nanopillars (LNPLs) led to macrophages exhibiting morphologies similar to being cultured on the flat control. Macrophages responded to the nanopits (NPTs with 150 nm deep and average 800 nm edge-edge spacing) by a significant increase in cell elongation. Elongation and well-spread cell shape led to expression of anti-inflammatory/pro-healing (M2) phenotypic markers and downregulated expression of inflammatory cytokines. SNPLs and NPTs with high availability of integrin binding region of fibronectin facilitated integrin β1 expression and thus stored focal adhesion formation. Increased integrin β1 expression in macrophages on the SNPLs and NTPs was required for activation of the PI3K/Akt pathway, which promoted macrophage cell spreading and negatively regulated NF-κB activation as evidenced by similar globular cell shape and higher level of NF-κB expression after PI3K blockade. These observations suggested that alterations in macrophage cell shape from surface nanotopographies may provide vital cues to orchestrate macrophage phenotype

Graphene Dots Embedded Phosphide Nanosheet-Assembled Tubular Arrays for Efficient and Stable Overall Water Splitting

Bifunctional electrocatalysts are highly desired for overall water splitting. Herein, the design and fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical earth-abundant transition bimetallic phosphide arrays constructed by one-dimensional tubular array that was derived from assembling two-dimensional nanosheet framework has been reported by tailoring the Co/Ni ratio and tunable morphologies, and zero-dimensional (0D) graphene dots were embedded on Co–Ni phosphide matrix to construct 0D/2D tubular array as a highly efficient electrode in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). On the basis of advanced merits, such as the high surface-active sites, well-dispersed graphene dots, and enhanced electron transfer capacity as well as the confinement effect of the graphene dots on the nanosheets, the integrated GDs/Co_0.8Ni_0.2P tubular arrays as anode and cathode exhibit excellent OER and HER performance. By use of GDs/Co_0.8Ni_0.2P arrays in the two-electrode setup of the device, a remarkable electrocatalytic performance for full water splitting has been achieved with a high current density of 10 mA cm^–2 at 1.54 V and outstanding long-term operation stability in an alkaline environment, indicating a promising system based on nonprecious-metal electrocatalysts toward potential practical devices of overall water splitting

Atomic Layer Deposition of V_1–<i>x</i>Mo_<i>x</i>O₂ Thin Films, Largely Enhanced Luminous Transmittance, Solar Modulation

V_1–<i>x</i>Mo_<i>x</i>O₂ thin films were fabricated by nanolamination of VO₂/MoO₃ alternating layers using atomic layer deposition (ALD) process, in which tetrakis-dimethyl-amino vanadium­(IV) [V­(NMe₂)₄] and molybdenum hexacarbonyl­(VI) [Mo­(CO)₆] were used as vanadium and molybdenum precursors, respectively. The dopant content of V_1–<i>x</i>Mo_<i>x</i>O₂ films was controlled by adjusting MoO₃ cycle percentage (<i>P</i>_Mo) in ALD pulse sequence, which varied from 2 to 10%. Effects of <i>P</i>_Mo on V_1–<i>x</i>Mo_<i>x</i>O₂ crystal structure, morphology, semiconductor-to-metal transition properties, and optical transmittance were studied. A linear reduction of phase transition temperature (<i>T</i>_c) by approximately −11 °C/cycle % Mo was observed for V_1–<i>x</i>Mo_<i>x</i>O₂ films within <i>P</i>_Mo ≤ 5%. Notably, dramatic enhanced luminous transmittance (<i>T</i>_lum = 63.8%) and solar modulation (Δ<i>T</i>_sol = 23.5%) were observed for V_1–<i>x</i>Mo_<i>x</i>O₂ film with <i>P</i>_Mo = 7%

Graphene Dots Embedded Phosphide Nanosheet-Assembled Tubular Arrays for Efficient and Stable Overall Water Splitting

Bifunctional electrocatalysts are highly desired for overall water splitting. Herein, the design and fabrication of three-dimensional (3D) hierarchical earth-abundant transition bimetallic phosphide arrays constructed by one-dimensional tubular array that was derived from assembling two-dimensional nanosheet framework has been reported by tailoring the Co/Ni ratio and tunable morphologies, and zero-dimensional (0D) graphene dots were embedded on Co–Ni phosphide matrix to construct 0D/2D tubular array as a highly efficient electrode in the hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and oxygen evolution reaction (OER). On the basis of advanced merits, such as the high surface-active sites, well-dispersed graphene dots, and enhanced electron transfer capacity as well as the confinement effect of the graphene dots on the nanosheets, the integrated GDs/Co_0.8Ni_0.2P tubular arrays as anode and cathode exhibit excellent OER and HER performance. By use of GDs/Co_0.8Ni_0.2P arrays in the two-electrode setup of the device, a remarkable electrocatalytic performance for full water splitting has been achieved with a high current density of 10 mA cm^–2 at 1.54 V and outstanding long-term operation stability in an alkaline environment, indicating a promising system based on nonprecious-metal electrocatalysts toward potential practical devices of overall water splitting