Efficient, robust surface functionalization and stabilization of gold nanorods with quaternary ammonium-containing ionomers as multidentate macromolecular ligands

Surface functionalization of gold nanorods (GNRs) is critical to their applications in various fields. While there are several existing strategies, we report in this article a new general strategy for the surface functionalization of GNRs with quaternary ammonium-containing ionomers as a novel class of multidentate macromolecular surface ligands. A range of tetralkylammoniumcontaining hyperbranched polyethylene- and linear poly(n-butyl acrylate)-based ionomers has been specifically designed and employed in the strategy. Acting as multidentate macromolecular analogues of cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB), the ionomers have been demonstrated to bind onto the GNR surface by displacing the surface-bound CTAB species via ligand exchange to render CTAB-free ionomer-modified GNRs. By properly designing the enabling ionomers, we have shown that the modified GNRs can be endowed with some desired properties, such as excellent dispersibility in various organic solvents, robust stability under multiple rounds (up to 12 investigated) of high-speed centrifugation in organic solvents, amphiphilicity with dispersibility in both aqueous and organic media, fluorescence, and capability in carrying hydrophobic guest species. This strategy thus provides potential new ways for the construction of novel multifunctional GNR nanocomposites

Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis on the Association Between Outpatient Statins Use and Infectious Disease-Related Mortality

Background: To update and refine systematic literature review on the association between outpatient statins use and mortality in patients with infectious disease. Materials and Methods: We searched articles published before September 31, 2012, on the association between statins and infectious disease-related mortality through electronic databases. Eligible articles were analyzed in Review Manager 5.1. We conducted stratification analysis by study design, infection types, clinical outcomes and study locations. Results: The pooled odds ratio (OR) for death (statins use vs. no use) across the 41 included studies was 0.71 (95% confidence interval: 0.64, 0.78). The corresponding pooled ORs were 0.58 (0.38, 0.90), 0.66 (0.57, 0.75), 0.71 (0.57, 0.89) and 0.83 (0.67, 1.04) for the case-control study, retrospective cohort studies, prospective cohort studies and RCTs; 0.40 (0.20, 0.78), 0.61 (0.41, 0.90), 0.69 (0.62, 0.78) and 0.86 (0.68, 1.09) for bacteremia, sepsis, pneumonia and other infections; 0.62 (0.534, 0.72), 0.68 (0.53, 0.89), 0.71 (0.61, 0.83) and 0.86 (0.70, 1.07) for 30-day, 90-day, in-hospital and long-term (>1 year) mortality, respectively. Conclusions: Outpatient statins use is associated with a lower risk of death in patients with infectious disease in observational studies, but in a less extent in clinical trials. This association also varies considerably by infection types and clinical outcomes

Lobectomy with Bronchoplasty and Reconstruction of Pulmonary Artery by Minitrauma-technique for Lung Cancer

Background and objective To research the effect and practicalbility of lobectomy with bronchoplasty and reconstruction of pulmonary artery by minitrauma-technique for lung cancer. Methods We retrospectibely reviewed our experience on 61 cases being lobectomy with bronchoplasty and bronchoplasty with or without video assisted thoracic small incision surgery for lung cancer from July 2005 to June 2009 from Shandong Provincal Hospital and 46 cases simultaneously by routine posterolateral incision. All patients whose bronchus and/or pulmonary artery were involved underwent the operation and experienced the bronchial sleeve/wedge resection or reconstruction of the pulmonary artery. Results All patients were done operation successfully and there were no operative mortality and no occurrence of anastomosis stenosis as well as fistula. The small incisions’ length was from 8 cm-15 cm while the routine posterolateral incision’s length was 25 cm-35 cm. The patients done the operation of small incision had less postoperative shoulder joint dysfunction and had better quality of life compaired to the patients done the routine posterolateral incision. Conclusion Lobectomy with bronchoplasty and reconstruction of pulmonary artery by minitrauma-technique for lung cancer could finished the same work with the traditional thoracic lateral incision and had less trauma, less pain, less recovery time

New Oxazoline- and Thiazoline-Containing Heteroleptic Iridium(III) Complexes for Highly-Efficient Phosphorescent Organic Light-Emitting Devices (PhOLEDs): Colour Tuning by Varying the Electroluminescence Bandwidth

Two new homologous phosphorescent iridium complexes, bis-(2-phenylpyridine)(2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-2-oxazoline)iridium(III) [(ppy)2Ir(oz)] (1) and bis-(2-phenylpyridine)(2-(2′-hydroxyphenyl)-2-thiazoline)iridium(III) [(ppy)2Ir(thoz)] (2), have been obtained in good yields and characterized by single-crystal X-ray diffraction, cyclic voltammetry, photoluminescence and electroluminescence studies, and by time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations. Using the two complexes, which differ only by the heteroatom (O or S) substitution at the same site in the ancillary ligand, as the emitter, doped in a 4,4′-bis(N-carbazolyl)biphenyl (CBP) host, gave phosphorescent organic light-emitting diodes (PhOLEDs) with very efficient green and yellow emission, respectively. The turn-on voltages for both devices are low (3.5–3.7 V). The green-emitting (ppy)2Ir(oz) – based device has a maximum brightness of 61560 cd m−2 (at 16 V); maximum luminance efficiency of 66.2 cd A−1, 17.1% external quantum efficiency, 54 lm W−1 power efficiency and CIE coordinates of (0.35, 0.61) at a brightness of 10000 cd m−2. For the yellow-emitting (ppy)2Ir(thoz)-based device with a wide full spectral width at half maximum (FWHM) of 110 nm, the corresponding values are 21350 cd m−2 (at 14.5 V); 27.0 cd A−1, 8.5%, 18.0 lm W−1 and CIE coordinates of (0.46, 0.50). Colour tuning is primarily a consequence of the significantly wider emission bandwidth of complex 2 compared to complex 1

Resveratrol Regulates Mitochondrial Biogenesis and Fission/Fusion to Attenuate Rotenone-Induced Neurotoxicity

It has been confirmed that mitochondrial impairment may underlie both sporadic and familial Parkinson’s disease (PD). Mitochondrial fission/fusion and biogenesis are key processes in regulating mitochondrial homeostasis. Therefore, we explored whether the protective effect of resveratrol in rotenone-induced neurotoxicity was associated with mitochondrial fission/fusion and biogenesis. The results showed that resveratrol could not only promote mitochondrial mass and DNA copy number but also improve mitochondrial homeostasis and neuron function in rats and PC12 cells damaged by rotenone. We also observed effects with alterations in proteins known to regulate mitochondrial fission/fusion and biogenesis in rotenone-induced neurotoxicity. Therefore, our findings suggest that resveratrol may prevent rotenone-induced neurotoxicity through regulating mitochondrial fission/fusion and biogenesis

Modification of SAPO-34 Molecular Sieve Used for Methanol to Olefins Reaction

Methanol to olefins (MTO) reaction is the key process of olefin production from coal or natural gas resources, which is a substitute of oil route. SAPO-34 molecular sieve exhibits excellent performance in MTO reaction, due to its small pore, suitable acidity and good thermal/hydrothermal stability. Research on the modification of SAPO-34 can not only help to improve its catalytic properties, but also benefit to better understand the reaction mechanism. The present article reviews various modification methods of SAPO-34 used as MTO catalyst, such as steam treatment, selective poisoning of acid sites, metal modification, ship-in-a-bottle method, silanization modification, F(-) modification and nitridation modification, etc. The further research directions are also discussed

Methanol to Olefins (MTO): From Fundamentals to Commercialization

The methanol-to-olefins (MTO) reaction is an interesting and important reaction for both fundamental research and industrial application. The Dalian Institute of Chemical Physics (DICP) has developed a MTO technology that led to the successful construction and operation of the world's first coal to olefin plant in 2010. This historical perspective gives a brief summary on the key issues for the process development, including studies on the reaction mechanism, molecular sieve synthesis and crystallization mechanism, catalyst and its manufacturing scale up, reactor selection and reactor scale up, process demonstration, and commercialization. Further challenges on the fundamental research and the directions for future catalyst improvement are also suggested

Where Did All the Remittances Go? Understanding the Impact of Remittances on Consumption Patterns in Rural China

We focus on the impact of migrants’ remittances on consumption patterns in rural China, allowing for endogeneity of remittances and county fixed-effects. We find that the marginal propensity to consume out of remittances is close to unity, which is far greater than that out of non-migrant earnings or farm income. These findings imply that rural households take remittances as permanent income and are consistent with the prevalence of circular and repeat migration which is largely caused by the combination of the restrictive hukou (household registration) system and the rigid land tenure system in China.Rural-Urban Migration; Remittances; Consumption Patterns; Fixed-Effect Instrumental-Variables Estimation