Refined bifunctional deep eutectic solvent for one-step selective indium and tin recovery from spent LCDs.

In this study, a bifunctional deep eutectic solvent (DES), consisting of choline chloride (ChCl) and oxalic acid dihydrate (OAD), is introduced for the efficient and eco-friendly recovery of indium (In) from indium tin oxide (ITO) - coated glass extracted from discarded liquid crystal displays (LCDs). An innovative one - step in - situ separation process is demonstrated, which exhibits high efficiency and selectivity. A comprehensive investigation was conducted into the leaching conditions affecting In recovery, including temperature, duration, solvent ratio, and solid - to - liquid ratio.

Muscle quality index correlates with arthritis: a cross-sectional study from NHANES 2011-2014.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the association between Muscle Quality Index (MQI) and arthritis using data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2011-2014.

Methods: A cross-sectional analysis was conducted using data from 4,558 participants aged 20-60 years. MQI was calculated using handgrip strength and appendicular skeletal muscle mass obtained through Dual-energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) scans.

A non-electrical pneumatic hybrid oscillator for high-frequency multimodal robotic locomotion.

Pneumatic oscillators, incorporating soft non-electrical logic gates, offer an efficient means of actuating robots to perform tasks in extreme environments. However, the current design paradigms for these devices typically feature uniform structures with low rigidity, which restricts their oscillation frequency and limits their functions. Here, we present a pneumatic hybrid oscillator that integrates a snap-through buckling beam, fabric chambers, and a switch valve into its hybrid architecture.

Hybrid-Driven Origami Gripper with Variable Stiffness and Finger Length.

Soft grippers due to their highly compliant material and self-adaptive structures attract more attention to safe and versatile grasping tasks compared to traditional rigid grippers. However, those flexible characteristics limit the strength and the manipulation capacity of soft grippers. In this paper, we introduce a hybrid-driven gripper design utilizing origami finger structures, to offer adjustable finger stiffness and variable grasping range.

Charge density waves in two-dimensional transition metal dichalcogenides.

Charge density wave (CDW is one of the most ubiquitous electronic orders in quantum materials. While the essential ingredients of CDW order have been extensively studied, a comprehensive microscopic understanding is yet to be reached. Recent research efforts on the CDW phenomena in two-dimensional (2D) materials provide a new pathway toward a deeper understanding of its complexity.

A simple green method for in-situ selective extraction of Li from spent LiFePO batteries by synergistic effect of deep-eutectic solvent and ozone.

Efficient and clean extraction lithium (Li) from spent LiFePO batteries (LIBs) still remains a challenge. In this paper, a green deep eutectic solvent (DES) based on ethylene glycol (EG) and choline chloride (CC), combined with ozone (O) from air source, realized highly selective leaching Li from LiFePO in situ for the first time. The influence of experimental parameters on Li and Fe leaching efficiencies (η, η) were studied by orthogonal and single-factor tests, and η ≥ 92.

A novel green deep eutectic solvent for one-step selective separation of valuable metals from spent lithium batteries: Bifunctional effect and mechanism.

This study used a novel green bifunctional deep eutectic solvent (DES) containing ethylene glycol (EG) and tartaric acid (TA) for the efficient and selective recovery of cathode active materials (LiCoO and LiNiCoMnO) used in lithium-ion batteries through one-step in-situ separation of Li and Co/Ni/Mn. The effects of leaching parameters on the recovery of Li and Co (η and η) from LiCoO are discussed, and the optimal reaction conditions are verified, for the first time, using a response surface method. The results demonstrate that under optimal conditions (120 °C, 12 h, EG to TA mole ratio (M) of 5:1, and solid to liquid ratio (R) of 20 g/L), the η from LiCoO reached 98.

Does Lumbar Interbody Fusion Modality Affect the Occurrence of Complications in an Osteoporotic Spine Under Whole-Body Vibration? A Finite Element Study.

Objective: To evaluate the effects of 3 lumbar interbody fusion techniques on the occurrence of complications in an osteoporotic spine under whole-body vibration.

Methods: A previously developed and validated nonlinear finite element model of L1-S1was modified to develop anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF), posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF), and transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) models with osteoporosis. In each model, the lower surface of the sacrum was absolutely fixed, a follower load of 400N was applied through the axis of the lumbar spine, and an axial sinusoidal vertical load of ±40N (5 Hz) was imposed on the superior surface of L1, to perform a transient dynamic analysis.

Efficacy and safety of Tuina for chronic nonspecific low back pain: A PRISMA-compliant systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objective: Chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP) is a serious medical and social problem resulting in functional decline and decreased work ability. Tuina, a form of manual therapy, has been sparsely used to treat patients with CNLBP. To systematically assess the efficacy and safety of Tuina for patients with CNLBP.

Signatures of the exciton gas phase and its condensation in monolayer 1T-ZrTe.

The excitonic insulator (EI) is a Bose-Einstein condensation (BEC) of excitons bound by electron-hole interaction in a solid, which could support high-temperature BEC transition. The material realization of EI has been challenged by the difficulty of distinguishing it from a conventional charge density wave (CDW) state. In the BEC limit, the preformed exciton gas phase is a hallmark to distinguish EI from conventional CDW, yet direct experimental evidence has been lacking.

Biomechanical Effect of Osteoporosis on Adjacent Segments After Anterior Cervical Corpectomy and Fusion.

Background: Adjacent segmental degeneration (ASD) is one common long-term complication of anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF), and osteoporosis is one basic disease in the elderly. After ACCF, patients may experience osteoporosis with age. However, the influence of osteoporosis on ASD remains unclear.

Spinal cord injury target-immunotherapy with TNF-α autoregulated and feedback-controlled human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell derived exosomes remodelled by CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid.

Human umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cell (hucMSC) derived exosomes (EXOs) have been investigated as a new treatment for spinal cord injury (SCI) because of their anti-inflammatory, anti-apoptotic, angiogenesis-promoting, and axonal regeneration properties. The CAQK peptide found in the brains of mice and humans after trauma has recently been found to specifically bind to the injured site after SCI. Thus, we developed a nanocarrier system called EXO-C@P based on hucMSC exosomes remodelled by the CRISPR/Cas9 plasmid to control inflammation and modified by the CAQK peptide.

Effect of Pedicle Screw Fixation on Adjacent Segments in Osteoporotic Spine Following Transforaminal Lumbar Interbody Fusion Under Whole Body Vibration.

Background: Adjacent segmental degeneration (ASD) is the long-term complication of transforaminal lumbar interbody fusion (TLIF) combined with pedicle screw fixation. Both osteoporosis and whole-body vibration (WBV) can alter the biomechanics of adjacent segments. However, the effect of pedicle screw fixation on ASD in an osteoporotic spine after TLIF under WBV was unknown.

Effect of Osteoporosis on Adjacent Segmental Degeneration After Posterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion Under Whole Body Vibration.

Background: Adjacent segmental degeneration (ASD) is one of the common complications after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF). Both whole body vibration (WBV) and osteoporosis are important factors associated with the biomechanics of the lumbar spine. However, to the best of our knowledge, no studies have investigated the effects of osteoporosis on ASD after PLIF under WBV.

Imaging Dual-Moiré Lattices in Twisted Bilayer Graphene Aligned on Hexagonal Boron Nitride Using Microwave Impedance Microscopy.

Moiré superlattices (MSLs) formed in van der Waals materials have become a promising platform to realize novel two-dimensional electronic states. Angle-aligned trilayer structures can form two sets of MSLs which could potentially interfere. In this work, we directly image the moiré patterns in both monolayer and twisted bilayer graphene aligned on hexagonal boron nitride (hBN), using combined scanning microwave impedance microscopy and conductive atomic force microscopy.

Biomechanical effects of osteoporosis on adjacent segments after posterior lumbar interbody fusion: A finite element study.

Objective: To investigate the biomechanical effects of osteoporosis on adjacent segments after posterior lumbar interbody fusion (PLIF).

Methods: This study was designed and conducted in the Traumatology and Orthopedics Laboratory, School of Chinese Medicine, Jinan University, Guangzhou, China, between December 2019 and February 2020. A healthy finite element model of L3-S1 was developed along with one PLIF model and one PLIF with osteoporosis model.

Enhanced heterogeneous Fenton-like degradation of refractory organic contaminants over Cu doped (Mg,Ni)(Fe,Al)O synthesized from laterite nickel ore.

The heterogeneous Fenton-like catalyst (Mg,Cu,Ni)(Fe,Al)O was synthesized via a coprecipitation method using laterite nickel ore leaching solution as raw material. The effects of CuCl·2HO addition and calcination temperature on the microstructures and degradation properties of the obtained products were investigated. Results showed that higher calcination temperature could promote the migration of Cu ions from CuO to the spinel ferrite lattice and occupied octahedral sites.

Tui Na for Chronic Nonspecific Low Back Pain: Protocol for a Systematic Review and Meta-analysis.

Background: Chronic nonspecific low back pain (CNLBP) is one of the most common complex pain conditions, and it is strongly associated with high rates of disability. Even though several studies on Tui na for CNLBP have been reported, to our knowledge there has been no systematic review of the currently available publications.

Objective: This study aims to develop a protocol for a systematic review and meta-analysis that will evaluate the effectiveness and safety of Tui na therapy for patients with CNLBP.

Does Osteoporosis Affect the Adjacent Segments Following Anterior Lumbar Interbody Fusion? A Finite Element Study.

Background: Adjacent segment degeneration is a common complication following anterior lumbar interbody fusion (ALIF). Osteoporosis is becoming increasingly prevalent in the elderly population and thus patients undergoing ALIF may experience osteoporosis with age. However, the influence of osteoporosis on adjacent segment degeneration after ALIF remains unclear.

Comparative Efficacy of Graft Options in Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Systematic Review and Network Meta-Analysis.

Purpose: To evaluate the effectiveness of various graft options for anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction using network meta-analysis.

Methods: A medical literature search was conducted of PubMed, the Cochrane Library, Embase, SCOPUS, and Web of Science from their inception through March 1, 2019. The outcomes, including International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) form, Lachman test, Lysholm score, Pivot shift test, and Tegner score, were evaluated among graft options.

Comparison Between 7 Osteoporotic Vertebral Compression Fractures Treatments: Systematic Review and Network Meta-analysis.

Background: Vertebroplasty (VP), kyphoplasty (KP), SpineJack system (SJ), radiofrequency kyphoplasty (RFK), Kiva system (Kiva), Sky kyphoplasty system (SK), and conservative treatment are widely used in the treatment of osteoporotic vertebral compression fractures (OVCFs). However, it is still unknown which is the best intervention. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the effectiveness and safety of VP, KP, SJ, RFK, Kiva, SK, and CT in the treatment of OVCFs.

Biomechanical Comparison of Lumbar Fixed-Point Oblique Pulling Manipulation and Traditional Oblique Pulling Manipulation in Treating Lumbar Intervertebral Disk Protrusion.

Objective: To compare the biomechanical effect of lumbar fixed-point oblique pulling manipulation and traditional oblique pulling manipulation in the treatment of protrusion of lumbar intervertebral disk, and investigate the influence of disk degeneration on the 2 manipulations.

Methods: Three finite element models including 1 normal model, 1 mild degeneration, and 1 moderate degeneration model of L3-S1 were developed to simulate 2 oblique pulling manipulations. The disk protrusion was assumed to be in the left central and subarticular zone of the L4-L5 disk, and manipulations were carried out on the right.

Metallic surface states in a correlated d-electron topological Kondo insulator candidate FeSb.

The resistance of a conventional insulator diverges as temperature approaches zero. The peculiar low-temperature resistivity saturation in the 4f Kondo insulator (KI) SmB has spurred proposals of a correlation-driven topological Kondo insulator (TKI) with exotic ground states. However, the scarcity of model TKI material families leaves difficulties in disentangling key ingredients from irrelevant details.

Visualization of Multifractal Superconductivity in a Two-Dimensional Transition Metal Dichalcogenide in the Weak-Disorder Regime.

Eigenstate multifractality is a distinctive feature of noninteracting disordered metals close to a metal-insulator transition, whose properties are expected to extend to superconductivity. While multifractality in three dimensions (3D) only develops near the critical point for specific strong-disorder strengths, multifractality in 2D systems is expected to be observable even for weak disorder. Here we provide evidence for multifractal features in the superconducting state of an intrinsic, weakly disordered single-layer NbSe by means of low-temperature scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy.

circNFIC suppresses breast cancer progression by sponging miR-658.

: Circular RNAs (circRNAs) have been reported to play important roles in cancer progression. However, the potential involvement of circRNAs in breast cancer metastasis to the lung remains unclear. : High-throughput circular RNA microarray assays of primary breast cancer tissues and lung metastatic tissues were performed.