Tetrahexahedral Pt nanocrystals (THH Pt NCs) bound by well-defined high index crystal planes offer exceptional electrocatalytic activity, owing to a high density of low-coordination surface Pt sites. We report, herein, on methanol electrooxidation at THH Pt NC electrodes studied by a combination of electrochemical techniques and in situ FTIR spectroscopy. Pure THH Pt NC surfaces readily facilitate the dissociative chemisorption of methanol leading to poisoning by strongly adsorbed CO. Decoration of the stepped surfaces by Ru adatoms increases the tolerance to poisoning and thereby reduces the onset potential for methanol oxidation by over 100 mV. The Ru modified THH Pt NCs exhibit greatly superior catalytic currents and CO2 yields in the low potential range, when compared with a commercial PtRu alloy nanoparticle catalyst. These results are of fundamental importance in terms of model nanoparticle electrocatalytic systems of stepped surfaces and also have practical significance in the development of surface tailored, direct methanol fuel cell catalysts.NSFC [21021002, 20933004, 21073152, 20873113]; Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [2010121021]; Program for New Century Excellent Talents in University; Queen's University Belfast (The ISW DEL Clean Energies); EPSRC [EP/I013229/1

Tetrahexahedral Pt nanocrystals (THH Pt NCs), bound by high index facets, belong to an emerging class of nanomaterials that promise to bridge the gap between model and practical electrocatalysts. The atomically stepped surfaces of THH Pt NCs are extremely active for the electrooxidation of small organic molecules but they also readily accommodate the dissociative chemisorption of such species, resulting in poisoning by strongly adsorbed CO. Formic acid oxidation is an ideal reaction for studying the balance between these competing catalyst characteristics, since it can proceed by either a direct or a CO mediated pathway. Herein, we describe electrochemical and in situ FTIR spectroscopic investigations of formic acid electrooxidation at both clean and Au adatom decorated THH Pt NC surfaces. The Au decoration leads to higher catalytic currents and enhanced CO 2 production in the low potential range. As the CO oxidation behaviour of the catalyst is not improved by the presence of the Au, it is likely that the role of the Au is to promote the direct pathway. Beyond their fundamental importance, these results are significant in the development of stable, poison resistant anodic electrocatalysts for direct formic acid fuel cells.

The recently proposed digital reconfigurable metasurfaces make it possible to manipulate electromagnetic (EM) waves flexibly. However, most existing reconfigurable metasurfaces can only exhibit a relatively single performance in the spatial domain. Here, we propose a general frequency- and spatial-domain reconfigurable metasurface (FSRM) that can manipulate the EM waves and realize reconfigurable functions in multifrequency bands. In the frequency domain, FSRM can convert different linearly polarized (LP) incident waves into left- and right-hand circularly polarized reflected waves, in which PIN diodes are used to switch the polarization conversions in different frequency bands. When the polarization direction of the incident LP wave is 45° from the +x-axis, the FSRM modulates the incident waves as a 1-bit programmable metasurface in the spatial domain. Two-dimensional beam scanning, vortex beams with orbital angular momentums, and specific beams with desired transmission directions are demonstrated via real-time adjustment of the digital coding state. To validate the modulation methodology, an FSRM prototype is fabricated and measured, which could respond to different functions for different polarization incidences. The measured results agree well with the theoretical analyses. The proposed FSRM will provide new opportunities for smart material designs.

BackgroundThe aim of the study was to evaluate short-term safety and efficacy of simultaneous modulated accelerated radiation therapy (SMART) delivered via helical tomotherapy in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC).MethodsBetween August 2011 and September 2013, 132 newly diagnosed NPC patients were enrolled for a prospective phase II study. The prescription doses delivered to the gross tumor volume (pGTVnx) and positive lymph nodes (pGTVnd), the high risk planning target volume (PTV1), and the low risk planning target volume (PTV2), were 67.5 Gy (2.25 Gy/F), 60 Gy (2.0 Gy/F), and 54 Gy (1.8 Gy/F), in 30 fractions, respectively. Acute toxicities were evaluated according to the established RTOG/EORTC criteria. This group of patients was compared with the 190 patients in the retrospective P70 study, who were treated between September 2004 and August 2009 with helical tomotherapy, with a dose of 70-74 Gy/33F/6.5W delivered to pGTVnx and pGTVnd.ResultsThe median follow-up was 23.7 (12–38) months. Acute radiation related side-effects were mainly problems graded as 1 or 2. Only a small number of patients suffered from grade 4 leucopenia (4.5%) or thrombocytopenia (2.3%). The local relapse-free survival (LRFS), nodal relapse-free survival (NRFS), local-nodal relapse-free survival (LNRFS), distant metastasis-free survival (DMFS) and overall survival (OS) were 96.7%, 95.5%, 92.2%, 92.7% and 93.2%, at 2 years, respectively, with no significant difference compared with the P70 study.ConclusionsSmart delivered via the helical tomotherapy technique appears to be associated with an acceptable acute toxicity profile and favorable short-term outcomes for patients with NPC. Long-term toxicities and patient outcomes are under investigation.

Through analyzing cell direct assembly process requirements and existing hydrogel materials properties, employing the discrete/deposit rapid prototyping technique, developed a cell direct assembly technology adopting the hybrid of gelatin-based hydrogels. The cell assembly technology skillfully combined with the sol/gel transition mechanism about chemical and physical crosslink of gelatin-based hydrogels, in consideration of the main forming factors, through controlling the extruded materials rheological properties and optimizing the forming process, thereby achieved a promising assembling process with high cell survival rate and its corresponding biological viability. The technology can form a predefined three-dimensional structure with certain shape and size, suitable for variety of natural polymer materials (the most similar with extracellular matrix, such as fibrin, sodium alginate, chitosan, hyaluronic acid) with gelatin coupling forming; therefore, it satisfied majority cells needs of choosing the gelatin-based composite hydrogels reasonably. With the limitative extrusion pressure, more than 90% of the cells survived through this process and performed metabolic functions during a long term culture. This technology is a front research of biotechnology manufacturing science, is an important expansion of manufacturing technology.

Abstract：Polyurethane concrete which applies to the rapid repair highway pavement was systematically researched. Influences on mechanical properties of the polyurethane concrete of cement-dinas and binder-aggregate ratio, curing agent dosage, thinning agent dosage, etc. were analyzed in this paper. Furthermore, the optimal formulation materials were gotten to use in the repairment of used-broken cement blocks in the experiment. Simultaneously, the microstructure of polyurethane concrete and their adhesive situation bewteen waste cement blocks were observed through scanning electron microscope (SEM). The results show that the flexural strength of the specimen for two hours can reach to 6.67 MPa, and the compressive strength can reach to 9.15MPa, which can achieve the rapid pavement repair on highway in two hours, and it is superior to the related Chinese Standard. Besides the SEM images indicate that polyurethane molecular and aggregate are firmly bonded to each other as well as the cementation between polyurethane concrete and concretes, it means that the material has characteristic of rapid repair as well as good mechanical property.

Nanocrystalline ZnS thin films were deposited on glass substrates at 300W and 0.6Pa by using radio frequency magnetron sputtering, and then annealed at different temperatures. This work investigated the influence of ZnS buffer layer on different annealing temperature, analysed structural, surface topography, and optical properties of ZnS films by using X-ray diffraction (XRD), UV-spectroscopy measurements and scanning electronic microscope (SEM) analysis techniques. Findings showed that the film annealed at 300°C was uniformity and compact, which was zinc blende cubic structure. The film exhibited the optical transparency as high as 85% in the visible region, and its optical band gap was calculated to be 3.56 eV.

The complete mitochondrial DNA genome of Devario interruptus was sequenced on the Illumina HiSeq platform and found to be 16,735 bp and included 37 genes encoding 13 proteins, 22 tRNAs, two rRNAs, and two non-coding regions. The proportion of nucleotides in mitochondrial genome was T (27.9%), C (23.7%), A (33%), G (15.4%), and the deviation of AT was 60.9%. A Maximum-Likelihood phylogenetic tree was reconstructed using the concatenated mitochondrial protein-coding genes of D. interruptus and other 18 species of fishes. Phylogenetic analysis results supported that D. interruptus was closely related to Devario shanensis . Fundamental genetic data of D. interruptus will be essential for further genetic studies.