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Micron-sized truncated octahedral LiNi 0.5 Mn 1.5 O 4 (LNMO) samples with different degrees of Ni/Mn disordering have been obtained by controlling the synthesis conditions, such as calcination atmosphere (O 2 and air), cooling rate or additional annealing step. The influences of Ni/Mn disordering on the physical properties and electrochemical performance of the truncated octahedral LNMO samples have been systematically investigated. The analyses of thermogravimetry, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, powder neutron diffraction, Raman spectroscopy and X-ray absorption spectroscopy reveal that the occurrence and degree of Ni/Mn disordering are closely related with the formation of oxygen vacancies and presence of Mn 3+ . Slow cooling rate and post-annealing can result in low degrees of Ni/Mn disordering and oxygen vacancies. Electrochemical measurements show that Ni/Mn disordering and oxygen vacancies have no obvious effect on the rate capability since all LNMO samples share a truncated octahedral morphology with the exposed {100} surfaces. However, they play significant roles in improving long-term cycling stability, especially at the elevated temperature of 60 • C. This work suggests that the electrochemical performance of LNMO with optimized truncated morphology can be further enhanced through tuning the degrees of Ni/Mn disordering and oxygen vacancies.

ObjectiveTo retrospectively compare the efficacy of the titanium mesh cage (TMC) and the nano-hydroxyapatite/polyamide66 cage (n-HA/PA66 cage) for 1- or 2-level anterior cervical corpectomy and fusion (ACCF) to treat multilevel cervical spondylotic myelopathy (MCSM).MethodsA total of 117 consecutive patients with MCSM who underwent 1- or 2-level ACCF using a TMC or an n-HA/PA66 cage were studied retrospectively at a mean follow-up of 45.28±12.83 months. The patients were divided into four groups according to the level of corpectomy (1- or 2-level corpectomy) and cage type used (TMC or n-HA/PA66 cage). Clinical and radiological parameters were used to evaluate outcomes.ResultsAt the one-year follow-up, the fusion rate in the n-HA/PA66 group was higher, albeit non-significantly, than that in the TMC group for both 1- and 2-level ACCF, but the fusion rates of the procedures were almost equal at the final follow-up. The incidence of cage subsidence at the final follow-up was significantly higher in the TMC group than in the n-HA/PA66 group for the 1-level ACCF (24% vs. 4%, p = 0.01), and the difference was greater for the 2-level ACCF between the TMC group and the n-HA/PA66 group (38% vs. 5%, p = 0.01). Meanwhile, a much greater loss of fused height was observed in the TMC group compared with the n-HA/PA66 group for both the 1- and 2-level ACCF. All four groups demonstrated increases in C2-C7 Cobb angle and JOA scores and decreases in VAS at the final follow-up compared with preoperative values.ConclusionThe lower incidence of cage subsidence, better maintenance of the height of the fused segment and similar excellent bony fusion indicate that the n-HA/PA66 cage may be a superior alternative to the TMC for cervical reconstruction after cervical corpectomy, in particular for 2-level ACCF.

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As potential cathodes for sodium ion batteries, layered Na x TMO 2 (0.44 ≤ x ≤ 1, TM = transition metal) materials show high specific capacities but poor cycling and rate performance. In layered Na x TMO 2 , the distribution of TM at crystal sites determines the electrostatic interaction between TM and the coordinated atoms and affects the electrochemical behavior. Herein, the cycling performance of P3-type Na 0.67 Mn 0.67 Ni 0.33 O 2 materials with ordered and disordered arrangement of TMs is investigated at different rates. Unlike the TM-ordered material, the disordered one can be cycled at 2000 mA g −1 for 1500 cycles with 89% capacity retention. X-ray absorption spectroscopy is performed to elucidate the reason for long cycle life of the TM-disordered P3-type Na 0.67 Mn 0.67 Ni 0.33 O 2 from the sight of local structural changes around Mn and Ni. The experimental results show that the structural stability of NiO 6 units in the TM-disordered material is responsible for its better cycling performance in comparison with that of the TM-ordered material.

A facile wet-chemical method for synthesizing a nano-sized NiFe-PBA compound with excellent electrochemical performance.

Although differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) has a good prognosis and survival rate, long-term medication and recurrence monitoring might be needed. The factors that affect postoperative healthrelated quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with DTC in different regions remain unclear or conflicting. The purpose of this study was to assess the factors that influence the HRQoL of DTC patients after surgery. This study selected 174 patients with DTC who underwent thyroidectomy. Additionally, 174 participants who were matched by age, gender, and socioeconomic status were recruited from the population as the control group. Both the DTC and control population groups were invited to answer the HRQoL questionnaire SF-36. Scores on seven domains of the HRQoL including role-physical (RP), bodily pain (BP), general health (GH), vitality (VT), social functioning (SF), role-emotional (RE), and mental health (MH), were significantly lower for DTC patients than for the control population. The patients with no comorbidities had much higher scores on the 8 domains of the SF-36 than DTC patients with two or more comorbidities (all P < 0.05). Hypertension, diabetes and depression were the predictive factors of a poor Physical Component Summary (PCS) score and diabetes and depression were predictive factors of the Mental Component Summary (MCS) score at one year of follow-up (all P < 0.05). HRQoL is significantly influenced by many sociodemographic and clinical factors. Hypertension, diabetes and depression had a negative impact on HRQoL in DTC patients. More attention and targeted intervention should be given to DTC patients after surgery to improve quality of life.Thyroid cancer is the most common malignant tumor of the endocrine system and the head and neck. New cases of thyroid cancer account for approximately 1-5% of all cancers each year 1 . In the past 20 years, the incidence of thyroid cancer has increased each year, causing widespread concern. Differentiated thyroid carcinoma (DTC) frequently occurs in young and middle-aged women 2 . This type of thyroid carcinoma has clinical features of low malignancy, good differentiation, and a slow growth rate 3,4 . However, lymph node metastases can occur months to years after diagnosis, and timely diagnosis and appropriate treatment can result in a favourable outcome.The recommended clinical treatments of differentiated thyroid cancer are subtotal thyroidectomy, total thyroidectomy, radioactive iodine therapy (RAI) and long-term thyroid hormone replacement therapy 5,6 . These treatments can reduce the probability of cancer recurrence, and more than 85% of patients with differentiated thyroid cancer have a good prognosis according to the 10-year survival rates. Current guidelines recommend radioactive iodine ablation after initial thyroidectomy for high-risk patients. For low-risk DTC patients, the recommended surgical approach is unilateral thyroidectomy or total thyroidectomy. Total resection in low-risk DTC patients may be considered overtreatment. Although the advantage of total t...

Objective. To explore the application of professional whole-process case management during nursing in patients with triple-negative breast cancer. Methods. This study recruited 60 patients with triple-negative breast cancer who were diagnosed and treated at Department of Breast Surgery in our hospital assessed for eligibility between June 2018 and June 2020, and we assigned them at a ratio of 1 : 1 via the random number table method to receive either general nursing (control group) or professional whole-process case management plus general nursing (observation group). We analyzed and evaluated the hospitalization, the indwelling time of drainage tube, complications, recovery, quality of life, posttraumatic growth, and nursing satisfaction between these two groups at registration, discharge, and the sixth month after surgery, respectively. Results. Professional whole-process case management achieved a shorter duration of drainage tube placement and hospitalization and a lower incidence of postoperative complications versus general nursing ( P < 0.05 ). Moreover, the observation group had got better recovery ( P < 0.05 ) and a better quality of life at discharge and 6 months after surgery ( P < 0.05 ). Professional whole-process case management obtained higher scores of posttraumatic growth and higher nursing satisfaction versus general nursing ( P < 0.05 ). Conclusion. Whole-process case management promotes the postoperative recovery of patients with triple-negative breast cancer and shortens the duration of drainage tube indwelling and hospitalization, which lowers the incidence of postoperative complications, improves their quality of life, and enhances nursing satisfaction.