Graphene nanoribbons (GNRs) are ultra-narrow strips of graphene that have the potential to be used in high-performance graphene-based semiconductor electronics. However, controlled growth of GNRs on dielectric substrates remains a challenge. Here, we report the successful growth of GNRs directly on hexagonal boron nitride substrates with smooth edges and controllable widths using chemical vapour deposition. The approach is based on a type of template growth that allows for the in-plane epitaxy of mono-layered GNRs in nano-trenches on hexagonal boron nitride with edges following a zigzag direction. The embedded GNR channels show excellent electronic properties, even at room temperature. Such in-plane hetero-integration of GNRs, which is compatible with integrated circuit processing, creates a gapped channel with a width of a few benzene rings, enabling the development of digital integrated circuitry based on GNRs.

Owing to the rapid development and wide clinical application of direct acting antiviral (DAA) drugs in the treatment of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection, the era of interferon-based therapy has almost come to an end. Cumulative studies show that DAA therapy renders high cure efficiency (>90%) and good safety profile, and may even bring some unexpected benefits to the patients. However, some issues of concern arise, one of which is the resistance mutation of HCV genome leading to failure of treatment. With the aim of providing some meaningful references for the treatment of chronic hepatitis C (CHC), this article summarizes the research progress on benefits of DAA accompanied by viral clearance in the treatment of chronic hepatitis and the drug resistance.

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ) has been considered as a promising photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) semiconductor, but suffers from severe hole recombination, attributed to the short hole-diffusion length and the low carrier mobility. Herein, a type-II heterojunction CdIn 2 S 4 /BiVO 4 is designed to improve the photocurrent density from 1.22 (pristine BiVO 4 ) to 2.68 mA cm −2 at 1.23 V vs the reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE), accelerating the bulk separation of photogenerated carriers by the built-in field from the matched energy band. With the introduction of CQDs, CQDs/CdIn 2 S 4 /BiVO 4 increases the photocurrent density to 4.84 mA cm −2 , enhancing the light absorption and cathodically shifting its onset potential, due to the synergetic effect of the heterojunction and CQDs. Compared with BiVO 4 , CQDs/CdIn 2 S 4 /BiVO 4 promotes the bulk separation efficiency to 94.6% and the surface injection efficiency to 72.2%. Additionally, spin-coating of FeOOH on CQDs/CdIn 2 S 4 /BiVO 4 could further improve the PEC performance and keep a long stability for water splitting. The density function theory (DFT) calculations illustrated that the type-II heterojunction CdIn 2 S 4 /BiVO 4 could decrease the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) overpotential and accelerate bulk charge separation for the built-in field of the aligned band structure. KEYWORDS: bismuth vanadate (BiVO 4 ), type-II heterojunction, cadmium indium sulfide (CdIn 2 S 4 ), carbon quantum dots (CQDs), density function theory (DFT)

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At present, fostering and promoting empathy, an important humanistic quality, are believed ethical imperatives, and should be carried through the pharmacy education to facilitate the interpersonal and philosophical development of healthcare students. A cross-sectional study used the JSE-HPS (Jefferson Scale of Empathy-Health Profession Student version) to assess 263 Chinese pharmacy undergraduates from 1 st to 4 th year at Wuhan University of Science and Technology. Attached to the scale was a survey containing questions on demographics and favorite implementation model of humanistic education. Mean score of JSE-HPS was 112.58. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was 0.81. Three factors emerging in the factor analysis of JSE-HPS are "perspective taking", "compassionate care" and "ability to stand in patients' shoes". And empathy score of 4 th -year students was highest. In addition, the three most popular implementation models were "Social activities", "Extracurricular activity on pharmacy humanistic education", and "Humanistic education should be infiltrated and integrated within the existing professional curriculum", respectively. Our study findings indicate that humanistic education in the foundations courses for 1 st to 3 rd academic year pharmacy students need to be focus on. For successful practice, humanistic education that promotes empathy has to be integrated within the existing training programs for pharmacy undergraduate students in a vivid way.

Bismuth vanadate (BiVO4) as a fascinating semiconductor for photoelectrocatalytic (PEC) water oxidation with suitable band gap (E g) has been limited by the issue of poor separation and transportation of charge carriers. Herein, we propose an unconventional substitution of V5+ sites by Ti4+ in BiVO4 (Ti:BiVO4) for the similar ionic radii and accelerated polaron hopping. Ti:BiVO4 increased the photocurrent density 1.90 times up to 2.51 mA cm–2 at 1.23 V vs RHE and increased the charge carrier density 1.81 times to 5.86 × 1018 cm–3. Compared with bare BiVO4, Ti:BiVO4 improves the bulk separation efficiency to 88.3% at 1.23 V vs RHE. The DFT calculations have illustrated that Ti-doping modification could decrease the polaron hopping energy barrier, narrow the E g, and decrease the overpotential of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) concurrently. With further spin-coated FeOOH cocatalyst, the photoanode has a photocurrent density of 3.99 mA cm–2 at 1.23 V vs RHE. The excellent PEC performance of FeOOH/Ti:BiVO4 is attributed to the synergistic effect of the FeOOH layer and Ti doping, which could promote charge carrier separation and transfer by expediting polaron migration.

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