Pure rutile and rutile-anatase composite TiO(2) nanoparticles have been successfully synthesized via an ionic liquid-assisted method by hydrolysis of titanium tetrachloride in hydrochloric acid. It is found that the phase composition (ratio of rutile to anatase) of the products increases with increasing the content of ionic liquid [Emim]Br (1-ethyl-3-methyl-imidazolium bromide), therefore, TiO(2) nanoparticles with controlled phase compositions can be obtained in high yields. The structural and morphological characterizations of the resulting samples are investigated by means of X-ray powder diffraction (XRD), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), high-resolution TEM (HRTEM), and Brunauer-Emmett-Teller (BET) analysis, and the results indicate that the diameters of the anatase nanoparticles are in the range of 4-6 nm and the well-defined rutile nanorods are about 3-6 nm in diameter and 20-60 nm in length. More importantly, we find that the [Emim](+) ions can serve as capping agents based on their strong interactions with the (110) facets of rutile, and the [Emim]Br favors the formation of the rutile structure with a rod-like shape due to the mutual pi-stacking interactions of imidazole rings. We believe that this method can be developed into a general way to synthesize other metal oxide nanoparticles on a large scale.

Purpose To compare the benefits and harms of radiofrequency ablation (RFA) and hepatic resection (HR) and to test the consistency of currently available evidence. Materials and Methods PubMed, Embase, and the Cochrane Library were systematically searched for randomized controlled trials (RCTs) that compared the effects of HR and RFA for Barcelona Clinic Liver Cancer very early or early stage hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The primary outcome was overall survival, and secondary outcomes were recurrence rate, complication rate, and hospitalization duration. A random- or fixed-effects model according to the level of heterogeneity was applied. The meta-analysis was performed by using software, and trial sequential analysis (TSA) was performed. Results Five trials examining 742 patients were included in this study (sizes of trials: 161, 230, 168, 120, and 63 patients). The meta-analysis showed that RFA and HR had similar overall survival at 1 year (relative risk [RR], 1.39; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 0.36, 5.33; P = .63) and 3 years (RR, 1.40; 95% CI: 0.75, 2.62; P = .29), whereas RFA resulted in decreased overall survival compared with HR at 5 years (RR: 1.91; 95% CI: 1.32, 2.79; P = .001). The TSA showed that more trials were needed to control random errors. The incidence of overall recurrence was markedly higher and the hospitalization duration was significantly shorter in the RFA group than in the HR group, which was confirmed by TSA. Complications may have been less frequent in the RFA group, but TSA showed that additional trials were necessary to confirm this conclusion. Conclusion The indication for RFA as a primary treatment for patients who are eligible for HR with early stage HCC is unclear, and additional well-designed RCTs are needed. RSNA, 2017 Online supplemental material is available for this article.

The size- and shape-controlled fabrication of α-Fe2O3 has been successfully realized via a faicle template-free hydrothermal route, only simply changing reaction time and solvent used. The formation mechanisms of various nanostructures are proposed and the controlling factors on the morphology of the final product are also discussed. Furthermore, magnetic hysteresis measurements demonstrate that the as-obtained α-Fe2O3 nanostructures show structure-dependent magnetic properties. And the as-obtained α-Fe2O3 nanopolyhedra exhibits ultrahigh reversible capacity, and excellent capacity retention over 20 cycles. It is expected that the adjustable magnetic properties and high discharge capacity of the as-prepared samples make them useful with potential applications in magnetic nanodevices and high-energy batteries.

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