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Flexible thermoelectric generators can power wearable electronics by harvesting body heat. However, existing thermoelectric materials rarely realize high flexibility and output properties simultaneously. Here we present a facile, cost-effective, and scalable two-step impregnation method for fabricating a three-dimensional thermoelectric network with excellent elasticity and superior thermoelectric performance. The reticular construction endows this material with ultra-light weight (0.28 g cm −3 ), ultra-low thermal conductivity (0.04 W m −1  K −1 ), moderate softness (0.03 MPa), and high elongation (>100%). The obtained network-based flexible thermoelectric generator achieves a pretty high output power of 4 μW cm −2 , even comparable to state-of-the-art bulk-based flexible thermoelectric generators. Flexible thermoelectric generators can use body heat to power electronic wearables but are often limited by a trade-off between flexibility and output performance. Here, authors demonstrate a scalable, lightweight, elastic, and high-performing network-based Ag2Se thermoelectric generator.

We reported the epitaxial growth of c -axis-oriented Bi 1− x Ba x CuSeO (0 ≤  x  ≤ 10%) thin films and investigated the effect of Ba doping on the structure, valence state of elements, and thermoelectric properties of the films. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy analysis reveal that Bi 3+ is partially reduced to the lower valence state after Ba doping, while Cu and Se ions still exist as + 1 and − 2 valence state, respectively. As the Ba doping content increases, both resistivity and Seebeck coefficient decrease because of the increased hole carrier concentration. A large power factor, as high as 1.24 mWm −1  K −2 at 673 K, has been achieved in the 7.5% Ba-doped BiCuSeO thin film, which is 1.5 times higher than those reported for the corresponding bulk samples. Considering that the nanoscale-thick Ba-doped films should have a very low thermal conductivity, high ZT can be expected in the films.

Most of the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials are inorganic semiconductors. Owing to the directional covalent bonding, they usually show limited plasticity at room temperature 1 , 2 , for example, with a tensile strain of less than five per cent. Here we discover that single-crystalline Mg 3 Bi 2 shows a room-temperature tensile strain of up to 100 per cent when the tension is applied along the (0001) plane (that is, the a b plane). Such a value is at least one order of magnitude higher than that of traditional thermoelectric materials and outperforms many metals that crystallize in a similar structure. Experimentally, slip bands and dislocations are identified in the deformed Mg 3 Bi 2 , indicating the gliding of dislocations as the microscopic mechanism of plastic deformation. Analysis of chemical bonding reveals multiple planes with low slipping barrier energy, suggesting the existence of several slip systems in Mg 3 Bi 2 . In addition, continuous dynamic bonding during the slipping process prevents the cleavage of the atomic plane, thus sustaining a large plastic deformation. Importantly, the tellurium-doped single-crystalline Mg 3 Bi 2 shows a power factor of about 55 microwatts per centimetre per kelvin squared and a figure of merit of about 0.65 at room temperature along the a b plane, which outperforms the existing ductile thermoelectric materials 3 , 4 . The thermoelectric material Mg 3 Bi 2 is shown to be ductile in single-crystal form along certain directions, with a room-temperature tensile strain of 100%, which is attributed to the gliding of dislocations.

Most of the state-of-the-art thermoelectric materials are inorganic semiconductors. Owing to the directional covalent bonding, they usually show limited plasticity at room temperature , for example, with a tensile strain of less than five per cent. Here we discover that single-crystalline Mg Bi shows a room-temperature tensile strain of up to 100 per cent when the tension is applied along the (0001) plane (that is, the ab plane). Such a value is at least one order of magnitude higher than that of traditional thermoelectric materials and outperforms many metals that crystallize in a similar structure. Experimentally, slip bands and dislocations are identified in the deformed Mg Bi , indicating the gliding of dislocations as the microscopic mechanism of plastic deformation. Analysis of chemical bonding reveals multiple planes with low slipping barrier energy, suggesting the existence of several slip systems in Mg Bi . In addition, continuous dynamic bonding during the slipping process prevents the cleavage of the atomic plane, thus sustaining a large plastic deformation. Importantly, the tellurium-doped single-crystalline Mg Bi shows a power factor of about 55 microwatts per centimetre per kelvin squared and a figure of merit of about 0.65 at room temperature along the ab plane, which outperforms the existing ductile thermoelectric materials .

The thermoelectric parameters are essentially governed by electron and phonon transport. Since the carrier scattering mechanism plays a decisive role in electron transport, it is of great significance for the electrical properties of thermoelectric materials. As a typical example, the defect-dominated carrier scattering mechanism can significantly impact the room-temperature electron mobility of n-type Mg3Sb2-based materials. However, the origin of such a defect scattering mechanism is still controversial. Herein, the existence of the Mg vacancies and Mg interstitials has been identified by synchrotron powder X-ray diffraction. The relationship among the point defects, chemical compositions, and synthesis conditions in Mg3Sb2-based materials has been revealed. By further introducing the point defects without affecting the grain size via neutron irradiation, the thermally activated electrical conductivity can be reproduced. Our results demonstrate that the point defects scattering of electrons is important in the n-type Mg3Sb2-based materials.

Background The relationship between sleep disturbances and lung cancer is complex and bidirectional. This meta-epidemiological study aimed to explore the potential association between sleep disruption and the risk of pulmonary cancer. Methods We conducted a comprehensive literature search of the PubMed, Embase, Cochrane Library, and Web of Science databases to retrieve relevant studies. We employed the Newcastle–Ottawa Scale to assess the quality of the observational studies. Stata 17.0 was used to synthesize and conduct a meta-analysis of odds ratios (ORs) and corresponding 95% confidence intervals (CIs). We used funnel plot analysis and Egger’s regression test to evaluate potential publication bias. Results A total of 11 studies were included with 469,691 participants. The methodological quality of the included studies ranged from moderate to high. Compared with 7–8 h of sleep time, short sleep duration was associated with a 13% higher lung cancer risk [OR, 1.13; 95%CI: 1.02–1.25; I 2  = 67.6%; P  = 0.018] and long sleep duration with a 22% higher risk [OR, 1.22; 95%CI: 1.12–1.33; I 2  = 6.9%; P  < 0.001]. Insomnia symptoms [OR, 1.11; 95%CI: 1.07–1.16; I 2  = 0%; P  < 0.001] and evening chronotype [OR, 1.15; 95%CI: 1.05–1.26; P  = 0.002] were all related to a higher risk of lung cancer. Egger’s test revealed no publication bias for sleep duration ( P  = 0.13). Discussion This systematic review is the first one which observes positive correction between sleep disturbances and the incidence of lung cancer. While the plausible mechanism is not clear, it is hypothesized that the association of short sleep duration and lung cancer mainly mediated by melatonin secretion and the immune-inflammatory balance. Further studies are needed to examine whether other risk factors, such as age, occupation, cumulative effect of sleep disturbances might mediate the relationship between sleep disturbances and lung cancer risk. Conclusion The present study revealed that insufficient and excessive sleep duration, insomnia symptoms, and evening chronotype were significantly predictive of an increased risk of lung cancer. This finding underscores the need to account for sleep disturbances as an independent risk factor for evaluating susceptibility to lung cancer. Trial registration CRD42023405351.

PurposeUnderstanding the dynamics of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) stoichiometry and their natural isotopes from the plant-soil continuum is crucial to assess the succession stages of reforestation ecosystems. However, little is known about the long-term dynamics of C and N stoichiometry and their isotopes in the leaf-litter-root-soil continuum in reclaimed ecosystems.Materials and methodsThe samples of leaf, litter, root, and soil aggregates were collected from four different types of forests along an age sequence (0–10 years, 11–20 years, and 21–30 years) from a reclaimed dump in the Pingshuo opencast coal mine dump, China. The selected forests were categorized as follows: Robinia pseudoacacia L., Pinus tabulaeformis Carr, Ulmus pumila L. forests, and one forest with mixed tree species. The C and N contents and their natural isotopes were determined from the leaf-litter-root-soil continuum.fResults and discussionR. pseudoacacia forest had higher C and N content in plant tissues as compared to other types of forests. P. tabulaeformis forest had the lowest plant nutrients and the highest C/N ratio. Across all forests, plant-associated C and N dynamics were inconsistent, and C and N contents decreased with time in R. pseudoacacia forest. In all soil aggregates (> 2000 μm, 250–2000 μm, 53–250 μm, and < 53 μm), the C and N content increased with the age sequence with R. pseudoacacia forest observed to have the highest C and N content in large-size aggregates. Leaf δ15N also increased with the age sequences, indicating the openness of the ecosystem increased along the successive generation of plant. The fractionation characteristics of 13C and 15N showed that the C transferred from plants to soil. Within soil aggregates, the C traveled from large-size aggregates (> 2000 μm and 250–2000 μm) to the smaller-size (53–250 μm and < 53 μm). The N content in the leaves was found to have a positive correlation with leaf δ15N and a negative correlation with leaf δ13C.ConclusionsC and N stoichiometry varied among reclaimed forests and natural isotopes reflected the time-integrated C and N cycling between plants and soil. R. pseudoacacia forest facilitated the accumulation of soil C and N, but its plant-associated C and N content decreased with the reclamation ages. A trade-off between the long-term plant community succession and the promotion of degraded reclaimed mine soil (RMS) quality should be considered as a criterion when selecting pioneer tree species in land reclamation projects.

In this study, the role of traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) in relieving epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase inhibitor- (EGFR-TKI-) associated diarrhea was discussed by network pharmacology and data mining. Prediction of drug targets by introducing the EGFR-TKI molecular structures into the SwissTargetPrediction platform and diarrhea-related targets in the DrugBank, GeneCards, DisGeNET, and OMIM databases were obtained. Compounds in the drug-disease target intersection were screened by absorption, distribution, metabolism, and excretion parameters and Lipinski’s rule in Traditional Chinese Medicine Systems Pharmacology. TCM-containing compounds were selected, and information on the property, taste, and meridian tropism of these TCMs was summarized and analyzed. A target-compound-TCM network diagram was constructed, and core targets, compounds, and TCMs were selected. The core targets and components were docked by AutoDock Vina (Version 1.1.2) to explore the target combinations of related compounds and evaluate the docking activity of related targets and compounds. Twenty-three potential therapeutic TCM targets for the treatment of EGFR-TKI-related diarrhea were obtained. There were 339 compounds acting on potential therapeutic targets, involving a total of 402 TCMs. The results of molecular docking showed good binding between the core targets and compounds, and the binding between the core targets and compounds was similar to that of the core target and the recommended drug loperamide. TCMs have multitarget characteristics and are present in a variety of compounds used for relieving EGFR-TKI-associated diarrhea. Antitumor activity and the efficacy of alleviating diarrhea are the pharmacological basis of combining TCMs with EGFR-TKI in the treatment of non-small-cell lung cancer. The core targets, compounds, and TCMs can provide data to support experimental and clinical studies on the relief of EGFR-TKI-associated diarrhea in the future.

Purpose: To investigate effectiveness and safety of Chinese herbal injections (CHIs) in conjunction with fluoropyrimidine and oxaliplatin-based chemotherapy (FOBC) for advanced colorectal cancer (CRC). Methods: A comprehensive search was conducted in 7 electronic databases for related randomized controlled trials (RCTs) from inception to April 30, 2021. The quality of each trial was assessed according to the Cochrane Handbook for Systematic Reviews of Interventions, the differences in effectiveness and safety outcomes between two groups were evaluated, and the results were expressed as the risk ratios (RRs) and 95% confidence interval (CI). Subgroup analyses were performed according to the types of CHIs, and Review Manager 5 was used to statistically analyze the outcomes. Results: 63 studies involving 9 CHIs and 4733 patients were included in this review. The meta-analysis results suggested that compared with FOBC therapy, CHIs plus FOBC therapy showed significant improvements in objective response rate (ORR) (RR=1.34, 95% CI: 1.27-1.42, P< 0.00001), disease control rate (DCR) (RR=1.09, 95%CI: 1.06-1.11, P< 0.00001), 1-year survival rate (RR=2.27, 95% CI: 1.23-4.18, P=0.009) and quality of life (QoL) (RR=1.21, 95% CI: 1.14-1.28, P< 0.00001), and decreases in the incidence of chemotherapy-induced leukopenia (RR=0.64, 95% CI: 0.50-0.82, P< 0.0005), nausea and vomiting (RR=0.65, 95% CI: 0.51-0.83, P=0.0005) and diarrhea (RR=0.34, 95% CI: 0.20-0.58, P< 0.0001). Conclusion: From the evidence available, CHIs could increase ORR, DCR and 1-year survival rate, improve QoL and relieve chemotherapy-induced leukopenia, nausea and vomiting and diarrhea when combined with FOBC in advanced CRC treatment, Nevertheless, on account of the limitations, more rigorous RCTs with high-quality methodology were needed to further confirm the results.