We have studied the chemical transformations in ultrathin chalcogenide nanowires with an aim to understand the parameters that control the morphology and crystal structure of the product. Ultrathin Te nanowires were transformed into Ag2Te nanowires with preservation of the single crystallinity. The Ag2Te nanowires were then converted into CdTe, ZnTe, and PbTe using cation-exchange reactions, and the CdTe nanowires were further transformed into PtTe2 nanotubes. On the basis of the solubility products of the ionic solids, the crystal structures of the involved solids, the reaction kinetics, and the reaction conditions for transformations, we were able to reach the following conclusions: (i) The solubility products of ionic solids can be used as a rough criterion to predict if the transformation is thermodynamically favorable or not. (ii) The morphological preservation of reactant nanowires is more sensitive to the change in length rather than the total volume in addition to the lattice matching between the reactant and product nanowires. (iii) The crystal structure resulting from a transformation should be determined by the free energy of formation and the stability of the products. (iv) The transformation involving small volume change or topotactic lattice matching is considered homogeneous along the entire length of the nanowires, preserving both the single crystallinity and the morphology of the reactant nanowires.

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Mesoporous CuO particles threaded with carbon nanotubes are suggested as a novel class of nanocomposite material for a high-performance anode in the lithium-ion batteries. The nanocomposite electrode exhibits a highly reversible capacity (650 mA h g(-1) at 0.1 C rate) and an excellent C rate capability (580 mA h g(-1) at 5 C, and 500 mA h g(-1) at 10 C).

The allergens of 24, 19, 16, and 9 kDa are strong candidates to be major allergens, and the 19-kDa allergen was relatively specific for BW-allergic patients. Moreover, measurement of BW-specific IgE and the features of immunoblotting should be very useful tools in the diagnosis of BW allergy.

In this retrospective study, data of 2,435 patients who received fentanyl and ropivacaine-based patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) for pain relief after elective surgery under general or spinal anesthesia were reviewed. Differences in postoperative pain, incidence of patient-controlled analgesia (PCA)-related adverse effects, and risk factors for the need for rescue analgesics for 48 hours postsurgery in young (age 20–39 years) and elderly (age ≥70 years) patients were evaluated. Although there were no significant differences in postoperative pain intensity between the two groups until 6 hours postsurgery, younger patients experienced greater postoperative pain intensity compared with older patients 6–48 hours postsurgery. While younger patients exhibited greater incidence of numbness, motor weakness, and discontinuation of PCA postsurgery, elderly patients exhibited greater incidence of hypotension, nausea/vomiting, rescue analgesia, and antiemetic administration. Upon multivariate analysis, low fentanyl dosage and history of smoking were found to be associated with an increased need for rescue analgesia among younger patients, while physical status classification III/IV and thoracic surgery were associated with a decreased need for rescue analgesia among the elderly. Discontinuation of PCA was more frequent among younger patients than the elderly (18.5% vs 13.5%, P=0.001). Reasons for discontinuation of PCA among young and elderly patients, respectively, were nausea and vomiting (6.8% vs 26.6%), numbness or motor weakness (67.8% vs 11.5%), urinary retention (7.4% vs 8.7%), dizziness (2.2% vs 5.2%), and hypotension (3.1% vs 20.3%). In conclusion, PCEA was more frequently associated with numbness, motor weakness, and discontinuation of PCA in younger patients and with hypotension, nausea/vomiting, and a greater need for rescue analgesics/antiemetics among elderly patients. Therefore, in order to minimize the adverse effects of PCEA and enhance pain relief, different PCEA regimens and administration/prevention strategies should be considered for young and elderly patients.