Theoretical screening of single atom doping on β-Ga2O3 (100) for photoelectrochemical water splitting with high activity and low limiting potential

Photoelectrochemical (PEC) water splitting combined with renewable energy is an appealing approach for solar energy conversion and storage. Monoclinic gallium oxide (β-Ga₂O₃) has been identified as a promising photoelectrode for PEC because of its good electrical conductivity and chemical and thermal stability. However, the wide bandgap (around 4.8 eV) and the recombination of photogenerated electrons and holes inside β-Ga₂O₃ limit its performance. Doping β-Ga₂O₃ is a practical strategy to enhance photocatalytic activity, but studies on doped β-Ga₂O₃ based photoelectrodes are lacking. In this study, we evaluate the doping effect of ten different dopants for β-Ga₂O₃ photoelectrode at the atomic level using density functional theory calculations. In addition, the oxygen evolution performance is evaluated on doped structures as it is considered the bottleneck reaction in water slitting on the anode of the PEC cell. Our results suggest that rhodium doping is optimal as it demonstrated the lowest overpotential for oxygen evolution reaction. We performed further electronic structure analysis, indicating the narrower bandgap and enhanced photogenerated electron-hole transfer comparing with β-Ga₂O₃ are the main reasons for the improved performance after Rh doping. This study demonstrates that doping is an attractive strategy for the development of efficient Ga₂O₃-based photoanodes and it will be of great importance in helping the design of other semiconductor-based photoelectrodes for practical application.

Defluorinative alkylation of 1-trifluoromethyl alkenes with alkyl radicals derived from visible light-induced deoxygenation of xanthate salts: synthesis of gem-difluoroalkenes

Catalyst- and metal-free difluoroallylation of alkyl precursors with trifluoromethyl alkenes for the synthesis of gem-difluoroalkenes is appealing and challenging. We herein describe a visible light-induced approach that enables deoxygenative difluoroallylation of abundant alcohols via xanthate salts with trifluoromethyl alkenes, where xanthate salts work as a photoreductant and an alkylating reagent, avoiding the use of external catalysts. This one-pot method can accommodate primary, secondary and tertiary alcohols with good functionality tolerance and be successfully applied to the late-stage functionalization of natural products and drugs.

Serum Lipidomic Analysis Reveals Biomarkers and Metabolic Pathways of Thyroid Dysfunction

Abnormal thyroid hormone secretion is the most important feature of hypothyroidism and plays an important role in lipid metabolism. However, their connection has not been clearly established. This study aimed to identify the serum biomarkers and metabolic pathways associated with hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism. The study enrolled discovery and validation sets of 175 and 300 participants, respectively, to identify and validate the serum biomarkers of hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism via ultra-high performance liquid chromatography-quadrupole time-of-flight mass spectrometry lipidomics through univariate and multivariate analyses. Eight and six biomarkers were identified for hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism, respectively. Spearman correlation analysis was used to assess the correlation between the biomarkers and thyroid dysfunction indicators; subsequently, metabolic pathway and network analyses were performed for these biomarkers. Most biomarkers exhibited significant correlation with thyroid dysfunction indicators, mainly being enriched in the glycerophospholipid (GPL) metabolism. The diagnostic accuracies of the biomarkers and biomarker panels were assessed via receiver operating characteristic curve analysis. All the biomarkers demonstrated good diagnostic performance, and the hyperthyroidism and hypothyroidism biomarker panels reached an area under the curve value of 1.000. The results were validated using the validation set. Therefore, our findings revealed that thyroid dysfunction primarily affects the human metabolism via the GPL metabolism, thus providing a theoretical basis for the clinical prevention and control of thyroid dysfunction.

Spatial association between green space and COPD mortality: a township-level ecological study in Chongqing, China

BACKGROUND

There are regional differences in the effect of green space on mortality of Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). We conduct an ecological study, using the administrative divisions of Chongqing townships in China as the basic unit, to investigate the association between COPD mortality and green space based on data of 313,013 COPD deaths in Chongqing from 2012 to 2020. Green space is defined by Fractional vegetation cover (FVC), which is further calculated based on the normalised vegetation index (NDVI) from satellite remote sensing imagery maps.

METHODS

After processing the data, the non-linear relationship between green space and COPD mortality is revealed by generalised additive models; the spatial differences between green space and COPD mortality is described by geographically weighted regression models; and finally, the interpretive power and interaction of each factor on the spatial distribution of COPD mortality is examined by a geographic probe.

RESULTS

The results show that the FVC local regression coefficients ranged from - 0.0397 to 0.0478, 63.0% of the regions in Chongqing have a positive correlation between green space and COPD mortality while 37.0% of the regions mainly in the northeast and west have a negative correlation. The interpretive power of the FVC factor on the spatial distribution of COPD mortality is 0.08.

CONCLUSIONS

Green space may be a potential risk factor for increased COPD mortality in some regions of Chongqing. This study is the first to reveal the relationship between COPD mortality and green space in Chongqing at the township scale, providing a basis for public health policy formulation in Chongqing.

Preparations of antibacterial yellow-green-fluorescent carbon dots and carbon dots-lysozyme complex and their applications in bacterial imaging and bacteria/biofilm inhibition/clearance

The preparation of functional long-wavelength-emitting nanomaterials and the researches on their applications in antibacterial and antibiofilm fields have important significance. This paper reports the preparation of yellow-green-fluorescent and high- quantum yield carbon dots (4-ACDs) with 4-aminosalicylic acid and polyethylene imine as raw materials through one-step route, and the impacts of raw material structure and the reaction conditions upon the optical properties of the products have been investigated. 4-ACDs exhibit excellent broad-spectrum antibacterial activity, and their good biocompatibility ensures them as ideal fluorescent nano-probe for cell imaging. However, 4-ACDs could not effectively eliminate the biofilm of Staphylococcus aureus (S. aureus). CDs-LZM complex was prepared through the coupling between 4-ACDs and lysozyme (LZM) and the complex showed strong antibacterial activity against Gram-positive bacteria, particularly with MIC against S. aureus at 5 μg mL^-1. Besides, CDs-LZM showed excellent ability against the biofilm of S. aureus. At the concentration of 60 μg mL^-1, its inhibition rate against the growth of biofilm was 86 %, and elimination rate against biofilm reached 76 %. CDs-LZM exhibited obvious antibiofilm ability through removing extracellular matrix of biofilm, greatly reducing the thickness of biofilm under confocal microscopy. The application of novel long-wavelength-emitting nanomaterial in eliminating pathogenic bacteria is of great significance.

Copper-based catalysts for the electrochemical reduction of carbon dioxide: progress and future prospects

There is an urgent need for the development of high performance electrocatalysts for the CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR) to address environmental issues such as global warming and achieve carbon neutral energy systems. In recent years, Cu-based electrocatalysts have attracted significant attention in this regard. The present review introduces fundamental aspects of the electrocatalytic CO₂RR process together with a systematic examination of recent developments in Cu-based electrocatalysts for the electroreduction of CO₂ to various high-value multicarbon products. Current challenges and future trends in the development of advanced Cu-based CO₂RR electrocatalysts providing high activity and selectivity are also discussed.

Data-Driven Machine Learning for Understanding Surface Structures of Heterogeneous Catalysts

The design of heterogeneous catalysts is necessarily surface-focused, generally achieved via optimization of adsorption energy and microkinetic modelling. A prerequisite is to ensure the adsorption energy is physically meaningful is the stable existence of the conceived active-site structure on the surface. The development of improved understanding of the catalyst surface, however, is challenging practically because of the complex nature of dynamic surface formation and evolution under in-situ reactions. We propose therefore data-driven machine-learning (ML) approaches as a solution. In this Minireview we summarize recent progress in using machine-learning to search and predict (meta)stable structures, assist operando simulation under reaction conditions and micro-environments, and critically analyze experimental characterization data. We conclude that ML will become the new norm to lower costs associated with discovery and design of optimal heterogeneous catalysts.

Effects of Melatonin on Fat Graft Retention Through Browning of Adipose Tissue and Alternative Macrophage Polarization

BACKGROUND

Melatonin is a widely used drug that can affect adipocyte inflammation, resulting in adipose tissue browning. Inducing the browning of white fat and changing the inflammatory microenvironment of early transplanted fat have positive effects on the retention rate of fat grafts. This study aimed to evaluate the effects of melatonin on fat graft retention, determine whether it is related to adipose tissue browning and the inflammatory microenvironment, and explore the underlying mechanisms.

METHODS

A C57BL/6 mice fat transplantation model was established. The mice were divided into a control group (ethanol), a high-dose group (40 mg/kg/day melatonin), a medium-dose group (20 mg/kg/day melatonin), and a low-dose group (10 mg/kg/day melatonin). They were also given oral gavage treatment for 2 weeks. The grafted fat was collected 2, 4, and 12 weeks after treatment.

RESULTS

The medium-dose and high-dose melatonin groups had significantly higher fat graft retention rates than the control group at 12 weeks. The medium-dose melatonin group had smaller multilocular adipocytes, which enhanced the expression of uncoupling protein 1 and increased neovascularization in the grafted fat. The medium-dose group also had a higher distribution of M2 macrophages.

CONCLUSIONS

These findings suggest that melatonin administration can improve the retention of fat grafts through polarization of macrophages toward the anti-inflammatory type and induction of adipose tissue browning.

NO LEVEL ASSIGNED

This journal requires that authors assign a level of evidence to each submission to which Evidence-Based Medicine rankings are applicable. This excludes Review Articles, Book Reviews, and manuscripts that concern Basic Science, Animal Studies, Cadaver Studies, and Experimental Studies. For a full description of these Evidence-Based Medicine ratings, please refer to the Table of Contents or the online Instructions to Authors www.springer.com/00266 .

Targeting Noncanonical Pyroptosis With a Small Molecular Inhibitor Alleviates Inflammation in the LPS-Induced Keratitis Mouse Model

Purpose

Pyroptosis, a novel proinflammatory programmed cell death, has been implicated in some ocular diseases. Of special note is the noncanonical pyroptosis that has recently been recognized to play a critical role in microbial keratitis. We previously discovered a new potent small molecular pyroptosis inhibitor, J114. In this investigation, we will explore whether J114 is able to inhibit the noncanonical pyroptosis and the underlying mechanism. Then a lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced keratitis mouse model will be used to evaluate the therapeutic effect of J114 in vivo.

Methods

In vitro, macrophages originating from humans or mice were stimulated with intracellular LPS to induce noncanonical pyroptosis activation. in vivo, acute keratitis in mouse was induced by LPS intrastromal injection. We verified the protective effect of J114 on noncanonical pyroptosis. Clinical scoring, histological observation, macrophage localization, and quantification of pyroptotic markers in the cornea were used to characterize the therapeutic effects.

Results

J114 substantially inhibited the noncanonical pyroptosis and the release of inflammatory cytokines by suppressing the activation of caspase-4/5/11 and the noncanonical NLRP3 inflammasome through blocking the NLRP3-ASC interaction. in vivo, J114 protected against LPS-induced noncanonical pyroptosis of acute keratitis, as manifested by alleviated clinical manifestations and histological disorders, and relieved inflammatory reactions.

Conclusions

In this study, we found that J114 could efficiently inhibit LPS-induced noncanonical pyroptosis and revealed the underlying mechanism. This compound displayed significant anti-inflammatory activity in the LPS-induced keratitis mouse model. All the findings indicated that J114 could be a potential lead compound for drug development against inflammatory ocular surface diseases.

Artificial Intelligence-Assisted Evaluation of the Spatial Relationship between Brain Arteriovenous Malformations and the Corticospinal Tract to Predict Postsurgical Motor Defects

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE

Preoperative evaluation of brain AVMs is crucial for the selection of surgical candidates. Our goal was to use artificial intelligence to predict postsurgical motor defects in patients with brain AVMs involving motor-related areas.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Eighty-three patients who underwent microsurgical resection of brain AVMs involving motor-related areas were retrospectively reviewed. Four artificial intelligence-based indicators were calculated with artificial intelligence on TOF-MRA and DTI, including FN5mm/50mm (the proportion of fiber numbers within 5-50mm from the lesion border), FN10mm/50mm (the same but within 10-50mm), FP5mm/50mm (the proportion of fiber voxel points within 5-50mm from the lesion border), and FP10mm/50mm (the same but within 10-50mm). The association between the variables and long-term postsurgical motor defects was analyzed using univariate and multivariate analyses. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator regression with the Pearson correlation coefficient was used to select the optimal features to develop the machine learning model to predict postsurgical motor defects. The area under the curve was calculated to evaluate the predictive performance.

RESULTS

In patients with and without postsurgical motor defects, the mean FN5mm/50mm, FN10mm/50mm, FP5mm/50mm, and FP10mm/50mm were 0.24 (SD, 0.24) and 0.03 (SD, 0.06), 0.37 (SD, 0.27) and 0.06 (SD, 0.08), 0.06 (SD, 0.10) and 0.01 (SD, 0.02), and 0.10 (SD, 0.12) and 0.02 (SD, 0.05), respectively. Univariate and multivariate logistic analyses identified FN10mm/50mm as an independent risk factor for long-term postsurgical motor defects (P = .002). FN10mm/50mm achieved a mean area under the curve of 0.86 (SD, 0.08). The mean area under the curve of the machine learning model consisting of FN10mm/50mm, diffuseness, and the Spetzler-Martin score was 0.88 (SD, 0.07).

CONCLUSIONS

The artificial intelligence-based indicator, FN10mm/50mm, can reflect the lesion-fiber spatial relationship and act as a dominant predictor for postsurgical motor defects in patients with brain AVMs involving motor-related areas.

Outcomes of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy using a modified technique：346 cases from a single center

PURPOSE

To study the outcomes of laparoscopic pancreaticoduodenectomy (LPD) using a modified technique.

METHODS

Our center used priority approach of uncinate process and artery in the pancreatectomy and duct to mucosa pancreaticojejunostomy with a single stitch in the pancreaticojejunostomy. Herein, we retrospectively reviewed 346 cases of LPD using modified techniques. Basic characteristics, preoperative outcomes, factors associated with unfavorable postoperative outcome, and mortality of patients undergoing LPD were collected and analyzed.

RESULTS

The average operative time was 259.31 (35-425) min. The mean duration of pancreaticojejunostomy anastomosis was 31.97 (16-90) min. The mean intraoperative blood loss was 101.76 (0-1200) ml by estimation. Postoperative complications included 14 cases (4.1%) of bile leakage, 9 cases (2.6%) of delayed gastric emptying, 26 cases (7.5%) of postoperative bleeding, 34 cases (9.9%) of organ space infection, 17 cases (4.9%) of pulmonary infection, and 50 cases (14.5%) of POPF. Three factors including postoperative bleeding (OR = 3.502; P = 0.033), positive lymph node (OR = 3.296; P < 0.001), and postoperative chemotherapy (OR = 0.241; P = 0.008) were significantly associated with death of LPD.

CONCLUSIONS

The modified technique for LPD presents safety and reliability. Postoperative bleeding and positive lymph node may be associated with worse overall survival, and postoperative chemotherapy may be associated with better overall survival.

TRAF3IP2-IL-17 Axis Strengthens the Gingival Defense against Pathogens

Recent genome-wide association studies have suggested novel risk loci associated with periodontitis, which is initiated by dysbiosis in subgingival plaque and leads to destruction of teeth-supporting structures. One such genetic locus was the tumor necrosis factor receptor-associated factor 3 interacting protein 2 (TRAF3IP2), a gene encoding the gate-keeping interleukin (IL)-17 receptor adaptor. In this study, we first determined that carriers of the lead exonic variant rs13190932 within the TRAF3IP2 locus combined with a high plaque microbial burden was associated with more severe periodontitis than noncarriers. We then demonstrated that TRAF3IP2 is essential in the IL-17-mediated CCL2 and IL-8 chemokine production in primary gingival epithelial cells. Further analysis suggested that rs13190932 may serve a surrogate variant for a genuine loss-of-function variant rs33980500 within the same gene. Traf3ip2 null mice (Traf3ip2^-/-) were more susceptible than wild-type (WT) mice to the Porphyromonas gingivalis-induced periodontal alveolar bone loss. Such bone loss was associated with a delayed P. gingivalis clearance and an attenuated neutrophil recruitment in the gingiva of Traf3ip2^-/- mice. Transcriptomic data showed decreased expression of antimicrobial genes, including Lcn2, S100a8, and Defb1, in the Traf3ip2^-/- mouse gingiva in comparison to WT mice prior to or upon P. gingivalis oral challenge. Further 16S ribosomal RNA sequencing analysis identified a distinct microbial community in the Traf3ip2^-/- mouse oral plaque, which was featured by a reduced microbial diversity and an overabundance of Streptococcus genus bacteria. More P. gingivalis was observed in the Traf3ip2^-/- mouse gingiva than WT control animals in a ligature-promoted P. gingivalis invasion model. In agreement, neutrophil depletion resulted in more local gingival tissue invasion by P. gingivalis. Thus, we identified a homeostatic IL-17-TRAF3IP2-neutrophil axis underpinning host defense against a keystone periodontal pathogen.

A multi-attribute decision-making method for the location selection of emergency rescue centers based on improved cumulative prospect theory under the background of ecological sustainable development

The location decision of the emergency rescue center, as a necessary link in the early stage to ensure the smooth development of emergency management, has become increasingly important. This paper analyzes the research theories and methods of location problem at home and abroad. By considering the decision-making psychological behavior of decision-makers, based on the idea of cumulative prospect theory, combined with the Pythagorean fuzzy multi-attribute evaluation method, this paper proposes a Pythagorean fuzzy multi-attribute decision-making evaluation method based on improved cumulative prospect theory. This method is to sort the results of each decision-making scheme by calculating the comprehensive cumulative prospect value. Based on the utility curve improved cumulative prospect theory, the research first depicts the psychological behavior characteristics of various decision-making groups under different risk preferences, and then designs a distance measurement method based on the geometric center of Pythagorean fuzzy right triangle. The main core of the distance measurement method is to convert Pythagorean fuzzy numbers into Pythagorean fuzzy right triangles. In the aspect of attribute weight assignment, a subjective and objective weighting method based on the combination of value function and deviation method of improved cumulative prospect theory is proposed. Finally, the Pythagorean fuzzy multi-attribute decision-making method based on the improved cumulative prospect theory is realized through the selection of reference objects, the calculation of value function value, weight function value and cumulative prospect value. This study takes the site selection of emergency rescue center in the construction period of Ya’an Linzhi Section of Sichuan Tibet Railway in China as an example, and proposes 10 emergency rescue centers as alternatives. Considering the different preferences of decision-makers, the improved decision-making method proposed in this paper is used to obtain the most optimal site selection scheme under different decision-making preferences.

Ultrafast Photothermal Actuators with a Large Helical Curvature Based on Ultrathin GO and Biaxially Oriented PE Films

In nature, there are some amazing superfast actuations (Venus flytrap) and large-curvature helical deformations (the awn of Erodium). Although many bionic actuators have been made (electrothermal, hygroscopic, photoinduced), most of their actuations are slow and small, not comparable to the wonderful ones in nature. Here, we report an ultrafast photothermal actuator with large-curvature curling based on an ultrathin graphene oxide (GO) and biaxially oriented polyethylene (BOPE) bilayer film (thickness ∼11 μm). By virtue of the fast temperature changing rate (peak: 900 °C s^-1 during infrared heating and -1200 °C s^-1 during cooling) and the great difference in the coefficient of thermal expansion of GO and BOPE layers, the actuator deforms rapidly and greatly. The maximum bending speed and curvature can reach 5300° s^-1 and 22 cm^-1, respectively, which are comparable to those of wonderful natural actuators and far exceed the performances of the reported artificial actuators. Different from ordinary helical actuators made of uniaxial anisotropic materials, our actuator is based on a typical biaxial anisotropic material of BOPE. However, the morphing behaviors of this type of actuator have not been reported before. So for the first time, we systematically studied this problem through experiments and simulations using the GO-BOPE actuator as a prototype and have drawn clear conclusions. In addition, functional GO-BOPE actuators capable of winding around and manipulating tiny objects were also designed and developed. We think this ultrafast large-curvature photothermal actuator will have wide application prospects in bionic actuations and dexterous robots.

Bring the life stages into the domain of basic and clinical pharmacology

Completely distinct physiological conditions and immune responses exist among different human life stages. Age is not always consistent with the life stage. We proposed to incorporate the concept of the life stages into basic and clinical pharmacology, including clinical trials, drug labels, and drug usage in clinical practice. Life-stage-based medical treatment is the application of medicine according to life stages such as prepuberty, reproductive, and aging. A large number of diseases are life-stage-dependent. Many medications and therapy have shown various age effects but not been recognized as life-stage-dependent. The same dosage and drug applications used in different life stages lead to divergent outcomes. Incorporating life stages in medicine and drug usage will enhance the efficacy and precision of the medication in disease treatment.

lncRNA NEAT1 Downregulation Ameliorates the Myocardial Infarction of Mice by Regulating the miR-582-5p/F2RL2 Axis

BACKGROUND

This study is aimed at effectively investigating the role of coagulation factor II thrombin receptor like 2 (F2RL2) in myocardial infarction (MI) as well as the upstream regulatory miRNA and lncRNA.

METHODS

Regulatory genes of F2RL2 were analyzed using StarBase and verified by dual-luciferase reporter assay. The MI mouse model was established. The left ventricular ejection fraction (EF) and fractional shortening (FS) were examined by echocardiography. The infarct area, pathological changes, and cell apoptosis in mouse myocardial tissue were evaluated using triphenyltetrazolium chloride and Evans blue, hematoxylin-eosin, and TUNEL staining assays. Oxygen-glucose deprivation- (OGD-) induced human cardiac myocytes (HCMs) were cultured and transfected. The cell viability, proliferation, and apoptosis were determined by CCK-8, EdU staining, and flow cytometry assays. The expressions of F2RL2, miR-582-5p, and nuclear paraspeckle assembly transcript 1 (NEAT1) in myocardial tissues and HCMs were quantified by qRT-PCR or Western blot.

RESULTS

NEAT1 sponged miR-582-5p which targeted F2RL2. NEAT1 and F2RL2 were highly expressed while miR-582-5p was lowly expressed in MI mice. F2RL2 downregulation prevented the reduction in EF and SF and the elevation in infarct area and cell apoptosis of MI mice. Both F2RL2 and NEAT1 downregulations reversely modulated the decreased viability and proliferation and the increased apoptosis of OGD-induced HCMs, while miR-582-5p inhibitor did oppositely. NEAT1 silencing upregulated miR-582-5p level but downregulated F2RL2 level. miR-582-5p inhibitor upregulated the F2RL2 level. The role of NEAT1 silencing in OGD-induced HCMs was reversed by miR-582-5p inhibitor whose effect was further offset by F2RL2 downregulation.

CONCLUSION

NEAT1 downregulation ameliorates MI by regulating the miR-582-5p/F2RL2 axis, providing novel biomarkers for MI treatment.

Two-year follow-up of a young male with possible acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis: A case report

RATIONALE

Acute hemorrhagic leukoencephalitis (AHLE) is a rare but fetal fulminant demyelinating disease of unknown etiology. It is commonly regarded as a severe variant of acute demyelinating encephalomyelitis (ADEM). Its rapid clinical deterioration and high mortality appeal to clinicians to attach importance to early diagnosis. Immunosuppressive therapy is the main management to attenuate the autoimmune process, but with varied response and prognosis.

PATIENT CONCERNS

A young male presented with moderate fever, headache and seizures after extraction of impacted teeth, and then deteriorated rapidly to deep coma. Initial magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed multiple plaque-like lesions in bilateral cerebra, right thalamus and pontobulbar region with massive edematous swelling and multifocal small hemorrhagic foci. Inflammatory parameters in the peripheral blood were only mild higher with a pleocytosis in CSF.

DIAGNOSIS

His clinical presentation, laboratory evaluation and radiological features were consistent with a suspected diagnosis of AHLE.

INTERVENTIONS

He underwent pulse corticosteroids initially but failed to respond to it. However, his consciousness improved obviously when he was treated with multiple courses of intravenous injection of immunoglobulin (IVIG) combined with mycophenolate mofetil (MMF).

OUTCOMES

The patient regained consciousness gradually on day 180 and was in minimally conscious state (MCS) during the two-year follow-up.

LESSONS

AHLE presents distinctly from classical ADEM, and the situation may pose a diagnostic challenge. Clinicians should be vigilant in recognizing AHLE because of its rapid clinical deterioration and high mortality. We highlight the critical role of multimodal MRI, particularly susceptibility-weighted imaging (SWI) in the diagnosis of AHLE if cerebral biopsies are unavailable. Multiple courses of IVIG with MMF may be effective when early single pulse of corticosteroids fails. Individual who survives the initial insult may carry relatively good prognosis.

Level of Estrogen in Females-The Different Impacts at Different Life Stages

Historically, a high level of estrogen in women is regarded as the signature for a longer lifespan than men. Estrogen is known to be responsible for the development and regulation of the female reproductive system and secondary sex characteristics. Ovariectomy brings on numerous complications such as early menopause, heart disease, and osteoporosis. Thus, ovariectomy impacts the long-term health and lifespan of women. However, the level of estrogen at different life stages should be managed differently. Life quality can be measured in many ways, but mainly it relates to how an individual is doing in terms of being healthy, comfortable, and able to participate in or enjoy life experiences. First of all, ovariectomy not only reduces the level of estrogen but also destroys the reproductive metabolism and potentially other metabolism functions; it may also reduce the lifespan because of the overall impact, not necessary due to the low level of estrogen. Secondly, according to the principal law of the lifespan (PLOSP), the impacts of ovariectomy at different life stages will be different. The objective of this article is to provide readers with a new view of the research on estrogen. Based on the PLOSP, we recapture the estrogen levels at different life stages and explore potential alternative approaches to the manipulation of the levels of estrogen based on the biological features of the difference life stages. Thus, a low level of estrogen in the early life stage may make a woman live longer than a woman with a normal level of estrogen. However, a low estrogen level does not equal ovariectomy. Here, we explain the different impacts of the estrogen levels during different life stages; the effects on the lifespan of the manipulation of estrogen levels at different life stages; and the differences among the estrogen levels, ovariectomy effects, life stages, and lifespan. The personalized manipulation of estrogen levels and relevant growth factors according to the characterization of the life stages may be able to extend the heathy lifespan of women.

Predicted molecules and signaling pathways for regulating seizures in the hippocampus in lithium-pilocarpine induced acute epileptic rats: A proteomics study

Seizures in rodent models that are induced by lithium-pilocarpine mimic human seizures in a highly isomorphic manner. The hippocampus is a brain region that generates and spreads seizures. In order to understand the early phases of seizure events occurring in the hippocampus, global protein expression levels in the hippocampus on day 1 and day 3 were analyzed in lithium-pilocarpine induced acute epileptic rat models using a tandem mass tag-based proteomic approach. Our results showed that differentially expressed proteins were likely to be enhanced rather than prohibited in modulating seizure activity on days 1 and 3 in lithium-pilocarpine induced seizure rats. The differentially regulated proteins differed on days 1 and 3 in the seizure rats, indicating that different molecules and pathways are involved in seizure events occurring from day 1 to day 3 following lithium-pilocarpine administration. In regard to subcellular distribution, the results suggest that post-seizure cellular function in the hippocampus is possibly regulated in a differential manner on seizure progression. Gene ontology annotation results showed that, on day 1 following lithium-pilocarpine administration, it is likely necessary to regulate macromolecular complex assembly, and cell death, while on day 3, it may be necessary to modulate protein metabolic process, cytoplasm, and protein binding. Protein metabolic process rather than macromolecular complex assembly and cell death were affected on day 3 following lithium-pilocarpine administration. The extracellular matrix, receptors, and the constitution of plasma membranes were altered most strongly in the development of seizure events. In a KEGG pathway enrichment cluster analysis, the signaling pathways identified were relevant to sustained angiogenesis and evading apoptosis, and complement and coagulation cascades. On day 3, pathways relevant to Huntington’s disease, and tumor necrosis factor signaling were most prevalent. These results suggest that seizure events occurring in day 1 modulate macromolecular complex assembly and cell death, and in day 3 modulate biological protein metabolic process. In summary, our study found limited evidence for ongoing seizure events in the hippocampus of lithium-pilocarpine induced animal models; nevertheless, evaluating the global differential expression of proteins and their impacts on bio-function may offer new perspectives for studying epileptogenesis in the future.

Efficient and fabrication error tolerant grating couplers on the InP membrane on silicon platform

In order to couple light between photonic integrated circuits and optical fibers, grating couplers are commonly employed. This paper describes the design and fabrication of deep and shallow-etched grating couplers with a metal back-reflector with record low insertion losses in InP-based platforms. The measured insertion losses for deep and shallow-etched gratings are 2.4 and 2.6 dB, respectively. Additionally, fabrication error tolerances in shallow etched grating couplers have been examined experimentally, which showed high tolerance of this structure toward the grating period and fill factor.

Development and Utilization of Corn Processing by-Products: A Review

As an important food crop, corn has an important impact on people's lives. The processing of corn produces many by-products, such as corn gluten meal, corn husk, and corn steep liquor, which are rich in protein, oil, carbohydrates, and other nutrients, all of which are inexpensive. Their accumulation in large quantities during the production process not only results in a burden on the environment but also the loss of potentially valuable food materials that can be processed. In fact, the by-products of corn processing have been partially used in functional foods, nutrients, feed, and other industries. There is no doubt that the secondary utilization of these by-products can not only solve the problem of waste pollution caused by them, but also produce high value-added products and improve the economic benefits of corn. This paper describes in detail the processing and higher-value utilization of the five main by-products: corn gluten meal, corn husks, corn steep liquor, corn germ, and fuel ethanol by-product. The utilization status of corn processing by-products was discussed roundly, and the development trend of corn processing by-products in China and other countries was analyzed, which provided the reference for the development of the corn deep processing industry.

Ferrous iron oxidation microflora from rust deposits improve the performance of bioelectrochemical system

Ferric iron (Fe(III)) ions are efficient electron acceptor in bioelectrochemical systems (BESs). For the first time, this study applied the enriched Fe(II)-oxidizing microflora individually from rust deposits, aerobic sludge, or topsoil to catholyte to regenerate Fe(III) ions to boost BES operation. Among three microflora, the rust-microflora had the highest Fe2+ oxidation rate and the lowest Fe ion loss rate since Acidithiobacillus sp., Ferrovum sp., Rhodobacter sp., Sphingomonas sp., and others enriched it. The rust-seeded BES generated the maximum power density of 77.15 ± 1.62 Wm-3 at 15 ℃, 38.9 %, and 31.4 % higher than those in sludge and topsoil-seeded BES, respectively. The rust-microflora with enriched Fe(II)-oxidizing bacteria could enhance the performance of BES, reaching coulombic efficiencies of 98.2 ± 2.6 at reduced internal resistance (5.14 Ω), with 1.59 Ω by activation resistance and 0.77 Ω by diffusion resistance.

Development of long lifespan high-energy aqueous organic||iodine rechargeable batteries

Rechargeable aqueous metal||I₂ electrochemical energy storage systems are a cost-effective alternative to conventional transition-metal-based batteries for grid energy storage. However, the growth of unfavorable metallic deposition and the irreversible formation of electrochemically inactive by-products at the negative electrode during cycling hinder their development. To circumvent these drawbacks, herein we propose 3,4,9,10-perylenetetracarboxylic diimide (PTCDI) as negative electrode active material and a saturated mixed KCl/I₂ aqueous electrolyte solution. The use of these components allows for exploiting two sequential reversible electrochemical reactions in a single cell. Indeed, when they are tested in combination with an active carbon-enveloped I₂ electrode in a glass cell configuration, we report an initial specific discharge capacity of 900 mAh g⁻¹ (electrode mass of iodine only) and an average cell discharge voltage of 1.25 V at 40 A g⁻¹ and 25\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\pm$$\end{document}±1 °C. Finally, we also report the assembly and testing of a PTCDI|KCl-I₂|carbon paper multilayer pouch cell prototype with a discharge capacity retention of about 70% after 900 cycles at 80 mA and 25\documentclass[12pt]{minimal} \usepackage{amsmath} \usepackage{wasysym} \usepackage{amsfonts} \usepackage{amssymb} \usepackage{amsbsy} \usepackage{mathrsfs} \usepackage{upgreek} \setlength{\oddsidemargin}{-69pt} \begin{document}$$\pm$$\end{document}±1 °C.

Aqueous I₂-based batteries are a promising system for cost-effective and environmentally-friendly electricity storage. Here, the authors propose a high-capacity and long-lasting aqueous I₂ battery system using an electrochemically active organic molecule at the negative electrode.

CroReLU: Cross-Crossing Space-Based Visual Activation Function for Lung Cancer Pathology Image Recognition

Lung cancer is one of the most common malignant tumors in human beings. It is highly fatal, as its early symptoms are not obvious. In clinical medicine, physicians rely on the information provided by pathology tests as an important reference for the final diagnosis of many diseases. Therefore, pathology diagnosis is known as the gold standard for disease diagnosis. However, the complexity of the information contained in pathology images and the increase in the number of patients far outpace the number of pathologists, especially for the treatment of lung cancer in less developed countries. To address this problem, we propose a plug-and-play visual activation function (AF), CroReLU, based on a priori knowledge of pathology, which makes it possible to use deep learning models for precision medicine. To the best of our knowledge, this work is the first to optimize deep learning models for pathology image diagnosis from the perspective of AFs. By adopting a unique crossover window design for the activation layer of the neural network, CroReLU is equipped with the ability to model spatial information and capture histological morphological features of lung cancer such as papillary, micropapillary, and tubular alveoli. To test the effectiveness of this design, 776 lung cancer pathology images were collected as experimental data. When CroReLU was inserted into the SeNet network (SeNet_CroReLU), the diagnostic accuracy reached 98.33%, which was significantly better than that of common neural network models at this stage. The generalization ability of the proposed method was validated on the LC25000 dataset with completely different data distribution and recognition tasks in the face of practical clinical needs. The experimental results show that CroReLU has the ability to recognize inter- and intra-class differences in cancer pathology images, and that the recognition accuracy exceeds the extant research work on the complex design of network layers.

High FHL2 mRNA expression and its prognostic value in lung cancer

BACKGROUND

Lung cancer is the most frequent cancer globally with a high number of cancer-related deaths. The 4-and-a-half LIM domain protein 2 (FHL2) is an oncogenic gene, which promotes the proliferation, invasion, and metastasis of cancer cells. In this study, we aimed to demonstrate that lung cancer patients with high FHL2 expression have worse overall survival (OS) and relapse-free survival (RFS).

METHODS

TCGA was used to study FHL2 mRNA expression. Nomograms were used to predict the relationship between FHL2 expression levels and survival. The qRT-PCR was used to detect the FHL2 expression in lung cancer cells. In vitro experiments including CCK-8 assay, wound healing, and Transwell assay were performed.

RESULTS

This study comprised RNA-Seq gene expression data and clinical features for 1018 lung cancer patients. FHL2 was found to be overexpressed in lung cancer tissues. FHL2 demonstrated moderate diagnostic ability for lung cancer (AUC = 0.857). Kaplan-Meier curves and Cox regression analysis revealed the higher FHL2 expression with the poorer OS and RFS (P < 0.001). The nomogram results indicated that FHL2 could be used to predict the survival of lung cancer patients. GSEA analysis results show that high expression of FHL2 is related to glycolysis and unfolded protein reflection. FHL2 was highly expressed in lung cancer cells and related to their proliferation, migration, and invasion ability.

CONCLUSIONS

The high expression level of FHL2 in lung cancer can be used as an independent predictor of prognosis in clinical practice.

Mechanism of C-N bonds formation in electrocatalytic urea production revealed by ab initio molecular dynamics simulation

Electrosynthesis of urea from CO2 and NOX provides an exceptional opportunity for human society, given the increasingly available renewable energy. Urea electrosynthesis is challenging. In order to raise the overall electrosynthesis efficiency, the most critical reaction step for such electrosynthesis, C-N coupling, needs to be significantly improved. The C-N coupling can only happen at a narrow potential window, generally in the low overpotential region, and a fundamental understanding of the C-N coupling is needed for further development of this strategy. In this regard, we perform ab initio Molecular Dynamics simulations to reveal the origin of C-N coupling under a small electrode potential window with both the dynamic nature of water as a solvent, and the electrode potentials considered. We explore the key reaction networks for urea formation on Cu(100) surface in neutral electrolytes. Our work shows excellent agreement with experimentally observed selectivity under different potentials on the Cu electrode. We discover that the *NH and *CO are the key precursors for C-N bonds formation at low overpotential, while at high overpotential the C-N coupling occurs between adsorbed *NH and solvated CO. These insights provide vital information for future spectroscopic measurements and enable us to design new electrochemical systems for more value-added chemicals.

Mortality in Four Waves of COVID-19 Is Differently Associated with Healthcare Capacities Affected by Economic Disparities

Background: The greatest challenges are imposed on the overall capacity of disease management when the cases reach the maximum in each wave of the pandemic. Methods: The cases and deaths for the four waves of COVID-19 in 119 countries and regions (CRs) were collected. We compared the mortality across CRs where populations experience different economic and healthcare disparities. Findings: Among 119 CRs, 117, 112, 111, and 55 have experienced 1, 2, 3, and 4 waves of COVID-19 disease, respectively. The average mortality rates at the disease turning point were 0.036, 0.019. 0.017, and 0.015 for the waves 1, 2, 3, and 4, respectively. Among 49 potential factors, income level, gross national income (GNI) per capita, and school enrollment are positively correlated with the mortality rates in the first wave, but negatively correlated with the rates of the rest of the waves. Their values for the first wave are 0.253, 0.346 and 0.385, respectively. The r value for waves 2, 3, and 4 are −0.310, −0.293, −0.234; −0.263, −0.284, −0.282; and −0.330, −0.394, −0.048, respectively. In high-income CRs, the mortality rates in waves 2 and 3 were 29% and 28% of that in wave 1; while in upper-middle-income CRs, the rates for waves 2 and 3 were 76% and 79% of that in wave 1. The rates in waves 2 and 3 for lower-middle-income countries were 88% and 89% of that in wave 1, and for low-income countries were 135% and 135%. Furthermore, comparison among the largest case numbers through all waves indicated that the mortalities in upper- and lower-middle-income countries is 65% more than that of the high-income countries. Interpretation: Conclusions from the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic do not apply to the following waves. The clinical outcomes in developing countries become worse along with the expansion of the pandemic.

Reducing temperature sensitivity of gas measurement using chirped-modulated photoacoustic spectroscopy

Resonance frequency drift caused by a change in temperature greatly limits the application of high-Q resonators with high temperature sensitivity in photoacoustic (PA) gas detection systems. In this work, a chirp-wavelength combined modulation method was designed by incorporating a real-time frequency scanning in wavelength-modulated PA spectroscopy to reduce the influence of temperature changes on measurement. Theoretical analysis shows that the chirp rate depends on the precision requirements and the cutoff frequency of the cascaded low-pass filter. Trace acetylene measurement experiment at varying temperature verified that the proposed method can significantly reduce the temperature sensitivity within a preset temperature range. Thus, this method can effectively reduce the temperature sensitivity of a high-Q resonator for improving the measurement accuracy and detection limit in trace gas detection.

Electrocatalytic CO2 reduction to alcohols by modulating the molecular geometry and Cu coordination in bicentric copper complexes

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO₂ into alcohols of high economic value offers a promising route to realize resourceful CO₂ utilization. In this study, we choose three model bicentric copper complexes based on the expanded and fluorinated porphyrin structure, but different spatial and coordination geometry, to unravel their structure-property-performance correlation in catalyzing electrochemical CO₂ reduction reactions. We show that the complexes with higher intramolecular tension and coordination asymmetry manifests a lower electrochemical stability and thus more active Cu centers, which can be reduced during electrolysis to form Cu clusters accompanied by partially-reduced or fragmented ligands. We demonstrate the hybrid structure of Cu cluster and partially reduced O-containing hexaphyrin ligand is highly potent in converting CO₂ into alcohols, up to 32.5% ethanol and 18.3% n-propanol in Faradaic efficiencies that have been rarely reported. More importantly, we uncover an interplay between the inorganic and organic phases to synergistically produce alcohols, of which the intermediates are stabilized by a confined space to afford extra O-Cu bonding. This study underlines the exploitation of structure-dependent electrochemical property to steer the CO₂ reduction pathway, as well as a potential generic tactic to target alcohol synthesis by constructing organic/inorganic Cu hybrids.

Electrocatalytic reduction of CO2 into multi-carbon alcohols of high economic merit offers an effective means to close the carbon cycle. Here the authors show the synergy between inorganic and organic phases derived from rationally designed molecular precursors to produce alcohols in high efficiency.

Electrocatalytic CO2-to-C2+ with Ampere-Level Current on Heteroatom-Engineered Copper via Tuning *CO Intermediate Coverage

An ampere-level current density of CO₂ electrolysis is critical to realize the industrial production of multicarbon (C₂₊) fuels. However, under such a large current density, the poor CO intermediate (*CO) coverage on the catalyst surface induces the competitive hydrogen evolution reaction, which hinders CO₂ reduction reaction (CO₂RR). Herein, we report reliable ampere-level CO₂-to-C₂₊ electrolysis by heteroatom engineering on Cu catalysts. The Cu-based compounds with heteroatom (N, P, S, O) are electrochemically reduced to heteroatom-derived Cu with significant structural reconstruction under CO₂RR conditions. It is found that N-engineered Cu (N-Cu) catalyst exhibits the best CO₂-to-C₂₊ productivity with a remarkable Faradaic efficiency of 73.7% under -1100 mA cm^-2 and an energy efficiency of 37.2% under -900 mA cm^-2. Particularly, it achieves a C₂₊ partial current density of -909 mA cm^-2 at -1.15 V versus reversible hydrogen electrode, which outperforms most reported Cu-based catalysts. In situ spectroscopy indicates that heteroatom engineering adjusts *CO adsorption on Cu surface and alters the local H proton consumption in solution. Density functional theory studies confirm that the high adsorption strength of *CO on N-Cu results from the depressed HER and promoted *CO adsorption on both bridge and atop sites of Cu, which greatly reduces the energy barrier for C-C coupling.

The effects of Anisodamine-Tirofiban Combined Therapy in acute myocardial infarction treated with Percutaneous Coronary Intervention (PCI)

Objectives:

To study the effects of anisodamine-tirofiban combined therapy on cardiac function and serological expression of serum NGF and ESM-1 in patients with acute myocardial infarction treated with percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI).

Methods:

Eighty patients with myocardial infarction treated in Cangzhou Medical College, Hebei, China from February 2015 to April 2017 were selected and divided into the control group and the research group according to the principle of random draw, 40 patients per group. The patients in the control group received symptomatic routine treatment, while the patients in the research group received anisodamine-tirofiban combined therapy on the top of symptomatic routine treatment. Differences between the two groups in TIMI flow grades, cardiac function, levels of NGF and ESM-1 and adverse response were observed.

Results:

The recovery of cardiac function in the research group was statistically significant with P value (p<0.05) and better than the control group in TIMI flow grades, myocardial perfusion capacity and cardiac function. The serological indicators in the research group had a higher level of NGF and a lower level of ESM-1 than the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (p<0.05). In terms of safety, neither group showed significant hepatorenal disorders.

Conclusion:

The combined treatment of anisodamine-tirofiban in patients with acute myocardial infarction after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI) can recover NGF and ESM-1 related proteins, improve postoperative myocardial perfusion, and accelerate the recovery of cardiac function. It is worth promoting in clinic.

[Efficacy and safety of modified hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis 04 regimen in Beijing Children's Hospital]

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Beijing Children's Hospital (BCH) modified hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) 04 regimen in the treatment of childhood HLH. Methods: A retrospective cohort study was conducted. From January 2016 to December 2017, 110 children with HLH who were treated with the modified HLH-04 regimen (replacing dexamethasone with methylprednisolone during the induction period, reducing the dose and frequency of etoposide, and not using cyclosporine except for autoimmune-related HLH) at the Hematology Oncology Center of Beijing Children's Hospital were selected as the modified group, while 102 children treated with the standard HLH-04 regimen from January 2012 to December 2015 were selected as the control group. The early remission rate, survival rate and adverse reactions of two groups were compared. Rank sum test and chi square test were used for comparison between groups. Results: The age of onset in the modified group was 1.9 (1.1, 3.5) years, with 65 males and 45 females. The age of onset in the control group was 2.0 (1.2, 4.6) years, with 47 males and 55 females. No significant difference was found in age and gender between 2 groups (both P>0.05). Except for fibrinogen (1.3 (1.0, 1.7) vs. 1.1 (0.8, 1.4) g/L, Z=-2.67, P=0.008) and natural killer cell activity (13.9 (13.4, 16.3) % vs.14.9 (12.0, 16.1) %, Z=-2.34, P=0.028), there were no statistically significant differences in etiology, disease duration, first clinical presentation, or laboratory tests between 2 groups (all P>0.05). At 2 months and 3 years, there were no statistically significant differences in overall survival between 2 groups (84.5% (93/110) vs.76.5% (78/102), 78.2% (86/110) vs. 67.6% (69/102), χ²=2.28, 3.07, P=0.131, 0.080). The first 3 weeks were the most common time for bone marrow suppression in the modified group, with a lower incidence than in the control group (47.3% (52/110) vs. 62.7% (64/102), χ²=5.11, P=0.024). The modified group had a lower rate of fungal infections than the control group (3.6% (4/110) vs. 13.7% (14/102), χ²=6.93, P=0.008). Compared with the control group, fewer children in the modified group died as a result of side effects from chemotherapy (8.0% (2/25) vs.30.3% (10/33), χ²=4.31, P=0.038). Conclusion: The BCH modified HLH-04 regimen reduced the intensity of chemotherapy, with overall efficacy no worse than the standard HLH-04 regimen, and significantly reduced the rate of chemotherapy-related myelosuppression, fungal infection and mortality.

Beta-caryophyllene prevents the defects in trabecular bone caused by Vitamin D deficiency through pathways instated by increased expression of klotho

Aims

This study investigated the effects of β-caryophyllene (BCP) on protecting bone from vitamin D deficiency in mice fed on a diet either lacking (D-) or containing (D+) vitamin D.

Methods

A total of 40 female mice were assigned to four treatment groups (n = 10/group): D+ diet with propylene glycol control, D+ diet with BCP, D-deficient diet with control, and D-deficient diet with BCP. The D+ diet is a commercial basal diet, while the D-deficient diet contains 0.47% calcium, 0.3% phosphorus, and no vitamin D. All the mice were housed in conditions without ultraviolet light. Bone properties were evaluated by X-ray micro-CT. Serum levels of klotho were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay.

Results

Under these conditions, the D-deficient diet enhanced the length of femur and tibia bones (p < 0.050), and increased bone volume (BV; p < 0.010) and trabecular bone volume fraction (BV/TV; p < 0.010) compared to D+ diet. With a diet containing BCP, the mice exhibited higher BV and bone mineral density (BMD; p < 0.050) than control group. The trabecular and cortical bone were also affected by vitamin D and BCP. In addition, inclusion of dietary BCP improved the serum concentrations of klotho (p < 0.050). In mice, klotho regulates the expression level of cannabinoid type 2 receptor (Cnr2) and fibroblast growth factor 23 (Fgf23) through CD300a. In humans, data suggest that klotho is connected to BMD. The expression of klotho is also associated with bone markers.

Conclusion

These data indicate that BCP enhances the serum level of klotho, leading to improved bone properties and mineralization in an experimental mouse model.

Cite this article: Bone Joint Res 2022;11(8):528–540.

Effects of Adrenomedullin (ADM)-Modified Bone Marrow Mesenchymal Stem Cells (BMSCs) Transplantation on Cardiac Function and Matrix Metalloproteinase Levels in Rats with Heart Failure

After ADM gene treatment, bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) were transplanted into rats with heart failure to study its effect on rat heart function and matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) expression. The rats were assigned into control group, BMSCs group and ADM group. 4 weeks after transplantation, the rats’ cardiac function indexes were detected and the levels of MMP-2 and MMP-9 was measured by western blot. Echocardiography analysis showed significant differences between groups (except LVDd) (P < 0.05). BMSCs and ADM groups had significantly lower LVEF and LVFS levels than control group (P < 0.05) with a significantly higher level in ADM group than BMSCs group (P < 0.05). However, BMSCs and ADM groups presented a significantly higher LVDs (P < 0.05) without difference between them (P > 0.05). Interestingly, no difference of LVDd was found among groups (P > 0.05). MMP-2 and MMP-9 levels in BMSCs group were 0.389±0.021, 0.512±0.018, respectively, which were significantly elevated compared to control group (P < 0.05); MMP-2 and MMP-9 protein level in the ADM group was 0.440±0.018 and 0.539±0.032 respectively, which was significantly higher than control group (P < 0.05). Compared with BMSCs group, ADM group had significantly increased protein levels of MMP-2/9 (P < 0.05). In conclusion, ADM-modified BMSCs transplantation can significantly inhibit MMP-2 and MMP-9 level, thereby improving the heart function of rats with heart failure.

Tunable color generation in CdTe-doped silicate glass enabled by ultrashort laser pulses: interior coloring and multilevel encryption

The launch of the big data era puts forward challenges for information security. Herein, a new kind of silicate glass system co-doped with CdO and ZnTe, capable of achieving the controllable generation of intrinsic color centers (brown and green) and tiny nuclei of CdTe via direct laser writing (DLW), is developed. The controlled growth of CdTe QDs thermally, leads to a permanent color of orange at the cost of accelerated aging of the color centers of brown and green. On the one hand, going beyond traditional 2D surface coloration, the high transparency of the studied bulk medium makes 3D volumetric interior coloration possible. On the other hand, by encoding ciphertext into the tiny nuclei of CdTe, a strategy of color encryption and heat decryption is established, which brings about the merits of expanded storage capacity and improved information security. The demonstration application confirmed the user-defined multiscale interior coloration and an unprecedented multidimensional color-encryption scheme with a high-security level. The present work highlights a great leap in transparent materials for color encryption and hopefully stimulates the development of new color division multiplexing encryptions.

Molybdenum-iron-cobalt oxyhydroxide with rich oxygen vacancies for the oxygen evolution reaction

The sluggish kinetics of the oxygen evolution reaction (OER) restrains the development of water splitting technologies and the efficiency of producing sustainable resources. To this end, the introduction of iron and molybdenum in catalytic systems has been employed as a crucial strategy for the enhancement of catalytic activity toward the oxygen evolution reaction (OER), but the relationship between catalyst components and catalytic performance is still evasive. In this study, by doping iron and molybdenum into cobalt hydroxide via a cation-exchange method, rich oxygen vacancies and active metal centers are introduced to the trimetallic oxyhydroxide, endowing the catalyst with a low overpotential of 223 mV at 10 mA cm^-2, a low Tafel slope of 43.6 mV dec^-1, and a long stable operation time (>50 h) in alkaline media, comparable to the current best OER catalyst. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the doping of iron favors the generation of oxygen vacancies. It is also found in this work that using a certain amount (5 mg) of iron dopant can alter the electronic structure of the catalyst by tuning the electronic density around the metal ions, thus optimizing the binding energy of intermediates. The present work unveils the doping effect of iron and molybdenum on the construction of trimetallic oxyhydroxide catalysts, and sheds light on the relationship between the catalyst components and catalytic performance of the OER.

Cysteine conjugate beta-lyase 2 (CCBL2) expression as a prognostic marker of survival in breast cancer patients

Objective

Cysteine conjugate beta-lyase 2 (CCBL2), also known as kynurenine aminotransferase 3 (KAT3) or glutamine transaminase L (GTL), plays an essential role in transamination and cytochrome P450. Its correlation with some other cancers has been explored, but breast cancer (BC) not yet.

Methods

The mRNA and protein expression of CCBL2 in BC cell lines and patient samples were detected by RT-qPCR and immunohistochemistry (IHC). BC patients’ clinical information and RNA-Seq expression were acquired via The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Patients were categorized into high/low CCBL2 expression groups based on the optimal cutoff value (8.973) determined by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve. We investigated CCBL2 and clinicopathological characteristics’ relationship using Chi-square tests, estimated diagnostic capacity using ROC curves and drew survival curves using Kaplan–Meier estimate. We compared survival differences using Cox regression and externally validated using Gene Expression Omnibus (GEO) database. We evaluated enriched signaling pathways using gene set enrichment analysis (GSEA), explored CCBL2 and relevant genes’ relationship using tumor immunoassay resource (TIMER) databases and used the human protein atlas (HPA) for pan-cancer analysis and IHC.

Results

CCBL2 was overexpressed in normal human cell lines and tissues. CCBL2 expression was lower in BC tissues (n = 1104) than in normal tissues (n = 114), validated by GEO database. Several clinicopathologic features were related to CCBL2, especially estrogen receptor (ER), progesterone receptor (PR) and clinical stages. The low expression group exhibited poor survival. CCBL2’s area under curve (AUC) analysis showed finite diagnostic capacity. Multivariate cox-regression analysis indicated CCBL2 independently predicted BC survival. GSEA showed enriched pathways: early estrogen response, MYC and so on. CCBL2 positively correlated with estrogen, progesterone and androgen receptors. CCBL2 was downregulated in most cancers and was associated with their survival, including renal and ovarian cancers.

Conclusions

Low CCBL2 expression is a promising poor BC survival independent prognostic marker.

Enhancing the Formation and Stability of Oil-In-Water Emulsions Prepared by Microchannels Using Mixed Protein Emulsifiers

Although natural emulsifiers often have many drawbacks when used alone, their emulsifying ability and stability can usually be improved unexpectedly when used in combination. In this study, monodisperse emulsions stabilized by combining two natural protein emulsifiers, i.e., whey protein isolate (WPI) and sodium caseinate (SC), in different proportions were prepared using microchannel (MC) emulsification. The influences of temperature, pH, ionic strength, and storage time on the microstructure and stability of the emulsions were examined. Analysis of the microstructure and droplet size distribution revealed that the WPI-, SC-, and mixed protein-stabilized emulsions exhibited uniform droplet distribution. The droplet size and ξ-potential of the MC emulsions stabilized by mixed protein emulsifiers were higher than those of the emulsions stabilized by WPI or SC separately. The emulsions stabilized by the two types of proteins and mixed emulsifiers had better stability under high salt concentrations than the synthetic emulsifier Tween 20. WPI-SC-stabilized emulsions were more resistant to high temperatures (70–90°C) and exhibited excellent stabilization than those stabilized by WPI and SC, which was attributed to the more sufficient coverage provided by the two types of protein emulsifier layers and better protein adsorption at the oil-water interface. These results indicate that WPI-SC is a potential stabilizer for MC emulsion requirements. This study provides a basis for the formulation of monodisperse and stable natural emulsion systems.

Visible-Light-Promoted Desulfurative Alkylation of Alkyl Thianthrenium Salts with Activated Olefins

Reactions involving an alkyl radical generated from a primary alcohol by photochemistry are rare and challenging. Herein, we present a photocatalyst- and metal-free approach that enables the generation of an alkyl radical from the corresponding alcohol and the subsequent C(sp³)-C(sp³) bond formation with activated olefin, via an alkyl thianthrenium salt/Hantzsch ester electron donor-acceptor complex. This protocol for the conversion of a C-OH bond to a C-C bond is highly functionality tolerant and can successfully be used in late-stage functionalization of pharmaceuticals.

Neurocutaneous melanosis with an intracranial cystic-solid meningeal melanoma in an adult: A case report and review of literature

BACKGROUND

Neurocutaneous melanosis (NCM) is a rare congenital, nonhereditary neurocutaneous syndrome that mainly occurs in children; adult NCM is very rare. Due to its rarity, the clinical features and treatment strategies for NCM remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to explore the clinical features, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis of NCM in adults. Most intracranial meningeal melanomas are solid masses, and cystic-solid malignant melanomas are very rare. Due to the lack of data, the cause of cystic changes and the effect on prognosis are unknown.

CASE SUMMARY

A 41-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital with intermittent headache for 1 mo. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) showed a 4.7 cm × 3.6 cm cystic-solid mass in the left temporal lobe with peritumoral edema. The entire mass was removed, and postoperative pathology indicated malignant melanoma.

CONCLUSION

MRI is the first-choice imaging approach for diagnosing central nervous system diseases in NCM patients, although cerebrospinal fluid may also be used. At present, there is no optimal treatment plan; gross total resection combined with BRAF inhibitors and MEK inhibitors might be the most beneficial treatment.

Rectal Administration of Celecoxib Liquid Suppositories with Enhanced Bioavailability and Safety in Rats

BACKGROUND

Celecoxib is generally used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, however its poor bioavailability and cytotoxicity in pure form have reduced its therapeutic efficacy. This study aims to develop celecoxib liquid suppositories with improved bioavailability and reduced toxicity.

METHODS

The celecoxib liquid suppositories were prepared by thoroughly mixing celecoxib, poloxamer 188 and poloxamer 407, and tween-20, respectively used as drug, polymers and surfactant, in triple distilled water using cold technique. The developed liquid suppositories were characterized in terms of their gelation temperature, gelation time, and gel strength. Moreover, the muco-adhesive force was determined for the suppositories. The release behavior of the liquid suppositories was investigated in distilled water and compared with drug suspension. Furthermore, pharmacokinetics and morphological studies were carried out in rats after rectal administration of the celecoxib liquid suppository compared with drug suspension.

RESULTS

Poloxamer 188 and Tween-20 concentrations have significantly reduced the gelation temperature and time; however, the gel strength and bio-adhesive force were significantly enhanced. The concentration of celecoxib has no significant effect on the properties of liquid suppositories. A significantly enhanced and potentially sustained drug release was observed from the celecoxib liquid suppositories as compared with the drug suspension. The optimized formulation was easy to administer rectally because it quickly forms gel upon insertion into the body due to a suitable gelation temperature of about 31.7 °C. After rectal administration in rats, the celecoxib liquid suppository gave a significantly increased pharmacokinetic profile including enhanced plasma concentration and 9.7 fold improved area under the curve (AUC) compared to the drug suspension. Additionally, the morphology study exhibited no toxicity to the rectal tissue, no signs of irritation, or injury after the application of suppository. However, severe rectal tissue toxicity and irritation was observed in the suspension treated rectum.

CONCLUSION

It can be concluded that the liquid suppository system may significantly enhance the solubilization and bio-availability of sparingly water-soluble drugs as evident in the case of celecoxib with no toxicity at the site of application.

Green synthesis of DOX-loaded hollow MIL-100 (Fe) nanoparticles for anticancer treatment by targeting mitochondria

Fe-based Metal-Organic Frameworks (MOFs) are promising drug delivery materials due to their large surface area, high stability, and biocompatibility. However, their drug loading capacity is constrained by their small pore size, and a further improvement in their drug capacity is needed. In this work, we report an effective and green structural modification strategy to improve drug loading capacity for Fe-based MOFs. Our strategy is to grow MIL-100 (Fe) on carboxylate-terminated polystyrene (PS-COOH) via a sustainable route, which creates a large inner cavity as well as exposure of more functional groups that benefit drug loading capacity. We perform the scanning electron microscope and transmission electron microscope to confirm the hollow structure of MIL-100 (Fe). Up to 30% of drug loading capacity has been demonstrated in our study. We also conduct cell viability tests to investigate its therapeutic effects on breast cancer cells (MDA-MB-231). Confocal laser scanning microscopy imaging confirms cellular uptake and mitochondrial targeting function of doxorubicin-loaded H-M (DOX@H-M) nanoparticles. JC-1 staining of cancer cells reveals a significant change in the mitochondrial membrane potential, indicating the mitochondrial dysfunction and apoptosis of tumor cells. Our study paves the way for facile synthesis of hollow structural MOFs, and demonstrates the potential of applying Fe-based MOFs in breast cancer treatment.

Glycosylation of Zein Hydrolysate as a Nanocarrier for Lutein Delivery: Preparation and Stability

Lutein is a functional carotenoid that has a wide range of physiological benefits in humans. However, it easily degrades and becomes inactivated during storage and processing, resulting in low bioavailability. The development of new nanocarriers can effectively improve the stability and biological activity of lutein. In this study, zein hydrolysate (ZH) carriers were glycosylated with glucosamine (GLU) under the action of transglutaminase, and lutein-loaded glycosylated ZH nanoparticles (GZH-LUT) were constructed by liquid–liquid dispersion. The results showed that the GZH-LUT particles had a narrow size distribution in the range of 200–300 nm and a decreased zeta potential and polydispersity index. In particular, GZH trapped lutein more efficiently than ZH. In addition, GZH-LUT had better physical and chemical properties, including better water solubility, oxidative stability, and environmental stability than free lutein and ZH-LUT. These results indicate that glycosylated zein hydrolysate has the potential to be used as a novel protein-based nanocarrier to enhance the solubility and stability of lutein, which can further improve its bioavailability.

Discovery of 6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-d] pyrimidine derivatives as a new class of ATR inhibitors

Ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related (ATR) kinase is a key regulating protein within the DNA damage response (DDR), responsible for sensing replication stress (RS), and has been considered as a potential target for cancer therapy. Herein, we report the discovery of a series of 6,7-dihydro-5H-pyrrolo[3,4-d]-pyrimidine derivatives as a new class of ATR inhibitors. Among them, compound 5g exhibits an IC₅₀ value of 0.007 μM against ATR kinase. In vitro, 5g displays good anti-tumor activity and could significantly reduce the phosphorylation level of ATR and its downstream signaling protein. Overall, this study provides a promising lead compound for subsequent drug discovery targeting ATR kinase.