Root morphology and physiological of their relationship with nitrogen uptake in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)

Nitrogen (N) application is believed to improve photosynthesis in flag leaf ultimately increase final yield. The main results at 20-30 days after anthesis, the activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD) and peroxidase (POD) and soluble protein in flag leaves of N150 were found to be the most effective. Increased root weight density, root length density and root volume density at flowering stage, up to 10.6 %, 15.0 %, respectively. The root weight density, root length density and root bulk density at flowering and mature stages were the highest at the N180. Delaying the senescence physiology of post flowering leaves in the middle, and late stage, photosynthesis of leaves in the middle and late stage, improving the light energy interception of wheat, and then improving the light energy utilization efficiency. The stomatal conductance of flag leaves 15-30 days after anthesis, the maximum potential photochemical efficiency 20-30 days after anthesis, and the photochemical quenching of flag leaves 25-30 days after anthesis, and improved the light energy utilization efficiency by 9.6%-11.1 %. Yunhan-20410 the gene expressions of TaTZF1, TaNCY1, TaNCY3 and TaAKaGall in wheat flag leaves were significantly up-regulated YH-20410 gene expressions of N application treatment were significantly up-regulated compared with no N application treatment. The goal of high yield high efficiency, and high quality can be achieved by YH-20410 and combined to N180 kg ha-1. The senescence physiology and gene expression of post flowering leaves in the middle and late stage, prolonging the photosynthesis of leaves in the middle and late stage, improving the light energy interception of canopy, and then improving the light energy utilization efficiency.

Synthesis and performance of a nanosensing platform for homocysteine detection: A series of iridium(III) complexes containing aldehyde group as probe and MOF as supporting substrate

The low cost and simple detection method for Hcy (homocysteine) is highly desired in analytical and biological fields since Hcy has been regarded as a bio-marker for multiple diseases. In this work, five Ir(C^N)2(N^N)+ compounds having -CHO group in their C^N or N^N ligand were synthesized and tried for Hcy sensing. Electron-donating groups such as -NH2 and -CH3 were incorporated into the C^N or N^N ligand. Their geometric structure, electronic structure, and optical parameters (with or without Hcy) were analyzed and compared carefully to explore their Hcy sensing potential. The sensing mechanism was revealed by NMR titration and theoretical simulation as a cyclization reaction between the -CHO group and Hcy. The optimal compounds, which showed increased emission quantum yield (2.5-fold) and emission blue-shift (by ∼ 100 nm) upon Hcy, were then covalently grafted into a porous host bio-MOF-1. Linear working plots were fitted, with good selectivity, LOD of 0.15 μM, and response time of 33 s. The novelty of this work was the eye-sensitive emission color change of this nanosensing platform from red (without Hcy) to green (with Hcy).

[Establishment and verification of invasion syndrome prediction model in patients with diabetes complicated with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess]

Objective: To analyze the correlative factors of invasion syndrome in patients with diabetes complicated with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess, and to construct and verify the online nomographic prediction model. Methods: A case control study. The clinical data of 213 diabetic patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess admitted to the Third Affiliated Hospital of Soochow University from January 1, 2015 to December 31, 2021 were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were divided into the training set (149 cases) and the test set (64 cases) by stratified random sampling method at a ratio of 7∶3. Synthetic minority over-sampling technique(SMOTE) was used to process the imbalanced data, then Lasso regression was used to screen out the optimal feature variables in the training set and multivariate logistic regression model was used to construct the prediction model of invasion syndrome in patients with diabetes complicated with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess, and verify it in the training set and test set. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve, calibration curve and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the prediction efficiency of the model, and the simple and online interactive dynamic web page column graph was constructed. Results: Among the 213 patients, 60 were males and 153 were females, aged of (61.4±12.0) years. A total of 25(11.74%) diabetic patients with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess developed invasion syndrome, which were included in divided into invasive K.pneumoniae liver abscesses syndrome (IKPLAS) group, and the other 188 cases were in without invasive K.pneumoniae liver abscesses syndrome (NIKPLAS) group. SMOTE algorithm was used for oversampling processing, so that the ratio of positive and negative samples was 1∶1. In the oversampling training set, 5 main risk factors were screened based on Lasso regression, namely fasting blood glucose (λ=0.063), hemoglobin (λ=-0.042), blood urea nitrogen (λ=-0.050), abscess size (λ=-0.025) and sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score (λ=0.450), respectively. Multivariate logistic regression model showed that fasting blood glucose (OR=1.20, 95%CI: 0.98-1.48, P=0.006), hemoglobin (OR=0.90, 95%CI: 0.86-0.95, P<0.001), blood urea nitrogen (OR=1.22, 95%CI: 1.03-1.43, P=0.017), abscess diameter (OR=0.76, 95%CI: 0.61-0.94, P=0.010), SOFA score (OR=3.08, 95%CI: 2.18-4.36, P<0.001) were associated with invasion syndrome in patients with diabetes complicated with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess. The area under the curve of ROC in the training set was 0.966 (95%CI: 0.943-0.989), the sensitivity was 90.5%, and the specificity was 91.3%. The area under the curve of the validation set ROC was 0.946 (95%CI: 0.902-0.991), with a sensitivity of 79.6% and a specificity of 88.9%. The calibration curves drawn in the training set and the test set fit well with the ideal curve. DCA showed that the neomorph prediction model had a good clinical net benefit when predicting the risk of IKPLAS in patients with diabetes complicated with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess was 0.10-0.40. Conclusions: Fasting blood glucose, hemoglobin, urea nitrogen, abscess size and SOFA score are the related factors for invasion syndrome in patients with diabetes complicated with Klebsiella pneumoniae liver abscess. The constructed column graph can effectively predict the risk of invasion syndrome in patients with diabetes complicated with Klebsiae pneumoniae liver abscess.

Asymmetric Electron Redistribution in Niobic-Oxygen Vacancy Associates to Tune Non-Covalent Interaction in CO2 Photoreduction

The role of vacancy associates in photocatalytic CO2 reduction is an open question. Herein, the Nb-O vacancy associates (VNb-O ) are engineered into niobic acid (NA) atomic layers to tailor the CO2 photoreduction performance. The intrinsic charge compensation from O to Nb around Nb-O vacancy associates could manipulate the active electronic states, leading to the asymmetric electron redistribution. This local symmetry breaking sites will show a charge density gradient, forming a localized polarization field to polarize non-polar CO2 molecules and tune the non-covalent interaction of reaction intermediates. This unique configuration contributed to the 9.3 times increased activity for photocatalytic CO2 reduction. Meantime, this VNb-O NA also show excellent photocatalytic activity for NO3 - -NH4 + synthesis, with NH4 + formation rate up to 3442 µmol g-1 h-1 . This work supplies fresh insights into the vacancy associates design for electron redistribution and non-covalent interaction tuning in photocatalysis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

2D Atomic Layers for CO2 Photoreduction

Artificial photosynthesis can convert carbon dioxide into high value-added chemicals. However, due to the poor charge separation efficiency and CO2 activation ability, the conversion efficiency of photocatalytic CO2 reduction is greatly restricted. Ultrathin 2D photocatalyst emerges as an alternative to realize the higher CO2 reduction performance. In this review, the basic principle of CO2 photoreduction is introduced, and the types, advantages, and advances of 2D photocatalysts are reviewed in detail including metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, bismuth-based materials, MXene, metal-organic framework, and metal-free materials. Subsequently, the tactics for improving the performance of 2D photocatalysts are introduced in detail via the surface atomic configuration and electronic state tuning such as component tuning, crystal facet control, defect engineering, element doping, cocatalyst modification, polarization, and strain engineering. Finally, the concluding remarks and future development of 2D photocatalysts in CO2 reduction are prospected.

Strain-Induced Surface Interface Dual Polarization Constructs PML-Cu/Bi12O17Br2 High-Density Active Sites for CO2 Photoreduction

The insufficient active sites and slow interfacial charge transfer of photocatalysts restrict the efficiency of CO2 photoreduction. The synchronized modulation of the above key issues is demanding and challenging. Herein, strain-induced strategy is developed to construct the Bi-O-bonded interface in Cu porphyrin-based monoatomic layer (PML-Cu) and Bi12O17Br2 (BOB), which triggers the surface interface dual polarization of PML-Cu/BOB (PBOB). In this multi-step polarization, the built-in electric field formed between the interfaces induces the electron transfer from conduction band (CB) of BOB to CB of PML-Cu and suppresses its reverse migration. Moreover, the surface polarization of PML-Cu further promotes the electron converge in Cu atoms. The introduction of PML-Cu endows a high density of dispersed Cu active sites on the surface of PBOB, significantly promoting the adsorption and activation of CO2 and CO desorption. The conversion rate of CO2 photoreduction to CO for PBOB can reach 584.3 μmol g-1, which is 7.83 times higher than BOB and 20.01 times than PML-Cu. This work offers valuable insights into multi-step polarization regulation and active site design for catalysts.

Synergistic defect and doping engineering building strong bonded S-scheme heterojunction for photocatalysis

Photocatalytic degradation of pollutants is considered a promising approach for wastewater treatment, but is hampered by low efficiency and limited understanding of degradation pathways. A novel oxygen-doped porous g-C3N4/oxygen vacancies-rich BiOCl (OCN/OVBOC) heterostructure was prepared for photocatalytic degradation of bisphenol A (BPA). The synergistic defect and doping engineering favor the formation of strong bonded interface for S-scheme mechanism. Among them, 0.3 OCN/OVBOC showed the most excellent degradation rate, which was 8 times and 4 times higher than that of pure g-C3N4 and BiOCl, respectively. This excellent performance is mainly attributed to the significantly enhanced charge separation via strong bonded interface and redox capability of the S-scheme heterojunction structure, by tuning the coordination excitation and electron localization of the catalyst via O doping and vacancies. This work provides important insights into the role of synergistic defect and doping engineering in facilitating the formation of strong bonded S-scheme heterojunction and ultimately sheds new light on the design of efficient photocatalysts.

Effect of General vs. Regional Anesthesia on Mortality, Complications, and Prognosis in Older Adults Undergoing Hip Fracture Surgery: A Propensity-Score-Matched Cohort Analysis

The choice of the type of anesthesia (TOA) used in hip fracture surgery in older adults is still controversial. The main question is not whether regional anesthesia (RA) or general anesthesia (GA) is superior, but in which patients the type of anesthesia may affect the outcome after surgery. In this retrospective analysis of surgically treated intertrochanteric fracture patients, we used propensity score matching (PSM) to investigate whether clinically relevant differences in outcomes were observed in mortality, complications, and functional outcomes between RA and GA. After screening 2934 consecutive patients, 2170 were ultimately included, including 841 in the GA group and 1329 in the RA group. After PSM, 808 remained in each group. Patients receiving GA were more prone to have a shorter duration for their operation and higher total hospital costs than patients with RA (p = 0.034 and 0.004, respectively). We also observed that the GA group has a higher rate of pulmonary complications, while the RA group has a higher rate of cardiac complications (p = 0.017 and 0.011, respectively). No significant difference was observed in mortality, functional outcomes, and other complications (all p > 0.05). The clinical innovation of this study was the potential value of GA for patients with cardiac diseases and of RA for patients with pulmonary diseases.

Primary pulmonary hyalinising clear cell carcinoma: Two cases and literature review

Hyalinising clear cell carcinoma (HCCC) of the lung is an extremely rare tumour that is just recently recognised as one of the salivary gland-type tumours (SGTT) in the latest WHO classification of thoracic tumours. Eleven cases have been reported in English literature since Joaquín et al. reported the first case. Given the very limited number of cases, the clinical and histological features of pulmonary HCCC are equivocal. Herein, we present two cases of pulmonary HCCC. The patients were a 66-year-old man and a 48-year-old woman. The mass was located on the right main bronchus and right middle lobar bronchus separately. One was 2 cm and the other was 3.3 cm in the greatest dimension. The tumours were comprised of small monomorphic cells with clear or eosinophilic cytoplasm and infiltrated in a hyalinising stroma arranged in nests, cords, sheets and trabeculae. Their morphology resembled their head and neck counterparts. Immunohistochemically, the tumour cells were positive for AE1/AE3, P63, while negative for TTF1, Calponin, S-100, HMB45 and PAX8. Ki-67 labeling ranges from 3% to 10%. Fluorescence in situ hybridisation (FISH) demonstrated EWSR1 rearrangement and Next-generation sequencing (NGS) demonstrated EWSR1- ATF1 (exon 11: exon 3) fusion in case one and EWSR1- ATF1 (exon 2: exon 12) fusion in case two. This is the first time to report the EWSR1-ATF1fusion point other than exon 11: exon 3 in pulmonary HCCC. Case one recurred two years after local resection but didn't metastasise during follow-up 36 months. Case two is alive without disease after lobectomy during follow-up 14 months.

Use of a Minimally Invasive Traction Repositor versus Conventional Manual Traction for the Treatment of Tibial Fractures: A Comparative Study from a Tertiary Hospital in China

Background

Closed reduction and intramedullary nail fixation of tibial fractures may not utilize a fracture table or reduction aids like a femoral distractor, and only manual traction will help aid the reduction process. This study aimed to describe and further investigate the effectiveness of an originally designed minimally invasive traction repositor (MITR) for the treatment of tibial fractures.

Methods

From January 2018 to April 2021, a total of 119 eligible patients with tibial shaft fractures were included and retrospectively assigned to two groups according to different reduction methods: MITR group vs conventional manual traction (CMT) group. The baseline characteristics between the two groups were comparable, including age, gender, BMI, residence, smoking history, drinking history, injury mechanism, fracture type, ASA, method of anesthesia, and surgical delay (all P > 0.05). The operation time, fracture reduction duration, intraoperative blood loss, fluoroscopy time, number of intraoperative fluoroscopies, VAS, HSS, fracture healing time, and complications were compared.

Results

All patients completed the follow-ups with an average of 18.5 months (range 12-42 months). The operation time, fracture reduction duration, intraoperative blood loss, fluoroscopy time, and number of fluoroscopies were significantly decreased in the MITR group (all P < 0.05). At one month postoperatively, the VAS score was statistically lower in the MITR group (1.8±0.8) than in the CMT group (2.6±1.5). At 6 months postoperatively, the HHS score was statistically higher in the MITR group (90.8±2.3) than in the CMT group (86.4±3.8). We observed no statistical difference in the mean fracture healing time, bone nonunion, implant failure, and infection between the two groups (all P > 0.05).

Conclusion

Compared with CMT, MITR facilitates the minimally invasive treatment of tibial fractures and has the advantages of operation time, fracture reduction duration, intraoperative blood loss, fluoroscopy time, number of fluoroscopies, and satisfactory VAS and HSS scores.

Polarized Cu-Bi Site Pairs for Non-Covalent to Covalent Interaction Tuning toward N2 Photoreduction

A universal atomic layer confined doping strategy is developed to prepare Bi₂₄ O₃₁ Br₁₀ materials incorporating isolated Cu atoms. The local polarization can be created along the CuOBi atomic interface, which enables better electron delocalization for effective N₂ activation. The optimized Cu-Bi₂₄ O₃₁ Br₁₀ atomic layers show 5.3× and 88.2× improved photocatalytic nitrogen fixation activity than Bi₂₄ O₃₁ Br₁₀ atomic layer and bulk Bi₂₄ O₃₁ Br₁₀ , respectively, with the NH₃ generation rate reaching 291.1 µmol g^-1 h^-1 in pure water. The polarized Cu-Bi site pairs can increase the non-covalent interaction between the catalyst's surface and N₂ molecules, then further weaken the covalent bond order in NN. As a result, the hydrogenation pathways can be altered from the associative distal pathway for Bi₂₄ O₃₁ Br₁₀ to the alternating pathway for Cu-Bi₂₄ O₃₁ Br₁₀ . This strategy provides an accessible pathway for designing polarized metal site pairs or tuning the non-covalent interaction and covalent bond order.

ZMIZ2 promotes the development of triple-receptor negative breast cancer

Background

Triple-receptor negative breast cancer (TNBC) is an aggressive breast tumor subtype that generally has a poor prognosis. This study aimed to investigate the role and regulatory mechanisms of Zinc finger MIZ-type containing 2 (ZMIZ2) in relation to TNBC.

Methods

Based on data from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA), the expression of ZMIZ2 in different subtypes and its correlation with androgen receptor (AR) were analyzed, and a regulatory mechanism network was constructed. The expression and prognostic value of ZMIZ2 in clinical TNBC tissue samples were also investigated. Furthermore, in vitro studies were conducted to investigate the effects of ZMIZ2 knockdown on the malignant behaviors of TNBC cells and target gene expression.

Results

Based on TCGA data, ZMIZ2 was found to be significantly upregulated in TNBC tissues and its expression was negatively correlated with AR expression. Key relationships, such as the ZMIZ2-CCL5, ZMIZ2/AR-MCM3, ZMIZ2/AR-E2F4, and the ZMIZ2/AR-DHX38 were identified, which were enriched in NOD-like receptor signaling pathway/toll-like receptor signaling pathway, DNA replication, cell cycle, and spliceosome, respectively. Moreover, ZMIZ2 was upregulated in clinical breast cancer tissues and its high expression was correlated with the poor prognosis of TNBC patients. Furthermore, ZMIZ2 expression was increased in breast cancer cells, and a knockdown of ZMIZ2 inhibited MDA-MB-231 cell proliferation, migration, and invasion, induced cell cycle arrest in the G1 phase, and promoted cell apoptosis. Furthermore, ZMIZ2 knockdown inhibited the mRNA and protein expression of CCL5, MCM3, E2F4, and DHX38.

Conclusion

Our findings reveal that ZMIZ2 is upregulated in TNBC tissues and is associated with its poor prognosis. ZMIZ2 may promote TNBC progression by promoting the expression of its target genes and affecting the corresponding pathways. Consequently, ZMIZ2 may serve as a promising target for future TNBC treatments.

Supplementary Information

The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12935-021-02393-x.

Machine Learning Driven Synthesis of Few-Layered WTe2 with Geometrical Control

Reducing the lateral scale of two-dimensional (2D) materials to one-dimensional (1D) has attracted substantial research interest not only to achieve competitive electronic applications but also for the exploration of fundamental physical properties. Controllable synthesis of high-quality 1D nanoribbons (NRs) is thus highly desirable and essential for further study. Here, we report the implementation of supervised machine learning (ML) for the chemical vapor deposition (CVD) synthesis of high-quality quasi-1D few-layered WTe₂ NRs. Feature importance analysis indicates that H₂ gas flow rate has a profound influence on the formation of WTe₂, and the source ratio governs the sample morphology. Notably, the growth mechanism of 1T' few-layered WTe₂ NRs is further proposed, which provides new insights for the growth of intriguing 2D and 1D tellurides and may inspire the growth strategies for other 1D nanostructures. Our findings suggest the effectiveness and capability of ML in guiding the synthesis of 1D nanostructures, opening up new opportunities for intelligent materials development.

Oxycodone-paracetamol tablet exhibits increased analgesic efficacy for acute postoperative pain, higher satisfaction and comparable safety profiles compared with celecoxib in patients underwent arthroscopic knee surgery

This randomized, controlled study compared the efficacy and safety between oxycodone-paracetamol tablet and celecoxib for postoperative analgesia in patients who underwent arthroscopic knee surgery (AKS). Totally, 232 patients scheduled to undergo AKS were enrolled and were randomly assigned to either the oxycodone-paracetamol (OPT group) or the celecoxib group (CEL group). Pain at rest/motion (based on pain visual analog scale (VAS) score), rescue analgesia consumption, satisfaction level and adverse events were assessed after AKS. Pain VAS score at rest was decreased at 6 h, 12 h post-AKS in the OPT group compared with the CEL group. Similarly, pain VAS score at motion was reduced at 6 h, 12 h, 24 h post-AKS in the OPT group compared to the CEL group. Furthermore, both rescue analgesia rate (14.7% vs. 33.6%) and accumulated pethidine consumption (3.7 ± 8.9 mg vs. 14.0 ± 21.2 mg) were lower in OPT group compared with the CEL group. Patients satisfaction score was either at 24 h, 48 h in OPT group compared with the CEL group. Further subgroup analyses indicated that the effect of oxycodone-paracetamol versus (vs. celecoxib) on post-AKS management was more apparent in the elderly patients and male patients. In addition, the adverse events were well tolerable (including nausea, constipation, vomiting, drowsiness and dizziness) and were of no different between the two groups. In conclusion, oxycodone-paracetamol tablet presents increased analgesic efficacy for acute postoperative pain, with higher patient satisfaction and comparable safety profiles compared with celecoxib in patients underwent AKS.

Discriminative Ability for Adverse Outcomes After Hip Fracture Surgery: A Comparison of Three Commonly Used Comorbidity-Based Indices

INTRODUCTION

Preoperative risk assessment can predict adverse outcomes following hip fracture surgery, helping with decision-making and management strategies. Several risk adjustment models based on coded comorbidities such as Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), modified Elixhauser's Comorbidity Measure (mECM), and modified frailty index (mFI-5) are currently prevalent for orthopedic patients, but there is no consensus regarding which is optimal. The primary purpose was to identify the risk factors of CCI, mECM, and mFI-5, as well as patient characteristics for predicting (1) 1-month, 3-month, 1-year, and 2-year mortality, (2) perioperative complications, and (3) extended length of stay (LOS) following hip fractured surgery. The secondary aim was to compare the best-performing comorbidity index combined with characteristics identified in terms of their discriminative ability for adverse outcomes.

METHODS

We retrospectively reviewed 3,379 consecutive patients presenting with intertrochanteric fractures at our Level I trauma center from 2013 to 2018. After eliminated by exclusion criteria, 2,241 patients undergoing hip fracture surgery by PFNA, with age ≥65 years, were included. Three main multivariate logistic regression models were constructed. Cox proportional hazards models were used to calculate hazard ratios for mortality. A base model included age, BMI, surgical delay, anesthesia type, hemoglobin record at admission, and American Society of Anesthesiologists grade (ASA) also was constructed and assessed.

RESULTS

Base model + mECM outperformed other models for the occurrence of major complications including severe complications, cardiac complications, and pulmonary complications [the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC), 0.647; 95% CI, 0.616-0.677; AUC, 0.637; 95% CI, 0.610-0.664; AUC, 0.679; 95% CI, 0.642-0.715, respectively], while base model + CCI provided better prediction of minor complications of neurological complications and hematological complications (AUC, 0.659; 95% CI, 0.609, 0.709; AUC, 0.658; 95% CI, 0.635, 0.680). In addition, BMI, surgical delay, anesthesia type, and ASA were found highly relevant to extended LOS. Age-group (with a 10-year interval) was indicated to be mostly associated with all-cause mortality with fully adjusted hazard ratio of 1.35 and 95% CI range 1.20-1.51.

CONCLUSIONS

In comparison with mFI-5 and CCI, mECM so far may be the best comorbidity index combined with the base model for predicting major complications following hip fracture. The base model already achieved good discrimination for all-cause mortality and extended LOS, further addition of risk adjustment indices led to only 1% increase in the amount of variation explained.

2D PtS nanorectangles/g-C3N4 nanosheets with a metal sulfide-support interaction effect for high-efficiency photocatalytic H2 evolution

Cocatalyst design is a key approach to acquire high solar-energy conversion efficiency for photocatalytic hydrogen evolution. Here a new in situ vapor-phase (ISVP) growth method is developed to construct the cocatalyst of 2D PtS nanorectangles (a length of ∼7 nm, a width of ∼5 nm) on the surface of g-C₃N₄ nanosheets. The 2D PtS nanorectangles/g-C₃N₄ nanosheets (PtS/CN) show an unusual metal sulfide-support interaction (MSSI), which is evidenced by atomic resolution HAADF-STEM, synchrotron-based GIXRD, XPS and DFT calculations. The effect of MSSI contributes to the optimization of geometrical structure and energy-band structure, acceleration of charge transfer, and reduction of hydrogen adsorption free energy of PtS/CN, thus yielding excellent stability and an ultrahigh photocatalytic H₂ evolution rate of 1072.6 μmol h^-1 (an apparent quantum efficiency of 45.7% at 420 nm), up to 13.3 and 1532.3 times by contrast with that of Pt nanoparticles/g-C₃N₄ nanosheets and g-C₃N₄ nanosheets, respectively. This work will provide a new platform for designing high-efficiency photocatalysts for sunlight-driven hydrogen generation.

An All-Organic D-A System for Visible-Light-Driven Overall Water Splitting

Direct water splitting over photocatalysts is a prospective strategy to convert solar energy into hydrogen energy. Nevertheless, because of the undesirable electron accumulation at the surface, the overall water-splitting efficiency is seriously restricted by the poor charge separation/transfer ability. Here, an all-organic donor-acceptor (D-A) system through crafting carbon rings units-conjugated tubular graphitic carbon nitride (C-TCN) is proposed. Through a range of characterizations and theoretical calculations, the incorporation of carbon rings units via continuous π-conjugated bond builds a D-A system, which can drive intramolecular charge transfer to realize highly efficient charge separation. More importantly, the tubular structure and the incorporated carbon rings units cause a significant downshift of the valence band, of which the potential is beneficial to the activation for O₂ evolution. When serving as photocatalyst for overall water splitting, C-TCN displays considerable performance with H₂ and O₂ production rates of 204.6 and 100.8 µmol g^-1 h^-1 , respectively. The corresponding external quantum efficiency reaches 2.6% at 405 nm, and still remains 1.7% at 420 nm. This work demonstrates that the all-organic D-A system conceptualized from organic solar cell can offer promotional effect for overall water splitting by addressing the charge accumulation problem rooted in the hydrogen evolution reaction.

[Whole genomic copy number variation score: an indicator of potential diagnostic and prognostic value for lung adenocarcinoma]

Objective: To verify the value of whole genomic copy number variation (WGCNV) detection and scoring system in the diagnosis and prognosis of lung adenocarcinoma. Methods: Seventy-six lung adenocarcinoma specimens including ninety-one tumor samples and twenty adjacent non-tumor lung tissue samples were collected using Laser capture microdissection (LCM). Whole genomic amplification (WGA) was used to enrich DNA and construct a sequencing library for next generation sequencing (NGS). Changes of larger than 5Mb CNV in this study were analyzed and scored. The nuclear grading and score of tumor cells in the surgery and pleural effusion cytology of lung adenocarcinoma specimens were evaluated separately. For each case, we evaluated (1) nuclear size, (2) mitotic counts, (3) nuclear atypia, (4) atypical mitoses. The data of disease-free survive (DFS) and overall survive (OS) were collected for assessing the prognostic value of WGCNV score. Meanwhile, receiver operating characteristic (ROC) and area under curve (AUC) were used to define a cut-off value and evaluate the diagnostic significance in lung adenocarcinoma. Results: The WGCNV scores of twenty adjacent non-tumor lung tissue samples were treated as normal control and all of WGCNV scores of tumor samples range from 0 to 9.95, the median score was 2.7. The WGCNV scores were divided into three groups: low score group <1.74, medium score grade 1.74~4.23, high score grade >4.23. The WGCNV score was positively associated with the nuclear grade scoring (r=0.780 90, P<0.001). The result for evaluation of prognostic value of the WGCNV scores showed that comparing with low WGCNV score group, Hazard Ratio (HR) of medium score group was 4.11 (95%CI=0.72~23.57) and high score group was 2.07 (95%CI=0.30~14.12). These results suggested that the risks of the medium and high WGCNV score group elevated. According to the analysis results of ROC curve, when the cut off value was 0.01, the sensitivity and specificity for lung adenocarcinoma diagnosis were 97.8% and 95.0% respectively, the positive predictive value (PPV) and negative predictive value (NPV) were 99.0% and 90.1%, respectively, the AUC was 0.981. In the differentiation of adenocarcinoma in situ (AIS) and minimally invasive adenocarcinoma (MIA) group and invasive adenocarcinoma group, when the cut off value was 1.8, the sensitivity and specificity between the two groups were 78.1% and 94.4%, and the PPV and NPV were 98.0% and 52.0%, respectively, the AUC was 0.896. Conclusion: This study verifies that WGCNV scoring system has a potential diagnostic and prognostic value in lung adenocarcinoma.

A traditional Chinese Medicine, YXQN, Reduces Amyloid-induced Cytotoxicity by Inhibiting Aβ42 Aggregation and Fibril Formation

INTRODUCTION

The accumulation of amyloid-β peptide (Aβ) decreases cerebral blood flow in elderly people with Alzheimer's disease (AD) and is believed to be the initiator of this disorder. As a traditional Chinese medicine, Yangxue Qingnao (YXQN) improves cerebral insufficiency and attenuates cognitive impairment, showing potential against AD. But whether YXQN has the ability to block Aβ self-aggregation is rarely reported.

OBJECTIVE

Here, we investigate the effects of YXQN on Aβ accumulation and its mediated cytotoxicity using a range of biochemical, biophysical, and cell-based approaches.

METHODS

Thioflavin T assay, transmission electron microscope, and 1H NMR experiments were used to investigate the effects of YXQN on Aβ fibrogenesis and aggregation. Far-UV CD spectra were acquired to assess the alteration of YXQN on the conformation of the amyloid protein. Three short Aβ42 peptides (AA 1-16, AA 17-33 and AA 28-42) were designed to analyse the Aβ42 epitope to which YXQN components bind. The effect of YXQN on Aβ-induced cytotoxicity was investigated through SH-SY5Y cell viability assay.

RESULTS

We provide evidence showing that YXQN clearly reduces Aβ42 fibrillogenesis and alters its β-sheet conformation, indicating the inhibition of primary nucleation of amyloid protein. Using the different Aβ short peptides, residues 17-33 were identified as the target epitope for YXNQ components interacting with Aβ42. Furthermore, in the SH-SY5Y cell injury model, our data show that high-dose YXQN attenuates amyloid-induced cytotoxicity approximately 60% and effectively ameliorates cell distortion in morphology.

CONCLUSION

Based on these results, YXQN exerts a neuroprotective effect by inhibiting Aβ42 toxic aggregation, which has the potential to combat AD.

A Tandem 0D/2D/2D NbS2 Quantum Dot/Nb2 O5 Nanosheet/g-C3 N4 Flake System with Spatial Charge-Transfer Cascades for Boosting Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

The relatively high recombination rate of charges remains the most critical limiting factor for solar-driven water splitting for hydrogen generation. Herein, a tandem 0D/2D/2D NbS₂ quantum dot/Nb₂ O₅ nanosheet/g-C₃ N₄ flake (NSNOCN) system is designed. Owing to the unique spatial-arrangement and elaborate morphology of 0D NbS₂ , 2D Nb₂ O₅ , and 2D g-C₃ N₄ in the newly designed NSNOCN, plenty of spatial charge-transfer cascades from g-C₃ N₄ to NbS₂ via Nb₂ O₅ are formed to accelerate separation and transfer of charges significantly, thus contributing to a high photocatalytic H₂ generation rate of 13.99 mmol h^-1 g^-1 (an apparent quantum efficiency of 10.8% at 420 nm), up to 107.6 and 43.7 times by contrast with that of g-C₃ N₄ and Nb₂ O₅ , respectively. This work can provide a new platform in the design of artificial photocatalytic systems with high charge-transfer efficiency.

Phase-controllable growth of ultrathin 2D magnetic FeTe crystals

Two-dimensional (2D) magnets with intrinsic ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic (FM/AFM) ordering are highly desirable for future spintronic devices. However, the direct growth of their crystals is in its infancy. Here we report a chemical vapor deposition approach to controllably grow layered tetragonal and non-layered hexagonal FeTe nanoplates with their thicknesses down to 3.6 and 2.8 nm, respectively. Moreover, transport measurements reveal these obtained FeTe nanoflakes show a thickness-dependent magnetic transition. Antiferromagnetic tetragonal FeTe with the Néel temperature (TN) gradually decreases from 70 to 45 K as the thickness declines from 32 to 5 nm. And ferromagnetic hexagonal FeTe is accompanied by a drop of the Curie temperature (TC) from 220 K (30 nm) to 170 K (4 nm). Theoretical calculations indicate that the ferromagnetic order in hexagonal FeTe is originated from its concomitant lattice distortion and Stoner instability. This study highlights its potential applications in future spintronic devices.

Super elderly patients with intertrochanteric fractures do not predict worse outcomes and higher mortality than elderly patients: a propensity score matched analysis

We aimed to investigate whether super elderly patients aged over 90 years had significantly worse functional outcomes, perioperative complications, and survival rates. Among 3560 patients aged over 65 years presenting with intertrochanteric fractures and treated surgically between Jan 2014 and Jan 2019, 2242 patients were included, including 206 in super elderly group and 2036 in elderly group. After using propensity score matching to minimize the effects of possible confounding variables, 192 remained in each group. No significant difference was observed in functional outcomes, perioperative complications, or 30-day, 90-day, and 1-year mortality after propensity score matching and McNemar’s tests (p>0.05). After an average follow-up of 37 months, the Kaplan-Meier survival curve showed no significant difference between the two groups in terms of cumulative survival rate (p=0.081, log-rank). Our data demonstrated progressive increases in mortality and poor outcomes with increasing Elixhauser comorbidity scores, which represented the severity index of patients preoperatively. Our study also found that there were weak correlations between five characteristics and the patient age. These results all suggested that it is not the advanced age itself but other concomitant factors, that appear to be responsible for the adverse functional outcomes, perioperative complications, and mortality in super elderly patients.

MiR-920 promotes osteogenic differentiation of human bone mesenchymal stem cells by targeting HOXA7

Background

To explore the effect of miR-920 on osteogenic differentiation of human bone mesenchymal stem cells (hBMSCs) and the possible mechanism.

Methods

Osteoporosis (OP) and healthy control bone tissues were collected, and the relative expression of miR-920 and HOXA7 was measured. hBMSCs were isolated and cultured in vitro. Alkaline phosphatase activity and miR-920 and HOXA7 relative expression were measured during osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. Then, bioinformatic analysis was performed to assess the potential mechanism of miR-920. MiR-920 mimic and inhibitor were introduced into hBMSCs by lipofection transfection and were used to investigate the effect of miR-920 on the osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs. A dual luciferase reporter assay was used to identify whether the 3′UTR of HOXA7 mRNA was a direct target of miR-920. Western blotting was performed to assess whether miR-920 affected the MAPK signaling pathway.

Results

We found that miR-920 was downregulated in OP patients compared with controls, while HOXA7 was upregulated, and miR-920 had a negative correlation with HOXA7 (r = − 0.859, P = 0.001). Moreover, miR-920 was increased during osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs, while HOXA7 had the opposite tendency. Bioinformatic analysis revealed that there were a total of 207 target genes, and MAPK was a potential targeted signaling pathway. MiR-920 mimic significantly increased ALP activity, calcium deposition, osteoblastic protein expression (ALP and OSX), and p-p38 and p-JNK protein levels.

Conclusion

Overall, miR-920 promotes osteogenic differentiation of hBMSCs by targeting HOXA7 through the MAPK signaling pathway.

ILK participates in renal interstitial fibrosis by altering the phenotype of renal tubular epithelial cells via TGF-β1/smad pathway

OBJECTIVE

To explore the specific role of ILK (integrin-linked kinase) in regulating renal fibrosis and its underlying mechanism.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

NRK-52E cells were induced by transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1) for observing phenotype change. Renal tubular epithelial cell marker, fibrosis marker and expression level of ILK in NRK-52E cells were also detected. After overexpression of ILK, phenotype change of NRK-52E cells was observed. For in vivo experiments, we constructed UUO (unilateral ureteral obstruction) model in CD1 mice. Renal tubular epithelial cell marker, fibrosis marker and expression level of ILK in UUO mice were detected. The regulatory effect of ILK on renal fibrosis was detected after injection of ILK overexpression plasmid. Western blot was performed to detect related genes in the TGF-β1/smad pathway.

RESULTS

Accompanied by the TGF-β1-induced phenotype change in NRK-52E cells, both mRNA and protein levels of ILK were upregulated. Overexpression of ILK remarkably stimulated the phenotype change in NRK-52E cells. Similarly, ILK was highly expressed in UUO mice. Renal fibrosis was aggravated after injection of ILK overexpression plasmid in UUO mice. Western blot results showed that expressions of p-smad3 and smad3 were upregulated during the process of renal fibrosis.

CONCLUSIONS

ILK is upregulated during the process of renal fibrosis. ILK participates in the development of renal fibrosis by altering phenotypes of renal tubular epithelial cells via a TGF-β1/smad pathway.

Diagnostic and prognostic significance of long noncoding RNA SSTR5-AS1 in patients with gastric cancer

OBJECTIVE

Long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) display a functional effect on the pathogenesis of several diseases, including various tumors. Herein, we aimed to reveal the role of lncRNA somatostatin receptor 5 antisense RNA 1 (SSTR5-AS1) in gastric cancer (GC).

PATIENTS AND METHODS

qRT-PCR was utilized for testing the SSTR5-AS1 expression in 158 paired primary GC tissues and corresponding normal gastric specimens. Receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves were established to determine the diagnostic values of overexpression of SSTR5-AS1 in GC. A chi-square test was performed to analyze the correlation between SSTR5-AS1 expressions and several clinicopathological features in GC patients. Kaplan-Meier survival curve was constructed to estimate the overall survival (OS) and disease-free survival (DFS). Multivariate analyses were conducted to examine the prognostic value of SSTR5-AS1.

RESULTS

We observed that SSTR5-AS1 expression was highly expressed in GC specimens compared with adjacent non-tumor specimens (p < 0.01). High SSTR5-AS1 expression was correlated with an advanced pathologic stage. The ROC curves showed that areas under the ROC curve (AUC) for SSTR5-AS1 is 0.8419. Moreover, high expression of SSTR5-AS1 was observed to be associated with distant metastasis (p = 0.021) and TNM stage (p = 0.042). Besides, survival analysis showed that GC patients with high SSTR5-AS1 expression suffered poorer OS (p = 0.020) and DFS (p = 0.0007). Multivariate assays demonstrated that increased expressions of SSTR5-AS1 could be an independent prognostic marker of OS and DFS of GC patients.

CONCLUSIONS

Our findings indicate that SSTR5-AS1 served as a promising novel prognostic biomarker for GC.

Carbon Microtube Aerogel Derived from Kapok Fiber: An Efficient and Recyclable Sorbent for Oils and Organic Solvents

A carbon microtube aerogel (CMA) with hydrophobicity, strong adsorption capacity, and superb recyclability was obtained by a feasible approach with economical raw material, such as kapok fiber. The CMA possesses a great adsorption capacity of 78-348 times its weight. Attributed to its outstanding thermal stability and excellent mechanical properties, the CMA can be used for many cycles of distillation, squeezing, and combustion without degradation, which suggests a potential practical application in oil-water separation. In addition, the adsorption capacity still retained 98% by distillation, 97% by squeezing, and 90% by combustion after 10 cycles. Therefore, the obtained CMA has a broad prospect as an economical, efficient, and environmentally friendly adsorbent.

Elevated aerobic glycolysis in renal tubular epithelial cells influences the proliferation and differentiation of podocytes and promotes renal interstitial fibrosis

OBJECTIVE

The aim of this study was to elaborate the influence of changing energy metabolism pattern of renal tubular epithelial cells in the process of renal interstitial fibrosis on podocytes. Meanwhile, we also investigated the relationship between energy metabolism pattern and the development of renal interstitial fibrosis.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

We established a model of renal interstitial fibrosis by unilateral ureteral obstruction (UUO). The protein and messenger RNA (mRNA) expression of fibrosis signs, such as α-smooth muscle actin (α-SMA) and fibronectin (FN) were detected. We also measured the protein and mRNA expression of key glycolytic enzymes, including pyruvate kinase muscle isozyme 2 (PKM2) and human glandular kallikrein 2 (HK2). The proliferation and differentiation of podocytes during fibrosis were observed by monitoring the expression of nephrin and myocardin. In vitro experiments, primary podocytes were extracted, cultured, and stimulated with lactate. Then the alterations during the process were observed. Finally, PKM2 expression was inhibited by intravenous infusion of the plasmid. The link between the expression of marker protein as well as differentiation protein in podocytes and renal interstitial fibrosis was analyzed.

RESULTS

During the process of renal interstitial fibrosis, phenotypic changes and enhanced expression of fibrosis and proliferation markers were found in fibroblasts. Meanwhile, in renal tubular epithelial cells, increased expression of key enzymes of glycolysis, the level of glycolysis as well as lactate metabolites cooperatively led to hypoxic and acidic environment, eventually inhibiting the proliferation and differentiation of podocytes and aggravating fibrosis. When the level of glycolysis in renal tubular epithelial cells was reduced, the number and function of podocytes were partially restored, and renal interstitial fibrosis was alleviated.

CONCLUSIONS

During renal interstitial fibrosis, glycolysis of renal tubular epithelial cell was increased, leading to the recodification of energy metabolism. This process affected the number and function of podocytes and aggravated renal interstitial fibrosis.

Evaluation of the potential probiotic Bacillus subtilis isolated from two ancient sturgeons on growth performance, serum immunity and disease resistance of Acipenser dabryanus

In the present study, we aimed to screen the potential probiotic Bacillus subtilis isolated from the gut of healthy fish using in vitro assays and to evaluate its effect on Dabry's sturgeon (Acipenser dabryanus) using in vivo feeding experiments. Among the isolates, B. subtilis BSth-5 and BSth-19 exhibited antimicrobial effect against four sturgeon-pathogenic bacteria, including Aeromonas hydrophila, A. veronii, A. media, and Streptococcus iniae. The cell number of B. subtilis BSth-5 and BSth-19 changed little after 2 h of exposure to pH 3.0 or fresh Dabry's sturgeon bile at 2.5% and 5.0%. Meanwhile, B. subtilis BSth-5 and BSth-19 produced extracellular protease, cellulose, and lipase. And it was proved that B. subtilis BSth-5 and BSth-19 were harmless after injection of Dabry's sturgeon. One group of Dabry's sturgeon was fed a control diet and two groups were fed experimental diets containing 2.0 × 10⁸ CFU/g BSth-5 (T1 group) or BSth-19 (T2 group) for 8 weeks. No significant differences in final weight, weight gain rate, and special growth rate were observed in the T1 and T2 groups compared to the control group (P > 0.05), but a significant improvement in survival rate was detected after 4 and 8 weeks of feeding (P < 0.05). After 8 weeks, serum total antioxidant capacity, total superoxide dismutase activity, and IgM levels were significantly higher in the T1 and T2 groups compared to the control group (P < 0.05). Moreover, serum lysozyme activity was significantly higher in the T1 group relative to the control group during the whole experiment period (P < 0.05); however, the differences were not significant between the T2 and control groups (P > 0.05). Serum malondialdehyde levels in the T1 and T2 groups were significantly lower than those in the control group after 4 weeks (P < 0.05). Sturgeons in the T1 and T2 groups showed a higher survival rate after Aeromonas hydrophila infection. To summarize, dietary supplementation with BSth-5 and BSth-19 could enhance the survival rate, antioxidant activity, serum immunity, and disease resistance in A. dabryanus.

Bismuth Vacancy-Tuned Bismuth Oxybromide Ultrathin Nanosheets toward Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction

Surface defects in semiconductors have a significant role to tune the photocatalytic reactions. However, the dominant studied defect type is oxygen vacancy, and metal cation vacancies are seldom explored. Herein, bismuth vacancies are engineered into BiOBr through ultrathin structure control and employed to tune photocatalytic CO₂ reduction. V_Bi-BiOBr ultrathin nanosheets deliver a high selective CO generation rate of 20.1 μmol g^-1 h^-1 in pure water, without any cocatalyst, photosensitizer, and sacrificing reagent, roughly 3.8 times higher than that of BiOBr nanosheets. The increased CO₂ reduction activity is ascribed to the tuned electronic structure, optimized CO₂ adsorption, activation, and CO desorption process over V_Bi-BiOBr ultrathin nanosheets. This work offers new opportunities for designing surface metal vacancies to optimize the CO₂ photoreduction performances.

Defect-Tailoring Mediated Electron-Hole Separation in Single-Unit-Cell Bi3 O4 Br Nanosheets for Boosting Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution and Nitrogen Fixation

Solar photocatalysis is a potential solution to satisfying energy demand and its resulting environmental impact. However, the low electron-hole separation efficiency in semiconductors has slowed the development of this technology. The effect of defects on electron-hole separation is not always clear. A model atomically thin structure of single-unit-cell Bi₃ O₄ Br nanosheets with surface defects is proposed to boost photocatalytic efficiency by simultaneously promoting bulk- and surface-charge separation. Defect-rich single-unit-cell Bi₃ O₄ Br displays 4.9 and 30.9 times enhanced photocatalytic hydrogen evolution and nitrogen fixation activity, respectively, than bulk Bi₃ O₄ Br. After the preparation of single-unit-cell structure, the bismuth defects are controlled to tune the oxygen defects. Benefiting from the unique single-unit-cell architecture and defects, the local atomic arrangement and electronic structure are tuned so as to greatly increase the charge separation efficiency and subsequently boost photocatalytic activity. This strategy provides an accessible pathway for next-generation photocatalysts.

High-performance electrolytic oxygen evolution with a seamless armor core-shell FeCoNi oxynitride

Highly active, low-cost, and durable electrocatalysts for the water oxidation reaction are pivotal in energy conversion and storage schemes. Here we report a nitride-core, oxide-shell-armor structured FeCoNi oxynitride as an efficient oxygen evolution electrocatalyst with a homogeneous nitride (Fe0.70Co0.56Ni0.92N1.0O0.06) core and an oxide (Fe0.48Co0.1Ni0.21N0.05O1.0) shell. The catalyst demonstrated excellent activity for the oxygen evolution reaction with a current density of 10 mA cm-2 at a low overpotential of 0.291 V in alkaline media (1 M KOH), which is superior to the activities of commercial IrO2, RuO2, and Pt/C catalysts and comparable to those of state-of-the-art catalysts (e.g., NiFe-LDH, NiCo2O4, O-NiCoFe-LDH). Density functional theory simulations suggested that the incorporation of multiple metal elements can indeed improve the reaction energetics with a synergistic effect from the core-shell structure. This unique structure of a nitride-core with a oxide-shell presents a new form of multimetallic oxynitride with compelling performance in electrolytic oxygen evolution.

Minocycline impedes mitochondrial-dependent cell death and stabilizes expression of hypoxia inducible factor-1α in spinal cord injury

INTRODUCTION

One of the crucial mechanisms following spinal cord injury is mitochondria-associated cell death. Minocycline, an anti-inflammatory drug, is well known to impede mitochondrial cell death. However, there has been no study on the effect of minocycline linking Fas cell surface death receptor (FAS)-mediated cell death and hypoxia inducible factor (HIF-1α), the targets involved in mitochondrial cell death.

MATERIAL AND METHODS

Male Sprague Dawley rats (N = 15, divided into three groups) were subjected to traumatic spinal cord injury and were injected with minocycline (n = 5) (90 mg/kg and later a 45 mg/kg dose twice a day (every 12 h)). Injection with sterile PBS in injured animals served as the vehicle (n = 5) and another group comprised healthy animals (n = 5). TUNEL assay was used to quantify cell death. The release of Smac/Diablo, cytochrome-c (cyt-c), HIF-1α, FAS ligand (FASL) and tumour necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) was measured using ELISA. Expression of HIF-1α, FASL and other cell death associated factors was quantified at the mRNA and protein level and confirmed with immunohistochemistry.

RESULTS

There was a marked reduction in the HIF-1α and FASL expression levels in the minocycline-treated group compared to the vehicle. The reduction of HIF-1α and FASL was associated with other factors linked to cell death (Smac/Diablo, cyt-c, TNF-α, p53, caspase-8 and BH3 interacting domain death agonist (BID)) (p < 0.5; *p < 0.05 vs. vehicle group, **p < 0.01 vs. vehicle group).

CONCLUSIONS

The present study focuses on the investigation of minocycline in inhibiting mitochondria-associated cell death by modulating FASL and HIF-1α expression, which are seemingly interlinked mechanisms contributing to cell death.