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Objective: To evaluate the clinical characteristics and nailfold microcirculation and explore the associations with severe ischemic events (SIEs) in Takayasu arteritis (TA) with supra-aortic involvement. Methods: Eighty-one patients with supra-aortic artery involvement who underwent nailfold video-capillaroscopy (NVC) of their hands were enrolled from the East China TA (ECTA) cohort between August and December 2021. Clinical features and capillaroscopy variables associated with supra-aortic SIEs were analyzed by multivariate logistic regression. Results: Overall, 71 patients were female, and 42 experienced supra-aortic SIEs, among whom there was a higher prevalence of hypertension and the number of supra-aortic artery stenosis (P = 0.005, and 0.003, respectively). Furthermore, intergroup differences in capillary density (P < 0.001) and minor morphology abnormalities (P < 0.001) were significant. After adjustment for all confounders, multivariate logistic regression revealed hypertension (odds ratio [OR]: 7.3, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.6–33.7, P = 0.011), the number of supra-aortic arteries stenosis (≥4, OR: 6.8, 95% CI: 1.4–34.6, P = 0.020), capillary density (≤7.2/mm, OR: 43.0, 95% CI: 7.0–264.6, P < 0.001) and minor abnormalities (OR: 34.2, 95% CI: 3.6–325.1; P = 0.002) were independent risk factors for supra-aortic SIEs. capillary density (≤7.2/mm) and minor abnormalities or combined with at least two of the three items in the matrix model showed the probability of supra-aortic SIEs was 61.2–87.6%. Conclusion: Decreased capillary density and morphologic abnormalities indicated that hypoperfusion was more likely to be observed in supra-aortic SIEs patients. Combined NVC indicators could be instrumental for early identification of supra-aortic SIEs. Key Points • Minor morphological abnormalities and hemorrhages were only observed in supra-aortic SIEs patients. • Capillaroscopic density and minor morphological abnormalities or combined with at least two of the three items in the matrix model showed the probability occurrence of supra-aortic SIEs was 61.2–87.6%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hierarchical SAPO-34 zeolites with a special nanosheet-assembled morphology were hydrothermally synthesized under dynamic condition by using the commercial quaternary ammonium-type organosilane surfactant [3-(trimethoxysilyl) propyl] octadecyldimethyl-ammonium chloride (TPOAC) for the mesoscopic aggregation and tetraethylammonium hydroxide as the micropore structure-directing agent. The growth evolution during the crystallization process and governing factors including TPOAC content and dynamic hydrothermal condition in the synthesis were discussed in detail, and the possible nucleation and growth process were proposed as well. With a systematic structure characterization by XRD, FTIR, N2 adsorption-desorption, ICP, SEM, TEM, NH3-TPD and pyridine-adsorbed IR measurements, the nanosheet-assembled SAPO-34 (NA-SP34) prepared under the optimized synthesis condition presented the pure phase of CHA framework, high degree of crystallinity, interconnected hierarchical meso-/microporosity and relatively weak acidity comparing with the conventional microporous SAPO-34 (CM-SP34) with micron size and the nanosheet-like SAPO-34 (NL-SP34) synthesized in the absence of TPOAC. Moreover, the catalytic performances evaluated by the methanol-to-olefin reaction indicated that the optimal NA-SP34 catalyst presented remarkable improvements of not only much longer catalytic lifetime (300 min) and slower coke formation rate (0.24 mg g−1 min−1) but also higher ethylene and propylene selectivity (81.93%) comparing with those (95 min, 0.55 mg g−1 min−1 and 80.75%, respectively) of CM-SP34, which can be attributed to the integrated balance of well-remained microporosity, considerable mesoporosity and suitable weak acidity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multifunctional porous hybrid materials have recently received a lot of attentions because they combine the advantages of incorporating both inorganic oxides and organic species into the structure to solve the limitation of sole component material. This paper reports a type of model of organic pillared MFI zeolite catalyst, in which the full-atom mimetic model is constructed by using molecular modeling technique. Dreiding force field is used to calculate the interactions between sorbate–sorbate and sorbate–sorbent in the organic pillared MFI zeolite. The optimized model is characterized by calculating low-angle and high-angle X-ray diffraction patterns. Besides, the adsorption behavior of benzene and toluene is also investigated through the mimetic model. Simulated adsorption isotherms of benzene and toluene are agreement with the experimental data at low pressure. Density distributions of benzene and toluene show that toluene adsorbs preferentially in the region of interlayer space of lamellar MFI zeolite while benzene tends to adsorb in the area of micropores at low pressure. With increasing pressure, the guest molecules gradually fill in the area of micropores and mesopores of the organic pillared MFI zeolite. Moreover, the developed strategy in the present work can be applied to build other model for organic pillared zeolite catalyst by arranging different zeolite frameworks or organic species. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To investigate the relationships between changes in serum urate levels and dual-energy computed tomography (DE-CT) results during urate-lowering therapy (ULT) and to investigate the effects of treatment duration and drugs on changes in DE-CT results. Methods: Forty-four patients diagnosed with gout were enrolled in this investigation. DE-CT was conducted on the foot at baseline and the end of follow-up (6-24 months). Crystals were classified as: (i) L, number of large crystals with diameter ≥ 3 mm; (ii) S, number of small crystals with diameter < 3 mm; (iii) T, total number of crystals; and (iv) Vmax, volume of the maximal crystal. Results: Number of urate crystals (L, S as well as T) and Vmax decreased significantly through ULT. Significant decrease of urate crystal numbers and/or Vmax was observed in different follow-up groups, and the decrease in serum urate levels was positively related to the decrease of T (r = 0.43, P = 0.04) and Vmax (r = 0.63, P = 0.04). Moreover, analysis of covariance results demonstrated significant effects of treatment duration and serum urate levels on results of DE-CT. Conclusion: Both urate crystal numbers and Vmax decreased significantly during ULT. Additionally, ULT duration and serum urate levels had significant effects on the decrease of Vmax and number of large crystals measured by DE-CT. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Adsorption and separation behaviors of ethane/ethylene on ZIF-3, -6, -8 and -10 with different topologies were studied combining Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations and the ideal adsorbed solution theory (IAST). The simulated single component isotherms indicate that ZIF-3 with the smallest pore size (8.02 Å) has the highest adsorption capacity for pure ethane (4.15 mmol/g) and ethylene (2.74 mmol/g) at a low pressure of 30 kPa because of the strongest adsorption affinity. While the capacity of ZIF-6 and ZIF-10 exceed that of ZIF-3 as the pressure increased due to their large volume and accessible surface, suggesting the adsorption behaviors of ZIFs are strongly affected by ZIF topology. In the case of ethane/ethylene separation, ZIF-3 has the highest ethane selectivity of 4.79 at 1 kPa because of its greatest adsorption affinity with ethane, while ZIF-10 possesses the highest ethane selectivity of 1.75 at 8000 kPa resulted from its largest pore volume, showing cooperative and competitive effects of adsorption on ethane selectivity in low and high pressure ranges, respectively. Moreover, although ethane selectivity shows dependence on total gas pressure and ethane concentration, the ZIF topology is still the key factor dominating ethane selectivity over ZIFs. This work can be beneficial to the selection of topological structures of ZIFs in the separation of industrial paraffin/olefin mixtures. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel synthesis strategy involving the integrated use of soft/hard templates was proposed for the confined synthesis of silicalite-1 hollow spheres with a lamellar shell. Replicated from macroporous carbon templates and directed by multi-quaternary ammonium surfactants, these silicalite-1 spheres exhibit a unique hollow nanoshell morphology, high crystallinity, and a novel hierarchical porosity consisting of hollow macropores, interlamellar mesopores and ordered micropores in zeolites. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Ordered mesoporous silica SBA-15 with uniform hexagonal tunable mesopore channels attracts significant interest of the intensive studies and finds numerous applications in adsorption, catalysis, controlled release and drug delivery, etc. It is generally considered that such a unique hexagonal mesopore system of SBA-15 is formed via the cooperative self-assembly of partially protonated nonionic surfactants and positively charged silicate oligomers. However, the information about the assembly mechanism and the phase transformation at mesoscopic level is still insufficient due to the limitation of experimental technology. In this paper, Mesoscopic Dynamics (MesoDyn) simulation method is employed to investigate the phase transformation in the synthesis of SBA-15 with a simple Gaussian model, and a successive phase transition process composed of various mesophases of SBA-15 including spheroidal, columnar, and hexagonal phase are obtained. Moreover, the effects of charge matching interactions between surfactants and silicate species on the mesophase morphology of SBA-15 are further discussed. The obtained results are in good agreement with the ab initio calculations and the experimental results reported before, which indicates that the MesoDyn simulation method can be used to fundamentally validate and interpret the “surfactant/silicate species cooperative formation mechanism” of ordered mesoporous materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

As the main structure-directing template, P123 performs a key role during the formation of the bimodal pore system of the micro-mesoporous silica SBA-15. In this paper, the method of mesoscopic dynamics (MesoDyn) has been applied to simulate the aggregation behaviour of the triblock copolymer P123 (PEO20PPO70PEO20), and to further explore the structureformation mechanism and analyze the feasibility of accurately adjusting the pore size of SBA-15. In particular, the effect of the synthesis temperature on the P123 micelle size in the SBA-15 synthesis process has been investigated in detail due to its importance in adjusting the pore size of SBA-15. In addition, in order to validate the simulation results, a series of SBA-15 samples were synthesized at temperatures within the range 293-328 K. The simulation results show that uniform spherical micelles of P123, composed of hydrophilic PEO coronas and hydrophobic PPO cores, can be formed in aqueous solutions. This provides a perfect explanation of the experimental findings of previous work. Moreover, it has also been found that the P123 micelle gradually expands as the temperature increases, which leads directly to an increase in the mesopore diameter of SBA-15. The relevant experimental results reported in this paper demonstrate this conclusion. Overall, the mesoscopic simulation method has been shown to be a valuable tool for exploring structure fabrication and for providing an accurate guide for adjusting the pore size of SBA-15, as well as being a strong complement and extension to the experimental approach. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Chinese Holstein population with daughter design was analyzed using 14 microsatellites covering a map distance of 557 cM on chromosome 6 to fine map QTL for five milk production traits. 26 paternal half-sib families with 2356 daughters were involved. Two different approaches, linear regression approach and variance component approach, were employed, with a one-QTL model and two-QTL model fitted. With a one-QTL model, the linear regression approach revealed a QTL near BMS470 with effects on milk yield, fat yield, protein yield, and fat percentage, and another QTL near BMS2460 for protein percentage. The variance component approach confirmed the results of linear regression approach for the three yield traits, with the exception that the QTL for fat yield was mapped to a different position near BMS1242. The 95% confidence intervals resulted from linear regression, obtained by bootstrapping, were generally large, ranging from 31 to 53 cM, whereas the variance component approach revealed very small confidence intervals, calculated by LOD drop-off method, for the three yield traits, only 4-5 cM. With a two-QTL model, both approaches provided strong evidence for the existence of two QTLs for the three yield traits. Along with the QTLs identified in one-QTL model analyses, the linear regression approach revealed a second QTL near BP7 with effects on all the three yield traits, whereas the variance component approach located the second QTL near ILSS035, BMS470, and BP7 for the three traits, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Presents a study which investigated the characterization and synthesis of luminescence of europium (III) Schiff base complexes. Details on experiments conducted; Discussion on the phosphorescence and triplet-state energy; Quantum yields and the intramolecular energy-transfer mechanism.

Reports on the synthesis and characterization of two linear cerium (Ce) Schiff-base coordination polymers. Solubility in organic solvents; Dielectric constants; Characterization of molecular weights; Thermal stability of polymers.

Investigates the synthesis and characterization of lanthanide(III) disalicylidene-1,2-phenylenediamine schiff-base complexes. Use of ultraviolet-visible absorption and proton nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies; Effect of variable size-charge ratios on equilibrium; Thermal stability and structures.

Objective To investigate the pathogenic role and underlying mechanisms of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV). Methods RNA-sequencing (RNA-seq) was applied to screen the expression profile of lncRNAs in peripheral leukocytes from five AAV patients and five healthy controls (HC). Candidate lncRNAs were preliminarily verified in peripheral leukocytes from 46 AAV patients and 35 HC by qRT-PCR. Then, the identified LINC02193 was further validated in peripheral neutrophils from 67 AAV patients, 45 HC and 64 disease controls. Correlation between LINC02193 levels and disease activity was analysed. Then, a loss-of-function study was conducted to investigate the role of LINC02193 in neutrophils activation. Furthermore, bioinformatics analysis, dual luciferase reporter and RNA immunoprecipitation assays were performed to explore the mechanism of LINC02193 regulating neutrophils activation. Results A total of 467 upregulated and 412 downregulated lncRNAs were identified in AAV patients. From the top five upregulated lncRNAs, an elevation of LINC02193 was validated in a larger sample of AAV patients, and positively correlated with disease activity. Knockdown of LINC02193 inhibited reactive oxygen species and nitric oxide production, neutrophil extracellular traps release and adhesion to endothelial cells of differentiated human promyelocytic leukaemia HL-60 cells, whereas overexpression of ICAM1 counteracted these effects. Mechanistic analysis demonstrated that LINC02193 acted as an miR-485-5p sponge to relieve the repressive effect of miR-485-5p on ICAM1, thus promoting ICAM1 expression. Conclusion LINC02193, a novel lncRNA identified in AAV, could function as competing endogenous RNAs for miR-485-5p to promote ICAM1 expression and neutrophils activation, suggesting its potential as a therapeutic target of AAV. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Millimeter wave operates within a wavelength range of 1mm to 10mm and can penetrate through various non-metallic materials, such as the paperboard and plastic films commonly used in cigarette packaging boxes. In comparison to X-ray devices, millimeter wave imagers have the added advantage of not emitting ionizing radiation and having lower electromagnetic radiation output than the standard limit for mobile phone. Given these characteristics, we believe that utilizing millimeter wave imaging technology for detecting missing carton in packaged cigarette boxes could be a viable solution. The paper presents the fundamental imaging theory and showcases some images of cigarette boxes. The results demonstrate that our millimeter wave imager can produce clear images of packaged cigarette boxes with missing carton. We anticipate that this system has significant potential for application in machine vision for tobacco and other similar industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to compare the efficacy and safety of adalimumab (ADA) vs tocilizumab (TCZ) in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Methods This was a randomized, controlled, open-label study. Forty patients with active and severe TAK were enrolled. They were treated with ADA (n  = 21) combined with glucocorticoids (GCs) and MTX or TCZ (n  = 19) combined with GCs and MTX. The planned follow-up duration was 12 months. The primary end point was the efficacy rate (ER) at 6 months. The secondary end points included ER at 9 and 12 months, relapse rate, GC tapering, adverse effects, and life quality changes during treatment. Results In the intention-to-treat (ITT) population, the ER at 6 months was higher in the ADA group (85.71% vs 52.63%, P  = 0.02). A similar direction of effect was noted in the per-protocol set (89.47% vs 62.50%, P  = 0.06). The percentages of patients who achieved a GC dose of ≤10 mg/day at 6 months were similar between the ADA and TCZ groups (47.37% vs 43.75%, P  = 0.83). The ERs at 9 and 12 months were similar between the two groups (P  > 0.05). During the first 12 months of treatment, the relapse rate and adverse event incidence were comparable between the two groups (ADA vs TCZ: 9.52% vs 10.53%, P  = 0.96; 38.10% vs 47.37%, P  = 0.55, respectively). Conclusion ADA combined with GCs and MTX may be more efficacious than TCZ combined with GCs and MTX among patients with active and severe TAK. Trial registration Clinicaltrials.gov; NCT04300686. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The inexpensive and versatile Cu catalyst is widely employed in industrial production processes, especially in hydrogenation reactions. However, there are still challenges focused on how various Cu species synergistically work, and the stability of the Cu catalysts. In this work, Cu-confined MFI zeolites were synthesized and employed in the selective hydrogenation of levulinic acid to γ-valerolactone, an important reaction of a biomass-derived platform molecule to high-value-added chemicals. Using a hydrothermal method with a rapidly mixing-at-high-temperature procedure and adjusting the Si/Cu ratio, various Cu active sites with different functions were designed on this catalyst. The catalyst had both secondary framework Cu in the 10MR ring and quasi sub-nano cluster Cu in the cage. The secondary framework Cu could adsorb the carbonyl groups while the quasi sub-nano cluster Cu and secondary framework Cu could activate hydrogen. The zeolite framework offered strong metal–support interactions and therefore improved the stability of the Cu catalysts. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To determine the role of plateletcrit as a potential biomarker for disease activity and treatment response in Takayasu arteritis (TAK). Methods: Totally, 215 newly diagnosed TAK patients were consecutively enrolled. Demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory and imaging examinations, and treatment strategy were recorded at baseline and at each visit during the 6‐month treatment period. Normal plateletcrit (0.1%–0.4%) and hyper‐plateletcrit (>0.4%) observed at baseline were used as group criteria. Results: At baseline, the overall plateletcrit was 0.32 (0.24–0.38)%, with a normal and high level observed in 172 (80.00%) and 43 (20.00%) patients, respectively. Baseline plateletcrit was significantly higher in patients with active disease and associated with inflammatory biomarkers, including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C‐reactive protein (CRP), and interleukin (IL)‐6 (all p <.01). At 6 months, complete remission was achieved in 171 (79.53%) patients, and a significant decrease in plateletcrit was observed in these cases (p <.01). Patients with a normal baseline plateletcrit were more likely to achieve complete remission compared to those with a high baseline plateletcrit (HR = 4.65, 95% CI: 2.38–19.08, p <.01). In addition, ESR (p =.01) and IL‐6 (p =.02) levels were still higher in patients with a high baseline plateletcrit at 6 months. Progression of vascular lesions was indicated in 18 (8.37%) patients at 6 months, and these patients also had significantly higher baseline plateletcrit (p =.03). Conclusion: Plateletcrit levels were positively related to disease activity and inflammatory index in TAK. Importantly, patients with high baseline plateletcrit levels may show a worse treatment response at 6 months. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of the study was to investigate the long-term treatment effects and predictive factors for treatment response and disease relapse for Takayasu’s arteritis (TA). Eighty-one patients were recruited from the Department of Rheumatology, Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University, between January 2009 and January 2015. The follow-up duration ranged from 6 to 36 months. Patients were divided into three groups: clinical remission (CR; n = 59); treatment-resistant (TR; n = 11); and disease relapse (DR; n = 11). Signs/symptoms, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), and imaging items were recorded at baseline and at each visit. Kerr’s criteria, physician’s global assessment, and Indian Takayasu Clinical Activity Score (ITAS2010) were used to evaluate disease activity. Incipient disease was more common in CR patients compared with DR cases (69.49 vs. 36.36%, p = 0.05). Fewer patients aged < 40 years were in the CR group in comparison with the DR group (57.63 vs. 90.91%, p = 0.04). In TR patients, high CRP levels (63.74 vs. 23.73%, p = 0.01) and aortic arch involvement (70.00 vs. 24.14%, p < 0.01) were more common in comparison with CR cases. Patients with high CRP levels (> 25 mg/L) (OR = 1.61, p = 0.03) carried a higher risk for treatment resistance. Age > 40 years (OR = − 2.82, p = 0.03), incipient disease (OR = − 2.47, p = 0.01), and treatment with cyclophosphamide (OR = − 2.07, p = 0.03) and hydroxychloroquine (OR = − 1.91, p = 0.05) could prevent disease relapse. Patients with high CRP levels carry a high risk of treatment resistance. In patients with incipient disease, aged > 40 years, treatment with cyclophosphamide and hydroxychloroquine protects against disease relapse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Co-production of hydrogen and valuable carbonaceous materials by catalytic methane decomposition (CMD) is a promising process. However, nowadays it is still difficult for various carbon catalysts to make it. Here CMD with addition of some CO 2 as co-feed was proposed and evaluated by using a hybrid of K 2 CO 3 and coal char (CC). Effect of the additional CO 2 as co-feed was investigated on methane conversion, the outlet gas composition, and the deposited carbon morphology. The results show that co-production of syngas (H 2 and CO) and carbon fibers/microspheres could be obtained along with high and stable methane (around 80%) and CO 2 conversion (up to about 100%) in the process. Stable molar ratios of H 2 /CO (ranging from 0.6:1 to 5:1) as well as different carbon morphologies (amorphous, fibrous or microspherical) can be regulated and controlled by the molar ratio of CH 4 /CO 2 (from 75:10 to 75:75) in the feedstock. Quantitative and qualitative analysis of the products show that there is probably a synergy between K 2 CO 3 and CC during the reaction process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • S-scheme hydrogen-bonded SubPc-2/Ag 3 PO 4 heterojunction was successfully fabricated. • SubPc-2/Ag 3 PO 4 exhibits efficient and stable photocatalytic degradation of PPCPs. • Theoretical and experimental results prove the S-scheme electron transport mechanism. • Photodegradation pathways were proposed based on DFT and HPLC-MS results. Controllable fine-tuning of heterojunction interfaces at the atomic level represents a promising strategy for enhancing semiconductor photocatalytic performance. Herien, we propose a strategy to introduce hydrogen-bonded electron channels at the heterojunction interface to achieve rapid interfacial electron transfer. This S-scheme hydrogen-bonded supramolecular self-assembled H 12 SubPcB-OPhCH 2 COOH/Ag 3 PO 4 semiconductor heterojunction exhibits efficient and stable photocatalytic degradation of a wide range of pharmaceuticals and personal care products. Experimental results and theoretical simulations demonstrate that the interface O-H⋅⋅⋅O hydrogen bond at the heterojunction generates an internal electric field, which provides the driving force for accelerated S-scheme charge transfer and enhanced redox properties. Furthermore, the combination of TDDFT calculations and synchronous illumination XPS has revealed that hydrogen bonding acts as a suction electron pump in the excited state, transferring electrons from Ag 3 PO 4 to SubPc-2. These findings suggest that hydrogen-bonded supramolecular semiconductor can be used to develop high-performance photocatalytic materials for environmental remediation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐oxidative dehydrogenation of propane is a highly efficient approach for industrial preparation of propene that is commonly catalyzed by noble Pt or toxic Cr catalysts and suffers from coking. In this work, ferric catalyst confined in a zeolite framework was synthesized by a hydrothermal procedure. The isolated Fe in the framework formed distorted tetrahedra, which were beneficial for the selective dehydrogenation of propane and reached over 95 % propene selectivity and over 99 % total olefins selectivity. This catalyst had a silanol‐free structure and was oxygen tolerant, hydrothermally stable, and coke free, with a deactivation constant of 0.01 h−1. This study provided guidance for the synthesis of structural heteroatomic zeolite and efficient propane non‐oxidative dehydrogenation over early transition metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Non‐oxidative dehydrogenation of propane is a highly efficient approach for industrial preparation of propene that is commonly catalyzed by noble Pt or toxic Cr catalysts and suffers from coking. In this work, ferric catalyst confined in a zeolite framework was synthesized by a hydrothermal procedure. The isolated Fe in the framework formed distorted tetrahedra, which were beneficial for the selective dehydrogenation of propane and reached over 95 % propene selectivity and over 99 % total olefins selectivity. This catalyst had a silanol‐free structure and was oxygen tolerant, hydrothermally stable, and coke free, with a deactivation constant of 0.01 h−1. This study provided guidance for the synthesis of structural heteroatomic zeolite and efficient propane non‐oxidative dehydrogenation over early transition metals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective To investigate the ability of 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT to predict new lesions in Takayasu arteritis. Methods Eighty-two Chinese patients with newly diagnosed Takayasu arteritis were recruited. Their clinical characteristics, serum biomarkers and imaging results were recorded at baseline and every visit. They were followed up for at least 2 years. New angiographic lesions were evaluated by magnetic resonance angiography. Baseline PET vascular activity scores (PETVAS) for predicting new lesions were evaluated. Results At baseline, a moderate correlation was observed between PETVAS and ESR (r = 0.74, P  < 0.01) and CRP level (r = 0.69, P  < 0.01). Overall, 18 (22%) patients showed new lesions on imaging during a median follow-up time of 36 months. The median time to the first occurrence of new lesions was 18 months. Compared with patients without new lesions, the patients with new lesions included more female patients (67.2% vs 94.4%, P  = 0.03), patients with higher ESR values (20 vs 49, P  = 0.02) and patients with active disease (62.5% vs 94.4%, P  < 0.01). Multivariate Cox regression analysis revealed PETVAS was an independent risk factor for new angiographic lesions (PETVAS ≥8, hazard ratio = 7.56; 95% CI 2.20, 26.01, P  < 0.01) with adjustment of age, sex, chest pain, ESR and Physician Global Assessment. Furthermore, patients with PETVAS ≥8 at baseline were more likely to experience adverse events including arterial ischaemic events during the follow-up. Conclusion PETVAS showed good performance in predicting new lesions in Takayasu arteritis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abnormal B cell differentiation plays a critical role in IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD), but the underlying mechanism remains largely unknown. We investigated the cell landscape from three IgG4-RD retroperitoneal tissues and three control tissues using single-cell RNA-sequencing. Critical cell type or markers were further validated in the peripheral blood from the patients with IgG4-RD and healthy controls via flow cytometry as well as in the IgG4-RD and control tissue via immunofluorescence staining. The increases in B cells, plasma cells, and CD4+ T cells were found in IgG4-RD retroperitoneal tissue. Importantly, among CD4+ T cells, an increase in CD4+CXCR5−PD1hi peripheral T helper (Tph) cells with a high expression of IL-21 and TIGIT was discovered in IgG4-RD tissue, which was further validated in peripheral blood of the patients with IgG4-RD. The Tph cell and TIGIT+ Tph cell proportion were remarkably higher in active IgG4-RD patients and correlated with disease activity. Moreover, TIGIT+CD4+ cells were able to promote B cell differentiation via IL-21. Our study revealed that Tph cells are increased in IgG4-RD and probably play critical roles in B cell differentiation through TIGIT-IL-21 axis. Peripheral Tph cell and TIGIT+Tph cell are potential markers for IgG4-RD disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hydrogen and carbon materials are two promising research topics in the field of environmentally benign energy and material science, respectively. Hydrogen production by methane decomposition can avoid the formation of CO x during the fossil fuel life cycle, paving the route for the development of a low-carbon hydrogen economy. The development of state-of-the-art catalysts plays a crucial role in efficient methane conversion for co-production hydrogen and nanocarbons by catalytic methane decomposition (CMD), and considerable effort has been made to develop various carbon-based catalysts in this field. This work provided a critical review on the theoretical and technological background of CMD over carbon-based catalysts, and summarized the recent research progress on the diverse commercial (i.e., activated carbon, carbon black, graphite, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, etc.) or non-commercial carbon materials (including mesoporous carbon, hierarchical porous carbons, heteroatom doped carbon, carbon supported catalysts, and so on.) as catalysts or catalyst supports and their applications in CMD. The process descriptions along with operating parameters of CMD (such as reaction temperature, pressure, space velocity, feedstock purity, reactor type and material) and the catalyst characteristics (such as preparation method and conditions, catalyst type and particle size, textural properties and surface chemistry) were discussed. Additionally, potential origin of the catalytic activity, microscopic understanding on the catalyst deactivation and regeneration, perspectives and challenges were also outlined. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identity and rate constants of elementary steps in primary reactions of oxidative coupling of methane (OCM) over Pb 2+ and/or F − substituted hydroxyapatite (HAP, Pb-HAP, HAP-F, and Pb-HAP-F) catalysts have been studied. The rigorous kinetics analysis suggests that HAP and HAP-F initiated the reaction between adsorbed methane and O 2 following Langmuir-Hinshelwood behavior. The Pb-HAP and Pb-HAP-F, however, enabled the reaction between gaseous methane and adsorbed O 2 in the Eley-Rideal mechanism. The F − substitution of OH − weakened both O 2 adsorption and C H bond activation, leading to low methane conversion and slightly higher C 2 H 6 selectivity. The substitution of Ca 2+ by Pb 2+ weakened both methane and oxygen adsorptions, but maintained C H bond activation and raised C 2 H 6 selectivity. The present analysis explored for the first time the effects of cation and/or anion in HAP on OCM reactions in which the analysis has been detailed and quantified in the nature of the mechanism-based kinetic models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The catalytic product of levansucrase from Bacillus subtilis (SacB) is mainly composed of 10 % high molecular weight levan (HMW, ~2000 kDa) and 90 % low molecular weight levan (LMW, ~7000 Da). In order to achieve efficient production of food hydrocolloid, high molecular weight levan (HMW), with the help of molecular dynamics simulation software, a protein self-assembly element, Dex-GBD, was found and fused with the C-terminus of SacB to construct a novel fusion enzyme, SacB-GBD. The product distribution of SacB-GBD was reversed compared with SacB, and the proportion of HMW in the total polysaccharide was significantly increased to >95 %. We then confirmed that the self-assembly was responsible for the reversal of the SacB-GBD product distribution by the simultaneous modulation of SacB-GBD particle size and product distribution by SDS. The hydrophobic effect may be the main driver of self-assembly as analyzed by molecular simulations and hydrophobicity determination. Our study provides an enzyme source for the industrial production of HMW and provides a new theoretical basis for guiding the molecular modification of levansucrase towards the size of the catalytic product. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Summary: Beta‐thalassaemia is an inherited haemoglobin disorder characterised by ineffective erythropoiesis (IE). The detailed pathogenesis of IE remains unclear. In this study, we used single‐cell RNA sequencing (scRNA‐seq) to examine IE in Th3/+ β‐thalassaemic mice. The results showed that the erythroid group was remarkably expanded, and genes involved in biological processes such as iron metabolism, haeme synthesis, protein folding, and response to heat were significantly upregulated from erythroid progenitors to reticulocytes in β‐thalassaemic mice. In particular, we identified a unique cell population close to reticulocytes, named ThReticulocytes, characterised by a high level of heat shock protein 70 (Hsp70) expression and dysregulation of iron metabolism and haeme synthesis signalling. Treatment of β‐thalassaemic mice with the haeme oxygenase inhibitor tin‐mesoporphyrin effectively improved the iron disorder and IE, and the ThReticulocyte population and Hsp70 expression were significantly suppressed. This study revealed in detail the progression of IE at the single‐cell level and possibly provided clues to find therapeutic targets in thalassaemia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Heme oxygenase 1 (HO-1), encoded by the HMOX-1 gene, is the main heme oxygenase that catalyzes the degradation of heme into iron, carbon monoxide, and biliverdin. HMOX-1 gene expression is stimulated by oxidative stress and regulated at transcriptional and post-transcriptional levels. After translation, subcellular location and protein stability of HO-1 are also altered by different extracellular and intracellular stimuli. HO-1 plays a key role in regulating iron homeostasis and cell protection and has become a new target for disease treatment. Erythropoiesis is a tightly controlled, iron-dependent process that begins with hematopoietic stem cells and maturates to red blood cells. HO-1 is expressed in hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells, hematopoietic niche cells, erythroblasts, and especially erythroblastic island and phagocytic macrophages. HO-1 functions importantly in the entire erythroid development process by influencing hematopoietic stem cell proliferation, erythroid lineage engagement, terminal erythroid differentiation, and even senescent RBC erythrophagocytosis. HO-1 is also related to stress erythropoiesis and certain red blood cell diseases. Elucidation of HO-1 regulation and function in erythropoiesis will be of great significance for the treatment of related diseases. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic CO 2 methanation is a potential solution for conversion of CO 2 into valuable products, and the catalyst plays a crucial role on the CO 2 conversion and CH 4 selectivity. However, some details involved in the CO 2 methanation over the carbon supported Ni catalysts are not yet fully understood. In this work, commercial coal char (CC) supported Ni catalysts were designed and prepared by two different methods (impregnation-thermal treatment method and thermal treatment-impregnation method) for CO 2 methanation. Effects of the preparation conditions (including the thermal treatment temperature and time, the mass ratio of CC:Ni and the preparation method), as well as the reaction temperature of CO 2 methanation, were investigated on the catalyst morphology, reducibility, structure and catalytic performance. Fibrous Ni-CC catalyst is achieved and shows high CO 2 conversion (72.9%–100%) and CH 4 selectivity (>99.0%) during the 600-min methanation process. Adverse changes of the catalyst surface and textural properties, reducibility, particle size and morphology are the potential factors leading to the catalyst deactivation, and possible solutions resistant to the deactivation were analyzed and discussed. The CO 2 methanation mechanism with the CO route was proposed based on the oxidation-reduction cycle of Ni in this work. [Display omitted] • Ni-coal char catalysts are prepared by two methods and used for CO 2 methanation. • Fibrous Ni-based catalyst shows CO 2 conversion >72.9% and CH 4 selectivity >99.0%. • CO 2 methanation mechanism with the CO route is proposed based on redox cycle of Ni. • Potential factors leading to catalyst deactivation and the solutions are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Efficient loading of TiO 2 nanoparticles (TiO 2 -NPs) on SPP nanosheets through solid-state dispersion. • Visible-light responsivity enhancement by introducing Ti3+ defects and oxygen vacancies. • Excellent visible-light-driven photocatalytic activity with a 95.6% degradation rate of methylene blue and 187.5 mg · g TiO 2 - 1 · h - 1 degradation efficiency. • Superior recyclability embodied in the retention of 96.4% photocatalytic activity after three regeneration cycles. Ti3+ defective TiO 2 nanoparticles (TiO 2 -NPs) were synthesized through slow hydrolyzation of tetrabutyl titanate and low-temperature annealing, followed by loading on self-pillared pentasil (SPP) zeolite nanosheets to construct a TiO 2 /zeolite hybrid composite by solid-state dispersion. The obtained TiO 2 -NPs/SPP composite exhibited a distinct red-shift in the UV–vis absorption spectrum and a significantly reduced band gap due to the introduced Ti3+ defects and the consequent oxygen vacancies (V O), leading to an enhanced visible-light responsivity. The diverse porosity and house-of-cards nanosheet morphology of the SPP support not only promoted the efficient loading and stable immobilization of TiO 2 -NPs nanoparicles through micropore migration and surface adhesion but also endowed the adsorbability to the TiO 2 -NPs/SPP composite. The adsorptive photodegradation of methylene blue (MB) was used to evaluated the photocatalytic performance of TiO 2 -NPs/SPP, and a 95.6 % degradation rate of MB was observed after 3 h illumination with visible-light. The adsorptive effect strongly promoted the accessibility of MB molecules to the active TiO 2 species, leading to a remarkable enhancement in degradation efficiency. Moreover, a superior recyclability embodied in the retention of 96.4 % photocatalytic activity after three regeneration cycles indicated the TiO 2 -NPs/SPP composite to be practical for water pollutant degradation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Metal oxide zeolite catalysts achieved 80.1% MNs selectivity and 97.4% 2-MN in MNs selectivity. • Medium strength high-density BAS enhanced the efficiency of C-C coupling and restricted deep alkylation. • BAS on the inner surface of zeolite was the key to the microporous shape-selective catalysis ability. • In situ IR characterization identified methoxy as the major intermediate. • 'Slow release' phenomenon observed in the concentrations of methylation reagents along the CO 2 hydrogenation route. Many researchers have extensively studied the alkylation of naphthalene with methanol for the preparation of high-value-added chemicals, especially methylnaphthalenes (MNs). Studies indicated that methanol generates a large number of methanol-to-olefin by-products on zeolites, resulting in low selectivity of the target product and poor stability of the catalyst, limiting its application in the industrial field. In this study, CO 2 hydrogenation was coupled with naphthalene alkylation, and the H 3 CO* active intermediate generated in situ was alkylated with naphthalene by using metal oxide-zeolite (OX-ZEO) bifunctional catalysts, which exhibited the 'slow release' phenomenon of the methylation reagent. It improved naphthalene conversion, suppressed deep alkylation and coke deposition side reactions and kept the catalyst stable for up to 500 h. A high-density and medium-strength Brønsted acid center facilitated the efficient migration of H 3 CO* active intermediates with the desorption of 2-methylnaphthalene (2-MN), which was particularly important for improving naphthalene conversion and 2-MN selectivity. The in situ IR showed that more Brønsted acid sites of Ga-S-1 effectively pulled the migration process of H 3 CO* species to the zeolitic acid center and increased the efficiency of C-C coupling compared to ZSM-5, which promoted the alkylation of H 3 CO* species with naphthalene. The results of chemisorption experiments showed that the medium-strength Brønsted acid site, which promoted the desorption of 2-MN, inhibited the deep alkylation reaction. The 2,6-dTBPy-IR results showed that the presence of fewer Brønsted centers on the outer surface of Ga-S-1 further optimized the product distribution and enhanced the selectivity of 2-MN in MNs to more than 90 %. Under optimal conditions, 80.1 % selectivity for MNs was obtained via ZnZrO x &Ga-S-1 bifunctional catalysts, with 97.4 % selectivity for 2-MN in MNs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of urate-lowering therapies (ULTs) on renal uric acid excretion in gout patients. This prospective observational study involved 106 primary gout patients and 51 healthy controls. Gout patients received ULT with either xanthine oxidase inhibitors or the uricosuric agent benzbromarone. Parameters such as 24-h urinary uric acid, creatinine clearance, uric acid clearance, glomerular filtration load of uric acid, fractional excretion of uric acid, excretion of uric acid per volume of glomerular filtration, and urinary uric acid to urinary creatinine ratio were used to evaluate the pre- and post-treatment renal capacity for uric acid clearance in gout patients and were compared with the values in the healthy controls. Compared to healthy controls, gout patients had higher glomerular filtration load of uric acid and lower uric acid clearance, creatinine clearance, and fractional uric acid excretion. After ULT, both the xanthine oxidase inhibitor group and benzbromarone group patients showed reduction in glomerular filtration load of uric acid. Creatinine clearance was significantly improved in the xanthine oxidase inhibitor group. Excretion function was remarkably enhanced in patients who reached the treatment target (serum uric acid <6 mg/dl). Changes in glomerular uric acid filtration load were significantly correlated with changes in serum urate levels. Gout patients have impaired renal uric acid excretion. ULTs reduce renal urate load and enhance the renal capacity of uric acid clearance. Xanthine oxidase inhibitors showed superiority over benzbromarone in improving renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The flow and heat transfer of three-by-eight laminar jet arrays impinging onto a dimpled surface with Reynolds number 100 in steady state have been investigated numerically in the present study. Grid independence was confirmed and good agreement was reached through comparison between the results obtained from the literature and the present work. The effect of jet-to-plate spacing ( H/ d = 1-10) dimple diameter ( Dd/ d = 2-4) and the dimple relative depth ( δ/ Dd = 0.10-0.30) on the flow and heat transfer characteristics of laminar impinging jet arrays was explored numerically. The average Nusselt number decreases with increasing jet-to-plate spacing, dimple relative depth, and dimple diameter. The jet flow in the downstream jets is deflected by crossflow, which makes low-velocity fluid appear in the corresponding dimples and the area is enlarged. Thus, the presence of dimples causes overall heat transfer deterioration in the laminar impinging jet arrays. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grand canonical Monte Carlo (GCMC) simulations combined with density functional theory (DFT) calculations were performed to evaluate the functionality effect of Li-doping on methanol adsorption over copper-based metal–organic frameworks (MOFs). In this work, a new Li-doping structure, Cu-BTC-Li, was theoretically constructed by introducing Li above both sides of organic linkers in Cu-BTC. Compared to the original Cu-BTC, Cu-BTC-Li shows higher methanol capacity and more continuous adsorption behavior in the measured pressure range. It can be attributed to the new adsorption sites (Li-sites) created by Li atoms, which turn to be the first preferential adsorption sites instead of Cu-sites, as revealed by the more exothermic binding energies (BEs) on Li-site (−90.55 kJ/mol) than the latter (−45.14 kJ/mol). Li-doping also shows varied effects on methanol adsorption at different pressures. The electrostatic interaction between methanol and framework plays a predominant role (with contribution over 95%) in the adsorption at low pressures, and Li-doping enhances adsorption by increasing the electrostatic potential of the framework. Although the dispersive interactions govern the adsorption at high pressures, Li-doping contributes to the dispersion. The present Li-doped functionalization can be extended to design new MOFs with high performance of alcohol capture in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A carbon-Ni/NiO/Ni(OH) 2 composite is prepared for supercapacitor electrodes. • The composite is obtained by CO 2 gasification of biomass and electrodeposition. • The prepared electrode shows the specific capacitance of 1875.6 F/g at 1 A/g. • The assembled ASC has a potential window of 1.6 V and energy density of 38.24 Wh/kg. • The assembled ASC displays the capacitance retention of 105 % after 6000 cycles. The growing demand for energy storage is required with the development of the intermittent renewable energy. Supercapacitors are a promising energy storage equipment, but their capacitive performance mainly depend on the electrode material. To obtain a high-performance electrode material for supercapacitors, in this work, a carbon-Ni/NiO/Ni(OH) 2 composite was prepared from pine sawdust as the carbon precursor by integrating CO 2 gasification and electrochemical deposition. It is found that the carbon-ternary nickel composite shows good electrochemical performance due to synergistic effect of the unique hierarchical structure and components involving porous carbon skeleton, Ni0 and NiO nanoparticles, and Ni(OH) 2 microspheres. The composite displays the specific capacitance of 1875.6 F/g (or 937.8 C/g) at a current density of 1 A/g in a traditional three-electrode system. The assembled asymmetric supercapacitor device presents a potential window of 1.6 V, along with the energy density of 38.24 Wh/kg at the power density of 400 W/kg (or 22.60 Wh/kg at 2000 W/kg). After 6000 charge-discharge cycles, the capacitance retention ratio of the assembled supercapacitor reaches up to 105 %, exhibiting a good application potential. This work provides a novel and handy strategy for preparation of ternary nickel-based composite for advanced supercapacitors. [Display omitted] [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Benzbromarone and febuxostat use different mechanisms to reduce serum urate. However, the effectiveness of benzbromarone versus febuxostat in reducing serum urate in gouty patients classified with different types of hyperuricaemia remains unclear. Method: In this retrospective study from January 1, 2018, to September 30, 2020, subjects were identified if they were newly treated with benzbromarone 25 mg daily or febuxostat 20 mg daily. The subjects were classified into four types according to their 24-h urinary uric acid and fractional excretion of uric acid. The baseline data and follow-up information after 28 ± 3 days of treatment were collected. Results: Seventy-three subjects with gout were finally enrolled. Among them, 50 were treated with benzbromarone. The percent changes in serum urate from the baseline were − 33.71 ± 13.59% and − 29.45 ± 10.62% in the benzbromarone and febuxostat group, respectively, without a significant difference between the groups (P = 0.188). No differences were found between the groups in subjects classified as the renal underexcretion type, combined type, or "normal" type. In patients with eGFR ≥ 70 mL/min/1.73 m2, the rate of serum urate lowering was higher in those treated with benzbromarone than in those treated with febuxostat. Febuxostat treatment significantly lowered serum creatinine from the baseline (P = 0.001). Conclusions: Benzbromarone 25 mg daily and febuxostat 20 mg daily may have comparable effectiveness in lowering the serum urate among different types of hyperuricaemia. Benzbromarone was more effective than febuxostat in lowering serum urate in subjects with eGFR ≥ 70 mL/min/1.73 m2, while febuxostat had a renal protective effect. Key Points • Benzbromarone 25 mg daily and febuxostat 20 mg daily may have comparable effectiveness in lowering the serum urate in patients with different types of hyperuricaemia. • Benzbromarone 25 mg daily was more effective than febuxostat 20 mg daily in lowering serum urate in subjects with eGFR ≥ 70 mL/min/1.73 m2. • Febuxostat had a renal protective effect after about 1 month treatment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective This study aimed to describe pulmonary high-resolution CT (HRCT) findings in Takayasu arteritis (TA) and to determine possible causes. Methods A total of 243 TA patients were enrolled from a prospective cohort after excluding patients with other pulmonary disorders or incomplete data. Patients were divided into two groups: those with normal lung HRCT and those with abnormal lung HRCT. Clinical characteristics were compared between groups and binary logistic regression analysis was applied to identify possible causes of the lung lesions. Follow-up HRCT (obtained in 64 patients) was analysed to study changes in pulmonary lesions after treatment. Results Of the 243 patients, 107 (44.0%) had normal lung HRCT while 136 (56.0%) had abnormal lung HRCT, including stripe opacity (60.3%), nodules (44.9%), patchy opacity (25.0%), pleural thickening (15.4%), pleural effusion (10.3%), ground-glass opacity (8.1%), pulmonary infarction (6.6%), mosaic attenuation (4.4%), bronchiectasis (3.7%) and pulmonary oedema (2.2%). Patients with abnormal HRCT were significantly more likely to have type II arterial involvement (25% vs 12.2 %, P  = 0.04), pulmonary arterial involvement (PAI; 21.3% vs 5.6 %, P  < 0.001), pulmonary hypertension (20.6% vs 8.4 %, P  = 0.01) and abnormal heart function (27.9% vs 7.6 %, P  < 0.001). Logistic regression analysis demonstrated that PAI, worsened heart function and age were associated with presence of pulmonary lesions. Pulmonary infarction, pleural effusion and patchy opacities improved partially after treatment. Conclusion Pulmonary lesions are not rare in patients with TA. Age, PAI and worsened heart function are potential risk factors for presence of pulmonary lesions in TA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • The spent carbon catalysts after the MDR are recycled for supercapacitor electrodes. • Porous carbon can be obtained from the spent catalysts with S BET of 616–865 m2 g−1. • The prepared electrodes show the specific capacitance of 151–190 F g−1 at 0.5 A g−1. • The assembled capacitor displays the capacitance retention of 90% after 5000 cycles. Methane dry reforming (MDR) is a potential solution to utilize the two greenhouse gases, CH 4 and CO 2 , but little work has been done to provide a strategy for recycling the spent catalysts especially for the carbon-based catalysts. Nowadays the use of low-cost and efficient electrode materials has received increasing attention for supercapacitors. In this work, the spent carbon-based catalysts recycled from MDR were used as the electrode materials of supercapacitors after KOH activation. The results show that the obtained porous carbon has a surface area up to 616–865 m2 g−1, and the specific capacitance value of 151–190 F g−1 can be achieved at a current density of 0.5 A g−1. The assembled electrochemical capacitor can power 10 LED-lights for more than 120 s by a single charge. This work provides a promising strategy for recycling the spent carbon-based catalyst with economic and environmental benefits. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • Catalytic behavior of MWW zeolites with different microstructure for alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene were investigated. • Acid sites located at external surface and within surface cavities are the effective active sites. • The TOF normalized by the number of effective acid sites over SL-MWW is unexpectedly lower than that of MCM-22. • Kinetic and DFT calculation results verify the presence of evident diffusion limitation of surface cavities. • The structure defect of surface cavities over MCM-36 result in the decrease of diffusion limitation and enhanced stability. The environmentally benign and long-lived zeolite catalyst is highly desired for Friedel-Crafts (FC) alkylation of benzene with long-chain olefins. Herein, MWW zeolites with different layer arrangements and surface structures are employed as model catalysts to investigate the effects of microscale structure on the catalytic behaviors for the alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene. It is revealed that two kinds of acid sites located on the external surface and within surface 12-membered ring (12MR) pockets of MWW zeolites are effective for this reaction. Unexpectedly, the turnover frequency (TOF) of the effective acid sites over single-layer MWW (SL-MWW) is significantly lower than that of MCM-22. Kinetic study indicates that apparent activation energy (E a) is decreased in the order of MCM-36 > MCM-22 > SL-MWW. Combined with DFT calculation, the lowest TOF and E a over SL-MWW can be reasonably attributed to the higher proportion of acid sites in the 12MR pockets and its higher diffusional limitation for products. Moreover, the highest E a of MCM-36 and adsorption energy verified the decreased diffusion limitation of 12MR pockets due to the structure defect resulting from the desilication. Finally, the highly efficient and stable MCM-36 catalyst was achieved in the optimal reaction conditions, which is a potential catalyst for industrial application in the field of FC alkylation reactions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • ZSM-xD zeolite with yolk-shell structure was prepared by Oswald ripening. • The performance of ZSM-xD for CCO aromatization to produce BTEX was evaluated. • The structure–activity relationship between ZSM-xD structure and catalytic products. • The excellent mass transfer ability of ZSM-xD promotes the alkylation of aliphatics. • Micro-mesoporous structure resists carbon deposition and aids catalyst regeneration. Aiming to improve the catalytic performance of HZSM-5 in the catalytic conversion of coal-oil co-refining oil, a range of zeolite catalysts (HZ5-xD) were prepared by adjusting the recrystallization times of dissolution–recrystallization of HZSM-5 basing on the Oswald ripening mechanism. The results show that HZ5-xD processes more easily accessible active sites and mixed microporous-mesoporous structures. Larger pore size and moderate acidity were beneficial for the generation of benzene, toluene, ethylbenzene and xylene (BTEX). The selectivity and yield of reached as high as 29.76 % and 236.83 mg·g−1 over HZ5-2D at 700 °C, respectively. Both HZSM-5 and HZ5-xD demonstrate high selectivity to C3 gaseous hydrocarbons, likely due to the obedience of the carbenium ion mechanism. HZ5-2D still demonstrated more excellent catalytic performance than HZSM-5 after five regenerations. Collectively, these finding illustrates the broad application potential of Oswald ripening in special morphologies of zeolite to improve the conversion efficiency of coal tar to BTEX. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Hepatitis B surface antigen, hepatitis B e antigen, and hepatitis B core antibody were positive. In this case, we localized massive HBsAg in the diseased vessel walls; furthermore, the subcutaneous nodules and finger ulcers were significantly improved after antiviral treatment, which suggests a close relationship between EGPA and HBV infection. [Extracted from the article]

The minimized diffusion limitation and completely exposed strong acid sites of the ultrathin zeolites make it an industrially important catalyst especially for converting bulky molecules. However, the structure-controlled and large-scale synthesis of the material is still a challenge. In this work, the direct synthesis of the single-layer MWW zeolite was demonstrated by using hexamethyleneimine and amphiphilic organosilane as structure-directing agents. Characterization results confirmed the formation of the single-layer MWW zeolite with high crystallinity and excellent thermal/hydrothermal stability. The formation mechanism was rigorously revealed as the balanced rates between the nucleation/growth of the MWW nanocrystals and the incorporation of the organosilane into the MWW unit cell, which is further supported by the formation of MWW nanosheets with tunable thickness via simply changing synthesis conditions. The commercially available reagents, well-controlled structure and the high catalytic stability for the alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene make it an industrially important catalyst. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The construction of hierarchical titanosilicate beta zeolites with desirably interconnected meso-/microporosity, controllable morphology and enhanced activity of catalytic oxidation is a pervasive challenge in the zeolite community. We report here in the synthesis of the hierarchical titanosilicate beta zeolite with a three-dimensionally ordered mesoporous-imprinted structure (3DOm-i Ti-beta) through the postsynthetic treatment of the parent 3DOm-i Al-beta by successive dealumination and titanation. The highly interconnected intracrystalline meso-/microporosity derived from the well-retained 3DOm-i structure led to both enhanced diffusion property and better accessibility of active sites to the bulky substrates, which was confirmed by the improved catalytic performances in the epoxidation of cyclic olefins (cyclohexene and cyclooctene) compared with the conventional solely microporous Ti-beta and TS-1. Moreover, the demonstrated that 3DOm-i Ti-beta catalyst exhibited not only a superior stability but also a facile recyclability by simple calcination in the epoxidation reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Catalytic methane decomposition (CMD) receives increasing attention for co-production of CO x -free hydrogen and valuable carbon by-product, and the catalyst plays a crucial role on methane conversion and the product features. Unsupported nickel catalysts derived from commercial nickel foam (NF) were prepared for CMD by mild pre-treatment. Effects of the pre-treatment method (acid treatment, thermal treatment, acid-thermal treatment and hydrogen reduction) and reaction temperature were explored on the NF morphology and CMD reactivity in a fixed-bed reactor. It is found that catalytic performance of the NF-based catalyst is highly dependent on the pre-treatment and reaction temperature. The thermal and acid-thermal treatments could greatly promote the catalytic activity (with methane conversion up to 74.6% and 91.8%, respectively) at 850 °C. To fully release potential abilities of the catalyst, the carbon deposited spent catalyst was recycled as a fresh catalyst in the CMD test by several strategies. High and stable methane conversion (up to around 90%–93%) can be achieved by simulating the operation model in a fluidized-bed reactor for a continuous CMD process. Besides, the carbon deposited spent catalyst could serve as a promising candidate of supercapacitor electrode material. • Unsupported nickel catalyst is prepared from nickel foam for CH 4 decomposition. • The catalyst activity highly depends on the pre-treatment and reaction temperature. • The carbon deposited spent catalyst is recycled as a fresh catalyst in the CMD test. • The carbon deposited spent catalyst can serve as a supercapacitor electrode material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Erythropoiesis involves complex interrelated molecular signals influencing cell survival, differentiation, and enucleation. Diseases associated with ineffective erythropoiesis, such as β-thalassemias, exhibit erythroid expansion and defective enucleation. Clear mechanistic determinants of what make erythropoiesis effective are lacking. We previously demonstrated that exogenous transferrin ameliorates ineffective erythropoiesis in β-thalassemic mice. In the current work, we utilize transferrin treatment to elucidate a molecular signature of ineffective erythropoiesis in β-thalassemia. We hypothesize that compensatory mechanisms are required in β-thalassemic erythropoiesis to prevent apoptosis and enhance enucleation. We identify pleckstrin-2—a STAT5-dependent lipid binding protein downstream of erythropoietin—as an important regulatory node. We demonstrate that partial loss of pleckstrin-2 leads to worsening ineffective erythropoiesis and pleckstrin-2 knockout leads to embryonic lethality in β-thalassemic mice. In addition, the membrane-associated active form of pleckstrin-2 occurs at an earlier stage during β-thalassemic erythropoiesis. Furthermore, membrane-associated activated pleckstrin-2 decreases cofilin mitochondrial localization in β-thalassemic erythroblasts and pleckstrin-2 knockdown in vitro induces cofilin-mediated apoptosis in β-thalassemic erythroblasts. Lastly, pleckstrin-2 enhances enucleation by interacting with and activating RacGTPases in β-thalassemic erythroblasts. This data elucidates the important compensatory role of pleckstrin-2 in β-thalassemia and provides support for the development of targeted therapeutics in diseases of ineffective erythropoiesis. Maria Feola et al., elucidate the compensatory role of pleckstrin-2 in ineffective erythropoiesis in β-thalassemic mice by reducing cofilin-mediated apoptosis and enhancing enucleation by activating RacGTPases. These findings could support future therapeutic interventions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the value of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in predicting long-term disease prognosis for Takayasu arteritis (TA). Methods: Sixty-seven TA patients, who had IL-6 levels detected at the first visit and had a regular follow-up of at least 2 years, were enrolled. Data recorded up to March 31, 2019, including clinical presentations, laboratory indices, treatments, and radiological images were collected and used for analysis. The value of IL-6 in predicting disease relapse and imaging progression was analyzed. Results: IL-6 levels were positively related with disease activity index, including Kerr scores, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels. Patients were divided into three groups according to baseline serum IL-6 levels: low group (< 5.4 pg/mL, n = 29), medium group (5.4–11.5 pg/mL, n = 20), and high group (> 11.5 ng/mL, n = 18). Patients in the medium and high group had higher disease activity than those in the low group (p < 0.01). Baseline IL-6 levels were correlated with luminal stenosis (p < 0.05), although no significant correlations with long-term imaging progression were observed. Patients with more than 2 episodes of disease relapses were most commonly seen in the medium group (p < 0.05). Multivariate Cox proportional hazard regression analysis indicated that medium and high IL-6 levels were positive predictors for disease relapse (HR 4.3, 95%CI 1.3–18.7 p = 0.07 for medium group; HR 2.1, 95% CI 0.7–48.9, p = 0.19 for high group) with disease status and treatment adjusted. Conclusions: IL-6 may be a valuable predictor of TA disease relapse during long-term follow-up. Treatments targeted at IL-6 pathways might reduce disease relapse and have better prognostic effects for TA. Key Points • Positive relationships between IL-6 levels and disease activity index, including Kerr scores, C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, etc. were indicated. • Medium and high baseline IL-6 levels were valuable for predicting disease relapse during the 2-year follow-up. • Baseline IL-6 levels were positively correlated with luminal stenosis on imaging. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To improve the stability of mordenite (MOR) in the alkylation of benzene with long chain olefin, hierarchical MOR zeolites were synthesized by using organosilane surfactant [3-(trimethoxysilyl)propyl]octadecyldimethyl-ammonium chloride (TPOAC) as the mesopore structure-directing agent. Our findings reveal that the crystal size, hierarchical structure, and acidic properties of the mesoporous MOR zeolites are significantly influenced by the TPOAC/SiO2 molar ratio in the synthesis gel. Moreover, the hierarchical MOR zeolite synthesized under the optimized synthesis conditions presented the pure phase of the MOR framework and uniform mesoporous distribution. More importantly, the catalytic performance evaluated by the alkylation of benzene with 1-dodecene indicates that the optimal mesoporous MOR zeolite shows improved stability and comparable selectivity of 2-phenyl alkane (2-LAB) around 80% compared to the conventional sole microporous MOR zeolite. The improved stability of the mesoporous MOR zeolite can be attributed to the enhanced diffusivity of long chain linear alkylbenzenes and oligomers due to interconnected meso-/microporosity in the MOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A facile one-pot process for synergistic conversion of coal char and methane is conducted by employing K 2 CO 3 as the catalyst. Besides syngas production, valuable carbon products are obtained and used to serve for supercapacitor electrodes. Effect of the operating parameters (including the catalyst dosage, gas feed flow rate, reaction temperature and time) is evaluated on electrochemical performance of the as-prepared carbon. The appropriate surface and structural properties enable the prepared carbon electrode to have a remarkable capacitive performance, along with a specific capacitance up to 125 F/g at a scan rate of 5 mV/s and 133 F/g at a current density of 1 A/g. According to the potential capacitive contribution of the carbon species, the high capacitive performance is mainly attributed to formation and growth of abundant carbon fibers in the one-pot process. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper investigated the performance of catalysts with different morphology in cracking of heavy-inferior oil (HIO) to aromatics with different alkane-aromatic ratios (AAR), which include high and low-temperature coal tar (HMCT, SMCT), liquid products of coal-oil co-refining (LCOCR and HCOCR) and petroleum (YLP). The experimental results indicated that Na+ and OH− have a competitive effect on the catalyst morphology, and that low alkalinity in the synthesis system favors the synthesis of 2D zeolites. The highest selectivity of aromatics in the products of HMCT, SMCT, HCOCR and YLP after catalysis by fast pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry can reach 92.8 %, 44.5 %, 51.7 % and 42.0 %, which are 8.9 %, 36.3 %, 38.2 % and 39.3 % higher than those in non-catalytic pyrolysis under the same conditions, respectively. The catalyst with a high amount of strong acid facilitates the conversion of HIO, and it is noteworthy that the presence of aromatics in HIO will contribute to the aromatization in the reaction, which is of great significance in promoting the deep processing of HIO. The structure-activity relationship between catalysts and products was investigated by machine learning, and the importance of features on the selectivity of BTEX decreases in the order of AS S > AS T > HFʺ > S micro > D pore size. Heavy and inferior oils (HIOs) with different alkane to aromatic ratios (AAR) cracking by MFI catalysts with different morphologies to aromatics. The structure-activity relationships and machine learning between conversion and zeolites were investigated. [Display omitted] • MFI zeolite morphology was modulated by the ratios of x Na 2 O: 100 SiO 2. • Taking five heavy-inferior oils (HIOs) as the catalytic evaluation object. • Structure-activity relationship between layered zeolites and BTEX was studied. • Feature importance of MFI-X structure and acidity was revealed by machine learning. • HIO with different alkane-aromatic ratio (AAR) was systematically studied. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]