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AbstractIn order to make more rational use of Flemingia Philippinensis, a systematic separation from the roots of F. philippinensis was performed in the current study. The investigation of chemical constituents resulted in the isolation of a rare prenylated isoflavone-quinone, fleminquinone A (1), together with four known analogues (2–5). Their structures were established by extensive physical and spectroscopic data analysis. Anti-inflammatory activities of the isolated compounds were evaluated in lipopolysaccharide induced mouse mononuclear macrophage leukemia cells RAW 264.7 model. Compound 1 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production and COX-2. Compound 1 also significantly affected the levels of inflammatory cytokines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The investigation of chemical constituents from the rhizomes of Ruscus aculeatus resulted in the isolation of two new biphenyl derivatives, aculebiphenyls A and B (1-2), together with two known analogs (3-4). Their chemical structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic interpretation and HR-ESI-MS analysis. Compounds 3-4 were isolated from the Ruscus genus for the first time. The isolated compounds were tested for anti-inflammatory activities and antibacterial activities. Compound 1 exhibited significant inhibitory effects on LPS-induced NO production and COX-2 with IC50 values of 10.8 µM and 0.4 µM. Compound 1 also significantly down-regulated the levels of inflammatory cytokines IL-1β, IL-6, and TNF-α. Compound 1 showed moderate antibacterial activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Theoretical investigations of K-shell Δn = 1 (1s → 2l) dielectronic recombination (DR) of B-like Ar13+ ions are performed. The resonance energies, autoionization and radiative rates, as well as DR strengths, are obtained with inclusion of Breit and QED corrections using the Flexible Atomic Code. Furthermore, the differential cross sections, linear polarization, and polarization-dependent spectra for KLL DR process are presented for X-ray dielectronic satellite lines. The present results indicate the importance of high-order trielectronic and quadruelectronic recombination. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: To assess temporal patterns and regional differences in the incidence rate, and factors associated with survival of urinary tract urothelial carcinoma. Methods: The medical records of 8830 patients with new diagnoses of urinary tract urothelial carcinoma in the years 2001–2010 were retrieved from Taiwan National databases. Temporal trends, regional disparity and related survival factors were evaluated using the Cochran–Armitage trend test, local Moran's I statistic and log‐rank test, respectively. Results: The annual urinary tract urothelial carcinoma incidence rates (standardized by age) were steady at approximately 3.14–3.41 per 100 000 person‐years. Notably, women had a significantly higher annual urinary tract urothelial carcinoma incidence than men in most of the years studied (range of female‐to‐male annual standardized rate ratio: 2.08–3.25), and diabetes prevalence in urinary tract urothelial carcinoma increased significantly from 12.3% to 23.4% per year over the 10 years. High urinary tract urothelial carcinoma incidence cluster areas other than the latest endemic area of "blackfoot disease" were newly identified by local Moran's I statistic (P < 0.05). Furthermore, older age, male sex, end‐stage kidney disease and more advanced tumor grade were associated with lower 5‐year overall survival probabilities in the 2001–2015 cohort. Conclusions: The incidence and survival of urinary tract urothelial carcinoma over the decade 2001–2010 were different according to population and regional features. Various urinary tract urothelial carcinoma screening, prevention, treatment and care plans should be developed depending on age, sex, comorbidity and area of residence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Two new prenylated coumarins, 3'-hydroxytoddanone (1), and isotoddalolactone (2), along with four known analogues (3–6) were isolated from the roots of Zanthoxylum nitidum. Their chemical structures were elucidated based on extensive spectroscopic interpretation and HR-ESI-MS analysis. The absolute configuration of compound 2 was determined by comparing experimental ECD spectrum with that calculated by the time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT) method. Compounds 4–6 were isolated from the Zanthoxylum genus for the first time. The two new compounds were tested for antiproliferative activities in vitro on the HL-60, K562 and THP-1 cell lines. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibited moderate cell growth inhibitory activities in vitro against human leukemic HL-60 cell lines, with IC50 values of 32.64 and 33.15 µM, respectively. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pangolins have been suggested as potential reservoir of zoonotic viruses, including SARS‐CoV‐2 causing the global COVID‐19 outbreak. Here, we study the binding of two SARS‐CoV‐2‐like viruses isolated from pangolins, GX/P2V/2017 and GD/1/2019, to human angiotensin‐converting enzyme 2 (hACE2), the receptor of SARS‐CoV‐2. We find that the spike protein receptor‐binding domain (RBD) of pangolin CoVs binds to hACE2 as efficiently as the SARS‐CoV‐2 RBD in vitro. Furthermore, incorporation of pangolin CoV RBDs allows entry of pseudotyped VSV particles into hACE2‐expressing cells. A screen for binding of pangolin CoV RBDs to ACE2 orthologs from various species suggests a broader host range than that of SARS‐CoV‐2. Additionally, cryo‐EM structures of GX/P2V/2017 and GD/1/2019 RBDs in complex with hACE2 show their molecular binding in modes similar to SARS‐CoV‐2 RBD. Introducing the Q498H substitution found in pangolin CoVs into the SARS‐CoV‐2 RBD expands its binding capacity to ACE2 homologs of mouse, rat, and European hedgehog. These findings suggest that these two pangolin CoVs may infect humans, highlighting the necessity of further surveillance of pangolin CoVs. SYNOPSIS: Pangolins have been suggested as potential reservoir of zoonotic viruses including SARS‐CoV‐2. This study shows that spike proteins of two pangolin‐origin coronaviruses (CoVs) also bind human SARS‐CoV‐2 receptor ACE2, with mutation in one key residue extending host range at the molecular level. Cryo‐EM structures of receptor‐binding domains (RBDs) from two pangolin CoVs in complex with hACE2 reveal a binding mode similar to SARS‐CoV‐2.Compared to SARS‐CoV‐2, pangolin CoV spike proteins exhibit a broader in vitro binding range to ACE2 from different species.Pseudotyped viruses incorporating spike protein from the two pangolin CoVs can infect hACE2‐expressing cells.Introducing the Q498H substitution found in pangolin CoVs into the SARS‐CoV‐2 RBD expands its binding capacity to ACE2 homologs of mouse, rat and European hedgehog. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Pd‐catalyzed regio‐ and stereoselective alkynylallylation of a specific C−C σ bond in cyclopropenes, using allyl propiolates as both allylation and alkynylation reagents, has been achieved for the first time. By merging selective C(sp2)‐C(sp3) bond scission with conjunctive cross‐couplings, this decarboxylative reorganization reaction features fascinating atom and step economy and provides an efficient approach to highly functionalized dienynes from readily available substrates. Without further optimization, gram‐scale products can be easily obtained by such a simple, neutral, and low‐cost catalytic system with high TONs. DFT calculations afford a rationale toward the formation of the products and indicate that the selective insertion of the double bond of cyclopropenes into the C‐Pd bond of ambidentate Pd complex and the subsequent nonclassical β‐C elimination promoted by 1,4‐palladium migration are critical for the success of the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Pd‐catalyzed regio‐ and stereoselective alkynylallylation of a specific C−C σ bond in cyclopropenes, using allyl propiolates as both allylation and alkynylation reagents, has been achieved for the first time. By merging selective C(sp2)‐C(sp3) bond scission with conjunctive cross‐couplings, this decarboxylative reorganization reaction features fascinating atom and step economy and provides an efficient approach to highly functionalized dienynes from readily available substrates. Without further optimization, gram‐scale products can be easily obtained by such a simple, neutral, and low‐cost catalytic system with high TONs. DFT calculations afford a rationale toward the formation of the products and indicate that the selective insertion of the double bond of cyclopropenes into the C‐Pd bond of ambidentate Pd complex and the subsequent nonclassical β‐C elimination promoted by 1,4‐palladium migration are critical for the success of the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A Pd‐catalyzed regio‐ and stereoselective alkynylallylation of a specific C−C σ bond in cyclopropenes, using allyl propiolates as both allylation and alkynylation reagents, has been achieved for the first time. By merging selective C(sp2)‐C(sp3) bond scission with conjunctive cross‐couplings, this decarboxylative reorganization reaction features fascinating atom and step economy and provides an efficient approach to highly functionalized dienynes from readily available substrates. Without further optimization, gram‐scale products can be easily obtained by such a simple, neutral, and low‐cost catalytic system with high TONs. DFT calculations afford a rationale toward the formation of the products and indicate that the selective insertion of the double bond of cyclopropenes into the C‐Pd bond of ambidentate Pd complex and the subsequent nonclassical β‐C elimination promoted by 1,4‐palladium migration are critical for the success of the reaction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, for some typical local slump problems, through the site survey of engineering conditions, we observe the local slumping parts, collect a large number of production data, and adopt the Chiping polar projection method to evaluate the initial stability of the problem area. The unstable structure is combined with the solid scale projection to analyze the sliding direction, the sliding surface, the sliding amount, and the like. The study has a clearer understanding of the local slump problem, and based on the stability judgment results, combined with the site conditions, ultimately serves the engineering examples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A copper-catalysed three-component iodoalkynylation reaction of arynes for the expeditious and versatile synthesis of o-alkynyl aryl iodides has been developed. Mechanism research shows that the reaction goes through two steps enabled by copper catalysis: the formation of 1-iodo-2-arylacetylene and the insertion of the aryne into a C(sp)–I bond. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Incidence of renal dysfunction and risks of progression to end-stage renal disease (ESRD) were reported higher in upper urinary tract urothelial carcinoma (UTUC) than in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) patients after unilateral nephrectomy.Methods: Totally 193 renal cancer patients, including 132 UTUC and 61 RCC, were studied to clarify whether the pathological changes of the kidney remnant removed from nephrectomy and the clinical factors might predict the risk of ESRD. Renal tubulointerstitial (TI) score and global glomerulosclerosis (GGS) rate were examined by one pathologist and two nephrologists independently under same histopathological criteria.Results: The glomerular filtration rates at the time of surgery were lower in UTUC than RCC groups (p < 0.001). Average GGS score and average TI rate were higher in UTUC than in RCC groups (p < 0.001; p < 0.001). Competitive risk factor analysis revealed that abnormal GGS rate not related to age, predominant in UTUC with pre-existing renal function impairment, was a histopathological predictor of poor renal outcomes (creatinine doubling or ESRD) within 5 years in UTUC patients.Conclusion: Pre-existing renal function and pathological change of kidney remnant in both UTUC and RCC have the value for prediction of renal outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We demonstrated a unique method for the detection of heavy metals, such as Ni, Cr, and Cd, at trace level in aqueous solutions by laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) enriched by aluminum oxide (Al2O3) nanoparticles (NP) adsorption. Al2O3 NPs were used for the sample phase transformation and heavy metals pre-concentration because of its excellent adsorption capacity and sparse spectral lines. The influence of laser wavelength and laser irradiance on the signal intensity was investigated. With 45 mL solutions used for enrichment and adsorption, limits of detection obtained for Ni, Cr, and Cd were 9.61, 8.49, and 71.6 μg/L under 532 nm laser ablation, and 22.5, 20.4, and 83.8 μg/L under 1064 nm laser ablation, respectively. The relative standard deviations of all elements were about 12% or 13%. Moreover, Al2O3 NPs adsorption enrichment of target elements was verified and the detection sensitivity was improved by increasing the amount of sample solutions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Metagenomic and metatranscriptomic sequencing approaches are more frequently being used to link microbiota to important diseases and ecological changes. Many analyses have been used to compare the taxonomic and functional profiles of microbiota across habitats or individuals. While a large portion of metagenomic analyses focus on species-level profiling, some studies use strain-level metagenomic analyses to investigate the relationship between specific strains and certain circumstances. Metatranscriptomic analysis provides another important insight into activities of genes by examining gene expression levels of microbiota. Hence, combining metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses will help understand the activity or enrichment of a given gene set, such as drug-resistant genes among microbiome samples. Here, we summarize existing bioinformatics tools of metagenomic and metatranscriptomic data analysis, the purpose of which is to assist researchers in deciding the appropriate tools for their microbiome studies. Additionally, we propose an Integrated Meta-Function mapping pipeline to incorporate various reference databases and accelerate functional gene mapping procedures for both metagenomic and metatranscriptomic analyses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Insulin resistance is inversely correlated with the clearance rate of uric acid, which may indicate that improvement in the clearance rate of uric acid could reduce insulin resistance. Considering the increased prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM) in the gout population, this study evaluated the effects of benzbromarone, a uricosuric agent, on the incidence of DM in the gout population. Methods We used data from the Taiwan National Health Insurance program. The benzbromarone user cohort included 8678 patients; each patient was age- and sex-matched with one benzbromarone non-user who was randomly selected from the gout population. The Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to estimate the effects of benzbromarone on the incidence of DM in the gout population. Results The incidence of DM was significantly lower in benzbromarone users than in benzbromarone non-users [adjusted hazard ratio (HR) = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.79, 0.94]. The HR for the incidence of DM was lower in male benzbromarone users (adjusted HR = 0.77; 95% CI: 0.69, 0.86) than in benzbromarone non-users. An analysis of three age groups (<40, 40–59 and ⩾60 years) indicated that the HRs of the age groups of 40–59 years (adjusted HR = 0.86; 95% CI: 0.76, 0.98) and ⩾60 years (adjusted HR = 0.82; 95% CI: 0.71, 0.94) were significantly lower among benzbromarone users than among benzbromarone non-users. Conclusion In the gout population, the incidence of DM was lower in benzbromarone users than in benzbromarone non-users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A fast and sensitive analysis for trace level heavy metals in aqueous solution was realized by using an improved laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) methodology. Solutions containing heavy metal elements, Ni, Cr, and Cd, were concentrated in a laser-pretreated area (25 × 20 mm 2 ) of a polished aluminum target surface, wherein pretreated grooves enabled homogeneous distribution of the metallic solutions in the well-defined area, and laser ablation of the aluminum target produced unique plasma excitation of various metallic ions. For 1-mL solutions deposited, we obtained an analytical precision of about 7% relative standard deviation (RSD), and limits of detection (LODs) of 22, 19, and 184 μg/L for Ni, Cr, and Cd, respectively. Moreover, the laser-pretreated metallic microstructure allowed more solution deposited with the help of a hot plate, which supported improvement of LODs to sub-μg/L level for Cr and Ni and μg/L level for Cd with about 20-mL solution engaged in the enrichment processes. The applicability of the proposed methodology was validated on certified reference materials and real river water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. The incidence and prevalence of gout are increasing, but the management is poor. Considering the increased prevalence of gout in the diabetic population, this study evaluated the effects of pioglita-zone, an insulin resistance inhibitor, on the incidence of gout in the diabetic population. Methods. We used data from the National Health Insurance program in Taiwan. The pioglitazone cohort contained 30100 patients and each patient was age and sex matched with three non-pioglitazone users who were randomly selected from the diabetic population. Cox proportional hazards regression analysis was conducted to estimate the effects of pioglitazone on the incidence of gout in the diabetic population. Results. The incidence of gout was significantly lower in pioglitazone users than in non-pioglitazone users [adjusted hazard ratio (aHR) 0.81 (95% CI 0.78, 0.85)]. The HR for the incidence of gout was lower in both male [aHR 0.80 (95% CI 0.75, 0.85)] and female [aHR 0.83 (95% CI 0.78, 0.88)] pioglitazone users than in non-pioglitazone users. An analysis of three age groups (<40, 40-59 and ≥60years) revealed that the HRs of both the 40-59years [aHR 0.78 (95% CI 0.73, 0.83)] and the ≥60years [aHR 0.85 (95% CI 0.80, 0.91)] age groups were significantly lower among pioglitazone users than non-pioglitazone users. Conclusion. Compared with the non-pioglitazone users, the incidence of gout in the diabetic population using pioglitazone was less. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on data of radiation fog events in Xuanen, Hubei province, 2010, this paper analyzes the microphysical process and evolution characteristics of radiation fogs with complicated substrate in the upper and middle reaches of the Yangtze River, and compares them with findings in other areas. Results are as follows: radiation fog in Xuanen is evidently weaker in droplet number concentration and liquid water content than land fogs in other areas. Its liquid water content fluctuates obviously, 0.01g/m3 with visibility of 1,000 meters, which is quite different from that in urban areas, but similar to the Nanling Mountains. Bi-modal droplet distribution is likely to occur in Xuanen mountain radiation fog (MRF) events. Statistical analysis shows that the observed droplet size distribution can be piecewise described well by the Gamma distribution. There is a positive correlation between liquid water content, fog droplet concentration and mean radius, especially in the development and dissipation stage. Condensation growth and droplet evaporation are major processes of Xuanen MRF. The dissipation time coincided with the time when the grass temperature reached the peak value, which indicated that dew evaporation is a key role in maintaining Xuanen MRF. In the early stage of dense fog's growth, droplets with diameter of over 20 micrometers can be observed with visibility of 800-1,000m, which might be caused by the transportation of low cloud droplets to earth's surface by turbulence. Big droplets in the initial stage correspond to higher water content, leading to the higher observed value of water content of Xuanen MRF. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A graphited g -C 3 N 4 assembled with highly-dispersed nickel (HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4) exhibits accelerated reaction kinetics, excellent reversible capacity, and rate performance due to superior metallicity with increased density of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy level, narrowed energy gap between LUMO and HOMO level, and decreased positive Gibbs energy of polysulfide conversion. [Display omitted] • A graphited g -C 3 N 4 assembled with highly-dispersed nickel is designed as a catalyst of Li-S battery. • Exhibiting superior metallicity with increased density of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy level. • Narrowed energy gap contributes much to fast kinetics of negative electrons and positive Li+ ions. • Positive Gibbs energy significantly decreases for the prepared cathode materials. Lithium-sulfur (Li-S) batteries are promising next-generation energy storage devices due to high theoretical energy density and low-cost. Nevertheless, the practical applications are hindered by polysulfide shuttling effect, low electrical conductivity of sulfur, and slower conversion kinetics. Here, the graphited g -C 3 N 4 assembled with highly-dispersed nickel (HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4) is designed as a catalyst to accelerate the reaction kinetics of lithium polysulfide. The oxidized Ni sites of HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4 molecules significantly accommodate the orbital for the electron clouds of polysulfide by forming S n 2–‧‧‧Ni-N active site, thus efficiently improving redox kinetics and mitigating shuttle effects. Based on density functional theory (DFT) calculations, HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4 exhibits a superior metallicity with increased density of states (DOS) at the Fermi energy level. Then, the narrowed energy gap between the lowest unoccupied molecular orbital (LUMO) and highest occupied molecular orbital (HOMO) level contributes to the enhanced conductivity of catalyst molecular and fast combination between electrons and Li+ ions. Moreover, the positive Gibbs free energy change is significantly decreased for the HDNi@ g -C 3 N 4 cathode. The Li-S battery exhibits a high reversible capacity of 1, 271.6 mAh g−1 at 0.1 C and a high rate capacity of 571.96 mAh g−1 at 2.0 C, a preferable cycling stability with a capacity retention of 53 % even after 500 cycles at a 1.0 C, and an average decay rate of 0.733 % per cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Haze-to-fog transformation during a long lasting, low visibility episode was examined using the observations from a comprehensive field campaign conducted in Nanjing, China during 4-9 December 2013. In this episode, haze was transformed into fog and the fog lasted for dozens of hours. The impacts of meteorological factors such as wind, temperature (T) and relative humidity (RH) on haze, transition and fog during this episode were investigated. Results revealed significant differences between haze and fog days, due to their different formation mechanisms. Comparison was made for boundary-layer conditions during hazy days, haze-to-fog days and foggy days. Distributions of wind speed and wind direction as well as synoptic weather conditions around Nanjing had determinative impacts on the occurrences and characteristics of haze and fog. Weakened southerly wind in southern Nanjing resulted in high concentration of pollutants, and haze events occurred frequently during the study period. The wind speed was less than 1 m s-1 in the haze event, which resulted in a stable atmospheric condition and weak dispersion of the pollutants. The height of the temperature inversion was about 400 m during the period. The inversion intensity was weak and the temperature-difference was 4°C km-1 or less in haze, while the inversion was stronger, and temperature-difference was about 6°C km-1, approaching the inversion layer intensity in the fog event. Haze event is strongly influenced by ambient RH. RH values increased, which resulted in haze days evidently increased, suggesting that an increasing fraction of haze events be caused by hygroscopic growth of aerosols, rather than simply by high aerosol loading. When RH was above 90%, haze aerosols started to be transformed from haze to fog. This study calls for more efforts to control emissions to prevent haze events in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chlorine content brought by salt in a composite powder was determined when the sample was prepared in pellet or first dissolved into solution and then dropped on the surface of a pure metallic target. The purpose is to address the matrix effect when the mixture powders of different kinds of mineral salt are used, and to compare the influence of the matrix effect for two kinds of sample preparation. Three types of powder mixture, NaCl + KBr, NaCl + MgSO 4 , and NaCl + Na 2 CO 3 , were then first prepared with well controlled proportion of salt (NaCl) and mineral salt powder. On one hand, pellets were prepared for laser ablation. On the other hand, mixture powder was dissolved in deionized water for analysis with surface-assisted laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) of solution by dropping it on the surface of a pure aluminum target. Calibration curves were established for the pellets and the solutions, respectively. The slopes of these curves provided an assessment of the matrix effect related to the different mineral salt matrix and different forms of the sample preparation. The similar responses from chlorine for the solution samples showed absence of matrix effect for analysis with the surface-assisted solution analysis configuration. This result was further confirmed by the consistence of the measured temperatures and the electron densities of the produced plasmas. In contrast, the slopes of the chlorine calibration curves exhibited significant variation for different pellet samples corresponding to different powder mixtures, which is an indication of matrix effect in the LIBS analysis of the pellet samples. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cross-species transmission of viruses from wildlife animal reservoirs, such as bats, poses a threat to human and domestic animal health. Previous studies have shown that domestic animals have important roles as intermediate hosts, enabling the transmission of genetically diverse coronaviruses from natural hosts to humans. Here, we report the identification and characterization of a novel canine coronavirus (VuCCoV), which caused an epidemic of acute diarrhea in Vulpes (foxes) in Shenyang, China. The epidemic started on November 8, 2019, and caused more than 39,600 deaths by January 1, 2022. Full-length viral genomic sequences were obtained from 15 foxes with diarrhea at the early stage of this outbreak. The VuCCoV genome shared more than 90% nucleotide identity with canine coronavirus (CCoV) for three of the four structural genes, with the S gene showing a larger amount of divergence. In addition, 67% (10/15) of the VuCCoV genomes contained an open reading frame (ORF3) gene, which was previously only detected in CCoV-I genomes. Notably, VuCCoV had only two to three amino acid differences at the partial RNA-dependent RNA polymerase (RdRp) level to bat CoV, suggesting a close genetic relationship. Therefore, these novel VuCCoV genomes represent a previously unsampled lineage of CCoVs. We also show that the VuCCoV spike protein binds to canine and fox aminopeptidase N (APN), which may allow this protein to serve as an entry receptor. In addition, cell lines were identified that are sensitive to VuCCoV using a pseudovirus system. These data highlight the importance of identifying the diversity and distribution of coronaviruses in domestic animals, which could mitigate future outbreaks that could threaten livestock, public health, and economic growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The most outstanding property of the heterogeneous transesterification catalysts is recyclable, but their catalytic activity may be depressed for the absorption of moisture (H 2 O) and carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) in air, especially for the basic ones. Lime mud (LM) is effective in catalyzing transesterification, yet its property in resisting H 2 O and CO 2 is indistinct, which should be emphasized. In this study, the LM based transesterification catalyst is prepared through calcinations. Then, it is hydrated and desiccated to simulate the contamination by H 2 O and CO 2 . Further, the fresh and the contaminated catalysts are characterized by X-ray diffraction (XRD), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), Hammette indicator, Brunauer–Emmett–Teller (BET) surface area and soluble alkali examination, to reveal the mechanism of LM in resisting H 2 O and CO 2 . Meanwhile, the analytical grade calcium oxide (CaO) is chosen for comparison. Finally, to comprehensively investigate the influences of H 2 O and CO 2 on LM in catalyzing transesterification, the factors of the catalyst addition percentage, molar ratio of methanol to oil and transesterification temperature are evaluated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Biodiesel is commonly derived from various feedstocks through transesterification. Since thermal degradation is concerned with a lot of scientific applications, it is essential to evaluate the thermal degradation characteristics for biodiesel. In this study, thermal degradation of biodiesel is investigated through thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) coupled with Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR). The fatty acid composition and the characteristic functional groups of biodiesel are detected by gas chromatography (GC) and FTIR in advance. Then, TGA experiments are conducted at linear heating rates from 20 °C min −1 to 40 °C min −1 under nitrogen atmosphere in temperature range from 25 °C to 600 °C. Subsequently, the activation energy, including enthalpy, is determined by Friedman method and Flynn–Wall–Ozawa method and the reaction order is calculated through the Avrami theory. In addition, the pre-exponential factor, the Gibbs free energy, and the entropy are also calculated. Finally, to obtain a comprehensive understanding for thermal degradation of biodiesels, all evolved products are detected by FTIR in real time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Kt/V and URR (urea reduction ratio) measurements represent dialysis adequacy. Single-pool Kt/V is theoretically a superior method and is recommended by the Kidney Disease Outcomes Quality Initiative guidelines. However, the prognostic value of URR compared with Kt/V for all-cause mortality is unknown. The effect modifiers and cut-off values of the two parameters have not been compared. We investigated 2615 incident hemodialysis patients with URR of 72% and Kt/V (Daugirdas) of 1.6. The average patient age was 59 years, 50.7% were female, and 1113 (40.2%) died within 10 years. URR and Kt/V were both positively associated with nutrition factors and female sex and negatively associated with body weight and heart failure. In Cox regression mod-els for all-cause mortality, the hazard ratios (HRs) of high URR groups (65–70%, 70–75%, and > 75%) and the URR < 65% group were 0.748 (0.623–0.898), 0.693 (0.578–0.829), and 0.640 (0.519–0.788), respectively. The HRs of high Kt/V groups (Kt/V 1.2–1.4, 1.4–1.7, and > 1.7) and the Kt/V < 1.2 group were 0.711 (0.580–0.873), 0.656 (0.540–0.799), and 0.623 (0.498–0.779), respec-tively. In subgroup analysis, Kt/V was not associated with all-cause mortality in women. The prognostic value of URR for all-cause mortality is as great as that of Kt/V. URR > 70% and Kt/V > 1.4 were associated with a higher survival rate. Kt/V may have weaker prognostic value for women. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Highlights: [•] The activated dolomite was used as the transesterification catalyst. [•] The dolomite presented the stronger catalytic capability than the calcium oxide. [•] The kinetic parameters of the transesterification were calculated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Five xanthones, 1,4,5,6-tetrahydroxyxanthone (1) and bracteaxanthones III–VI (2–5) together with twenty-six known compounds (6–31), were isolated from the ethanol extract of the stem bark of Garcinia bracteata. Their structures were elucidated via spectroscopic analyses. Growth inhibitory activities of these compounds against the human leukaemic HL-60 cell line were measured in vitro. Compounds 7, 11, and 29 exhibited moderate activities with GI50 values of 2.8, 3.4, and 3.1μM, respectively, and a preliminary structure–activity relationship is discussed. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Combustion characteristic of a bituminous coal and an anthracite coal in oxygen/carbon dioxide (O2/CO2) atmosphere is investigated in a thermogravimetric (TG) analyzer. The characteristic parameters, which are deduced from the TG–DTG (differential thermogravimetric) curves, show that the coal combustion process is basically kept consistent in O2/CO2 and O2/N2 atmosphere at the O2 concentration of 20%. The Coats–Redfern method with the reaction order of 1.25 could perfectly describe the combustion process in these two different atmospheres through the calculation of the kinetic parameters for the two coals. Nitric oxide (NO) release is concentrated in a narrower time period in O2/CO2 atmosphere compared with the one in O2/N2 atmosphere during the coal combustion process. Though the high value of the NO release rate peak, the total conversion of the fuel-N to NO is strongly depressed in O2/CO2 atmosphere, and at 1473K, the conversion is reduced by 28.99% for the bituminous coal and 22.54% for the anthracite coal, respectively. When O2 concentration is increased from 20% to 40% in O2/CO2 atmosphere, the coal combustion property is obviously improved with the shift of the whole process into the lower temperature zone and the more intensive of the reaction occurrence in a narrower temperature range. However, the total fuel-N to NO conversion is increased accordingly. For bituminous coal the increase is 17.22% at 1073K and 20.51% at 1173K, and for anthracite coal the increase is 15.73% at 1073K and 16.19% at 1173K. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Gout is strongly associated with the incidence of atherosclerotic events, including stroke and myocardial infarction. Considering the increased prevalence of stroke in the population with gout, the aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of benzbromarone, a uricosuric agent, on the incidence of stroke in the population with gout. We used data from the Taiwanese National Health Insurance Registration Database (NHIRD). The benzbromarone user cohort included 15,143 patients; each patient was age- and sex-matched with one non-user randomly selected from the population with gout. Cox proportional hazard regression analysis was conducted to estimate the effects of benzbromarone on the incidence of stroke in the population with gout. The incidence of stroke was significantly lower in benzbromarone users than in benzbromarone non-users. The HR for the incidence of stroke was lower in male benzbromarone users than in non-users. An analysis of three age groups (<40, 40–59, and ≥60 years) indicated that the HRs in those aged 40–59 years and ≥60 years were significantly lower among benzbromarone users than non-users. In the population with gout, the incidence of stroke was lower in benzbromarone users than in benzbromarone non-users. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In our efforts to find potential agents for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease in naturally occurring compounds, a systematic investigation for the active constituents of Flemingia philippinensis was carried out. Four new prenylated isoflavones, philippinone A-D (1–4), together with six known analogues (5 – 10) , were obtained from the roots of Flemingia philippinensis. Their structures were established through extensive physical and spectroscopic data analysis. All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibitory effect of self-induced A β aggregation among which compound 5 showed significant A β aggregation inhibitory ability with the inhibitory rate of 70.56%. The results of molecular docking experiment for compounds 1 and 6 corresponded to that of the thioflavin-T assay. Moreover, the results further clarified the effects of different substituent group of tested compounds on the A β aggregation inhibition. A preliminary structure-activity relationship is further discussed. Our results suggested that the isoflavonoids may mitigate the progression of AD and compounds 2 and 5 may be a candidate in the treatment of AD. [Display omitted] • Ten isoflavones were isolated from the roots of Flemingia philippinensis. • Four isolates were new and two isolates were got from Flemingia for the first time. • All the isolates were evaluated for their inhibition of self-induced A β aggregation. • Compound 5 showed notable A β aggregation inhibition with inhibitory rate of 70.56%. • Molecular docking was performed to study the interaction between isolates and A β 1 – 42. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Porcine epidemic diarrhea virus (PEDV) causes the third most important disease in the pig industry, after African swine fever and porcine reproductive and respiratory syndrome, and leads to illness or death of the entire litter, causing significant economic losses. In this study, three PEDV strains (HN-1, HN-2, and SC2023) were isolated from swine farms with suspected PEDV infections in Sichuan and Henan provinces. Phylogenetic analysis based on complete S gene sequences showed that all three strains belonged to the G2c subgroup. HN-1 adapted readily to cell culture, grew to a viral titer as high as 2 × 108 TCID50/mL in Vero cells, and caused the formation of large syncytia. We analyzed the amino acid sequence of the HN-1 isolate and found that its S1 subunit contained a three-amino-acid insertion (355KRL358). A seven-amino-acid-deletion (1377FEKVHVQ1383) in the S2 subunit resulted in the partial deletion of the endocytosis signal YxxΦ and the complete deletion of the endoplasmic reticulum retrieval signal (ERRS) KVHVQ in the cytoplasmic tail of the S protein. Consequently, HN-1 is predicted to be less pathogenic than its parent strain, an attribute that facilitates rapid cell-to-cell spread by enhancing syncytium formation. In addition, strain HN-1 was found to have the mutation 884–885SG→RR, which may favor adaptation to cell culture by providing new trypsin cleavage sites. These results suggest that HN-1 is a G2c subtype variant that adapts well to cell culture and can be used to study the adaptive mechanisms of PEDV and develop attenuated vaccines. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Schematic diagram for synthesis of porous α-Fe 2 O 3 nanostructures from MIL-100(Fe). • Preservation of the morphology structure of the MIL-100(Fe) as both precursor and template via two-step calcination. • The BET surface area of α-Fe 2 O 3 far higher than most of the previously reported values for α-Fe 2 O 3 samples. • The reducible and acid properties of the catalyst were superior to the reference sample. • Excellent NH 3 -SCR activity with 100% NO x conversion in a broadened temperature window and high SO 2 and H 2 O resistances. A novel porous α-Fe 2 O 3 nanocatalyst (Fe 2 O 3 -2S) was prepared via two-step controlled calcination process using MIL-100(Fe) as both precursor and template. The experimental results showed the preservation of the morphology structure of the original solid. A reference α-Fe 2 O 3 catalyst (Fe 2 O 3 -1S) was also developed by one-step calcination, whose original morphology and structure collapsed. The samples were systematically characterized to assess structure, texture, morphology and surface composition, as well as reducibility and surface acidity. The Fe 2 O 3 -2S catalyst showed excellent NH 3 -SCR activity with 100 % NO x conversion from 250 to 325 °C and high SO 2 /H 2 O duration and stability. The catalytic performance of Fe 2 O 3 -2S was explained by the structural, morphological, and chemical properties of the sample, particularly, the high surface area (227 m2/g) and surface oxygen (O α). In addition, the reducible and acid properties of this sample were superior to those of Fe 2 O 3 -1S, which were beneficial for the catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Obesity-related nephropathy is associated with renal function progression. However, some studies have associated a high body mass index (BMI) with improved renal outcomes—this is referred to as the obesity paradox for renal outcomes, especially in relation to advanced chronic kidney disease (CKD). Central obesity can explain the obesity paradox in all-cause mortality. However, whether obesity or central obesity is associated with renal outcomes (renal replacement therapy or a 50% decline in the estimated glomerular filtration rate) in patients with advanced CKD remains unclear. Our study included 3605 Asian patients with CKD stages 1–5 divided into six groups according to their BMI (between 15 and 35 kg/m2). Through linear regression, BMI was positively associated with hemoglobin and albumin at CKD stages 4 and 5. In the competing risk Cox regression model, a high BMI (27.5–35 kg/m2) was associated with renal outcomes at CKD stages 1–3, but not stages 4 and 5. A high BMI was associated with renal outcomes in patients with hemoglobin ≥11 g/dL, but not <11 g/dL. A high waist-to-hip ratio was not associated with renal outcomes. We conclude that the CKD stage and anemia may explain the obesity paradox in renal outcomes in patients with CKD. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

End-stage kidney disease (ESKD) presents a significant public health challenge, with hemodialysis (HD) remaining one of the most prevalent kidney replacement therapies. Ensuring the longevity and functionality of arteriovenous accesses is challenging for HD patients. Blood flow sound, which contains valuable information, has often been neglected in the past. However, machine learning offers a new approach, leveraging data non-invasively and learning autonomously to match the experience of healthcare professionas. This study aimed to devise a model for detecting arteriovenous grafts (AVGs) stenosis. A smartphone stethoscope was used to record the sound of AVG blood flow at the arterial and venous sides, with each recording lasting one minute. The sound recordings were transformed into mel spectrograms, and a 14-layer convolutional neural network (CNN) was employed to detect stenosis. The CNN comprised six convolution blocks with 3x3 kernel mapping, batch normalization, and rectified linear unit activation function. We applied contrastive learning to train the pre-training audio neural networks model with unlabeled data through self-supervised learning, followed by fine-tuning. In total, 27,406 dialysis session blood flow sounds were documented, including 180 stenosis blood flow sounds. Our proposed framework demonstrated a significant improvement (p<0.05) over training from scratch and a popular pre-trained audio neural networks (PANNs) model, achieving an accuracy of 0.9279, precision of 0.8462, and recall of 0.8077, compared to previous values of 0.8649, 0.7391, and 0.6538. This study illustrates how contrastive learning with unlabeled blood flow sound data can enhance convolutional neural networks for detecting AVG stenosis in HD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Oxide nanoparticles have shown excellent absorption capability of metal elements in fluid environment. Here for elemental analysis of solid powder samples (tea as an example) with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS), we successfully applied laser sintering induced adsorption of metal elements on oxide nanoparticles. Doped with Al 2 O 3 or SiO 2 nanoparticles followed by using continuous-wave laser to sinter the mixture pellets, the LIBS signals for the tea mixture pellets increased to 3–7 times for most metal elements, such as Mg, Ca, Na, and K, compared with those analyzed directly without laser sintering. Furtherly the enhancement was due to the laser sintered adsorption of metal elements on oxide nanoparticles. Owing to a high percentage addition of Al 2 O 3 nanoparticles in the tea pellets, the matrix effect from different kinds of tea was also reduced efficiently, which facilitate quantitative analyses for different tea samples. This method may find promising applications in elemental analysis of various solid samples. Unlabelled Image • Metal analysis of tea powder samples with laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. • Using oxide nanoparticles owing to excellent adsorption capability of metal ions. • Applying laser sintering induced adsorption of metal ions on oxide nanoparticles. • Enhancing LIBS signals of Mg, Ca, Na, and K in tea samples 3–7 times. • Facilitating quantitative metal analyses owing to matrix effect reducing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Chicken erythrocytes are involved in immunity through binding of toll-like receptors (TLRs) with their ligands to activate downstream signaling and lead to cytokine production in erythrocytes. Some avian β-defensins (AvBDs) are constitutively expressed in tissues and some others can be induced by various bacteria and viruses. However, the expression of AvBDs in erythrocytes has not yet been studied extensively. Results: The transcripts of eight AvBDs (AvBD1 to AvBD7, and AvBD9) and liver-expressed antimicrobial peptide-2 (LEAP-2) were found in normal chicken erythrocytes. The expression levels of AvBD2, 4 and 7 were significantly increased (P < 0.01), whereas the levels of AvBD1, 6 and 9 were significantly decreased (P < 0.01) after Marek's disease virus (MDV) infection. The mRNA expression level of LEAP-2 was not significantly changed after MDV infection. Highest viral nucleic acid (VNA) of MDV in the feather tips among the tested time points was found at 14 days post-infection (d.p.i.). In addition, 35 MD5-related gene segments were detected in the erythrocytes at 14 d.p.i. by transcriptome sequencing. Conclusions: These results suggest that the AvBDs in chicken erythrocytes may participate in MDV-induced host immune responses. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in fast-growing chickens is mainly caused by improper blood circulation. The exact mechanism underlying angiogenesis and vascularization in tibial growth plate of broiler chickens remains unclear. Therefore, this research attempts to study genes involved in the regulation of angiogenesis in chicken red blood cells. Twenty-four broiler chickens were allotted into a control and thiram (Tetramethyl thiuram disulfide) group. Blood samples were collected on day 2, 6 (8- and 14-days old chickens) and 15 (23 days old chickens). Results: Histopathology and hematoxylin and eosin (H&E) results showed that angiogenesis decreased on the 6th day of the experiment but started to recover on the 15th day of the experiment. Immunohistochemistry (IHC) results confirmed the expressions of integrin alpha-v precursor (ITGAV) and clusterin precursor (CLU). Transcriptome sequencing analysis evaluated 293 differentially expressed genes (DEGs), of which 103 up-regulated genes and 190 down-regulated genes were enriched in the pathways of neuroactive ligand receptor interaction, mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK), ribosome, regulation of actin cytoskeleton, focal adhesion, natural killer cell mediated cytotoxicity and the notch signalling pathways. DEGs (n = 20) related to angiogenesis of chicken erythrocytes in the enriched pathways were thromboxane A2 receptor (TBXA2R), interleukin-1 receptor type 1 precursor (IL1R1), ribosomal protein L17 (RPL17), integrin beta-3 precursor (ITGB3), ITGAV, integrin beta-2 precursor (ITGB2), ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 (RAC2), integrin alpha-2 (ITGA2), IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 2 (IQGAP2), ARF GTPase-activating protein (GIT1), proto-oncogene vav (VAV1), integrin alpha-IIb-like (ITGA5), ras-related protein Rap-1b precursor (RAP1B), tyrosine protein kinase Fyn-like (FYN), tyrosine-protein phosphatase non-receptor type 11 (PTPN11), protein patched homolog 1 (PTCH1), nuclear receptor corepressor 2 (NCOR2) and mastermind like protein 3 (MAML3) selected for further confirmation with qPCR. However, commonly DEGs were sarcoplasmic/endoplasmic reticulum calcium ATPase 3 (ATP2A3), ubiquitin-conjugating enzyme E2 R2 (UBE2R2), centriole cilia and spindle-associated protein (CCSAP), coagulation factor XIII A chain protein (F13A1), shroom 2 isoform X6 (SHROOM2), ras GTPase-activating protein 3 (RASA3) and CLU. Conclusion: We have found potential therapeutic genes concerned to erythrocytes and blood regulation, which regulated the angiogenesis in thiram induced TD chickens. This study also revealed the potential functions of erythrocytes. 1. Tibial dyschondroplasia (TD) in chickens were more on day 6, which started recovering on day 15. 2. The enriched pathway observed in TD chickens on day 6 was ribosome pathway, on day 15 were regulation of actin cytoskeleton and focal adhesion pathway. 3. The genes involved in the ribosome pathways was ribosomal protein L17 (RPL17). regulation of actin cytoskeleton pathway were Ras-related C3 botulinum toxin substrate 2 (RAC2), Ras-related protein Rap-1b precursor (RAP1B), ARF GTPase-activating protein (GIT1), IQ motif containing GTPase activating protein 2 (IQGAP2), Integrin alpha-v precursor (ITGAV), Integrin alpha-2 (ITGA2), Integrin beta-2 precursor (ITGB2), Integrin beta-3 precursor (ITGB3), Integrin alpha-IIb-like (ITGA5). Focal adhesion Proto-oncogene vav (Vav-like), Tyrosine-protein kinase Fyn-like (FYN). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background The World Health Organization has established interim guidance for hepatitis C virus (HCV) elimination. We aimed to prove the concept of "treatment as prevention" by conducting a prospective HCV elimination program for hemodialysis (HD) patients. Methods A universal HCV screen was launched in 22 HD centers in 2019. HCV-viremic patients were linked to care with direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). The second screen was performed in 2021 to evaluate the effect of link-to-care in lowering the prevalence of HCV viremia and the incidence of HCV new/re-infections. Results Of 2336 patients enrolled in the first screening in 2019, 320 (13.7%) were seropositive for anti-HCV and 181 (7.7%) were HCV-viremic. Of 152 patients successfully linked to treat with DAA, 140 (92.1%) patients achieved a sustained virological response. Of them, 1733 patients participated in the second surveillance. Five anti-HCV-negative patients experienced anti-HCV seroconversion. Of 119 DAA-cured patients and 102 spontaneous HCV clearance patients, none had HCV reinfection. The annual incidence of HCV new infection was 0.1%. Sixty-one of the 620 (9.8%) newly enrolled patients were anti-HCV-seropositive in the second survey. The overall HCV-viremic rate decreased from 7.7% in 2019 to 0.6% (15/2353) in 2021. At the institutional level, 45.5% (10/22) eradicated HCV and 82% (18/22) of HD units had no HCV new infections or reinfections. Conclusions The link-to-care project proved the concept of "treatment as prevention" by which HCV microelimination helps to prevent reinfection and new infections in the HD population. Trial registration: ClinicalTrials.gov identifier: NCT03803410 and NCT03891550. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A common complication of chronic kidney disease (CKD), anemia can influence glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) levels. In diabetic patients, anemia occurs earlier and with higher severity over the course of CKD stages. To elucidate the effect of hemoglobin (Hb) on the predictive value of HbA1c, we enrolled 1558 diabetic patients with stages 3–4 CKD, categorized according to baseline Hb and HbA1c quartiles. Linear regression revealed that higher HbA1c correlated significantly with higher Hb in the Hb < 10 g/dL group (β = 0.146, P = 0.004). A fully-adjusted Cox regression model revealed worse clinical outcomes in patients with higher HbA1c quartiles in the Hb ≥ 10 g/dL group. Hazard ratios for end-stage renal disease (ESRD), all-cause mortality, and composite endpoint (cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality) in patients with Hb ≥ 10 g/dL and the highest HbA1c quartile were 1.92 (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.17–3.15), 1.76 (95% CI, 1.02–3.03), and 1.54 (95% CI, 1.03–2.31), respectively. By contrast, HbA1c was not associated with clinical outcomes in the Hb < 10 g/dL group. In conclusion, in stages 3–4 diabetic CKD, higher HbA1c is associated with a higher risk of poor clinical outcomes in patients with Hb ≥ 10 g/dL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudorabies virus (PRV) variants have caused substantial economic losses in the swine industry in China since 2011. To surveil the genetic variation in PRV field strains, here, two novel variant strains of PRV were isolated from Shanxi Province in central China and were designated SX1910 and SX1911. To identify the genetic characteristics of the two isolates, their complete genomes were sequenced, and phylogenetic analysis and sequence alignment revealed that field PRV variants have undergone genetic variations; notably, the protein-coding sequences UL5, UL36, US1 and IE180 exhibited extensive variation and contained one or more hypervariable regions. Furthermore, we also found that the glycoproteins gB and gD of the two isolates had some novel amino acid (aa) mutations. Importantly, most of these mutations were located on the surface of the protein molecule, according to protein structure model analysis. We constructed a mutant virus of SX1911 with deletion of the gE and gI genes via CRISPR/Cas9. When tested in mice, SX1911-ΔgE/gI-vaccinated mice were protected within a comparable range to Bartha-K61-vaccinated mice. Additionally, a higher dose of inactivated Bartha-K61 protected the mice from lethal SX1911 challenge, while a lower neutralization titer, higher viral load and more severe microscopic lesions were displayed in Bartha-K61-vaccinated mice. These findings highlight the need for continuous monitoring of PRV and novel vaccine development or vaccination program design for PRV control in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Ischemic stroke (IS) is harmful to human health and social development, and there is no medicine available at present. To find the hit compound for treating ischemic stroke, we screened 28 FDA approved nervous system drugs by using an in vitro OGD-induced stroke model. Notably, our in vitro and in vivo studies demonstrated that low-dose sertraline had good neuroprotective activities, while high-dose sertraline showed significant toxicity. Interestingly, the same high-dose sertraline in the control group did not exhibit any obvious toxic effect. Therefore, it is important to modify the structure of sertraline to improve the activity and reduce the toxicity. Stereoisomers of sertraline were first investigated to analyze the influence of stereochemistry on the neuroprotective activities, which showed no obvious difference. Then we evaluated the activity of our previously reported sertraline analogues and found that introducing amide or alkane groups to the amino moiety might be beneficial to enhance the activity and reduce the toxicity. Thus, 10 new analogues were designed, synthesized, and evaluated. Among them, compound OY-201 showed the best safety and neuroprotective activity in both in vitro and in vivo models. Moreover, it exhibited good blood-brain barrier (BBB) permeability, indicating its potential for the development of anti-ischemic stroke drugs. [Display omitted] • Sertraline shows neuroprotective activity at low dose and toxicity at high dose on IS model. • Neuroprotective effects and cytotoxicity of 40 sertraline analogues are evaluated. • OY-201 shows good safety and neuroprotective effect in in vitro and in vivo models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aluminum (Al) and aluminum hydride (AlH 3) powders are important energetic materials but show an explosion risk when suspended in air. The explosion hazard of mixed dust forms the basis of safety design in industrial processes. In this work, the explosion characteristics and mechanism of Al/air, AlH 3 /air, and Al/AlH 3 /air were investigated by experiments and simulations. The results show that the induction time of Al dust explosion is longer than that of AlH 3 , but the explosion severity of Al dust is smaller than that of AlH 3. For the three-component Al/AlH 3 /air system, the addition of AlH 3 dust can shorten the explosion induction time of the mixed system. The maximum explosion pressure (P max) of the dust mixture first increases and then decreases with mixed concentrations. At a mixed concentration of 900 g/m3 and an AlH 3 content of 80%, the P max of the mixed dust is reached. [Display omitted] • The numerical model of AlH 3 and Al dust explosion is verified. • Induction time of Al dust explosion is longer than that of AlH 3 powder. • Peak overpressure of Al/AlH 3 /air is reached at 900 g/m3 and AlH 3 ratio of 80%. • Addition of AlH 3 dust into Al/air can shorten explosion induction time of mixture. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Iron deficiency is prevalent in women and patients with chronic kidney disease (CKD). Iron deficiency is not only related to anemia but contributes to adverse consequences for the kidney as well. Whether iron status is associated with renal outcomes after considering sex and anemia in patients with CKD stage 1–4 is unclear. Thus, we investigated the association of iron or iron saturation with renal outcomes in a CKD cohort. During a follow-up of 8.2 years, 781 (31.2%) patients met the composite renal outcome of renal replacement therapy and a 50% decline in renal function. In linear regression, iron was associated with sex, hemoglobin (Hb), and nutritional markers. In a fully adjusted Cox regression model, the male patients with normal iron had a significantly decreased risk of renal outcomes (hazard ratio (HR) 0.718; 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.579 to 0.889), but the female patients did not exhibit this association. The non-anemic patients (Hb ≥ 11 g/dL) had a decreased risk of renal outcomes (HR 0.715; 95% CI 0.568 to 0.898), but the anemic patients did not. In the sensitivity analysis, transferrin saturation (TSAT) showed similar results. When comparing iron and TSAT, both indicators showed similar prognostic values. In conclusion, iron deficiency, indicated by either iron or iron saturation, was associated with poor renal outcomes in the male or non-anemic patients with CKD stage 1–4. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A simple and general red light-induced oxidation of organoboron compounds to obtain hydroxyl has been developed with spinach as the photocatalyst in alcohol. This mild protocol shows broad substrate scope and provides a wide range of aliphatic alcohols and phenols in moderate to excellent yields. Notably, the robustness of this method is suitable for B(OH)2, Bpin, Bneo and BF3K substrates that respond to different lights, including red, blue and sunlight. A larger scale experiment and green chemistry metrics analysis prove that this is a robust and green approach, which can even be carried out using only kitchen equipment and ingredients. Further mechanistic investigation suggests that the reaction may involve superoxide anion radicals resulting from photoinduced electron transfer processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A high ultrafiltration rate (UFR) is associated with increased mortality in hemodialysis patients. However, whether a high UFR itself or heart failure with fluid overload followed by a high UFR causes mortality remains unknown. In this study, 2615 incident hemodialysis patients were categorized according to their initial cardiothoracic ratios (CTRs) to assess whether UFR was associated with mortality in patients with high or low CTRs. In total, 1317 patients (50.4%) were women and 1261 (48.2%) were diabetic. During 2246 (1087–3596) days of follow-up, 1247 (47.7%) cases of all-cause mortality were noted. UFR quintiles 4 and 5 were associated with higher risks of all-cause mortality than UFR quintile 2 in fully adjusted Cox regression analysis. As the UFR increased by 1 mL/kg/h, the risk of all-cause mortality increased 1.6%. Subgroup analysis revealed that in UFR quintile 5, hazard ratios (HRs) for all-cause mortality were 1.91, 1.48, 1.22, and 1.10 for CTRs of >55%, 50–55%, 45–50%, and <45%, respectively. HRs for all-cause mortality were higher in women and patients with high body weight. Thus, high UFRs may be associated with increased all-cause mortality in incident hemodialysis patients with a high CTR, but not in those with a low CTR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the number of foggy days in Nanjing in December from 1980 to 2011, we analyzed the surface temperature and atmospheric circulation characteristics of foggy years and less-foggy years. Positive anomalies of the Arctic Oscillation (AO) were found to weaken the East Asian trough, which is not conducive to the southward migration of cold air. Simultaneously, this atmospheric condition favors stability as a result of a high-pressure anomaly from the middle Yangtze River Delta region. A portion of La Niña events increases the amount of water vapor in the South China Sea region, so this phenomenon could provide the water vapor condition required for foggy days in Nanjing. Based on the data in December 2007, which contained the greatest number of foggy days for the years studied, the source of fog vapor in Nanjing was primarily from southern China and southwest Taiwan Island based on a synoptic scale study. The water vapor in southern China and in the southwestern flow increased, and after a period of 2-3 days, the humidity in Nanjing increased. Simultaneously, the water vapor from the southwestern of Taiwan Island was directly transported to Nanjing by the southerly wind. Therefore, these two areas are the most important sources of water vapor that results in heavy fog in Nanjing. Using the bivariate Empirical Orthogonal Function (EOF) mode on the surface temperature and precipitable water vapor, the first mode was found to reflect the seasonal variation from early winter to late winter, which reduced the surface temperature on a large scale. The second mode was found to reflect a large-scale, northward, warm and humid airflow that was accompanied by the enhancement of the subtropical high, particularly between December 15-21, which is primarily responsible for the consecutive foggy days in Nanjing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) has an extremely broad host range that includes hippopotami, which are phylogenetically closely related to whales. The cellular ACE2 receptor is one of the key determinants of the host range. Here, we found that ACE2s from several marine mammals and hippopotami could efficiently bind to the receptor-binding domain (RBD) of both SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 and facilitate the transduction of SARS-CoV and SARS-CoV-2 pseudoviruses into ACE2-expressing cells. We further resolved the cryo-electron microscopy complex structures of the minke whale ACE2 and sea lion ACE2, respectively, bound to the RBDs, revealing that they have similar binding modes to human ACE2 when it comes to the SARS-CoV-2 RBD and SARS-CoV RBD. Our results indicate that marine mammals could potentially be new victims or virus carriers of SARS-CoV-2, which deserves further careful investigation and study. It will provide an early warning for the prospective monitoring of marine mammals. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Parameterization of entrainment-mixing processes in cumulus clouds is critical to improve cloud parameterization in models, but is still at its infancy. For this purpose, we have lately developed a formulation to represent a microphysical measure defined as homogeneous mixing degree in terms of a dynamical measure defined as transition scale numbers, and demonstrated the formulation with measurements from stratocumulus clouds. Here, we extend the previous work by examining data from observed cumulus clouds and find positive correlations between the homogeneous mixing degree and transition scale numbers. These results are similar to those in the stratocumulus clouds, but proved valid for the first time in observed cumulus clouds. The empirical relationships can be used to parameterize entrainment-mixing processes in two-moment microphysical schemes. Further examined are the effects of secondary mixing events on the relationships between homogeneous mixing degree and transition scale numbers with the explicit mixing parcel model. The secondary mixing events are found to be at least partially responsible for the larger scatter in the above positive correlations based on observations than that in the previous results based on numerical simulations without considering secondary mixing events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]