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Methanol‐electrooxidation‐reaction (MOR) to value‐added formate is a promising alternative to water oxidation for cost‐efficient hydrogen production. It is generally proposed that the MOR kinetics on Ni‐based catalysts are highly limited by the transition rate of Ni(OH)2/NiOOH. Yet, how to define the catalyst following the direct pathway without Ni2+/Ni3+ transition remains challenging. Herein, a core@shell heterostructured NiMoPx@Ni5P4 catalyst is developed to selectively promote the MOR at a large current density (> 500 mA cm−2). A series of operando spectroscopic studies reveal negligible formation of NiOOH with 1.0 m methanol in a wide potential range, where MOR is predominant. Theoretical calculations demonstrate that the Ni‐P site of NiMoPx@Ni5P4 favors the adsorption of *CH3OH over *OH while the heterostructure contributes to the significantly reduced energy barrier of *OCH3 →*OCH2, hence promoting the MOR along a direct pathway without the formation of NiOOH. Moreover, further study suggests that the catalyst also performs well toward cathodic hydrogen evolution reaction (HER). As a result, an electrode pair of NiMoPx@Ni5P4//NiMoPx@Ni5P4 is employed to enable concurrent MOR/HER electrolysis at 1.81 V to yield formate/H2 with FEs of ca. 90/100% and long‐term (100‐h) sustainability at 500 mA cm−2 under the industrial conditions (6.0 m KOH, 65 °C). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atherosclerosis is a chronic lipid-driven inflammatory disease characterized by infiltration of large numbers of macrophages. The progression of the disease is closely related to the status of macrophages in atherosclerotic plaques. Recent advances in plaque analysis have revealed a subpopulation of macrophages that express high levels of triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells 2 (TREM2). Although TREM2 is known to play a critical role in inflammation, lipid metabolism, and tissue repair, its role in atherosclerosis is still not fully understood. Recent studies have shown that TREM2 promotes macrophage cholesterol uptake and efflux, enhances efferocytosis function, regulates inflammation and metabolism, and promotes cell survival, all of which are significant functions in atherosclerosis. In early plaques TREM2 promotes lipid uptake and increases lesion size. In advanced plaques TREM2 promotes macrophage survival and increases plaque stability. The dualistic nature of TREM2 in atherosclerosis, where it can exert both protective effect and a side effect of increased lesion size, presents a complex but crucial area of study. Understanding these dual roles could help in the development of new therapeutic strategies to modulate TREM2 activity and utilize its atheroprotective function while mitigating its deleterious effects. In this review, we discuss the roles and mechanisms of TREM2 during different stages of atherosclerotic plaques, as well as the potential applications of TREM2 in the diagnosis and treatment of atherosclerosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), a simple marker of systemic inflammation, is crucial in the progression of cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Its predictive value for all-cause and cardiovascular mortality in CVD patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes remains unclear. We analyzed 3,780 CVD patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (2001–2018). Kaplan-Meier survival curves, weighted Cox proportional hazards models, and restricted cubic spline (RCS) analyses were used to assess the relationship between NLR and mortality risk. RCS revealed a U-shaped association between NLR and all-cause mortality, with an inflection point at 1.776. For NLR < 1.776, the risk of all-cause mortality decreased by 13% per unit increase in NLR (HR: 0.87, 95% CI: 0.76–0.98). For NLR ≥ 1.776, the risk increased by 15% per unit increase (HR: 1.15, 95% CI: 1.10–1.26). A positive linear association was found between NLR and cardiovascular mortality, with a 17% increase in risk per unit increase in NLR (HR: 1.17, 95% CI: 1.10–1.25). No significant interactions were observed in stratified analyses. Our study revealed the U-shaped relationship between NLR and all-cause mortality, and a positive linear relationship with cardiovascular mortality in CVD patients with diabetes or pre-diabetes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Semi-covariance has attracted significant attention in recent years and is increasingly employed to elucidate statistical phenomena exhibiting fluctuations, such as the similarity or difference in charge patterns of spike proteins among coronaviruses. In this study, by examining values above and below the average/mean based on the positive and negative charge patterns of amino acid residues in the spike proteins of SARS-CoV-2 and its current circulating variants, the proposed methods offer profound insights into the nonlinear evolving trends in those viral spike proteins. Our study indicates that the charge span value can predict the infectivity of the virus and the charge density can estimate the virulence of the virus, and both predicated infectivity and virulence appear to be associated with the capability of viral immune escape. This semi-covariance coefficient analysis may be used not only to predict the infectivity, virulence and capability of immune escape for coronaviruses but also to analyze the functionality of other viral proteins. This study improves our understanding of the trend of viral evolution in terms of viral infectivity, virulence or the capability of immune escape, which remains further validated by more future studies and statistical data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Coupling electrooxidation of 2,5-bis(hydroxymethyl)furan (BHMFOR) with electroreduction of 5-hydroxymethylfurfural (HMFRR) might be a feasible approach towards the sustainable synthesis of value-added chemicals. Rational design of efficient and durable catalysts is crucial to this novel strategy. Herein, we demonstrate that the NiCo phosphide (NiCoP) nanosheet could be anodically reconstructed into a hydroxide-modified metaphosphate nanosheet (i.e., NiCoPi/Oi). The NiCoPi/Oi exhibits excellent BHMFOR performance with a low onset potential of 1.23 VRHE to yield 2,5-furandicarboxylic acid (FDCA) with nearly quantitative faradaic efficiency (FE), high selectivity (99%) and robust stability (for 10 cycles). A series of in situ spectroscopic analyses reveal dynamic cycles of NiOOH/Ni(OH)2 on the catalyst surface under the BHMFOR conditions, verifying an indirect oxidation pathway. As demonstrated by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, benefiting from the synergistic effect of heterostructures, the NiCoPi/Ni(OH)2 can enhance the adsorption of BHMF, hence promoting the BHMFOR through the indirect pathway. Furthermore, an electrode pair of NiCoP//NiCoPi/Oi is employed for the electrolysis of HMFRR/BHMFOR with graded electrolytes, fulfilling the concurrent synthesis of BHMF and FDCA with a combined FE of 134%. Our work thus provides new insights into catalyst design for biomass upgrading as well as a sustainable strategy for an overall conversion from HMF to FDCA. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Green hydrogen (H2) is an import energy carrier due to the zero-carbon emission in the energy cycle. Nevertheless, green H2 production based on electrolyzer and photovoltaics (EZ/PV) remains limited due to the highly pH-dependant and energy exhausting overall water splitting. Herein, we report a series of Ru-nanocluster-modified mesoporous nanospheres (Rux@mONC) as pH-universal electrocatalysts towards both hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and hydrazine oxidation reaction (HzOR). The optimal catalyst Ru20@mONC realizes remarkable catalytic activity and stability towards both HER and HzOR regardless of electrolytes. As a result, the electrode pair of Ru20@mONC//Ru20@mONC requires low cell-potentials of 39/429, 405/926, and 164/1,141 mV to achieve the current density of 10/100 mA·cm−2, as well as the long-term stability for HzOR assisted electrochemical water splitting in alkaline, acidic, and neutral media, respectively. Those performances are more promising compared to the state-of-the-art electrocatalysts so far reported. A proof-of-concept test demonstrates an efficient production of green H2 powered by a single-junction silicon solar cell, which may inspire the use of a cost-effective EZ/PV system. Furthermore, a combined spectroscopic and theoretical study verifies the formation of abundant Ru/NC heterointerfaces in Ru20@mONC, which not only contributes to the balancing of H* adsorption/desorption in HER but also facilitates the *N2H2 dehydrogenation in HzOR. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphite carbons have been widely used as catalyst support due to their low‐cost, tunable porous structure, high electrical conductivity, and good resistance to harsh conditions. To date, various defect engineerings have been adopted to enhance the cohesion between graphite carbons and metallic nanocatalysts. Nevertheless, the modification of carbon basal plane has been less explored. In this work, a dual modification strategy is developed to achieve novel carbon support (denoted as NCf) incorporating both C60 units and trace N‐defects. Benefiting from the dual anchoring modes (Ru–C and Ru–N–C), ultrafine ruthenium (Ru) nanoclusters (average size: 2.26 ± 0.38 nm) can be well‐dispersed and robustly anchored on the NCf support. The optimal Ru0.013@NCf catalyst exhibits decent catalytic activities and long‐term stabilities toward both alkaline hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) and aromatic nitroreduction (ANR), outperforming the individually modified counterparts. Computational studies suggest that introducing both C60 and N‐defects into carbon support leads to electron‐deficient Ru nanocluster, which is critical for not only HER but also ANR. This work thus provides a new guideline for rational design of advanced carbon supported nanocatalysts for multipurpose applications. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatohepatitis (MASH) is a highly prevalent liver disease globally, with a significant risk of progressing to cirrhosis and even liver cancer. Efferocytosis, a process implicated in a broad spectrum of chronic inflammatory disorders, has been reported to be associated with the pathogenesis of MASH; however, its precise role remains obscure. Thus, we aimed to identify and validate efferocytosis linked signatures for detection of MASH., Methods: We retrieved gene expression patterns of MASH from the GEO database and then focused on assessing the differential expression of efferocytosis-related genes (EFRGs) between MASH and control groups. This analysis was followed by a series of in-depth investigations, including protein-protein interaction (PPI), correlation analysis, and functional enrichment analysis, to uncover the molecular interactions and pathways at play. To screen for biomarkers for diagnosis, we applied machine learning algorithm to identify hub genes and constructed a clinical predictive model. Additionally, we conducted immune infiltration and single-cell transcriptome analyses in both MASH and control samples, providing insights into the immune cell landscape and cellular heterogeneity in these conditions., Results: This research pinpointed 39 genes exhibiting a robust correlation with efferocytosis in MASH. Among these, five potential diagnostic biomarkers- TREM2, TIMD4, STAB1, C1QC, and DYNLT1 -were screened using two distinct machine learning models. Subsequent external validation and animal experimentation validated the upregulation of TREM2 and downregulation of TIMD4 in MASH samples. Notably, both TREM2 and TIMD4 demonstrated area under the curve (AUC) values exceeding 0.9, underscoring their significant potential in facilitating the diagnosis of MASH., Conclusion: Our study comprehensively elucidated the relationship between MASH and efferocytosis, constructing a favorable diagnostic model. Furthermore, we identified potential therapeutic targets for MASH treatment and offered novel insights into unraveling the underlying mechanisms of this disease., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Cao, Liu, Guo, Weng, Chen, Luo, Wang, Zhu, Liu and Peng.)

Background: Recent studies have revealed a significant decrease in serum fetuin-A levels in atherosclerotic aneurysms, indicating that fetuin-A may play a protective role in the progression of arterial calcification. However, the specific mechanism behind this phenomenon remains unclear. We aimed to examine the association between fetuin-A levels in thoracic aortic aneurysms (TAAs) and risk of TAAs and to evaluate whether this association was causal., Methods: A total of 26 SNPs were selected as instrumental variables for fetuin-A in 9,055 participants of European ancestry from the CHARGE consortium, and their effects on thoracic aortic aneurysm and decreased descending thoracic aortic diameter were separately estimated in 353,049 and 39,688 individuals from FinnGen consortium. We used two-sample Mendelian randomization (MR) analysis to examine the causal association. At the same time, we employed various methods, including random-effects inverse variance weighting, weighted median, MR Egger regression, and MR PRESSO, to ensure the robustness of causal effects. We assessed heterogeneity using Cochran's Q value and examined horizontal pleiotropy through MR Egger regression and retention analysis., Results: Fetuin-A level was associated with a significantly decreasing risk of thoracic aortic aneurysm (odds ratio (OR) 0.64, 95% CI 0.47 - 0.87, P = 0.0044). Genetically predicted fetuin-A was also correlated with the decreased descending thoracic aortic diameter (β = -0.086, standard error (SE) 0.036, P = 0.017)., Conclusions: Serum fetuin-A level was negatively associated with risk of TTAs and correlated with the decreased descending thoracic aortic diameter. Mendelian randomization provides support for the potential causal relationship between fetuin-A and thoracic aortic aneurysm., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2024 Chen, Zhu, Guo, Cao, Xiao, Zhu, Weng, Hu, Luo, Wang, Wu, He, Yang and Peng.)

Fullerene-based micro/nano-architectures (FMNAs) with remarkable photoluminescence (PL) emissions have attracted considerable interest as potential building blocks for optical and biolabeling applications, by virtue of their low toxicity and environmentally friendly nature. Nevertheless, the PL polarization properties of FMNAs have rarely been explored. Herein, we demonstrate the preparation of highly crystalline architectures of C 84 , which exhibit polymorphism depending on the preparation conditions but possess similar hexagonal close-packed (hcp) structures. The PL data demonstrate that the as-prepared carambola-like hexagonal microprisms (c-HPs) show enhanced red emission compared to regular hexagonal microprisms (r-HPs). More importantly, the linear polarization of the PL emission is verified and estimated through single-prism spectroscopy, which changes from 0.42 (r-HP) to 0.58 (c-HP), comparable to those of traditional rod-like semiconductors. Thus, we demonstrate a significant correlation between the morphology and emission characteristics of C 84 -based microprisms, highlighting the possibility of controlling the photophysical properties of FMNAs by finely tailoring their external morphologies. This study expands the range of carbon materials with linearly polarized emissions and offers potential for use in polarization-based micro-scale sensors or detectors.

Objective: To explore the effectiveness of arthroscopic binding fixation using suture through single bone tunnel for posterior cruciate ligament (PCL) tibial insertion fractures in adults., Methods: Between October 2019 and October 2021, 16 patients with PCL tibial insertion fractures were treated with arthroscopic binding fixation using suture through single bone tunnel. There were 11 males and 5 females with an average age of 41.1 years (range, 26-58 years). The fractures were caused by traffic accident in 12 cases and sports in 4 cases. The time from injury to operation ranged from 2 to 10 days with an average of 6.0 days. The fractures were classified as Meyers-McKeever type Ⅱ in 4 cases and type Ⅲ in 9 cases, and Zaricznyi type Ⅳ in 3 cases. There were 2 cases of grade Ⅰ, 7 cases of grade Ⅱ, and 7 cases of grade Ⅲ in the posterior drawer test. There were 3 cases combined with lateral collateral ligament injury and 2 cases with meniscus injury. The visual analogue scale (VAS) score, Lysholm score, International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) score, and knee range of motion were used to evaluate knee joint function. The posterior drawer test and knee stability tester (Kneelax 3) were used to evaluate knee joint stability. The X-ray films were used to evaluate fracture reduction and healing., Results: All incisions healed by first intention after operation. There was no incision infection, popliteal neurovascular injury, or deep venous thrombosis of lower limbs. All patients were followed up 6-12 months, with an average of 10 months. X-ray films at 6 months after operation showed the fractures obtained bone union. There were 11 cases of grade 0, 4 cases of gradeⅠ, and 1 case of grade Ⅱin posterior drawer test, showing significant difference when compared with preoperative results ( Z =23.167, P< 0.001). The VAS score, Lysholm score, IKDC score, knee range of motion, and the results of Kneelax3 examination all significantly improved when compared with preoperative results ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: For adult patients with PCL tibial insertion fractures, the arthroscopic binding fixation using suture through single bone tunnel has the advantages of minimal trauma, good fracture reduction, reliable fixation, and fewer complications. The patient's knee joint function recovers well.

Electrochemical reduction reaction of nitrate (NITRR) provides a sustainable route toward the green synthesis of ammonia. Nevertheless, it remains challenging to achieve high-performance electrocatalysts for NITRR especially at low overpotentials. In this work, hierarchical nanospheres consisting of polycrystalline Iridium&copper (Ir&Cu) and amorphous Cu 2 O (Cu x Ir y O z NS) have been fabricated. The optimal species Cu 0.86 Ir 0.14 O z delivers excellent catalytic performance with a desirable NH 3 yield rate (YR) up to 0.423 mmol h -1  cm -2 (or 4.8 mg h -1  mg cat -1 ) and a high NH 3 Faradaic efficiency (FE) over 90% at a low overpotential of 0.69 V (or 0 V RHE ), where hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) is almost negligible. The electrolyzer toward NITRR and hydrazine oxidation (HzOR) is constructed for the first time with an electrode pair of Cu 0.86 Ir 0.14 O z //Cu 0.86 Ir 0.14 O z , yielding a high energy efficiency (EE) up to 87%. Density functional theory (DFT) calculations demonstrate that the dispersed Ir atom provides active site that not only promotes the NO 3 - adsorption but also modulates the H adsorption/desorption to facilitate the proton supply for the hydrogenation of *N, hence boosting the NITRR. This work thus points to the importance of both morphological/structural and compositional engineering for achieving the highly efficient catalysts toward NITRR., (© 2023 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) have become a disease burden that plagues the world, and a large proportion of the world's mortality currently stems from atherosclerotic CVD. In addition to traditional therapies, we need to find more therapeutic targets and strategies in scientific research to address this challenge. In recent years, as research on gut microbiota has continued, there has been a clearer understanding of the role that metabolites from gut microbes play during atherosclerosis (AS). A growing body of research suggests that trimethylamine oxide (TMAO) is an independent risk factor for CVD and that gut microbe-dependent TMAO plays a critical role in AS. Therefore, interventions targeting TMAO have the potential to become a new therapeutic strategy for AS. This review provides a brief overview of the relationship between TMAO and atherosclerosis. More importantly, several potential atherosclerosis treatment strategies targeting TMAO and its metabolic pathways have been revealed by recent studies and will be the focus of this review. This review summarizes possible therapeutic strategies in terms of change of diet, adjustment of gut microbiota, suppression of liver enzyme activity, and improvement of renal function, in the hope of providing new insights for developing efficient and cost-effective treatment and prevention for AS., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)