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Objective To investigate the effect of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) metagenomic next - generation sequencing (mNGS) in diagnosis and treatment of intracranial infection. Methods A retrospective analysis of 117 patients with intracranial infection were admitted to Shenzhen Second People's Hospital from January 2020 to December 2022. Before initiating empirical broad - spectrum antibiotic treatment, CSF samples were collected for microbial culture (conventional culture group, n = 58) and/or mNGS (mNGS group, n = 59). The results were used to adjust the antibiotic treatment plan, and the study compared the pathogen detection rates and result reporting times of the two testing methods, as well as the antibiotic intensity grading, the intensive care unit (ICU) stay, total hospital stay, and mortality rate. Results A total of 65 pathogens were detected from the CSF samples of all the patients through microbial culture and/or mNGS, with viruses being the most prevalent, accounting for 49.23% (32/65), followed by Gram-negative bacteria (24.62%, 16/65), Gram-positive bacteria (18.46%, 12/65) and fungi (7.69%, 5/65). The pathogen detection rate of CSF mNGS was higher than that of CSF microbial culture (χ2 = 22.781, P = 0.000), and the results were reported earlier (t = - 32.588, P = 0.000). Based on the results, 20 cases (33.90%) in the mNGS group adjusted antibiotic treatment plan, with 5 cases downgrading and 15 cases upgrading the intensity of antibiotic application. In the conventional culture group, 30 cases (51.72%) adjusted their antibiotic treatment plan, with 17 cases downgrading and 13 cases upgrading the intensity of antibiotic application. There was no significant difference between the 2 groups (Z = - 1.917, P = 0.055). And there was no statistically significant difference in ICU stay (Z = - 0.716, P = 0.474）, total hospital stay (Z = - 0.933, P = 0.351) and mortality rate (Fisher's exact probability: P = 0.496) between the 2 groups. Conclusions The application of mNGS can effectively improve the detection rate of intracranial infection pathogens, which may shorten the duration of antibiotic use and reduce the intensity of broad - spectrum antibiotics, so as to help clinical effective judgment and treatment decision.

Objective To investigate the efficacy of cluster therapy in the treatment of severe intracranial infection. Methods The clinical data of 43 patients with severe intracranial infection in Shenzhen University General Hospital and Shenzhen Second People's Hospital from July 2020 to June 2023 were retrospectively analyzed. Patients with intracranial infection were treated with cluster therapy: systemic broad-spectrum antibiotics were used at first; cerebrospinal fluid was obtained by multiple drainage routes for routine and biochemical testing, and then cultured and undertook next - generation sequencing (NGS); head/chest CT and brain MRI plain and enhanced scan were performed; after the NGS results were reported, precisely adjust the drug treatment according to the infection pathogen; sequentially use different drainage protocols of infected cerebrospinal fluid. Patients with severe intraventricular inflammation were treated with ventriculoscope (flexible endoscope) irrigation and fistula; cerebrospinal fluid, microbial culture and whole blood test for infection indicators were regularly extracted for laboratory test, and the type and dosage of antibiotics were adjusted one week after the indicators returned to normal, and the treatment effect of patients was judged comprehensively according to blood, cerebrospinal fluid, imaging results and clinical signs of infection. Results Sixteen patients were administered a broad - spectrum antibiotic regimen consisting of meropenem and vancomycin. Cerebrospinal fluid analysis revealed that 12 cases (27.91%) were culture-positive for microbial organisms (bacteria, fungi, viruses), while 35 cases (81.40%) yielded positive results in NGS. Upon identification of the pathogen via NGS, 15 cases were switched to targeted, sensitive antibiotics, with 12 cases exhibiting notable improvements in symptoms, and 3 cases demonstrating no significant changes. A total of 27 patients (62.79%) underwent surgical intervention, including 7 patients (16.28%) who underwent abscess puncture drainage, 6 patients (13.95%) who received Ommaya sac implantation, 11 patients (25.58%) who underwent external ventricular drainage (8 of whom also underwent ventriculoscopic irrigation and ventriculostomy), and 3 patients (6.98%) who were treated with lumbocisterna drainage. The length of hospitalization was 30 (19, 57) d. The 37 cases (86.05%) were successfully cured, while 6 cases (13.95%) died. Conclusions The cure rate of patients with severe intracranial infection was significantly improved after cluster therapy, and early initiation of cluster therapy can significantly improve the prognosis of patients, which is worthy of clinical application.

Vacuum induction-melting gas atomization (VIGA) is considered a widely applied method to prepare metal powders. However, the nozzle clogging problem in the VIGA process seriously affects the continuity of production and greatly increases the economic and time costs. In the atomization initial stage, the existence of unsteady state atomization mainly results in the nozzle clogging challenge. To understand the formation mechanism of nozzle clogging, a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model was established to simulate the influence of unsteady state atomization sequence on the primary atomization of alloy melt. Typically, there are two kinds of sequence including starting the gas before pooling the alloy (namely, GA) and pouring the alloy before opening the gas (AG). The movement trajectory of the alloy melt droplet at the end of the delivery-tube was clarified. Based on CFD simulation, the atomization sequence of AG and GA was precisely controlled in the atomization pressure range of 2.5 MPa, 3.5 MPa, and 4.5 MPa to address the nozzle clogging issue. In the GA process, relatively finer powder was obtained at 3.5 MPa without nozzle clogging occurring. In contrast, the AG process greatly reduces the probability of nozzle clogging at 2.5–4.5 MPa, the final prepared powder is coarser. The predicted results of industrial experiments and numerical simulations are consistent. This study provides theoretical support for understanding the formation mechanism of nozzle clogging during the VIGA process.

Enhancement in the visible light absorption and efficient interfacial charge transfer is crucial for optimizing photocatalytic efficiency in the degradation of pollutants such as methyl orange (MO) and formaldehyde. This study focuses on the properties of a TiO2/C/g-C3N4 hybrid efficient photocatalyst, which is developed using an air calcination method to deposit graphitic nitride (g-C3N4) onto a carbon-modified TiO2 surface. The characterization techniques, including high-resolution transmission electron Microscopy (HRTEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), Raman spectroscopy, thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), were used to provide a comprehensive understanding of the material’s structural, morphological, thermal, and chemical properties. This hybrid catalyst is specifically engineered for the efficient decomposition of methyl orange (MO) and formaldehyde, demonstrating a significant increase in photocatalytic activity. The TiO2/C/g-C3N4 photocatalyst also exhibits an enhanced specific surface area of 181.2 m2/g, which facilitates increased physical adsorption and photo-catalytic active sites. Experimental results confirm that this catalyst effectively adsorbs MO physically even in the dark without degradation. Combining physical and photo-catalytic functions, this catalyst degrades 94 % of MO within 180 min with the initial concentration 0.2 mol/L of MO, and achieves almost 100 % decolorization of MO under visible light irradiation. Notably, the catalyst retains its high activity after 4 cycles of MO degradation, underscoring its durability and consistent performance. Additionally, the hybrid catalyst features a staggered type-II energy level configuration, which effectively enhances charge separation and boosts photocatalytic efficacy. The incorporation of an ultrafine carbon layer further augments electron mobility towards the surface, crucial for effective catalytic reactions. This study paves the way for future development of highly efficient photocatalytic materials for environmental purification.

IntroductionTraumatic brain injury (TBI) seriously affects the quality of human health and the prognosis of the patient, but the epidemiological characteristics of TBI can vary among populations. Numerous changes have occurred in the epidemiological characteristics of individuals with TBI in the fast-paced city of Shenzhen, China. However, little is known about these characteristics. This study aimed to investigate the changes in TBI epidemiology, help clinicians improve medical treatment.MethodsIn this retrospective cross-sectional analysis, we collected the data of 4,229 patients with TBI admitted to 20 hospitals in Shenzhen in 2017. We collected data on age, gender, cause and severity of the injury, eventual diagnosis, time from injury to admission in a neurosurgery department, and patient outcomes. Two neurosurgeons simultaneously collected the data. We compared these results with a similar study conducted in Shenzhen during the period from 1994 to 2003 to clarify and explain the changes in the epidemiological characteristics of TBI.ResultsThe majority of respondents were men [2,830 (66.9%)]. The mean age was 32.5 ± 21.4 years. The youngest patient was less than 1 year old, and the oldest patient was 101 years old. A total of 3,947 (93.3%) patients had a favorable outcome, 219 (5.2%) had an unfavorable outcome, and 63 (1.5%) died. The predominant external cause was falls (1,779 [42.1%]); this was the most common cause of TBI in children and older adults. Riders of electric bicycles (423 [29.0%]) were the most vulnerable to traffic accident-related injuries. Time greater than 50 h from injury to admission to a neurosurgical department had a significant effect on prognosis (p

Abstract Developing highly efficient magnetic microwave absorbers (MAs) is crucial, and yet challenging for anti-corrosion properties in extremely humid and salt-induced foggy environments. Herein, a dual-oxide shell of ZnO/Al2O3 as a robust barrier to FeSiAl core is introduced to mitigate corrosion resistance. The FeSiAl@ZnO@Al2O3 layer by layer hybrid structure is realized with atomic-scale precision through the atomic layer deposition technique. Owing to the unique hybrid structure, the FeSiAl@ZnO@Al2O3 exhibits record-high microwave absorbing performance in low-frequency bands covering L and S bands with a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of -50.6 dB at 3.4 GHz. Compared with pure FeSiAl (RLmin of -13.5 dB, a bandwidth of 0.5 GHz), the RLmin value and effective bandwidth of this designed novel absorber increased up to ~ 3.7 and ~ 3 times, respectively. Furthermore, the inert ceramic dual-shells have improved 9.0 times the anti-corrosion property of FeSiAl core by multistage barriers towards corrosive medium and obstruction of the electric circuit. This is attributed to the large charge transfer resistance, increased impedance modulus |Z|0.01 Hz, and frequency time constant of FeSiAl@ZnO@Al2O3. The research demonstrates a promising platform toward the design of next-generation MAs with improved anti-corrosion properties.

To determine the possible role of matrix metallopeptidase (MMP)-8 and MMP-9 in the development of chronic subdural hematoma (CSDH), we investigated their expression in CSDH. In our previous study, we analyzed hematoma fluid and peripheral blood of 83 patients with CSDH, including 17 postoperative patients. Based on these results, we included 50 people in the normal group and analyzed 20 markers in the peripheral blood of each person. In order to identify representative markers, it was assessed by using overall differential gene expression. The concentration of MMP-8 was significantly higher in the normal group than that in the preoperative and postoperative groups. The concentration of MMP-9 was significantly lower in the normal group than in both preoperative and postoperative groups. Immunohistochemistry confirmed the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 in CSDH membranes. In conclusion, our results provide evidence of the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 in CSDH. In addition, the expression of MMP-8 and MMP-9 suggests angiogenesis in CSDH formation.

Abstract The cryptocurrency economy provides a comprehensive digital trace of human economic behavior: almost all cryptocurrency users’ activities are faithfully recorded in transactions on public blockchains. However, the user identifiers in the transaction records, i.e., blockchain addresses, are anonymous. That is, they cannot be associated with any real “off-chain” identify of actual users. Nonetheless, identifying the economic roles of the addresses from their past behaviors is still feasible. This paper analyzes Ethereum token transactions, characterizes key economic agents’ behavior from their transaction patterns, and explores their identifiability through interpretable machine learning models. Specifically, six types of most active economic agents are considered, including centralized cryptocurrency exchanges, decentralized exchanges, cryptocurrency wallets, token issuers, airdrop services, and gaming services. Transaction patterns such as trading volume, transaction tempo, and structural properties of transaction networks are defined for individual blockchain addresses. The results showed that cryptocurrency exchanges and online wallets have signature behavior patterns and hence can be accurately distinguished from other agents. Token issuers, airdrop services, and gaming services can sometimes be confused. Moreover, transaction networks’ features provide the richest information in the economic agent’s identification.

Abstract Background Glioblastoma multiforme, the most aggressive and malignant primary brain tumor, is characterized by rapid growth and extensive infiltration to neighboring normal brain parenchyma. Our previous studies delineated a crosstalk between PI3K/Akt and JNK signaling pathways, and a moderate anti-glioblastoma synergism caused by the combined inhibition of PI3K p110β (PI3Kβ) isoform and JNK. However, this combination strategy is not potent enough. MLK3, an upstream regulator of ERK and JNK, may replace JNK to exert stronger synergism with PI3Kβ. Methods To develop a new combination strategy with stronger synergism, the expression pattern and roles of MLK3 in glioblastoma patient’s specimens and cell lines were firstly investigated. Then glioblastoma cells and xenografts in nude mice were treated with the PI3Kβ inhibitor AZD6482 and the MLK3 inhibitor URMC-099 alone or in combination to evaluate their combination effects on tumor cell growth and motility. The combination effects on cytoskeletal structures such as lamellipodia and focal adhesions were also evaluated. Results MLK3 protein was overexpressed in both newly diagnosed and relapsing glioblastoma patients’ specimens. Silencing of MLK3 using siRNA duplexes significantly suppressed migration and invasion, but promoted attachment of glioblastoma cells. Combined inhibition of PI3Kβ and MLK3 exhibited synergistic inhibitory effects on glioblastoma cell proliferation, migration and invasion, as well as the formation of lamellipodia and focal adhesions. Furthermore, combination of AZD6482 and URMC-099 effectively decreased glioblastoma xenograft growth in nude mice. Glioblastoma cells treated with this drug combination showed reduced phosphorylation of Akt and ERK, and decreased protein expression of ROCK2 and Zyxin. Conclusion Taken together, combination of AZD6482 and URMC-099 showed strong synergistic anti-tumor effects on glioblastoma in vitro and in vivo. Our findings suggest that combined inhibition of PI3Kβ and MLK3 may serve as an attractive therapeutic approach for glioblastoma multiforme.

Abstract Rough Li plating, low ionic conductivity, and low thermal stability of conventional electrolytes post‐primary challenges for achieving reliable high‐capacity rechargeable lithium batteries, for which lithium metal is frequently proposed as the most promising anode material. Conventional low‐polarity commercial polypropylene/polyethylene separators fail to support the application of high‐energy‐density Li anodes due to their rigid physicochemical properties and the high reactivity of Li metal, leading to fatal dendrite formation and vigorous exothermic reaction with electrolytes. Herein, we develop a Li‐wetting, flame‐retardant binary polymer electrolyte by functionalizing poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) separators with nonflammable polybenzimidazole (PBI) to build safe room‐temperature solid‐state electrolyte membranes. A dendrite‐free LiFePO4 cell with the solid polymer electrolyte (SPE) delivers a discharge capacity of 127 mAh g−1 at 25°C with a capacity retention of 87.5% after 500 cycles at 0.5°C (0.15 mA cm−2). Phase‐field simulations and density functional theory calculations demonstrate that the negatively charged benzimidazole chains of PBI own superior affinity to lithium bis(trifluoromethanesulfonyl)imide (LiTFSI), and shares overlapping electron density with Li anode, giving rise to accelerated Li+ conduction at room temperature and uniform Li electrodeposition at the electrolyte/Li metal interface. The SPE is also flame‐retardant since heat‐resistant polytetrafluoroethylene and a dense, heat‐blocking graphitized carbon layer are formed in intense heat through dehydrogenation/fluorination of PVDF under the catalysis of Lewis base imidazole rings and the decomposition of benzimidazole rings in PBI. No such fire‐resistant mechanism is ever reported in conventional electrolytes.

Summary: Additive engineering has become increasingly important for making high-quality perovskite solar cells (PSCs), with a recent example involving acid during fabrication of cesium-based perovskites. Lately, it has been suggested that this process would introduce dimethylammonium ((CH3)2NH2+, DMA+) through hydrolysis of the organic solvent. However, material composition of the hydrolyzed product and its effect on the device performance remain to be understood. Here, we present an in-depth investigation of the hydrolysis-derived material (i.e., DMAPbI3) and detailed analysis of its role in producing high-quality PSCs. By varying the ratio of CsI/DMAPbI3 in the precursor, we achieve high-quality CsxDMA1-xPbI3 perovskite films with uniform morphology, low density of trap states, and good stability, leading to optimized power conversion efficiency up to 14.3%, with over 85% of the initial efficiency retained after ∼20 days in air without encapsulation. Our findings offer new insights into producing high-quality Cs-based perovskite materials. : Energy Sustainability; Materials Characterization; Energy Materials Subject Areas: Energy Sustainability, Materials Characterization, Energy Materials

In order to study the occurrence mechanism of rock burst in L-shaped zone during a fully mechanized mining period, the No. 705 working face which is located in Baojishan Colliery is taken as a typical engineering background. By means of in situ investigation, theoretical analysis, numerical simulation, in situ tests, and relevant monitoring methods, the occurrence mechanism of rock burst and corresponding prevention technology are studied. The results show that a coal pillar with some confining pressure in the L-shaped zone is established by FLAC3D numerical simulation software, and the numerical simulation results indicate that the change in static load has a greater effect than dynamic load on coal pillar unstable failure; the static load plays a role in storing energy, and dynamic load plays a role in inducing rock burst; the bolt-mesh-cable support and high-pressure water jet unloading combined technology is put forward to prevent rock burst in roadways, and the numerical simulation results show that stress distribution of surrounding rock meets the model of strong-soft-strong (3S) structure, and the moment distribution is reasonable. In the follow-up mining, a limit value of coal fines is used to determine that this measure is a reasonable method to prevent rock burst. The study conclusions provide theoretical foundation and new guidance for preventing rock burst by synergistic effect technology in roadways.

Liver cancer is considered the sixth most commonly diagnosed cancer and the fourth leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. Currently, there is no specific and effective therapy for hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, developing novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies against hepatocellular carcinoma is of paramount importance. Solute carrier family 6 member 8 (SLC6A8) encodes the solute carrier family 6-8 to transport creatine into cells in a Na + and Cl - - dependent manner. SLC6A8 deficiency is characterized by intellectual disabilities, loss of speech, and behavioral abnormalities. Of concern, the association of SLC6A8 with hepatocellular carcinoma remains elusive. In this study, we revealed that SLC6A8 knockdown significantly induced apoptosis and suppressed the migration and invasion of Hep3B and Huh-7 cells. These findings depicted the vital role of SLC6A8 in the initiation and progression of human hepatocellular carcinoma.

PurposeTo investigate differences in cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) flow through the aqueduct and to determine whether there is a relationship between CSF flow and ventricular volume parameters in idiopathic normal pressure hydrocephalus (iNPH) patients, elderly acquired hydrocephalus patients and age-matched healthy volunteers by phase-contrast MR (PC-MR).MethodsA total of 40 iNPH patients and 41 elderly acquired hydrocephalus patients and 26 age-matched healthy volunteers in the normal control (NC) group were included between November 2017 and October 2019 in this retrospective study. The following CSF flow parameters were measured with PC-MR: peak velocity, average velocity (AV), aqueductal stroke volume (ASV), net ASV, and net flow. The following ventricular volume parameters were measured: ventricular volume (VV), brain volume, total intracranial volume, and relative VV. Differences between the iNPH and acquired hydrocephalus groups were compared Mann–Whitney U test and correlations between CSF flow and ventricular volume parameters were assessed using the Spearman correlation coefficient.ResultsAqueductal stroke volume was significantly higher in the iNPH and acquired hydrocephalus groups than in the NC group, but did not differ significantly between the iNPH group and acquired hydrocephalus group. The AV, net ASV, and net flow in the iNPH and acquired hydrocephalus groups were significantly higher than those in the NC group (P < 0.0001), and those in the acquired hydrocephalus group were significantly higher than those in the iNPH group (P = 0.01, P = 0.007, P = 0.002, respectively). The direction of the AV and net ASV significantly differed among the three groups. There were no associations between the volume parameters and CSF flow according to PC-MR among the three groups.ConclusionCompared with iNPH, elderly acquired hydrocephalus demonstrated higher CSF hyperdynamic flow. Although increased CSF flow may contribute to further changes in ventricular morphology, there is no linear relationship between them. These findings might help increase our understanding of flow dynamics in iNPH and elderly acquired hydrocephalus.

Phosphides of transition metals (TMPs) are a developing class of materials for hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) as an alternative to expensive noble metals to produce clean energy. Herein, the nitrogen-doped molybdenum oxide (MoOx) is developed via a facile and simple hydrothermal method, followed by annealing in the N2 atmosphere and phosphorization to form a nitrogen-doped oxygenated molybdenum phosphide (N-MoP) sphere-shaped structure. The developed N-doped phosphide structure depicts enhanced HER activity by reaching a current density of 10 mA cm−2 at a very low overpotential of only 87 mV, which is much better than annealed nitrogen-doped molybdenum oxide (A-MoOx) 138 mV in alkaline medium. N-MoP is a highly efficient electrocatalyst for HER attributed to a more exposed surface, large electrode/electrolyte interface and appropriate binding energies for reactants. This study extends the opportunity of developing nitrogen-doped TMPs, which can display exceptional properties as compared to their oxides.