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This work demonstrates that the photoreduction of hexavalent chromium using iron-based metal organic framework was able to be enhanced through doping molybdenum disulfide. The 1.5 wt % molybdenum disulfide doped iron-based metal organic framework exhibited the best photocatalytic activity towards hexavalent chromium reduction with an efficiency of 98.8% over 60 min, accompanied by remarkable repeatability and stability. The enhancement of photocatalytic efficiency could be achieved by (i) relieving the recombination process of photogenerated carriers in iron-based metal organic framework resulting from the formation of heterojunction, (ii) reducing photogenerated electrons transfer resistance from the interior to the surface of iron-based metal organic framework because of favorable electron transfer of molybdenum disulfide, and (iii) regulating the positive charge distribution on the surface of iron-based metal organic framework. Importantly, nanosecond time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy further disclosed that the doping of molybdenum disulfide fundamentally improved the utilization of photogenerated electrons. This work evidences the important role of heterojunction from a microscopic perspective, which provides inspiration for the preparation of highly-efficient environmental functional photocatalysts based on iron-based metal organic frameworks. [Display omitted] • Elegant visible-light-driven MoS 2 @Fe-MOF photocatalysts were fabricated. • Unique adsorption capacity of Cr(VI) was given as a prerequisite for photoreduction. • Accelerated Cr(VI) reduction was due to heterojunction and improved conductivity. • Nanosecond transient absorption spectroscopy proved heterojunction existence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Inspired by the chemistry and biology of fluorine-containing molecules and pyrrolidinyl spirooxindoles, herein we report a highly diastereoselective [3 + 2] cycloaddition reaction of β , γ -unsaturated α -keto esters and N-2,2,2-trifluoroethylisatin ketimines in the presence of the catalyst DABCO. The process enables efficient incorporation of CF 3 groups into pharmaceutically important spiro[pyrrolidin-3,2′-oxindoles], bearing four contiguous stereogenic centers including one tetra substituted carbon, with high efficiency (up to 93% yield and >20:1 diastereomeric ratio). Moreover, using β , γ -unsaturated α -keto esters as the 2C building blocks in this reaction, which are different from other enone substrates such as chalcone and benzalacetone, further expanded their scope of applicability. [Display omitted] • Expanding the scope of substrate applicability. • Potential biologically active molecules. • using β,γ-unsaturated α-keto esters as the 2C building blocks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

N doped carbon nanosheet and B N co-doped carbon (BNC) nanosheet are first prepared through exfoliation of carbon of Schiff based covalent organic frameworks (COFs) under ultrasound using sodium lignin sulfonate as the intercalation agent and modifier. Then poly (vinyl alcohol) (PVA)/BNC nanocomposite with enhanced thermal oxidation stability, good mechanical performances and enhanced flame retardancy has been prepared through solution blending. The temperature at 5 wt% weight loss and peak heat release rate of PVA loaded with 4 wt% of BNC nanosheet increase by 31.9 °C and 57.3% compared with that of untreated PVA, respectively. A new fire hazard evaluation system based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is raised to comprehensively estimate fire risk of prepared sample. It is deduced from AHP that PVA loaded with 4 wt% BNC nanosheet shows the lowest fire risk (77.9 score). The effect of BNC nanosheet on pyrolysis mode of PVA in gaseous and condensed phase has also been investigated to figure out the reason for low fire risk of treated PVA. Image 1 • A novel strategy to prepare B and N doped carbon nanosheet derived from covalent organic frameworks. • The PVA/BNC nanocomposite with enhanced thermal oxidation stability and enhanced flame retardancy has been prepared. • A new fire hazard evaluation system based on analytic hierarchy process (AHP) is raised. • The effect of NBC nanosheet on pyrolysis mode of PVA in gaseous and condensed phase has been investigated. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Endothelial dysfunction (ED), characterized by markedly reduced nitric oxide (NO) bioavailability, vasoconstriction, and a shift toward a proinflammatory and prothrombotic state, is an important contributor to hypertension, atherosclerosis, and other cardiovascular diseases. Adenosine 5'-monophosphate (AMP)-activated protein kinase (AMPK) is widely involved in cardiovascular development. Przewaquinone A (PA), a lipophilic diterpene quinone extracted from Salvia przewalskii Maxim, inhibits vascular contraction., Purpose: Herein, the goal was to explore the protective effect of PA on ED in vivo and in vitro, as well as the underlying mechanisms., Methods: A human umbilical vein endothelial cell (HUVEC) model of ED induced by angiotensin II (AngII) was used for in vitro observations. Levels of AMPK, endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS), vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1), nitric oxide (NO), and endothelin-1 (ET-1) were detected by western blotting and ELISA. A mouse model of hypertension was established by continuous infusion of AngII (1000 ng/kg/min) for 4 weeks using osmotic pumps. Following PA and/or valsartan administration, NO and ET-1 levels were measured. The levels of AMPK signaling-related proteins in the thoracic aorta were evaluated by immunohistochemistry. Systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP), and mean arterial pressure (MAP) were measured using the tail cuff method. Isolated aortic vascular tone measurements were used to evaluate the vasodilatory function in mice. Molecular docking, molecular dynamics, and surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) were used to confirm AMPK and PA interactions., Results: PA inhibited AngII-induced vasoconstriction and vascular adhesion as well as activated AMPK signaling in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, PA markedly suppressed blood pressure, activated vasodilation in mice following AngII stimulation, and promoted the activation of AMPK signaling. Furthermore, molecular simulations and SPRi revealed that PA directly targeted AMPK. AMPK inhibition partly abolished the protective effects of PA against endothelial dysfunction., Conclusion: PA activates AMPK and ameliorates endothelial dysfunction during hypertension., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors have declared that no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Sepsis-induced cardiac dysfunction (SICD) is a serious complication of sepsis that is associated with increased mortality. Ferroptosis has been reported in the SICD. TaoHe ChengQi decoction (THCQD), a classical traditional Chinese medicinal formula, has multiple beneficial pharmacological effects. The potential effects of THCQD on the SICD remain unknown., Purpose: To investigate the effect of THCQD on SICD and explore whether this effect is related to the regulation of myocardial ferroptosis through nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2 (Nrf2) activation., Methods: We induced sepsis in a mouse model using cecal ligation and puncture (CLP) and administered THCQD (2 and 4 g/kg) and dexamethasone (40 mg/kg). Mice mortality was recorded and survival curves were plotted. Echocardiography, hematoxylin and eosin staining, and analysis of serum myocardial injury markers and inflammatory factors were used to evaluate cardiac pathology. Myocardial ferroptosis was detected by quantifying specific biomarker content and protein levels. Through HPLC-Q-Exactive-MS analysis, we identified the components of the THCQD. Network pharmacology analysis and Cellular Thermal Shift Assay (CETSA) were utilized to predict the targets of THCQD for treating SICD. We detected the expression of Nrf2 using Western blotting or immunofluorescence. An RSL3-induced ferroptosis model was established using neonatal rat cardiomyocytes (NRCMs) to further explore the pharmacological mechanism of THCQD. In addition to measuring cell viability, we observed changes in NRCM mitochondria using electron microscopy and JC-1 staining. NRF2 inhibitor ML385 and Nrf2 knockout mice were used to validate whether THCQD exerted protective effects against SICD through Nrf2-mediated ferroptosis signaling., Results: THCQD reduced mortality in septic mice, protected against CLP-induced myocardial injury, decreased systemic inflammatory response, and prevented myocardial ferroptosis. Network pharmacology analysis and CETSA experiments predicted that THCQD may protect against SICD by activating the Nrf2 signaling pathway. Western blotting and immunofluorescence showed that THCQD activated Nrf2 in cardiac tissue. THCQDs consistently mitigated RSL3-induced ferroptosis in NRCM, which is related to Nrf2. Furthermore, the pharmacological inhibition of Nrf2 and genetic Nrf2 knockout partially reversed the protective effects of THCQD on SICD and ferroptosis., Conclusion: The effect of THCQD on SICD was achieved by activating Nrf2 and its downstream pathways., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest All the authors have declared that no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2024. Published by Elsevier GmbH.)

Background: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) stands as a predominant cause of global morbidity and mortality. This study aims to elucidate the relationship between pyroptosis-related genes (PRGs) and COPD diagnosis in the context of immune infiltration, ultimately proposing a PRG-based diagnostic model for predicting COPD outcomes., Methods: Clinical data and PRGs of COPD patients were sourced from the GEO database. The "ConsensusClusterPlus" package was employed to generate molecular subtypes derived from PRGs that were identified through differential expression analysis and LASSO Cox analysis. A diagnostic signature including eight genes (CASP4, CASP5, ELANE, GPX4, NLRP1, GSDME, NOD1and IL18) was also constructed. Immune cell infiltration calculated by the ESTIMATE score, Stroma scores and Immune scores were also compared on the basis of pyroptosis-related molecular subtypes and the risk signature. We finally used qRT - PCR to detect the expression levels of eight genes in COPD patient and normal., Results: The diagnostic model, anchored on eight PRGs, underwent validation with an independent experimental cohort. The area under the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves (AUC) for the diagnostic model showcased values of 0.809, 0.765, and 0.956 for the GSE76925, GSE8545, and GSE5058 datasets, respectively. Distinct expression patterns and clinical attributes of PRGs were observed between the comparative groups, with functional analysis underscoring a disparity in immune-related functions between them., Conclusion: In this study, we developed a potential as diagnostic biomarkers for COPD and have a significant role in modulating the immune response. Such insights pave the way for novel diagnostic and therapeutic strategies for COPD., Competing Interests: The authors report no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 Shu et al.)

Diabetes mellitus is an endocrine disease characterized by prolonged hyperglycemia. Prolonged high blood sugar levels interfere with the differentiation and maturation process of OBs and OCs, leading to the onset of osteoporosis. However, OCs differentiation and maturation is a complex regulatory process. In this study, we used a co-culture system of RAW264.7 and MC3T3-E1 cells under HG concentration to explore the effect of CYM on OCs in a HG environment. The effects of CYM on the formation and function of OCs were observed using TRAP-positive cell counts and bone resorption pits. Then, mRNA and protein expression levels of OCs-related genes were detected by real-time qPCR and western blotting. The results showed that CYM had an inhibitory effect on OCs differentiation and bone resorption, reduced mRNAs expression of OCs-associated genes, and downregulated RANKL/RANK/TRAF6 pathway that mediates OCs differentiation. CYM could be a promising natural compound against diabetic osteoporosis., (© 2024 Wiley-VHCA AG, Zurich, Switzerland.)

To investigate the spatial distribution and source of plutonium isotopes in the Beibu Gulf, surface sediments were collected and analyzed using sector field inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (SF-ICP-MS). The activities of 239+240 Pu in surface sediments ranged from 0.012 to 0.451 mBq/g (mean: 0.171 ± 0.138 mBq/g, n = 36), indicating a decreasing trend in a counterclockwise direction from the southern bay mouth. The counterclockwise decreasing trend in the south of the bay mouth is similar to the current in the Beibu Gulf. The 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios in surface sediments ranged from 0.156 to 0.283 (mean: 0.236 ± 0.031, n = 36), slightly higher than that of the global fallout value of 0.18. This suggests that the Pu in the Beibu Gulf was a combination of global fallout and Pacific Proving Ground (PPG). The average contribution of the plutonium (Pu) derived from the PPG in the sediment was estimated to be 52 % ± 24 %., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

Background: With an increasing number of myocardial infarction (MI) patients, myocardial fibrosis is becoming a widespread health concern. It's becoming more and more urgent to conduct additional research and investigations into efficient treatments. Ethyl ferulate (EF) is a naturally occurring substance with cardioprotective properties. However, the extent of its impact and the underlying mechanism of its treatment for myocardial fibrosis after MI remain unknown., Purpose: The goal of this study was to look into how EF affected the signaling of the TGF-receptor 1 (TGFBR1) in myocardial fibrosis after MI., Methods: Echocardiography, hematoxylin-eosin (HE) and Masson trichrome staining were employed to assess the impact of EF on heart structure and function in MI-affected mice in vivo. Cell proliferation assay (MTS), 5-Ethynyl-2'-deoxyuridine (EdU), and western blot techniques were employed to examine the influence of EF on native cardiac fibroblast (CFs) proliferation and collagen deposition. Molecular simulation and surface plasmon resonance imaging (SPRi) were utilized to explore TGFBR1 and EF interaction. Cardiac-specific Tgfbr1 knockout mice (Tgfbr1 ΔMCK ) were utilized to testify to the impact of EF., Results: In vivo experiments revealed that EF alleviated myocardial fibrosis, improved cardiac dysfunction after MI and downregulated the TGFBR1 signaling in a dose-dependent manner. Moreover, in vitro experiments revealed that EF significantly inhibited CFs proliferation, collagen deposition and TGFBR1 signaling followed by TGF-β1 stimulation. More specifically, molecular simulation, molecular dynamics, and SPRi collectively showed that EF directly targeted TGFBR1. Lastly, knocking down of Tgfbr1 partially reversed the inhibitory activity of EF on myocardial fibrosis in MI mice., Conclusion: EF attenuated myocardial fibrosis post-MI by directly suppressing TGFBR1 and its downstream signaling pathway., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest The authors declare no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.)

Herein, a triphenylamine derivative (TP-3PY) possessing 4-(4-bromophenyl)pyridine (PY) as an electron-accepting group and tris[ p -(4-pyridylvinyl)phenyl]amine (TPA) with large two-photon absorption cross-sections as an electron-donating group was obtained, and showed intense absorption in the visible light region ( λ max = 509 nm) and weak near-infrared (NIR) fluorescence emission at 750 nm. After complexation with cucurbit[8]uril (CB[8]), TP-3PY showed bright NIR fluorescence emission at 727 nm and phosphorescence emission at 800 nm. When the supramolecular assembly (TP-3PY⊂CB[8]) further interacted with dodecyl-modified sulfonatocalix[4]arene (SC4AD), the fluorescence and phosphorescence emissions were further enhanced at 710 and 734 nm, respectively. However, only the fluorescence emission of TP-3PY was enhanced in the presence of cucurbit[7]uril (CB[7]) and SC4AD. More interestingly, the photoluminescence of TP-3PY⊂CB[8]@SC4AD and TP-3PY⊂CB[7]@SC4AD assemblies could be excited by both visible (510 nm) and NIR light (930 nm). Finally, these ternary supramolecular assemblies with bright NIR light emission were applied to lysosome imaging of tumor cells and real-time biological imaging of mice., Competing Interests: There are no conflicts to declare., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

An aminomethylation reaction of fulleropyrrolidines bearing ketone moieties in the presence of N -unsubstituted fulleropyrrolidines and paraformaldehyde with the aid of p -toluenesulfonic acid afforded a series of scarce pendant fullerene dimers. A simple change of reaction substrates from ketone to ketone-containing fulleropyrrolidines successfully realized the synthesis of a variety of novel pendant fullerene dimers, including those from methyl ketone-containing fulleropyrrolidines, which were considered to produce the known bridged fullerene dimers. It should be noted that pendant fullerene dimers are usually difficult to prepare by other methods and may have promising applications in perovskite solar cells. Density functional theory (DFT) has been employed to elucidate the regioselectivity of methyl ketone-containing fulleropyrrolidines to yield exclusively pendant fullerene dimers by investigating the Gibbs free energy profile of the reaction starting from methyl ketone-containing fulleropyrrolidines and iminium intermediates.

Electrocatalytic carbon dioxide reduction (CO 2 R) in neutral electrolytes can mitigate the energy and carbon losses caused by carbonate formation but often experiences unsatisfied multicarbon selectivity and reaction rates because of the kinetic limitation to the critical carbon monoxide (CO)-CO coupling step. Here, we describe that a dual-phase copper-based catalyst with abundant Cu(I) sites at the amorphous-nanocrystalline interfaces, which is electrochemically robust in reducing environments, can enhance chloride-specific adsorption and consequently mediate local *CO coverage for improved CO-CO coupling kinetics. Using this catalyst design strategy, we demonstrate efficient multicarbon production from CO 2 R in a neutral potassium chloride electrolyte (pH ∼6.6) with a high Faradaic efficiency of 81% and a partial current density of 322 milliamperes per square centimeter. This catalyst is stable after 45 h of operation at current densities relevant to commercial CO 2 electrolysis (300 mA per square centimeter).

PM 2.5 -bound polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been proved to be hazardous to health. Previous studies have focused on the distribution and sources of PAHs, whereas there is little knowledge of the damage to organs. Here we sought to investigate the pollution level and seasonal variation characteristics of PAHs in PM 2.5 in Xi'an and assess the health risk, to establish a PAHs exposure model, and investigate the toxicological effects of PAHs on the respiratory and immune functions. A sub-chronic exposure model of PAHs was established by inhalation. The pathological changes of lung tissues were observed with a light microscope. Inflammatory reactions in alveolar lavage fluid were determined using the corresponding kit. The levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) and interleukin-8 (IL-8) were detected with enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit; the proliferation of lymphocytes in spleen was detected with methyl tetrazolium (MTT); DNA immune damage was determined with DNA gel electrophoresis. The results showed that (1) the total concentration of 16 PAHs ranged from 41.1 to 387 ng/m 3 , with a mean value of 170 ng/m 3 , and the concentration of PAHs in PM 2.5 was higher in winter than in other seasons. (2) The sources of PAHs in the atmosphere of Xi'an urban area were mainly coal combustion, and the equivalent carcinogenic concentration of PAHs in PM 2.5 was 3.9 ng/m 3 . (3) Foreign body granuloma formation and inflammatory cell damage were observed in the lungs of rats infected with toxin; the levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and mobile device assistant (MDA) increased while nitric oxide synthase (NOS) decreased with the increase of dose; the expression levels of IL-6 and IL-8 elevated with the increase of toxin dose, showing an obvious dose-effect relationship; the level of PAHs damage to cells showed a dose-effect relationship. Sub-chronic exposure to PAHs could cause sustained inflammatory injury to the organism. Measures should be taken to counter the problems of PAHs in PM 2.5 in Xi'an and relevant health promotion strategies should be developed.

Background: Patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus have a high cardiovascular risk due, in part, to abnormalities of high-density lipoprotein mediated cholesterol efflux. The ATP-binding cassette A1 and G1 play a pivotal role in the regulation of cholesterol efflux. However, the regulation of these transporters in type 2 diabetes mellitus remains obscure., Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the expression of ATP-binding cassette A1 and G1 and their regulation by Liver X receptors in monocyte-derived macrophages in type 2 diabetes mellitus, and to determine whether the alteration of these transporters might affect cholesterol efflux from macrophages., Methods: Blood was collected from type 2 diabetic patients and healthy controls. Peripheral monocytes were differentiated into macrophages. Quantitative real-time PCR, western blots, and cholesterol efflux assays were performed. The Liver X receptor and Liver X receptor element complex in the ATP-binding cassette G1 gene promoter were detected by electrophoretic mobility supershift assay., Results: Macrophage ATP-binding cassette G1 expression and high density lipoproteininduced cholesterol efflux were significantly reduced in type 2 diabetic patients. However, the mRNA expression of ATP-binding cassette G1 in type 2 diabetic patients was not inhibited by Liver X receptor siRNA and the Liver X receptor- Liver X receptor element complexes remain unchanged similarly., Conclusion: The study suggested that the expression of ATP-binding cassette G1 and high density lipoprotein-induced cholesterol efflux in macrophages were reduced in type 2 diabetes mellitus. Impairment of cholesterol efflux and ATP-binding cassette G1 gene expression in type 2 diabetes mellitus might be regulated by a Liver X receptorindependent pathway., (Copyright© Bentham Science Publishers; For any queries, please email at epub@benthamscience.net.)

Background: Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a highly malignant cancer with a high incidence and mortality in China. It is urgent to find a diagnostic marker with higher sensitivity and specificity than the traditional approaches for CRC diagnosis., Aim: To provide new ideas for the diagnosis of CRC based on serum proteomics., Methods: Specimens from 83 healthy people, 62 colon polyp (CRP) patients, and 101 CRC patients were analyzed by matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. The diagnostic value of the profiles of differentially expressed proteins was then analyzed., Results: Compared with the healthy control group, CRC patients had elevated expression of 5 proteins and reduced expression of 14 proteins. The area under the curve (AUC) for a differentially expressed protein with a mass-to-charge ratio of 2022.34 was the largest; the AUC was 0.843, which was higher than the AUC of 0.717 observed with carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA), and the sensitivity and specificity of this identified marker were 75.3% and 79.5%, respectively. After cross-validation, the accuracy of diagnosis using levels of this differentially expressed protein was 82.37%. Compared with the CRP group, the expression of 3 proteins in the serum of CRC patients was elevated and 11 proteins were expressed at reduced levels. Proteins possessing mass-to-charge ratio values of 2899.38 and 877.3 were selected to establish a classification tree model. The results showed that the accuracy of CRC diagnosis was 89.5%, the accuracy of CRP diagnosis was 81.6%, and the overall accuracy of this approach was 86.3%. The overall sensitivity and specificity of diagnosis using the proteomics approach were 81.8% and 66.75%, respectively. The sensitivities and specificities of diagnoses based on CEA and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 expression were 55.6% and 91.3% and 65.4% and 65.2%, respectively., Conclusion: We demonstrated that serum proteomics may be helpful for the detection of CRC, and it may assist clinical practice for CRC diagnosis., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: We declare that we have no financial or personal relationships with other individuals or organizations that can inappropriately influence our work and that there is no professional or other personal interest of any nature in any product, service and/or company that could be construed as influencing the position presented in or the review of the manuscript., (©The Author(s) 2022. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Background: Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) is a multisystem autoimmune disease with small-vessel involvement. In AAV, microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) are major clinicopathologic variants. In addition, myeloperoxidase (MPO) and proteinase 3 (PR3) are major target antigens. The objective of the study was to explore the predictive factors for long-term survival in AAV patients., Materials and Methods: A multicenter retrospective study was carried out on 407 patients between 2005 and 2020. Clinical parameters were obtained from laboratory tests including the ANCA types, antinuclear antibody (ANA), extractable nuclear antigen (ENA), anti-streptolysin O (ASO), glomerular filtration rate (GFR), and the laboratory examinations for the blood routine, liver function, renal function, and immunity, etc. The data for clinical parameters were collected from electronic medical records (EMRs), and the data for patient survival were acquired through regular follow-up. The association of clinical parameters with overall survival (OS) along with 3-year and 5-year survival rates was analyzed, and the nomogram as a predictive model was established according to the analysis results., Results: In the present study, 336 (82.6%) patients and 46 (11.3%) patients were diagnosed with MPA and GPA, respectively. The mean and median OS for all the patients were 2,285 and 2,290 days, respectively. The 1-year, 3-year, 5-year, and 10-year cumulative survival rates for all the patients were 84.2%, 76.3%, 57.2%, and 32.4%, respectively. Univariate and multivariate survival analyses indicated that the independent prognostic factors included age, pathological categories (MPA, GPA, and other types), serum ANCA types (negative or positive for MPO and/or PR3), ANA, ASO, GFR, lymphocyte, neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), and these clinical parameters except for ASO were used to construct a nomogram. The nomogram for 3-year and 5-year survival rates had a C-index of 0.721 (95% CI 0.676-0.766). The calibration curves showed that the predicted values of the nomogram for 3-year and 5-year survival rates were generally consistent with practical observed values, and decision curve analysis (DCA) further demonstrated the practicability and accuracy of the predictive model., Conclusion: Laboratory tests at diagnosis have great significance in the prediction of long-term survival in AAV patients., Competing Interests: Author K-WZ was employed by Guangzhou Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical Holding Co., Ltd., Baiyunshan Pharmaceutical General Factory, Guangzhou, China. Author WZ was employed by Yangquan Coal Industry (Group) General Hospital, Yangquan, China. The remaining 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 © 2022 Liao, Ren, Zhu, Qin, Mo, Cong, Wu, Wang, Cui, Xu, Guo, Zhang, Song, Zhang, Yang, Tang, Li, Xie, Li, Wang, Zhou, Wei, Chen and Shi.)

Salicyloylbenzene/heterocycles are privileged scaffolds found in many natural products and bioactive molecules. Numerous useful approaches for the preparation of these privileged scaffolds have been developed in recent years. Among these approaches, chromone-based reactants have demonstrated their importance in the synthesis of these salicyloylbenzene/heterocycle scaffolds with structural complexity and potential biological appeal. In this review, the recent advances in the synthesis of salicyloylbenzene/heterocycles are summarized and discussed according to the chromone-based reactants which could be achieved in one step via ring-opening and skeletal reconstruction reactions. Both the mechanisms and the applications of the corresponding products in organic and medicinal chemistry are also described.

Objectives: To study the efficacy and safety of early intratracheal administration of budesonide combined with pulmonary surfactant (PS) in preventing bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD)., Methods: A prospective randomized controlled trial was designed. A total of 122 infants with a high risk of BPD who were admitted to the neonatal intensive care unit of the Third Affiliated Hospital of Zhengzhou University from January to July 2021 were enrolled. The infants were randomly divided into a conventional treatment group with 62 infants (treated with PS alone at an initial dose of 200 mg/kg, followed by a dose of 100 mg/kg according to the condition of the infant) and an observation group with 60 infants (treated with PS at the same dose as the conventional treatment group, with the addition of budesonide 0.25 mg/kg for intratracheal instillation at each time of PS application). The two groups were compared in terms of the times of PS use, ventilator parameters at different time points, oxygen inhalation, incidence rate and severity of BPD, incidence rate of complications, and tidal breathing pulmonary function at the corrected gestational age of 40 weeks., Results: Compared with the conventional treatment group, the observation group had a significantly lower proportion of infants using PS for two or three times ( P <0.05). Compared with the conventional treatment group, the observation group had a significantly lower fraction of inspired oxygen at 24 and 48 hours and 3, 7, and 21 days after administration, significantly shorter durations of invasive ventilation, noninvasive ventilation, ventilator application, and oxygen therapy, a significantly lower incidence rate of BPD, and a significantly lower severity of BPD ( P <0.05). There was no significant difference in the incidence rate of glucocorticoid-related complications between the two groups ( P >0.05)., Conclusions: Compared with PS use alone in preterm infants with a high risk of BPD, budesonide combined with PS can reduce repeated use of PS, lower ventilator parameters, shorten the duration of respiratory support, and reduce the incidence rate and severity of BPD, without increasing the incidence rate of glucocorticoid-related complications.

Background and Objectives: Vitamin A is vital for the growth and health of children. This study aimed to estimate the current vitamin A status and the prevalence of vitamin A deficiency (VAD) among preschool children and explore the correlation between serum vitamin A concentration and changes in hematological parameters., Methods and Study Design: The study included 697 children aged 1-6 years, presenting for routine checkups at the Department of Pediatrics, Peking University Shougang Hospital, Beijing, from April 2017 to December 2020. We obtained the complete laboratory test data of 630 children., Results: The mean serum vitamin A concentration among preschool children was 0.29±0.08 mg/L, with a median of 0.29 mg/L. The proportion of children with VAD and marginal VAD (MVAD) was 9.84% and 43.49%, respectively. The highest prevalence of VAD and MVAD was in the 3- to 4-year age group. Compared with the normal vitamin A serum concentration group, other groups had lower mean corpuscular volume, mean corpuscular hemoglobin, mean corpuscular hemoglobin concentration, and higher red blood cell distribution width. The mean serum vitamin A concentration among anemic children was significantly lower (0.27±0.07 mg/L) than among those children who were not anemic (p<0.05)., Conclusions: VAD constitutes a public health problem in northern China. The prevalence of VAD is highest, and the serum vitamin A concentration was the lowest among preschool children aged 3-4 years. Vitamin A serum concentration was associated with red blood cell indices. We should attach more importance to those children aged 3-4 years.

Background: Gastroesophageal reflux (GER) affects up to 20% of the adult population and is defined as troublesome and frequent symptoms of heartburn or regurgitation. GER produces significantly harmful impacts on quality of life and precipitates poor mental well-being. However, the potential risk factors for the incidence and extent of GER in adults undergoing general anesthesia remain unclear., Aim: To explore independent risk factors for the incidence and extent of GER during general anesthesia induction., Methods: A retrospective study was conducted, and 601 adult patients received general anesthesia intubation or laryngeal mask surgery between July 2016 and January 2019 in Shanghai General Hospital of Nanjing Medical University. This study recruited a total of 601 adult patients undergoing general anesthesia, and the characteristics of patients and the incidence or extent of GER were recorded. The potential risk factors for the incidence of GER were explored using multivariate logistic regression, and the risk factors for the extent of GER were evaluated using multivariate linear regression., Results: The current study included 601 adult patients, 82 patients with GER and 519 patients without GER. Overall, we noted significant differences between GER and non-GER for pharyngitis, history of GER, other digestive tract diseases, history of asthma, and the use of sufentanil ( P < 0.05), while no significant differences between groups were observed for sex, age, type of surgery, operative time, body mass index, intraoperative blood loss, smoking status, alcohol intake, hypertension, diabetes mellitus, psychiatric history, history of respiratory infection, history of surgery, the use of lidocaine, palliative strategies, propofol, or rocuronium bromide, state anxiety inventory, trait anxiety inventory, and self-rating depression scale ( P > 0.05). The results of multivariate logistic regression indicated that female sex [odds ratio (OR): 2.702; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.144-6.378; P = 0.023], increased age (OR: 1.031; 95%CI: 1.008-1.056; P = 0.009), pharyngitis (OR: 31.388; 95%CI: 15.709-62.715; P < 0.001), and history of GER (OR: 11.925; 95%CI: 4.184-33.989; P < 0.001) were associated with an increased risk of GER, whereas the use of propofol could protect against the risk of GER (OR: 0.942; 95%CI: 0.892-0.994; P = 0.031). Finally, age ( P = 0.004), operative time ( P < 0.001), pharyngitis ( P < 0.001), history of GER ( P = 0.024), and hypertension ( P = 0.017) were significantly associated with GER time., Conclusion: This study identified the risk factors for GER in patients undergoing general anesthesia including female sex, increased age, pharyngitis, and history of GER., Competing Interests: Conflict-of-interest statement: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest., (©The Author(s) 2021. Published by Baishideng Publishing Group Inc. All rights reserved.)

Atomically dispersed metal catalysts maximize atom efficiency and display unique catalytic properties compared with regular metal nanoparticles. However, achieving high reactivity while preserving high stability at appreciable loadings remains challenging. Here we solve the challenge by synergizing metal-support interactions and spatial confinement, which enables the fabrication of highly loaded atomic nickel (3.1 wt%) along with dense atomic copper grippers (8.1 wt%) on a graphitic carbon nitride support. For the semi-hydrogenation of acetylene in excess ethylene, the fabricated catalyst shows extraordinary catalytic performance in terms of activity, selectivity and stability-far superior to supported atomic nickel alone in the absence of a synergizing effect. Comprehensive characterization and theoretical calculations reveal that the active nickel site confined in two stable hydroxylated copper grippers dynamically changes by breaking the interfacial nickel-support bonds on reactant adsorption and making these bonds on product desorption. Such a dynamic effect confers high catalytic performance, providing an avenue to rationally design efficient, stable and highly loaded, yet atomically dispersed, catalysts., (© 2021. The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Springer Nature Limited.)

Nanographenes have kindled considerable interest in the fields of materials science and supramolecular chemistry as a result of their unique self-assembling and optoelectronic properties. Encapsulating the contorted nanographenes inside artificial receptors, however, remains challenging. Herein, we report the design and synthesis of a trigonal prismatic hexacationic cage, which has a large cavity and adopts a relatively flexible conformation. It serves as a receptor, not only for planar coronene, but also for contorted nanographene derivatives with diameters of approximately 15 Å and thicknesses of 7 Å. A comprehensive investigation of the host-guest interactions in the solid, solution and gaseous states by experimentation and theoretical calculations reveals collectively an induced-fit binding mechanism with high binding affinities between the cage and the nanographenes. Notably, the photostability of the nanographenes is improved significantly by the ultrafast deactivation of their excited states within the cage. Encapsulating the contorted nanographenes inside the cage provides a noncovalent strategy for regulating their photoreactivity., (© 2021. The Author(s).)

BACKGROUND Fentanyl-induced cough (FIC) during general anesthesia induction and postoperative nausea and vomiting are common complications, yet the risk factors for FIC remain controversial. This retrospective study was conducted at a single center in China and aimed to investigate the risk factors for fentanyl-induced cough following general anesthesia in adults. MATERIAL AND METHODS A total of 601 adult patients undergoing elective surgery were enrolled, and the incidence of FIC during general anesthesia induction and postoperative adverse events were recorded. The risk factors for FIC during general anesthesia induction and postoperative nausea and vomiting were assessed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. RESULTS The incidence of FIC, nausea, and vomiting were 21.8%, 6.3%, and 4.5%, respectively. The results of multivariate logistic regression analysis indicated that pharyngitis history was associated with an increased risk of FIC during general anesthesia induction (odds ratio [OR]: 2.852; 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.698-4.792; P<0.001), whereas use of lidocaine could protect against FIC risk (OR: 0.649; 95% CI: 0.557-0.757; P<0.001). However, the characteristics of patients were not associated with the risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting. CONCLUSIONS The findings from this study showed that a history of pharyngitis increased the risk of FIC, while the use of lidocaine was associated with a reduced risk of FIC. The risk of postoperative nausea and vomiting was not affected by fentanyl use or patient characteristics.

Background: Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) has been proposed as a promising therapeutic intervention for neurological disorders. However, the precise mechanisms of rTMS in neural excitability remains poorly understood. Estradiol is known to have strong influence on cortical excitability. This study aimed to determine whether high-frequency (HF) rTMS influences endogenous estradiol in male patients with disorders of consciousness (DOC)., Methods: A randomized controlled trial was conducted with a total of 57 male patients with DOC. Eventually, 50 patients completed the study. Twenty-five patients underwent real rTMS, and 25 patients underwent sham rTMS, which were delivered over the dorsolateral prefrontal cortex. The primary outcome measure was the change in serum estradiol from baseline to after 10 sessions of HF-rTMS. The improvement in the total score of the JFK Coma Recovery Scale-Revised (CRS-R) was also assessed., Results: Changes in estradiol levels and CRS-R scores from pre-to post-treatment were significantly different between the active rTMS and sham stimulation conditions. A significant enhancement of CRS-R scores in the patients receiving rTMS stimulation was observed compared to the sham group. Serum estradiol levels in patients following HF-rTMS were significantly higher than their baseline levels, whereas no significant changes were found in the sham group from pre-to post-stimulation. The rise in estradiol levels was greater in responders than in non-responders. The changes in estradiol levels were significantly positively correlated with the improvement in CRS-R scores., Conclusion: These preliminary findings indicate that serum estradiol levels are affected by HF-rTMS and positively related to clinical responses in male patients with DOC. The elevation of estradiol levels may lay a physiological foundation for successful rTMS treatment for DOC patients by increasing cortical excitability., (Copyright © 2021 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A methanesulfonylation reaction for the synthesis of sulfone-containing tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenters is described for the first time by simple treatment of indanedione-chromanone synthons with Et3N and easily accessible MsCl without any use of organometallic chemistry. This technology gave the corresponding valuable chromone-based 2-methanesulfonylated 1,3-indanediones in good yields (up to 89% yield) under mild conditions. The present work provides an attractive strategy for the construction of biologically interesting sulfone-containing tetrasubstituted carbon stereocenters, which might be valuable in medicinal chemistry.

Aim: To compare the objective visual quality after implantation of a toric intraocular lens (IOL) in order to correct moderate or high corneal astigmatism at the one year postoperative follow-up., Methods: From December 2017 to June 2018, 66 patients (90 eyes) with simple age-related cataract with regular corneal astigmatism greater than 1.5 D were enrolled in this prospective self-control study. The patients were implanted with Proming ® toric IOL (model: AT3BH-AT6BH). The subjects were divided into moderate astigmatism group (46 eyes, 1.5-2.5 D) and high astigmatism group (44 eyes, >2.5 D). The uncorrected distance visual acuity, residual astigmatism and axial position of IOL were observed before operation, 3, 6mo and 1y after operation. Modulation transfer function cutoff (MTF cutoff), Strehl ratio (SR), object scatter index (OSI) were observed by OQAS II to evaluate the objective visual quality of patients., Results: There was no significant difference in UCVA, residual astigmatism, axial deviation, MTF cutoff, SR and OSI between moderate and high astigmatism group (all P >0.05). After 3mo, UCVA, MTF cutoff and SR were significantly increased (all P <0.05), residual astigmatism and OSI were significantly decreased (all P <0.05). After 3mo, all the indexes remained stable., Conclusion: Proming toric IOL can effectively treat age-related cataract patients with moderate-to-high regular corneal astigmatism, correcting corneal astigmatism, improving UCVA, ensuring long-term stability in the capsule, and providing patients with better visual quality., (International Journal of Ophthalmology Press.)

Background: High frequency of MNNG HOS transforming (MET) exon 14 skipping mutation (MET exon 14Δ) has been reported in pulmonary sarcomatoid carcinomas (PSCs). However, the frequencies differ greatly. Our study aims to investigate the frequency of MET alterations and the correlations among MET exon 14Δ, amplification, and protein overexpression in a large cohort of PSCs. MET exon 14Δ, amplification, and protein overexpression were detected in 124 surgically resected PSCs by using Sanger sequencing, fluorescent in situ hybridization (FISH), and immunohistochemistry (IHC) respectively. MET exon 14Δ was identified in 9 (7.3%) of 124 cases, including 6 pleomorphic carcinomas, 2 spindle cell carcinomas and 1 carcinosarcoma. MET amplification and protein overexpression were detected in 6 PSCs (4.8%) and 25 PSCs (20.2%), respectively. MET amplification was significantly associated with overexpression (P < 0.001). However, MET exon 14Δ has no correlation with MET amplification (P = 0.370) and overexpression (P = 0.080). Multivariable analysis demonstrated that pathologic stage (hazard ratio [HR], 2.78; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.28-6.01; P = 0.010) and MET amplification (HR, 4.71; 95% CI, 1.31-16.98; P = 0.018) were independent prognostic factors for poor median overall survival (mOS). MET alterations including MET exon 14Δ and amplification should be recommended as routine clinical testing in PSCs patients who may benefit from MET inhibitors. MET IHC appears to be an efficient screen tool for MET amplification in PSCs., Competing Interests: Declaration of competing interest The authors declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (Copyright © 2020 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

A set of cascade benzannulations of readily accessible chromone-3-carboxaldehydes and γ-nitroaldehydes for synthesizing biologically relevant 2-hydroxybenzophenones has been developed. The cascade was found to provide a transition-metal-free strategy for synthesizing 2-hydroxybenzophenones in acceptable yields (up to 57%).

To investigate the protective effects of celastrol on mice with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) and nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD), and to explore its underlying mechanism. The levels of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), total cholesterol (TC), and triglyceride (TG) in serum were tested. Malondialdehyde (MDA) and superoxide dismutase (SOD), GOT, and GPT in serum were also detected. The histopathological changes of liver tissues were observed by HE staining. The apoptosis cell number of liver tissues was measured by TUNEL staining. Nrf-2 and HO-1 protein and mRNA expression were evaluated by IHC, WB, and RT-PCR assay. Celastrol had effects to depress TG, TC, LDL-C, GPT, GOT, and MDA concentration and increase HDL-C and SOD concentration ( p  < .05, respectively) with dose-dependent. Compared with model group, apoptosis cell number was significantly depressed in Cel-treated groups with dose-dependent ( p  < .05, respectively). Nrf-2 and HO-1 mRNA and protein expressions were significantly improved in Cel-treated groups with dose-dependent ( p  < .05, respectively). Celastrol can inhibit the oxidative stress reaction and liver cell apoptosis via regulation Nrf2/HO-1 pathway in T2DM mice with NAFLD., (© 2020 The Authors. Food Science & Nutrition published by Wiley Periodicals LLC.)

To reveal the factors governing the chirality transfer from a chiral unimolecule to a supramolecular assembly, we constructed a series of [2]pseudorotaxanes through the intermolecular noncovalent interaction of a pair of chiral binaphthalene crown ethers with achiral secondary ammonium salts with different chromophores, and found that the binaphthalene groups can induce new circular dichroism (CD) signals only in the [2]pseudorotaxane structures between the host crown ethers and the guest molecule with the anthryl group. Density functional theory (DFT) and time-dependent density functional theory (TD-DFT) calculations show that the generation of the new CD signal is mainly due to the intermolecular chiral induction between the anthryl group in the guest and the naphthalene groups in the host.

A series of scarce amino-substituted cyclopentafullerenes instead of the expected N-alkyl-2,5-disubstituted fulleropyrrolidines were synthesized in moderate to excellent yields via the simple one-step reaction of [60]fullerene with cheap and easily available β-substituted propionaldehydes and secondary amines in the absence/presence of magnesium perchlorate. The in situ generation of allylic amines from β-substituted propionaldehydes and secondary amines played a crucial role in the successful preparation of amino-substituted cyclopentafullerenes without additional carbons. With the addition of magnesium perchlorate, secondary amines containing ethyl group(s) could produce novel amino-substituted cyclopentafullerenes with two additional carbons. All the obtained cyclopentafullerenes displayed high stereoselectivity with cis isomers as the exclusive or major products. Plausible reaction mechanisms are proposed to elucidate the above-mentioned reaction process.

Objective: This study investigated survival in selected Chinese patients with advanced lung adenocarcinoma who received initial chemotherapy with pemetrexed. We also explored the relationship between genetic biomarkers and pemetrexed efficacy. Methods: We retrospectively collected patients ( n = 1,047) enrolled in the Chinese Patient Assistance Program from multiple centers who received pemetrexed alone or combined with platinum as initial chemotherapy and continued pemetrexed maintenance therapy for advanced lung adenocarcinoma from November 2014 to June 2017. The outcomes were duration of treatment (DOT) and overall survival (OS). Clinical features were analyzed for their influence on the treatment effect and prognosis. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) was performed to identify genetic biomarkers associated with the efficacy of pemetrexed. Results: The median DOT was 9.1 months (95% CI: 8.5-9.8), and the median OS was 26.2 months (95% CI: 24.2-28.1). OS was positively correlated with DOT ( r = 0.403, P < 0.001). Multivariable analysis showed that smoking status and Eastern Cooperative Oncology Group (ECOG) performance status (PS) were independently associated with DOT; smoking status, ECOG PS, targeted therapy, and EGFR/ALK/ROS1 status were independently associated with OS. NGS in 22 patients with available samples showed genes with high mutation rates were: TP53 (54.5%), EGFR (50.0%), MYC (18.2%), and PIK3CA (13.6%). When grouped based on progression-free survival (PFS) reported in the PARAMOUNT study, the DOT > 6.9 months set was associated with PIK3CA, ALK, BRINP3, CDKN2A, CSMD3, EPHA3, KRAS , and RB1 mutations, while ERBB2 mutation was observed only in the DOT ≤ 6.9 months set. Conclusion: This study shows that initial chemotherapy with pemetrexed is an effective regimen for advanced lung adenocarcinoma in selected Chinese patients. There is no specific genetic profile predicting the benefit of pemetrexed found by NGS. Biomarkers predicting the efficacy of pemetrexed need further exploration., (Copyright © 2020 Guo, Zhang, Zhang, Zhou, Cai, Long, Guo, Yang, Zhao, Xie, Jiang, Zhu, Fan, Xie, Hu, Yao, Jia, Li, Cui, Sui, Lin, Cheng, Wang, Wang, Zhao, Qiao, Peng, Yang, Chen, Cai, Xu, Zhang, Feng, Zhou, Wu, Dong, Wang, Zhang, Gao, Jiang, Cang, Yang, Song, Liu, Zhu, Chen, Hu, Chen, Wu and Zhou.)

To assess the contamination by polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in organisms in the estuary of Changhua River in Hainan, we determined the content of 16 priority PAHs by gas chromatography and mass spectrometry (GC-MS). The composition, source, and potential edible risk of PAHs were studied. The results showed that the total PAHs of demersal fish (wet weight, same below), crustaceans, and pelagic fish were 5.52-787.98, 12.18-154.64, and 10.20-199.79 ng·g -1 , respectively, and the average contents were 83.21, 64.72, and 89.48 ng·g -1 , respectively. There were some differences in the content of PAHs in various organisms. The average content followed the order of pelagic fish > demersal fish > crustaceans. Compared with other areas in the country and abroad, the content of marine organisms'PAHs in the estuary of the Changhua River was above the medium level. The result of isomer characteristic ratio showed that the PAHs of 33 organisms mainly came from the combustion sources (petroleum combustion and biomass combustion) and petroleum sources. Moreover, demersal fish were greatly affected by combustion sources, while pelagic fish were greatly affected by petroleum sources. Human risk assessment indicated that the content of benzopyrene (BaP) was within the limits set by the European Union. Most of the organisms in the estuary of Changhua River were within the safe range of consumption, but the long-term consumption of these seafoods may pose a potential health risk (1.0×10 -5 ≤ILCR<1.0×10 -4 ).

A considerable challenge in the conversion of carbon dioxide into useful fuels comes from the activation of CO 2 to CO 2 .- or other intermediates, which often requires precious-metal catalysts, high overpotentials, and/or electrolyte additives (e.g., ionic liquids). We report a microwave heating strategy for synthesizing a transition-metal chalcogenide nanostructure that efficiently catalyzes CO 2 electroreduction to carbon monoxide (CO). We found that the cadmium sulfide (CdS) nanoneedle arrays exhibit an unprecedented current density of 212 mA cm -2 with 95.5±4.0 % CO Faraday efficiency at -1.2 V versus a reversible hydrogen electrode (RHE; without iR correction). Experimental and computational studies show that the high-curvature CdS nanostructured catalyst has a pronounced proximity effect which gives rise to large electric field enhancement, which can concentrate alkali-metal cations resulting in the enhanced CO 2 electroreduction efficiency., (© 2019 Wiley-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.)

Selective and efficient catalytic conversion of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) into value-added fuels and feedstocks provides an ideal avenue to high-density renewable energy storage. An impediment to enabling deep CO 2 reduction to oxygenates and hydrocarbons (e.g., C 2+ compounds) is the difficulty of coupling carbon-carbon bonds efficiently. Copper in the +1 oxidation state has been thought to be active for catalyzing C 2+ formation, whereas it is prone to being reduced to Cu 0 at cathodic potentials. Here we report that catalysts with nanocavities can confine carbon intermediates formed in situ , which in turn covers the local catalyst surface and thereby stabilizes Cu + species. Experimental measurements on multihollow cuprous oxide catalyst exhibit a C 2+ Faradaic efficiency of 75.2 ± 2.7% at a C 2+ partial current density of 267 ± 13 mA cm -2 and a large C 2+ -to-C 1 ratio of ∼7.2. Operando Raman spectra, in conjunction with X-ray absorption studies, confirm that Cu + species in the as-designed catalyst are well retained during CO 2 reduction, which leads to the marked C 2+ selectivity at a large conversion rate.

A facile one-step reaction of [60]fullerene with cinnamaldehydes and amines promoted by magnesium perchlorate/ferric perchlorate under air conditions afforded a series of rare amino-substituted cyclopentafullerenes in moderate to good yields. Stereoselectivity was readily achieved. Secondary amines exclusively produced N,N-disubstituted cyclopentafullerenes as cis isomers, while arylamines gave N-monosubstituted cyclopentafullerenes with a preference of cis isomers as major products. N-Monosubstituted cyclopentafullerenes could be further converted into other scarce cyclopentafullerenes in the presence of acid chloride or paraformaldehyde. A possible reaction pathway was proposed to elucidate the formation of amino-substituted cyclopentafullerenes.

The efficient electrochemical hydrogen evolution reaction (HER) plays a key role in accelerating sustainable H 2 production from water electrolysis, but its large-scale applications are hindered by the high cost of the state-of-the-art Pt catalyst. In this work, submonolayer Pt was controllably deposited on an intermetallic Pd 3 Pb nanoplate (AL-Pt/Pd 3 Pb). The atomic efficiency and electronic structure of the active surface Pt layer were largely optimized, greatly enhancing the acidic HER. AL-Pt/Pd 3 Pb exhibits an outstanding HER activity with an overpotential of only 13.8 mV at 10 mA/cm 2 and a high mass activity of 7834 A/g Pd+Pt at -0.05 V, both largely surpassing those of commercial Pt/C (30 mV, 1486 A/g Pt ). In addition, AL-Pt/Pd 3 Pb shows excellent stability and robustness. Theoretical calculations show that the improved activity is mainly derived from the charge transfer from Pd 3 Pb to Pt, resulting in a strong electrostatic interaction that can stabilize the transition state and lower the barrier.

This study evaluated the potential relationship between exosomal miRNAs and clinical symptoms in patients with multiple myeloma (MM). Forty-eight newly diagnosed myeloma patients and sixteen normal donors were enrolled in the study. The results showed that the relative expression levels of let-7c-5p, let-7d-5p, miR-140-3p, miR-185-5p, and miR-425-5p in the exosomes of MM patients were significantly lower than those of healthy controls. Furthermore, there were significant differences in the clinical characteristics of myeloma, such as kidney damage, while the expression levels of the same miRNA in exosomes and serum are not correlated. The expression of exosomal miRNA is related to the expression levels of clinical feature-related factors, such as creatinine, β 2-microglobulin, β -CTX, and IL-6 in serum. Establishing this relationship could contribute to understanding the pathogenesis of MM., Competing Interests: The authors have declared no conflicts of interest., (Copyright © 2019 Zhi-yao Zhang et al.)

To explore the feasibility and superiority of iodine delivery rate (IDR) and tube voltage determined by patients' body mass index (BMI) in coronary CT angiography (CCTA), a total of 1567 patients undertaking CCTA during Feb. and Dec. 2016 were enrolled and divided into two groups. In the control group, the IDR and tube voltage were fixed, while in the experimental group, the IDR and tube voltage were determined by patients' BMI. The volume of iodinated contrast media (ICM), extravasation rate, extravasation volume, extravasation recovery interval, incidence rate of adverse reactions, effective dose (ED) and image quality of the two groups were compared. The experiments demonstrated that the ICM volume, extravasation rate, extravasation volume, extravasation recovery interval, incidence of adverse reactions and ED were lower or shorter in the experimental group than in the control group, and the differences were statistically significant (all P<0.05). However, there were no significant differences in the mean CT value, image noise, signal to noise ratio and contrast to noise ratio between the two groups (all P<0.05), which were consistent with the diagnosticians' subjective evaluation outcomes. Our findings suggested that in CCTA, it is feasible to determine the IDR and tube voltage based on patients' BMI; low tube voltage and IDR are superior to the fixed tube voltage and IDR and are worthy of clinical promotion.

Physical properties and bioactivity are two important aspects of the activated sludge process. To solve the contradiction between these two aspects in the operation control process, the physical structure and respiration processes of sludge in different activated sludge systems were analyzed. Sludge from seven different activated sludge systems was used for the experiments, and the particle size, microscopic morphology, fractal dimension, compression settling performance, adsorption performance, and respirogram were studied and analyzed. The results showed that the correlations between physical performance indicators and respiration rate were very good. Sludge particle size ( d ) was negatively correlated with the endogenous specific respiration rate (SOUR e ) and maximum specific respiration rate (SOUR t ) ( R 2 >0.9); fractal dimension ( D f ) was linearly and negatively correlated with SOUR e and SOUR t ( R 2 >0.8); sludge compression index (SCI) and sludge volume index (SVI) were positively correlated with SOUR e ( R 2 >0.9); equilibrium adsorption ( Q max ) was linearly and negatively correlated with the quasi-endogenous specific respiration rate (SOUR q ) and SOUR e ( R 2 >0.9). In addition, the optimal physical properties and bioactivity range of activated sludge under normal operating conditions were obtained as follows:SVI of 50-120 mL·g -1 , SOUR e of 6.27-7.55 mg·(g·h) -1 , d of 205.80-228.12 μm, D f of 1.56-1.60, R n/t of 0.02-0.03, and Q max of 508-636 mg·g -1 .

Interface engineering has been demonstrated to be an effective strategy for enhancing the thermoelectric (TE) performance of materials. However, a very typical interface in semiconductors, that is, the PN junction (PNJ), is scarcely adopted by the thermoelectrical community because of the coexistence of holes and electrons. Interestingly, our explorative results provide a definitively positive case that appropriate PNJs are able to enhance the TE performance of p-type Sb 2 Te 3 -based alloys. Specifically, owing to the formation of the charge-depletion layer and built-in electric field, the carrier concentration and transport can be optimized and thus the power factor is improved and the electronic thermal conductivity is decreased. Meanwhile, PNJs provide scattering centers for phonons, leading to a reduced lattice thermal conductivity. Consequently, the p-type (Bi 2 Te 3 ) 0.15 -(Sb 2 Te 3 ) 0.85 composites comprising PNJs achieve a ∼131% improvement of the ZT value compared with the pure Sb 2 Te 3 . The increased ZT demonstrates the feasibility of improving the TE properties by introducing PNJs, which will open a new and effective avenue for designing TE alloys with high performance.

Objective: To investigate the relationship between uric acid and metabolic syndrome (MetS) in elderly women., Methods: A total of 468 women aged ≥60 years participating in a health examination were enrolled. The association between uric acid and MetS and its individual variables was evaluated by univariate and multivariate logistic regression models., Results: A dose-response relationship was observed for the prevalence of MetS and uric acid quartiles. Subjects in the second, third and fourth quartile of uric acid had a 2.23-fold, 2.25-fold and 4.41-fold increased risk, respectively, of MetS than those in the first uric acid quartile (p for trend <0.001). Furthermore, each 1 mg/dl increment of serum uric acid level had a 1.38-fold increased risk of MetS (OR 1.38; 95% CI, 1.14-1.69; p=0.001)., Conclusions: Our present study demonstrated that elevated uric acid was positively associated with the prevalence of MetS in elderly women. Further random control trials are needed to elucidate the effectiveness of treatment of hyperuricaemia in reducing the incidence of MetS in elderly women., Competing Interests: Conflict of interest: The authors have no conflicts of interest to declare.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a typical autoimmune disease. Lymphotoxin β receptor (LTβR) signaling plays an important role in autoimmune inflammations. LTβR-Ig fusion protein, LTβR blocking agent, has been used to treat SLE, while its mechanism remains to be fully elucidated. In this study, to investigate the expression of LTβR in the T cells of SLE patients and its roles in the pathogenesis of SLE, we isolated the peripheral blood T cells of SLE patients and normal controls to detect expression of LTβR by flow cytometry and RNA assay. T cells were also stimulated with LIGHT, a ligand of LTβR, and then detected for their LTβR expressions and apoptosis by flow cytometry. Also, their expressions of inflammatory factors and receptors were determined by RNA assay. The results showed that LTβR positive cells were 22.75%±6.98% in CD3 + cells of SLE patients, while there were almost no LTβR positive cells in CD3 + cells of normal persons. Moreover, LTβR expression was remarkably higher in CD3, CD4 and CD8 positive T cells of active SLE patients than non/low active patients (all P <0.05), and positively correlated with increased Ig level, decreased complement level and renal damage. Moreover, the stimulation of SLE T cells with LIGHT promoted higher expression of LTβR, IL-23R and IL-17A, and apoptosis of T cells. In conclusion, we demonstrated a high expression of LTβR in the T cells of SLE patients which may be associated with pathogenesis of SLE.

A series of scarce tetrahydropyridinofullerenes were synthesized by the metal-free-mediated reaction of [60]fullerene with cheap and easily available α-methyl-substituted arylmethanamines and aldehydes in the presence of 2,2,6,6-tetramethylpiperidine-1-oxyl (TEMPO) and 4-dimethylaminopyridine (DMAP) in moderate to good yields comparable to the previously reported data for most monoadducts. The in situ generation of azadienes played a crucial role in the successful synthesis of tetrahydropyridinofullerenes. A plausible reaction mechanism was proposed to elucidate the reaction process.

A simple tailor-made pH fluorescent probe 2-benzothiazole (N-ethylcarbazole-3-yl) hydrazone (Probe) is facilely synthesized by the condensation reaction of 2-hydrazinobenzothiazole with N-ethylcarbazole-3-formaldehyde, which is a useful fluorescent probe for monitoring extremely acidic and alkaline pH, quantitatively. The pH titrations indicate that Probe displays a remarkable emission enhancement with a pK a of 2.73 and responds linearly to minor pH fluctuations within the extremely acidic range of 2.21-3.30. Interestingly, Probe also exhibits strong pH-dependent characteristics with pK a 11.28 and linear response to extreme-alkalinity range of 10.41-12.43. In addition, Probe shows a large Stokes shift of 84 nm under extremely acidic and alkaline conditions, high selectivity, excellent sensitivity, good water-solubility and fine stability, all of which are favorable for intracellular pH imaging. The probe is further successfully applied to image extremely acidic and alkaline pH values fluctuations in E. coli cells., (Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Based on the advantage of spectroscopy method and the significant effect of ·OH and ·O in advanced oxidation degradation system, the change of relative emission spectra intensities of the ·OH and the ·O in a pulsed discharge plasma (PDP) system bubbled with oxygen were tested by using the spectrum detecting technique in this research. The PDP system with needle-to-net electrode was set up in the paper to remediate the polluted soil. The relative emission spectra intensities of the ·OH and the ·O formed in the PDP system with oxygen (O2) bubbling were detected with the spectrograph to illustrate the critical effect of the ·OH and the ·O on the organic compound degradation in the PDP system. The changes of the relative emission spectra intensities of the ·OH and the ·O under the conditions of without soil addition, with the original soil addition, with the organic compound polluted soil addition and with the organic compound-heavy metal polluted soil addition were firstly investigated in the paper. The effect of peak pulse voltage, electrode gap and O2 flow rate on the relative emission spectra intensities of the ·OH and the ·O were also studied to explain the changing rule of the active species in the PDP system. The obtained results show that the addition of soil are beneficial to the formation of the ·OH and the ·O in PDP system for the soil remediation. The relative emission spectra intensities of the ·OH and the ·O in the PDP system with organic compounds polluted soil addition were lower than those in the PDP system with the original soil addition, which proved the oxidation of the ·OH and the ·O on the organic compounds degradation in the remediation system, and the addition of heavy metal ions were favorable to the degradation of the organic compounds in the PDP system. Furthermore, the increase of the peak pulse voltage as well as theO2 flow rate was in favor of the formation of the ·OH and the ·O, while the relative emission spectra intensities of the ·OH and the ·O were lower under the condition of the higher electrode gap, which demonstrated that the higher electrode gap were not in favor of the active species formation. In the study, based on the description of the pivotal role of ·OH and the ·O in the PDP system for the polluted soil remediation, the influence rule of the main factors during the process of polluted soil remediation in the PDP system on the content of ·OH and the ·O were analyzed. This research will provide some basic experimental evidence for the application of PDP technology on the polluted soil remediation.

Based on the higher oxidation potential of OH radicals (2.8 V), the synergetic effect of pulsed discharge plasma (PDP) and activated carbon (AC) and the advantages of emission spectroscopic detection, such as easy operation, high accuracy and high sensitivity, the relative emission spectra of the OH radicals generated in the PDP/AC system with oxygen flow were measured by the emission spectroscopic detection technique and the spectral intensity of the OH radicals was used to represent the relative amount of the OH radicals formed in the reaction system. The effect of additive amount of the AC, peak pulse voltage and electrode gap on the relative emission spectrum intensities of OH radicals were investigated to illustrate the crucial factors for the OH radicals formation in the PDP/AC system. In addition, the formation of OH radicals in the two liquid phases of distilled water and acid orange 7 (AO7) solution in the sole PDP system and the PDP/AC system were investigated to testify the synergetic mechanism of PDP/AC and the oxidization of OH radicals on the organic compounds in the reaction system. The obtained results showed that the catalytic effect of the AC increased with the increase of the additive amount of the AC in the PDP system, which led to the increase of the relative emission spectral intensities of the formed OH radicals in the synergistic system; higher peak pulse voltage was in favor of the energy input in the discharge system and then enhanced the formation of OH radicals; increase of the electrode gap led to the decrease of energy efficiency in the reaction system and the decrease of the formed OH radicals in the PDP/AC system; the formation of OH radicals in the PDP/AC system was higher than that in the sole PDP system both in the distilled water and in the AO7 solution; the formation of OH radicals in the distilled water was higher than those in the AO7 solution no matter the reaction system was the sole PDP system or the PDP/AC system. The two results indicated that the AC addition was beneficial to the formation of OH radicals in the PDP system and the OH radicals had an important effect on the organic compounds degradation both in the sole PDP system and in the PDP/AC system.

The facile one-step reaction of [60]fullerene with aldehydes and primary amines in the presence of cheap and easily available Cu(OAc) 2 ·H 2 O afforded a series of new types of fulleropyrrolines with trisubstituted C═C bonds in good to excellent yields, which would be difficult to prepare by known methods. The formed fulleropyrroline under the assistance of Pd(OAc) 2 and CuCl 2 ·2H 2 O could be further converted to 1-fulleropyrrolidine by the chlorohydroxylation reaction of C═C bond. Subsequent elimination reaction of 1-fulleropyrrolidine with the aid of TsOH·H 2 O generated the scarce 1-fulleropyrroline derivative.