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A novel colorimetric sensor based on red-emitting bovine serum albumin‑golden nanoclusters (BSA-AuNCs) and green-colored fluorescein that exhibited traffic light-type color change was developed for ratiometric and visual detection of mercury (Hg). In the presence of Hg 2+ , the red fluorescence from BSA-AuNCs was quenched while the green fluorescein was inert thus as a reference. And it presented traffic light-type (red, yellow and green) color in the low, middle and high concentration of Hg 2+ . A potential mechanism was investigated by Energy Dispersive Spectrometer (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The selective quenching mechanism may be due to the formation of gold amalgam bonds between BSA-AuNCs and Hg 2+ . A linear correlation was constructed for Hg 2+ in the concentration range of 10–500 μg L −1 . A limit of detection (LOD) of 7.4 μg L −1 and a relative standard deviation (RSD, n = 7) of 0.4% were obtained, which can be used to monitor the concentration of Hg 2+ . In visual detection, as low as 0.1 μg mL −1 of Hg 2+ can be easily discriminated from the blank with the naked eye. The proposed method was validated by analysis of certified environment and food samples with satisfactory results. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this work, the alkylation of isobutane and butene, catalyzed by sulfuric acid in the presence of the fluoride–containing ionic liquids [Bmim][PF 6 ] and [Bmim][SbF 6 ], was investigated. The use of the binary mixture catalysts brought to a higher C 8 selectivity and longer catalyst lifetime, compared with the results obtained when working with sulfuric acid only. This was attributed to the formation of new species when [Bmim][PF 6 ] or [Bmim][SbF 6 ] are added to sulfuric acid. The acidolysis of [Bmim][PF 6 ] and [Bmim][SbF 6 ] was accompanied by the release of hydrogen fluoride (HF) and the decomposition of anions to [PF 6−x−2y (HSO 4 ) x (SO 4 ) y ] − and [SbF 6−x−2y (HSO 4 ) x (SO 4 ) y ] − , respectively. The presence of these new species after acidolysis was measured and confirmed by ion chromatography, 1 H–Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR), 19 F–NMR and 31 P–NMR. The production of HF and the complexation of anions and carbenium ions both play an important role in stabilizing the carbenium ion and improving the catalytic performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A new magnetic porous carbon was prepared by combustion combined with solvothermal method. • MSPE-CE-DAD for the simultaneous determination of four bisphenols was established. • The method can achieve effective enrichment of bisphenol compounds in environmental water samples. • The method is simple, efficient, sensitive, and environmentally friendly. Bisphenol compounds exist widely in the environment and pose potential hazards to the environment and human health, which has aroused widespread concern. Therefore, there is an urgent need for an efficient and sensitive analytical method to enrich and determine trace bisphenols in environmental samples. In this work, magnetic porous carbon (MPC) was synthesized by one-step pyrolysis combined with a solvothermal method for magnetic solid-phase extraction of bisphenols. The structural properties of MPC were characterized by field emission scanning electron microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, and saturation magnetization analysis. Its adsorption properties were evaluated by adsorption kinetics and adsorption isotherm studies. By optimizing the magnetic solid-phase extraction and capillary electrophoresis separation conditions, a capillary electrophoresis separation and detection method for four bisphenols was successfully constructed. The results showed that the detection limits of the proposed method for the four bisphenols were 0.71–1.65 ng/mL, the intra-day and inter-day precisions were 2.27–4.03% and 2.93–4.42%, respectively, and the recoveries were 87.68%-108.0%. In addition, the MPC could be easily recycled and utilized, and even if the magnetic solid-phase extraction was repeated 5 times, the extraction efficiency could still be kept above 75%. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The isolation of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) from whole blood is a challenging task. Although various studies on the separation of CTCs by acoustofluidic devices have been reported, difficulties still persist, such as the complicated equipment, high cost, and difficult operation. Those problems should be resolved urgently. Herein, we developed an acoustofluidic chip separation system coupled with an ultrasonic concentrated energy transducer (UCET) system for efficient separation of CTCs. In the separation system, the acoustically sensitive particles were pre-focused by inertial forces of the PDMS chip channel structure. Then, the particles with different sizes were separated by acoustic radiation forces (ARF). In this study, the circulating tumor cells was simulated (CTCs-like particles) by aminated mesoporous acoustically sensitive particles (MSN@AM) encapsulated carboxylate polystyrene microspheres (PS-COOH). Subsequently, efficient CTCs-like particles separation was achieved by the acoustofluidic chip coupling system. This study effectively separated polystyrene microspheres carrying acoustically sensitive particles (MSN@AM@PS-COOH). However, the MSNs agglomerates and PS microspheres without acoustically sensitive particles did not show phenomenon of separation. This method allows to efficiently separate 2 µm MSNs agglomerates，8.0–8.9 µm PS microspheres and 10–10.5 µm MSN@AM@PS-COOH particles. It is demonstrated that the CTCs-like particles show more sensitive response, longer moving distance, and more obvious separation effect at the condition of the low frequency traveling wave sound field (20 kHz from UCET). This system can maintain the same separation with reduced amount of reagents used for cancer detection. It may provide a reliable basis for sorting out CTCs efficiently from the whole blood of cancer patients. [Display omitted] • CTCs-like particles were simulated by mesoporous acoustically sensitive particles. • CTCs-like particles show obvious separation effect at the low frequency traveling wave sound field (20kHZ from UCET). • We developed an acoustic fluidic chip separation system coupled with the UCET for efficient separation of CTCs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• MD simulations of electrokinetic nanoconfined ionic liquids flow were performed. • The perpendicular configuration of cation at the silica surface was identified. • Modulating mechanism of external stimuli on electrokinetic flow of ionic liquids. • Developed quantitative relation between streaming current and external stimuli. The electrokinetic flow of ionic liquids (ILs) is widely used in electrochemical engineering applications. Herein, flow behavior and controlling mechanism of ILs driven by electrical field were investigated via molecular dynamics simulations. During the flow process, the cations prefer to allocate at the interface in a perpendicular configuration, while the anions tend to distribute randomly. In the interface region, the perpendicular cations and accumulated ILs would significantly enhance the local viscosity of ILs, which dominates the velocity distribution and total flux of the electrokinetic flow of confined ILs. Compared with the pressure and surface charging density, the nanochannel size would induce a larger impact on the average velocity, total flux, and streaming current of the electrokinetic flow of confined ILs. These quantitative results on the electrokinetic flow are crucial for the rational design of ILs-based devices or other chemical engineering processes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nitroaromatic compounds (NACs) are considered as a kind of toxic chemicals that pose a serious danger to the survival of animals and humans. Therefore, it is of great significance to develop an efficient and rapid method for detecting nitroaromatic explosives. Up to now, fluorescence metal-organic framework (MOF) has been widely used to detect NACs in environmental pollutants because of their many active sites and bare functional groups. In this work, we have synthesized a cationic Zn-based MOF (called F1) based on bis-(imidazole) ligands with the formula of [Zn 3 (TIAB) 2 (IMDC) 2 ]·(NO 3) 2 ·(DMF) 2 ·(H 2 O) 2 (TIAB = [(1,2,4,5-tetra(1H-imidazole-1-yl)benzene)], IMDC = 4,5-imidazoledicarboxylic acid, DMF = N,N-Dimethylformamide). Crystal structure analysis reveals that F1 possesses a three-dimensional (3D) framework with (4,8)-coordinated network. TIAB linkers connect the Zn(II) atoms to construct a 2D network, the deprotonation of the hydroxyl groups on the two carboxyl groups of the IMDC ligand, and the protonated IMDC2− dangling fills the channel connected to two Zn1 atoms and one Zn2 atom, which are further connected TIAB ligands to form a 3D cationic framework. The results reveal that, compared with nitro aliphatic and aromatic compounds, the solvent-free F1 is highly sensitive and has excellent selectivity for nitroaromatic explosives, especially for 2,4,6-trinitrophenol (TNP). The quenching efficiency of TNP is as high as 91.67% (K sv = 56760 M−1, LOD = 0.78 μM). The solvent-free F1 can be reused at least five times, and the response time to TNP is less than 30 s. The sensing and detection mechanisms of the solvent-free F1 to various NACs have been studied in detail. Finally, the response of solvent-free F1 to a variety of NACs was analyzed by density functional theory. [Display omitted] • A cationic Zn-based MOF shows good selectivity and sensitivity to nitroaromatic compounds. • Distinguish between nitroaromatic and nitro aliphatic compounds. • F1 can quickly detect TNP within 30 s and cycle five times to maintain the stability of the structure. • Reveal a variety of detection mechanisms through experiments and theoretical calculations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• COSMO-RS is used for screening > 103 ILs with highly efficient in lignin dissolving. • Calculations and experiment prove the dissolving of IL is mainly modulated by H-bond. • [PMpyrr][OAC] ILs with the ability to dissolve lignin strongly. • The solubility of lignin in IL is related to the structure of lignin model. As the second most abundant terrestrial polymer, lignin has emerged as a major sustainable source for the production of fuels, chemicals, and materials. However, efficient screening of solvents for lignin dissolving faces great challenges. In this work, COSMO-RS was used to screen 3886 ionic liquids (ILs) composed of 58 cations and 67 anions, to find out the most effective ones for lignin dissolving by considering the critical items of logarithmic infinite dilution activity coefficient (lnγ∞) and σ-profiles. The substantial improvement of lignin dissolution was achieved in [PMpyrr][OAc] IL by both simulations and experiments validations. Moreover, it was found that the anions dominate the dissolution process and the strongly polar anions exhibit better dissolution ability. Furthermore, the underlying mechanism originated from the hydrogen bond (H-bond) between ILs and lignin was also revealed and systemically analyzed from donor and acceptor ability, indicating that high lignin solubility is reached in the ILs with stronger ability to form H-bond acceptors. This work leads to possible ways toward developing more selective and efficient lignin dissolution methods based on solvent properties. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• A novel coarse-grained model for poly (ionic liquids) system was developed. • The potential parameters of coarse-grained model are obtained by Boltzmann and iterative Boltzmann inversion method. • The structural and thermodynamic properties could been reproduced under the CG model comparing with the AA force field. A novel coarse-grained (CG) model for poly (1-vinyl-3-ethylimidazolium) tetrafluoroborate ([PVEim][BF 4 ]) was developed with the all-atom (AA) molecular dynamics simulations as a benchmark. In this model, the bonded and non-bonded potential parameters of CG force field were obtained by Boltzmann and iterative Boltzmann inversion, respectively. The simulation results show that the novel CG model can accurately describe the structural characteristics and reproduce the thermodynamic properties comparing with the AA force field model. The deviation of densities values between CG model and experiment was within 5% at 298 K. This work can be a useful guide to the computational for large-scale PILs systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

With the development of electronics, electroplating, printing, and dyeing industries, environmental pollution caused by hexavalent chromium (Cr(VI)) has become increasingly prominent. Skin contact with Cr (VI) can cause allergies or genetic defects, and inhalation can cause cancer, which is a lasting danger to the environment and the human body. Developing effective strategies to monitor Cr(VI) in environmental water or industrial wastewater can evaluate the degree of water pollution and risk warning, thus helping to prevent the spread of Cr(VI) pollution, promote the protection of water resources and the ecological environment, and ensure human safety and sustainable development. On the basis of the regulation of dopamine, boron-doped zinc single-atom nanozymes (Zn/B-NC SAzymes) with three-dimensional nanoflower morphology were controlled in this work. The introduction of B in Zn/B-NC SAzymes and the high metal loading of Zn (6.5 wt%) led to the formation of more active sites, resulting in the material showing excellent enzyme-like activity. H 2 O 2 decomposed to generate superoxide radicals under the catalysis of Zn/B-NC SAzymes, which then oxidized the substrate 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) to generate blue oxTMB. When Cr(VI) was introduced into the sensor system, the color of blue oxTMB is deepened, and the colorimetric method of Cr(VI) was constructed. The linear range is 0.2-40 μM, LOD is 59 nM, and the visual detection of Cr (VI) is performed with the aid of the smartphone. This work not only provides experimental and theoretical guidance for understanding the active centers of Zn-SAzymes and their catalytic processes, but also provides a promising and alternative detection strategy for the rapid and even visual on-site detection of Cr(VI) in aquatic environments, which is of great significance for the control of Cr(VI) pollution in the environment and industrial wastewater., 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 © 2024 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

Fluorinated ionic liquids (ILs) are well-known as electrolytes in the nitrogen (N 2 ) electroreduction reaction due to their exceptional gas solubility. However, the influence of fluorinated functional group on N 2 solvation and solubility enhancement remains unclear. Massive molecular dynamics simulations and free energy perturbation methods are conducted to investigate the N 2 solubility in 11 traditional and 9 fluorinated ILs. It shows that the fluorinated IL of 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium tris(pentafluoroethyl) trifluorophosphate ([Emim]FAP) exhibits ultrahigh solubility, 4.844 × 10 -3 , approximately 118 times higher than that of traditional IL 1-Ethyl-3-methylimidazolium nitrate ([Emim]NO 3 ). Moreover, fluorinated ILs with more than 10 C-F bonds possess higher N 2 solubility than others and show an exothermic nature during solvation. As the C-F bonds number in ILs decreases, the N 2 solubility decreases significantly and displays the opposite endothermic behavior. To understand the ultrahigh N 2 solubility in fluorinated ILs, we propose a concept of fluorine densification energy (FDE), referring to the average strength of interaction between atoms per unit volume in ILs with fluorine domains, demonstrating a linear relationship with C-F bonds. Physically, lower FDE results in lower N 2 -anion pair dissociation energy and higher free volume, finally enhancing the N 2 solubility. Consequently, medium to long alkyl fluorine tails within a polar environment defines a distinct fluorine domain, emphasizing FDE's role in enhancing N 2 solubility. Overall, these quantitative results will not only deepen the understanding of N 2 solvation in ILs but may also shed light on the rational design of IL-based high-performance N 2 capture and conversion technologies.

A lightning current measurement method using a Rogowski coil based on an integral circuit with low-frequency attenuation feedback was proposed to address the issue of low-frequency distortion in the measurement of lightning currents on transmission lines using Rogowski coils. Firstly, the causes of low-frequency distortion in lightning current measurements using Rogowski coils were analyzed from the perspective of frequency domains. On this basis, an integration correction optimization circuit with a low-frequency attenuation feedback network was designed to correct the low-frequency distortion. The optimized integration circuit can also reduce the impact of low-frequency noise and the DC bias of the operational amplifier (op-amp) on the integration circuit due to the high low-frequency gain. Additionally, a high-pass filtering and voltage-divided sampling circuit has been added to ensure the normal operation of the integrator and improve the measurement range of the measurement system. Then, according to the relationship between the amplitude-frequency characteristics of the measurement system and the parameters of each component, the appropriate types of components and op-amp were selected to expand the measurement bandwidth. Finally, a simulation verification was conducted, and the simulation results show that this measurement method can effectively expand the lower measurement frequency limit to 20 Hz, correct the low-frequency distortion caused by Rogowski coils measuring lightning currents on transmission lines, and accurately restore the measured lightning current waveform.

Lithium metal batteries (LMBs), with high energy densities, are strong contenders for the next generation of energy storage systems. Nevertheless, the unregulated growth of lithium dendrites and the unstable solid electrolyte interphase (SEI) significantly hamper their cycling efficiency and raise serious safety concerns, rendering LMBs unfeasible for real-world implementation. Covalent organic frameworks (COFs) and their derivatives have emerged as multifunctional materials with significant potential for addressing the inherent problems of the anode electrode of the lithium metal. This potential stems from their abundant metal-affine functional groups, internal channels, and widely tunable architecture. The original COFs, their derivatives, and COF-based composites can effectively guide the uniform deposition of lithium ions by enhancing conductivity, transport efficiency, and mechanical strength, thereby mitigating the issue of lithium dendrite growth. This review provides a comprehensive analysis of COF-based and derived materials employed for mitigating the challenges posed by lithium dendrites in LMB. Additionally, we present prospects and recommendations for the design and engineering of materials and architectures that can render LMBs feasible for practical applications.

Conventional static cold storage (SCS) exacerbates ischemic injury in the DCD liver, leading to severe complications for transplant recipients. To address this issue, clinical application of MP technology for donor liver preservation is underway. Simultaneously, efforts are focused on the development of various MP instruments, validated through relevant animal model experiments. Effective large animal trials play a pivotal role in clinical applications. However, challenges persist in the ex vivo preservation of DCD livers and the transplantation procedure in pigs. These hurdles encompass addressing the prolonged preservation of donor livers, conducting viability tests, alleviating ischemic injuries, and shortening the anhepatic phase. The use of a variable temperature-controlled MP device facilitates the prolonged preservation of DCD livers through sequential Dual Hypothermic Oxygenated Machine Perfusion (DHOPE) and Normothermic Machine Perfusion (NMP) modes. This protocol enhances the porcine OLTx model by improving the quality of DCD livers, optimizing the anastomosis technique, and reducing the duration of the anhepatic phase.

Introduction: Lysinuric protein intolerance (LPI) is a rare genetic disorder caused by mutations in the solute carrier family 7A member 7 ( SLC7A7 ) gene., Case Presentation: We presented two siblings with LPI, carrying novel mutations of c.776delT (p.L259Rfs*18) and c.155G>T (p.G52V) in SLC7A7 . The younger sibling, preferring protein-rich foods, showed severe symptoms, including alveolar proteinosis, macrophage activation syndrome, severe diarrhea, and disturbance of consciousness with involuntary movements. In contrast, the elder sibling only had mild symptoms, likely due to aversion to protein-rich food since toddler age., Conclusion: LPI is a congenital genetic metabolic disease with multi-system involvement. Initiating appropriate protein-restricted diet therapy as soon as possible could help prevent the progression of LPI., Competing Interests: The authors declare no conflict of interest., (© 2024 Chinese Medical Association. Pediatric Investigation published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Futang Research Center of Pediatric Development.)

Membrane channel proteins (MCPs) play key roles in matter transport through cell membranes and act as major targets for vaccines and drugs. For emerging ionic liquid (IL) drugs, a rational understanding of how ILs affect the structure and transport function of MCP is crucial to their design. In this work, GPU-accelerated microsecond-long molecular dynamics simulations were employed to investigate the modulating mechanism of ILs on MCP. Interestingly, ILs prefer to insert into the lipid bilayer and channel of aquaporin-2 (AQP 2 ) but adsorb on the entrance of voltage-gated sodium channels (Nav). Molecular trajectory and free energy analysis reflect that ILs have a minimal impact on the structure of MCPs but significantly influence MCP functions. It demonstrates that ILs can decrease the overall energy barrier for water through AQP 2 by 1.88 kcal/mol, whereas that for Na + through Nav is increased by 1.70 kcal/mol. Consequently, the permeation rates of water and Na + can be enhanced and reduced by at least 1 order of magnitude, respectively. Furthermore, an abnormal IL gating mechanism was proposed by combining the hydrophobic nature of MCP and confined water/ion coordination effects. More importantly, we performed experiments to confirm the influence of ILs on AQP 2 in human cells and found that treatment with ILs significantly accelerated the changes in cell volume in response to altered external osmotic pressure. Overall, these quantitative results will not only deepen the understanding of IL-cell interactions but may also shed light on the rational design of drugs and disease diagnosis.

Abnormalities in the transition between α-helices and β-sheets (α-β transition) may lead to devastating neurodegenerative diseases, such as Parkinson's syndrome and Alzheimer's disease. Ionic liquids (ILs) are potential drugs for targeted therapies against these diseases because of their excellent bioactivity and designability of ILs. However, the mechanism through which ILs regulate the α-β transition remains unclear. Herein, a combination of GPU-accelerated microsecond molecular dynamics simulations, correlation analysis, and machine learning was used to probe the dynamical α-β transition process induced by ILs of 1-alkyl-3-methylimidazolium chloride ([C n mim]Cl) and its molecular mechanism. Interestingly, the cation of [C n mim] + in ILs can spontaneously insert into the peptides as free ions ( n ≤ 10) and clusters ( n ≥ 11). Such insertion can significantly inhibit the α-β, transition and the inhibiting ability for the clusters is more significant than that of free ions, where [C 10 mim] + and [C 12 mim] + can reduce the maximum β-sheet content of the peptide by 18.5% and 44.9%, respectively. Furthermore, the correlation analysis and machine learning method were used to develop a predictive model accounting for the influencing factors on the α-β transition, which could accurately predict the effect of ILs on the α-β transition. Overall, these quantitative results may not only deepen the understanding of the role of ILs in the α-β transition but also guide the development of the IL-based treatments for related diseases., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflicts of interest in this work., (© 2024 The Authors. Publishing Services by Elsevier B.V. on behalf of KeAi Communications Co. Ltd.)

Purpose: To explore the mechanism of SETDB1 inhibiting epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT),migration and invasion in oral cancer via SOX 7 methylation., Methods: SETDB1 and SOX7 mRNA and protein expression levels in KB cells of oral cancer and oral mucosal epithelial ATCC cells were determined by qRT-PCR and Western blot (WB). SETDB1 si-RNA was structured, then transfect into KB cells of oral cancer by liposome-mediated method. siRNA-SETDB1 was the experimental group (si-S), siRNA empty vector was the negative control group (si-N), and untransfected KB cells were the blank control group(NC). SETDB1 mRNA and protein expression levels were detected by qRT-PCR and Western blot(WB), to verify the transfection effect. The methylation levels of SOX7 were determined by pyrosequencing. The expression of N-cadherin, Vimentin, β-catenin, and Slug proteins was detected by WB. Cell viability was measured by MTT assay, migration ability was tested by scratch healing assay, and invasion ability was tested by Transwell chamber assay. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 21.0 software package., Results: The results of Rt-qPCR and WB showed that the SETDB1 mRNA and protein expression decreased significantly in si-S group(P＜0.05). Pyrosequencing test results showed that the regulation of SETDB1 could significantly reduce the SOX7 methylation rate and increased the SOX7 protein expression. WB results showed that knockdown of SETDB1 significantly inhibited the expression of EMT-related proteins N-cadherin, Vimentin, β-catenin and Slug in oral cancer KB cells (P＜0.05). The results of cell functology experiments showed that knockdown of SETDB1 could significantly inhibit survival, migration and invasion of KB cells., Conclusions: Downregulation of SETDB1 could suppress EMT, migration and invasion of oral cancer cells by regulating SOX7 methylation level, providing new ideas and targets for the diagnosis and treatment of oral cancer.

Chronic liver injury leads to progressive liver fibrosis and ultimately cirrhosis, a major cause of morbidity and mortality worldwide. However, there are currently no effective anti-fibrotic therapies available, especially for late-stage patients, which is partly attributed to the major knowledge gap regarding liver cell heterogeneity and cell-specific responses in different fibrosis stages. To reveal the multicellular networks regulating mammalian liver fibrosis from mild to severe phenotypes, we generated a single-nucleus transcriptomic atlas encompassing 49 919 nuclei corresponding to all main liver cell types at different stages of murine carbon tetrachloride (CCl 4 )-induced progressive liver fibrosis. Integrative analysis distinguished the sequential responses to injury of hepatocytes, hepatic stellate cells and endothelial cells. Moreover, we reconstructed cell-cell interactions and gene regulatory networks implicated in these processes. These integrative analyses uncovered previously overlooked aspects of hepatocyte proliferation exhaustion and disrupted pericentral metabolic functions, dysfunction for clearance by apoptosis of activated hepatic stellate cells, accumulation of pro-fibrotic signals, and the switch from an anti-angiogenic to a pro-angiogenic program during CCl 4 -induced progressive liver fibrosis. Our dataset thus constitutes a useful resource for understanding the molecular basis of progressive liver fibrosis using a relevant animal model.

For a long time, the detection of nitroimidazole antibiotics (NIABs) has been a research focus in environmental analytical chemistry. In this work, a novel technique for the analysis of nitroimidazoles was established based on capillary electrophoresis (CE). UiO-66, synthesized using a solvothermal method, was utilized as an adsorbent in the dispersive solid-phase extraction (DSPE) of five different NIABs. The separation and detection of NIABs in environmental water samples were accomplished using the CE diode array detection method. The optimal extraction conditions were obtained after systematically studying the effects of adsorption time, the amount of extractant, and elution solvent on extraction efficiency. According to the results of the study, the limit of detections of the five NIABs were between 16 and 97 ng/mL, the relative standard deviations were between 0.32% and 0.55%, and the spike recoveries were between 87.43% and 104.8%. This study presents a novel technique for measuring NIABs in complex water samples., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Molecular dynamic simulations of aqueous mixtures of imidazolium ionic liquids (ILs) were performed to elucidate the dependence of the ionic diffusivity on the microscopic structures changed by water. Two distinct regimes of the average ionic diffusivity ( D ave ) were identified with the increased water concentrations: the jam regime with slowly increased D ave and the exponential regime with rapidly increased D ave , which are found to be directly correlated to the ionic association. Further analysis leads to two general relationships independent of IL species between D ave and the degree of ionic association: (i) a consistent linear relationship between D ave and the inverse of ion-pair lifetimes (1/τ IP ) in the two regimes and (ii) an exponential relationship between normalized diffusivities ( D̃ ave ) and short-ranged interactions between cations and anions ( Ẽ ions ), with different interdependent strengths in the two regimes. These findings revealed and quantified the direct correlation between dynamic properties and ionic association in IL-water mixtures.

Among head and neck cancers, oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is the most common malignant tumor. N-7-methylguanosine (m7G) and lncRNAs are both related to the development and progression of tumors. Therefore, this study aims to explore and establish the prognostic signal of OSCC based on m7G-related lncRNAs. In this study, RNA sequencing transcriptome data of OSCC patients were downloaded from The Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) database. Therefore, m7G-related lncRNAs were identified as differentially expressed in OSCC. Then, univariate Cox regression analysis and LASSO regression analysis were conducted to evaluate the prognostic significance of differentially expressed lncRNAs. Consequently, the abovementioned lncRNAs were assigned five OSCC patient risk scores, with high-risk and low-risk patients assigned to each group. Different signaling pathways were significantly enriched between the two groups as determined by set enrichment analysis (GSEA). Multivariate Cox regression analysis confirmed the factors used to construct the nomogram model. Then, the prognosis of the nomogram model was evaluated. Consequently, high-risk individuals had higher immune infiltration levels. According to the results of a study that evaluated the sensitivity of different risk subgroups to antitumour drugs, the high-risk group had a high sensitivity to doxorubicin. By performing real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT‒PCR), we verified the expression of these five m7G lncRNAs. Therefore, the model based on five m7G-related lncRNAs was able to predict the overall survival rates of OSCC patients and guide their treatment. It can also spur new ideas about how to prevent and treat OSCC., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2022 Wang, Dong, Zhang and Huo.)

We aimed to explore biomarkers associated with diagnosis and prognosis of colorectal cancer. Differentially expressed protein (DEP) genes were obtained and validated. Moreover, co-expressed genes were screened and their prognostic value was evaluated. In addition, miRNAs that were negatively correlated with DEP genes were identified and used to construct a competitive endogenous RNA network. Furthermore, a support vector machine model was built using DEP genes, and a receiver operating characteristic curve was implemented to confirm its prediction performance. The results showed that only one DEP gene, CCL26, was obtained. Moreover, 43 genes co-expressed with CCL26 were identified, among which six (AP3M2, DAPK1, ISYNA1, PPM1K, PRR4 and RNF122) were linked with the prognosis of colorectal cancer. Besides, the axis RP11-47122.2/RP11-527N22.1-hsa-miR-3192-5p-CCL26 was identified as an lncRNA-miRNA-target gene network. Support vector machine model analysis showed that the area under the curve of CCL26 reached 0.878 based on GEO data and 0.743 based on our protein data. In conclusion, AP3M2, DAPK1, ISYNA1, PPM1K, PRR4, RNF122, CCL26 and hsa-miR-3192-5p appear to be related to the progression of colorectal cancer.

Aqueous zinc ion batteries (ZIBs) have been extensively investigated as a next-generation energy storage system due to their high safety and low cost. However, the critical issues of irregular dendrite growth and intricate side reactions severely restrict the further industrialization of ZIBs. Here, a strategy to fabricate a semi-immobilized ionic liquid interface layer is proposed to protect the Zn anode over a wide temperature range from -35 to 60 °C. The immobilized SiO 2 @cation can form high conjugate racks that can regulate the Zn 2+ concentration gradient and self-polarizing electric field to guarantee uniform nucleation and planar deposition; the free anions of the ILs can weaken the hydrogen bonds of the water to promote rapid Zn 2+ desolvation and accelerate ion-transport kinetics simultaneously. Because of these unique advantages, the cycling performance of the symmetric Zn batteries is greatly enhanced, evidenced by a cycling life of 1800 h at 20 mA cm -2 , and a cycle lifespan of 2000 h under a wide temperature window from -35 to 60 °C. The efficiency of this semi-immobilizing strategy is well demonstrated in various full cells including pouch cells, showing high performance at large current (20 A g -1 ) and wide temperatures with extra-long cycles up to 80 000 cycles., (© 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.)

Purpose: The application of point of care ultrasound (PoCUS) in medical education is a relatively new course. There are still great differences in the existence, quantity, provision, and depth of bedside ultrasound education. The left ventricular outflow tract velocity time integral (LVOT-VTI) has been successfully used in several studies as a parameter for hemodynamic management of critically ill patients, especially in the evaluation of fluid responsiveness. While LVOT-VTI has been broadly used, valuable applications using artificial intelligence (AI) in PoCUS is still limited. We aimed to identify the degree of correlation between auto LVOT-VTI and the manual LVOT-VTI acquired by PoCUS trained ICU doctors., Methods: Among the 58 ICU doctors who attended PoCUS training from 1 September 2019 to 30 November 2020, 46 ICU doctors who trained for more than 3 months were enrolled. At the end of PoCUS training, each of the enrolled ICU doctors acquired echocardiography parameters of a new ICU patient in 2 h after new patient was admitted. One of the two bedside expert sonographers would take standard echocardiogram of new ICU patients within 24 h. For ICU doctors, manual LVOT-VTI was obtained for reference and auto LVOT-VTI was calculated instantly by using an AI software tool. Based on the image quality of the auto LVOT-VTI, ICU patients was separated into ideal group (n = 31) and average group (n = 15)., Results: Left ventricular end-diastolic dimension (LVEDd, p = 0.1028), left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF, p = 0.3251), left atrial dimension (LA-d, p = 0.0962), left ventricular E/A ratio (p = 0.160), left ventricular wall motion (p = 0.317) and pericardial effusion (p = 1) had no significant difference between trained ICU doctors and expert sonographer. ICU patients in average group had greater sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA) score (7.33 ± 1.58 vs. 4.09 ± 0.57, p = 0.022) and lactic acid (3.67 ± 0.86 mmol/L vs. 1.46 ± 0.12 mmol/L, p = 0.0009) with greater value of LVEDd (51.93 ± 1.07 vs. 47.57 ± 0.89, p = 0.0053), LA-d (39.06 ± 1.47 vs. 35.22 ± 0.98, p = 0.0334) and percentage of decreased wall motion (p = 0.0166) than ideal group. There were no significant differences of δLVOT-VTI (|manual LVOT-VTI - auto LVOT-VTI|/manual VTI*100%) between the two groups (8.8% ± 1.3% vs. 10% ± 2%, p = 0.6517). Statistically, significant correlations between manual LVOT-VTI and auto LVOT-VTI were present in the ideal group (R 2  = 0.815, p = 0.00) and average group (R 2  = 0.741, p = 0.00)., Conclusions: ICU doctors could achieve the satisfied level of expertise as expert sonographers after 3 months of PoCUS training. Nearly two thirds of the enrolled ICU doctors could obtain the ideal view and one third of them could acquire the average view. ICU patients with higher SOFA scores and lactic acid were less likely to acquire the ideal view. Manual and auto LVOT-VTI had statistically significant agreement in both ideal and average groups. Auto LVOT-VTI in ideal view was more relevant with the manual LVOT-VTI than the average view. AI might provide real-time guidance among novice operators who lack expertise to acquire the ideal standard view., (© 2022 The Authors. Journal of Applied Clinical Medical Physics published by Wiley Periodicals, LLC on behalf of The American Association of Physicists in Medicine.)

Objective: A lot of lncRNAs are implicated in oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) progression. The study aimed at investigating lncRNA DS cell adhesion molecule antisense RNA 1 (DSCAM-AS1)'s functional role and molecular mechanism in OSCC., Materials and Methods: In this experimental study, a total of 46 pairs of OSCC samples and para-cancerous tissues were collected during surgery. In OSCC tissues and cell lines, quantitative real time polymerase chain reaction (qRTPCR) was performed for detecting DSCAM-AS1 and microRNA-138-5p (miR-138-5p) expression levels. Western blot was conducted to examine the enhancer of zeste 2 polycomb repressive complex 2 subunit (EZH2) expression level. Then, DSCAM-AS1 was knocked down with siRNA in OSCC cells and MTT and EdU assays were conducted to evaluate OSCC cell proliferation. Transwell assay was utilized for detecting OSCC cell migration and invasion capacities. Besides, the relationships among DSCAM-AS1, miR-138-5p, and EZH2 were explored through RNA immunoprecipitation, dual-luciferase reporter assay, qRT-PCR, and Western blot., Results: DSCAM-AS1 expression was remarkably increased in OSCC tissues and cell lines, and DSCAM-AS1 knockdown could significantly restrain OSCC cell proliferation, migration, and invasion. MiR-138-5p was identified as a target of DSCAM-AS1, and its inhibitor could reverse the suppressive effects of DSCAM-AS1 knockdown on OSCC progression. EZH2 was verified as a target of miR-138-5p, and EZH2 knockdown could counteract the promotional impact of miR-138-5p inhibitor on OSCC progression. Additionally, DSCAM-AS1, as a ceRNA, could regulate EZH2 expression via miR-138-5p., Conclusion: DSCAM-AS1 can play a tumor-promoting role in OSCC via miR-138-5p/EZH2 axis., Competing Interests: There is no conflict of interest in this study., (Copyright© by Royan Institute. All rights reserved.)

Techniques utilizing photo- and electrochemically induced reactions have been developed to accelerate organic processes. These techniques use light or electrical energy (electron transfer) as a direct energy source without using an initiator or reagent. Thiocyanates are found in biologically active and pharmacological compounds and can be converted into various functional groups. It is one of the most prominent organic scaffolds. Significant development in photo- and electro-chemically induced thiocyanation procedures has been made in recent years for the conception of carbon-sulfur bonds and synthesis of pharmaceutically important molecules. This review discusses different photo- and electro-chemically driven thiocyanation C(sp 3 )-SCN, C(sp 2 )-SCN, and C(sp)-SCN bond conception processes that may be useful to green organothiocyanate synthesis. We focus on the synthetic and mechanistic characteristics of organic photo- and electrochemically accelerated C-SCN bond formation thiocyanation reactions to highlight major advances in this novel green and sustainable research field., Competing Interests: “There are no conflicts to declare”., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Ionic liquids (ILs) hold great promise in the fields of green chemistry, environmental science, and sustainable technology due to their unique properties, such as a tailorable structure, the various types available, and their environmentally friendly features. On the basis of multiscale simulations and experimental characterizations, two unique features of ILs are as follows: (1) strong coupling interactions between the electrostatic forces and hydrogen bonds, namely in the Z-bond, and (2) the unique semiordered structure and properties of ultrathin films, specifically regarding the quasi-liquid. In accordance with the aforementioned theoretical findings, many cutting-edge applications have been proposed: for example, CO 2 capture and conversion, biomass conversion and utilization, and energy storage materials. Although substantial progress has been made recently in the field of ILs, considerable challenges remain in understanding the nature of and devising applications for ILs, especially in terms of e.g. in situ /real-time observation and highly precise multiscale simulations of the Z-bond and quasi-liquid. In this Perspective, we review recent developments and challenges for the IL research community and provide insights into the nature and function of ILs, which will facilitate future applications., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (© 2022 The Authors. Published by American Chemical Society.)

Objective: To prepare Pluronic F-127 composite gel loaded with transforming growth factor β 3 (TGF-β 3 ) and bone marrow mesenchymal stem cells (BMSCs) and observe its osteogenesis and angiogenesis effects in vivo and in vitro ., Methods: BMSCs were isolated from the tibial and femoral bone marrow of New Zealand white rabbits and passaged, and the 3rd generation cells were used for subsequent experiments after identification of osteogenic and adipogenic induction. Pluronic F-127 powder and TGF-β 3 were dissolved in L-DMEM medium to prepare Pluronic F-127 gel, TGF-β 3 +Pluronic F-127 gel, BMSCs+Pluronic F-127 gel, and TGF-β 3 +BMSCs+Pluronic F-127 gel. The 3rd generation of BMSCs were cultured with L-DMEM medium (group A), osteogenic induction medium (group B), osteogenic induction medium containing Pluronic F-127 gel (group C), and osteogenic induction medium containing TGF-β 3 +Pluronic F-127 gel (group D), respectively. After 14 days of culturing, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) staining and Alizarin red staining were used to observe the osteogenesis. In addition, the BMSCs were cultured with L-DMEM medium containing Pluronic F-127 gel (experimental group) and L-DMEM medium (control group) for 1, 2, 3, and 4 days, respectively. And the cell proliferation was detected by MTT assay. Ten New Zealand white rabbits were taken to prepare the maxillary sinus lift models, and Pluronic F-127 gel (group A), TGF-β 3 +Pluronic F-127 gel (group B), BMSCs+Pluronic F-127 gel (group C), and TGF-β 3 +BMSCs+Pluronic F-127 gel (group D) were injected into the bone defects, respectively. On the 8th week, imaging examination and HE staining were used to observe the formation of new bone, immunohistochemical staining was used to observe the expression of vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and bone morphogenetic protein 2 (BMP-2) in bone tissue, and Western blot was used to detect the relative expressions of VEGF, oncostatin M (OSM), and BMP-4 proteins in bone tissue., Results: Osteogenic and adipogenic induction identified the isolated and cultured cells as BMSCs. In vitro staining showed that ALP activity and Alizarin red concentration in group D were significantly higher than those in other groups ( P <0.05). MTT assay showed that the absorbency ( A ) value of the two groups increased gradually, and there was no significant difference between the groups at each time point ( P >0.05). In vivo experimental imaging examination showed that the bone mineral density and osteogenic continuity of group D were the best, and the proportion of new bone volume was superior to other groups ( P <0.05). HE staining showed that compared with other groups, bone trabeculae in group D were dense and arranged regularly, on which a large number of osteoblasts and osteoclasts were distributed, and a large number of new bone formation could be seen. Immunohistochemical staining showed the strong positive expressions of BMP-2 and VEGF in group D ( P <0.05); Western blot detection showed that the relative expressions of VEGF, OSM, and BMP-4 proteins in group D were significantly higher than those in other groups ( P <0.05)., Conclusion: The BMSCs in Pluronic F-127 composite gel loaded with TGF-β 3 and BMSCs can be induced to differentiate into osteoblasts, and the composite gel has no toxic effect on cells, and has obvious osteogenesis and angiogenesis in the maxillary sinus of rabbits.

Ionic liquids (ILs) as green solvents and catalysts are highly attractive in the field of chemistry and chemical engineering. Their interfacial assembly structure and function are still far less well understood. Herein, we use coupling first-principles and molecular dynamics simulations to resolve the structure, properties, and function of ILs deposited on the graphite surface. Four different subunits driven by hydrogen bonds are identified first, and can assemble into close-packed and sparsely arranged annular 2D IL islands (2DIIs). Meanwhile, we found that the formation energy and HOMO-LUMO gap decrease exponentially as the island size increases via simulating a series of 2DIIs with different topological features. However, once the size is beyond the critical value, both the structural stability and electrical structure converge. Furthermore, the island edges are found to be dominant adsorption sites for CO 2 and better than other pure metal surfaces, showing an ultrahigh adsorption selectivity (up to 99.7%) for CO 2 compared with CH 4 , CO, or N 2 . Such quantitative structure-function relations of 2DIIs are meaningful for engineering ILs to efficiently promote their applications, such as the capture and conversion of CO 2 ., Competing Interests: The authors declare no competing financial interest., (This journal is © The Royal Society of Chemistry.)

Revealing the structure and behavior of confined ionic liquids (ILs) is essential for their applications in green chemical processes. Here, we explore the electroconductivity (σ) and ionic correlation of imidazole ILs confined in graphene nanochannels via joint molecular dynamics simulation and theoretical analysis. The ideal and actual σ of ILs are first calculated, showing a growing tendency and up to the bulk value as the nanochannel size ranges from 1 to 10 nm. To account for the ionic correlation, the ionicity was determined by the ratio of the actual to ideal σ, reflecting the average fraction of free ions in the confined ILs. Amazingly, the ionicity of all three ILs shows an abnormal changing tendency, which first increases and reaches the maximum at 2 nm and then decreases to the bulk value. The conformational analysis, pair dissociating energy, and residence time are further obtained, proving that the abnormal enhanced ionicity should be attributed to the structure reconstruction of ILs near the graphene wall. The analytical model of ionicity herein can guide the rational design of efficient IL-based nanoporous electrodes and solid catalysts.

Trace detection based on surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has attracted considerable attention, and exploiting efficient strategies to stretch the limit of detection and understanding the mechanisms on molecular level are of utmost importance. In this work, we use ionic liquids (ILs) as trace additives in a protein-TiO 2 system, allowing us to obtain an exceptionally low limit of detection down to 10 -9 M. The enhancement factors (EFs) were determined to 2.30 × 10 4 , 6.17 × 10 4 , and 1.19 × 10 5 , for the three systems: one without ILs, one with ILs in solutions, and one with ILs immobilized on the TiO 2 substrate, respectively, corresponding to the molecular forces of 1.65, 1.32, and 1.16 nN quantified by the atomic force microscopy. The dissociation and following hydration of ILs, occurring in the SERS system, weakened the molecular forces but instead improved the electron transfer ability of ILs, which is the major contribution for the observed excellent detection. The weaker diffusion of the hydrated IL ions immobilized on the TiO 2 substrate did provide a considerably greater EF value, compared to the ILs in the solution. This work clearly demonstrates the importance of the hydration of ions, causing an improved electron transfer ability of ILs and leading to an exceptional SERS performance in the field of trace detection. Our results should stimulate further development to use ILs in SERS and related applications in bioanalysis, medical diagnosis, and environmental science.

Reducing carbon dioxide emissions is one of the possible solutions to prevent global climate change, which is urgently needed for the sustainable development of our society. In this work, easily available, biodegradable amino acid ionic liquids (AAILs) with great potential for CO 2 absorption in the manned closed space such as spacecraft, submarines and other manned devices are used as the basic material. Molecular dynamics simulations and ab initio calculations were performed for 12 AAILs ([P4444][X] and [P66614][X], [X] = X = [GLy] - , [Im] - , [Pro] - , [Suc] - , [Lys] - , [Asp] 2- ), and the dynamic characteristics and the internal mechanism of AAILs to improve CO 2 absorption capacity were clarified. Based on structural analysis and the analysis of interaction energy including van der Waals and electrostatic interaction energy, it was revealed that the anion of ionic liquids dominates the interaction between CO 2 and AAILs. At the same time, the CO 2 absorption capacity of AAILs increases in the order [Asp] 2- < [Suc] - < [Lys] - < [Pro] - < [Im] - < [Gly] - . Meanwhile, the synergistic absorption of CO 2 by multiple-sites of amino and carboxyl groups in the anion was proved by DFT calculations. These findings show that the anion of AAILs can be an effective factor to regulate the CO 2 absorption process, which can also provide guidance for the rational and targeted molecular design of AAILs for CO 2 capture, especially in the manned closed space.

An enhanced fluorescence detection system of capillary electrophoresis (CE) was equipped with a concave silver mirror, by which the detection sensitivity of light-emitting diode induced fluorescence (LEDIF) can be increased greatly. The silver concave mirror and the cathode window in photomultiplier tube (PMT) were accurately set face to face at the same axis. When the two labeled tumor markers exactly moved to the center of detection window, the emission from analytes are excitated by LED source. Currently, the analytes may be regarded as a luminescent source point. When the source point exactly moves to the focus of the concave mirror, the emission of the labeled sample was collected effectively, enhanced by convergence and reflected by the concave mirror. Then it was sensitively detected by the PMT. The optical mechanism of enhancing detection sensitivity was explored. A simple comparative test on sensitivity was carried out, which aimed to compare sensitivity of the new detection system with concave mirror to that without concave mirror but the other conditions were kept the same. Two tumor markers labeled with FITC were selected for the test, using the simple LEDIF detect system. The results (LOD, 150 nM for L-Leu and L-Val) showed that the detection sensitivity matched with concave mirror reached more 16 times than the detection method without concave mirror., Competing Interests: Declaration of Competing Interest None., (Copyright © 2020 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.)

As a promising anode material, TiO 2 (B) has attracted much attention in recent years due to its high power and capacity performances. First-principles calculations are performed here to reveal the electronic properties and the transport of lithium (Li) in the bulk TiO 2 (B) with and without atomic doping. It is found that a 4-fold coordinated O atom has the lowest formation energy and the smallest bandgap and is the atom that most easily forms an O-vacancy (O v ). In this work, a series of p-type (N, P, As), n-type (F, Cl, Br), and isoelectronic (S, Se, Te) dopants in TiO 2 (B) are studied. For n-type dopants, the substitution of the F atom has no significant effect on the electronic structure, which results in the lowest formation energy. This result demonstrates that the F atom can provide high intrinsic stability. Analysis of the insertion process of Li in doped TiO 2 (B) shows that N-doping is the most competitive choice because it not only introduces a lower bandgap of TiO 2 (B) but it also has the highest binding energy with Li. The advantage of N-doping is derived from the self-compensation effect. Also, three possible transport paths of Li in TiO 2 (B) were studied via the CI-NEB method. The results show that the energy barrier of all diffusion paths of F doping is lower than that of pure TiO 2 (B), where path 2 along the b-axis channel has the lowest energy (0.32 eV). This study is expected to shed some light on the electronic structures of TiO 2 (B) and the transport properties of Li in it.

Depolymerization of lignin into valuable aromatic compounds is an important starting point for its valorization strategies, which requires the cleavage of C-O and C-C bonds between lignin monomer units. The catalytic cleavage of these bonds is still difficult and challenging. Our previous experimental investigation (Green Chem., 2018, 20: 3743) has shown that methyl p-hydroxycinnamate ( MPC ) can be produced from molecular tailoring of H unit in lignin by the cleavage of the γ-O ester bond. In this study, the mechanism of [Bmim][FeCl 4 ]-catalyzed depolymerization of lignin was investigated by using the density functional theory (DFT) method. The results reveal that [FeCl 4 ] - anion of the catalyst plays a decisive role in the whole catalytic process, where two possible activation modes including three different potential reaction pathways can realize the depolymerization of lignin model compound. The calculated overall barriers of the catalytic conversion along these potential routes show that the third potential pathway, i.e., methanol firstly activated by [Bmim][FeCl 4 ], has the most probability with the lowest energy barrier, while the second pathway is excluded because the energy barrier is too high. Also, the results illustrate that the solvent effect is beneficial to the reduction of the relative energy for the reaction to form the transition states. Hence, the obtained molecular level information can identify the favorable conversion process catalyzed by metallic ionic liquids to a certain extent, and it is desirable to enhance the utilization of biomass as a ubiquitous feedstock.

Objective: To investigate the causes and clinical features of children with traumatic brain injury (TBI) who need hospitalization or emergency observation., Methods: A retrospective analysis was performed for the clinical data of 126 children with TBI who were admitted to the emergency department from January 1, 2014 to August 31, 2016, including causes of injury and clinical features., Results: Of the 126 children, there were 95 boys and 31 girls, with a mean age of 2.8 years (range 0.8-5.5 years). The children aged <1 year accounted for 38.1% (48/126), and 26 children died. The two most common types of TBI were epidural hematoma (54.0%) and subarachnoid hemorrhage (50.8%). Of the 126 children, 83 (65.9%) had a Glasgow Coma Scale score of ≤8 within 24 hours after admission. There were different causes of TBI and places where TBI occurred in different age groups. The two leading causes of TBI were falls (51.6%) and road traffic injuries (42.9%). Compared with those in the other age groups, the children in the age <1 year group were most likely to experience injury due to falls (46%; P=0.023). Thirty-five percent of all TBI due to road traffic injuries occurred in the children aged 3-6 years (P<0.001). Most TBI cases occurred at home (47.6%) or on roads/streets (45.2%). Among those who experienced TBI at home, the children aged <1 year accounted for the highest proportion of 48% (P=0.002), and 53% of the patients aged 3-6 years experienced TBI on roads/streets. The most common cause of death in children with TBI was road traffic injury, which accounted for 69%. Among those who died, the children aged <1 year accounted for the highest proportion (62%)., Conclusions: There are different causes of TBI and places where TBI occurs in different age groups. Among children with TBI, the children aged <1 year account for the highest proportion and have the highest number of deaths, with falls at home as the most common cause of TBI. Children aged 3-6 years tend to suffer TBI due to road traffic injury. Road traffic injury is the leading cause of death.

Ionic liquid (IL) flow in graphene oxide (GO) nanochannels plays a key role in the performance of IL- and GO-based fluidics devices and other chemical separator techniques. Here, we investigate the flow behavior of ILs in GO nanochannels via molecular dynamics simulations. The quantitative relation between slip velocity and shear stress has been identified, showing that the interfacial friction coefficient can be enhanced by almost sixty times, while the slip length is reduced by about three orders of magnitude, with the fraction of hydroxylation in graphene ranging from 0% to 15%. The great change in interfacial properties can be attributed to the structural changes of IL layers near GO, which is proved by the detailed analysis of density distribution, charge distribution and radial distribution function. Besides, the viscosity will increase as a fraction of hydroxylation because of the partial breaking of coulombic ordering of confined ILs. Meanwhile, the hydroxyls have more significant effects on IL flow than water flow in GO nanochannels due to the stronger interaction networks in IL/GO interfaces. In summary, hydroxylation can be a convincing method to regulate the IL flow in nanochannels. The quantitative properties of confined ILs in GO nanochannels and their relation to the fraction of hydroxylation could deepen the understanding of ILs and benefit the applications of ILs and GO in the fields of chemical engineering and various other nanofluidic devices.

It is urgent that the means to improve liver regeneration (LR) be found, while mitigating the concurrent risk of hepatocarcinogenesis (HCG). Nuclear receptor corepressor 1 (NCoR1) is a co-repressor of nuclear receptors, which regulates the expression level of metabolic genes; however, little is known about its potential contribution for LR and HCG. Here, we found that liver-specific NCoR1 knockout in mice (NCoR1 Δhep ) dramatically enhances LR after partial hepatectomy and, surprisingly, blocks the process of diethylnitrosamine (DEN)-induced HCG. Both RNA-sequencing and metabolic assay results revealed improved expression of Fasn and Acc2 in NCoR1 Δhep mice, suggesting the critical role of de novo fatty acid synthesis (FAS) in LR. Continual enhanced de novo FAS in NCoR1 Δhep mice resulted in overwhelmed adenosine triphosphate ATP and nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate (NADPH) consumption and increased mitochondrial reactive oxygen species production, which subsequently attenuated HCG through inducing apoptosis of hepatocytes at an early stage after DEN administration., Conclusion: NCoR1 functions as a negative modulator for hepatic de novo FAS and mitochondria energy adaptation, playing distinct roles in regeneration or carcinogenesis. (Hepatology 2018;67:1071-1087)., (© 2017 by the American Association for the Study of Liver Diseases.)

Lipase is a neglected enzyme in the field of gold nanoparticle-based enzyme assays. This paper reports a novel colorimetric probe to rapidly visualize lipase activities by using Tween 20 functioned GNPs (Tween 20-GNPs) as a reporter. The present strategy hence could overcome the limitations caused by the heterogeneous interface in lipase assay. Catalytic hydrolytic cleavage of the ester bond in Tween 20-GNPs by lipase will trigger the rapid aggregation of GNPs at a high salt solution. The color change from red to purple could be used to sense the activity of lipase. The detection limit (3σ) is as low as 2.8 × 10-2 mg/mL. A preliminary enzyme activity screening was carried out for seven commercially purchased lipase samples. It also has been successfully applied to detecting lipase in fermentation broth of Bacillus subtilis without any pretreatment.

Objective: To investigate the changes in expression level of human leucocyte antigen-DR (HLA-DR) on CD14(+) monocyte (CD14(+)/HLA-DR) in the patients after orthotopic liver transplantation, and its role in monitoring postoperative infection., Methods: Sixty-three patients with liver transplantation were divided into three groups, non-infection group with 47 cases, infection group with 10 cases and septic shock group with 6 cases [according to the definition of septic shock of American College of Chest Physicians/Society for Critical Care Medicine (ACCP/SCCM)]. CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression ratio was assessed with flow cytometer, and its clinical implication was evaluated by receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve assay., Results: CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression ratio in infection group [(29.6+/-7.2)%] and septic shock group [(16.3+/-10.5)%] were significantly lower than that in non-infection group [(62.3+/-18.3)%, both P<0.01], but no significant difference of CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression ratio was found between infection group and septic shock group (P=0.128). Total area under ROC curve of CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression ratio for the infection was 0.965, its sensitivity and specificity at 36.35% cut off were 100.0% and 93.6%, respectively. Total area under ROC curve of CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression ratio to predict septic shock was 0.968, its sensitivity and specificity at 31.97% cut off were 100.0% and 87.7%, respectively. Comparing the change of CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression, it was lower in the infection group and septic shock group (P<0.05 and P<0.01), and the expression rate was lowest during period of serious infection in the two groups [infection group: (29.6+/-7.2)%, septic shock group: (16.3+/-0.5)%, all P<0.01]., Conclusion: For the patients with possible infection after liver transplantation, sequential assessment of CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression ratio would be a good marker for the judgment of patient's conditions and outcome. CD14(+)/HLA-DR expression ratio below 36.35% could be used as the prewarning value for the diagnosis of postoperative infection, and 31.97% could be used as the critical value for the diagnosis of septic shock.

Objective: To summarize the reasons for bile duct injury (BDI) after laparoscopic cholecystectomy (LC), and to determine the effect of multiple treatment after BDI., Methods: A retrospective cohort study was performed. The medical records of 110 patients diagnosed with BDI after LC from October 1993 to November 2007, in ten large hospitals in Guangdong of China, were reviewed., Results: Among 110 patients with BDI, 58 cases (52.7%) were local patients, whereas 52 cases (47.3%) were transferred from outside hospitals. Reasons for BDI following LC were: (1) Lack of experience of the LC operator (48.2%); (2) LC performed during acute cholecystitis (20.0%); (3) The structure of Calot triangle was unclear (15.5%); (4) Variable anatomical position (11.8%); (5) Intra-operation bleeding (4.5%). The commonest sites of injury were the choledochus and common hepatic duct (76.4%). Following BDI, endoscopic stenting or operative repair was performed in 106 patients. The overall success rate was 95.3% (101/106), with a mortality rate was 0.9% (1/106). Cholangitis occurred in 3.8% (4/106) cases. Choledocho-enterostomy operation was performed in almost 60.0% (63/106) cases, and the success rate was 93.7% (59/63). Endoscopic stenting or operative repair was performed immediately following BDI in 23.6% (25/106) patients, the success rate was 100%; and within 30 days in 63.2% (67/106) patients. Eighty-eight out of 106 patients who underwent repair were successful following the first operative procedure., Conclusions: Factors such as an un-experienced operator and unclear anatomical position were causes of BDI following LC. Early operative repair should be regarded as the treatment of choice, in patients diagnosed with BDI. Early refer to an experienced hepatobiliary operator ensures a high success rate.

Objective: To assess the value of the model for end-stage liver disease (MELD) in predicting the early-stage outcome of liver transplantation in patients with end-stage liver disease., Methods: The MELD scores of 87 liver transplantation recipients with end-stage liver disease were calculated, and their early-stage complications and mortality were analyzed., Results: The incidence of severe complications was 20.7%; in these recipients, with the 28-day and 3-month survival rates of 89.7%; and 88.5%;, respectively. The mean MELD scores showed significant differences between the complication-free group and survival group (14.6 vs 12.9, P<0.05), and also between the complication group and death group (21.6 vs 29.4, P<0.05). Compared to patients with MELD no greater than 15, patients with MELD between 16 and 24 showed significantly increased complication rate but had comparable survival rate (P>0.05); but in patients with MELD no less than 25, the survival rate was significantly decreased with also increased complication rate., Conclusions: A higher MELD score before liver transplantation is associated with greater likeliness of early-stage complication rate and mortality. High MELD score (over 25) can be a useful index in predicting severe complications and death in patients undergoing liver transplantation.