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Cardiac contractility modulation (CCM) is a novel device‐based therapy used to treat patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). In both randomized clinical trials and real‐life studies, CCM has been shown to improve exercise tolerance and quality of life, reverse left ventricular remodeling, and reduce hospitalization in patients with HFrEF. In this case report, we describe for the first time the use of CCM combined with left bundle branch pacing (LBBP) cardiac resynchronization therapy pacemaker (CRT‐P) implantation therapy in a female with a 22‐year history of non‐ischemic dilated cardiomyopathy. With the optimal medical therapy and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) strategies, the patient's quality of life initially recovered to some extent, but began to deteriorate in the past year. Additionally, heart transplantation was not considered due to economic reasons and late stage systolic heart failure. This is the first case of CCM implantation in Fujian Province and the first report of a combined CCM and left bundle branch pacing CRT‐P implantation strategy in a patient with non‐ischemic etiology dilated cardiomyopathy in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] Adsorption is a green technology of treating heavy metal-contaminated strong acid wastewaters for the recycling of heavy metal and reuse of strong acid. Herein, three amine polymers (APs) with different alkalinities and electron donating abilities were prepared to investigate the adsorption-reduction processes of Cr(VI). It was found that the removal of Cr(VI) was controlled by the concentration of –NRH+ on the surface of APs at pH > 2, which relies on the alkalinity of APs. However, the high concentration of NRH+ significantly facilitated the adsorption of Cr(VI) on the surface of APs and accelerated the mass transfer between Cr(VI) and APs at strong acid environment (pH ≤ 2). More importantly, the reduction of Cr(VI) was enhanced at pH ≤ 2, due to the high reduction potential of Cr(VI) (E ≥ 0.437). The ratio of reduction to adsorption (α) of Cr(VI) was above 0.70, and the proportion of Cr(III) bonding on Ph-AP excessed 67.6 %. Finally, a proton-enhanced mechanism of Cr(VI) removal was verified by analyzing FTIR and XPS spectra as well as constructing DFT model. This study provides a theoretical basis for the removal of Cr(VI) in the strong acid wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A palladium catalytic method has been developed for the coupling of amides and cyclopropanols to γ-diketones, through simultaneous C–N and C–C activation. Heteroatom ligand exchange and heteroatom-to-carbon ligation mode switching enable the achievement of molecular cross-coupling in an amide N-atom structural context-dependent manner, avoiding any stoichiometric organometallic reagent or base. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Previous transition metal-catalyzed synthesis processes of δ-diketones are plagued by the high cost of the rhodium catalyst and harsh reaction conditions. Herein a low-cost, room temperature ruthenium catalytic method is developed based on the coupling of α-keto sulfoxonium ylides with cyclopropanols. The mild protocol features a broad substrate scope (47 examples) and a high product yield (up to 99%). Mechanistic studies argue against a radical pathway and support a cyclopropanol ring opening, sulfoxonium ylide-derived carbenoid formation, migratory insertion C–C bond formation pathway. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: While the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and related infections pose serious threats to global public health, the epidemiology and associated risk factors remain poorly understood and vary by geography. METHODS: In a case-controlled retrospective study, we examined the prevalence, patient background and risk factors for CRE colonisation and infections, and all patient-derived CRE from January 2015 to January 2017. Isolated carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacteriaceae (CSE) from 2875 enrolled patients were randomly selected during the study. RESULTS: CRE colonisation and infections detection rates were 47/2875 (1.6%). Respiratory tract specimens were most frequently seen in 20/47 (42.6%) cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the main isolate in 35/47 (74.5%) CRE. As for carbapenemase, KPC-2-producing bacteria was most frequently detected in 38/47 (80.9%) Enterobacteriaceae. No underlying conditions (P = 0.004), pulmonary diseases (P = 0.018) and no antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days (P < 0.001) were statistically significant between the CRE and CSE groups. CONCLUSION: Klebsiellapneumoniae was the main isolate of CRE. The blaKPC-2 was the predominant CRE gene. Underlying conditions especially pulmonary diseases and antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days represented key risk factors for acquisition of CRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A novel cyclic functional monomer (CFM) was used to develop an As(III)-ion imprinted polymer (As-IIP). CFM possesses a positively charged imidazolium moiety and its specific cyclic size matches that of As(III). Batch adsorption experiments showed that the As-IIP has a maximum As(III) adsorption capacity of 55 mg/g, while that of the control polymer (CP) is only 25 mg As(III)/g. Adsorption isotherms for As(III) agree with the Langmuir model, suggesting monolayer adsorption. Kinetic studies showed that the adsorption process followed pseudo-second-order kinetics. The relative selectivity coefficients of As-IIP compared to CP for Cl − /H 2 AsO 3 − , SO 4 2− /H 2 AsO 3 − , HPO 4 2− /H 2 AsO 3 − , NO 3 − /H 2 AsO 3 − , and Mo 7 O 24 6− /H 2 AsO 3 − are 1.03, 1.95, 2.55, 1.52 and 2.51, respectively. The removal efficiency of As-IIP for As(III) in actual industrial wastewater was nearly 100%, which confirms that As-IIP has a high adsorption capacity as well as selectivity for the removal of As(III) from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Although all-inorganic perovskite CsPbBr 3 perovskites quantum dots (QDs) have garnered enormous interest in light emitting diodes, nonetheless limited attention has been paid to the perovskite-related CsPb 2 Br 5 nanoplatelets . Herein, we prepared perovskite-related CsPb 2 Br 5 nanoplatelets (NPLs) by a facile injection method. The synthesised CsPb 2 Br 5 NPLs showed single tetragonal crystalline phase with a uniform square shape and a high photoluminescence (PL) emission around 520 nm (PL quantum yield (QY) > 85%). In addition, we have demonstrated the fabrication of highly efficient CsPb 2 Br 5 NPLs-based green light emitting diodes with the highest luminance of 800 cd/m 2 and a relative low turn-on voltage of 3.0 V. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Stroke causes brain injury with neuroinflammation which exacerbates the neuronal damage. Recent studies show that anti-inflammatory cytokine interleukin-19 (IL-19) plays a critical part in the inflammatory and ischemic vascular diseases, yet its potential role in ischemic stroke is unknown. Here, we tested the hypothesis that IL-19 exerts protective effects against brain ischemia by modulating inflammation after stroke. Mice were injected intraperitoneally with 10 ng/g per day recombinant mouse IL-19 starting pre-stroke, and were subjected to transient middle cerebral artery occlusion. Infarct volume was assessed by triphenyltetrazolium chloride and neurobehavioral outcome by neurological scores. Inflammation was measured using real-time quantitative PCR, immunochemistry, and fluorescence-activated cell sorting. Infarct volume at 72 h after stroke was significantly smaller in IL-19 treated group and focal neurological score was significantly better. IL-19 treatment markedly attenuated elevation of the expression of TNF-α and IL-6 mRNA, suppressed increases in the number of microglia, macrophages, CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells as well as B cells, and blocked activation of macrophages and neutrophils in the ischemic brain. In peripheral blood, IL-19 injection helped to robustly preserve the reduced immune cells, including macrophages, CD4 + T cells, CD8 + T cells and B cells, compared to control group. IL-19 reduced brain infarction and attenuated neurological deficits following stroke in mice, probably by inhibiting infiltration and activation of immune cells, and by suppressing increases in gene expression of proinflammatory cytokines. This may identify IL-19 as a new therapeutic to limit neuroinflammation after stroke. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cerebral microvascular endothelial cells ( ECs) are crucial for brain vascular repair and maintenance, but their physiological function may be impaired during ischemic stroke and diabetes. Methylglyoxal ( MGO), a reactive dicarbonyl produced during glucose metabolism, could exacerbate ischemia-induced EC injury and dysfunction. We investigated the protective effect of autophagy on cultured human brain microvascular endothelial cells ( HBMEC) that underwent MGO treatment. A further study was conducted to explore the underlying mechanisms of the protective effect. Autophagic activity was assessed by evaluating protein levels, using western blot. 3-methyladenine (3- MA), bafilomycin A1, ammonium chloride ( AC), Beclin 1 si RNA, and chloroquine ( CQ) were used to cause autophagy inhibition. Alarmar blue assay and lactate dehydrogenase release assay were used to evaluate cell viability. Streptozotocin was administered to induce type I diabetes in rats and post-permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion was performed to elicit cerebral ischemia. Blood-brain barrier permeability was also assessed. Our study found that MGO reduced HBMEC cell viability in a concentration- and time-dependent manner, and triggered the responsive autophagy activation. Autophagy inhibitors bafilomycin A1, AC, 3- MA, and BECN1 si RNA exacerbated MGO-induced HBMEC injury. FAK phosphorylation inhibitor PF573228 inhibited MGO-triggered autophagy and enhanced lactate dehydrogenase release. Meanwhile, similar autophagy activation in brain vascular ECs was observed during permanent middle cerebral artery occlusion-induced cerebral ischemia in diabetic rats, while chloroquine-induced autophagy inhibition enhanced blood-brain barrier permeability. Taken together, our study indicates that autophagy triggered by MGO defends HBMEC against injuries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Enhancing the performance of adsorbents to the utmost extent is an objective but challenging in applying adsorption technology to wastewater treatment. In this work, novel quaternary ammonium polymers (QAPs) with high density adsorption site (i.e., quaternized N, confirmed by FT-IR results) were designed and prepared for rapid selective removal of Cr(VI) from water. The results of EDS analysis indicated the maximum exposure rate of N on the surface of QAPs was as high as 86.1%, which almost doubled comparing to that of Cr(VI) ions imprinted polymers (Cr(VI)-IIP) (46.2%). Interestingly, the maximum adsorption capacity (211.8 mg/g) and initial adsorption rate (h0 , 66.6 mg/ (g·min)) of QAPs (i.e., 5:1(TRIM)) for Cr(VI) are about 3.6 times and 4.9 times those of Cr(VI)-IIP (63.0 mg/g and 13.5 mg/(g·min)), respectively. Impressively, flow-through adsorption experiments demonstrated 5:1(TRIM) can completely remove 5 mg/L of Cr(VI) within five seconds. Additionally, 5:1(TRIM) exhibited a remarkable selectivity for Cr(VI) adsorption, and high purity (100%) of chromium can be readily obtained. The proposed idea of high exposure effect of the adsorption site can provide a valuable guidance for designing rapid selective adsorbents to remove and reclaim Cr(VI) from wastewater. Schematic Diagram for mechanism of Cr(VI) adsorption on QAPs and correlation between exposure rate of N and Q m. [Display omitted] • QAPs is a kind of adsorbent with high density adsorption sites on its surface. • Adsorption capacity (Q m) of QAPs was positively correlated with exposure rate of N. • QAPs exhibit high capacity, rapid adsorption rate for the Cr(VI) adsorption. • QAPs can achieve high purity chromate recovery due to the high selectivity. • QAPs has a good economic benefit in the recovery of chromate from wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• First time use of N -Cl bond as an internal oxidant for isoquinoline. • Atom- and step-economic synthesis in a green solvent. • Under a mild condition with a broad substrate scope. • High coordinating and oxidizing reactivity. The Rh(III)-catalyzed coupling of N -chloroimines with alkynes for the efficient synthesis of isoquinolines is reported. This represents the first use of the N -Cl bond of N -chloroimines as an internal oxidant for construction of the isoquinoline skeleton. The synthesis features atom and step economy, a green solvent (EtOH), mild reaction conditions, and a broad substrate scope. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A passive wireless impedance-loaded orthogonal frequency-coded (OFC) surface acoustic wave (SAW) sensor for wireless sensor networks was proposed in this paper. One of the chips on OFC SAW tag is connected to an external sensor, which could cause a phase shift in the time response of the corresponding part on the SAW device. The phase shift corresponds to the sensed quantity, which could be temperature, strain, vibration, pressure, etc. The OFC SAW tag is isolated by a proper package from the direct effect of the measurand on the device's response which could avoid the multiple measurands coupling. The simultaneous work of multiple sensors is guaranteed by orthogonal frequency coding. By processing the response based on an extended matched filter algorithm, sensing information of the specific coded OFC device can be extracted from the superimposed response of multiple independent encoded sensors. Compared to previous methods, the proposed method can produce a more flexible passive (battery-free) wireless sensor suitable for large-scale wireless sensor networks. Simulation and experimental results demonstrate the effectiveness of the sensor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE While the emergence and spread of carbapenem-resistant Enterobacteriaceae (CRE) and related infections pose serious threats to global public health, the epidemiology and associated risk factors remain poorly understood and vary by geography. METHODS In a case-controlled retrospective study, we examined the prevalence, patient background and risk factors for CRE colonisation and infections, and all patient-derived CRE from January 2015 to January 2017. Isolated carbapenem-susceptible Enterobacteriaceae (CSE) from 2875 enrolled patients were randomly selected during the study. RESULTS CRE colonisation and infections detection rates were 47/2875 (1.6%). Respiratory tract specimens were most frequently seen in 20/47 (42.6%) cases. Klebsiella pneumoniae was the main isolate in 35/47 (74.5%) CRE. As for carbapenemase, KPC-2-producing bacteria was most frequently detected in 38/47 (80.9%) Enterobacteriaceae. No underlying conditions (P  = 0.004), pulmonary diseases (P  = 0.018) and no antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days (P  < 0.001) were statistically significant between the CRE and CSE groups. CONCLUSION Klebsiellapneumoniae was the main isolate of CRE. The bla KPC-2 was the predominant CRE gene. Underlying conditions especially pulmonary diseases and antibiotics used prior to culture within 30 days represented key risk factors for acquisition of CRE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The incorporation of a naphthyl curing agent (NCA) can enhance the thermal stability of pressure-sensitive adhesives (PSAs). In this study, a PSA matrix was synthesized using a solution polymerization process and consisted of butyl acrylate, acrylic acid, and an ethyl acrylate within an acrylic copolymer. Benzoyl peroxide was used as an initiator during the synthesis. To facilitate the UV curing of the solvent-borne PSAs, glycidyl methacrylate was added to introduce unsaturated carbon double bonds. The resulting UV-curable acrylic PSA tapes exhibited longer holding times at high temperatures (150 °C) compared to uncross-linked PSA tapes, without leaving any residues on the substrate surface. The thermal stability of the PSA was further enhanced by adding more NCA and increasing the UV dosage. This may be attributed to the formation of cross-linking networks within the polymer matrix at higher doses. The researchers successfully balanced the adhesion performance and thermal stability by modifying the amount of NCA and UV radiation, despite the peel strength declining and the holding duration shortening. This research also investigated the effects of cross-linking density on gel content, molecular weight, glass transition temperature, and other properties of the PSAs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Graphical abstract Highlights • Palladium ion-imprinted polymers grafted with PHEMA brushes were synthesized. • Polymerization degree of PHEMA brushes can be regulated. • Grafted IIPs exhibited outstanding adsorption capacity and selectivity. • Anti-interference ability of IIP-3 outperformed the ungrafted IIPs. • Anti-interference mechanism of IIP-3 was proposed. Abstract Ion-imprinted polymers (IIPs) exhibit great potential as the adsorbent for adsorption of palladium from the industrial wastewater. However, co-existence of complicated water matrixes can readily block the imprinting cavities and disturb the adsorption of target ions. Therefore, it is meaningful to endow the IIPs with an excellent anti-interference ability toward practical applications. In this work, the polymer 2-hydroxyethyl methacylate (PHEMA) polymer brushes with different polymerization degree were successfully grafted on the IIPs. The polymerization degrees of PHEMA brushes are 43, 49, 73, 122, and 294 for the IIP-1, IIP-2, IIP-3, IIP-4, and IIP-5, respectively. Batch experiments reveal that polymerization degree has an inconspicuous effect on the adsorption capacity of IIPs. And their adsorption capacities are in the range from 42 to 46 mg/g, which is much higher than most adsorbents documented in literature. The kinetic constant has increased from 0.021 to 0.042 g/(mg·min) with the increase of polymerization degree from 43 to 294, respectively. This result implies that the high-polymerization PHEMA brush can accelerate the adsorption of Pd. More importantly, the anti-interference ability of IIP-3 significantly outperforms the ungrafted IIPs; and corresponding anti-interference mechanism has been proposed. This work provides a fundamental insight into the inter-relation between polymerization degree of polymer brushes and its anti-interference ability, which may facilitate the IIPs-based technology for the adsorption and recovery of valuable metals from complex wastewater. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Uniformly distributed In2O3 nanoparticle modified reduced graphene oxide sheets (In2O3/rGO) were synthesized via a normal-pressure microwave-assisted method with an in situ growth process. In the In2O3/rGO composites, In2O3 nanoparticles with sizes ranging from 3 to 26 nm are evenly fixed on rGO surfaces. In2O3/rGO sensors exhibit high sensitivity, rapid response and recovery, and high selectivity toward 1–50 ppm NO gas at 150 °C. The mass ratio of indium nitrate to GO during synthesis (16–24) dramatically influences the NO-sensing properties of In2O3/rGO composites, and the 20-In2O3/rGO sensor shows the highest response at the optimal operating temperature of 150 °C. Compared with the In2O3 sensor, the 20-In2O3/rGO sensor presents greatly improved gas-sensing properties, including higher response, lower optimal operating temperature, and better selectivity toward NO gas. The response of the 20-In2O3/rGO sensor toward 50 ppm NO at 150 °C is 30.6, 6 times higher than that (5.2) of the In2O3 sensor. The enhanced NO-sensing properties of the In2O3/rGO nanocomposite could be attributed to the synergistic effect of In2O3 particles and rGO sheets. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective. Based on the postanesthesia recovery procedure for elderly patients with colorectal cancer, a care bundle program was conducted to validate its effectiveness. Method. According to the characteristics of elderly patients with colorectal cancer, five measures including respiratory management, circulatory stability, pain assessment, body temperature monitoring, and internal environment stability were integrated into one bundle. Postanesthesia care unit (PACU) care bundle program for elderly patients was developed and used to improve recovery care. The monitoring data of the pre-PACB group given care bundles were collected and compared with the data of the post-PACB group who were given conventional recovery care. Result. 222 patients in post-PACB group had shorter intubation time than 291 patients in pre-PACB group (37.7 ± 24.4 min vs. 42.1 ± 23.3 min , P < 0.05). The length of stay in PACU was longer in pre-PACB group (89.9 ± 33.5 min vs. 81.6 ± 31.1 min , P < 0.05). More adverse events were found in the post-PACB group than in the pre-PACB group (72.1% vs. 34.0%). Conclusion. After general anesthesia of patients with colorectal cancer, the application of the care bundles can improve the quality of recovery, shorten the intubation time and the length of stay in PACU, and reduce the complications caused by anesthesia. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Density functional theory calculations including dispersion correction (DFT-D2) were used to investigate the relationship between charge distribution and nanofriction characteristics of graphene-based material systems. In our calculations, the single-side-hydrogenated graphene (SSHGraphene) system exhibits lower coefficient of friction, whereas the graphane system exhibits larger one compared with graphene system. These results are attributed to the adjustments of interfacial charge distribution that are induced by different hydrogen passivations. The charge distribution is smooth along the sliding direction for the SSHGraphene sheet, which yields a small potential barrier. Corrugation of the charge distribution in graphane system is much steeper than that in graphene system, which leads to a larger potential barrier. Comparative investigations reveal that the interfacial charge distributions determine the nanofriction performance, which may be helpful for friction modulation and design of new controlling lubricant material. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies have reported that Prosaposin (PSAP) is neuroprotective in cerebrovascular diseases. We hypothesized that PSAP would reduce infarct volume by attenuating neuronal apoptosis and promoting cell survival through G protein-coupled receptor 37(GPR37)/PI3K/Akt/ASK1 pathway in middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO) rats. Two hundred and thirty-five male and eighteen female Sprague-Dawley rats were used. Recombinant human PSAP (rPSAP) was administered intranasally 1 h (h) after reperfusion. PSAP small interfering ribonucleic acid (siRNA), GPR37 siRNA, and PI3K specific inhibitor LY294002 were administered intracerebroventricularly 48 h before MCAO. Infarct volume, neurological score, immunofluorescence staining, Western blot, Fluoro-Jade C (FJC) and TUNEL staining were examined. The expression of endogenous PSAP and GPR37 were increased after MCAO. Intranasal administration of rPSAP reduced brain infarction, neuronal apoptosis, and improved both short- and long-term neurological function. Knockdown of endogenous PSAP aggravated neurological deficits. Treatment with exogenous rPSAP increased PI3K expression, Akt and ASK1 phosphorylation, and Bcl-2 expression; phosphorylated-JNK and Bax levels were reduced along with the number of FJC and TUNEL positive neurons. GPR37 siRNA and LY294002 abolished the anti-apoptotic effect of rPSAP at 24 h after MCAO. In conclusion, rPSAP attenuated neuronal apoptosis and improved neurological function through GPR37/PI3K/Akt/ASK1 pathway after MCAO in rats. Therefore, further exploration of PSAP as a potential treatment option in ischemic stroke is warranted. • Intranasal administration of rPSAP reduced infarct volume, attenuated neuronal apoptosis, improved neurological functions. • Knockdown of endogenous PSAP further aggravated neurological deficits after MCAO. • rPSAP alleviated neuronal apoptosis by binding and activating GPR37. • rPSAP attenuates neuronal apoptosis via activation of the GPR37/PI3K/Akt/ASK1 signaling pathway after MCAO in rats. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a common opportunistic pathogen that causes infections in vulnerable patients including those with metabolic disorders, hematologic diseases, and malignancies, and in those who have undergone surgery. In addition, P. aeruginosa exhibits high intrinsic resistance to numerous antibiotics and tends to form biofilms rendering it even more refractory to treatment. Among the mechanisms used by P. aeruginosa to adapt to environmental stresses are those involving small regulatory RNAs (sRNAs), which are 40–500 nucleotides long and are ubiquitous in bacteria. sRNAs play important regulatory roles in various vital processes in diverse bacteria, with their quantity and diversity of regulatory functions exceeding those of proteins. In this study, we show that deletion of the sRNA, rgsA, decreased the growth rate of P. aeruginosa. Furthermore, ΔrgsA P. aeruginosa exhibited decreased ability to resist the stress induced by exposure to different concentrations and durations of peroxides in both planktonic and biofilm growth modes compared with the wild-type strain. These results highlight the role of rgsA in the defense of P. aeruginosa against oxidative stress. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: To explore whether serum pro‐gastric releasing peptide (proGRP) is elevated in nephropathy patients and evaluate the diagnostic value of proGRP in chronic kidney disease (CKD) patients. Methods: A total of 498 nephropathy patients and 170 healthy were selected in Zhongshan Hospital, Medical College of Xiamen University, from February 2016 to September 2017. The clinical data of the different groups including serum proGRP, CKD grading, and other serum and urine renal function biomarkers were analyzed by group comparison, correlation analysis and receiver operating characteristic curve. Results: Serum proGRP levels were significantly higher in the acute kidney injury and CKD groups compared with the other groups of kidney disease patients (P < 0.01), and increased with CKD grading (P < 0.01). Serum proGRP was substantially correlated with serum creatinine (r = 0.637, P < 0.01) and cystain C (0.837, P < 0.01). Serum proGRP had moderate correlations with urine β2‐macroglobulin (β2‐m; r = 0.587, P < 0.01) and α1‐macroglobulin (α1‐m; r = 0.557, P < 0.01). There were fair associations of serum proGRP with albumin (r = 0.10, P = 0.067), 24 h proteinuria (24 h‐TPU; r = 0.092, P = 0.099), urinary albumin/urocreatinine (uAlb/Cr; r = 0.29, P < 0.01) and urinary N‐acetyl‐β‐D‐glucosidase (r = −0.142, P < 0.01). The sensitivity of proGRP was superior to that of simplified modification of diet in renal disease (MDRD) formula in diagnosing CKD I + II (81.25% vs 66.67%), CKD III (86.42% vs 74.36%) and CKD IV (71.19% vs 69.64%), while its specificity was inferior to that of simplified MDRD formula in diagnosing CKD I + II (37.65% vs 66.97%), CKD III (56.25% vs 86.67%) and CKD IV (75.31% vs 88.46%). Conclusion: Serum proGRP is elevated in acute renal injury and CKD patients and increases with CKD grading. Serum proGRP is mainly affected by glomerular filtration rate and could be used for CKD staging, although the overall diagnostic sufficiency is inferior to simplified MDRD formula. SUMMARY AT A GLANCE: Serum pro‐gastric releasing peptide increases with declining glomerular filtration rate both in acute and chronic kidney disease in a Chinese population. However, it is not superior to the creatinine‐based modification of diet in renal disease formula for predicting renal function. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • UiO-66-Rd i-s and UiO-66-Rd p-m adsorbents were designed for capturing Ag(I) from wastewater. • Rhodanine groups were confirmed to be modified outside of UiO-66-Rd p-m and inside of UiO-66-Rd i-s. • UiO-66-Rd p-m exhibited faster kinetic and higher selectivity for Ag(I) capture than UiO-66-Rd i-s. • Enhanced selectivity was dominated by high-exposure rhodanine sites outside of UiO-66-Rd p-m. Highly efficient capturing of silver from wastewater is critical for environmental and economic sustainability but remains significantly challenging to achieve fast kinetics and precise selectivity. Herein, we present two approaches based on rhodanine (Rd)-modified UiO-66 including post-modified ligand exchange for UiO-66-Rd p-m and in-situ solvothermal for UiO-66-Rd i-s. The resultant UiO-66-Rd p-m and UiO-66-Rd i-s perform maximum adsorption capacity of 120 and 109 mg·g−1, respectively, which are both about 6 times higher than pristine UiO-66. Benefitting from high-exposure Rd groups over the surface, UiO-66-Rd p-m exhibits about 3 times faster kinetic adsorption and nearly 15 times higher maximum selectivity coefficient than UiO-66-Rd i-s. Experiment and calculation demonstrate that the excellent performance of Rd-modified UiO-66 is dominantly owing to S chelation in the Rd group. In addition, site energy distributions of the Dubinin-Ashtakhov isotherm model confirm that UiO-66-Rd p-m has more effective sites for Ag(I) adsorption relative to UiO-66-Rd i-s. While a higher density of Rd outside the UiO-66-Rd p-m provides a larger coordination number of S/Ag (1.41) than UiO-66-Rd i-s (0.59), which is attributed to its sufficient exposed active S sites for multidentate coordination of Ag(I), thus significantly enhancing adsorption rate and selectivity. These findings are exploited to shed new insight into the design of adsorbents for the efficient recycling of noble metals from water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we studied the geography and electronic structure of CoSi2 and the stability of CoSi2 (110) films with thickness from 1 to 25 monolayers by first- principles calculation under the frame of the density functional theory (DFT). The results represent that the stability of the films oscillate with the thickness with a period of 4 monolayers (MLs), and the amplify decay with the thickness, which present the modulation of quantum size effects (QSEs) on the growth of transition metal silicides (TMSs) films and can be explained well by the consequent electronic structure. This work represents the thickness dependence for the early stage growth of TMSs films; uncover the underlying mechanism of the QSEs, which is meaningful for the growth of stable and union TMSs films to increase the properties of electronic devices. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The metabolite itaconate has both anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory effects. However, its influence on chronic pain is unclear. Here, we demonstrated that intraperitoneal injection of the itaconate derivative dimethyl itaconate (DI) alleviated chronic pain symptoms, such as allodynia and hyperalgesia, in spinal nerve ligation (SNL) and inflammatory pain models. Moreover, intraperitoneal DI reduced the secretion of inflammatory cytokines (i.e., interleukin-1β, tumour necrosis factor-alpha) in dorsal root ganglion (DRG), spinal cord and hind paw tissues, suppressed the activation of macrophages in the DRG and glial cells in the spinal dorsal horn and decreased the phosphorylation of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) in the DRG and spinal cord. DI boosted nuclear factor-erythroid 2 p45-related factor 2 (Nrf2) levels in the DRG and spinal cord of SNL mice. Intraperitoneal administration of the Nrf2 inhibitor ML385 abolished the analgesic effect of DI and decreased the expression of Nrf2 in the DRG and spinal cord. Similarly, administration of DI potently reversed the lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced inflammatory effect in microglia. Reduction of endogenous itaconate levels by pretreatment with immune-responsive gene 1 (IRG1) siRNA blocked Nrf2 expression, which impaired the analgesic and anti-inflammatory effects of DI in vitro. Therefore, our findings revealed for the first time that intraperitoneal DI elicited anti-inflammatory effect and sustained chronic pain relief, which may be regarded as a promising therapeutic agent for chronic pain treatment. • DI alleviated SNL-induced neuropathic pain and inhibited neuroinflammation. • Nrf2 may act as a downstream regulator of DI to exert analgesic effects. • DI also relieved CFA-induced inflammatory pain and inflammatory response. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

[Display omitted] • A new ion-imprinted polymer that utilizes VTA was prepared for Cr(VI) removal. • The coordination effect and template effect were deep analyzed. • The role of cross-linking agents was investigated and clarified. • The results were successful used to design adsorbents for real wastewater. The template effect is known as the most important feature of ion imprinted polymer (IIP) technology. However, there has been a gap in the theorization of the template effect and apply the template effect to practice. In this work, we propose a method to control the template effect of IIPs by adjusting the ratio of cross-linking. A series of Cr(VI)-IIPs with various contents of the cross-linking agent were synthesized. Based on the qualitative analysis of the coordination selectivity and template effect, the theoretical equation of the template effect generated by the cross-linking agent was established rely on the Scatchard equation. In the Cr(VI) removal process, the contribution of template effect began to surpass the coordination effect when the molar ratio of functional monomer to cross-linking agent was 1/5.46, and the template effect further enhanced with the increase of cross-linking agent content. In the application of actual wastewater treatment, the IIP-1/12 and IIP-1/6 which are designed according to the resulting equation are effective to treat two different types of wastewater. The normalization equations and design concepts proposed in this study theoretically illustrate the role of cross-linking agent in the selectivity of materials. This allows for more flexibility in modulating the template effect of Ion Imprinted Technology for design and application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd adsorbent with dual coordination sites was designed and synthesized. • UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd exhibited high capacity and outstanding selectivity for Ag(I) capture. • Amide bonds endowed UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd with excellent recyclability and durability. • Specific adsorption site was identified by theoretical and experimental studies. Selective capture and maximum recovery of Ag(I) from wastewater is of great significance for a sustainable future. In this work, novel rhodanine (Rd)-functionalized UiO-66 adsorbents (i.e., UiO-66-Rd and UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd) were designed and synthesized. Different from previously reported UiO-66 derivatives with single metal coordination sites, the as-synthesized UiO-66-Rd and UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd have dual coordination sites, resulting in higher capacity and outstanding selectivity. The maximum capacities of UiO-66-Rd and UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd are 112 and 163 mg·g−1, nearly 5.6 and 8.2 times higher than that of UiO-66, respectively. Impressively, the maximum selectivity coefficient of UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd is approximately 1795 and 1173 folds higher than that of UiO-66 and UiO-66-NH 2. The experimental characterizations and theoretical calculations indicate that the Rd-induced enhancement in the adsorptivity and selectivity are mainly attributed to the dual coordination sites (i.e., C S and C S bonds), which collectively coordinate with Ag(I) in the form of Ag mono-coordinated with S. Compared with the UiO-66-Rd, UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd possesses excellent recyclability and durability due to the vital role of amide bonds generated from NH 2 group in the functionalization of UiO-66 with Rd. Furthermore, UiO-66-NH 2 -Rd can almost completely remove Ag(I) from the actual wastewater with complex matrix, satisfying the national integrated wastewater discharge standard and industrial wastewater emission standard, highlighting a great potential of practical application. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The interfacial friction performances of graphene covered and hydrogen-terminated diamond surfaces were investigated comparatively by first-principles calculations within density functional theory (DFT). Both systems exhibit similar excellent lubricating effects under small load, but the graphene covered interface presents small friction than that of hydrogenated system for the larger load. The calculated interfacial friction between two sheets of graphene covered diamond surface increases slowly than that of hydrogenated system in a wide range of pressure scale, and the friction difference between the two systems increases with increasing external pressure, indicating that graphene has flexible lubricating properties with high load-carrying capacity. This behavior can be attributed to the large interlayer space and a more uniform interlayer charge distribution of graphene covered diamond interface. Our investigations suggest that graphene is a promising candidate as solid lubricate used in diamond film, and are helpful for the understanding of interfacial friction properties of diamond film. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Dispersion-corrected density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the layered electride of dicalcium nitride (Ca2N) exhibits stronger interlayer binding interactions but lower interlayer friction behavior than that of traditional layered lubricants weakly bonded by van der Waals (vdW) interactions, such as graphite, h-BN, and MoS2. These results are attributed to the two-dimensional (2D) homogeneous conduction electrons distribution in the middle of the interlayer space of Ca2N, which yields a smooth sliding barrier and hence ultralow friction behavior. The interesting results obtained in this study have not only broadened the scope of 2D solid lubricants but also enriched the physical understanding of ultralow friction mechanism for 2D systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]