High adsorption capacities for dyes by a pH-responsive sodium alginate/sodium lignosulfonate/carboxylated chitosan/polyethyleneimine adsorbent.

Dyes are indispensable for the rapid development of society, but untreated dye wastewater can threaten human health. In this study, an adsorbent (SA/SL/CCS/PEI@MNPs) was synthesized by one-pot method using magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs), sodium alginate (SA), sodium lignosulfonate (SL), carboxylated chitosan (CCS) and polyethyleneimine (PEI). The adsorbent was mesoporous micrometer-sized particles with pore size of 34.92 nm, which was favorable for dynamic column experiments. SA/SL/CCS/PEI@MNPs possessed pH-responsive performance. Under acidic condition, the maximum adsorption capacities for anionic dyes (tartrazine, reactive black-5, indigo carmine) reached >550 mg/g. Under alkaline condition, those for cationic dyes (methylene blue, methyl violet, neutral red) exceeded 1900 mg/g. The function of the various modifiers was investigated. The results indicated that the incorporation of SL, CCS and PEI was able to provide plenty of sulfonate, carboxylate and amino/imine reactive groups so that adsorption capacities of dyes were improved. The adsorption mechanism was explored by FTIR and XPS. At the same time, the adsorption mechanism was more deeply analyzed using molecular dynamics simulations and radial distribution function. It was demonstrated that the dyes adsorption on the SA/SL/CCS/PEI@MNPs was mainly due to electrostatic attraction and π-π interaction. In addition, the adsorbent had good reusability, and the removal still reached over 90 % after five cycles. In conclusion, the adsorbent displayed a broad prospect for the adsorption of organic dyes.

Water-mediated active conformational transitions of lipase on organic solvent interfaces.

When it comes to enzyme stability and their application in organic solvents, enzyme biocatalysis has emerged as a popular substitute for conventional chemical processes. However, the demand for enzymes exhibiting improved stability remains a persistent challenge. Organic solvents can significantly impacts enzyme properties, thereby limiting their practical application. This study focuses on Lipase Thermomyces lanuginose, through molecular dynamics simulations and experiments, we quantified the effect of different solvent-lipase interfaces on the interfacial activation of lipase. Revealed molecular views of the complex solvation processes through the minimum distance distribution function. Solvent-protein interactions were used to interpret the factors influencing changes in lipase conformation and enzyme activity. We found that water content is crucial for enzyme stability, and the optimum water content for lipase activity was 35 % in the presence of benzene-water interface, which is closely related to the increase of its interfacial activation angle from 78° to 102°. Methanol induces interfacial activation in addition to significant competitive inhibition and denaturation at low water content. Our findings shed light on the importance of understanding solvent effects on enzyme function and provide practical insights for enzyme engineering and optimization in various solvent-lipase interfaces.

Clinical Results and Safety of Intracardiac Echocardiography Guidance for Combined Catheter Ablation and Left Atrial Appendage Occlusion.

Background: The goal of this study was to compare the procedural safety and long-term outcome associated with a combined catheter ablation and left atrial appendage occlusion (LAAO) procedure utilizing intracardiac echocardiography (ICE) guidance versus transesophageal echocardiography (TEE) guidance. The study focuses on implementing LAmbre and Watchman devices in patients diagnosed with nonvalvular atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods: A total of 363 patients diagnosed with nonvalvular AF and who underwent a combined procedure were prospectively enrolled between November 2017 and May 2022. Following 1:1 propensity score matching, the TEE group (n = 132) and ICE group (n = 132) were systematically compared in terms of the combined procedure, imaging parameters, events related to the procedure, and subsequent outcomes during follow-up, including mortality, stroke, bleeding, device-related thrombus (DRT), and peri-device leaks (PDLs). Results: The ICE group exhibited a significant reduction in total procedural duration (153.71 ± 31.71 vs. 174.74 ± 18.79 min), fluoroscopy radiation dosage (207.24 ± 108.39 vs. 268.61 ± 122.88 mGy), left atrial appendage occlusion procedure time (34.69 ± 10.91 vs. 51.46 ± 15.84 min), and contrast agent exposure (108.71 ± 37.59 vs. 158.41 ± 45.00 mL) compared to the TEE group. Angiography and ICE demonstrated a substantial correlation between the left atrial appendage (LAA) orifice and landing zone/LAA ostium (Pearson's correlation coefficient r = 0.808 and 0.536/0.697, two-tailed p < 0.001). No occurrences of device-related embolism, thromboembolism, significant bleeding, or unexpected fatalities were observed in either group. Comparable rates of all-cause death (0.76% vs. 0.76%), stroke or transient ischemic attack (2.27% vs. 1.52%), severe bleeding (1.52% vs. 0.76%), PDL (23.81% vs. 24.62%), and DRT (1.52% vs. 1.52%) were noted after an average follow-up of 18.46 ± 7.70 months in both groups, with no discernible differences. Multivariate logistic regression analysis identified a correlation between LAA velocity and the risk of PDL. Conclusions: The effectiveness and safety of ICE-guided combined treatment were demonstrated to be comparable to TEE guidance, accompanied by the additional advantages of decreased procedure time and fluoroscopy radiation exposure. Clinical Trial Registration: NCT04391504, https://register.clinicaltrials.gov.

Metagenomic next-generation sequencing in the early diagnosis of leptospirosis infection presenting as acalculous cholecystitis and septic shock in a non-epidemic area after typhoons: A case report.

Key Clinical Message: Leptospirosis is an important zoonosis worldwide. Due to nonspecific clinical manifestation and poor recognition in non-epidemic area, there is often a delay in diagnosis and treatment. Early diagnosis from Metagenomic next-generation sequencing test is crucial for timely intervention. Abstract: We presented a case of a 19-year-old male patient who developed leptospirosis infection characterized by acalculous cholecystitis and septic shock after typhoon events. Metagenomic next-generation sequencing (mNGS) helped to early diagnose leptospirosis infection. Finally, the patient achieved full recovery following the antibiotic treatment in addition to supportive care and was discharged.

Selective adsorption of anionic dyes by a macropore magnetic lignin-chitosan adsorbent.

Dyes pollution is well known for their hazardous impacts on human health and the environment. The removal of dyes from wastewater has become an important issue. In this study, magnetic micrometer-sized particles AL-CTS@MNPs were synthesized from alkaline lignin (AL) and chitosan (CTS) by "one-pot method". The adsorbent presented higher selectivity adsorption effect on anionic dyes than amphoteric and cationic dyes, and even no adsorption effect on cationic methylene blue (MB), which showed that the anionic dyes could be better separated from the other two types of dyes. The adsorption isotherms of the dyes were highly consistent with the Langmuir model, and the maximum adsorption capacity was 329.50 mg/g for methyl orange (MO) and 20.00 mg/g for rhodamine B (RhB). AL-CTS@MNPs showed good adsorption of anionic dyes (MO) in the pH range of 3-9. Meanwhile, the adsorbent AL-CTS@MNPs were also characterized, showing rough surface with specific surface areas of 37.38 m2/g, pore diameter of 95.8 nm and porosity of 17.62 %. The particle sizes were ranged from 800 µm to 1300 µm. The electrostatic attraction and π-π* electron donor-acceptor interactions were the main forces between the adsorbent and anionic dyes. While the electrostatic repulsive force between the adsorbent and the cationic dyes resulted in the non-absorption of MB by AL-CTS@MNPs. Subsequently, the adsorbent maintained a removal rate of >95 % after five adsorption-desorption cycles, demonstrating its excellent stability and recoverability. Ultimately, the prepared AL-CTS@MNPs illuminated good prospect on complex components dyes wastewater treatment.

Age affects vascular morphology and predictiveness of anatomical landmarks for aortic zones in trauma patients: implications for resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta.

PURPOSE: Understanding the vascular morphology is fundamental for resuscitative endovascular balloon occlusion of the aorta. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of aging on length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries in trauma patients, and to investigate the predictiveness of anatomical landmarks for aortic zones. METHODS: A total of 235 patients in a regional trauma center registry from September 1, 2018, to January 3, 2024, participated in the study. Reconstruction of computed tomography was applied to the torso area. The marginal diameter and length of aorta and iliac arteries were measured. Anatomical landmark distances and aortic marginal lengths were compared. RESULTS: The length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries increased with age, and a tortuous and enlarged morphology was observed in older patients. There was a good regression between age and diameter of the aorta. Neither the jugular notch, the xiphisternal joint, nor the umbilicus could reliably represent specific margins of aortic zones. The distance between the mid-sternum and femoral artery (427 ± 25 to 442 ± 25 mm for right, and 425 ± 28 to 440 ± 26 mm for left) was predictive for zone 1 in all groups. The distance between the lower one-third junction of the xiphisternum to the umbilicus and femoral artery (232 ± 19 to 240 ± 17 mm for right, and 229 ± 20 to 237 ± 19 mm for left) was predictive for zone 3 aorta. CONCLUSION: Aging increases the length and diameter of aorta and iliac arteries, with a tortuous and enlarged morphology in geriatric populations. The mid-sternum and the lower one-third junction of the xiphisternum to the umbilicus were predictive landmarks for zone 1 and zone 3, respectively.

Long-Chain Bio-Based Nylon 514 Salt: Crystal Structure, Phase Transformation, and Polymerization.

Nylon 514 is one of the new long-chain bio-based nylon materials; its raw material, 1,5-pentanediamine (PDA), is prepared by biological techniques, using biomass as the raw material. The high-performance monomer of nylon 514, 1,5-pentanediamine-tetradecanedioate (PDA-TDA) salt, was obtained through efficient crystallization methods. Here, two crystal forms of PDA-TDA, anhydrous and dihydrate, were identified and studied in this paper. From the characterization data, their crystal structures and thermal behaviors were investigated. Lattice energy was calculated to gain further insight into the relationship between thermal stability and crystal structures. The contribution of hydrogen bonds and other intermolecular interactions to the crystal structure stability have been quantified according to detailed Hirshfeld and IRI analyses. Additionally, the transformation mechanism of the anhydrate and dihydrate was established through a series of well-designed stability experiments, in which the temperature and water activity play a significant role in the structural stability of crystalline forms. Eventually, we obtained nylon 514 products with good thermal stability and low absorption using stable dihydrate powders as monomers. The properties of nylon 514 products prepared by different polymerization methods were also compared.

Dual routes of chunking social interaction: Insights from grouping two agent actions in working memory.

Humans have evolved the sophisticated ability to extract social relations embedded in interactive entities. One typical demonstration is a social chunking phenomenon wherein the cognitive system chunks individual actions into a unified episode basing on perceived interactive actions. However, the mechanisms underlying social chunking remain to be elucidated. Most studies have adopted static images and manipulated interactions through agents' facingness (face-to-face vs. back-to-back). Connecting agents via directed contingent actions is crucial in forming real-life social interaction. Hence, we employed dynamic actions as stimuli, separated physical- and communicative-contingency interactive actions, and predicted that domain-general physical regularities and domain-specific social relationships are crucial in social interactions, respectively. We tested this prediction by using an involuntary chunking effect in working memory, wherein two individual actions are involuntarily chunked when containing task-irrelevant interactive information. We found that involuntary chunking occurred for both types of upright interactive actions (Experiments 1, 3, 5, and 6). Inverting actions erased the chunking of communicative- but not physical-contingency actions (Experiments 2, 4, and 5). The facingness of dyads did not participate in chunking physical-contingency actions but was a prerequisite for chunking communicative-contingency actions (Experiments 3 and 6). These results reveal the dual routes of chunking interactive actions. Moreover, they suggest that the chunking mechanisms of dynamic social interaction are distinct from those of static images, highlighting the importance of using dynamic stimuli to explore the mechanisms of social interaction in emerging people-watching interdisciplinarity. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2024 APA, all rights reserved).

Left bundle branch area pacing improving the left atrial outcomes in pace-dependent patients compared with right ventricular outflow tract septal pacing.

BACKGROUND: Recent studies suggested that the left bundle branch area pacing (LBBAP) has a better efficacy to reduce QRS duration and produce a lower pacing threshold than the conventional right ventricular outflow tract septal pacing (RVOP), which resulted in a better cardiac function and ventricular synchronization. However, whether the LBBAP has a better efficacy in improving left atrial structure, function in pace-dependent patients compared with RVOP has not been well studied. OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to compare the atrial outcomes of pace-dependent patients who received LBBAP or RVOP procedures. METHODS AND RESULTS: A total of 72 patients (including II° AVB, high AVB, and III° AVB, excluding atrial fibrillation patients with atrioventricular block) consecutively enrolled in this single-center prospective clinical study and randomly assigned to the RVOP group and the LBBP group with 36 patients. All patients were pace-dependent. The changes in echocardiogram, speckle-tracking echocardiography, brain natriuretic peptide (BNP), and 6-min walking distance were documented and compared between two groups at baseline, 7 days, 1, 3, and 6 months after the implantation. There were no significant differences in baseline characteristics between the two groups. The results of the study were as following: (1) left atrial structure index: Our study indicated that there are no significant differences in left atrial anteroposterior dimension (LAAPD), left atrial superoinferior dimension, and left atrial mediolateral dimension between two groups. While the LAAPD in the LBBAP group was significantly reduced at 6 months after implantation ([38.22 ± 2.17] mm vs. [34.13 ± 1.59] mm, p < .05). (2) Left atrial strain index: We observed that the S% was significantly improved in both groups at 3 and 6 months after implantation but more prominent in the LBBAP group at 6 months (36.94 ± 11.67 vs. 25.87 ± 8.93, p = .01). SRs, SRe were improved in the RVOP group at 6 months after implantation but was further significantly increased in the LBBAP group. Similarly, the SRa in the LBBAP group was significantly better than the RVOP group after 6 months (-2.11 ± 0.75 vs. -2.51 ± 0.70, p = .04). (3) Left atrial ejection index: LAEF% in the LBBAP group was significantly improved compared with the RVOP group (60.02 ± 1.88 vs. 53.65 ± 2.45, p = .047) and baseline (60.02 ± 1.88 vs. 49.68 ± 2.75, p < .05) at 6 months after the surgery. (4) Left ventricular ejection index: The LVEF% in the LBBAP group was significantly increased than the RVOP group after 6 months (69.14 ± 4.99 vs. 64.60 ± 4.84, p = .01) and the BNP level was significantly lower in the LBBAP group compared with the RVOP group at 7 days, 1, 3, and 6 months after implantation (p < .05). (5) 6-min walking distance: the 6-min walking distance was significantly increased at 3 and 6 months after implantation compared with that before (p < .05) in both groups, but was more prominent in LBBAP groups ([483.03 ± 11.02] m vs. [431.09 ± 10.69] m,p < .05). CONCLUSION: Compared with the traditional RVOP, the LBBAP procedure increased left atrial myocardial stress as well as left atrial ejection in pace-dependent patients at follow-up to 6 months.

Uptake of HIV testing and its correlates among sexually experienced college students in Southwestern, China: a Web-Based online cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND: The prevalence of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is becoming more common among college students in China. However, latest data on the prevalence and correlates of HIV testing among sexually experienced college students is rarely. METHODS: An online survey was conducted among college students aged 18 years or older using multistage stratified cluster sampling from 16 colleges. Data on socio-demographic, HIV testing, HIV-related awareness, attitudes, sexual education and behaviors were collected. Propensity score matching (PSM) and logistic regression model were used to identify factors associated with HIV testing. RESULT: A total of 108,987 students participated the survey, of which 13,201 sexually experienced college students were included in this study. 1,939 (14.69%) college students with sexual experience reported uptake of HIV testing in the preceding year. The uptake of HIV testing increased for college students with a rising HIV knowledge score and sexual health knowledge. Being awareness of HIV-related knowledge (aOR = 1.15, 95%CI: 1.01-1.30), accepting one-night stands (aOR = 1.16, 95%CI:1.03-1.32), obtaining satisfactory sexual interpretation from parent(s) (aOR = 1.24, 95%CI: 1.07-1.43), ever had unintended pregnancy (aOR = 1.78, 95%CI: 1.32-2.38), ever had received HIV-related preventive service(s) (aOR = 1.37, 95%CI: 1.10-1.70), ever had participated HIV-related preventive services (aOR = 3.76, 95%CI: 2.99-4.75) and ever had anal sex (aOR = 2.66, 95%CI: 2.11-3.34) were positively associated with uptake of HIV testing. However, accepting premarital sex (aOR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.66-0.88), accepting cohabitation (aOR = 0.75, 95%CI: 0.61-0.92), occasionally discussing sex with parent(s) (aOR = 0.68, 95%CI: 0.50-0.91), and being with moderate satisfaction of school sex courses (aOR = 0.74, 95%CI: 0.58-0.95) were negatively associated with uptake of HIV testing. CONCLUSION: The prevalence of HIV testing was relatively low. Participation in HIV-related services and high-risk sexual behaviors were important enablers for testing. Improving sex education for students, increasing HIV preventive services on campus, and improving family sex education are necessary to increase HIV testing among college sexually experienced students.

Association Between Endothelial Activation and Stress Index and 28-Day Mortality in Septic ICU patients: a Retrospective Cohort Study.

Background: Endothelial Activation and Stress Index (EASIX) is a reliable alternative biomarker of endothelial dysfunction. Because endothelial activation is involved in sepsis pathophysiology, we aimed to investigate the association between EASIX and prognosis in septic patients. Methods: Data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care (MIMIC) IV database. EASIX scores were calculated using the formula: lactate dehydrogenase (U/L) × creatinine (mg/dL)/platelet count (109/L). Patients were grouped into tertiles according to log2 transformed EASIX. The primary and secondary outcomes were 28-day and 90-day mortality. Cox proportional hazards models, Kaplan-Meier curves, restricted cubic spline curves, and subgroup analyses were conducted to evaluate the association between EASIX and prognosis in septic patients. Results: A total of 7504 patients were included. Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that higher log2-EASIX was associated with increased risk of 28-day mortality (HR, 1.10; 95% CI, 1.07-1.13; P < 0.001). Compared with tertile 1, the tertile 2 and 3 groups had higher risk of 28-day mortality [HR (95% CI) 1.24 (1.09-1.41); HR (95% CI) 1.51 (1.31-1.74)]; P for trend < 0.001). Similar results were found for 90-day mortality. Kaplan-Meier curves showed that patients with higher EASIX had lower 28-day and 90-day survival rates. A linear relationship was found between log2-EASIX and 28-day and 90-day mortality. Conclusion: High EASIX was significantly associated with an increased risk of 28-day and 90-day all-cause mortality in patients with sepsis.

Spontaneous Pancreatic Hemorrhage: Successful Conservative Management in Two Cases.

BACKGROUND Spontaneous pancreatic and peripancreatic hemorrhage (SPH) is a rare subtype of spontaneous retroperitoneal hemorrhage. With diverse clinical manifestations and no specific presentations, early diagnosis of SPH becomes challenging. Patient-specific underlying causes and vital signs guide the SPH treatment approach. CASE REPORT Case 1: A 39-year-old man reported unexplained hypogastralgia at the emergency department (ED). An abdominal MRI revealed a mixed hematoma and cystic lesions between the pancreatic head and descending duodenum, attributed to ruptured mucinous cystic neoplasms. Extensive hematoceles were identified around the liver and abdominal pelvis on an enhanced CT scan. After undergoing fasting, rehydration, proton pump inhibitor and somatostatin intravenous injections, and peritoneal puncture, his condition improved. He was discharged nine days post-admission. Case 2: A 44-year-old man arrived at the ED with back pain and right upper quadrant pain. Enhanced CT indicated peritoneal fluid and a hematoma between the pancreatic head and descending duodenum. He initially received conservative treatment. However, on the eighth day, he reported recurrent abdominal pain. Follow-up CT showed an enlarged hematoma and gastric content accumulation. The patient was fasted and put on parenteral nutrition, and by the 37th day of hospitalization, he had fully recovered and was discharged. Both patients, having stable hemodynamics, fully recovered following conservative management, with no surgical intervention required. CONCLUSIONS Given its varied clinical presentations, SPH can easily be misdiagnosed. However, successful conservative management can lead to full recovery, as demonstrated in these case reports.

Comparison of Adverse Events between Isolated Left Atrial Appendage Closure and Combined Catheter Ablation.

(1) Background: This study aimed to investigate the effect of an additional catheter ablation (CA) procedure on the risk of post-procedure adverse events during CA combined with left atrial appendage closure (LAAC). (2) Methods: From July 2017 to February 2022, data from 361 patients with atrial fibrillation who underwent LAAC at our center were analyzed retrospectively. The adverse events were compared between CA + LAAC and LAAC-only groups. (3) Results: The incidence of device-related thrombus (DRT) and embolic events was significantly lower in the CA + LAAC group than in the LAAC-only group (p = 0.01 and 0.04, respectively). A logistic regression analysis revealed that the combined procedure served as a protective factor for DRT (OR = 0.09; 95% confidence interval: 0.01-0.89; p = 0.04). Based on a Cox regression analysis, the risk of embolism marginally increased in patients aged ≥65 years (HR = 7.49, 95% CI: 0.85-66.22 p = 0.07), whereas the combined procedure was found to be a protective factor (HR = 0.25, 95% CI: 0.07-0.87 p = 0.03). Further subgroup and interaction analyses revealed similar results. (4) Conclusions: The combined procedure may be associated with a lower rate of post-procedure DRT and embolization without a higher occurrence of other adverse events after LAAC. A risk-score-based prediction model was conducted, showing a good prediction performance.

The effect of polymorphism on polymer properties: crystal structure, stability and polymerization of the short-chain bio-based nylon 52 monomer 1,5-pentanediamine oxalate.

The compound 1,5-pentanediamine (PDA) is prepared by biological methods using biomass as raw material. The salt of 1,5-pentanediamine oxalate (PDA-OXA) was used directly as the monomer for the preparation of a new bio-based nylon 52 material. High-performance polymer materials require initial high-quality monomers, and crystallization is an essential approach to preparing such a monomer. In this work, three crystal forms of PDA-OXA, the anhydrate, dihydrate and trihydrate, were found and the single crystals of two hydrates were obtained. Their crystal structures were determined using single-crystal and powder X-ray diffraction. The thermal behaviors were characterized by thermodynamic analysis, and the lattice energy was calculated to further explore the relationship between the thermal stability and crystal structure. Detailed computational calculations, Hirshfeld analyses and lattice energy calculations were performed to quantify both the contribution of intra- and intermolecular interactions to the supramolecular assembly, as well as the influence on the stability of the structure. The structure-property relationship between the PDA-OXA crystal forms was established. Moreover, the phase transformation mechanism between the crystalline forms of PDA-OXA has been established, and the control strategy of specific crystal forms was developed from the water activity-temperature phase diagram and relevant thermodynamic data. Finally, the influence of the polymorphism of the monomer and the polymerization methods on the properties of the polymer was investigated. The nylon 52 product obtained showed good appearance, high hardness and thermal stability, the polymer made using the anhydrate as the monomer has better thermodynamic properties than that prepared from the dihydrate, indicating practical industrial application prospects.

A domain-general frontoparietal network interacts with domain-preferential intermediate pathways to support working memory task.

Working memory (WM) is essential for cognition, but the underlying neural mechanisms remain elusive. From a hierarchical processing perspective, this paper proposed and tested a hypothesis that a domain-general network at the top of the WM hierarchy can interact with distinct domain-preferential intermediate circuits to support WM. Employing a novel N-back task, we first identified the posterior superior temporal gyrus (pSTG), middle temporal area (MT), and postcentral gyrus (PoCG) as intermediate regions for biological motion and shape motion processing, respectively. Using further psychophysiological interaction analyses, we delineated a frontal-parietal network (FPN) as the domain-general network. These results were further verified and extended by a delayed match to sample (DMS) task. Although the WM load-dependent and stimulus-free activations during the DMS delay phase confirm the role of FPN as a domain-general network to maintain information, the stimulus-dependent activations within this network during the DMS encoding phase suggest its involvement in the final stage of the hierarchical processing chains. In contrast, the load-dependent activations of intermediate regions in the N-back task highlight their further roles beyond perception in WM tasks. These results provide empirical evidence for a hierarchical processing model of WM and may have significant implications for WM training.

Reversible Adsorption and Detachment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae on Thermoresponsive Poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-Grafted Fibers for Continuous Immobilized Fermentation.

Biofilm-mediated continuous fermentation with cells immobilized has gained much attention in recent years. In this study, thermoresponsive poly(N-isopropylacrylamide)-grafted cotton fibers (PNIPAM-CF) were prepared via an improved surface-initiated atom transfer radical polymerization. The modification process imparted switchable wettability to the surface while maintaining the thermal stability and biocompatibility of the CF. During the ethanol transformation, the rapid, reversible cell adsorption and detachment of Saccharomyces cerevisiae were performed through the modulation of wettability, displaying the enhancement of immobilized biomass and immobilization efficiency from 2.20 g/L and 59.43% to 2.81 g/L and 93.32%, respectively. Moreover, the biofilm adsorption matched well with the Freundlich model, indicating that multilayer adhesion was the main mode of biofilm formation. Based on the accumulation of the biofilm, the fabrication and utilization of PNIPAM-CF improved the efficiency of continuous immobilized fermentation, making the ethanol production reach 26.34 g/L in the sixth batch of fermentation. Meanwhile, wettability regulation further enhanced the reusability of the carrier. Therefore, the findings of this study revealed that the application of smart materials in cell immobilization systems had broad prospects for achieving sustainable and continuous catalysis.

Design and optimization of the continuous separation process for lignin and alkali by 'Extended Separation Volume' method.

This work is to design and optimize the 4column-simulated moving bed unit to separate and recovery alkali and lignin from black liquor. Since both alkali lignin and NaOH are the main products, we proposed the 'extended separation volume' methodology to construct a four-dimensional separation region (QI×QII×QIII×QIV) to design the operating conditions. Special attention was paid to investigate the influence of flow-rates in each zone on the performance parameters of these two products. The results show besides QII and QIII, QI and QIV can affect the concentrations and productivities significantly and have to be taken into account. Afterwards, the Response Surface Methodology, conducted by Design-Expert® was chosen to deal with the multi-objective optimization problem. The unique optimal operating conditions were finally obtained with the concentration of 74.7% and 48.1% of feed solution, and the productivity of 3.9 and 0.7 g/(L·h)-1 for alkali lignin and NaOH. Considering the actual operation, the productivity of 2.5 and 0.446 g/(L·h)-1 were obtained by experiment of internal actual operation point.

The effect of different preoperative left atrial appendage emptying speeds on left atrial function in patients with persistent atrial fibrillation after left atrial appendage closure combined with catheter ablation.

OBJECTIVE: The present study aimed to investigate whether different preoperative left atrial appendage emptying speeds (LAAEVs) have an effect on left atrial function in patients with sinus arrhythmia after left atrial appendage closure (LAAC) combined with catheter ablation (CA). METHODS: A total of 163 patients with persistent non-valvular atrial fibrillation who received combined LAAC+CA surgery were included in the present study. Regular follow-up was conducted for 12 months, and patients with complete data and successful sinus rhythm recovery were selected as the study subjects (n = 82). The patients were divided into two groups: the LAAEV < 25 cm/s group and the LAAEV ≥ 25 cm/s group (n = 41 each). The propensity score was used for matching according to gender, age, CHA2DS2-VASc score, and HAS-BLED score. The changes in the two groups in LA structure, storage function, conduit function, and pump function were compared. RESULTS: Before surgery, the maximum LA volume (LAVmax) and minimum LA volume (LAVmin) were greater in the LAAEV < 25 cm/s group than in the LAAEV ≥ 25 cm/s group. The LA storage function (eg. Ƹ and SRs), conduit function (eg. SRe), and pump function (eg. SRa) were all worse in the LAAEV < 25 cm/s group than in the LAAEV ≥ 25 cm/s group. After the combined LAAC+CA surgery, the LA storage, conduit, and pump functions improved in both groups. At 12 months after surgery, there were no statistically significant differences between the two groups. CONCLUSION: Before combined LAAC+CA surgery, the LA structure and function of the LAAEV < 25 cm/s group were worse than those of the LAAEV ≥ 25 cm/s group. However, after LAAC+CA surgery, the LA structure and function of the patients were improved, and there were no significant differences between the two groups. Inferred improvement in LA structure and function in the LAAEV < 25 cm/s group was superior to that in the LAAEV ≥ 25 cm/s group.

Synthesis and evaluation of inhibitors of Mycobacterium tuberculosis UGM using bioisosteric replacement.

There is a dearth of tuberculosis (TB) drug development activity as current therapeutic treatments are inadequate due to the appearance of drug-resistant TB. The enzyme UDP-galactopyranose mutase (UGM) is involved in the biosynthesis of galactan which is essential for cell wall integrity and bacterial viability. Its inhibition has thus been featured as profitable strategy for anti-TB drug discovery. In this study, we report on the synthesis of amides derived from rosmarinic acid, their inhibitory effect towards purified UGM using three distinct biochemical assays: FP, HPLC and SPR. The rosmarinic amides generally showed a significantly higher affinity for UGM than the corresponding rosmarinic ester. In particular, compound 5h displayed interesting binding affinity values (Kd = 58 ± 7, 63 ± 9 µM towards KpUGM and MtUGM respectively). Furthermore, a new UGM SPR assay was established and confirmed that 5h binds to UGM with a dissociation constant of 104.8 ± 6.5 µM. Collectively, this study validates the amide bioisosteric strategy which has been successfully implemented to develop UGM inhibitors from rosmarinic acid, providing a substantial basis for further design of novel UGM inhibitors and anti-mycobacterial agents.