Review of Core-shell structure zeolite-based catalysts for NOx emission control.

Nitrogen oxides (NOx) from diesel engine exhaust, is one of the major sources of environmental pollution. Currently, selective catalytic reduction with ammonia (NH3-SCR) is considered to be the most effective protocol for reducing NOx emissions. Nowadays, zeolite-based NH3-SCR catalysts have been industrialized and widespread used in this field. Nevertheless, with the increasingly stringent environmental regulations and implementation of the requirement of "zero emission" of diesel engine exhaust, it is extremely urgent to prepare catalysts with superior NH3-SCR activity and exceptional resistance to poisons (SO2, alkali metals, hydrocarbons, etc.). Core-shell structure zeolite-based catalysts (CSCs) have shown great promise in NH3-SCR of NOx in recent years by virtue of its relatively higher low-temperature activity, broader operation temperature window and outstanding resistance to poisons. This review mainly focuses on the recent progress of CSCs for NH3-SCR of NOx with three extensively investigated SSZ-13, ZSM-5, Beta zeolites as cores. The reaction mechanisms of resistance to sulfur poisoning, alkali metal poisoning, hydrocarbon poisoning, and hydrothermal aging are summarized. Moreover, the important role of interfacial effect between core and shell in the reaction of NH3-SCR was clarified. Finally, the future development and application outlook of CSCs are prospected.

Diterpenoids with Potent Anti-Psoriasis Activity from Euphorbia helioscopia L.

Psoriasis, an immune-mediated inflammatory skin disorder, seriously affects the quality of life of nearly four percent of the world population. Euphorbia helioscopia L. is the monarch constituent of Chinese ZeQi powder preparation for psoriasis, so it is necessary to illustrate its active ingredients. Thus, twenty-three diterpenoids, including seven new ones, were isolated from the whole herb of E. helioscopia L. Compounds 1 and 2, each featuring a 2,3-dicarboxylic functionality, are the first examples in the ent-2,3-sceo-atisane or the ent-2,3-sceo-abietane family. Extensive spectroscopic analysis (1D, 2D NMR, and HRMS data) and computational methods were used to confirm their structures and absolute configurations. According to the previous study and NMR data from the jatropha diterpenes obtained in this study, some efficient 1H NMR spectroscopic rules for assigning the relative configurations of 3α-benzyloxy-jatroph-11E-ene and 7,8-seco-3α-benzyloxy-jatropha-11E-ene were summarized. Moreover, the hyperproliferation of T cells and keratinocytes is considered a key pathophysiology of psoriasis. Anti-proliferative activities against induced T/B lymphocytes and HaCaT cells were tested, and IC50 values of some compounds ranged from 6.7 to 31.5 µM. Compounds 7 and 11 reduced the secretions of IFN-γ and IL-2 significantly. Further immunofluorescence experiments and a docking study with NF-κB P65 showed that compound 13 interfered with the proliferation of HaCaT cells by inhibiting the NF-κB P65 phosphorylation at the protein level.

Tunable Rh(III)-Catalyzed C(sp2)-H Bond Functionalization of Aryl Imidates with Cyclic 1,3-Diones: Strategic Use of Directing Groups.

A tunable Rh(III)-catalyzed C(sp2)-H bond functionalization of aryl imidates with cyclic 1,3-diones was developed. With suitable and straightforward reaction condition adjustments, the C-H bond functionalization of diverse aryl imidates with cyclic 1,3-diones occurred smoothly and precisely at room temperature. Accompanied by different directing group transformations, a series of corresponding aryl nitriles, hydrophenanthridin-1(2H)-ones, spiro isoindoles, or hydrophenanthridine-1,6(2H,5H)-diones were synthesized in good yields to provide a rational directing group utilization strategy for the Rh(III)-catalyzed C(sp2)-H bond activation. Control experiments and primary mechanistic studies revealed that solvent effects and functional group electronic effects might influence the reaction's selectivity.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) and nutrients from two constructed wetlands in a city of southeastern China.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are a large class of toxic contaminants. Nutrients are closely related to the ecological health of aquatic systems. Both have received widespread global attention. This study investigated the concentrations, compositions, and spatial distributions of PFAS and nutrients in surface water from two constructed wetlands and the nearby drinking water treatment plants (DWTPs). We explored the natural environmental factors and human activities that affect the composition and distribution of pollutants in wetlands and assessed the ability of the DWTPs to remove contaminants. Concentrations of ∑32PFAS varied from 153 to 405 ng/L. Hexafluoropropylene oxide trimer acid (HFPO-TA) was the predominant substance accounting for 45 % of ∑32PFAS concentrations. It might originate from the emissions of indirect sources of PFAS related manufacturers. The detection rate of 6:2 fluorotelomer carboxylic acid (6:2 FTCA) was 100 % with concentrations ranging from 0.915 to 19.7 ng/L 6:2 FTCA might come from the biotransformation of indirect sources in the air. Concentrations of total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were from 1.47 to 3.54 mg/L, and non-detect (ND) to 0.323 mg/L, respectively. Constructed wetlands could effectively remove PFAS under nutrient stress, however, the removal of PFAS depends on the characteristics of specific compounds and their sources. The removal rates for PFAS and nutrients could be promoted through artificial dredging. But wetland bioremediation could have two opposing effects. On the one hand, plants can take up pollutants from water via roots, leading to pollutant removal and purification. On the other hand, plants may also absorb precursor intermediates from the air through leaves and release them into the water, leading to increased pollutant concentrations. Thirty-two emerging PFAS were identified by high resolution mass spectrum. The drinking water treatment process removed PFAS and nutrients below the drinking water quality standards of China, however, 9 non-target PFAS compounds were still found in tap water. These results provide case support and a theoretical basis for the pollution control and sustainable development of typical ecological wetlands used as drinking water sources.

Metal substrate engineering to modulate CO2 hydrogenation to methanol on inverse Zr3O6/CuPd catalysts.

It is well known that the performance of some key catalytic reactions has a strong dependence on metal catalyst surfaces. In the current work, this concept is further extended to the CuPd alloy-supported zirconium oxide inverse catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. A combined DFT and microkinetic simulation study reveal that both the metal substrate surface and the precise exposed Cu or Pd metal atoms on the substrate have a pivotal influence on the catalytic mechanism and performance of the inverse catalyst for CO2 hydrogenation to methanol. Herein, CuPd(100), (111), and (110) surfaces with either Cu and Pd terminations have been examined, which provided five metal substrates as support for the inverse catalyst. Three different mechanisms, including the formate pathway, RWGS + CO-hydro pathway, and CO2 direct activation pathway, are explored under the same conditions; they take place at the interfacial sites between the metal alloy and oxide. The calculations indicated that the inverse catalyst with the CuPd(100) substrate demonstrates better performance than those with CuPd(110) and (111) for both formate and RWGS + CO-hydro mechanisms. Conversely, the reaction pathway is more sensitive to exposed atoms on the metal substrate. The best inverse catalyst, Zr3O6/CuPd(100) with either Cu or Pd terminations, demonstrated a methanol formation TOF above 0.30 site-1 s-1 and the selectivity was above 90% at 573 K, as evaluated from microkinetic simulation. The coverage analysis indicates the most populated species is HCOO*, which is consistent with experimental reports. Both kinetic and thermodynamics control steps are identified from DRC analysis for the best performing catalysts. Overall, the current study confirms the catalytic performance of the inverse Zr3O6/CuPd catalyst and demonstrates the tunable effects of the metal alloy substrate, which can facilitate effective optimization.

Combined metabolomic and microbial community analyses reveal that biochar and organic manure alter soil C-N metabolism and greenhouse gas emissions.

The use of biochar to reduce the gas emissions from paddy soils is a promising approach. However, the manner in which biochar and soil microbial communities interact to affect CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions is not clearly understood, particularly when compared with other amendments. In this study, high-throughput sequencing, soil metabolomics, and quantitative real-time PCR were utilized to compare the effects of biochar (BC) and organic manure (OM) on soil microbial community structure, metabolomic profiles and functional genes, and ultimately CO2, CH4, and N2O emissions. Results indicated that BC and OM had opposite effects on soil CO2 and N2O emissions, with BC resulting in lower emissions and OM resulting in higher emissions, whereas BC, OM, and their combined amendments increased cumulative CH4 emissions by 19.5 %, 31.6 %, and 49.1 %, respectively. BC amendment increased the abundance of methanogens (Methanobacterium and Methanocella) and denitrifying bacteria (Anaerolinea and Gemmatimonas), resulting in an increase in the abundance of mcrA, amoA, amoB, and nosZ genes and the secretion of a flavonoid (chrysosplenetin), which caused the generation of CH4 and the reduction of N2O to N2, thereby accelerating CH4 emissions while reducing N2O emissions. Simultaneously, OM amendment increased the abundance of the methanogen Caldicoprobacter and denitrifying Acinetobacter, resulting in increased abundance of mcrA, amoA, amoB, nirK, and nirS genes and the catabolism of carbohydrates [maltotriose, D-(+)-melezitose, D-(+)-cellobiose, and maltotetraose], thereby enhancing CH4 and N2O emissions. Moreover, puerarin produced by Bacillus metabolism may contribute to the reduction in CO2 emissions by BC amendment, but increase in CO2 emissions by OM amendment. These findings reveal how BC and OM affect greenhouse gas emissions by modulating soil microbial communities, functional genes, and metabolomic profiles.

Clinical characteristics of double negative atypical inflammatory demyelinating disease: A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to investigate the clinical characteristics and predictors of relapse in double negative atypical inflammatory demyelinating disease (IDD) and to explore potential antigenic targets by tissue-based assays (TBA) using rat brain indirect immunofluorescence. METHODS: We compared the clinical, laboratory, and MRI data of double negative atypical IDD with other IDD patients. Serum samples were collected for TBA. The predictors of relapse were examined over a minimum of 24 months follow-up. RESULTS: In our cohort of 98 patients with double negative atypical IDD, there was no significant female predominance (58.2%, 57/98). The lesions primarily affected the spinal cord and brain stem, with fewer cases of involvement in the area postrema (5.1%, 5/98) and longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (43.9%, 43/98). A total of 62.5% (50/80) patients tested positive for anti-astrocyte antibodies based on rat brain TBA. Over a median duration of 39.5 months, 80 patients completed the entire follow-up, and 47.5% (38/80) patients exhibited monophasic course. A total of 36% (18/50) patients positively for anti-astrocyte antibodies had a monophasic course, which is significantly lower than patients negatively for anti-astrocyte antibodies (66.7%, 20/30) (p = 0.008). The presence of anti-astrocyte antibodies (hazard ratio (HR), 2.243; 95% CI, 1.087-4.627; p = 0.029) and ≥4 cerebrum lesions at first attack (HR, 2.494; 95% CI, 1.224-5.078; p = 0.012) were risk factors for disease relapse, while maintenance immunotherapy during remission (HR, 0.361; 95% CI, 0.150-0.869; p = 0.023) was protective factor. INTERPRETATION: Double negative atypical IDD are unique demyelinating diseases with a high relapse rate. Maintenance immunotherapy is helpful to the prevention of relapse, particularly in patients with anti-astrocyte antibodies or ≥4 cerebrum lesions at first attack.

Pharmacological Mechanism of Chinese Medicine in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Narrative Review.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disorder affecting multiple systems, characterized by the development of harmful autoantibodies and immune complexes that lead to damage in organs and tissues. Chinese medicine (CM) plays a role in mitigating complications, enhancing treatment effectiveness, and reducing toxicity of concurrent medications, and ensuring a safe pregnancy. However, CM mainly solves the disease comprehensively through multi-target and multi-channel regulation process, therefore, its treatment mechanism is often complicated, involving many molecular links. This review introduces the research progress of pathogenesis of SLE from the aspects of genetics, epigenetics, innate immunity and acquired immunity, and then discusses the molecular mechanism and target of single Chinese herbal medicine and prescription that are commonly used and effective in clinic to treat SLE.

Efficacy and safety of microwave ablation for treatment of follicular thyroid neoplasms: a preliminary study.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the feasibility, efficacy, and safety of microwave ablation in treating follicular thyroid neoplasms and suspicious follicular thyroid neoplasms. METHODS: In this retrospective study, the data of patients treated with microwave ablation for follicular neoplasms from December 2016 to January 2024 were summarized. The changes in nodule size, volume, technical success rate, disease progression, complete tumor resolution, thyroid function, and complications post-ablation were evaluated. RESULTS: Seventy-four patients (15 men, 59 women; mean age 46.3 ± 15.2 years) with follicular neoplasms were included. Over a median follow-up of 13 months, complete ablation was achieved, giving a 100% technical success rate. At the first month post-ablation, the maximum diameter of nodules showed no significant change (p = 0.287). From the third month, both maximum diameter and volume significantly decreased (p < 0.005 for all). Volume reduction rates remained stable at one and three months (p = 0.389 and 0.06, respectively) but increased significantly thereafter (p < 0.005 for all). By 24 months, the median maximum diameter had reduced from 2.3 cm to 0 cm, achieving a median volume reduction rate of 100%. Nodules disappeared completely in 20.3% (15/74). Local recurrence was noted in 2.7% of cases (2/74), with no metastasis or neoplasm-related deaths reported. Thyroid function remained unchanged post-treatment (p > 0.05). The complication and side effect rates were 8.1% and 4.1%, respectively. CONCLUSIONS: Initial findings suggest microwave ablation is an effective and safe treatment for follicular neoplasms, with low incidences of disease progression and complications, while maintaining thyroid function.

Laboratory variables-based artificial neural network models for predicting fatty liver disease: A retrospective study.

Background: The efficacy of artificial neural network (ANN) models employing laboratory variables for predicting fatty liver disease (FLD) remains inadequately established. The study aimed to develop ANN models to precisely predict FLD. Methods: Of 12,058 participants undergoing the initial FLD screening, 7,990 eligible participants were included. A total of 6,309 participants were divided randomly into the training (4,415 participants, 70%) and validation (1,894 participants, 30%) sets for developing prediction models. The performance of ANNs was additionally tested in the testing set (1,681 participants). The area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) was employed to assess the models' performance. Results: The 18-variable, 11-variable, 3-variable, and 2-variable models each achieved robust FLD prediction performance, with AUROCs over 0.92, 0.91, and 0.89 in the training, validation, and testing, respectively. Although slightly inferior to the other three models in performance (AUROC ranges: 0.89-0.92 vs 0.91-0.95), the 2-variable model showed 80.3% accuracy and 89.7% positive predictive value in the testing. Incorporating age and gender increased the AUROCs of the resulting 20-variable, 13-variable, 5-variable, and 4-variable models each to over 0.93, 0.92, and 0.91 in the training, validation, and testing, respectively. Conclusions: Implementation of the ANN models could effectively predict FLD, with enhanced predictive performance via the inclusion of age and gender.

Theoretical study on the mechanisms, kinetics and risk assessment of OH radicals and Cl atom initiated transformation of HCFC-235fa in the atmosphere.

Hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) are important greenhouse gases and ozone-depleting substances. Thus, a thorough understanding of their atmospheric fate is essential for preventing and controlling atmospheric pollution. Herein, the atmospheric transformation mechanism of CF3CH2CClF2 (HCFC-235fa) by the OH radical and the Cl atom was carried out at the dual-level of CCSD(T)/aug-cc-pVTZ//M06-2X/6-311+G(d,p). The reaction rate coefficients were calculated using the multistructural canonical variational transition state theory with small curvature tunneling (MS-CVT/SCT) at 200-1000 K. The kMS-CVT/SCT(CF3CH2CClF2 + OH) and kMS-CVT/SCT(CF3CH2CClF2 + Cl) values are 9.05 × 10-15 and 1.95 × 10-17 cm3 molecule-1 s-1 at 297 K, respectively. The results show that the role of OH is more important than Cl in the degradation of CF3CH2CClF2. The atmospheric lifetimes (83 days-77.93 years), ozone destruction potential (0.001-0.023), and global warming potentials (GWP100 = 21.06-5157.35) of CF3CH2CClF2 were assessed, and these results indicate that CF3CH2CClF2 is atmospherically persistent and environmentally unfriendly. The evolution mechanisms of CF3C·HCClF2, CF3C(OO˙)HCClF2, and CF3C(O˙)HCClF2 in the presence of O2, HO2˙, and NO were investigated and discussed. The resulting products of CF3CH2CClF2 are mostly highly oxidized multi-functional compounds in the forms of aldehydes, ketones, and organic nitrates. A computational assessment of acute and chronic toxicities was performed at three levels of nutrition in order to improve the understanding of the potential toxicity of CF3CH2CClF2 and its degradation products to the aquatic environment. The acidification potential of CF3CH2CClF2 was calculated to be 1.141 and presumed to contribute to the formation of acid rain. The results may contribute to describing HCFCs' atmospheric fate, persistence, and environmental risks.

Triphenylamine-Based Covalent Organic Framework Films for Dopamine-Responsive Electrofluorochromism.

Covalent organic framework (COF) film with electrofluorochromic (EFC) and electrochromic (EC) properties has been synthesized by using triphenylamine-based monomers. The film exhibited a high maximum fluorescence contrast of 151 when subjected to a drive voltage of 0.75 V vs the Ag/AgCl electrode, causing the fluorescence to be quenched, which resulted in the EFC process's "fluorescence off" state. The switching times for the fluorescence on and off states were 0.51 and 7.79 s, respectively. Over the same voltage range, the COF film also displayed EC properties, achieving a contrast of 50.23% and a coloration efficiency of 297.4 cm2 C-1 at 532 nm, with switching times of 18.6 s for coloration and 0.7 s for bleaching. Notably, the quenched fluorescence of the COF film could be restored by adding dopamine as a reductant. This phenomenon enabled the implementation of a NAND logic gate using the applied potential as a physical input and dopamine addition as a chemical input. This study demonstrates the successful development of COF films with bifunctional EFC and EC properties, showcasing their potential for use in constructing advanced optoelectronic devices.

Dihydroartemisinin Inhibits Epithelial-Mesenchymal Transition Progression in Medullary Thyroid Carcinoma Through the Hippo Signaling Pathway Regulated by Interleukin-6.

Dihydroartemisinin (DHA), an artemisinin derivative, can influence certain malignancies' inflammatory response and growth. This study used Cell Counting Kit-8 and Transwell assays to show that DHA suppressed the growth, migration, and invasion of medullary thyroid cancer cells. Furthermore, the authors used enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay, Western blotting, and immunofluorescence to confirm the expression of the transcriptional coactivators Yes-associated protein (YAP)/transcriptional coactivator with a PDZ-binding domain (TAZ) downstream of the Hippo pathway and changes in the expression of the epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) process markers E-cadherin and N-cadherin. These results demonstrate that DHA effectively reduced the expression of interleukin (IL)-6 in medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) cells and hindered the EMT process by regulating the Hippo pathway. This regulation was achieved by promoting YAP phosphorylation and inhibiting YAP/TAZ protein expression. Additional activation of the Hippo pathway by GA-017 alleviated the inhibitory effect of DHA on IL-6. Hippo pathway activation led to an increase in the expression of E-cadherin, a marker of EMT. In conclusion, DHA was demonstrated to regulate the Hippo pathway by inhibiting IL-6 secretion, leading to the inhibition of EMT in MTC. These findings provide a theoretical foundation for further exploration of the anticancer mechanisms of DHA and offer valuable insights into its potential clinical application as a combinatorial drug.

Atp13a5 Marker Reveals Pericyte Specification in The Mouse Central Nervous System.

Perivascular mural cells including vascular smooth cells (VSMCs) and pericytes are integral components of the vascular system. In the central nervous system (CNS), pericytes are also indispensable for the blood-brain barrier (BBB), blood-spinal cord barrier and blood-retinal barrier, and play key roles in maintaining cerebrovascular and neuronal functions. However, the functional specifications of pericytes between CNS and peripheral organs have not been resolved at the genetic and molecular levels. Hence, the generation of reliable CNS pericyte-specific models and genetic tools remains very challenging. Here, we report a new CNS pericyte marker in mice. This putative cation-transporting ATPase 13A5 (Atp13a5) marker was identified through single cell transcriptomics, based on its specificity to brain pericytes. We further generated a knock-in model with both tdTomato reporter and Cre recombinase. Using this model to trace the distribution of Atp13a5-positive pericytes in mice, we found that the tdTomato reporter reliably labels the CNS pericytes, including the ones in spinal cord and retina but not peripheral organs. Interestingly, brain pericytes are likely shaped by the developing neural environment, as Atp13a5-positive pericytes start to appear around murine embryonic day 15 (E15) and expand along the cerebrovasculature. Thus, Atp13a5 is a specific marker of CNS pericyte lineage, and this Atp13a5-based model is a reliable tool to explore the heterogeneity of pericytes and BBB functions in health and diseases.Significance Statement Pericyte is a key component of the blood-brain barrier (BBB) and highly implicated in neurological and neurodegenerative diseases. However, current genetic tools for brain pericytes often come with limitations, due to the lack of specificity to the pericytes in the brain or central nervous system (CNS), as well as the overlap with other cell types, particularly vascular smooth muscle cells. Here, we identified that Atp13a5 is a CNS-specific pericyte marker based on mouse single-cell transcriptomics, and further validate it using a knock-in model carrying Atp13a5-driven tdTomato reporter and Cre recombinase. The success of the Atp13a5-based model opens new possibility of genetic manipulations targeting only CNS pericytes in vivo and studying their biology and functions in health and diseases more specifically.

Rhizospheric bacterial communities against microplastics (MPs): Novel ecological strategies based on the niche differentiation.

Considerable amounts of microplastics (MPs) are stocked in plant rhizospheres, yielding adverse effects on rhizospheric microorganisms and threatening plant health. However, the adaptation of the rhizospheric microbiota for MPs remains largely unknown. Here, to evaluate the adaptive strategies of rhizospheric bacterial communities against MPs, we characterized the spatial dissimilarities in MPs properties and bacterial communities from mangrove non-rhizosphere to rhizosphere to root hair sediments. Consequently, two strategies were uncovered: (1) Bacterial communities showed significant niche differentiation induced by the increasingly enriched MPs evaluated by piecewise structural equation modeling (piecewise SEM), as increasing specialization (10.2 % to 19.4 % to 23.0 % of specialists) and decreasing generalization (10.4 % to 10.2 % to 8.7 % of generalists). (2) A self-remediation strategy of enhancing microbial plastic-degrading potentials was determined in bacterial communities, tightly coupled to the increase of specialists (linear regression analysis, R2 = 0.54, P < 0.001) and increasing MPs weathering degrees visualized by the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) from non-rhizosphere to rhizosphere to root hair regions. Our study provides a novel insight into the ecological strategies that rhizospheric microbes utilize against MPs, and broadens our knowledge of the interaction between soil microbes and global MPs pollution.

Stereuins A-F: Isopentenyl benzene congeners with antibacterial and neurotrophic activities from Stereum hirsutum HFG27.

Cultivation and extraction of the fungus Stereum hirsutum (Willd.) Pers. yielded 12 isopentenyl benzene derivatives, including six previously undescribed derivatives, named stereuins A-F. Their structures were established based on NMR and mass spectroscopy analyses, supplemented by comparison with previously reported data. Stereuins A-C are unique benzoate derivatives containing fatty acid subunits. Stereuins D and E feature a valylene group and a 6/6/6 ring system. In vitro, stereuin A significantly promoted neurite outgrowth. Several compounds exhibited antibacterial activity against Staphylococcus aureus. Stereuin F has an IC50 value of 5.2 µg/mL against S. aureus, comparable to the positive control, penicillin G sodium (1.4 µg/mL).

Activation of GPR30 Ameliorates Cerebral Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury by Suppressing Ferroptosis Through Nrf2/GPX4 Signaling Pathway.

The newly identified estrogen receptor, G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), is prevalent in the brain and has been shown to provide significant neuroprotection. Recent studies have linked ferroptosis, a newly characterized form of programmed cell death, closely with cerebral ischemia-reperfusion injury (CIRI), highlighting it as a major contributing factor. Consequently, our research aimed to explore the potential of GPR30 targeting in controlling neuronal ferroptosis and lessening CIRI impacts. Results indicated that GPR30 activation not only improved neurological outcomes and decreased infarct size in a mouse model but also lessened iron accumulation and malondialdehyde formation post-middle cerebral artery occlusion (MCAO). This protective effect extended to increased levels of Nrf2 and GPX4 proteins. Similar protective results were replicated in PC12 cells subjected to Oxygen Glucose Deprivation and Reoxygenation (OGD/R) using the GPR30-specific agonist G1. Importantly, inhibition of Nrf2 with ML385 curtailed the neuroprotective effects of GPR30 activation, suggesting that GPR30 mitigates CIRI primarily through inhibition of neuronal ferroptosis via upregulation of Nrf2 and GPX4.

Interface Induced by Hydrothermal Aging Boosts the Low-Temperature Activity of Cu-SSZ-13 for Selective Catalytic Reduction of NOx.

Hitherto, sulfur poisoning and hydrothermal aging have still been the challenges faced in practical applications of the Cu-SSZ-13 catalyst for the selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx from diesel engine exhaust. Here, we elaborately design and conduct an in-depth investigation of the synthetic effects of hydrothermal aging and SO2 poisoning on pristine Cu-SSZ-13 and Cu-SSZ-13@Ce0.75Zr0.25O2 core@shell structure catalysts (Cu@CZ). It has been discovered that Cu@CZ susceptible to 750 °C with 5 vol % H2O followed by 200 ppm SO2 with 5 vol % H2O (Cu@CZ-A-S) could still maintain nearly 100% NOx conversion across the significantly wider temperature region of 200-425 °C, which is remarkably broader than that of the Cu-SSZ-13-A-S (300-400 °C) counterpart. The experimental results show that the hydrothermal aging process results in the migration of highly active Cu species within the cage of Cu-SSZ-13 to the CZ surface, forming CuO/CZ with abundant interfaces, which significantly enhances the adsorption and subsequent activation of NO, leading to the generation of reactive N2O3 and HONO intermediates. Moreover, density functional theory (DFT) calculations reveal that the H of the HONO* species can function as Brønsted acid sites, effectively adsorbing NH3 to generate the active NH4NO2* intermediate, which readily decomposes into N2 and H2O. Furthermore, this pathway is the rate-determining step with an energy barrier of 0.93 eV, notably lower than that of the "standard SCR" pathway (1.42 eV). Therefore, the formation of the new CuO/CZ interface profoundly boosts the low-temperature NH3-SCR activity and improves the coresistance of the Cu@CZ catalyst to sulfur poisoning and hydrothermal aging.

Efficacy and Safety of Thermal Ablation for Solitary Low-Risk T2N0M0 Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of thermal ablation in treating solitary low-risk T2N0M0 papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) and compare the outcomes of microwave ablation (MWA) and radiofrequency ablation (RFA). MATERIALS AND METHODS: This retrospective, single center study involved 34 patients (age: 40.0 ± 13.9 years; 28 female) who had low-risk T2N0M0 PTC with a maximum diameter >2 cm and ≤4 cm and underwent MWA (n = 15) or RFA (n = 19) from November 2016 to April 2023. The primary outcomes were the cumulative rate of disease progression and delayed surgery rates. In contrast, the secondary outcomes included changes in tumor size, cumulative rate of complete tumor disappearance, and complication rates. RESULTS: The median follow-up period was 18.0 months (interquartile range [IQR]: 9.0-40.0 months). At 12 months, the median volume reduction rate of the ablation zone was 74.2% (IQR: 53.7%-86.0%). Disease progression was noted in two patients within 1 year, including one patient with local tumor progression post-RFA and one with a new tumor post-MWA, resulting in a constant cumulative disease progression rate of 8.8% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 0%-19.8%) throughout the remaining follow-up period. Both patients were subsequently treated with additional ablation and did not require surgery. The cumulative rates of complete tumor disappearance at 1, 3, and 5 years were 4.0% (95% CI: 0%-11.4%), 26.8% (95% CI: 2.7%-44.9%), and 51.2% (95% CI: 0%-79.1%), respectively. No significant differences were observed in the disease progression (P = 0.829) or complete tumor disappearance (P = 0.633) rates between the MWA and RFA groups. Complications occurred in 14.7% (5/34) of patients presenting with transient hoarseness. RFA had a higher but not statistically significant complication rate than MWA did (21.1% [4/19] vs. 6.7% [1/15]; P = 0.355). CONCLUSION: Both MWA and RFA demonstrated promising short-term outcomes in terms of efficacy and safety in treating solitary low-risk T2N0M0 PTC, with no significant differences.

Main chemical constituents and mechanism of anti-tumor action of Solanum nigrum L.

OBJECTIVE: Solanum nigrum L. (SNL) is a natural drugwith diverse bioactive components and multi-targeted anti-tumor effects, gaining increasing attention in clinical application. METHOD AND RESULTS: This paper reviews the studies on SNL by searching academic databases (Google Scholar, PubMed, Science Direct,and Web of Science, among others), analyzing its chemical compositions (alkaloids, saponins, polysaccharides, and polyphenols, among others), andbriefly describes the anti-tumor mechanisms of the main components. DISCUSSION: This paper discusses the shortcomings of the current research on SNL and proposes corresponding solutions, providing theoretical support for further research on its biological functions and clinical efficacy.