Peptide S4 is an entry inhibitor of SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) caused by severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) poses a significant socioeconomic burden, and combating COVID-19 is imperative. Blocking the SARS-CoV-2 RBD-ACE2 interaction is a promising therapeutic approach for viral infections, as SARS-CoV-2 binds to the ACE2 receptors of host cells via the RBD of spike proteins to infiltrate these cells. We used computer-aided drug design technology and cellular experiments to screen for peptide S4 with high affinity and specificity for the human ACE2 receptor through structural analysis of SARS-CoV-2 and ACE2 interactions. Cellular experiments revealed that peptide S4 effectively inhibited SARS-CoV-2 and HCoV-NL63 viruses from infecting host cells and was safe for cells at effective concentrations. Based on these findings, peptide S4 may be a potential pharmaceutical agent for clinical application in the treatment of the ongoing SARS-CoV-2 pandemic.

Safety and efficacy of zanubrutinib in relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma: final analysis of the MAGNOLIA study.

The primary analysis of MAGNOLIA, an open-label, single-arm, multicenter, phase 2 study, demonstrated that the next-generation Bruton tyrosine kinase (BTK) inhibitor zanubrutinib provided a high overall response rate (ORR) in patients with relapsed/refractory marginal zone lymphoma (R/R MZL), with a favorable safety/tolerability profile. Presented here, is the final analysis of MAGNOLIA, performed to characterize the durability of response and longer-term safety and tolerability. Zanubrutinib (160 mg twice daily) was evaluated in 68 patients with R/R MZL who had received at least 1 anti-CD20-directed regimen. The primary end point was independent review committee (IRC)-assessed ORR. Secondary end points included investigator-assessed ORR, duration of response (DOR), progression-free survival (PFS), overall survival (OS), health-related quality of life, safety, and tolerability. With a median follow-up of 27.4 months, the IRC-assessed ORR was 68.2% (95% confidence interval [CI], 55.6-79.1), with a 24-month DOR event-free rate of 72.9% (95% CI, 54.4-84.9). PFS and OS at 24 months were 70.9% (95% CI, 57.2-81.0) and 85.9% (95% CI, 74.7-92.4), respectively. The zanubrutinib safety profile was consistent with the primary analysis, with no new safety signals observed. Atrial fibrillation/flutter (n = 2 [2.9%]) and hypertension (n = 3 [4.4%]) were uncommon. Neutropenia (n = 8 [11.8%]) was the most common grade ≥3 adverse event. In this final analysis of MAGNOLIA, zanubrutinib demonstrated sustained clinical responses beyond 2 years, with 73% of responders alive and progression free. Zanubrutinib continued to demonstrate a favorable safety/tolerability profile with the additional time on treatment. This trial was registered at www.clinicaltrials.gov as #NCT03846427.

Boosting CO2 Conversion by Synergy of Lead-Free Perovskite Cs2SnCl6 and Plasma with H2O.

Although dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma is a promising technique for CO2 conversion, realizing CO2-to-alcohol is still challenging via the use of H2O. Herein, for the first time, efficient CO2 conversion was achieved via the synergism between the Cs2SnCl6 photocatalyst and DBD plasma assisted by H2O. The CO2 conversion ratio of plasma photocatalysis was 6.5% higher than that of only the plasma and photocatalysis, implying that the synergism of plasma catalysis and photocatalysis was achieved. Furthermore, the DBD plasma assisted by the Cs2SnCl6 photocatalyst could convert CO2 and H2O to CO and a small amount of methanol and ethanol. The CO2 conversion ratio was enhanced by 50.6% in the presence of H2O, which was attributed to the improvement of charge transfer due to the increased electrical conductivity of the photocatalyst surface during plasma discharge. This work provides a new idea for developing an efficient system for CO2 utilization.

Association of Cerebral Hemodynamics and Cognitive Function in Adult Patients with Moyamoya Disease: A Three-Dimensional Pseudo-Continuous Arterial Spin Labeling Study.

OBJECTIVE: Cognitive dysfunction is a serious complication of moyamoya disease (MMD) in adults, and reduced cerebral blood flow (CBF) might be the potential cause. We aimed to explore the correlation between cerebral hemodynamics and cognitive function in adults with MMD by using three-dimensional pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (3D-pCASL). METHODS: A total of 24 MMD patients with a history of cerebral infarction, 25 asymptomatic MMD patients, and 25 healthy controls were prospectively enrolled in this study. All participants were performed 3D-pCASL, and cognitive function was evaluated with the Mini-Mental State Examination (MMSE), the Montreal Cognitive Assessment Scale (MoCA), and the Trail Making Test Part A (TMTA). The correlation between cerebral hemodynamics and cognitive function was explored in the region of interest-based analysis. RESULTS: Compared with healthy controls, both CBF and cognition decreased in adult MMD. In the infarction group, the MMSE and MoCA scores correlated with CBF of the right anterior cerebral artery (P = 0.037 and 0.010, respectively) and the left middle cerebral artery (MCA) cortical territories (P = 0.002 and 0.001, respectively), and the TMTA time-consuming has a negative correlation with CBF of the right and left MCA cortical territories (P = 0.044 and 0.010, respectively); in the asymptomatic group, the MMSE and MoCA scores correlated with CBF of the left MCA cortical territory (P = 0.032 and 0.029, respectively). CONCLUSIONS: The 3D-pCASL can find the hypoperfusion area of CBF in adults with MMD, and hypoperfusion in specific brain regions may cause cognitive dysfunction even in asymptomatic patients.

Novelty All-Inorganic Titanium-Based Halide Perovskite for Highly Efficient Photocatalytic CO2 Conversion.

Lead halide perovskite materials have great potential for photocatalytic reaction due to their low fabrication cost, unique optical absorption coefficient, and suitable band structures. However, the main problems are the toxicity and instability of the lead halide perovskite materials. Therefore, a facile synthetic method is used to prepare lead-free environmentally friendly Cs2 TiX6 (X = Cl, Cl0.5 Br0.5 , Br) perovskite materials. Their structural and optical characteristics are systematically investigated. The band gaps of the produced samples are illustrated to be from 1.87 to 2.73 eV. Moreover, these materials can keep high stability in harsh environments such as illumination and heating, and the Cs2 Ti(Cl0.5 Br0.5 )6 microcrystals demonstrate the yields of 176 µmol g-1 for CO and 78.9 µmol g-1 for CH4 after light irradiation for 3 h, which is of the first report of Ti-based perovskite photocatalysts. This finding demonstrates that the Ti-based perovskites will create opportunities for photocatalytic applications, which may offer a new idea to construct low-cost, eco-friendly, and bio-friendly photocatalysts.

Synergistic Functional Nanomedicine Enhances Ferroptosis Therapy for Breast Tumors by a Blocking Defensive Redox System.

The upregulation of dihydroorotate dehydrogenase (DHODH) redox systems inside tumor cells provides a powerful shelter against lipid peroxidation (LPO), impeding ferroptosis-induced antitumor responses. To solve this issue, we report a strategy to block redox systems and enhance ferroptotic cancer cell death based on a layered double hydroxide (LDH) nanoplatform (siR/IONs@LDH) co-loaded with ferroptosis agent iron oxide nanoparticles (IONs) and the DHODH inhibitor (siR). siR/IONs@LDH is able to simultaneously release IONs and siR in a pH-responsive manner, efficiently generate toxic reactive oxygen species (ROS) via an Fe2+-mediated Fenton reaction, and synergistically induce cancer cell death upon the acceleration of LPO accumulation. In vivo therapeutic evaluations demonstrate that this nanomedicine has excellent performance for tumor growth inhibition without any detectable side effects. This work thus provides a new insight into nanomaterial-mediated tumor ferroptosis therapy.

The Geometry of Nonlinear Embeddings in Kernel Discriminant Analysis.

Fisher's linear discriminant analysis is a classical method for classification, yet it is limited to capturing linear features only. Kernel discriminant analysis as an extension is known to successfully alleviate the limitation through a nonlinear feature mapping. We study the geometry of nonlinear embeddings in discriminant analysis with polynomial kernels and Gaussian kernel by identifying the population-level discriminant function that depends on the data distribution and the kernel. In order to obtain the discriminant function, we solve a generalized eigenvalue problem with between-class and within-class covariance operators. The polynomial discriminants are shown to capture the class difference through the population moments explicitly. For approximation of the Gaussian discriminant, we use a particular representation of the Gaussian kernel by utilizing the exponential generating function for Hermite polynomials. We also show that the Gaussian discriminant can be approximated using randomized projections of the data. Our results illuminate how the data distribution and the kernel interact in determination of the nonlinear embedding for discrimination, and provide a guideline for choice of the kernel and its parameters.

Facile Synthesis of Weakly Ferromagnetic Organogadolinium Macrochelates-Based T1 -Weighted Magnetic Resonance Imaging Contrast Agents.

To surmount the major concerns of commercial small molecule Gd chelates and reported Gd-based contrast agents (GBCAs) for magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), a new concept of organogadolinium macrochelates (OGMCs) constructed from the coordination between Gd3+ and macromolecules is proposed. A library of macromolecules were screened for Gd3+ coordination, and two candidates [i.e., poly(acrylic acid) (PAA), and poly(aspartic acid) (PASP)] succeeded in OGMC formation. Under optimized synthesis conditions, both Gd-PAA12 and Gd-PASP11 OGMCs are outstanding T1 -weighted CAs owing to their super high r1 values (> 50 mm-1  s-1 , 3.0 T) and ultralow r2 /r1 ratios (< 1.6, 3.0 T). The ferromagnetism of OGMCs is completely different from the paramagnetism of commercial and reported GBCAs. The ferromagnetism is very weak (Ms  < 1.0 emu g-1 ) leading to a low r2 , which is preferred for T1 MRI. Gd3+ is not released from the OGMC Gd-PAA12 and Gd-PASP11, ensuring biosafety for in vivo applications. The safety and T1 -weighted MRI efficiencies of the OGMC Gd-PAA12 and Gd-PASP11 are tested in cells and mice. The synthesis method of the OGMCs is facile and easy to be scaled up. Consequently, the OGMC Gd-PAA12 and Gd-PASP11 are superior T1 -weighted CAs with promising translatability to replace the commercial Gd chelates.

Modification of Polymeric Carbon Nitride with Au-CeO2 Hybrids to Improve Photocatalytic Activity for Hydrogen Evolution.

The construction of a multi-component heterostructure for promoting the exciton splitting and charge separation of conjugated polymer semiconductors has attracted increasing attention in view of improving their photocatalytic activity. Here, we integrated Au nanoparticles (NPs) decorated CeO2 (Au-CeO2) with polymeric carbon nitride (PCN) via a modified thermal polymerization method. The combination of the interfacial interaction between PCN and CeO2 via N-O or C-O bonds, with the interior electronic transmission channel built by the decoration of Au NPs at the interface between CeO2 and PCN, endows CeAu-CN with excellent efficiency in the transfer and separation of photo-induced carriers, leading to the enhancement of photochemical activity. The amount-optimized CeAu-CN nanocomposites are capable of producing ca. 80 µmol· H2 per hour under visible light irradiation, which is higher than that of pristine CN, Ce-CN and physical mixed CeAu and PCN systems. In addition, the photocatalytic activity of CeAu-CN remains unchanged for four runs in 4 h. The present work not only provides a sample and feasible strategy to synthesize highly efficient organic polymer composites containing metal-assisted heterojunction photocatalysts, but also opens up a new avenue for the rational design and synthesis of potentially efficient PCN-based materials for efficient hydrogen evolution.

CdS Nanocubes Adorned by Graphitic C3N4 Nanoparticles for Hydrogenating Nitroaromatics: A Route of Visible-Light-Induced Heterogeneous Hollow Structural Photocatalysis.

Modulating the transport route of photogenerated carriers on hollow cadmium sulfide without changing its intrinsic structure remains fascinating and challenging. In this work, a series of well-defined heterogeneous hollow structural materials consisting of CdS hollow nanocubes (CdS NCs) and graphitic C3N4 nanoparticles (CN NPs) were strategically designed and fabricated according to an electrostatic interaction approach. It was found that such CN NPs/CdS NCs still retained the hollow structure after CN NP adorning and demonstrated versatile and remarkably boosted photoreduction performance. Specifically, under visible light irradiation (λ ≥ 420 nm), the hydrogenation ratio over 2CN NPs/CdS NCs (the mass ratio of CN NPs to CdS NCs is controlled to be 2%) toward nitrobenzene, p-nitroaniline, p-nitrotoluene, p-nitrophenol, and p-nitrochlorobenzene can be increased to 100%, 99.9%, 83.2%, 93.6%, and 98.2%, respectively. In addition, based on the results of photoelectrochemical performances, the 2CN NPs/CdS NCs reach a 0.46% applied bias photo-to-current efficiency, indicating that the combination with CN NPs can indeed improve the migration and motion behavior of photogenerated carriers, besides ameliorating the photocorrosion and prolonging the lifetime of CdS NCs.

Lead-Free Cs2TeX6 (X = Cl, Br, and I) Perovskite Microcrystals with High Stability for Efficient Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction.

In response to calling for a sustainable and carbon-neutral economy, the conversion of CO2 to useful chemicals using the solar energy is a potential tactic to relieve the global energy dilemma and environmental issues, which has been a hot topic so far. Recently, the lead halide perovskites as novel photocatalysts have attracted researchers' interests. However, they generally encounter poor stability and lead toxicity, restricting their large-scale practical applications. Here, the lead-free Cs2TeX6 (X = Cl, Cl0.5Br0.5, Br, Br0.5I0.5, and I) perovskite microcrystals with strong stability were prepared and used to realize the CO2 photocatalytic reduction efficiently. The prepared Cs2TeBr6 microcrystals delivered stronger photocatalytic ability than many previously reported photocatalysts, with the CO and CH4 yields of 308.63 and 60.42 µmolg-1, respectively, under 3 h of illumination. The presented strategy in our work provides new ideas of designing and preparing efficient and practical CO2 reduction photocatalysts based on nonleaded and high-stability halide perovskites.

Cycloacceleration of Reactive Oxygen Species Generation Based on Exceedingly Small Magnetic Iron Oxide Nanoparticles for Tumor Ferroptosis Therapy.

Because of the insufficiency of hydrogen peroxide, the relatively low rate of Fenton reaction, and the active glutathione (GSH) peroxidase 4 (GPX4) in tumor cells, it is difficult to achieve a desirable efficacy of ferroptosis therapy (FT) for tumors based on nanomaterials. Inspired by the concept of "cyclotron" in physics, in this study, a new concept of cycloacceleration of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation in tumor cells to realize high-performance FT of tumors is proposed. Typically, a magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agent of dotted core-shell Fe3 O4 /Gd2 O3 hybrid nanoparticles (FGNPs) is prepared based on exceedingly small magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (ES-MIONs). Sorafenib (SFN) is loaded and poly(ethylene glycol) methyl ether-poly(propylene sulfide)-NH2 (mPEG-PPS-NH2 ) is grafted on the surface of FGNP to generate SA-SFN-FGNP via self-assembly. The results of in vitro and in vivo demonstrate SA-SFN-FGNP can work with the acidic tumor microenvironment and endosomal conditions, Fenton reaction and system XC - , and generate cyclic reactions in tumor cells, resulting in specific cycloacceleration of ROS generation for high-performance FT of tumors. The very high longitudinal relaxivity (r1 , 33.43 mM-1 s-1 , 3.0 T) makes sure that the SA-SFN-FGNP can be used for MRI-guided FT of tumors.

Biodegradable and biocompatible exceedingly small magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles for T1-weighted magnetic resonance imaging of tumors.

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has been widely using in clinical diagnosis, and contrast agents (CAs) can improve the sensitivity MRI. To overcome the problems of commercial Gd chelates-based T1 CAs, commercial magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (MIONs)-based T2 CAs, and reported exceedingly small MIONs (ES-MIONs)-based T1 CAs, in this study, a facile co-precipitation method was developed to synthesize biodegradable and biocompatible ES-MIONs with excellent water-dispersibility using poly (aspartic acid) (PASP) as a stabilizer for T1-weighted MRI of tumors. After optimization of the synthesis conditions, the final obtained ES-MION9 with 3.7 nm of diameter has a high r1 value (7.0 ± 0.4 mM-1 s-1) and a low r2/r1 ratio (4.9 ± 0.6) at 3.0 T. The ES-MION9 has excellent water dispersibility because of the excessive -COOH from the stabilizer PASP. The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of ES-MION9 in vivo demonstrate the better tumor targetability and MRI time window of ES-MION9 than commercial Gd chelates. T1-weighted MR images of aqueous solutions, cells and tumor-bearing mice at 3.0 T or 7.0 T demonstrate that our ES-MION9 has a stronger capability of enhancing the MRI contrast comparing with the commercial Gd chelates. The MTT assay, live/dead staining of cells, and H&E-staining indicate the non-toxicity and biosafety of our ES-MION9. Consequently, the biodegradable and biocompatible ES-MION9 with excellent water-dispersibility is an ideal T1-weighted CAs with promising translational possibility to compete with the commercial Gd chelates.

Carbon Dioxide Conversion Synergistically Activated by Dielectric Barrier Discharge Plasma and the CsPbBr3@TiO2 Photocatalyst.

Carbon dioxide utilization activated by the integration of plasma and photocatalyst is a promising approach to achieve the mitigation of the greenhouse effect. In this paper, for the first time, the dielectric barrier discharge (DBD) plasma and halide perovskite photocatalysts were synergistically used to facilitate the carbon dioxide conversion. After introducing the photocatalyst into the plasma reactor, the plasma discharge characteristics were improved by the photocatalyst while the active photons, electrons, and vibrationally excited molecules in plasma also enhanced the photocatalytic activity of the photocatalyst. Compared with pure CsPbBr3 and Al2O3, the CsPbBr3@TiO2 with the best photocatalytic activity also exhibited the best performance in plasma. The carbon dioxide conversion rate of the DBD plasma filled with CsPbBr3@TiO2 was found to be 29.6% higher than the sum of sole plasma and photocatalysis, illustrating the achievement of the synergistic effect between the plasma and photocatalyst. This work brings up new opportunities for efficient large-scale conversion and utilization of carbon dioxide by the coupling of nonthermal plasma and photocatalysis.

A tumor microenvironment dual responsive contrast agent for contrary contrast-magnetic resonance imaging and specific chemotherapy of tumors.

Development of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contrast agents (CAs) is still one of the research hotspots due to the inherent limitations of T1- or T2-weighted CAs and T1/T2 dual-mode CAs. To dramatically enhance the MRI contrast between tumors and normal tissues, we propose a new concept of contrary contrast-MRI (CC-MRI), whose specific definition is that CC-MRI CAs present a positive or negative signal at normal tissues, but show contrary signals at diseased tissues. To realize CC-MRI of tumors, we designed and developed a tumor microenvironment (TME) dual responsive CA (i.e., SA-FeGdNP-DOX@mPEG), which is almost not responsive under normal physiological conditions, but highly responsive to the acidic and reductive TME. Our SA-FeGdNP-DOX@mPEG shows a negative MRI signal under normal physiological conditions due to the high r2 value (336.9 mM-1 s-1) and high r2/r1 ratio (18.4), but switches to a positive MRI signal in the TME because of the high r1 value (20.32 mM-1 s-1) and low r2/r1 ratio (7.2). Our TME dual responsive SA-FeGdNP-DOX@mPEG significantly enhanced the contrast of MR images between tumors and livers, and the ΔSNR difference reached 501%. In addition, our SA-FeGdNP-DOX2@mPEG2 with tumor targetability and controlled DOX release responding to the TME was also used for tumor-specific chemotherapy with reduced side effects.

Assembling Ultrafine SnO2 Nanoparticles on MIL-101(Cr) Octahedrons for Efficient Fuel Photocatalytic Denitrification.

Effectively reducing the concentration of nitrogen-containing compounds (NCCs) remains a significant but challenging task in environmental restoration. In this work, a novel step-scheme (S-scheme) SnO2@MCr heterojunction was successfully fabricated via a facile hydrothermal method. At this heterojunction, MIL-101(Cr) octahedrons are decorated with highly dispersed SnO2 quantum dots (QDs, approximate size 3 nm). The QDs are evenly wrapped around the MIL-101(Cr), forming an intriguing zero-dimensional/three-dimensional (0D/3D) S-scheme heterostructure. Under simulated sunlight irradiation (280 nm < λ < 980 nm), SnO2@MCr demonstrated superior photoactivity toward the denitrification of pyridine, a typical NCC. The adsorption capacity and adsorption site of SnO2@MCr were also investigated. Tests using 20%SnO2@MCr exhibited much higher activity than that of pure SnO2 and MIL-101(Cr); the reduction ratio of Cr(VI) is rapidly increased to 95% after sunlight irradiation for 4 h. The improvement in the photocatalytic activity is attributed to (i) the high dispersion of SnO2 QDs, (ii) the binding of the rich adsorption sites with pyridine molecules, and (iii) the formation of the S-scheme heterojunction between SnO2 and MIL-101(Cr). Finally, the photocatalytic mechanism of pyridine was elucidated, and the possible intermediate products and degradation pathways were discussed.

MRI characteristics of brain edema in preeclampsia/eclampsia patients with posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome.

BACKGROUND: The neuroimaging manifestations of eclampsia and preeclampsia often overlap, mainly presenting as posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES). The purpose of this retrospective study was to compare the extent and nature of brain edema in eclampsia and preeclampsia patients with PRES based on MRI characteristics. METHODS: One hundred fifty women diagnosed with preeclampsia-eclampsia and undergoing cranial MRI were enrolled; 24 of these were diagnosed as having eclampsia. According to clinicoradiologic diagnosis of PRES, eligible patients were classified as having eclampsia with PRES (group E-PRES) and preeclampsia with PRES (group P-PRES). A scale on T2W FLAIR-SPIR images was established to evaluate the extent of brain edema, and the score of brain edema (SBE) of both groups was compared. In patients of the two groups who also underwent DWI sequence, the presence or absence of hyperintensity on DWI and hypointensity on ADC maps were determined to compare the nature of brain edema. Furthermore, clinical and biochemical data of the two groups were compared. RESULTS: The incidence of PRES in eclampsia patients was significantly higher than that in preeclampsia patients (87.50% vs. 46.03%, P<0.001). The SBE of all regions and typical regions in group E-PRES patients were significantly higher than those in group P-PRES patients (15.88±8.72 vs. 10.90±10.21, P=0.021; 8.52±3.87 vs. 5.01±4.19, P=0.002; respectively). The presence of hyperintensity on DWI was determined more frequently in group E-PRES patients than group P-PRES patients (71.43% vs. 32.00%, P=0.024). Age, systolic blood pressure, white blood cell count, neutrophil count and percentage of neutrophils were significantly different between the two groups (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: Certain MRI characteristics that reflect the extent and nature of brain edema were different between eclampsia and preeclampsia patients with PRES. Additional prospective studies are still required to explore whether these MRI characteristics of brain edema may further become a potential predictor for eclamptic seizures in preeclampsia patients with PRES.

Construction of Bi2MoO6/CdS heterostructures with enhanced visible light photocatalytic activity for fuel denitrification.

In this work, a novel step-scheme (S-scheme) Bi2MoO6/CdS heterojunction (HJ) photocatalyst (PC) was successfully prepared by a two-step solvothermal method for the first time. One-dimensional CdS nanorods were prepared by a simple solvothermal method as a synthesis template. Then, a Bi2MoO6 precursor was added to obtain a series of Bi2MoO6/CdS HJ composite catalytic materials with different morphologies. The photocatalytic performance of the catalyst was investigated by simulating fuel denitration as a probe reaction under visible light excitation (>420 nm). When compared with pure Bi2MoO6 and CdS, the 0.65-Bi2MoO6/CdS composite shows the highest photocatalytic activity for pyridine degradation. Degradation of pyridine reached 81% after 240 min of visible light excitation. The degradation rate of 0.65-Bi2MoO6/CdS reached 0.4471 h-1, which was 1.8 and 3.2 times higher than that of CdS (0.2493 h-1) and Bi2MoO6 (0.1427 h-1), respectively. Combined with a series of characterisation results, the improvement in pyridine degradation activity was mainly attributed to (1) the S-scheme HJ structure between Bi2MoO6 and CdS, which greatly promoted the separation of photogenerated electrons and holes while retaining its strong redox ability, (2) the large specific surface area, which provided abundant active sites and efficient adsorption performance and catalytic performance, and (3) the special morphology, which induced multiple reflections of light, thereby improving absorption and utilisation of light. Moreover, after four cycles of pyridine denitrification, the samples still exhibited high activity, indicating good stability and recyclability of the composite catalyst. These findings provide a basis for the development of composite PCs for efficient fuel denitration under visible light irradiation.

Effects of leukotriene D4 nasal challenge on bronchial responsiveness and inflammation in asthmatic patients with allergic rhinitis.

BACKGROUND: In asthmatic patients with allergic rhinitis (AR), increased cysteinyl leukotrienes (CysLTs) production in the secretion of nasal mucosa has been associated with greater bronchial hyperresponsiveness (BHR) after nasal allergen challenge. However, the role of CysLTs in eliciting BHR after nasal allergen challenge has not been evaluated. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effect of LTD4 nasal challenge on BHR and inflammation in asthmatic patients with AR. METHODS: In this self-controlled study, fifteen eligible consecutively recruited subjects underwent methacholine (Mch) bronchial provocation test before and 30 minutes after LTD4 nasal provocation test. The cumulative concentration of LTD4 inducing a 60% increase in nasal airway resistance (PC60NAR) was calculated. The mean values of cumulative doses inducing a 20% decrease in forced expiratory flow in one second (PD20FEV1) for Mch before and after nasal challenge were compared. Fractional exhaled nitric oxide (FeNO), differential inflammatory cell counts in nasal lavage and induced sputum before and after nasal challenge were compared. RESULTS: House dust mites were the major allergens accounting for 10/15 (66.7%) of asthmatic patients with AR. The PC60NAR for LT was (8.39±3.48)×10-3 mg·mL-1. The PD20FEV1 before and after nasal challenge was 3.05±3.81 and 2.70±3.81 µmol, respectively (P=0.45). The percentages of eosinophils were (38.36±23.14)% and (45.70±24.86)% in nasal lavage, and (17.51±11.05)% and (24.29±16.52)% in induced sputum before and 24 hours after nasal challenge. The neutrophil counts were (60.64±23.14)% and (53.30±24.46)% in nasal lavage, and (53.83±23.27)% and (56.19±22.28)% in induced sputum before and 24 hours after nasal challenge. The values of FeNO were 40 [35] and 43 [30] ppb before and 24 hours after nasal challenge. No severe adverse effects were reported during the tests. CONCLUSIONS: Although most asthmatic patients with AR were sensitive to LTD4 nasal challenge, LTD4 nasal provocation tests do not confer any major effect on BHR. LTD4 might not play a vital role in eliciting bronchial responsiveness induced by nasal allergen challenge.