Manipulation of the Self-Assembly Morphology by Side-Chain Engineering of Quinoxaline-Substituted Organic Photothermal Molecules for Highly Efficient Solar-Thermal Conversion and Applications.

Organic photothermal materials have attracted increasing attention because of their structural diversity, flexibility, and compatibility. However, their energy conversion efficiency is limited owing to the narrow absorption spectrum, strong reflection/transmittance, and insufficient nonradiative decay. In this study, two quinoxaline-based D-A-D-A-D-type molecules with ethyl (BQE) or carboxylate (BQC) substituents were synthesized. Strong intramolecular charge transfer provided both molecules with a broad absorption range of 350-1000 nm. In addition, the high reorganization energy and weak molecular packing of BQE resulted in efficient nonradiative decay. More importantly, the self-assembly of BQE leads to a textured surface and enhances the light-trapping efficiency with significantly reduced light reflection/transmittance. Consequently, BQE achieved an impressive solar-thermal conversion efficiency of 18.16 % under 1.0 kW m-2 irradiation with good photobleaching resistance. Based on this knowledge, the water evaporation rate of 1.2 kg m-2 h-1 was attained for the BQE-based interfacial evaporation device with an efficiency of 83 % under 1.0 kW m-2 simulated sunlight. Finally, the synergetic integration of solar-steam and thermoelectric co-generation devices based on BQE was realized without significantly sacrificing solar-steam efficiency. This underscores the practical applications of BQE-based technology in effectively harnessing photothermal energy. This study provides new insights into the molecular design for enhancing light-trapping management by molecular self-assembly, paving the way for photothermal-driven applications of organic photothermal materials.

Boosting Water Evaporation by Construction of Photothermal Materials with a Biomimetic Black Soil Aggregate Structure.

Solar-driven interfacial evaporation is considered an efficient way to get fresh water from seawater. However, the low evaporation rate, surface salt crystallization, and low energy collection of the photothermal evaporation layer limit its further application in an outdoor freshwater field. And the aggregate structure design of the material itself is often ignored in solar-driven water evaporation. Black soil (BS), with a unique soil aggregate structure, is rich in tubular pores, which can be used for multilevel sunlight utilization and good capillary water transport. Based on the extraordinary photothermal properties and pumping capacity of BS, a reasonable unidirectional salt-collecting device is designed, which can realize long-term collection of mineral salts and continuous evaporation of seawater and generate electric energy in the continuous evaporation. Inspired by the unique aggregate structure, the photothermal material doping of halloysite and nigrosin will simulate the generation of this aggregate structure and retain a good water transport effect while obtaining multistage utilization of sunlight. The solar-driven evaporation rate of a nigrosin-halloysite solar steam generator is 1.75 kg m-2 h-1 under 1 kW m-2 mimic solar radiation; it can achieve stable salt leaching-induced voltage generation of 240 mV. This work demonstrates not only a solar evaporator that can continuously achieve desalination but also the design strategy of BS-like aggregate photothermal materials, which promotes the development of low-cost resource recovery and energy generation for practical outdoor seawater desalination.

Correlation between genetic polymorphisms in apolipoprotein E and atrial fibrillation.

This work explores correlations between genetic polymorphisms in apolipoprotein E (ApoE) and atrial fibrillation (AF). We detected polymorphisms in the APOE gene in 64 patients with AF and 49 non-AF volunteers at the Department of Cardiology of Lianyungang Second People's Hospital between July 2017 and July 2019. We found significant differences in age, body mass index, left atrial diameter, and left ventricular ejection fraction between the two groups. Six APOE genotypes were observed: ɛ2/ɛ2; ɛ2/ɛ3; ɛ2/ɛ4; ɛ3/ɛ3; ɛ3/ɛ4; and ɛ4/ɛ4. The ɛ3/ɛ3 genotype was significantly less frequent in the AF group than in the control group, while the ɛ3/ɛ4 and ɛ4/ɛ4 genotypes were significantly more frequent in the AF group than in the control group (p<0.05). ApoE3 penetrance was significantly lower in the AF group than in the control group (p<0.05), while ApoE4 penetrance was significantly higher in the AF group than in the control group (p<0.05). ApoE3 penetrance was significantly lower in the AF group than in the control group (p<0.05). Binary logistic regression analysis showed that age, body mass index, left atrial diameter, left ventricular ejection fraction, and ApoE4 were risk factors for AF. Finally, we found that ApoE polymorphisms impacted the occurrence of AF and that ApoE4 is an AF-sensitive phenotype.

Correlation of ApoE gene polymorphism with acute myocardial infarction and aspirin resistance after percutaneous coronary intervention.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the correlation of Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) gene polymorphism with acute myocardial infarction (AMI) and aspirin (APC) resistance after percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: In this randomized controlled trial (The Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang Ethics Committee No.L1719), a total of 120 AMI patients admitted to the Second People's Hospital of Lianyungang from January 2019 to June 2020 were enrolled into the research group (Res group) and 120 healthy individuals during the same time period into the control group (Con group). ApoE gene polymorphism was detected by gene microarray and analyzed statistically. The occurrence of APC resistance after PCI was recorded, and the relationship between ApoE gene polymorphism and APC resistance was analyzed. RESULTS: The Res group showed a significantly lower level of ε3/ε3 gene and significantly higher levels of ε3/ε4 and ε4/ε4 genes than the Con group (all P<0.05), but no notable difference was found in the distribution of ApoE ε2 between the two groups (P>0.05). ApoE ε3 carriers were the main carriers in both groups. However, the Res group showed a lower frequency of ApoE ε3 and a higher frequency of ApoE ε4 compared to the Con group (both P<0.05), and patients with more severe AMI had a significantly higher frequency of ApoE ε4 genotype (P<0.05). According to logistic regression analysis, carrying ApoE ε4 allele (ε3/ε4, ε4/ε4) was a risk factor for AMI (P<0.05). Additionally, patients with APC resistance had a significantly higher frequency of ApoE ε4 allele than those without it (P<0.05). A higher frequency of ApoE ε4 allele was also a risk factor of APC resistance in AMI patients after PCI, and its adjusted risk ratio (OR) was 2.26 times (P<0.05). Moreover, no significant difference was observed among patients with different ApoE genotypes in the incidence of adverse events (P>0.05). CONCLUSION: ApoE gene polymorphism is correlated with AMI and APC resistance after PCI, and ApoE ε4 genotype is probably the risk allele for AMI.

Identification of a Pyroptosis-Related Gene Signature for Prediction of Overall Survival in Lung Adenocarcinoma.

Pyroptosis is a kind of programmed cell death that is characterized by inflammation. However, the expression of pyroptosis-related genes and their connection with prognosis in lung adenocarcinoma (LUAD) remain unknown. The aim of this study is to create and validate a LUAD prediction signature based on genes associated with pyroptosis. The TCGA and GEO were used to collect gene sequencing data and clinical information for LUAD samples. To identify patients with LUAD from the TCGA cohort, consensus clustering by pyroptosis-related genes was employed. Our prognostic model was constructed using LASSO-Cox analysis after Cox regression using differentially expressed genes. To predict patient survival, we created a seven-mRNA signature. Additionally, reliability and validity were established in the GEO cohort. To assess its diagnostic and prognostic usefulness, an integrated bioinformatics method was used. Using a risk score with varying overall survival (OS) in two cohorts (all p < 0.001), a seven-gene signature was developed to categorize patients into two risk categories. The signature was shown to be an independent predictor of LUAD using multivariate regression analysis. The signature was linked to a variety of immune cell subtypes according to a study of immune cell infiltration. We constructed a signature consisting of seven genes as a robust biomarker with potential for clinical use in risk stratification and OS prediction in LUAD patients, as well as a potential indicator of immunotherapy in LUAD.

Asiaticoside produces an antidepressant­like effect in a chronic unpredictable mild stress model of depression in mice, involving reversion of inflammation and the PKA/pCREB/BDNF signaling pathway.

Asiaticoside is one of the triterpenoid components found in Centella asiatica that has promising neuroprotective properties. The present study aimed to evaluate the antidepressant­like properties of asiaticoside and to investigate the possible mechanisms underlying its mode of action using a mouse model of chronic unpredictable mild stress (CMS). Behavioral tests, including sucrose preference test, forced swimming test and tail suspension test, were performed to evaluate symptoms of depression. The expression levels of neurotransmitters, 5­hydroxytryptamine (5­HT) and norepinephrine (NE), in the hippocampus were measured by high­performance liquid chromatography. ELISA and western blotting were used to detect protein expression. It was demonstrated that asiaticoside treatment (20 and 40 mg/kg; intragastric) significantly reversed the decrease in sucrose consumption, and reduced the immobility time in tail suspension tests and forced swimming tests in CMS mice. Furthermore, asiaticoside treatment upregulated the expression of 5­HT and NE in the CMS mouse model. Asiaticoside administration also downregulated the levels of interleukin (IL)­1ß, IL­6 and tumor necrosis factor­α in the hippocampus, and reduced the phosphorylation of nuclear factor (NF)­κBp65 and the expression of nod­like receptor protein 3 (NLRP3), thus decreasing the expression of mature caspase­1. Furthermore, asiaticoside significantly increased the levels of cAMP and protein kinase A (PKA), and enhanced phosphorylation of the cAMP­related specific marker vasodilator­stimulated phosphoprotein at serine 157. Therefore, asiaticoside may activate the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway to inhibit NF­κB­ and NLRP3­related inflammation. Moreover, phosphorylation of the cAMP­responsive element­binding protein at serine 133 and the expression of brain­derived neurotrophic factor were increased after asiaticoside administration. Collectively, the present results suggested that asiaticoside may play a vital role as an antidepressant and anti­inflammatory agent in the CMS mouse model by regulating the cAMP/PKA signaling pathway.

Association between Apolipoprotein E polymorphism and myocardial infarction risk: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Published data regarding the association between Apolipoprotein E (ApoE) genetic variation and myocardial infarction (MI) risk were not always consistent. Therefore, the current meta-analysis was conducted to derive a more precise estimation of the association between ApoE polymorphism and MI risk. PubMed and Web of Science were searched to identify relevant studies. Summary odds ratio (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) were calculated using random-effect or fixed-effect models based on the heterogeneity of included studies. All the tests were performed using Stata 11.0. A total of 22 eligible studies were identified in this meta-analysis. The results show that ApoE ε2 and ε4 alleles were associated with MI risk. The study suggests that there is close association between ApoE polymorphism and MI risk. It shows that ApoE ε2 allele is a protective factor of MI, while ε4 allele is a risk factor of MI, especially in Caucasian and Asian population. Nevertheless, well-designed, unbiased and larger sample size studies are required to confirm the results.