High Reactivity of Dimethyl Ether Activated by Zeolite Ferrierite within a Fer Cage: A Prediction Study.

The zeolite-catalyzed conversion of DME into chemicals is considered environmentally friendly in industry. The periodic density functional theory, statistical thermodynamics, and the transition state theory are used to study some possible parallel reactions about the hydrogen-bonded DME over zeolite ferrierite. The following are the key findings: (1) the charge separation probably leads to the conversion of a hydrogen-bonded DME into a dimethyl oxonium ion (i.e., DMO+ or (CH3)2OH+) with a positive charge of about 0.804 e; (2) the methylation of DME, CH3OH, H2O, and CO by DMO+ at the T2O6 site of zeolite ferrierite shows the different activated internal energy (∆E≠) ranging from 18.47 to 30.06 kcal/mol, implying the strong methylation ability of DMO+; (3) H-abstraction by DMO+ is about 3.94-15.53 or 6.57-18.16 kcal/mol higher than DMO+ methylation in the activation internal energy; (4) six DMO+-mediated reactions are more likely to occur due to the lower barriers, compared to the experimental barrier (i.e., 39.87 kcal/mol) for methyl acetate synthesis; (5) active intermediates, such as (CH3)3O+, (CH3)2OH+, CH3CO+, CH3OH2+, and CH2=OH+, are expected to appear; (6) DMO+ is slightly weaker than the well-known surface methoxy species (ZO-CH3) in methylation; and (7) the methylated activity declines in the order of DME, CH3OH, H2O, and CO, with corresponding rate constants at 463.15 K of about 3.4 × 104, 1.1 × 102, 0.18, and 8.2 × 10-2 s-1, respectively.

Unravelling the Crucial of Spatial Al Distribution to Realize Precise Alkali-Treatment for Target Acid-Catalyzed Reactions.

Constructing mesoporous structure within zeolites by alkali-treatment is an effective protocol to improve their diffusion properties. However, undesirable changes in Brönsted acid site (BAS) densities always offset this advantage in acid-catalyzed reactions. In this context, the crucial roles of spatial aluminum distribution were unraveled during alkali-treatment of MFI zeolite and the desirable BAS density was achieved in obtained hierarchical samples for the target reactions. Various characterization methods, particularly the multiple one- and two-dimensional magic-angle-spinning (MAS) NMR techniques, were performed to track the alkali-treatment processes. For the sample with a more uniform spatial Al distribution, more tetrahedral Al sites would fall off and migrate around the Si-OH in zeolite as Al(OH)4-. Those re-deposited Al(OH)4- sites were easily transformed into NMR-invisible Al sites during the calcination process, which contributed negligibly to both Brönsted and Lewis acidities, thus being referred to"acid-free"Al species. While most tetrahedral Al sites were preserved after the alkali-treatment of sample with non-uniform Al distribution and the BAS density gradually increased with treatment time. According to the requirements of typical acid-catalyzed reactions, such as catalytic cracking of 1,3,5-triisopropylbenzene and methanol-to-olefins, the desired hierarchical zeolite catalysts were developed by matching the amounts of extracted Si and generated"acid-free"Al during the precise alkali-treatment.

Adjunctive interleukin-2 for the treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis: a randomized control trial in China.

PURPOSE: Evaluation of the efficacy and safety of IL-2 in the treatment of drug-susceptible tuberculosis. METHODS: First, the cases of diagnosed drug-susceptible tuberculosis were randomized into two groups-the control group that received the background regimen of isoniazid, rifampin, pyrazinamide, and ethambutol, and the experimental group that received the background regimen plus IL-2. The efficacy and safety evaluations were performed throughout the therapy process as well as 12 months after the treatment completion. RESULTS: A total of 1151 patients underwent the randomization, among which 539 (96.2%) of the 560 in the experimental group achieved the sputum culture conversion to negative, compared to the 551 (93.2%) of the 591 in the control group, after 2 months of treatment, with significant difference observed between the groups (P = 0.025). Cavity closure after 2 months in the IL-2 (experimental) group was 60/211 (28.4%) compared to 46/248 (18.5%) in the control group, with a significant difference between the groups (P = 0.001). After treatment completion, the proportion of favorable outcomes was 559/560 (99.8%) in the experimental group and 587/591 (99.3%) in the control group, with no significant difference between the groups. Twelve months after treatment completion, relapse occurred in 15/560 (2.6%) in the IL-2 group and 19/591 (3.2%) in the control group, with no significant difference. CONCLUSION: IL-2 may enhance culture conversion and the cavity closure rate in the early treatment phase, although the enhancement may not be significant after treatment completion.

Enhanced Selectivity and Stability of Finned Ferrierite Catalysts in Butene Isomerization.

Designing zeolite catalysts with improved mass transport properties is crucial for restrictive networks of either one- or two-dimensional pore topologies. Here, we demonstrate the synthesis of finned ferrierite (FER), a commercial zeolite with two-dimensional pores, where protrusions on crystal surfaces behave as pseudo nanoparticles. Catalytic tests of 1-butene isomerization reveal a 3-fold enhancement of catalyst lifetime and an increase of 12 % selectivity to isobutene for finned samples compared to corresponding seeds. Electron tomography was used to confirm the identical crystallographic registry of fins and seeds. Time-resolved titration of Brønsted acid sites confirmed the improved mass transport properties of finned ferrierite compared to conventional analogues. These findings highlight the advantages of introducing fins through facile and tunable post-synthesis modification to impart material properties that are otherwise unattainable by conventional synthesis methods.

How the high-volume evacuation alters the flow-field and particle removal characteristics in the mock-up dental clinic.

The exposure risk of droplets and aerosols emitted from the oral cavity to the dental professionals and patients has received more attention especially the ongoing outbreak of COVID-19. The aim of this study is to address the question about how the use of the high-volume evacuation (HVE) alters the risk profiles compared with the situation only personal protective equipment (PPE). The risk profiles of the different situations were analyzed in terms of droplet velocity, flow field characteristics, and particle removal efficiency. The ultrasonic scaling with suction was performed in the mock-up experimental dental clinic, and the instantaneous moment when the HVE acted on the droplets was visualized using a laser light scattering technique. From the results of the velocity profiles, the hypothesis about the moderate effect of the HVE on high-velocity small droplets near the mannequin's mouth had been firstly proven in this study. The suction can be characterized as low-threshold equipment to bring substantial benefits to reduce the area of the contaminated region. Once the cooperation of suction, the pair of vortexes that were in the face shield area of the dental professional would be eliminated, removing the high-level contaminated region near the breathing area of dental professionals. Compared with the low and medium volume evacuation, the particle removal efficiency of the HVE was more stable at 60%. The research will provide references to the HVE recommendation in the dentistry clinical practice guidelines.

Generating Assembled MFI Nanocrystals with Reduced b-Axis through Structure-Directing Agent Exchange Induced Recrystallization.

Controlling crystal size and shape of zeolitic materials is an effective way to promote their mass transport and catalytic properties. Herein, we report a single step, Na+ - and porogen- free crystallization of MFI hierarchical architecture made up of aligned nanocrystals with reduced b-axis thickness (5-23 nm) and adjustable Si/Al ratios between 35 to 120, employing the commonly used tetrapropylammonium hydroxide (TPAOH) and tetrabutylammonium hydroxide (TBAOH) as structure-directing agents (SDAs). Homogeneous nucleation driven by both SDAs and subsequent SDA-exchange induced dissolution-recrystallization are responsible for the formation of such structure. The enhanced textural and diffusion properties account for a notable exaggeration of propene selectivity and catalyst lifetime in dimethyl ether-to-olefins (DTO) conversion. This protocol is extendable to the rational synthesis of other hierarchical zeolites through crystallization process control.

Noninvasive quantification of intrarenal allograft C4d deposition with targeted ultrasound imaging.

Antibody-mediated rejection (AMR) has emerged as a major cause of renal allograft dysfunction. C4d, a specific marker for AMR diagnosis, was strongly recommended for routine surveillance; however, currently, C4d detection is dependent upon tissue biopsy, which is invasive and provides only local semi-quantitative data. Targeted ultrasound imaging has been used extensively for noninvasive and real-time molecular detection with advantages of high specificity and sensitivity. In this study, we designed C4d-targeted microbubbles (MBC4d ) using a streptavidin-biotin conjugated method and detected C4d deposition in vivo in a rat model of AMR by enhanced ultrasound imaging. This noninvasive procedure allowed successful acquisition of the first qualitative image of C4d deposition in a wide renal allograft section, which reflected real-time C4d distribution in grafts. Moreover, we introduced normal intensity difference for quantitative analysis, which exhibited a nearly linear correlation with the grade of C4d deposition according to pathologic analysis. In addition, this approach showed no influence on survival rates and pathologic features in the microbubble injection groups, thereby demonstrating its safety. These findings demonstrated a simple, noninvasive, quantitative, and safe evaluation method for C4d, with the utility of this approach potentially preventing patients from having to undergo an invasive biopsy.

Development and Characterization of VEGF165-Chitosan Nanoparticles for the Treatment of Radiation-Induced Skin Injury in Rats.

Radiation-induced skin injury, which remains a serious concern in radiation therapy, is currently believed to be the result of vascular endothelial cell injury and apoptosis. Here, we established a model of acute radiation-induced skin injury and compared the effect of different vascular growth factors on skin healing by observing the changes of microcirculation and cell apoptosis. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) was more effective at inhibiting apoptosis and preventing injury progression than other factors. A new strategy for improving the bioavailability of vascular growth factors was developed by loading VEGF with chitosan nanoparticles. The VEGF-chitosan nanoparticles showed a protective effect on vascular endothelial cells, improved the local microcirculation, and delayed the development of radioactive skin damage.

In vivo expression patterns of microRNAs of Gallid herpesvirus 2 (GaHV-2) during the virus life cycle and development of Marek's disease lymphomas.

In the past decade, a large number of microRNAs (miRNAs) have been identified in the viral genome of Gallid herpesvirus 2 (GaHV-2), which is historically known as Marek's disease virus type 1. The biological role of most GaHV-2 miRNAs remains unclear. In the present study, we have performed an overall gene expression profile of GaHV-2 miRNAs during the virus life cycle at each phase of the developing disease, a highly contagious, lymphoproliferative disorder, and neoplastic immunosuppressive disease of poultry known as the Marek's disease. According to their distinct in vivo expression patterns, the GaHV-2 miRNAs can be divided into three groups: 12 miRNAs in group I, including miR-M4-5p, displayed a typical expression pattern potentially correlated to the latent, late cytolytic, and/or the proliferative phases in the cycle of GaHV-2 pathogenesis; group II consisting of another 12 miRNAs with expression correlated to the early cytolytic and/or latent phases in GaHV-2's life cycle; while the other two miRNAs in group III showed no identical expression features. Our findings may provide meaningful clues in the search for further potential functions of viral miRNAs in GaHV-2 biology.

GPR124, an orphan G protein-coupled receptor, is required for CNS-specific vascularization and establishment of the blood-brain barrier.

Every organ in the body requires blood vessels for efficient delivery of oxygen and nutrients, but independent vascular beds are highly specialized to meet the individual needs of specific organs. The vasculature of the brain is tightly sealed, with blood-brain barrier (BBB) properties developing coincident with neural vascularization. G protein-coupled receptor 124 (GPR124) (tumor endothelial marker 5, TEM5), an orphan member of the adhesion family of G protein-coupled receptors, was previously identified on the basis of its overexpression in tumor vasculature. Here, we show that global deletion or endothelial-specific deletion of GPR124 in mice results in embryonic lethality associated with abnormal angiogenesis of the forebrain and spinal cord. Expression of GPR124 was found to be required for invasion and migration of blood vessels into neuroepithelium, establishment of BBB properties, and expansion of the cerebral cortex. Thus, GPR124 is an important regulator of neurovasculature development and a potential drug target for cerebrovascular diseases.

Current progress in research focused on salt tolerance in Vitis vinifera L.

Soil salinization represents an increasingly serious threat to agronomic productivity throughout the world, as rising ion concentrations can interfere with the growth and development of plants, ultimately reducing crop yields and quality. A combination of factors is driving this progressive soil salinization, including natural causes, global climate change, and irrigation practices that are increasing the global saline-alkali land footprint. Salt stress damages plants both by imposing osmotic stress that reduces water availability while also inducing direct sodium- and chlorine-mediated toxicity that harms plant cells. Vitis vinifera L. exhibits relatively high levels of resistance to soil salinization. However, as with other crops, grapevine growth, development, fruit yields, and fruit quality can all be adversely affected by salt stress. Many salt-tolerant grape germplasm resources have been screened in recent years, leading to the identification of many genes associated to salt stress and the characterization of the mechanistic basis for grapevine salt tolerance. These results have also been leveraged to improve grape yields through the growth of more tolerant cultivars and other appropriate cultivation measures. The present review was formulated to provide an overview of recent achievements in the field of research focused on grapevine salt tolerance from the perspectives of germplasm resource identification, the mining of functional genes, the cultivation of salt-tolerant grape varieties, and the selection of appropriate cultivation measures. Together, we hope that this systematic review will offer insight into promising approaches to enhancing grape salt tolerance in the future.

Construction of diverse hollow MFI zeolites through regulating the micropore filling agents.

Constructing hollow structure into microporous zeolites can improve the accessibility of acid sites located at the inner part and the diffusion property. Hence, the development of an efficient synthesis strategy to acquire zeolites with tunable hollow structures and acidity has attracted much attention. In this work, an innovative tandem synthesis route was proposed to prepare MFI zeolites with diverse hollow structure while maintaining solid yields exceeding 90 %. The substitution of ethanol molecules, which previously occupied the micropores, with tetrapropylammonium cations was proved to be the key factor to construct hollow structure. And a crystallization-driven particle dissolution mechanism was proposed. The dimension of the hollow cavity, particle size, and Si/Al ratio can be flexibly regulated. Interestingly, hollow MFI samples featuring the common cavity structure, "eye-like" cavity structure, or double-cavity structure can be directly synthesized by controlling the dissolution of core parts. In the 1-butene catalytic cracking reactions, a much higher conversion of 67.2 % was acquired over hollow ZSM-5 compared with that over conventional ZSM-5 (35.8 %) after 64 h of reaction. This improvement can be attributed to the eightfold increase of diffusivity in hollow ZSM-5. This facile and efficient synthesis method endows accurate regulation of the hollow structure, which is meaningful for both fundamental research and industrial applications of hollow zeolites.

Advances in the green and controllable synthesis of MWW zeolite.

MWW zeolite is one of the commercialized zeolites that shows great promise in heterogeneous catalysis and other interdisciplinary application fields due to its coexisting multi-channel system. The green and controllable synthesis of MWW zeolite is conducive to its more efficient and broader application. Many researchers focus on precisely controlling the dimension, interlayer hydroxyl condensation, and aluminum siting, as well as obtaining MWW with low-toxicity, readily available organic structure directing agents (OSDAs) or without OSDAs. This review summarizes recent advancements in the synthesis and application of MWW zeolite, with a particular emphasis on selecting different OSDAs, controlling the interlayer condensation degree and adjusting aluminum distribution. Future research directions and development trends of MWW zeolite are also forecasted.

Propagation and evaporation of contaminated droplets, emission and exposure in surgery environments revealed by laser visualization and numerical characterization.

The contaminated liquid mixture containing mucosalivary fluid and blood would be aerosolized during medical procedures, resulting in higher-risk exposures. The novelty of this research is integrating laser visualization and numerical characterization to assess the propagation and evaporation of contaminated droplets, and the interactive effects of humidity and temperature on exposure risks will be numerically evaluated in surgery environments. The numerical model evidenced by experiments can predict the mass balance of ejection droplets, the minimum required fallow time (FT) between appointments, and the disinfection region of greatest concern. Around 98.4 % of the ejection droplet mass will be removed after the cessation of ultrasonic scaling, while the initial droplet size smaller than 72.6µm will dehydrate and become airborne. The FT recommendation of 30 min is not over-cautious, and the extended FT (range of 28-37 min) should be instituted for low temperature (20.5 °C) and high humidity levels (60 %RH). The variation of the temperature and humidity in the range for human thermal comfort has little influence on the area of the disinfection region (0.15m2) and the cut-off size (72.6µm) of droplet deposition and suspension. This research can provide scientific evidence for the guidelines of environmental conditions in surgery rooms.

Transcriptomic and functional analyzes reveal that the brassinosteroid insensitive 1 receptor (OsBRI1) regulates cold tolerance in rice.

Brassinosteroids (BR) play crucial roles in plant development and abiotic stresses in plants. Exogenous application of BR can significantly enhance cold tolerance in rice. However, the regulatory relationship between cold tolerance and the BR signaling pathway in rice remains largely unknown. Here, we characterized functions of the BR receptor OsBRI1 in response to cold tolerance in rice using its loss-of-function mutant (d61-1). Our results showed that mutant d61-1 was less tolerant to cold stress than wild-type (WT). Besides, d61-1 had lower levels than WT for some physiological parameters, including catalase activity (CAT), superoxide dismutase activity (SOD), peroxidase activity (POD), peroxidase activity (PRO), soluble protein, and soluble sugar content, while malondialdehyde content (MDA) and relative electrical conductivity (REC) levels in d61-1 were higher than those in WT plants. These results indicated that the loss of OsBRI1 function resulted in decreased cold tolerance in rice. In addition, we performed RNA sequencing (RNA-seq) of WT and d61-1 mutant under cold stress. Numerous common and unique differentially expressed genes (DEGs) with up- and down-regulation were observed in WT and d61-1 mutant. Some DEGs were expressed to various degrees, even opposite, between CK1 vs. T1 (WT) and CK2 vs. T2 (d61-1). Among these specific DEGs, some typical genes are involved in plant tolerance to cold stress. Through weighted correlation network analysis (WGCNA), 50 hub genes were screened in the turquoise and blue module. Many genes were involved in cold stress and plant hormone, such as Os01g0279800 (BRI1-associated receptor kinase 1 precursor), Os10g0513200 (Dwarf and tiller-enhancing 1, DTE1), Os02g0706400 (MYB-related transcription factor, OsRL3), etc. Differential expression levels of some genes were verified in WT and d61-1 under cold stress using qRT-PCR. These valuable findings and gene resources will be critical for understanding the regulatory relationships between cold stress tolerance and the BR signaling pathways in rice.

Role of Gut Bacteria in Enhancing Host Adaptation of Tuta absoluta to Different Host Plants.

The insect gut bacteria play important roles in insect development and growth, such as immune defense, nutrient metabolism, regulating insect adaptations for plants, etc. The Tuta absoluta (Meyrick) is a destructive invasive pest that mainly feeds on solanaceae plants. However, the relationship between gut microflora and host adaption of T. absoluta remains to be known. In this study, we first compared the survival adaptability of T. absoluta feeding with two host plants (tomatoes and potatoes). The T. absoluta completed the generation cycle by feeding on the leaves of both plants. However, the larvae feeding on tomato leaves have shorter larvae durations, longer adult durations, and a greater number of egg production per female. After Single Molecular Real-Time (SMRT) sequencing, according to the LDA Effect Size (LEfSe) analysis, the gut bacterial biomarker of T. absoluta fed on tomato was Enterobacter cloacae and the gut bacterial biomarker of T. absoluta fed on potatoes was Staphylococcus gallinarum and Enterococcus gallinarum. Furthermore, a total of 6 and 7 culturable bacteria were isolated from the guts of tomato- and potato-treated T. absoluta, respectively. However, the isolated strains included bacterial biomarkers E. cloacae and S. gallinarum but not E. gallinarum. In addition, different stains bacterial biomarkers on T. absoluta feeding selection were also studied. E. cloacae enhanced the host preference of the SLTA (T. absoluta of tomato strain) for tomato but had no impact on STTA (T. absoluta of potato strain). S. gallinarum improved the host preference of STTA to a potato but did not affect SLTA. The results showed that the gut bacteria of T. absoluta were affected by exposure to different host plants, and the bacterial biomarkers played an important role in host adaptability. This study not only deepens our understanding of gut bacteria-mediated insect-plant interactions but also provides theoretical support for the development of environmentally friendly and effective agricultural pest control methods.

Unlocking Enhanced Butadiene Selectivity: The Crucial Role of Zeolite Channel Confinement in the Selective Decarbonylation of γ-Valerolactone.

Herein, we report a highly selective production route for butadiene from γ-valerolactone over zeolite catalysts. The catalytic performance of eight zeolites with different framework topologies were compared, revealing that zeolites with narrower 10-membered ring channels exhibit enhanced selectivity of butadiene. Specifically, ZSM-35 and ZSM-22, featuring the narrowest 10-membered ring channels, demonstrate the highest butadiene selectivity to 61 % and 59 %, respectively. Notably, surface passivation of ZSM-35 leads to a remarkable increase in butadiene selectivity to 82 %, maintaining a 99 % conversion. Additionally, we propose a reaction network and identify cyclopentenone as a key intermediate in the transformation of γ-valerolactone to butadiene. Both experimental and theoretical results conclude that confinement effect of 10-membered ring channels improves the selectivity of butadiene.

Bioinformatic and Phenotypic Analysis of AtPCP-Ba Crucial for Silique Development in Arabidopsis.

Silique development exerts significant impacts on crop yield. CRPs (Cysteine-rich peptides) can mediate cell-cell communication during plant reproduction and development. However, the functional characterization and regulatory mechanisms of CRPs in silique development remain unclear. In this study, we identified many CRP genes downstream of the CRP gene TPD1 (TAPETUM DETERMINANT1) during silique development using a microarray assay. The novel Arabidopsis thaliana pollen-borne CRPs, the PCP-Bs (for pollen coat protein B-class) gene AtPCP-Ba, along with TPD1, are essential for silique development. The AtPCP-Ba was significantly down-regulated in tpd1 flower buds but up-regulated in OE-TPD1 flower buds and siliques. The silencing of AtPCP-Ba compromised the wider silique of OE-TPD1 plants and inhibited the morphology of OE-TPD1 siliques to the size observed in the wild type. A total of 258 CRPs were identified with the bioinformatic analysis in Arabidopsis, Brassica napus, Glycine max, Oryza sativa, Sorghum bicolor, and Zea mays. Based on the evolutionary tree classification, all CRP members can be categorized into five subgroups. Notably, 107 CRP genes were predicted to exhibit abundant expression in flowers and fruits. Most cysteine-rich peptides exhibited high expression levels in Arabidopsis and Brassica napus. These findings suggested the involvement of the CRP AtPCP-Ba in the TPD1 signaling pathway, thereby regulating silique development in Arabidopsis.

Effects of Physical Exercise Interventions for Individuals With Gynecologic Cancer: A Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis.

PROBLEM IDENTIFICATION: Data on the efficacy of physical exercise interventions for individuals with gynecologic cancer are limited and discordant. The purpose of this review was to determine the benefits of exercise interventions in this population. LITERATURE SEARCH: The PubMed®, Web of Science, Embase® (Ovid), and Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials databases were searched for studies published from January 1, 2010, to November 9, 2022. DATA EVALUATION: 12 randomized controlled trials were included. A quantitative synthesis method was used to investigate the effects of exercise interventions on individuals with gynecologic cancer. SYNTHESIS: The findings indicate that physical exercise interventions may have beneficial effects on the fatigue, depression, and health-related quality of life of this patient population. However, because of the small group of studies available, the evidence must be regarded as preliminary. IMPLICATIONS FOR PRACTICE: Clinicians and oncology nurses should recommend and refer individuals with gynecologic cancer to clinic- or community-based physical exercise programs.

Aroma profiling of Shine Muscat grape provides detailed insights into the regulatory effect of gibberellic acid and N-(2-chloro-4-pyridinyl)-N-phenylurea applications on aroma quality.

As plant growth regulators, gibberellic acid (GA3) and CPPU [forchlorfenuron, N-(2-chloro-4-pyridinyl)-N-phenylurea] are widely used in the production of table grapes. However, how these compounds regulate the aroma quality remains unclear. By measuring free and bound aroma compounds in Shine Muscat grapes from eight groups during whole growth period, GA3 and CPPU were both found to significantly promote the synthesis of acyclic monoterpenes and (E)-2-hexenal, and double applications were found to further increase the aroma compound contents. On the other hand, GA3 and CPPU obviously promoted the expansion of berries, and the effect of promoting the synthesis of aroma compounds was largely diminished. In conclusion, free compound concentrations in berry were almost unaffected by GA3 and CPPU. From the perspective of aroma compounds, a highly concerted interplay was observed for terpenes, and bound compounds exhibited higher correlations than those of free compounds. In addition, 17 compounds could be used as markers that indicated the developmental timing of berries.