Two-Dimensional Organic-Inorganic Hybrid Rare-Earth Double Perovskite Ferroelectrics.

As a major branch of hybrid perovskites, two-dimensional (2D) hybrid double perovskites are expected to be ideal systems for exploring novel ferroelectric properties, because they can accommodate a variety of organic cations and allow diverse combinations of different metal elements. However, no 2D hybrid double perovskite ferroelectric has been reported since the discovery of halide double perovskites in the 1930s. Based on trivalent rare-earth ions and chiral organic cations, we have designed a new family of 2D rare-earth double perovskite ferroelectrics, A4MIMIII(NO3)8, where A is the organic cation, MI is the alkaline metal or ammonium ion, and MIII is the rare-earth ion. This is the first time that ferroelectricity is realized in 2D hybrid double perovskite systems. These ferroelectrics have achieved high-temperature ferroelectricity and photoluminescent properties. By varying the rare-earth ion, variable photoluminescent properties can be achieved. The results reveal that the 2D rare-earth double perovskite systems provide a promising platform for achieving multifunctional ferroelectricity.

Hybrid Organic-Inorganic Antiperovskites.

Substitution of A-site and/or X-site ions of ABX3 -type perovskites with organic groups can give rise to hybrid perovskites, many of which display intriguing properties beyond their parent compounds. However, this method cannot be extended effectively to hybrid antiperovskites. Now, the design of hybrid antiperovskites under the guidance of the concept of Goldschmidt's tolerance factor is presented. Spherical anions were chosen for the A and B sites and spherical organic cations for the X site, and seven hybrid antiperovskites were obtained, including (F3 (H2 O)x )(AlF6 )(H2 dabco)3 , ((Co(CN)6 )(H2 O)5 )(MF6 )(H2 dabco)3 (M=Al3+ , Cr3+ , or In3+ ), (Co(CN)6 )(MF6 )(H2 pip)3 (M=Al3+ or Cr3+ ), and (SbI6 )(AlF6 )(H2 dabco)3 . These new structures reveal that all ions at A, B, and X sites of inorganic antiperovskites can be replaced by molecular ions to form hybrid antiperovskites. This work will lead to the synthesis of a large family of hybrid antiperovskites.

Clinical Characteristics and Prognostic Factors in Bone Metastases from Lung Cancer.

BACKGROUND This study investigated the prognostic factors of bone metastases from lung cancer. MATERIAL AND METHODS From March 2014 to March 2015, 168 patients with bone metastases from lung cancer treated at our hospital were included and the clinical data were reviewed. The Kaplan-Meier survival curves were calculated and analyzed using the log-rank univariate test. Multivariate regression analysis was conducted using Cox's regression model. RESULTS The overall median survival of the 168 patients was 13 months. The 1-year survival was 54.3% and the 2-year survival was 12.9%. Univariate regression analysis indicated that the pathologic types, number of bone metastases, clinical stage, ECOG scores, and serum ALP levels were significantly correlated with survival (P<0.05). Multivariate regression analysis indicated that the number of bone metastases, clinical stage, and serum ALP levels were significantly correlated with prognosis (P<0.05). The risk associated with multiple bone metastases was 1.72 times of that of single bone metastasis (P=0.029); the risk associated with advanced clinical stage was 1.49 times of that of early clinical stage (P=0.001); and the risk associated with a high serum ALP level was 1.75 times of that of the low serum ALP level (P=0.006). CONCLUSIONS Pathologic types, number of bone metastases, clinical stage, ECOG scores, and serum ALP levels were the prognostic factors for bone metastases from lung cancer.

Relationship between Severity of Disease and Postoperative Neurological Recovery in Patients with Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy Combined with Developmental Spinal Stenosis.

Objective: The study aimed to investigate the correlation between the severity of disease and postoperative neurological recovery in patients with cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) combined with developmental spinal stenosis. Methods: A retrospective analysis of the clinical data of 114 CSM patients combined with developmental spinal stenosis admitted to our hospital from June 2019 to June 2020 was performed. All of the patients who underwent posterior cervical unidoor vertebroplasty were divided into the mild, moderate, and severe groups according to the Torg-Pavlov ratio. The clinical data including patients' age, course of spinal cord high signal change, and first onset age were collected. The recovery time, preoperative, and postoperative Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) scores of patients in each group were compared with the calculation of the improvement rate. The correlation between the severity of disease and postoperative neurological recovery in CSM patients combined with developmental spinal stenosis was analyzed by Pearson correlation. The factors influencing postoperative neurological recovery were analyzed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. The receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) was used to evaluate the value of each influencing factor in predicting postoperative recovery. Results: Significant differences were observed in the proportion of linear hyperintensity changes in the spinal cord, the age of first onset, the course of the disease, and the Torg-Pavlov ratio among the mild, moderate, and severe groups (P < 0.05). The postoperative recovery time of the moderate and severe groups was significantly higher than that of the mild group, while the preoperative JOA score was significantly lower than that of the mild group. On the other hand, the postoperative recovery time of the severe group was prominently higher than that of the moderate group, whereas the preoperative JOA score was observably lower than that of the moderate group (P < 0.05). Pearson correlation analysis showed that the postoperative recovery time was significantly negatively correlated with the Torg-Pavlov ratio, age at first onset, and disease course (r = -0.359, -0.502, -0.368, P < 0.05), while it was positively correlated with spinal cord linear high-signal changes (r = 0.641, P < 0.05). Multifactorial logistic regression analysis revealed that the Torg-Pavlov ratio, age at first onset, and disease course were protective factors, while spinal cord linear high-signal alterations were risk factors affecting the recovery time of postoperative neurological function (P < 0.05). The area under the curve (AUC) of the Torg-Pavlov ratio, linear hyperintensity changes in the spinal cord, age at first onset, and disease duration in predicting the postoperative neurological recovery time were 0.794, 0.767, 0.772, and 0.802, respectively. The AUC predicted by the combined detection of each factor was 0.876, which was better than the area under the curve of single prediction. Conclusion: Patients with CSM combined with developmental spinal stenosis were characterized by younger age of onset, a short course of the disease, and linear changes in the spinal cord high signal. The degree of developmental spinal stenosis may affect the postoperative recovery time of neurological function in CSM patients but had little effect on postoperative neurological recovery. The Torg-Pavlov ratio, age of first onset, course of the disease, and changes in the spinal cord linear hyperintensity were the factors that affected postoperative neurological recovery, which may provide a basis for reasonably predicting a postoperative neurological recovery in patients with CSM combined with developmental spinal stenosis.

Above room-temperature dielectric switching and semiconducting properties of a layered organic-inorganic hybrid compound: (C6H12N)2Pb(NO3)4.

The well-studied star compound, CH3NH3PbI3, has attracted plenty of attention because of its remarkable optical and electrical properties. Consequently, new switching multifunctional hybrid compounds can be widely used in many fields such as solar cells, light-emitting diodes, optical data storage and so on. Therefore, switching multifunctional hybrid compounds with dielectric and semiconducting properties simultaneously will also find roles in the next generation of optoelectronic coupling materials. In fact, discovering an effective method to synthesize (multi)functional hybrid materials remains a pressing challenge. Thanks to the "quasi-spherical theory" proposed by Xiong et al., we used 7-azabicyclo[2.2.1]heptane as the quasi-spherical cation to construct molecule-based crystalline materials that exhibit responsive properties. Then, we tried to exploit the knowledge of crystal engineering and coordination chemistry to explain (multi)functional molecular materials. A layered organic-inorganic hybrid compound, (C6H12N)2Pb(NO3)4 (1), was grown and its dielectric switching property and semiconducting behaviour were investigated. Insights from differential scanning calorimetry measurements, variable-temperature X-ray structural studies, and dielectric spectroscopy revealed the origin of the phase transition, which is related to the motion of the organic ammonium and inorganic framework in solid-state crystals. Furthermore, 1 is also a wide bandgap semiconductor with an optical bandgap of 3.53 eV. The realization of switching and semiconducting properties simultaneously in layered Pb-based perovskites has a great significance toward research into hybrid compounds and the development of dielectric-optoelectronic integrated materials.

Prolonged surgical duration, higher body mass index and current smoking increases risk of surgical site infection after intra-articular fracture of distal femur.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to investigate incidence of surgical site infection (SSI) following the surgery of intra-articular fractures of distal femur. METHODS: Between July 2014 and December 2017, inpatient medical records of consecutive patients who had intra-articular fractures of distal femur treated by open reduction and plate/screw fixation were inquired to identify whether they had a SSI. After discharge, patients who had a SSI and were readmitted for treatment of SSI were also allocated to the case group. Univariate and multivariate logistic regression analyses were performed to determine whether some clinical factors were independently associated with SSI, after adjustment for confounding variables. RESULTS: During the study period, 434 patients were evaluated and 21 patients were confirmed to develop a SSI, indicating the accumulated incidence of 4.8% within 1 year. A total of six deep and 15 superficial SSIs were identified, with respective incidence being 1.4% and 3.4%. The most common causative pathogen was Staphylococcus aureus (8, 50.0%), followed by mixed bacteria (5, 31.3%). Open fracture, prolonged surgical duration, increased body mass index and current smoking were identified as independent risk factors for development of SSI (P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: It should be noted that it was likely difficult to modify these risk factors, but they do prove useful for preoperative counselling of patients and their relatives regarding their own risk profile of SSI, and the perioperative medical optimization.

Metallothionein-1 is associated with osteoarthritis disease activity and suppresses proinflammatory cytokines production in synovial cells.

BACKGROUNDS: OA (Osteoarthritis) is a predominant degenerative disease, characterized by the synovial inflammation and cartilage destruction. The pathogenic mechanisms remain mostly unknown. There is an critical require for extra investigations to discover new therapeutic targets to prevent and treat OA disease, as there are currently no effective treatments except for the joint replacement. METHODS: The mRNA and protein levels of Metallothionein-1(MT-1) were quantified by qPCR and ELISA in peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs), serum and synovial cells (SCs) from erosive inflammatory OA (EIOA) and primary generalized OA (PGOA) patients. Age and sex matched healthy volunteers were recruited as healthy controls (HCs). The correlation between the MT-1 level and OA activity was assessed and the anti-inflammatory effects of MT-1 was determined in vitro. RESULTS: The mRNA and protein levels of MT-1 were significantly increased in the PBMCs and serum of EIOA patients compared with those of PGOA patients and HCs. Serum levels of MT-1 were positively correlated with VAS score, CRP, and ESR in OA patients. And the positive correlations were also identified between the MT-1 and IL-1ß, TNF-α or IL-6 in synovial cells. Furthermore, the recombinant MT-1 protein could significantly inhibit the expression of IL-1ß, TNF-α and IL-6 in PBMCs and SCs from EIOA patients in vitro. CONCLUSION: The data had shown that the MT-1 was up-regulated in EIOA patients and positively correlated with the disease activity. The recombinant MT-1 could suppress the expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in both PBMCs and synovial cells from EIOA patients. Therefore, the MT-1 might become a novel therapeutic target for OA treatment.

Inhibition of the Ras/Raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 signaling pathway by compounds of natural origin for possible treatment of spinal cord injury: An in silico approach.

Spinal cord injury (SCI) is a severe disease associated with permanent neurological deficit. Recent studies in the treatment of SCI have demonstrated that the Ras/Raf/extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 (ERK1/2) signaling pathway serves an important role in the disease etiology, and that upregulation of this signaling pathway is associated with the development of SCI. In the present study, inhibition of Ras protein was employed in order to downregulate the Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling pathway using compounds of natural origin from the Interbioscreen natural compound database. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study using a chemical-computational approach in order to identify novel small molecule inhibitors for Ras. A database of ~50,000 compounds was selected for virtual screening, setting a free energy binding bias of -7 kcal/mol to limit the number of compounds. The subset of compounds generated by virtual screening was further limited by subjecting these to the Lipinski's rule of five parameters. A total of five shortlisted compounds were subjected to molecular docking simulation. The compounds were docked into the GTP binding site of Ras, and the inhibition of this site was examined as a promising strategy for the downregulation of Ras/Raf/ERK1/2 signaling pathway. The compounds bound to the GTP binding site through hydrogen bonds and hydrophobic interactions. The identified lead compound was then subjected to molecular dynamics simulation, and the results revealed that GLY60 in the GTP binding site of Ras protein was the optimal binding site during a 100 nsec run.

[Repair of large skin defect of forearm and hand using bilateral groin flaps and abdominal flaps].

OBJECTIVE: To investigate an operative method of repairing large skin defect of the forearm and the hand. METHODS: From July 2003 to September 2008, 11 patients with large skin defect of the forearm and the hand were repaired using bilateral groin flaps in complex with abdominal flaps, including 7 males and 4 females aged 17-55 years old (average 33.5 years old). Among the 11 cases, 5 were caused by carding machine and 4 by traffic accident, and the interval between injury and operation was 90 minutes to 6 hours (average 3.5 hours); 2 cases suffered from severe cicatricial contracture deformity in the late stage of burn injury, and the interval between injury and operation was 7 months and 19 months, respectively. The size of skin defect ranged from 42 cm x 12 cm to 60 cm x 16 cm. The flaps harvested during operation was 45.0 cm x 10.5 cm - 62.0 cm x 18.0 cm in size. Pedicle division of the combined flaps was performed 4 weeks after operation. The donor site wound was repaired by direct suturing in 7 cases and by free skin grafting in 4 cases. RESULTS: All flaps survived. All incisions healed by first intention. The donor site wound all healed by first intention. Skin graft all survived. All patients were followed up for 2 months to 3 years. The flaps were soft in texture, full in contour, and normal in color. Sensory recovery of the flaps was evaluated according to the Criteria of UK Medical Research Council (1954), 4 cases were in grade S1, 6 in grade S2, and 1 in grade S3. Hand function was assessed by the Criteria of Chinese Hand Surgery Society, 7 cases were graded as excellent, 2 as good, 2 as poor, and the excellent and good rate was 81.8%. CONCLUSION: Combined use of bilateral groin flaps and abdominal flap is an effective approach to repair large skin defect of the forearm and the hand due to its simple operative procedure and satisfying effect.