Unraveling a Concerted Proton-Coupled Electron Transfer Pathway in Atomically Precise Gold Nanoclusters.

Metal nanoclusters (MNCs) represent a promising class of materials for catalytic carbon dioxide and proton reduction as well as dihydrogen oxidation. In such reactions, multiple proton-coupled electron transfer (PCET) processes are typically involved, and the current understanding of PCET mechanisms in MNCs has primarily focused on the sequential transfer mode. However, a concerted transfer pathway, i.e., concerted electron-proton transfer (CEPT), despite its potential for a higher catalytic rate and lower reaction barrier, still lacks comprehensive elucidation. Herein, we introduce an experimental paradigm to test the feasibility of the CEPT process in MNCs, by employing Au18(SR)14 (SR denotes thiolate ligand), Au22(SR)18, and Au25(SR)18- as model clusters. Detailed investigations indicate that the photoinduced PCET reactions in the designed system proceed via an CEPT pathway. Furthermore, the rate constants of gold nanoclusters (AuNCs) have been found to be correlated with both the size of the cluster and the flexibility of the Au-S framework. This newly identified PCET behavior in AuNCs is prominently different from that observed in semiconductor quantum dots and plasmonic metal nanoparticles. Our findings are of crucial importance for unveiling the catalytic mechanisms of quantum-confined metal nanomaterials and for the future rational design of more efficient catalysts.

Ultra-compact acousto-optic modulation using on-chip integrated Bragg gratings on lithium niobate-chalcogenide hybrid platform.

An ultra-compact and efficient acousto-optic modulator based on a thin-film lithium niobate-chalcogenide (ChG) hybrid platform was designed and realized. In this approach, π phase-shift Bragg grating has an ultra-short effective interaction length of only ∼ 300 µm and a compact footprint of 200 × 300 µm2. The strong microwave-acoustic coupling and superior photo-elastic property of the ChG allow us to achieve a half-wave voltage of Vπ = 1.08 V (4.07 V) for the π phase-shift Bragg grating (waveguide Bragg grating), corresponding to VπL = 0.03 V·cm (0.09 V·cm). This acousto-optic modulator exhibits a compact size, and low power consumption, and can be used for on-chip optical interconnects and microwave photonics.

Congruent Long-Term Declines in Carbon and Biodiversity Are a Signature of Forest Degradation.

Recent global policy initiatives aimed at reducing forest degradation require practical definitions of degradation that are readily monitored. However, consistent approaches for monitoring forest degradation over the long term and at broad scales are lacking. We quantified the long-term effects of intensive wood harvest on above-ground carbon and biodiversity at fine resolutions (30 m2) and broad scales (New Brunswick, Canada; 72,908 km2). Model predictions for above-ground biomass were highly correlated with independent data (r = 0.77). After accounting for carbon stored in wood products, net CO2 emissions from forests for the region from 1985 to 2020 were 141 CO2e Tg (4.02 TgCO2e year-1; 32% of all reported emissions). We found strong positive correlations between locations with declines in above-ground carbon and habitats for old-forest bird species, which have lost > 20% habitat over 35 years. High congruence between biodiversity and forest carbon offers potential for policy incentives to conserve both objectives simultaneously and slow rates of forest degradation. These methods could be used to track forest degradation for managed forest regions worldwide.

Wearable strain sensor integrating mechanoluminescent fiber with a flexible printed circuit.

This paper reports an optical strain sensor that integrates a self-powered mechanoluminescent (ML) elastic fiber with a flexible circuit. The inclusion of an alumina nanoparticle as the additive results in seven-fold enhancement of ML intensity while maintaining flexibility of 120% strain. The sensor facilitates the detection of strain and stretching speed. It attains a sensitivity of 0.0022 lx/(1% strain) and a resolution of 0.2% strain, respectively. We have successfully applied it to detect bending motions of the finger, wrist, and elbow. This wearable strain sensor holds promise for diverse applications in wearable technology.

Remarkable Off-On Tunable Solid-State Luminescence by the Regulation of Pyrene Dimer.

It is always a challenge to achieve "off-on" luminescent switch by regulating non-covalent interactions. Herein, we report a unique strategy for constructing high performance "off-on" tunable luminescent materials utilizing a novel molecule (TFPA) consist of pyrene and cyanostilbene. The pristine crystal of TFPA is almost non-emissive. Upon grinding/UV irradiation, an obvious luminescence enhancement is observed. Theoretical and experimental results revealed the underlying mechanism of this intriguing "off-on" switching behavior. The non-emissive crystal consists of ordered H-aggregates, with adjacent two molecules stacked in an anti-parallel manner and no overlapped area in pyrene moieties. When external force is applied by grinding or internal force is introduced through the photoisomerization, the dimer structures are facilitated with shorter intermolecular distances and better overlapping of pyrene moieties. In addition, the "on" state can recover to "off" state under thermal annealing, showing good reversibility and applicability in intelligence material. The present results promote an in-depth insight between packing structure and photophysical property, and offer an effective strategy for the construction of luminescence "off-on" switching materials, toward the development of stimuli-responsive luminescent materials for anti-counterfeiting.

Influence Mechanism of Interfacial Oxidation of Li3YCl6 Solid Electrolyte on Reduction Potential.

Halide-based solid electrolytes are promising candidates for all solid-state lithium-ion batteries (ASSLBs) due to their high ionic conductivity, wide electrochemical window, and excellent chemical stability with cathode materials. However, when tested in practice, their intrinsic electrochemical stability windows do not well match the conditions for stable operation of ASSBs. Existing literature reports halide-based ASSBs that still operate well outside the electrochemical stability window, while ASSBs that do not operate within the window are not well studied or the studies are based on the cathode material interface. In this study, we aim to elucidate the mechanism behind all-solid-state battery failure by investigating how the reduction potential of Li3YCl6 solid-state electrolyte itself changes under overcharging conditions. Our findings demonstrate that in Li-In|Li3YCl6|Li3YCl6-C half-cells during the first state of charge, Cl ions participate in charge compensation, resulting in a depletion of ligands. This phenomenon significantly affects the reduction potential of Y3+, causing it to be reduced to Y2Cl3 and ultimately to Y0 at conditions far exceeding its actual reduction potential. Furthermore, we analyze the interfacial impedance induced by this process and propose a novel perspective on battery failure.

Effects of low-tube voltage coronary CT angiography on plaque and pericoronary fat assessment: intraindividual comparison.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the effects of low tube voltage on coronary plaques and pericoronary fat assessment, and to compare their extent among various levels of low voltage. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Patients were recommended for high-pitch low-tube voltage coronary computed tomography angiography (CCTA), and they were included if they had poor image quality and were referred to a conventional CCTA. The patients were classified into a low-voltage group (with 70-kV, 80-kV, and 90-kV subgroups) and a conventional group (100/120 kV). Their total plaque and subcomponent volumes and pericoronary fat attenuation index (FAI) were measured. RESULTS: A total of 1002 image slices (from 65 patients and 74 plaques) were included, including 21, 31, 13, 4, and 61 patients in the 70-kV, 80-kV, 90-kV, 100-kV, and 120-kV groups respectively. The CT values of noncalcified plaques in the conventional and low-voltage groups were 54.6 ± 21.3 HU and 31.5 ± 22.6 HU, respectively (p < 0.05). Compared with the conventional group, the necrotic core and calcification volume were increased, and the fibrolipid volume, periplaque, and right coronary artery FAI were decreased in the low-voltage group and its subgroups (p < 0.001). The magnitude of changes in fibrous and calcification volumes increased in the 70-kV subgroup compared with that in the 90-kV subgroup (p < 0.05). CONCLUSION: Low tube voltages, particularly of 70 kV, have a significant effect on coronary plaque and FAI. The effect of low voltage on plaque composition is characterized by a polarization pattern, i.e., a decrease in fibrolipid (medium density) and an increase in necrotic core (low density) and calcification (high density). CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Our results highlight the comparability and repeatability of plaque and pericoronary fat assessments facilitated by the same or a similar tube voltage. It is necessary to carry out studies on the specificity threshold of low tube voltage at each level. KEY POINTS: • Low tube voltage had a significant effect on coronary plaque and pericoronary fat, particularly 70 kV. • The effect of low tube voltage on plaque composition shows the shift from medium-density mixed components to low- and high-density components. • It is necessary to correct the specificity threshold or attenuation difference for low tube voltage at each level.

Stereoselective synthetic approach toward ß-trifluoromethyl vinyl ethers and diethers via reaction of (E)-1,2-dichloro-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene with phenols.

A convenient method for synthesizing ß-trifluoromethyl vinyl ethers and diethers through the base-mediated C-O coupling of (E)-1,2-dichloro-3,3,3-trifluoroprop-1-ene and phenols has been developed. Remarkably, the present process shows perfect regioselective and stereoselective yield of the Z/E isomers for ß-trifluoromethyl vinyl ethers with high efficiency. Additionally, ß-trifluoromethyl vinyl diethers with identical/diverse phenoxy groups were also obtained and the regulation of the product configuration was achieved. These reactions feature transition-metal-free conditions, wide substrate scope, and atom economy.

A novel AIE-based mitochondria-targeting fluorescent probe for monitoring of the fluctuation of endogenous hypochlorous acid in ferroptosis models.

Ferroptosis is a way of cell death mainly due to the imbalance between the production and degradation of lipid reactive oxygen species, which is closely associated with various diseases. Endogenous hypochlorous acid (HOCl) mainly produced in mitochondria is regarded as an important signal molecule of ferroptosis. Therefore, monitoring the fluctuation of endogenous HOCl is beneficial to better understand and treat ferroptosis-related diseases. Inspired by the promising aggregation-induced emission (AIE) properties of tetraphenylethene (TPE), herein, we rationally constructed a novel AIE-based fluorescent probe, namely QTrPEP, for HOCl with nice mitochondria-targeting ability and high sensitivity and selectivity. Probe QTrPEP consisted of phenylborate ester and the AIE fluorophore of quinoline-conjugated triphenylethylene (QTrPE). HOCl can brighten the strong fluorescence through a specific HOCl-triggered cleavage of the phenylborate ester bond and release of QTrPE, which has been demonstrated by MS, HPLC, and DLS experiments. In addition, combining QTrPE-doped test strips with a smartphone-based measurement demonstrated the excellent performance of the probe to sense HOCl. The obtained favorable optical properties and negligible cytotoxicity allowed the use of this probe for tracking of HOCl in three different cells. In particular, this work represents the first AIE-based mitochondria-targeting fluorescent probe for monitoring the fluctuation of HOCl in ferroptosis.

A colorimetric sensing strategy based on chitosan-stabilized platinum nanoparticles for quick detection of α-glucosidase activity and inhibitor screening.

α-Glucosidase (α-Glu) is implicated in the progression and pathogenesis of type II diabetes (T2D). In this study, we developed a rapid colorimetric technique using platinum nanoparticles stabilized by chitosan (Ch-PtNPs) to detect α-Glu activity and its inhibitor. The Ch-PtNPs facilitate the conversion of 3,3',5,5'-tetramethylbenzidine (TMB) into oxidized TMB (oxTMB) in the presence of dissolved O2. The catalytic hydrolysis of 2-O-α-D-glucopyranosyl-L-ascorbic acid (AA-2G) by α-Glu produces ascorbic acid (AA), which reduces oxTMB to TMB, leading to the fading of the blue color. However, the presence of α-Glu inhibitors (AGIs) hinders the generation of AA, allowing Ch-PtNPs to re-oxidize colorless TMB back to blue oxTMB. This unique phenomenon enables the colorimetric detection of α-Glu activity and AGIs. The linear range for α-Glu was found to be 0.1-1.0 U mL-1 and the detection limit was 0.026 U mL-1. Additionally, the half-maximal inhibition value (IC50) for acarbose, an α-Glu inhibitor, was calculated to be 0.4769 mM. Excitingly, this sensing platform successfully detected α-Glu activity in human serum samples and effectively screened AGIs. These promising findings highlight the potential application of the proposed strategy in clinical diabetes diagnosis and drug discovery.

Association between the atherogenic index of plasma and coronary collateral circulation in patients with chronic total occlusion.

BACKGROUND: The atherogenic index of plasma (AIP) is considered an independent risk factor for coronary artery disease (CAD). The present study investigated whether AIP correlates with the formation of coronary collateral circulation (CCC) in CAD patients with chronic total occlusion (CTO). METHODS: This retrospective study included 1093 CAD patients with CTO confirmed by coronary angiography from January 2020 to December 2020 at Beijing Anzhen Hospital. Based on the Rentrop scoring system, the patients were divided into the good CCC group and the poor CCC group. AIP was calculated by log (triglyceride/high-density lipoprotein cholesterol). Meanwhile, the study population was further divided into four groups according to the quartiles of AIP. RESULTS: Patients in the poor CCC group exhibited significantly higher AIP compared to those in the good CCC group (0.31 ± 0.27 vs. 0.14 ± 0.24, p < 0.001). Multivariate logistic regression analysis revealed an independent association between AIP and poor CCC, regardless of whether AIP was treated as a continuous or categorical variable (p < 0.001), after adjusting for confounding factors. Besides, this association remained consistent across most subgroups. The incorporation of AIP into the baseline model significantly enhanced the accuracy of identifying poor CCC [area under the curve (AUC): baseline model, 0.661 vs. baseline model + AIP, 0.721, p for comparison < 0.001]. CONCLUSIONS: Elevated AIP is independently associated with an increased risk of poor CCC in CAD patients with CTO, and AIP may improve the ability to identify poor CCC in clinical practice.

α-Mangostin reduces hypertension in spontaneously hypertensive rats and inhibits EMT and fibrosis in Ang II-induced HK-2 cells.

Hypertension affects a large number of individuals globally and is a common cause of nephropathy, stroke, ischaemic heart disease and other vascular diseases. While many anti-hypertensive medications are used safely and effectively in clinic practice, controlling hypertensive complications solely by reducing blood pressure (BP) can be challenging. α-Mangostin, a xanthone molecule extracted from the pericarp of Garcinia mangostana L., has shown various beneficial effects such as anti-tumor, anti-hyperuricemia, and anti-inflammatory properties. However, the effects of α-Mangostin on hypertension remain unknown. In this study, we observed that α-Mangostin significantly decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressure in spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR), possibly through the down-regulation of angiotensin II (Ang II). We also identified early markers of hypertensive nephropathy, including urinary N-acetyl-ß-D-glucosaminidase (NAG) and ß2-microglobulin (ß2-MG), which were reduced by α-Mangostin treatment. Mechanistic studies suggested that α-Mangostin may inhibit renal tubular epithelial-to-mesenchymal transformation (EMT) by down-regulating the TGF-ß signaling pathway, thus potentially offering a new therapeutic approach for hypertension and hypertensive nephropathy.

Development of Integrated Vectors with Strong Constitutive Promoters for High-Yield Antibiotic Production in Mangrove-Derived Streptomyces.

It is important to improve the production of bioactive secondary products for drug development. The Escherichia coli-Streptomyces shuttle vector pSET152 and its derived vector pIB139 containing a strong constitutive promoter ermEp* are commonly used as integrative vectors in actinomycetes. Four new integrative vectors carrying the strong constitutive promoter kasOp*, hrdBp, SCO5768p, and SP44, respectively, were constructed and proven to be functional in different mangrove-derived Streptomyces host strains by using kanamycin resistance gene neo as a reporter. Some biosynthetic genes of elaiophylins, azalomycin Fs, and armeniaspirols were selected and inserted into these vectors to overexpress in their producers including Streptomyces sp. 219807, Streptomyces sp. 211726, and S. armeniacus DSM 43125, resulting in an approximately 1.1-1.4-fold enhancement of the antibiotic yields.

Modulation instability and rogue waves for two and three dimensional nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation.

We perform the modulation instability analysis of the 2D and 3D nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation. The instability region depends on dispersion and wavenumbers of the plane wave. The N-breathers of the nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation are constructed directly from its 2N-solitons obtained in history. The regularity conditions of breathers are established. The dynamic behaviors of breathers of the 2D nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation are consistent with modulation instability analysis. Furthermore, by means of the bilinear method together with improved long-wave limit technique, we obtain general high order rogue waves of the 2D and 3D nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation. In particular, the first- and second-order rogue waves and lumps of the 2D nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation are investigated by using their explicit expressions. We find that their dynamic behaviors are similar to the nonlinear Schrödinger equation. Finally, the first-order rational solutions are illustrated for the 3D nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation. It is demonstrated that the rogue waves of the 2D and 3D nonlinear Klein-Gordon equation always exist by choosing dispersion and wavenumber of plane waves.

First Report of Leaf Spot Disease on Avocado Caused by Bipolaris setariae in China.

Avocado (Persea americana), which is native to Latin America, is mostly planted in southwest China. In November 2021, leaf spot symptoms were observed in a nursery in Chongzuo (22.2019°N, 106.4723°E), Guangxi, China. Approximately 90% of avocado seedlings in the nursery were affected. Symptomatic plant fully expanded leaves showed small brown spots that ranged from 1 to 3 mm, with a yellow halo around (Fig.1). Lesions gradually expanded and became nearly round and dark brown. Finally, leaves withered or curled. For pathogen isolation, 15 symptomatic leaves were randomly sampled from different plants of the nursery, five leaves were selected and four samples size 4×4mm were taken from each leaf and were plated on potato glucose agar. Identical fungus colonies were observed in 80% of the samples, and no bacteria were isolated. Single conidial isolation was performed. After 4 days, the colony diameter reached 74.6 mm, colonies appeared gray, and developed aerial hyphae. Conidiophores were mostly solitary with a few clustered erect or slightly curved, knee shaped, and 3.89 to 5.24 µm wide. Conidia were 39.33 -96.88 × 9.96 - 15.59 µm, slightly curved, rarely straight, light brown to yellowish brown, fusoid or navicular, and truncated at the base with 4 to 10 septa. Based on morphological and cultural characteristics, the fungus was identified as Bipolaris sp. (Manamgoda et al. 2014). An isolate named MP211122 was grown on Sachs' ager at 27℃ under 12-h light/dark for 1 week and consistently with Adhikari et al. (2021) no sexual from was observed. To confirm the tentative identification, genomic DNA was extracted, ITS and GAPDH gene were amplified and sequenced using primers ITS1/ITS4 and GPD/GPD2, respectively (Tan et al. 2022). The ITS sequence (GenBank ON248469) shared 100% identity with B. setariae (MN215632.1), and the GAPDH sequence (ON642344) shared 99.82% identity with B. setariae (MF490833.1, MK144540.1) and B. yamadae (MK026428.1). A maximum likelihood phylogenetic analysis based on GAPDH and ITS sequences using MEGA 7.0 revealed that the isolate clustered with B. setariae with 100% bootstrap support(Fig. 2). Healthy 11-month old potted avocado seedlings from disease-free nursery were selected , the conidial suspension (1 × 105 conidia/mL) of MP211122 isolate was prepared by harvesting conidia from a 10-day-old culture on water agar. Conidia were sprayed onto young leaves of six potted plants. Three additional seedlings sprayed with sterile distilled water served as controls. All plants were covered with plastic bags for 3 days to maintain high humidity and then maintained in a greenhouse at 30℃ with a 12-h/12-h light/dark cycle. After 5 days, typical symptoms of small brown spots were observed on all inoculated leaves (Fig.3). All leaves on control plants remained asymptomatic. The reisolated fungus was morphologically identical to the original isolate used for inoculation, fulfilling Koch's postulates. This is the first report of B. setariae as a pathogen causing leaf spot on avocado in China. This information will facilitate further studies, monitoring and control of the disease as accurate identification of the causal agent is a primary requisite for designing management strategies.

Combining Functional Units to Design Organic Materials with Dynamic Room-Temperature Phosphorescence under Continuous Ultraviolet Irradiation.

Developing materials with dynamic room-temperature phosphorescence (RTP) properties is crucial for expanding the applications of organic light-emitting materials. In this study, we designed and synthesized two novel RTP molecules by combining functional units, incorporating the folded unit thianthrene into the classic luminescent cores thioxanthone or anthraquinone to construct TASO and TA2O. In this combination, the TA unit contributes to the enhancement of spin-orbit coupling (SOC), while the luminescent core governs the triplet energy level. After the strategic manipulation of SOC using the thianthrene unit, the target molecules exhibited a remarkable enhancement in RTP performance. This strategy led to the successful development of TASO and TA2O molecules with outstanding dynamic RTP properties when exposed to continuous ultraviolet irradiation, a result that can be ascribed to their efficient RTP, improved absorption ability, and oxygen-sensitive RTP properties. Leveraging the oxygen-mediated ultraviolet-radiation-induced RTP enhancement in TASO-doped polymer films, we developed a novel time-resolved detection technique for identifying phase separation in polymers with varying oxygen permeability. This research offers a promising approach for constructing materials with dynamic RTP properties.

Anomalous Pressure-Induced Blue-Shifted Emission of Ionic Copper-Iodine Clusters: The Competitive Effect between Cuprophilic Interactions and Through-Space Interactions.

Developing ionic copper-iodine clusters with multiple emitting is crucial for enriching lighting and display materials with various colors. However, the luminescent properties of traditional ionic copper-iodine clusters are often closely associated with low-energy cluster-centered triplet emission, which will redshift further as the Cu⋅⋅⋅Cu bond length decreases. This article utilizes a pressure-treated strategy to achieve an anomalous pressure-induced blue-shifted luminescence phenomenon in ionic Cu4I6(4-dimethylamino-1-ethylpyridinium)2 crystals for the first time, which is based on dominant through-space charge-transfer (TSCT). Herein, we reveal that the more advantageous through-space interactions in the competition between cuprophilic interactions and through-space interactions can lead to a blue-shifted luminescence. High-pressure angle-dispersive X-ray diffraction and high-pressure infrared experiments show that the enhanced through-space interactions mainly originate from forming new intermolecular C-H⋅⋅⋅I hydrogen bonds and the enhancement of van der Waals interactions between organic cations and anionic clusters. Theoretical calculations and experimental studies of excited-state dynamics confirm that the blue-shifted emission is due to the increased energy gap between the excited triplet and ground states caused by the electron delocalization under stronger through-space interactions. This work deepens previous understanding and provides a new avenue to design and synthetic ionic copper-iodine clusters with high-energy TSCT emission.

Triglyceride-glucose index is associated with poor prognosis in acute coronary syndrome patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention.

BACKGROUND: The triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index, which is a reliable substitute indicator for insulin resistance, has been considered an independent risk factor for long-term outcomes in patients with cardiovascular disease. However, it remains unknown whether the TyG index is associated with poor prognosis in acute coronary syndrome (ACS) patients with prior coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) undergoing percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). METHODS: A total of 1158 ACS patients with prior CABG undergoing PCI were retrospectively studied. The TyG index was calculated by ln[fasting triglyceride (mg/dL) × fasting blood glucose (mg/dL)/2]. The primary endpoint was major adverse cardiovascular and cerebrovascular events (MACCE), a composite of all-cause death, nonfatal myocardial infarction, nonfatal stroke, and unplanned repeat revascularization. RESULTS: During a median of 42-month follow-up, 350 patients (30.2%) experienced at least one endpoint event. Based on the optimal cut-off value of the TyG index, patients were divided into the high TyG index group and the low TyG index group. Patients in the high TyG index group had higher risks of MACCE (35.3% vs. 25.3%, p < 0.001), major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) (31.1% vs. 23.4%, p = 0.003), nonfatal stroke (4.2% vs. 1.9%, p = 0.022) and unplanned repeat revascularization (19.4% vs. 11.3%, p < 0.001) than those in the low TyG index group. Cox regression analysis demonstrated that there was an independent association between the TyG index and MACCE regardless of whether the TyG index was a continuous or categorical variable (HR 1.42, 95% CI 1.09-1.86, p = 0.009; HR 1.53, 95% CI 1.16-2.01, p = 0.003, respectively). Restricted cubic spline curve exhibited that the relationship between the TyG index and MACCE was linear (p for non-linear = 0.595, p for overall = 0.005). By incorporating the TyG index groups into baseline risk model, the accuracy of predicting MACCE was improved [AUC: baseline risk model, 0.618 vs. baseline risk model + TyG index groups, 0.636, p for comparison = 0.042]. CONCLUSIONS: The TyG index is independently associated with MACCE, suggesting that the TyG index may serve as a valid indicator for predicting poor prognosis in ACS patients with prior CABG undergoing PCI.

Comparison of predictive performance for cage subsidence between CT-based Hounsfield units and MRI-based vertebral bone quality score following oblique lumbar interbody fusion.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the predictive performance between CT-based Hounsfield units (HU) and MRI-based vertebral bone quality (VBQ) for cage subsidence (CS) following oblique lumbar interbody fusion combined with anterolateral single-rod screw fixation (OLIF-AF). METHODS: A retrospective study was performed on consecutive patients who underwent OLIF-AF at our institution from 2018 to 2020. CS was determined by CT according to the change in the midpoint intervertebral space height. The VBQ score and HU value were measured from preoperative MRI and CT, respectively. Then, we evaluated the predictive performance of those two parameters by comparing the receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curves. RESULTS: The mean global and segmental VBQ scores were significantly higher in the CS group, and the mean global and segmental HU values were significantly lower in the CS group. The area under the curve (AUC) of CS prediction was higher in the operative segments' VBQ score and HU value than the measurement in the global lumbar spine. Finally, the combined segmental VBQ score and segmental HU value demonstrated the highest AUC. CONCLUSION: Both MRI-based VBQ score and CT-based HU value can achieve accurate CS prediction. Moreover, the combination of those two measurements indicated the best predictive performance. CLINICAL RELEVANCE STATEMENT: Both MRI-based VBQ score and CT-based HU value can be used for cage subsidence prediction, in order to take preventive measures early enough. KEY POINTS: • Osteoporosis is a risk factor for CS, both MRI-based VBQ score and CT-based HU value are important predictors during vertebral bone quality evaluation. • The VBQ score and HU value measured in the operative segments are better predictors of CS than the measurement in the global lumbar spine. • Combined segmental VBQ score and segmental HU value achieved the best predictive performance for CS.

Preparation and Electrochemical Dissolution of a Soluble Uranium Oxycarbide Anode.

A soluble uranium oxycarbide (UC0.4O0.6) anode was synthesized by a carbothermal reduction process, using U3O8, UO2, and graphite as raw materials, in a vacuum environment of 0.1 MPa at 1750 °C. The sintered UC0.4O0.6 exhibited excellent conductivity and stability in LiCl-KCl molten salt. The dissolution process of UC0.4O0.6 in molten salt was analyzed by linear sweep voltammetry (LSV), and the initial dissolution potential, rapid dissolution potential, and passivation potential were determined. The oxidation/reduction process of dissolved uranium ions in LiCl-KCl molten salt was studied by cyclic voltammetry (CV) and square wave voltammetry (SWV). The experimental results showed that the addition of Li2O significantly reduced the volatilization of U(VI) and increased the concentration of UO22+ in molten salt. Finally, the product was conducted by electrolysis at 1.0 V and was confirmed to be UO2 by XRD and SEM-EDS analysis.