Initial indicators for the prognosis of Acinetobacter Baumannii bacteremia in children.

BACKGROUND: Risk factors related to mortality due to Acinetobacter baumannii (AB) bacteremia have been unveiled previously, but early clinical manifestations of AB bacteremia based on prognosis remain uncovered. METHODS: The demographic characteristics, clinical features, antibiotic susceptibility, and outcomes of 37 hospitalized children with laboratory-confirmed AB bacteremia from Suzhou, China, were collected and analyzed retrospectively. RESULTS: Of the 37 children with AB bacteremia included in this study, 23 were males and 14 were females, with a median age of 4.83 (0.60 to 10.15) years. Among the children, 18 died (48.65%, 18/37) and 19 survived (51.35%, 19/37). The dead group had a significantly higher incidence of respiratory failure (p = 0.008), shock (P = 0.000), MODS (p = 0.000), neutropenia (< 1.5 × 109/L) (p = 0.000) and serious neutropenia (< 0.5 × 109/L) (p = 0.000) than those in the survival group. The death group had significantly more invasive procedures (2 or more) than that in the survival group at 2 weeks before onset (p = 0.005). The proportion of MDR-AB in the death group was significantly higher than that in the survival group (p = 0.000), while the PICS score was significantly lower in the survival group than that in the death group (p = 0.000). There was no significant difference in effective antibiotic use within 24 h between these two groups (p = 0.295). Among the 37 children with bloodstream infection of AB, 56.76% (21/37) of the underlying diseases were hematological diseases and oncology. Among them, 17 (81.00%) were died in the hospital. The proportion of white blood cells (p = 0.000), neutrophils (p = 0.042), eosinophils (p = 0.029), the ANC (p = 0.000) and lymphocyte (p = 0.000), the NLR(p = 0.011), hemoglobin (p = 0.001), platelets (p = 0.000), prealbumin (P = 0.000), LDH (p = 0.017), blood gas pH (p = 0.000), and serum potassium (p = 0.002) in the death group were significantly lower than those in the survival group. However, CRP (p = 0.000) and blood glucose(p = 0.036) were significantly higher in the death group than those in the survival group. By further multivariate analysis, CRP [OR (95% CI): 1.022(1.003, 1.041), p = 0.021] and neutropenia [OR (95% CI): 21.634 (2.05, 228.313, p = 0.011] within 24 h of infection were independent risk factors for death in children with AB bacteremia. When CRP was higher than 59.02 mg/L, the sensitivity of predicting mortality was 88.9%, and the specificity was 78.9%. And the sensitivity and specificity of neutropenia for predicting mortality were 83.3% and 84.2%. CONCLUSIONS: AB bacteremia has a high mortality in children, especially in patients with hematological diseases and oncology. Many early indicators were associated with poor prognosis, while elevated CRP and neutropenia were the independent predictors for the 30-day mortality of children with laboratory-confirmed AB bacteremia.

Rewards weaken cross-modal inhibition of return with visual targets.

Previous studies have shown that rewards weaken visual inhibition of return (IOR). However, the specific mechanisms underlying the influence of rewards on cross-modal IOR remain unclear. Based on the Posner exogenous cue-target paradigm, the present study was conducted to investigate the effect of rewards on exogenous spatial cross-modal IOR in both visual cue with auditory target (VA) and auditory cue with visual target (AV) conditions. The results showed the following: in the AV condition, the IOR effect size in the high-reward condition was significantly lower than that in the low-reward condition. However, in the VA condition, there was no significant IOR in either the high- or low-reward condition and there was no significant difference between the two conditions. In other words, the use of rewards modulated exogenous spatial cross-modal IOR with visual targets; specifically, high rewards may have weakened IOR in the AV condition. Taken together, our study extended the effect of rewards on IOR to cross-modal attention conditions and demonstrated for the first time that higher motivation among individuals under high-reward conditions weakened the cross-modal IOR with visual targets. Moreover, the present study provided evidence for future research on the relationship between reward and attention.

Structural insights into catalysis and dimerization enhanced exonuclease activity of RNase J.

RNase J is a conserved ribonuclease that belongs to the ß-CASP family of nucleases. It possesses both endo- and exo-ribonuclease activities, which play a key role in pre-rRNA maturation and mRNA decay. Here we report high-resolution crystal structures of Deinococcus radiodurans RNase J complexed with RNA or uridine 5'-monophosphate in the presence of manganese ions. Biochemical and structural studies revealed that RNase J uses zinc ions for two-metal-ion catalysis. One residue conserved among RNase J orthologues (motif B) forms specific electrostatic interactions with the scissile phosphate of the RNA that is critical for the catalysis and product stabilization. The additional manganese ion, which is coordinated by conserved residues at the dimer interface, is critical for RNase J dimerization and exonuclease activity. The structures may also shed light on the mechanism of RNase J exo- and endonucleolytic activity switch.

IRF8 maintains mononuclear phagocyte and neutrophil function in acute kidney injury.

Immune cells are key players in acute tissue injury and inflammation, including acute kidney injury (AKI). Their development, differentiation, activation status, and functions are mediated by a variety of transcription factors, such as interferon regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) and IRF4. We speculated that IRF8 has a pathophysiologic impact on renal immune cells in AKI and found that IRF8 is highly expressed in blood type 1 conventional dendritic cells (cDC1s), monocytes, monocyte-derived dendritic cells (moDCs) and kidney biopsies from patients with AKI. In a mouse model of ischemia‒reperfusion injury (IRI)-induced AKI, Irf8 -/- mice displayed increased tubular cell necrosis and worsened kidney dysfunction associated with the recruitment of a substantial amount of monocytes and neutrophils but defective renal infiltration of cDC1s and moDCs. Mechanistically, global Irf8 deficiency impaired moDC and cDC1 maturation and activation, as well as cDC1 proliferation, antigen uptake, and trafficking to lymphoid organs for T-cell priming in ischemic AKI. Moreover, compared with Irf8 +/+ mice, Irf8 -/- mice exhibited increased neutrophil recruitment and neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation following AKI. IRF8 primarily regulates cDC1 and indirectly neutrophil functions, and thereby protects mice from kidney injury and inflammation following IRI. Our results demonstrate that IRF8 plays a predominant immunoregulatory role in cDC1 function and therefore represents a potential therapeutic target in AKI.

CEBPB/POU2F2 modulates endothelin 1 expression in prehypertensive SHR vascular smooth muscle cells.

The pathogenesis of hypertension is not fully understood; endothelin 1 (EDN1) is involved in developing essential hypertension. EDN1 can promote vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) proliferation or hypertrophy through autocrine and paracrine effects. Proliferating smooth muscle cells in the aorta are 'dedifferentiated' cells that cause increased arterial stiffness and remodeling. Male SHRs had higher aortic stiffness than normal control male WKY rats. Male SHR VSMCs expressed high levels of the EDN1 gene, but endothelial cells did not. Therefore, it is necessary to understand the molecular mechanism of enhanced EDN1 expression in SHR VSMCs. We identified POU2F2 and CEBPB as the main molecules that enhance EDN1 expression in male SHR VSMCs. A promoter activity analysis confirmed that the enhancer region of the Edn1 promoter in male SHR VSMCs was from -1309 to -1279 bp. POU2F2 and CEBPB exhibited an additive role in the enhancer region of the EdnET1 promoter. POU2F2 or CEBPB overexpression sufficiently increased EDN1 expression, and co-transfection with the CEBPB and POU2F2 expression plasmids had additive effects on the activity of the Edn1 promoter and EDN1 secretion level of male WKY VSMCs. In addition, the knockdown of POU2F2 also revealed that POU2F2 is necessary to enhance EDN1 expression in SHR VSMCs. The enhancer region of the Edn1 promoter is highly conserved in rats, mice, and humans. POU2F2 and CEBPB mRNA levels were significantly increased in remodeled human VMSCs. In conclusion, the novel regulation of POU2F2 and CEBPB in VSMCs will help us understand the pathogenesis of hypertension and support the development of future treatments for hypertension.

Prediction nomogram for coronary artery aneurysms at one month in Kawasaki disease.

BACKGROUND: Coronary status at one month after Kawasaki disease (KD) onset had a great significance. The present study aimed to establish a prediction model for coronary artery aneurysms (CAA) at one month in children with KD. METHODS: Patients with a diagnosis of KD between May 2017 and Dec 2018 were enrolled as the development cohort to build a prediction model. The model was validated by internal and external validation. Patients between Jan 2019 and Dec 2019 were enrolled as the validation cohort. The adaptive least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) was used to select the possible predictors. Receiving operating characteristic curve (ROC), calibration plots, and decision curve analysis (DCA) were used to evaluate the performance of the model. The performance of the Son score was also assessed. RESULTS: LASSO regression demonstrated that age, sex, and CALs in the acute stage were predictors for CAA at one month. The area under the ROC (AUC) was 0.946 (95% confidence interval: 0.911-0.980) with a sensitivity of 92.5% and a specificity of 90.5%. The calibration curve and the DCA showed a favorable diagnostic performance. The internal and external validation proved the reliability of the prediction model. The AUC of our model and the Son score were 0.941 and 0.860, respectively (P < 0.001). CONCLUSION: Our prediction model for CAA at one month after disease onset in KD had an excellent predictive utility.

Bioinformatics analysis and identification of hub genes of neutrophils in Kawasaki disease: a pivotal study.

BACKGROUND: Kawasaki disease (KD) is considered the main contributor to acquired heart diseases in developed countries. However, the precise pathogenesis of KD remains unclear. Neutrophils play roles in KD. This study aimed to select hub genes in neutrophils in acute KD. METHODS: mRNA microarray of neutrophils from four acute KD patients and three healthy controls was performed to screen differentially expressed mRNAs (DE-mRNAs). DE-mRNAs were analyzed and predicted by Gene Ontology (GO), Kyoto Encyclopaedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) pathways, and protein-protein interaction networks. Real time-PCR was finally conducted to confirm the reliability and validity of the expression level of DE-mRNAs from blood samples of healthy controls and KD patients in both acute and convalescent stage. RESULTS: A total of 1950 DE-mRNAs including 1287 upregulated and 663 downregulated mRNAs were identified. GO and KEGG analyses revealed the DE-mRNAs were mainly enriched in the regulation of transcription from RNA polymerase II promoter, apoptotic process, intracellular signal transduction, protein phosphorylation, protein transport, metabolic pathways, carbon metabolism, lysosome, apoptosis, pyrimidine metabolism, alzheimer disease, prion disease, sphingolipid metabolism, huntington disease, glucagon signaling pathway, non-alcoholic fatty liver disease, pyruvate metabolism, sphingolipid signaling pathway, and peroxisome. Twenty hub DE-mRNAs were selected including GAPDH, GNB2L1, PTPRC, GART, HIST2H2AC, ACTG1, H2AFX, CREB1, ATP5A1, ENO1, RAC2, PKM, BCL2L1, ATP5B, MRPL13, SDHA, TLR4, RUVBL2, TXNRD1, and ITGAM. The real-time PCR results showed that BCL2L1 and ITGAM mRNA were upregulated in acute KD and were normalized in the convalescent stage. CONCLUSIONS: These findings may improve our understanding of neutrophils in KD. Key Points • Neutrophilic BCL2L1 and ITGAM mRNA were first reported to be correlated with the pathogenic mechanism of KD.

Predicting immunoglobulin resistance in Kawasaki disease: an assessment of neutrophil to lymphocyte platelet ratio.

BACKGROUND: Kawasaki disease (KD) is an acute febrile illness of unknown etiology and predictors for intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) resistance have been widely explored in recent decades. Neutrophil to lymphocyte platelet ratio (NLPR) was reported to be associated with the outcomes in many diseases. However, its relationship with IVIG resistance has not be explored. METHODS: The medical data of patients diagnosed with KD in Children's Hospital of Soochow University between January 2019 and December 2020 were retrospectively reviewed and analyzed. Patients were trisected into three groups based on NLPR. Logistics regression was used to analyze the association between NLPR and IVIG resistance. Restricted cubic spine was used to exhibit the relationship. Sensitivity analysis and subgroup analysis were also carried out. RESULTS: A total of 803 patients were included in the present study (61.8% males; median age: 24 months). IVIG resistance occurred in 74 (9.2%) patients. Multivariable-adjusted analyses revealed higher NLPR (odds ratio [95% confidence interval]: 1.12 [1.00-1.24]) was an independent predictor of IVIG resistance, which was strengthened by sensitivity analyses. The association of NLPR and IVIG resistance was not modified by age, sex, CALs, or days of IVIG initiation ≤ 4. CONCLUSION: NLPR may be a valuable prognostic marker in KD patients with IVIG resistance.

Functional four-base A/T gap core sequence CATTAG of P53 response elements specifically bound tetrameric P53 differently than two-base A/T gap core sequence CATG bound both dimeric and tetrameric P53.

The consensus sequence of p53 is repeated half sites of PuPuPuC(A/T)(A/T)GPyPyPy. GtAGCAttAGCCCAGACATGTCC is a 14-3-3sigma promoter p53 regulation site; the first core sequence is CAttAG, and the second is CATG. Both mutants GtAGgAttAGCCCAGACATGTCC and GtAGCAttAGCCCAGACATcTCC can be activated by p53 as a 1.5-fold half site. The original p53 regulated site on the 14-3-3sigma promoter is a whole site, and CATTAG is a functional core sequence. The p53-binding affinity and the activity of CATTAG were lower than for the mutant CATATG core sequence. Wild-type p53 acts as a tetramer to bind to the whole site; however, it also can bind to a half site by one of its dimers. Wild-type p53 can only bind to a half site with core sequence CATG but not to CATATG. The 1.5-fold half site or whole site with core sequence CATATG can be bound by wild-type p53. A p53 mutant, A344, forms dimeric p53; it can only bind to CATG, and not to CATATG. Therefore, tetrameric and dimeric p53 can bind to a two-base A/T gap core sequence, but only tetrameric p53 can bind to a four-base A/T gap core sequence.

Search for clinical predictors of good glycemic control in patients starting or intensifying oral hypoglycemic pharmacological therapy: A multicenter prospective cohort study.

AIMS: Our aim was to search for clinical predictors of good glycemic control in patients starting or intensifying oral hypoglycemic pharmacological therapy. METHODS: A multicenter, prospective cohort of 499 diabetic subjects was enrolled in this study: patients with newly diagnosed diabetes (NDM group) or poor glycemic control with oral antidiabetic drugs (OADs) (PDM group). All subjects then started or intensified OADs therapy and followed up for 91 days. Glycemic control was determined according to HbA1c at day 91 with HbA1c <7% considered good. RESULTS: The proportions of patients with good glycemic control after follow up for 91 days were 66.9% and 34.8% in NDM group and PDM group respectively. Logistic regression analysis showed that the change in GA at 28 days was the only predictor of good glycemic control in NDM patients (OR = 1.630, 95% CI 1.300-2.044, P < 0.001). In PDM patients, changes in GA at 28 days, CPI, baseline HbA1c, diabetic duration, and BMI were all independent predictors of good glycemic control (All P < 0.05). CONCLUSIONS: GA decline is a good predictor of future success in newly diagnosed patients. In patients intensifying therapy, beside GA decline, other individualized clinical characteristics should also be considered.

Hyperglycemia is associated with poor in-hospital outcome in elderly patients with acute ischemic stroke.

Fasting hyperglycemia is associated with poor neurologic outcome in acute ischemic stroke (AIS), but its relationship with in-hospital outcome in elderly patients remains largely unknown. To assess the association of in-hospital outcome with fasting plasma glucose (FPG) levels at admission in individuals with AIS.This retrospective propensity score-matched case-control study included patients aged over 60 years suffering from AIS and who were admitted to the emergency department from November 2013 to October 2016. Subjects were grouped into the poor-outcome and good-outcome groups based on mortality and intensive care unit (ICU) admission.The poor- and good-outcome groups comprised 74 and 1927 cases, respectively, before propensity score matching (PSM), and 74 and 296 cases, respectively, after PSM. Univariable logistic regression analysis showed that initial FPG after admission was associated with poor in-hospital outcome. Multivariable logistic regression analysis showed that initial FPG after admission was an independent predictor of poor in-hospital outcome (odds ratio = 1.11, 95% confidence interval: 1.037-1.188, P = .003).This study used PSM and strongly suggests that FPG is an independent predictive factor of poor in-hospital outcome in elderly patients with AIS. High initial FPG levels after admission may predict poor in-hospital outcome. Prospective studies are needed to confirm these findings.

The Characteristics of Human Resources and Related Research Activities among Basic Stem Cell Research Groups in China.

BACKGROUND: This study aimed to evaluate the characteristics of faculty and research activities of basic stem cell research groups in China. METHODS: A questionnaire was administered to persons who knew the information among 46 basic stem cell research groups in China. Multiple linear regression models and repeated-measures analyses of variance were used. Repeated-measures analyses of variance were used. RESULTS: Of the 46 groups, 39.1% did not have any faculty recruited from abroad from 2009 to 2013, 37.0% did not have any faculty with junior-level title, 34.8% had ≤25.0% faculty with either M.D. or Ph.D. degree. Papers published in SCI journals per faculty and having faculty recruited from abroad were positively associated with research funding per faculty. The groups with faculty recruited from abroad had significantly higher research funding per faculty over time compared with the group without faculty recruited from abroad. Repeated-measures analyses of variance showed the group with faculty recruited from abroad had significantly higher research funding per faculty over time compared with the group without faculty recruited from abroad. CONCLUSION: To increase the development of basic stem cell research, some characteristics of human resources should be improved, and the groups should recruit more faculty with overseas experience.

Comparison of GreenLight Laser Photoselective Vaporization and Thulium Laser Enucleation for Nonmuscle Invasive Bladder Cancer.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of GreenLight laser vaporization and thulium laser enucleation for nonmuscle invasive bladder cancer (NMIBC). PATIENTS AND METHODS: A total of 150 patients of NMIBC who underwent either GreenLight laser vaporization (Group A, n = 78) or thulium laser enucleation (Group B, n = 72) were analyzed, respectively. The preoperative, intraoperative, and postoperative clinical data were recorded and compared in the two groups. RESULTS: All patients were successfully treated with GreenLight laser vaporization or thulium laser enucleation. No significant difference was observed in operation time, catheterization time, and postoperative hospital stay time between them. No complications such as obturator nerve reflex, bladder perforation, overhydration, or intraoperative or postoperative bleeding occurred in all patients. The patients were followed up for 12 months; during the period the recurrence rate was 10.26% (8/78) and 9.72% (7/72), respectively, between Groups A and B. CONCLUSIONS: Both GreenLight laser vaporization and thulium laser enucleation are effective and safe treatments for patients with NMIBC. Long-term clinical trials are necessary to increase the current scientific evidence base.

The declined levels of inflammatory cytokines related with weaning rate during period of septic patients using ventilators.

INTRODUCTION: Approximately 50% of patients with sepsis-induced acute lung injury and acute respiratory distress syndrome require mechanical ventilation. Patients with extended mechanical ventilator use routinely develop reinfections, which increases hospital stay, mortality, and health care cost. Some studies have pointed out inflammatory factors concentrations can affect ventilator weaning, but do not indicate changed inflammatory factors related to ventilator weaning during using ventilators. OBJECTIVES: This study aimed to investigate during period of septic patients using ventilators, the inflammatory cytokines concentrations related with weaning rate. METHODS: Blood was collected from 35 septic patients before and during ventilator use on days 1, 7, 14, and 21 (or weaning). RESULTS: 58.3% (N = 20) of septic patients with mechanical ventilators were weaned successfully within 21 days (ventilator weaned group, VW), 16.7% (N = 6) did not wean within 21 days (ventilator dependent group, VD), and 25% died (death group) in hospital. Before ventilator use, higher C-reactive protein (CRP), IL-6, and IL-8 levels were measured in the death group than in all other groups (P < .05). During ventilator use, CRP, IL-6, and IL-8 concentrations declined significantly in VW and VD patients (P < .05). In addition, IL-6 concentrations in the VW group were significantly lower than in the VD group at 14 and 21 days (P < .05). CONCLUSION: The factors of ventilators weaning successfully such as disease control, nutritional status, and so on. The declined levels of serum inflammatory cytokines, especially IL-6, improved inflammation status might be one factor of successfully weaning during septic patients on ventilators.

Preparation of porous materials with ordered hole structure.

This review paper investigates the synthesis of porous structures with controlled hole pattern and provides an overall view of the various factors involved when synthesizing such porous materials. The following factors are discussed: 1) various methods of synthesis to produce the porous structures; 2) materials which the porous structures are made of; 3) control of the pore structure; 4) various applications of such porous materials. The materials of the porous structures and the control of the pore structure will also be discussed separately under each different method, as these two factors are closely dependent on the method of fabrication.

Improving the Performance of Perovskite in Nonaqueous Oxygen Electrocatalysis.

Nanoparticle (NP) aggregates of lanthanum cobalt oxide perovskite (LCO) were compounded with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) nanosheets and used as the cathode catalyst for nonaqueous lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs). The LCO NP aggregates were completely surrounded by rGO nanosheets in the composite with 10.5 wt % of rGO (LCO-rGO-10.5) but were partially exposed in the composite with 7.5 wt % of rGO (LCO-rGO-7.5). Both composites performed better than pristine LCO NPs and rGO nanosheets in nonaqueous oxygen electrocatalysis. The LCO-rGO-7.5 composite excelled at capacity and rate performance, while the LCO-rGO-10.5 composite was better at cycle stability. The good performance of the LCO-rGO composites was due to the synergy of functions of LCO and rGO.

Electronic Coupling of Cobalt Nanoparticles to Nitrogen-Doped Graphene for Oxygen Reduction and Evolution Reactions.

The rational design of nonprecious-metal electrocatalysts with activities comparable to or greater than that of platinum is extremely valuable to the development of high energy density metal-air batteries. Herein, the two-step preparation of a highly active oxygen electrocatalyst based on ultrasmall cobalt nanoparticles stabilized in a nitrogen-doped graphene matrix is reported. The catalyst performs as well as the commercial Pt/C catalyst in the oxygen reduction reaction, and better than the Pt/C catalyst in the oxygen evolution reaction. This particular electrocatalyst could significantly lower the overpotentials of oxygen electrochemical reactions in aqueous lithium-air batteries to attain a round-trip efficiency of about 79.0 % at a current density of 0.1 mA cm-2 , thereby surpassing the performance of the commercial Pt/C catalyst. The good performance may be attributed to strong metal-support interactions, maximized by a high dispersion of ultrasmall cobalt nanocrystals in a nitrogen-doped graphene matrix, which yields electrocatalytic properties greater than the sum of its parts.

Glycated albumin is superior to glycated hemoglobin for glycemic control assessment at an early stage of diabetes treatment: A multicenter, prospective study.

AIMS: This study was to determine whether serum glycated albumin (GA) was a better indicator of glycemic control than hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) when starting a new treatment regimen for type 2 diabetes. METHODS: Newly diagnosed type 2 diabetes patients, or patients who had poor glycemic control with oral hypoglycemic agents, were enrolled at 10 hospitals in Beijing. Serum GA, HbA1c, fasting blood glucose (FBG), and C-peptide were assayed on Days 0, 14, 28, and 91 after treatment. RESULTS: Four hundred ninety-nine patients were enrolled. Mean FBG, GA and HbA1c decreased significantly in patients at Days 14, 28, and 91. In patients with improved glycemic control, the reduction of GA and HbA1c levels was 10.5±13.3% vs. 5.1±5.4% on Day 14, 16.0±13.4% vs. 9.0±7.0% on Day 28, and 18.0±16.7% vs. 18.3±9.4% on Day 91, respectively, compared with baseline values. Changes in GA on Day 14, 28 and 91 were all closely correlated with changes in HbA1c on Day 91. Change in GA on Day 14 was correlated with treatment effectiveness evaluated by HbA1c on Day 91. CONCLUSIONS: GA may be a useful marker for assessing glycemic control at an early stage of new diabetes treatment and assist in guiding adjustments to treatment and therapy.

Enhancing the performance of catalytic AuPt nanoparticles in nonaqueous lithium-oxygen batteries.

The deposition of catalytic AuPt (1 : 1) nanoparticles (NPs) into hollow mesoporous nitrogen-doped carbon microspheres (HMCMS) was found to significantly improve the effectiveness of the catalysis of oxygen reactions in nonaqueous lithium-oxygen batteries (LOBs); surpassing the performance of unsupported AuPt NPs or HMCMS in discharge and charge overpotentials (lower), specific capacity and rate performance (higher), and cycle life (longer). Specifically at a typical current density of 100 mA g(-1), a LOB with the AuPt/HMCMS cathode catalyst could provide discharge and charge capacities of 6028 and 6000 mA h g(-1) respectively and a charge-discharge voltage gap of only 1.27 V. The discharge capacity decreased by 5% when the current density was doubled, and by 23% when the current density was quintupled. The AuPt/HMCMS LOB could be cycled 75 times for a depth of discharge (DOD) of 1000 mA h g(-1) without exceeding the charge cut-off voltage of 4.4 V. These measurements indicate that the HMCMS is an outstanding catalyst support to use for increasing the effectiveness of oxygen electrocatalysts in the LOBs.