Phase-dependent growth of Pt on MoS2 for highly efficient H2 evolution.

Crystal phase is a key factor determining the properties, and hence functions, of two-dimensional transition-metal dichalcogenides (TMDs)1,2. The TMD materials, explored for diverse applications3-8, commonly serve as templates for constructing nanomaterials3,9 and supported metal catalysts4,6-8. However, how the TMD crystal phase affects the growth of the secondary material is poorly understood, although relevant, particularly for catalyst development. In the case of Pt nanoparticles on two-dimensional MoS2 nanosheets used as electrocatalysts for the hydrogen evolution reaction7, only about two thirds of Pt nanoparticles were epitaxially grown on the MoS2 template composed of the metallic/semimetallic 1T/1T' phase but with thermodynamically stable and poorly conducting 2H phase mixed in. Here we report the production of MoS2 nanosheets with high phase purity and show that the 2H-phase templates facilitate the epitaxial growth of Pt nanoparticles, whereas the 1T' phase supports single-atomically dispersed Pt (s-Pt) atoms with Pt loading up to 10 wt%. We find that the Pt atoms in this s-Pt/1T'-MoS2 system occupy three distinct sites, with density functional theory calculations indicating for Pt atoms located atop of Mo atoms a hydrogen adsorption free energy of close to zero. This probably contributes to efficient electrocatalytic H2 evolution in acidic media, where we measure for s-Pt/1T'-MoS2 a mass activity of 85 ± 23 A [Formula: see text] at the overpotential of -50 mV and a mass-normalized exchange current density of 127 A [Formula: see text] and we see stable performance in an H-type cell and prototype proton exchange membrane electrolyser operated at room temperature. Although phase stability limitations prevent operation at high temperatures, we anticipate that 1T'-TMDs will also be effective supports for other catalysts targeting other important reactions.

Phase Engineering of Nanomaterials: Transition Metal Dichalcogenides.

Crystal phase, a critical structural characteristic beyond the morphology, size, dimension, facet, etc., determines the physicochemical properties of nanomaterials. As a group of layered nanomaterials with polymorphs, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have attracted intensive research attention due to their phase-dependent properties. Therefore, great efforts have been devoted to the phase engineering of TMDs to synthesize TMDs with controlled phases, especially unconventional/metastable phases, for various applications in electronics, optoelectronics, catalysis, biomedicine, energy storage and conversion, and ferroelectrics. Considering the significant progress in the synthesis and applications of TMDs, we believe that a comprehensive review on the phase engineering of TMDs is critical to promote their fundamental studies and practical applications. This Review aims to provide a comprehensive introduction and discussion on the crystal structures, synthetic strategies, and phase-dependent properties and applications of TMDs. Finally, our perspectives on the challenges and opportunities in phase engineering of TMDs will also be discussed.

1T'-transition metal dichalcogenide monolayers stabilized on 4H-Au nanowires for ultrasensitive SERS detection.

Unconventional 1T'-phase transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) have aroused tremendous research interest due to their unique phase-dependent physicochemical properties and applications. However, due to the metastable nature of 1T'-TMDs, the controlled synthesis of 1T'-TMD monolayers (MLs) with high phase purity and stability still remains a challenge. Here we report that 4H-Au nanowires (NWs), when used as templates, can induce the quasi-epitaxial growth of high-phase-purity and stable 1T'-TMD MLs, including WS2, WSe2, MoS2 and MoSe2, via a facile and rapid wet-chemical method. The as-synthesized 4H-Au@1T'-TMD core-shell NWs can be used for ultrasensitive surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) detection. For instance, the 4H-Au@1T'-WS2 NWs have achieved attomole-level SERS detections of Rhodamine 6G and a variety of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) spike proteins. This work provides insights into the preparation of high-phase-purity and stable 1T'-TMD MLs on metal substrates or templates, showing great potential in various promising applications.

Recent Progress on Phase Engineering of Nanomaterials.

As a key structural parameter, phase depicts the arrangement of atoms in materials. Normally, a nanomaterial exists in its thermodynamically stable crystal phase. With the development of nanotechnology, nanomaterials with unconventional crystal phases, which rarely exist in their bulk counterparts, or amorphous phase have been prepared using carefully controlled reaction conditions. Together these methods are beginning to enable phase engineering of nanomaterials (PEN), i.e., the synthesis of nanomaterials with unconventional phases and the transformation between different phases, to obtain desired properties and functions. This Review summarizes the research progress in the field of PEN. First, we present representative strategies for the direct synthesis of unconventional phases and modulation of phase transformation in diverse kinds of nanomaterials. We cover the synthesis of nanomaterials ranging from metal nanostructures such as Au, Ag, Cu, Pd, and Ru, and their alloys; metal oxides, borides, and carbides; to transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs) and 2D layered materials. We review synthesis and growth methods ranging from wet-chemical reduction and seed-mediated epitaxial growth to chemical vapor deposition (CVD), high pressure phase transformation, and electron and ion-beam irradiation. After that, we summarize the significant influence of phase on the various properties of unconventional-phase nanomaterials. We also discuss the potential applications of the developed unconventional-phase nanomaterials in different areas including catalysis, electrochemical energy storage (batteries and supercapacitors), solar cells, optoelectronics, and sensing. Finally, we discuss existing challenges and future research directions in PEN.

HBV integrations reshaping genomic structures promote hepatocellular carcinoma.

OBJECTIVE: Hepatitis B virus (HBV)-related hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), mostly characterised by HBV integrations, is prevalent worldwide. Previous HBV studies mainly focused on a few hotspot integrations. However, the oncogenic role of the other HBV integrations remains unclear. This study aimed to elucidate HBV integration-induced tumourigenesis further. DESIGN: Here, we illuminated the genomic structures encompassing HBV integrations in 124 HCCs across ages using whole genome sequencing and Nanopore long reads. We classified a repertoire of integration patterns featured by complex genomic rearrangement. We also conducted a clustered regularly interspaced short palindromic repeat (CRISPR)-based gain-of-function genetic screen in mouse hepatocytes. We individually activated each candidate gene in the mouse model to uncover HBV integration-mediated oncogenic aberration that elicits tumourigenesis in mice. RESULTS: These HBV-mediated rearrangements are significantly enriched in a bridge-fusion-bridge pattern and interchromosomal translocations, and frequently led to a wide range of aberrations including driver copy number variations in chr 4q, 5p (TERT), 6q, 8p, 16q, 9p (CDKN2A/B), 17p (TP53) and 13q (RB1), and particularly, ultra-early amplifications in chr8q. Integrated HBV frequently contains complex structures correlated with the translocation distance. Paired breakpoints within each integration event usually exhibit different microhomology, likely mediated by different DNA repair mechanisms. HBV-mediated rearrangements significantly correlated with young age, higher HBV DNA level and TP53 mutations but were less prevalent in the patients subjected to prior antiviral therapies. Finally, we recapitulated the TONSL and TMEM65 amplification in chr8q led by HBV integration using CRISPR/Cas9 editing and demonstrated their tumourigenic potentials. CONCLUSION: HBV integrations extensively reshape genomic structures and promote hepatocarcinogenesis (graphical abstract), which may occur early in a patient's life.

Catalpol promotes articular cartilage repair by enhancing the recruitment of endogenous mesenchymal stem cells.

Articular cartilage defect is challenged by insufficient regenerative ability of cartilage. Catalpol (CA), the primary active component of Rehmanniae Radix, could exert protective effects against various diseases. However, the impact of CA on the treatment of articular cartilage injuries is still unclear. In this study, full-thickness articular cartilage defect was induced in a mouse model via surgery. The animals were intraperitoneally injected with CA for 4 or 8 weeks. According to the results of macroscopic observation, micro-computed tomography CT (µCT), histological and immunohistochemistry staining, CA treatment could promote mouse cartilage repair, resulting in cartilage regeneration, bone structure improvement and matrix anabolism. Specifically, an increase in the expression of CD90, the marker of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs), in the cartilage was observed. In addition, we evaluated the migratory and chondrogenic effects of CA on MSCs. Different concentration of CA was added to C3H10 T1/2 cells. The results showed that CA enhanced cell migration and chondrogenesis without affecting proliferation. Collectively, our findings indicate that CA may be effective for the treatment of cartilage defects via stimulation of endogenous MSCs.

Inflammation-Mediated Aberrant Glucose Metabolism in Subchondral Bone Induces Osteoarthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is an entire joint disease with pathological alteration in both articular cartilage and subchondral bone. It has been recognized recently the association between metabolic syndrome and OA, particularly glucose metabolism in regulation of articular cartilage homeostasis and joint integrity. Whereas the role of glucose metabolism in subchondral bone sclerosis remains largely unknown during pathogenesis of OA. Consistent with common OA features, we observed subchondral bone sclerosis and abnormal bone remodeling in human OA joints and murine OA joints as reflected by hyperactive bone resorption and overall bone formation which was measured via dynamic histomorphometry. Osx-CreER;tdTomato mice also displayed the similar overall bone formation under injury-induced OA condition. Immunohistochemistry further revealed increased IL-1ß expression in human and murine OA subchondral bone. Given the inflammatory environment in joints under OA condition, we treated MC3T3-E1 cell, a pre-osteoblast cell line, with IL-1ß in this study and demonstrated that IL-1ß treatment could stimulate the cell osteogenic differentiation and meanwhile upregulate glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in cell cultures. More importantly, intraperitoneal injection of 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-DG) and oligomycin (OGM), respectively, suppressed the subchondral bone glycolysis and oxidative phosphorylation in mice. Consequently, 2-DG and OGM treatment attenuated abnormal osteoblast differentiation and protected against aberrant bone formation in subchondral bone and articular cartilage degradation in wildtype mice following with joint injury. Collectively, these data strongly suggest glycolysis and oxidative may serve as important therapeutic targets for OA treatment.

Synthesis of Pyridazino[4,5-b]indoles by [3+3] Annulation of 2-Alkenylindoles and Hydrazonyl Chlorides.

A novel [3+3] annulation reaction of 2-alkenylindoles with hydrazonyl chlorides in the presence of base for the formation of pyridazino[4,5-b]indoles was developed. This approach provided a convenient and efficient way to synthesize a series of functionalized pyridazino[4,5-b]indoles derivatives. The method exhibited a broad substrate scope and provided the corresponding pyridazino[4,5-b]indoles products with excellent yields.

Deficiency of thrombospondin-2 alleviates intimal hyperplasia in mice by modulating vascular smooth muscle cell proliferation and migration.

Thrombospondin-2 (Tsp2), a glycoprotein in the extracellular matrix, plays a critical role in the maintenance of vascular homeostasis. However, its role in the pathogenesis of cardiovascular disorders such as intimal hyperplasia is not fully elucidated. This study, therefore, aims to explore the effect of Tsp2 on intimal hyperplasia and its associated underlying mechanisms. Intimal hyperplasia (IH) was established using a modified wire-mediated femoral artery injury model. Immunofluorescence and qPCR identified upregulated Tsp2 expression in the injured femoral artery compared with the uninjured femoral artery. Similarly, TSP2 expression was also increased in human samples from the atherosclerotic femoral artery and colocalized with vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMCs). Compared with the wild-type littermates, Tsp2 knockout mice displayed a mitigated IH in the injured femoral artery, as demonstrated by a decreased neointimal area and intimal/median ratio. Primary mouse VSMCs were cultured to explore the mechanism by which Tsp2 influenced IH in vitro. PDGF-stimulated VSMCs presented an elevated Tsp2 expression and enhanced migration and proliferation. However, Tsp2 knockdown by siRNA blocked the increased migration and proliferation of VSMCs. Further analysis identified an association between Notch3 and IH when the intracellular domain of Notch3 (Nicd3) was upregulated in PDGF-stimulated VSMCs and femoral arteries with IH in human tissues. Along with the overexpression and downregulation of Tsp2, the Nicd3 expression was also up and downregulated accordingly. Tsp2 was associated with IH and may serve as a therapeutic target for IH. Downregulation of Tsp2 could mitigate the progression of IH by modulating the proliferation and migration of VSMCs.

The Impact of Balloon Pre-dilatation Techniques on Drug-Coated Balloon Therapy for Femoropopliteal Artery Disease: Six-Month Results From the CIVILIAN Registry.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to compare the initial outcomes of using the Chocolate balloon pre-dilatation (CLP) and sequential enlarging angioplasty pre-dilatation (sequential balloon pre-dilation [SP]) techniques versus the conventional balloon pre-dilatation (CP) method prior to drug-coated balloon (DCB) treatment for femoropopliteal (FP) lesions. METHODS: This was a retrospective analysis of prospectively collected data from the CIVILIAN (Clinical InVestigation of different lesIon preparation modaLIty followed by DCB in femoropopliteal Artery occlusioN disease) registry. Between March 2021 and November 2022, 3 pre-dilation techniques used prior to the DCB angioplasty were included. The study endpoint included intraoperative finial severe dissection after provisional stent placement, bailout stenting rate, the diameter of the largest pre-dilation balloon and DCB, as well as major adverse events (MAEs), including death, major limb amputation, or target vessel revascularization at 6 months. RESULTS: During the study period, 435 limbs (429 patients) were pre-dilated before DCB treatment in FP lesions, 166 limbs were pre-dilated with Chocolate balloons, 93 limbs with sequential enlarging balloon pre-dilation technique, and 176 limbs with CP. The largest pre-dilation balloon was significantly larger in CLP and SP groups than that in the CP group (CLP 4.74±0.52 mm vs CP 4.36±0.64 mm, p<0.001; SP 4.82±0.69 mm vs CP 4.36±0.63 mm, p<0.001). A consistent result was shown in DCB diameter (CLP 4.86±0.44 mm vs CP 4.71±0.51 mm, p=0.003; SP 4.90±0.58 mm vs CP 4.71±0.51 mm, p=0.006). The bailout stenting rate was significantly lower in the CLP group than that in the CP group (18.1% vs 30.1%, p=0.011). The rates of MAEs at 6 months in the CLP and SP groups were comparable to those in the CP group (7.2% and 8.6% vs 6.3%, p>0.05). The risk for intraoperative bailout stenting rate was related to TASC D classification (3.59, 95% CI: 1.83-7.05, p<0.001), chronic total occlusion (CTO) lesion (1.82, 95% CI: 1.07-3.10, p=0.028), as well as pre-dilated with the conventional balloon (1.64, 95% CI: 1.00-2.69, p=0.048). CONCLUSIONS: By utilizing chocolate balloon and sequential enlarging angioplasty, it becomes possible to use larger pre-dilation balloons and DCBs. In addition, the use of the chocolate balloon can significantly reduce the need for bailout stenting when compared with conventional balloons. CLINICAL IMPACT: The utilization of a chocolate balloon and sequential enlarging angioplasty has emerged as a promising technique for angioplasty procedures. This approach allows for the use of larger pre-dilation balloons and drug-coated balloons. The use of the chocolate balloon can significantly reduce the need for bail-out stenting when compared to conventional balloons. Further research is required to determine the impact of vessel preparation techniques on the primary patency.

Synthesis of Pyrimido[1,2-a]indolediones and Pyrimidinediones via [4+2] Annulation of 2H-Azirine-2-carbaldehydes.

NHC-catalyzed [4+2] annulation of 2H-azirine-2-carbaldehydes with ketimines and isocyanates has been developed, providing straightforward synthetic protocols for constructing structurally intriguing pyrimido[1,2-a]indolediones and pyrimidinediones under mild conditions with excellent yields. This protocol can be used to synthesize the core skeleton of pharmaceutically important drugs and pyrimido[1,2-a]indoledione-containing natural products, making it potentially valuable for creating biologically active derivatives.

A New Drug-Coated Balloon for the Treatment of Superficial Femoropopliteal Artery Disease: 12-Month Results from the IN-DEPT SFA Trial.

PURPOSE: To report the outcomes of the IN-DEPT trial assessing the feasibility, preliminary safety data, and 12-month outcomes of a new drug-coated balloon (DCB) product for peripheral artery disease (PAD) in Chinese patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a prospective, multicenter, single-arm clinical trial. A total of 160 patients with superficial femoral artery (SFA) and/or proximal popliteal artery lesions were treated with a new paclitaxel-coated DCB. The preliminary effectiveness end point was 12-month primary patency. The primary safety end point was freedom from device- and procedure-related mortality over 30 days and freedom from major target limb amputation and clinically driven target lesion revascularization (CD-TLR) within 12 months after the index procedure. RESULTS: In total, 160 patients presented with 162 target lesions. A total of 139 lesions (85.8%) were treated with 1 DCB, whereas the other 23 lesions (14.2%) were treated with 2 devices. The device success rate was 100%. A total of 135 subjects reached the preliminary effectiveness end point, with a 12-month primary patency rate of 84.4%. There was no 30-day device- or procedure-related death or unplanned major target limb amputation at 12 months. Five CD-TLRs (3.1%) occurred during the 12-month follow-up period. CONCLUSIONS: Results from the IN-DEPT SFA trial showed satisfactory feasibility and safety of the new DCB over 12 months in Chinese patients with PAD and femoropopliteal de novo lesions, including both stenoses and total occlusions.

Risk of recurrent venous thromboembolism and major bleeding according to risk factor profiles in Asian patients: a subgroup analysis EINSTEIN-Extension and EINSTEIN-CHOICE.

BACKGROUND: Risks of recurrence and major bleeding with extended anticoagulation in Asian patients with venous thromboembolism (VTE) are similar to those in non-Asian patients but risks according to baseline risk factor profiles is not well documented. METHODS: Subgroup analysis of two randomized trials, which compared once-daily rivaroxaban (20 mg or 10 mg) with placebo or aspirin (100 mg) for extended treatment in Asian patients with VTE who had completed 6-12 months of anticoagulation. Index events were classified as unprovoked, provoked by major persistent risk factors, minor persistent risk factors, minor transient risk factors, or major transient risk factors. One-year cumulative risks of recurrent VTE were calculated for these risk factor profiles. RESULTS: 367 patients received rivaroxaban, 159 aspirin, and 48 placebo. For patients with unprovoked VTE, one-year cumulative incidences of recurrence in the 202 patients given rivaroxaban, the 89 given aspirin and the 28 given placebo were 1.6%, 5.8%, and 14.8%, respectively. For patients with VTE provoked by minor persistent risk factors, these incidences were 0% in the 74 patients given rivaroxaban, 9.3% in the 36 given aspirin, and 0% in the 12 given placebo. No recurrent VTE occurred in patients with VTE provoked by major persistent or transient risk factors or minor transient risk factors. Rivaroxaban was not associated with a significant increase in major bleeding. CONCLUSIONS: Rivaroxaban seems to be an effective and safe option for extended treatment in Asian patients, especially those presenting with unprovoked VTE. Subgroups of patients with provoked risk factors were too small to draw meaningful conclusions. TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT00439725 and NCT02064439.

Analysis of the distribution across media, migration, and related driving factors of fluoride in cold and arid lakes during the freezing period.

Fluoride pollution in water has become a global challenge. This challenge especially affects China as a country experiencing serious fluoride pollution. While the have been past studies on the spatial distribution of fluoride, there has been less attention on different forms of fluoride. This study collected 176 samples (60, 40, and 76 ice, water, and sediment samples, respectively) from Lake Ulansuhai during the freezing period. The occurrence and spatial distribution characteristics of fluoride in lake ice-water-sediment were explored using Kriging interpolation, Piper three-line diagram, and Gibbs diagram analysis methods. The migration and transformation of fluoride during the freezing period were revealed and the factors influencing fluoride concentration in the water body were discussed considering the hydrochemical characteristics of lake surface water. The results showed that the average fluoride concentrations in the upper ice, middle ice and lower ice were 0.18, 0.09, and 0.12 mg/L, respectively, decreasing from north to south in the lake. The average concentrations of fluoride in surface water and bottom water were 0.63 and 0.83 mg/L, respectively. The concentrations of fluoride in ice and water were within the World Health Organisation drinking water threshold of 1.50 mg/L and the Class III Chinese surface water standard (GB3838-2002). The average sediment total fluorine was 1344.38 ± 200 mg/kg, significantly exceeding the global average (321 mg/kg) and decreasing with depth. The contents of water soluble, exchangeable, Fe/Mn bound, organic bound, and residual fluorides were 40.22-47.18, 13.24-43.23, 49.52-160.48, and 71.59-173.03 mg/kg, respectively. There was a significant positive correlation between fluoride concentration in ice and that in water. The change in fluoride concentration in water was mainly due to specific climatic and geographical conditions, pH, hydrochemical characteristics and ice sealing. This study is of great significance for the management of high-fluorine lakes in arid and semi-arid areas.

An Expanding Repertoire of Protein Acylations.

Protein post-translational modifications play key roles in multiple cellular processes by allowing rapid reprogramming of individual protein functions. Acylation, one of the most important post-translational modifications, is involved in different physiological activities including cell differentiation and energy metabolism. In recent years, the progression in technologies, especially the antibodies against acylation and the highly sensitive and effective mass spectrometry-based proteomics, as well as optimized functional studies, greatly deepen our understanding of protein acylation. In this review, we give a general overview of the 12 main protein acylations (formylation, acetylation, propionylation, butyrylation, malonylation, succinylation, glutarylation, palmitoylation, myristoylation, benzoylation, crotonylation, and 2-hydroxyisobutyrylation), including their substrates (histones and nonhistone proteins), regulatory enzymes (writers, readers, and erasers), biological functions (transcriptional regulation, metabolic regulation, subcellular targeting, protein-membrane interactions, protein stability, and folding), and related diseases (cancer, diabetes, heart disease, neurodegenerative disease, and viral infection), to present a complete picture of protein acylations and highlight their functional significance in future research.

Unsupervised machine learning cluster analysis to identification EVAR patients clinical phenotypes based on radiomics.

OBJECTIVE: This study used unsupervised machine learning (UML) cluster analysis to explore clinical phenotypes of endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) for abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) patients based on radiomics. METHOD: We retrospectively reviewed 1785 patients with infra-renal AAA who underwent elective EVAR procedures between January 2010 and December 2020. Pyradiomics was used to extract the radiomics features. Statistical analysis was applied to determine the radiomics features that related to severe adverse events (SAEs) after EVAR. The selected features were used for UML cluster analysis in training set and validation in test set. Comparison of basic characteristics and radiomics features of different clusters. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was conducted to generate the cumulative incidence of freedom from SAEs rate. RESULT: A total of 1180 patients were enrolled. During the follow-up, 353 patients experienced EVAR-related SAEs. In total, 1223 radiomics features were extracted from each patient, of which 23 radiomics features were finally preserved to identify different clinical phenotypes. 944 patients were allocated to the training set. Three clusters were identified in training set, in which patients had identical clinical characteristics and morphological features, while varied considerably of selected radiomics features. This encouraging performance was further approved in the test set. In addition, each cluster was well differentiated from other clusters and Kaplan-Meier analysis showed significant differences of freedom from SAEs rate between different clusters both in the training (p = .0216) and test sets (p = .0253). CONCLUSION: Based on radiomics, UML cluster analysis can identify clinical phenotypes in EVAR patients with distinct long-term outcomes.

Two-Dimensional Nanomaterial-Templated Composites.

ConspectusTwo-dimensional (2D) nanomaterials have attracted increasing research interest since mechanically exfoliated graphene was obtained in 2004. The ultrathin thickness and relatively large lateral size of 2D nanomaterials render them various intriguing properties such as compelling electronic properties, ultrahigh specific surface area, excellent mechanical properties, and so on. A wide range of 2D nanomaterials, including graphene and its derivatives, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), metals, etc., have been prepared with different compositions, structures and (crystal) phases. Simultaneously, extensive research efforts have been devoted to exploring the potential applications of these 2D nanomaterials with enhanced performances. Hybridization of two or more nanomaterials to prepare novel composites could efficiently integrate the advantages of the individual components and thus optimize their performances for specific applications. Among various hybridization approaches, the templated synthesis method, i.e., using a presynthesized nanomaterial as a template to direct the growth of a secondary nanostructure, provides an efficient way to prepare composites with high controllability. The ultrathin thickness, large specific surface area, and versatile physiochemical properties of 2D nanomaterials make them ideal templates for constructing composites with desired structures, properties, and functions. Until now, various 2D nanomaterials have been used as templates to grow different kinds of nanomaterials, including metals, metal oxides, metal chalcogenides, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), etc., to form 2D nanomaterial-templated composites that show potentials in various applications. In this Account, we first briefly introduce the general research background of 2D nanomaterials and the motivation for the preparation of 2D nanomaterial-templated composites. Then we summarize our progress and some other representative work on 2D nanomaterial-templated composites, with a particular emphasis on graphene-templated composites, 2D TMD-templated composites, and 2D metal-templated composites. Specifically, representative examples of the graphene-templated zero-dimensional (0D), one-dimensional (1D), and 2D composites and the emerging graphene-templated van der Waals heterostructures are described. Subsequently, typical 2D TMD-templated composites such as metal oxides, metals, and metal chalcogenides are also presented. In addition, we introduce 2D metal-templated composites and highlight that the crystal phase of the 2D metal template can play an important role in the controlled synthesis of heterostructures. Other composites constructed using 2D metal oxides, metal hydroxides, metal sulfides, and MOFs as templates are also introduced. After that, we demonstrate the potential applications of 2D nanomaterial-templated composites, including electrocatalysis, electronic devices, batteries, and so on. Finally, after a brief summary, our personal insights on the challenges and future research directions in this emerging field are also proposed.

Deep Learning Prediction for Distal Aortic Remodeling After Thoracic Endovascular Aortic Repair in Stanford Type B Aortic Dissection.

PURPOSE: This study aimed to develop a deep learning model for predicting distal aortic remodeling after proximal thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) in patients with Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD) using computed tomography angiography (CTA). METHODS: A total of 147 patients with acute or subacute TBAD who underwent proximal TEVAR at a single center were retrospectively reviewed. The boundary of aorta was manually segmented, and the point clouds of each aorta were obtained. Prediction of negative aortic remodeling or reintervention was accomplished by a convolutional neural network (CNN) and a point cloud neural network (PC-NN), respectively. The discriminatory value of the established models was mainly evaluated by the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) in the test set. RESULTS: The mean follow-up time was 34.0 months (range: 12-108 months). During follow-up, a total of 25 (17.0%) patients were identified as having negative aortic remodeling, and 16 (10.9%) patients received reintervention. The AUC (0.876) by PC-NN for predicting negative aortic remodeling was superior to that obtained by CNN (0.612, p=0.034) and similar to the AUC by PC-NN combined with clinical features (0.884, p=0.92). As to reintervention, the AUC by PC-NN was significantly higher than that by CNN (0.805 vs 0.579; p=0.042), and AUCs by PC-NN combined with clinical features and PC-NN alone were comparable (0.836 vs 0.805; p=0.81). CONCLUSION: The CTA-based deep learning algorithms may assist clinicians in automated prediction of distal aortic remodeling after TEVAR for acute or subacute TBAD. CLINICAL IMPACT: Negative aortic remodeling is the leading cause of late reintervention after proximal thoracic endovascular aortic repair (TEVAR) for Stanford type B aortic dissection (TBAD), and possesses great challenge to endovascular repair. Early recognizing high-risk patients is of supreme importance for optimizing the follow-up interval and therapy strategy. Currently, clinicians predict the prognosis of these patients based on several imaging signs, which is subjective. The computed tomography angiography-based deep learning algorithms may incorporate abundant morphological information of aorta, provide with a definite and objective output value, and finally assist clinicians in automated prediction of distal aortic remodeling after TEVAR for acute or subacute TBAD.

Drug-Coated Balloon Angioplasty of Infrapopliteal Lesions in Chronic Limb-Threatening Ischemia: Six-month Outcomes of PRIME-WIFI.

PURPOSE: To evaluate 6-month outcomes of drug-coated balloon (DCB) angioplasty of infrapopliteal lesions in patients with chronic limb-threatening ischemia (CLTI). METHODS: We analyzed 6-month follow-up data from the 10-center PRIME-WIFI prospective registry on 300 consecutive patients (33.000% female) with CLTI who underwent DCB angioplasty for infrapopliteal arterial lesions. The primary outcome was freedom from major adverse event (MAE), a composite of major amputation, all-cause death, and clinically-driven target limb reintervention (CD-TLR). Secondary outcomes included amputation-free survival (AFS), freedom from each primary outcome component, primary sustained clinical improvement, and quality of life (QOL) score. Independent risk factors of MAE were determined using Cox proportional hazards regression analysis. RESULTS: A total of 409 infrapopliteal lesions in 312 limbs were treated with DCB, with 54.167% of the limbs being treated for isolated infrapopliteal lesions. By Kaplan-Meier analysis, at 6 months post- procedure (follow-up rate, 85.000%), freedom from MAE was 86.353%; AFS was 90.318%; and freedom from major amputation, all-cause death, and CD-TLR were 96.429%, 93.480%, and 95.079%, respectively. At 6-month follow-up, 83.590% of patients showed primary sustained clinical improvement, and QOL score (4.902±1.388) improved compared with that before procedure (2.327±1.109; p<0.001). Chronic renal insufficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Rutherford grade, and postoperative infrapopliteal runoff score were independent risk factors for MAE within 6 months. CONCLUSION: In CLTI, DCB angioplasty of infrapopliteal lesions yields acceptable early efficacy and safety. CLINICAL IMPACT: This study evaluated the 6-month outcomes of DCB angioplasty in infrapopliteal lesions in CLTI patients by analyzing multicenter prospective data, showing that infrapopliteal DCB angioplasty can be performed with acceptable freedom from MAE rate, amputation-free survival rate, freedom from major amputation rate, survival rate, and freedom from CD-TLR rate. No patient experienced DCB-related intraoperative distal embolism. Chronic renal insufficiency, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, Rutherford grade and postoperative infrapopliteal runoff score were independent risk factors for MAE within 6 months. Comparative real-world studies are needed.

Predictive Value of Laboratory Indicators for Endoleak During Short-Term Follow-Up After EVAR.

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to explore the predictive value of endoleak in short-term follow-up after endovascular aortic repair (EVAR) of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) via perioperative laboratory indicators. METHODS: A retrospective study included 200 consecutive patients who received standard EVAR treatment for AAA and were followed-up for 1 year. Binary logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the correlation of the level and changes of perioperative laboratory indicators with the endoleak events during the follow-up. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve was used to assess the predictive value of laboratory indicators for endoleak. RESULTS: A total of 45 cases of endoleak events occurred during follow-up. Binary logistic regression analysis showed that postoperative fibrinogen decrease, perioperative lymphocyte difference and lymphocyte monocyte ratio (LMR) difference were independent risk factors for short term endoleak. The area under the ROC curve (AUC) of postoperative fibrinogen was 0.596, the cut-off value was 284 mg/dl, and the corresponding specificity and sensitivity were 0.644 and 0.568. The AUC of the lymphocyte difference was 0.622, the cut-off value was -0.45 × 109/L, and the corresponding specificity and sensitivity were 0.651 and 0.568. The AUC of the LMR difference was 0.597, the cut-off value was -1.719, and the corresponding specificity and sensitivity were 0.631 and 0.614. CONCLUSIONS: Decrease of postoperative fibrinogen, increase of lymphocyte difference and LMR difference were independent predictive factors for endoleak in short-term follow-up after EVAR for AAA.