Catalysis with Two-Dimensional Metal-Organic Frameworks: Synthesis, Characterization, and Modulation.

The demand for the exploration of highly active and durable electro/photocatalysts for renewable energy conversion has experienced a significant surge in recent years. Metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), by virtue of their high porosity, large surface area, and modifiable metal centers and ligands, have gained tremendous attention and demonstrated promising prospects in electro/photocatalytic energy conversion. However, the small pore sizes and limited active sites of 3D bulk MOFs hinder their wide applications. Developing 2D MOFs with tailored thickness and large aspect ratio has emerged as an effective approach to meet these challenges, offering a high density of exposed active sites, better mechanical stability, better assembly flexibility, and shorter charge and photoexcited state transfer distances compared to 3D bulk MOFs. In this review, synthesis methods for the most up-to-date 2D MOFs are first overviewed, highlighting their respective advantages and disadvantages. Subsequently, a systematic analysis is conducted on the identification and electronic structure modulation of catalytic active sites in 2D MOFs and their applications in renewable energy conversion, including electrocatalysis and photocatalysis (electro/photocatalysis). Lastly, the current challenges and future development of 2D MOFs toward highly efficient and practical electro/photocatalysis are proposed.

Serum miRNA-1 may serve as a promising noninvasive biomarker for predicting treatment response in breast cancer patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy.

BACKGROUND: MicroRNA-1 (miR-1) is a tumour suppressor that can inhibit cell proliferation and invasion in several cancer types. In addition, miR-1 was found to be associated with drug sensitivity. Circulating miRNAs have been proven to be potential biomarkers with predictive and prognostic value. However, studies of miR-1 expression in the serum of breast cancer (BC) patients are relatively scarce, especially in patients receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC). METHODS: Serum samples from 80 patients were collected before chemotherapy, and RT-PCR was performed to detect the serum expression of miR-1. The correlation between miR-1 expression in serum and clinicopathological factors, including pathological complete response (pCR), was analyzed by the chi-squared test and logistic regression. KEGG and GSEA analysis were also performed to determine the biological processes and signalling pathways involved. RESULTS: The miR-1 high group included more patients who achieved a pCR than did the miR-1 low group (p < 0.001). Higher serum miR-1 levels showed a strong correlation with decreased ER (R = 0.368, p < 0.001) and PR (R = 0.238, p = 0.033) levels. The univariate model of miR-1 for predicting pCR achieved an AUC of 0.705 according to the ROC curve. According to the interaction analysis, miR-1 interacted with Ki67 to predict the NAC response. According to the Kaplan-Meier plot, a high serum miR-1 level was related to better disease-free survival (DFS) in the NAC cohort. KEGG analysis and GSEA results indicated that miR-1 may be related to the PPAR signalling pathway and glycolysis. CONCLUSIONS: In summary, our data suggested that miR-1 could be a potential biomarker for pCR and survival outcomes in patients with BC treated with NAC.

Fluctuations in serum lipid levels during neoadjuvant treatment as novel predictive and prognostic biomarkers for locally advanced breast cancer: a retrospective analysis based on a prospective cohort.

BACKGROUND: With increasing attention given to host-specific lipid metabolism status, it is of urgent need to identify lipid metabolism indices with predictive or prognostic value in locally advanced breast cancer patients treated with neoadjuvant chemotherapy (NAC), and to evaluate the performance improvement by incorporating them into the existing Neo-Bioscore staging system. METHODS: Patients from a prospectively maintained database of locally advanced breast cancer patients who received radical surgery after NAC between January 2014 to December 2020 were enrolled in this study. The enrolled patients were randomly divided into a training set and a test set at a ratio of 6:4. The random forest algorithm was applied to rank the importance of prognostic factors, top-ranked lipid metabolism indices of which were then incorporated into Neo-Bioscore to construct an updated prognostic model. The performances of these two models were compared in both training set and test set from multiple perspectives. Study outcomes included disease-free survival (DFS), relapse-free survival (RFS), distance-recurrence-free survival (DRFS), locoregional-recurrence-free survival (LRFS) and overall survival (OS). RESULTS: A total of 200 eligible patients were included in this study. After a median follow-up of 4.73 years, it was demonstrated that the relative increase in total cholesterol (TC; DFS: HR = 4.782, 95%CI 1.410 ~ 16.217, P = 0.012) and low-density lipoprotein (LDL; DFS: HR = 4.622, 95%CI 1.517 ~ 14.088, P = 0.007) during NAC led to poorer survival outcomes. Patients with either a higher body mass index (BMI) or elevated LDL during NAC had a worse prognosis (DFS: HR = 6.351, 95%CI 1.938 ~ 20.809, P = 0.002; OS, HR = 6.919, 95%CI 1.296 ~ 36.932, P = 0.024). Incorporating BMI and LDL fluctuations during NAC into Neo-Bioscore improved the prognostic stratification, especially in terms of LRFS (P = 0.046 vs. P = 0.65) and OS (P = 0.013 vs. P = 0.61). Multidimensional evaluation confirmed the improvement in model fit and clinical use for the updated model in both training set and test set. CONCLUSIONS: This is the first study to illustrate the relative elevation of LDL and TC levels during NAC as independent prognosticators for locally advanced breast cancer. This is also the first attempt to incorporate lipid metabolism indices into the original Neo-Bioscore staging system, which further improves the prognostic stratification of patients receiving NAC.

Abnormal Serum Biochemical Results and Mitochondrial Damage of Lymphocytes in Patients with Schizophrenia and SARS-CoV-2 Infection: A Retrospective Study.

Purpose: In this study, we investigated the differences in clinical biochemical values and mitochondrial mass between schizophrenia patients with and without COVID-19, so as to provide assistance to the treatment and management of COVID-19 positive patients with schizophrenia. Patients and methods: We undertook an exploratory, retrospective review of patient data from Dec. 6, 2022, to Jan. 31, 2023. A total of 1696 inpatients with psychosis (921 schizophrenia patients and 775 diagnosed with other mental diseases) during this period were identified. Finally, 60 schizophrenia patients were enrolled in our study, and 20 of them were infected with syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The serum biochemical levels and single-cell mitochondrial mass (SCMM) of the T lymphocytes of all schizophrenia patients were analyzed. Results: The serum levels of aspartate aminotransferase (AST), alkaline phosphatase (ALP), creatinine (Cr) and lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) were significantly higher in schizophrenia patients with COVID-19 (SCZ-C) group. In addition, the SCZ-C group showed lower CD3+, CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cell counts and higher SCMM of T lymphocytes compared to SCZ group. Furthermore, positive correlations were found between the T-cell subpopulation counts and positive symptom scores on the Positive and Negative Syndrome Scale (PANSS). Conclusion: Our study findings showed that schizophrenia patients with COVID-19 have a phenotype of mitochondrial damage in T lymphocytes and higher serum levels of AST, ALP, Cr and LDH, which might provide evidence for treating individuals with schizophrenia during subsequent spread of infectious disease.

Computerized tomography-guided therapeutic percutaneous puncture catheter drainage-combined with somatostatin for severe acute pancreatitis: An analysis of efficacy and safety.

BACKGROUND: Severe acute pancreatitis (SAP), a condition with rapid onset, critical condition and unsatisfactory prognosis, poses a certain threat to human health, warranting optimization of relevant treatment plans to improve treatment efficacy. AIM: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of computerized tomography-guided therapeutic percutaneous puncture catheter drainage (CT-TPPCD) combined with somatostatin (SS) in the treatment of SAP. METHODS: Forty-two SAP patients admitted to The Second Affiliated Hospital of Fujian Medical University from June 2020 to June 2023 were selected. On the basis of routine treatment, 20 patients received SS therapy (control group) and 22 patients were given CT-TPPCD plus SS intervention (research group). The efficacy, safety (pancreatic fistula, intra-abdominal hemorrhage, sepsis, and organ dysfunction syndrome), abdominal bloating and pain relief time, bowel recovery time, hospital stay, inflammatory indicators (C-reactive protein, interleukin-6, and procalcitonin), and Acute Physiology and Chronic Health Evaluation (APACHE) II score of both groups were evaluated for comparison. RESULTS: Compared with the control group, the research group had a markedly higher total effective rate, faster abdominal bloating and pain relief and bowel recovery, shorter hospital length of stay, fewer complications, and lower posttreatment inflammatory indices and APACHE-II scores. CONCLUSION: CT-TPPCD in combination with SS is effective for SAP patients, which can reduce complications, accelerate symptom resolution, inhibit inflammation, and improve patient condition, with promising prospects for clinical promotion.

Uncovering the Aggregation-Induced Emission Mechanisms of Phenoxazine and Phenothiazine Groups.

Molecules with both aggregation-induced emission (AIE) and thermally activated delayed fluorescence (TADF) properties are potential organic light-emitting diode materials; however, the AIE and TADF mechanisms are still debatable. In this work, four molecules incorporating carbazole (Cz), phenoxazine (PXZ), and phenothiazine (PTZ) as donor groups to the diphenylsulfone acceptor were investigated. The experiment results indicate that a molecule containing Cz exhibits solely TADF properties, whereas molecules containing PXZ and PTZ demonstrate both TADF and AIE characteristics. As for DPS-PTZ, the result indicates that the thin-film environment restricts molecular twisting, consequently reducing nonradiative decay, thereby attributing to the AIE property by density functional theory and molecular dynamics simulation. As for DPS-PXZ, the result suggests that the restricted access to a conical intersection in a singlet excited via an expansion in the C-S-C angle is the pivotal factor for the AIE characteristic. The C-S-C angle twist of DPS-PXZ is impeded in the aggregate state and resulted in luminescence. Understanding the mechanisms serves as a valuable guide for the development of new AIE systems, enabling their application in various practical domains.

The efficacy and safety of Gukang Capsule for primary osteoporosis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of randomized clinical trial.

Background: Gukang Capsule has been used as a complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) for the treatment of primary osteoporosis (POP) in China. The primary aim of this study was to assess the clinical effectiveness and safety of Gukang Capsule in POP patients. Methods: A systematic search was conducted across multiple academic databases including PubMed, Web of science, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure, Chongqing VIP Information, and Wanfang database to identify randomized controlled trials investigating the Gukang Capsule in the treatment of POP. The screening process, data extraction, and assessment of methodological quality were conducted independently by two reviewers. Statistical analysis was performed using the Rev Man 5.3 software. Subgroup analysis was carried out through the combination of OPF. Subgroup analysis was performed according to whether OPF were combined. Stata 12.0 was used for sensitivity and bias analysis. Results: Nineteen studies were assessed that included 1804 participants. It was found that compared with the control group, the total effective rate (RR = 1.26, 95% CI, 1.20, 1.33), the Medical Outcomes Study Short-form 36 [RR = 1.26, 95% CI(1.20, 1.33)], the bone mineral density (BMD) of lumbar vertebra (SMD = 0.77, 95% CI, 0.48, 1.07), the BMD of femoral neck [SMD = 0.84, 95% CI(0.53, 1.14)], and the BMD of Ward's triangle (SMD = 0.64, 95% CI, 0.44, 0.85) of the Gukang Capsule experimental group were higher. Compared with the control group, the fracture healing time (SMD = -2.14, 95% CI, -2.45, -1.84), the bone specific alkaline phosphatase (BALP) levels in serum (SMD = -2.00, 95% CI, -2.83, -1.17), the tartrate resistant acid phosphatase 5b (TRACP-5b) levels in serum (SMD = -2.58, 95% CI, -3.87, -1.29) of the Gukang Capsule experimental group were lower. The bone glaprotein (BGP) levels in serum (SMD = -0.22, 95% CI, -1.86, 1.43) and the adverse events (RR = 0.80, 95% CI, 0.40, 1.63) of the experimental group and the control group have no difference. Conclusion: Gukang Capsule, as a CAM for the management of POP, exhibits the potential to enhance BMD and quality of life, expedite the healing time of OPF, diminish levels of BALP and TRACP-5b, and improve the total effective rate without increasing the adverse events. Systematic Review Registration: https://www.crd.york.ac.uk/prospero/display_record.php?ID=CRD42023477774, PROSPERO CRD42023477774.

Identification of miRNAs related to osteoporosis by high-throughput sequencing.

Background: Osteoporosis is a major health issue. MicroRNAs (miRNAs) play multiple roles in regulating cell growth and development. High-throughput sequencing technology is widely used nowadays. Objective: To screen for and validate miRNAs associated with osteoporosis. Method: Bone specimens from patients with (n = 3) and without (n = 3) osteoporosis were collected. High-throughput sequencing was used to screen for miRNAs that were then analyzed using volcano maps, Wayne maps, gene ontology (GO) analysis, and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes (KEGG) analysis. Confirmation of the miRNAs was done using qRT-PCR. Results: The analysis of sequencing showed that there were 12 miRNAs that were down-regulated and five miRNAs that were upregulated in osteoporosis. GO and KEGG identified these miRNAs as being associated with bone metabolism. The qRT-PCR results showed that miR-140-5p, miR-127-3p, miR-199b-5p, miR-181a-5p, miR-181d-5p, and miR-542-3p exhibited a decrease of 2.27-, 3.00-, 3.48-, 2.67-, 2.41-, and 1.98-fold (all P < 0.05) in osteoporosis compared to controls. Conversely, miR-486-3p and miR-486-5p demonstrated an increase of 2.17- and 3.89-fold (P < 0.05) (all P < 0.05). Conclusion: This study utilized high-throughput sequencing to detect miRNAs that were expressed differently in individuals with osteoporosis. In osteoporosis, six miRNAs (miR-140-5p, miR-127-3p, miR-199b-5p, miR-181a-5p, miR-181d-5p, and miR-542) were found to have decreased expression, whereas two miRNAs (miR-486-3p and miR-486-5p) were found to have increased expression. The initial manifestation of various miRNAs might serve as predictive indicators and potentially anticipate the progression of osteoporosis.

Identification and immunological role of cuproptosis in osteoporosis.

Background: osteoporosis is a skeletal disorder disease features low bone mass and poor bone architecture, which predisposes to increased risk of fracture. Copper death is a newly recognized form of cell death caused by excess copper ions, which presumably involve in various disease. Accordingly, we intended to investigate the molecular clusters related to the cuproptosis in osteoporosis and to construct a predictive model. Methods: we investigated the expression patterns of cuproptosis regulators and immune signatures in osteoporosis based on the GSE56815 dataset. Through analysis of 40 osteoporosis samples, we investigated molecular clustering on the basis of cuproptosis--related genes, together with the associated immune cell infiltration. The WGCNA algorithm was applied to detect cluster-specific differentially expressed genes. Afterwards, the optimum machine model was selected by calculating the performance of the support vector machine model, random forest model, eXtreme Gradient Boosting and generalized linear model. Nomogram, decision curve analysis, calibration curves, and the GSE7158 dataset was utilizing to confirm the prediction efficiency. Results: Differences between osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic controls confirm poorly adjusted copper death-related genes and triggered immune responses. In osteoporosis, two clusters of molecules in connection with copper death proliferation were outlined. The assessed levels of immune infiltration showed prominent heterogeneity between the different clusters. Cluster 2 was characterized by a raised immune score accompanied with relatively high levels of immune infiltration. The functional analysis we performed showed a close relationship between the different immune responses and specific differentially expressed genes in cluster 2. The random forest machine model showed the optimum discriminatory performance due to relatively low residuals and root mean square errors. Finally, a random forest model based on 5 genes was built, showing acceptable performance in an external validation dataset (AUC = 0.750). Calibration curve, Nomogram, and decision curve analyses also evinced fidelity in predicting subtypes of osteoporosis. Conclusion: Our study identifies the role of cuproptosis in OP and essentially illustrates the underlying molecular mechanisms that lead to OP heterogeneity.

A newly-discovered tea population variety processed Bai Mu Dan white tea: Flavor characteristics and chemical basis.

The quality of white tea (WT) is impacted by selected tea cultivars. To explore the organoleptic quality of a recently-discovered WT ("Caicha", CC), HS-SPME/GC-MS and UPLC were employed to identify volatile and non-volatile compounds in tea samples. Multiple statistical methods demonstrated the distinctions between CC and four mainstream WT varieties from main producing areas. CC exhibited abundant volatile alcohol, terpenoids, ketone, aldehyde and ester, as well as non-volatile lignans and coumarins, phenolic acids and low-molecular carbohydrates. These substances combinedly contributed to the flavor attributes of CC, characterized by an intense herbal/citrus-like cleanness and flower/fruit-like sweetness, scarce in existing commercial WT varieties. Sensory evaluation corroborated these findings. In conclusion, we have processed a new tea variety (CC) with WT manufacturing technology, and discovered the unique cleanness and sweetness of it. This study enriches the raw material database for WT production and blending, and boosts the development of more premium WT varieties.

[Research Progress of Functional Materials for Conversion of Agricultural Biomass Wastes].

Excess agricultural biomass waste is increasing rapidly, leading to many environmental and governance issues. Therefore, increased attention has been paid to the recycling and value-added application of agricultural biomass waste. In recent years, the research of agricultural biomass waste utilization and derived functional materials has mainly included the following two aspects： ① the extraction of natural polymers and value-added applications and ② the direct preparation of new carbon-based materials, including adsorption, catalysis, energy storage electrode, and composite functional materials. The conversion of agricultural biomass waste into functional materials has been gradually realized and widely used. To enable industrial-scale production and the quality and safety of agricultural biomass waste derivatives and to develop highly feasible and cost-effective biomass waste conversion methods should be the focus of future studies.

Uncovering the Shuixian tea grades hierarchy in Chinese national standard: From sensory evaluation to microstructure and volatile compounds analysis.

Basic standard samples are integral for ensuring consistency and quality control of tea. Understanding the real reasons behind the hierarchical system of Shuixian tea grades in the Chinese national standard is crucial to the scientific development of tea standardization. In this investigation, different grade samples of Shuixian tea strictly conformed to the Chinese national standard, serving as the research objects. Sensory evaluation, SEM and HS-SPME-GC-MS were employed to comprehensively analyze the aroma characteristics. The odor profiles of special grade samples predominantly featured floral and fruity aromas, which attributed to compounds such as geraniol, indole, phenylethyl alcohol. Additionally, hexanal, (E)-3-hexen-1-ol and other compounds contributed to fruity and sweet aroma in first grade. Notably, the predominant roasted and sweet aromas of second grade were attributed to compounds including pyridine, 2,5-dimethyl-pyrazine. This study lays a solid foundation for the scientific development of Chinese national standards and international standard system.

Serum lipid ratios as novel prognostic biomarkers for patients with locally advanced breast cancer treated with neoadjuvant therapy.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the association between lipid ratios and survival outcomes in patients with locally advanced breast cancer (LABC) undergoing neoadjuvant chemotherapy. METHOD: This retrospective study included patients with LABC receiving neoadjuvant chemotherapy. Serum lipid levels were prospectively measured at baseline. Associations of triglyceride to total cholesterol (TG/TC), triglyceride to high-density lipoprotein (TG/HDL) and triglyceride to low-density lipoprotein (TG/LDL) ratios with prognosis were evaluated. RESULTS: Patients with high TG/TC (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = 2.47, 95% CI: 1.10, 5.56, p = 0.029), TG/HDL (aHR = 2.73, 95% CI: 1.16, 6.41, p = 0.021) and TG/LDL (aHR = 2.50, 95% CI: 1.11, 5.65, p = 0.027) ratios were more likely to experience disease-free survival (DFS) events. Subgroup analysis suggested that the prognostic impact of lipid ratios was more pronounced in patients with negative HER2 status or those at a high risk of recurrence (e.g. clinical stage III, Ki67 > 30%). Additionally, higher lipid ratios tended to indicate early DFS events (0 ~ 2 years) (TG/TC p = 0.021, TG/HDL p = 0.046, TG/LDL p < 0.001), and the TG/LDL ratio demonstrated the best predictive efficacy (TG/TC vs. TG/HDL vs. TG/LDL, 1-year AUC: 0.724 vs. 0.676 vs. 0.846, 2-year AUC: 0.653 vs. 0.638 vs. 0.708). CONCLUSION: Baseline serum TG/TC, TG/HDL and TG/LDL ratios were independent prognostic factors in patients with LABC undergoing neoadjuvant therapy. However, their utility in predicting the early DFS events warrants further investigation. CLINICAL TRIAL REGISTRATION: NCT05621564.

Noninvasive Photothermal Therapy of Nasopharyngeal Cancer Guided by High Efficiency Optical-Absorption Nanomaterial Enhanced by NIR-II Photoacoustic Imaging.

Background: Photothermal therapy (PTT) guided by photoacoustic imaging (PAI) using nanoplatforms has emerged as a promising strategy for cancer treatment due to its efficiency and accuracy. This study aimed to develop and synthesize novel second near-infrared region (NIR-II) absorption-conjugated polymer acceptor acrylate-substituted thiadiazoloquinoxaline-diketopyrrolopyrrole polymers (PATQ-DPP) designed specifically as photothermal and imaging contrast agents for nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Methods: The PATQ-DPP nanoparticles were synthesized and characterized for their optical properties, including low optical band gaps. Their potential as PTT agents and imaging contrast agents for NPC was evaluated both in vitro and in vivo. The accumulation of nanoparticles at tumor sites was assessed post-injection, and the efficacy of PTT under near-infrared laser irradiation was investigated in a mouse model of NPC. Results: Experimental results indicated that the PATQ-DPP nanoparticles exhibited significant photoacoustic contrast enhancement and favorable PTT performance. Safety and non-toxicity evaluations confirmed the biocompatibility of these nanoparticles. In vivo studies showed that PATQ-DPP nanoparticles effectively accumulated at NPC tumor sites and demonstrated excellent tumor growth inhibition upon exposure to near-infrared laser irradiation. Notably, complete elimination of nasopharyngeal tumors was observed within 18 days following PTT. Discussion: The findings suggest that PATQ-DPP nanoparticles are a promising theranostic agent for NIR-II PAI and PTT of tumors. This innovative approach utilizing PATQ-DPP nanoparticles provides a powerful tool for the early diagnosis and precise treatment of NPC, offering a new avenue in the management of this challenging malignancy.

Targeting the transmembrane cytokine co-receptor neuropilin-1 in distal tubules improves renal injury and fibrosis.

Neuropilin-1 (NRP1), a co-receptor for various cytokines, including TGF-ß, has been identified as a potential therapeutic target for fibrosis. However, its role and mechanism in renal fibrosis remains elusive. Here, we show that NRP1 is upregulated in distal tubular (DT) cells of patients with transplant renal insufficiency and mice with renal ischemia-reperfusion (I-R) injury. Knockout of Nrp1 reduces multiple endpoints of renal injury and fibrosis. We find that Nrp1 facilitates the binding of TNF-α to its receptor in DT cells after renal injury. This signaling results in a downregulation of lysine crotonylation of the metabolic enzyme Cox4i1, decreases cellular energetics and exacerbation of renal injury. Furthermore, by single-cell RNA-sequencing we find that Nrp1-positive DT cells secrete collagen and communicate with myofibroblasts, exacerbating acute kidney injury (AKI)-induced renal fibrosis by activating Smad3. Dual genetic deletion of Nrp1 and Tgfbr1 in DT cells better improves renal injury and fibrosis than either single knockout. Together, these results reveal that targeting of NRP1 represents a promising strategy for the treatment of AKI and subsequent chronic kidney disease.