Chemical Reaction Modulated Low-Dimensional Phase Toward Highly Efficient Sky-Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Blue perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) are crucial avenues for achieving full-color displays and lighting based on perovskite materials. However, the relatively low external quantum efficiency (EQE) has hindered their progression towards commercial applications. Quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) perovskites stand out as promising candidates for blue PeLEDs, with optimized control over low-dimensional phases contributing to enhanced radiative properties of excitons. Herein, the impact of organic molecular dopants on the crystallization of various n-phase structures in quasi-2D perovskite films. The results reveal that the highly reactive bis(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)phosphine oxide (BTF-PPO) molecule could effectively restrain the formation of organic spacer cation-ordered layered perovskite phases through chemical reactions, simultaneously passivate those uncoordinated Pb2+ defects. Consequently, the prepared PeLEDs exhibited a maximum EQE of 16.6% (@ 490 nm). The finding provides a new route to design dopant molecules for phase modulation in quasi-2D PeLEDs.

S-(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamoyl)-N-acetyl-l-cysteine for the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer through regulating NF-κB signalling pathway without neurotoxicity.

The discovery of novel targeted agents for non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) remains an important research landscape due to the limited efficacy, side effects and drug resistance of current treatment options. Among many repurposed drugs, disulphiram (DSF) has shown the potential to target tumours. However, its unpleasant neurotoxicity greatly limits its use. A DSF derivative, S-(N,N-diethyldithiocarbamoyl)-N-acetyl-l-cysteine (DS-NAC), was synthesised against NSCLC. The therapeutic effects, mechanism and toxicities of DS-NAC were evaluated in A549 and H460 cells and the mouse model of in situ lung cancer. The in vitro results exhibited that DS-NAC had potent anti-proliferation, apoptotic, anti-metastasis and epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT) inhibition effects. In the orthotopic lung cancer mouse model, therapeutic effects of DS-NAC were better than those of DSF and were similar to docetaxel (DTX). Also, results from western blot and immunohistochemistry showed that DS-NAC in combination with copper exerted therapeutic effects via regulating NF-κB signalling pathway and ROS-related proteins such as HIF-1α, Nrf2 and PKC-δ rather than regulating ROS level directly. Moreover, the safety evaluation study showed that DS-NAC had low haematologic and hepatic toxicities in comparison with DTX as well as low neurological toxicity compared with DSF. DS-NAC could be a promising anti-lung cancer agent with a favourable safety profile.

[Latest Findings on the Role of α-Ketoglutarate in Metabolic Syndrome]. / α-é ®æˆŠäºŒé ¸åœ¨ä»£è°¢ç»¼åˆå¾ä¸­çš„ç ”ç©¶è¿›å±•.

Alpha-ketoglutarate (α-KG), an endogenous intermediate of the tricarboxylic acid cycle, is involved in a variety of cellular metabolic pathways. It serves as an energy donor, a precursor of amino acid biosynthesis, and an epigenetic regulator. α-KG plays physiological functions in immune regulation, oxidative stress, and anti-aging as well. In recent years, it has been reported that the level of α-KG in the body is closely associated with metabolic syndrome, including obesity, hyperglycemia, and other pathological factors. Exogenous supplementation of α-KG improves obesity, blood glucose levels, and cardiovascular disease risks associated with metabolic syndrome. Furthermore, α-KG regulates the common pathological mechanisms of metabolic syndrome, suggesting the potential application prospect of α-KG in metabolic syndrome. In order to provide a theoretical basis for further exploration of the application of α-KG in metabolic syndrome, we focused on α-KG and metabolic syndrome in this article and summarized the latest research progress in the role of α-KG in improving the pathological condition and disease progression of metabolic syndrome. For the next step, researchers may focus on the co-pathogenesis of metabolic syndrome and investigate whether α-KG can be used to achieve the therapeutic goal of "homotherapy for heteropathy" in the treatment of metabolic syndrome.

Design, Synthesis and Preliminary Bioactivity Evaluation of N-acetylcysteine Derivatives as Antioxidative and Anti-inflammatory Agents.

N-acetylcysteine (NAC) is a commonly used mucolytic agent and antidote for acetaminophen overdose. For pulmonary diseases, NAC exhibits antioxidative properties, regulates cytokine production, reduces apoptosis of lung epithelial cells, and facilitates the resolution of inflammation. However, the efficacy of NAC in clinical trials targeting different pathological conditions is constrained by its short half-life and low bioavailability. In the present study, a series of NAC derivatives were designed and synthesized to further enhance its pharmacological activity. Structure-activity relationship (SAR) studies were conducted to optimize the activating groups. In vitro evaluations revealed that compounds 4r, 4t, 4w, and 4x exhibited superior antioxidative and anti-inflammatory activities compared to the positive controls of NAC and fudosteine. The ADME prediction analysis indicated that these compounds exhibited a favorable pharmacological profile. In-vivo experiments with compound 4r demonstrated that the high-dose group (80 mg/kg) exhibited improved therapeutic effects in reversing the HPY level in mice with pulmonary fibrosis compared to the NAC group (500 mg/kg), further proving its superior oral bioavailability and therapeutic effect compared to NAC.

Genome evolution of the ancient hexaploid Platanus × acerifolia (London planetree).

Whole-genome duplication (WGD; i.e., polyploidy) and chromosomal rearrangement (i.e., genome shuffling) significantly influence genome structure and organization. Many polyploids show extensive genome shuffling relative to their pre-WGD ancestors. No reference genome is currently available for Platanaceae (Proteales), one of the sister groups to the core eudicots. Moreover, Platanus × acerifolia (London planetree; Platanaceae) is a widely used street tree. Given the pivotal phylogenetic position of Platanus and its 2-y flowering transition, understanding its flowering-time regulatory mechanism has significant evolutionary implications; however, the impact of Platanus genome evolution on flowering-time genes remains unknown. Here, we assembled a high-quality, chromosome-level reference genome for P. × acerifolia using a phylogeny-based subgenome phasing method. Comparative genomic analyses revealed that P. × acerifolia (2n = 42) is an ancient hexaploid with three subgenomes resulting from two sequential WGD events; Platanus does not seem to share any WGD with other Proteales or with core eudicots. Each P. × acerifolia subgenome is highly similar in structure and content to the reconstructed pre-WGD ancestral eudicot genome without chromosomal rearrangements. The P. × acerifolia genome exhibits karyotypic stasis and gene sub-/neo-functionalization and lacks subgenome dominance. The copy number of flowering-time genes in P. × acerifolia has undergone an expansion compared to other noncore eudicots, mainly via the WGD events. Sub-/neo-functionalization of duplicated genes provided the genetic basis underlying the unique flowering-time regulation in P. × acerifolia. The P. × acerifolia reference genome will greatly expand understanding of the evolution of genome organization, genetic diversity, and flowering-time regulation in angiosperms.

Design of Ultrasound-Driven Charge Interference Therapy for Wound Infection.

Wound infections, especially those caused by pathogenic bacteria, present a considerable public health concern due to associated complications and poor therapeutic outcomes. Herein, we developed antibacterial nanoparticles, namely, PGTP, by coordinating guanidine derivatives with a porphyrin-based sonosensitizer. The synthesized PGTP nanoparticles, characterized by their strong positive charge, effectively disrupted the bacterial biosynthesis process through charge interference, demonstrating efficacy against both Gram-negative and Gram-positive bacteria. Additionally, PGTP nanoparticles generated reactive oxygen species under ultrasound stimulation, resulting in the disruption of biofilm integrity and efficient elimination of pathogens. RNA-seq analysis unveiled the detailed mechanism of wound healing, revealing that PGTP nanoparticles, when coupled with ultrasound, impair bacterial metabolism by interfering with the synthesis and transcription of amino acids. This study presents a novel approach to combatting wound infections through ultrasound-driven charge-interfering therapy, facilitated by advanced antibacterial nanomaterials.

A seamless phase II/III design with dose optimization for oncology drug development.

The US FDA's Project Optimus initiative that emphasizes dose optimization prior to marketing approval represents a pivotal shift in oncology drug development. It has a ripple effect for rethinking what changes may be made to conventional pivotal trial designs to incorporate a dose optimization component. Aligned with this initiative, we propose a novel seamless phase II/III design with dose optimization (SDDO framework). The proposed design starts with dose optimization in a randomized setting, leading to an interim analysis focused on optimal dose selection, trial continuation decisions, and sample size re-estimation (SSR). Based on the decision at interim analysis, patient enrollment continues for both the selected dose arm and control arm, and the significance of treatment effects will be determined at final analysis. The SDDO framework offers increased flexibility and cost-efficiency through sample size adjustment, while stringently controlling the Type I error. This proposed design also facilitates both accelerated approval (AA) and regular approval in a "one-trial" approach. Extensive simulation studies confirm that our design reliably identifies the optimal dosage and makes preferable decisions with a reduced sample size while retaining statistical power.

Asynchronous Ring Opening of Cyclic Carbonate and Glycidyl Ether Induced Phase Evolution Towards Heat-free and Rapid-bonding Superior Epoxy Adhesive.

Structural adhesives that do not require heating are in high demand in the automotive and electronics industries. However, it remains a challenge to develop robust adhesives that rapidly achieve super adhesion near ambient temperature. Herein, a room-temperature curable, fast-bonding, and super strong epoxy-based structural adhesive was designed from the perspective of cross-scale structure, which lies in threefold pivotal aspects: (i) high branching topology of glycerol carbonate-capped polyurethane (PUGC) increases the kinetics of the ring-opening reaction, contributing to fast crosslinking and the formation of abundant urethane and hydroxyl moieties; (ii) asynchronous crosslinking of epoxy and PUGC synergistically induces phase separation of PUGC within the epoxy resin and the resulting PUGC domains surrounded by interpenetrated shell serves to efficiently toughen the matrix; (iii) abundant dynamic hydrogen bonds including urethane and hydroxyl moieties, along with the elastomeric PUGC domains, dissipate energy of shearing force. As a result, the adhesive strength rapidly grows to 16 MPa within 4 hours, leveling off to 21 MPa after 7 hours, substantially outperforming commercial room-temperature curable epoxy adhesives. The results of this study could advance the field of high-performance adhesives and provide valuable insights into designing materials for efficient curing at room temperature.

[Influence of telemedicine on the operation of public hospitals in China].

OBJECTIVE: Telemedicine, as an information-based tool, is widely recognized as an effective solution for compensating for the imbalanced allocation of medical resources in China. This study specifi-cally aimed to analyze the impact of telemedicine functions on the operational efficiency of public hospitals, with a particular focus on their heterogeneous effects on hospitals of different levels. METHODS: A cross-sectional research design was used based on the 2022 Health Informatization Statistical Survey data, and 8 944 public hospitals were used as research objects to analyze the impact of telemedicine on hospital revenues and business capacity. Multivariate linear model, propensity score matching (PSM), and grouped regression methods were employed to evaluate the impact of telemedicine on hospital revenues, number of consultations, and the number of discharges. RESULTS: The descriptive results showed that telemedicine was available in 35.51% of public hospitals. The analysis also demonstrated that various factors, such as hospital level, academic category, area of the hospital, administrational level and number of beds all had a significant influence on the operation of the hospital. Moreover, the regression results showed that opening telemedicine could increase hospital revenues by 0.140 (P < 0.01), hospital consultations by 0.136 (P < 0.01), and the number of discharges by 0.316 (P < 0.01). After correcting for endogeneity using the propensity score matching, the results showed that the effect of opening telemedicine on hospital revenues, consultations, and the number of discharges was 0.191 (P < 0.01), 0.216 (P < 0.01), and 0.353 (P < 0.01), respectively. Further heterogeneity analysis was conducted to explore the differential effects of telemedicine on hospitals of different levels. Grouped regression showed that telemedicine had a positive impact on the income of secondary hospitals, with a coefficient of 0.088 (P < 0.05), and it had a more significant positive impact on hospital consultations in secondary hospitals, with a coefficient of 0.127 (P < 0.01). An even greater impact on the number of discharges in primary hospitals, with a coefficient of 1.203 (P < 0.01). Telemedicine, on the other hand, did not have a significant positive impact on the overall revenue and operational capacity of tertiary hospitals. CONCLUSION: Telemedicine had a significant promoting effect on hospital revenues, hospital consultations and the number of discharges, and this effect was differentiated between hospitals of different levels. Through the construction of telemedicine, primary hospitals were able to significantly improve their business capacity and revenue, which played a positive role in improving the operation of primary public hospitals.

Inhalable metal-organic framework-mediated cuproptosis combined with PD-L1 checkpoint blockade for lung metastasis synergistic immunotherapy.

Cuproptosis shows enormous application prospects in lung metastasis treatment. However, the glycolysis, Cu+ efflux mechanisms, and insufficient lung drug accumulation severely restrict cuproptosis efficacy. Herein, an inhalable poly (2-(N-oxide-N,N-diethylamino)ethyl methacrylate) (OPDEA)-coated copper-based metal-organic framework encapsulating pyruvate dehydrogenase kinase 1 siRNA (siPDK) is constructed for mediating cuproptosis and subsequently promoting lung metastasis immunotherapy, namely OMP. After inhalation, OMP shows highly efficient lung accumulation and long-term retention, ascribing to the OPDEA-mediated pulmonary mucosa penetration. Within tumor cells, OMP is degraded to release Cu2+ under acidic condition, which will be reduced to toxic Cu+ to induce cuproptosis under glutathione (GSH) regulation. Meanwhile, siPDK released from OMP inhibits intracellular glycolysis and adenosine-5'-triphosphate (ATP) production, then blocking the Cu+ efflux protein ATP7B, thereby rendering tumor cells more sensitive to OMP-mediated cuproptosis. Moreover, OMP-mediated cuproptosis triggers immunogenic cell death (ICD) to promote dendritic cells (DCs) maturation and CD8+ T cells infiltration. Notably, OMP-induced cuproptosis up-regulates membrane-associated programmed cell death-ligand 1 (PD-L1) expression and induces soluble PD-L1 secretion, and thus synergizes with anti-PD-L1 antibodies (aPD-L1) to reprogram immunosuppressive tumor microenvironment, finally yielding improved immunotherapy efficacy. Overall, OMP may serve as an efficient inhalable nanoplatform and afford preferable efficacy against lung metastasis through inducing cuproptosis and combining with aPD-L1.

S-Scheme heterojunction of Cs2SnBr6/C3N4 with interfacial electron exchange toward efficient photocatalytic NO abatement.

Photocatalytic technology is of great significance in environmental purification due to its eco-friendly and cost-effective operations. However, low charge-transfer efficiency restricts the photocatalytic activity of the catalyst. Herein, we report Cs2SnBr6/C3N4 composite catalysts that exhibit a robust interfacial electron exchange thereby enhancing photocatalytic nitric oxide (NO) oxidation. A comprehensive study has demonstrated the S-scheme electron transfer mechanism. Benefiting from the interfacial internal electric field, the C-Br bond serves as a direct electron transfer channel, resulting in enhanced charge separation. Furthermore, the S-scheme heterojunction effectively traps high redox potential electrons and holes, leading to the production of abundant reactive oxygen radicals that enhance photocatalytic NO abatement. The NO removal rate of the Cs2SnBr6/C3N4 heterogeneous system can reach 86.8 %, which is approximately 3-fold and 18-fold that of pristine C3N4 and Cs2SnBr6, respectively. The comprehensive understanding of the electron transfer between heterojunction atomic interfaces will provide a novel perspective on efficient environmental photocatalysis.

Effect of low-frequency ultrasound-assisted acid extraction on gel properties and structural characterization of sheep's hoof gelatin.

In this study, we investigated the effects of various low-frequency ultrasound-assisted extraction processes, including ultrasound-assisted acid-soaked water bath extraction (UAW), ultrasound-assisted water bath extraction after acid soaking (AUW), acid-soaked water bath extraction followed by ultrasonics (AWU), and acid-soaked water bath extraction without ultrasound (CON), on the structural properties, thermal stability, gel properties, and microstructure of sheep's hoof gelatin. The results revealed that the primary components of sheep's hoof gelatin consisted of α1-chain, α2-chain (100-135 kDa), and ß-chain. In addition, it was observed that among the three sonication groups, sheep's hoof gelatin extracted in the AUW group exhibited the highest yield (27.16 ± 0.41 %), the best gel strength (378.55 ± 7.34 g), and higher viscosity at the same shear rate. The gelling temperature (25.38 ± 0.45 °C) and melting temperature (32.28 ± 0.52 °C) of sheep's hoof gelatin in the AUW group were significantly higher than those in the other groups (p > 0.05). Moreover, our experiments revealed that the sequence of low-frequency ultrasonic pretreatment processes was a crucial factor influencing the gel properties and structural characteristics of sheep's hoof gelatin. Specifically, the acid treatment followed by the ultrasound-assisted approach in the AUW group yielded high-quality and high-yield sheep's hoof gelatin.

Lycium barbarum glycopeptide ameliorates motor and visual deficits in autoimmune inflammatory diseases.

BACKGROUND: Lycium barbarum glycopeptide (LbGp), extracted from the traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) of Lycium barbarum (LB), provides a neuroprotective effect against neurodegenerative and neuroimmune disorders contributing to its immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory roles. Neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorders (NMOSD) is an autoimmune-mediated central nervous system (CNS) demyelinating disease, clinically manifested as transverse myelitis (TM) and optic neuritis. However, no drug has been demonstrated to be effective in relieving limb weakness and visual impairment of NMOSD patients. PURPOSE: This study investigates the potential role of LbGp in ameliorating pathologic lesions and improving neurological dysfunction during NMOSD progression, and to elucidate the underlying mechanisms for the first time. STUDY DESIGN: We administrate LbGp in experimental NMOSD models in ex vivo and in vivo to explore its effect on NMOSD. METHODS: To evaluate motor function, both rotarod and gait tasks were performed in systemic NMOSD mice models. Furthermore, we assessed the severity of NMO-like lesions of astrocytes, organotypic cerebellar slices, as well as brain, spinal cord and optic nerve sections from NMOSD mouse models with LbGp treatment by immunofluorescent staining. In addition, demyelination levels in optic nerve were measured by G-ratio through Electro-microscopy (EM). And inflammation response was explored through detecting the protein levels of proinflammatory cytokines and NF-κB signaling in astrocytic culture medium and spinal cord homogenates respectively by Elisa and by Western blotting. RESULTS: LbGp could significantly reduce astrocytes injury, demyelination, and microglial activation in NMOSD models. In addition, LbGp also improved locomotor and visual dysfunction through preventing neuron and retinal ganglion cells (RGCs) from inflammatory attack in a systemic mouse model. Mechanistically, LbGp inhibits proinflammatory factors release via inhibition of NF-κB signaling in NMOSD models. CONCLUSION: This study provides evidence to develop LbGp as a functional TCM for the clinical treatment of NMOSD.

Preparation and evaluation of inhalable S-allylmercapto-N-acetylcysteine and nintedanib co-loaded liposomes for pulmonary fibrosis.

Orally marketed products nintedanib (NDNB) and pirfenidone (PFD) for pulmonary fibrosis (PF) are administered in high doses and have been shown to have serious toxic and side effects. NDNB can cause the elevation of galectin-3, which activates the NF-κB signaling pathway and causes the inflammatory response. S-allylmercapto-N-acetylcysteine (ASSNAC) can alleviate the inflammation response by inhibiting the TLR-4/NF-κB signaling pathway. Therefore, we designed and prepared inhalable ASSNAC and NDNB co-loaded liposomes for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis. The yellow, spheroidal co-loaded liposomes with a particle size of 98.32±1.98 nm and zeta potential of -22.5 ± 1.58 mV were produced. The aerodynamic fine particle fraction (FPF) and mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) of NDNB were >50 % (81.14 %±0.22 %) and <5 µm (1.79 µm±0.06 µm) in the nebulized liposome solution, respectively. The results showed that inhalation improved the lung deposition and retention times of both drugs. DSPE-PEG 2000 in the liposome formulation enhanced the mucus permeability and reduced phagocytic efflux mediated by macrophages. ASSNAC reduced the mRNA over-expressions of TLR-4, MyD88 and NF-κB caused by NDNB, which could reduce the NDNB's side effects. The Masson's trichrome staining of lung tissues and the levels of CAT, TGF-ß1, HYP, collagen III and mRNA expressions of Collagen I, Collagen III and α-SMA in lung tissues revealed that NDNB/Lip inhalation was more beneficial to alleviate fibrosis than oral NDNB. Although the dose of NDNB/Lip was 30 times lower than that in the oral group, the inhaled NDNB/Lip group had better or comparable anti-fibrotic effects to those in the oral group. According to the expressions of Collagen I, Collagen III and α-SMA in vivo and in vitro, the combination of ASSNAC and NDNB was more effective than the single drugs for pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, this study provided a new scheme for the treatment of pulmonary fibrosis.

Vertically Concentrated Quantum Wells Enabling Highly Efficient Deep-Blue Perovskite Light-Emitting Diodes.

Deep-blue perovskite light-emitting diodes (PeLEDs) based on quasi-two-dimensional (quasi-2D) systems exist heightened sensitivity to the domain distribution. The top-down crystallization mode will lead to a vertical gradient distribution of quantum well (QW) structure, which is unfavorable for deep-blue emission. Herein, a thermal gradient annealing treatment is proposed to address the polydispersity issue of vertical QWs in quasi-2D perovskites. The formation of large-n domains at the upper interface of the perovskite film can be effectively inhibited by introducing a low-temperature source in the annealing process. Combined with the utilization of NaBr to inhibit the undesirable n=1 domain, a vertically concentrated QW structure is ultimately attained. As a result, the fabricated device delivers a narrow and stable deep-blue emission at 458 nm with an impressive external quantum efficiency (EQE) of 5.82 %. Green and sky-blue PeLEDs with remarkable EQE of 21.83 % and 17.51 % are also successfully achieved, respectively, by using the same strategy. The findings provide a universal strategy across the entire quasi-2D perovskites, paving the way for future practical application of PeLEDs.

Activated nanosulfur for broad-spectrum heavy metals capture.

Current problems of existing heavy metal-removing technologies, especially for nanomaterials-based ones, are typically single metal ion-specific, high-cost and collected difficult. Herein, facile modification of commercial sulfur creates a versatile adsorbent platform to address challenges. The versatile adsorbent can be easily prepared through solvothermal treatment of a saturated commercial sulfur solution, followed by water precipitation on a commercial foam that eliminates the need for separation. Interestingly, the solvothermal treatment endows the resulting nanosulfur with sulfate acid groups (hard Lewis base), sulfur anions (soft base), and sulfite groups (borderline base), promising the coordination of all types of heavy metal ions (Lewis acids). As such, this versatile adsorbent with well-distributed adsorption sites exhibits highly effective heavy metal adsorption capacity towards diverse heavy metal ions for both single-component and multi-component adsorption, including soft, hard, borderline Lewis metal ions, with ultra-high adsorption ability (e.g., 903.79 mg g-1 for Cu2+). These findings highlighted the potential of this low-cost sulfur-based adsorbent to address the arising challenges in ensuring clean water.

Boosting photocatalytic NO oxidation mediated by high redox charge carriers from visible light-driven C3N4/UiO-67 S-scheme heterojunction photocatalyst.

The construction of CN/UiO-67 (CNU) S-scheme heterojunction composites through in situ formation of UiO-67 on carbon nitride (C3N4) helps to address the limitations of carbon nitride (CN) in photocatalytic NO elimination. The optimized CNU3 demonstrates superior photocatalytic efficiency, which is attributed to electronic channels constructed by Zr-N bonds and S-scheme electron transport mechanism, effectively promoting the efficient separation of photogenerated charge carriers with high redox potentials. Density Functional Theory (DFT) calculations reveal redistributed electronic orbitals in CNU3, with progressive and continuous energy levels near the Fermi level, which bolsters electronic conduction. Comprehensive quenching experiments, Electron Paramagnetic Resonance (EPR), and in situ Diffuse Reflectance Infrared Fourier Transform Spectroscopy (DRIFTS) analyses highlight a synergistic interplay of electrons, holes, and superoxide radicals in CNU3, inhibiting the generation of toxic nitrogen oxide intermediates and culminating in highly efficient photocatalytic NO oxidation. This study not only elucidates the mechanisms underpinning the enhanced performance of CNU3 heterojunctions but also offers new perspectives on the preparation and interfacial charge separation of heterojunction photocatalysts.

Study of radiomics based on dual-energy CT for nuclear grading and T-staging in renal clear cell carcinoma.

INTRODUCTION: Clear cell renal cell carcinoma (ccRCC) is the most lethal subtype of renal cell carcinoma with a high invasive potential. Radiomics has attracted much attention in predicting the preoperative T-staging and nuclear grade of ccRCC. OBJECTIVE: The objective was to evaluate the efficacy of dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) radiomics in predicting ccRCC grade and T-stage while optimizing the models. METHODS: 200 ccRCC patients underwent preoperative DECT scanning and were randomized into training and validation cohorts. Radiomics models based on 70 KeV, 100 KeV, 150 KeV, iodine-based material decomposition images (IMDI), virtual noncontrasted images (VNC), mixed energy images (MEI) and MEI + IMDI were established for grading and T-staging. Receiver operating characteristic analysis and decision curve analysis (DCA) were performed. The area under the curve (AUC) values were compared using Delong test. RESULTS: For grading, the AUC values of these models ranged from 0.64 to 0.97 during training and from 0.54 to 0.72 during validation. In the validation cohort, the performance of MEI + IMDI model was optimal, with an AUC of 0.72, sensitivity of 0.71, and specificity of 0.70. The AUC value for the 70 KeV model was higher than those for the 100 KeV, 150 KeV, and MEI models. For T-staging, these models achieved AUC values of 0.83 to 1.00 in training and 0.59 to 0.82 in validation. The validation cohort demonstrated AUCs of 0.82 and 0.70, sensitivities of 0.71 and 0.71, and specificities of 0.80 and 0.60 for the MEI + IMDI and IMDI models, respectively. In terms of grading and T-staging, the MEI + IMDI model had the highest AUC in validation, with IMDI coming in second. There were statistically significant differences between the MEI + IMDI model and the 70 KeV, 100 KeV, 150 KeV, MEI, and VNC models in terms of grading (P < .05) and staging (P ≤ .001). DCA showed that both MEI + IDMI and IDMI models outperformed other models in predicting grade and stage of ccRCC. CONCLUSIONS: DECT radiomics models were helpful in grading and T-staging of ccRCC. The combined model of MEI + IMDI achieved favorable results.

One-step in-situ construction engineering of ZnO-Zn2SnO4 heterojunction for deeply photocatalytic oxidation of nitric oxide.

The generation of hazardous intermediates during the process of photocatalytic nitric oxide (NO) oxidation presents a tough issue. Herein, a one-step microwave strategy was employed to introduce oxygen vacancies (OVs) into zinc oxide-zinc stannate (ZnO-Zn2SnO4) heterojunction, resulting in an improvement in the photocatalytic efficiency for NO removal. The construction ZnO-Zn2SnO4 heterojunction with the OVs (ZSO-3) owns a significant contribution towards highly efficient electron transfer efficiency (99.7%), which renders ZSO-3 to exert a deep oxidation of NO-to-nitrate (NO3-) rather than NO-to-nitrite (NO2-) or NO-to-nitrogen dioxide (NO2). Based on the solid supports of experimental and simulated calculations, it can be found that OVs play an irreplaceable role in activating small molecules such as NO and O2. Moreover, the enhanced adsorption capacity of small molecules, which guarantees the high yield of active radical due to the formation of S-scheme heterojunction. This work illuminates a novel viewpoint on one-step in-situ route to prepare Zn2SnO4-based heterojunction photocatalyst with deep oxidation ability of NO-to-NO3-.