Green Method for the Preparation of Durable Superhydrophobic Antimicrobial Polyester Fabrics with Micro-Pleated Structures.

To produce functional protective textiles with minimal environmental footprints, we developed durable superhydrophobic antimicrobial textiles. These textiles are characterized by a micro-pleated structure on polyester fiber surfaces, achieved through a novel plasma impregnation crosslinking process. This process involved the use of water as the dispersion medium, water-soluble nanosilver monomers for antimicrobial efficacy, fluorine-free polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) for hydrophobicity, and polyester (PET) fabric as the base material. The altered surface properties of these fabrics were extensively analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray photoelectron spectrometry (XPS), thermogravimetric analysis (TGA), and water contact angle (WCA) measurements. The antimicrobial performance of the strains was evaluated using Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus. After treatment, the fabrics exhibited enhanced hydrophobic and antimicrobial properties, which was attributed to the presence of a micro-pleated structure and nanosilver. The modified textiles demonstrated a static WCA of approximately 154° and an impressive 99.99% inhibition rate against both test microbes. Notably, the WCA remained above 140° even after 500 washing cycles or 3000 friction cycles.

Overall Water Splitting by a SrTaO2N-Based Photocatalyst Decorated with an Ir-Promoted Ru-Based Cocatalyst.

The development of narrow-bandgap photocatalysts for one-step-excitation overall water splitting (OWS) remains a critical challenge in the field of solar hydrogen production. SrTaO2N is a photocatalytic material having a band structure suitable for OWS under visible light (λ ≤ 600 nm). However, the presence of defects in the oxynitride and the lack of cocatalysts to promote simultaneous hydrogen and oxygen evolution make it challenging to realize OWS using this material. The present work demonstrates a SrTaO2N-based particulate photocatalyst for OWS. This photocatalyst, which was composed of single crystals, was obtained by nitriding SrCl2 and Ta2O5 together with NaOH, with the latter added to control the formation of defects. The subsequent loading of bimetallic RuIrOx nanoparticles accelerated charge separation and allowed the SrTaO2N photocatalyst to exhibit superior OWS activity. This research presenting the strategies of controlling the oxygen sources and promoting the cocatalyst function is expected to expand the range of potential OWS-active oxynitride photocatalysts and permit the design of efficient cocatalysts for photocatalytic OWS.

Association between the insulin resistance marker TyG index and subsequent adverse long-term cardiovascular events in young and middle-aged US adults based on obesity status.

BACKGROUND: A lthough the triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index has been shown to closely correlate with cardiometabolic outcomes and predict cardiovascular events in many groups, it remains unclear whether obese status in young and middle-aged adults is associated with long-term unfavorable cardiovascular events. This warrants further investigation. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey spanning the years 1999-2018, with follow-up for mortality status until December 31, 2019. To categorize participants based on the TyG level, the optimal critical value was determined through restricted cubic spline function analysis, dividing them into high and low TyG groups. The study assessed the relationship between TyG and cardiovascular events and all-cause mortality in young and middle-aged adults stratified by obesity status. Kaplan‒Meier and Cox proportional risk models were used to analyze the data. RESULTS: During a follow-up period of 123 months, a high TyG index increased the risk of cardiovascular events by 63% (P = 0.040) and the risk of all-cause mortality by 32% (P = 0.010) in individuals after adjusting for all covariates. High TyG was shown to be linked to cardiovascular events in obese people (Model 3: HR = 2.42, 95% CI = 1.13-5.12, P = 0.020); however, there was no significant difference in TyG groups for nonobese adults in Model 3 (P = 0.08). CONCLUSIONS: TyG was independently associated with harmful long-term cardiovascular events in young and middle-aged US populations, with a stronger association observed in those who were obese.

Influence of renal function on the ability of TyG Index to predict all-cause mortality.

BACKGROUND: The association between triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index and poor prognosis remains controversial. Whether renal function status affects the ability of the TyG index to predict poor prognosis has not yet been elucidated and merits further studies. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 22,031 participants from communities in the U.S. By juxtaposing the TyG categories with the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR, either < 60 mL/min/1.73m2 or ≥ 60 mL/min/1.73m2), participants were categorized into four distinct groups: (1) TyG_L/eGFR_H; (2) TyG_H/eGFR_H; (3) TyG_L/eGFR_L; and (4) TyG_H/eGFR_L. The endpoint was the all-cause mortality rate. Standard Kaplan-Meier plots were constructed and multifactor Cox regression analyses were carried out and restricted cubic spline regression analysis was utilized to assess the association between death and the TyG index for different renal function statuses. RESULTS: No statistical differences were found in the TyG groups in participants with normal renal function after adjustment for all covariates (P = 0.070). However, in the high TyG index group with renal insufficiency, the risk of all-cause mortality rates was reduced by 18%. (HR, 0.82; CI, 0.69-0.98). The TyG index (high vs. low) and renal function (eGFR < 60 vs. eGFR ≥ 60) had statistically significant interactions with death (P < 0.001). When all covariates were adjusted, the risk of mortality for the TyG_L combined with eGFR_L group was 56% higher than that for the TyG_L combined with eGFR_H group (HR, 1.56; CI, 1.33-1.82). In the renal insufficiency population, a nonlinear relationship was observed between mortality and the TyG index, albeit with a differing pattern (P for nonlinearity < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: While it has been known that TyG index was a prognosis marker of CVD, this research highlights that higher TyG index was associated with higher all-cause mortality rates for all participants. Furthermore, renal function status significantly moderates the effect of the TyG index on all-cause mortality in community-dwelling adults.

Intestinal obstruction caused by mesodiverticular band in children: a cohort study.

OBJECTIVE: To explore clinical characteristics, pathogenesis, diagnosis and treatment of intestinal obstruction due to mesodiverticular band (MDB) in children in a single center in China. METHODS: The clinical data of 20 children with acute intestinal obstruction due to MDB between 1998 and 2020 were retrospectively analyzed. RESULTS: The male-to-female ratio was 14:6 in 20 cases. Except one case of 7-month pregnant stillbirth, the cases were aged from 7 days to 14 years, at the median age of 4.31 years. The common symptoms were vomiting, abdominal pain and/or abdominal distension. About 40% (8/20) of patients had both MDB and Meckel's Diverticulum (MD), while 60% (12/20) of patients had MDB only. Only one case died because of total colonic aganglionosis, while other children recovered after surgery treatment. MDB led to the strangulation of necrotic bowel in six cases, intestinal perforation in one case, and intestinal rupture in one case. Pathologic examination showed thick-walled arteries and or thick venous vascular structures in the cord. All cases had no complications during 1-year follow-up. CONCLUSION: MDB results from the remnant of vitelline vessel, and often causes acute intestinal obstruction without special clinical symptoms. Unexplained abdominal pain and distension without surgery history should be paid attention, especially for strangulated intestinal obstruction. Timely surgical exploration is beneficial to avoid intestinal necrosis or even sudden death, and the pathological examination is important for the diagnosis.

Characterization of the LysP2110-HolP2110 Lysis System in Ralstonia solanacearum Phage P2110.

Ralstonia solanacearum, a pathogen causing widespread bacterial wilt disease in numerous crops, currently lacks an optimal control agent. Given the limitations of traditional chemical control methods, including the risk of engendering drug-resistant strains and environmental harm, there is a dire need for sustainable alternatives. One alternative is lysin proteins that selectively lyse bacteria without contributing to resistance development. This work explored the biocontrol potential of the LysP2110-HolP2110 system of Ralstonia solanacearum phage P2110. Bioinformatics analyses pinpointed this system as the primary phage-mediated host cell lysis mechanism. Our data suggest that LysP2110, a member of the Muraidase superfamily, requires HolP2110 for efficient bacterial lysis, presumably via translocation across the bacterial membrane. LysP2110 also exhibits broad-spectrum antibacterial activity in the presence of the outer membrane permeabilizer EDTA. Additionally, we identified HolP2110 as a distinct holin structure unique to the Ralstonia phages, underscoring its crucial role in controlling bacterial lysis through its effect on bacterial ATP levels. These findings provide valuable insights into the function of the LysP2110-HolP2110 lysis system and establish LysP2110 as a promising antimicrobial agent for biocontrol applications. This study underpins the potential of these findings in developing effective and environment-friendly biocontrol strategies against bacterial wilt and other crop diseases.

Triglyceride-glucose index linked to all-cause mortality in critically ill patients: a cohort of 3026 patients.

BACKGROUND: Triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index as a reliable surrogate of insulin resistance (IR) has been shown to be related to adverse clinical outcomes in patients with acute coronary syndrome, heart failure, ischemic stroke and so on. However, the relationship between TyG index and all-cause mortality in intensive care unit (ICU) patients remains unknown. The purpose of this study was to investigate the correlation between TyG index and all-cause mortality to evaluate the impact of IR on the prognosis of this population. METHODS: This was a retrospective observational study that included 3026 patients who had an initial triglyceride and glucose data on the first day of ICU admission, and all data were extracted from the Medical Information Mart for Intensive Care III (MIMIC-III) database. These patients were grouped into quartiles (Q1-Q4) according to TyG index. The Kaplan-Meier analysis was used to compare all-cause mortality among the above four groups. Cox proportional hazards analyses were performed to examine the association between TyG index and all-cause mortality. RESULTS: During 10.46 years of follow-up, 1148 (37.9%) patients died, of which 350 (11.6%) occurred during the hospital stay and 258 (8.5%) occurred during the ICU stay. Kaplan-Meier analysis showed that the risk of all-cause mortality was significantly higher in patients with higher TyG index (log-rank P = 0.021). Multivariable Cox proportional hazards analyses showed that the TyG index was an independent risk predictor of ICU death (HR: 1.72, 95% CI 1.18-2.52, P = 0.005) and hospital death (HR: 2.19, 95% CI 1.59-3.03, P < 0.001), and each 1-unit increased in the TyG index, a 1.19-fold increase in the risk of death during the hospital stay. CONCLUSIONS: TyG index is strongly related to the all-cause mortality increasing in critically ill patients. This finding indicates that the TyG index might be useful in identifying people at high risk of ICU death and hospital death.

Malnutrition in patients with coronary artery disease: Prevalence and mortality in a 46,485 Chinese cohort study.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Malnutrition is associated with poor prognosis in a wide range of illnesses. However, its long-term prognostic impact in general coronary artery disease (CAD) patients is not well known. We aim to report the prevalence and long-term mortality of malnutrition in the whole general population. METHODS AND RESULTS: In this retrospective cohort study, the controlling nutritional status (CONUT) score was applied to 46,485 consecutive patients undergoing coronary angiography (CAG) and diagnosed with CAD from January 2007 to July 2018. Patients were stratified as having no malnutrition (n = 19,780), mild (n = 21,092), moderate (n = 5286) and severe malnutrition (n = 327), based on CONUT score. Overall, mean age was 63.1 ± 10.7 years, and 75.8% of patients (n = 35,250) were male. 45.4% of patients were mildly malnourished and 12.1% were moderately or severely malnourished. During a median follow-up of 5.1 years (interquartile range: 3.0-7.7 years), 6093 (17.3%) patients died. After adjusting for confounders, malnutrition risk was associated with significantly increased risk for all-cause death (mild vs. normal, HR = 1.19,95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.12 to 1.28; moderate vs. normal, HR = 1.42,95% CI: 1.30 to 1.55; severe vs. Normal, HR = 1.95, 95% CI: 1.57 to 2.41) (p for trend<0.001). The similar result on all-cause mortality was also found in different subgroups stratified by gender, chronic kidney disease, anemia, percutaneous coronary intervention. CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition is a common complication among patients with CAD, and is strongly associated with increased mortality. Further studies need to explore the efficacy of nutritional interventions on long-term prognosis among CAD patients. This study was registered at Clinicaltrials.gov as NCT04407936.

Nutrition-related diseases and cardiovascular mortality in American society: national health and nutrition examination study, 1999-2006.

BACKGROUND: Despite many significant advances in treatment and management, cardiovascular disease remains the main cause of the global disease burden. Nutrition-related disease is a modifiable cardiovascular risk factor. However, few studies have examined the relationship between nutrition-related diseases and cardiovascular mortality. OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the association of nutrition-related diseases with cardiovascular mortality based on a large nationally representative community population. DESIGN: We analyzed data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 1999-2006 with mortality follow-up through December 31, 2015. Finally, 12,469 participants were analyzed. Each participant was assigned to one of four groups: normal nutrition without sarcopenia, sarcopenia with normal nutrition, malnutrition without sarcopenia, and malnutrition-sarcopenia syndrome. Survival curves and Cox regressions based on the NHANES recommended weights were used to assess the association between nutrition-related diseases and cardiovascular mortality. RESULTS: Of the 12,469 patients included in the study and divided into four groups, malnutrition-sarcopenia syndrome had the highest 5- and 10-year cardiovascular mortality rates. After adjustment for related factors, sarcopenia with normal nutrition (hazard ratio [HR]: 1.62, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.28-2.06; P < 0.001), malnutrition without sarcopenia (HR: 1.28, 95% CI:1.03-1.58; P = 0.024), and malnutrition-sarcopenia syndrome (HR: 2.66, 95% CI:1.89 - 3.74; P < 0.001) were significantly associated with increased risk of all-cause mortality. Malnutrition-sarcopenia syndrome remained associated with an increased risk of cardiovascular mortality (HR: 3.56, 95% CI: 1.17 - 10.84; P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Malnutrition-sarcopenia syndrome was highly prevalent among community-dwelling adults in the United States and was a strong prognostic factor for cardiovascular mortality in the community setting. Randomized clinical trials are needed to demonstrate whether prevention or treatment of malnutrition-sarcopenia syndrome in community populations can reduce global cardiovascular mortality.

Amphiphilic Polycarbonate Micellar Rhenium Catalysts for Efficient Photocatalytic CO2 Reduction in Aqueous Media.

A triblock amphiphilic polymer derived from the copolymerization of CO2 and epoxides containing a bipyridine rhenium complex in its backbone is shown to effectively catalyze the visible-light-driven reduction of CO2 to CO. This polymer provides uniformly spherical micelles in aqueous solution, where the metal catalyst is sequestered in the hydrophobic portion of the nanostructured micelle. CO2 to CO reduction occurs in an efficient visible-light-driven process in aqueous media with turnover numbers up to 110 (>99 % selectivity) in the absence of a photosensitizer, which is a 37-fold enhancement over the corresponding molecular rhenium catalyst in organic solvent. Notably, the amphiphilic polycarbonate micelle rhenium catalyst suppresses H2 generation, presumably by preventing deactivation of the active catalytic center by water.

Prolonging the Triplet State Lifetimes of Rhenium Complexes with Imidazole-Pyridine Framework for Efficient CO2 Photoreduction.

The photocatalytic reduction of CO2 into fuels offers the prospect for creating a new CO2 economy. Harnessing visible light-driven CO2 -to-CO reduction mediated by the long-lived triplet excited state of rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes is a challenging approach. We here develop a series of new mononuclear rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes (Re-1-Re-4) based on the imidazole-pyridine skeleton for photo-driven CO2 reduction. These catalysts are featured by combining pyridyl-imidazole with the aromatic ring and different pendant organic groups onto the N1 position of 1,3-imidazole unit, which display phosphorescence under Ar-saturated solution even at ambient conditions. By contrast, {Re[9-(pyren-1-yl)-10-(pyridin-2-yl)-9H-pyreno[4,5-d]imidazole)](CO)3 Cl} (Re-4) by introducing pyrene ring at the N1 position of pyrene-fused imidazole unit exhibits superior catalytic performance with a higher turnover number for CO (TONCO =124) and >99.9 % selectivity, primarily ascribed to the strong visible light-harvesting ability, long-lived triplet lifetimes (164.2 µs) and large reductive quenching constant. Moreover, the rhenium(I) tricarbonyl complexes derived from π-extended pyrene chromophore exhibit a long lifetime corresponding to its ligand-localized triplet state (3 IL) evidenced from spectroscopic investigations and DFT calculations.

Predictive value of creatine kinase MB for contrast-induced acute kidney injury among myocardial infarction patients.

BACKGROUND: Predictive value of creatine kinase MB (CK-MB) for contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) among myocardial infarction (MI) patients has rarely been reported. We aim to evaluate the predictive value of CK-MB for CI-AKI among MI patients. METHODS: Totally, 1131 MI patients were included from the REduction of rIsk for Contrast-Induced Nephropathy (REICIN) study. The peak CK-MB before coronary angiography (CAG) was chosen. The study population was divided into two groups by log-transformed CK-MB cut-off point. The association between CK-MB and CI-AKI was tested by multivariable logistic regression. CK-MB was integrated with Age, creatinine and ejection fraction (ACEF) score and Mehran risk score (MRS) to evaluate the additive value of CK-MB. The integrated models were validated internally by the bootstrap method and externally by the PREdictive Value of COntrast voluMe to creatinine Clearance Ratio (PRECOMIN) study data set. RESULTS: Overall, 62(5.48%) patients developed CI-AKI, patients with CK-MB point > 4.7 displayed a higher incidence of CI-AKI than those without (11.9% vs. 4.0%, p < 0.001). CK-MB point > 4.7 was independently associated with CI-AKI (adjusted OR: 3.40, 95% CI: 1.93-5.98, p < 0.001). The additions of CK-MB to ACEF score, Mehran score A and Mehran score B resulted in increases in C-statistics, which ranged from 0.680 to 0.733 (p = 0.046), 0.694 to 0.727 (p = 0.091), 0.704 to 0.734 (p = 0.102), respectively. Internal validation also showed increases in C-statistics, and external validation performed well in discrimination and calibration. CONCLUSIONS: Preprocedural peak CK-MB was a predictor of CI-AKI among MI patients.

Platelet-to-hemoglobin ratio as a valuable predictor of long-term all-cause mortality in coronary artery disease patients with congestive heart failure.

BACKGROUND: The platelet-to-hemoglobin ratio (PHR) has emerged as a prognostic biomarker in coronary artery disease (CAD) patients after PCI but not clear in CAD complicated with congestive heart failure (CHF). Hence, we aimed to assess the association between PHR and long-term all-cause mortality among CAD patients with CHF. METHODS: Based on the registry at Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital in China, we analyzed data of 2599 hospitalized patients who underwent coronary angiography (CAG) and were diagnosed with CAD complicated by CHF from January 2007 to December 2018. Low PHR was defined as ˂ 1.69 (group 1) and high PHR as ≥ 1.69 (group 2). Prognosis analysis was performed using Kaplan-Meier method. To assess the association between PHR and long-term all-cause mortality, a Cox-regression model was fitted. RESULTS: During a median follow-up of 5.2 (3.1-7.8) years, a total of 985 (37.9%) patients died. On the Kaplan-Meier analysis, patients in high PHR group had a worse prognosis than those in low PHR group (log-rank, p = 0.0011). After adjustment for confounders, high PHR was correlated with an increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality in CAD patients complicated with CHF. (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 1.31; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.13-1.52, p < 0.0001). CONCLUSION: Elevated PHR is correlated with an increased risk of long-term all-cause mortality in CAD patients with CHF. These results indicate that PHR may be a useful prognostic biomarker for this population. Meanwhile, it is necessary to take effective preventive measures to regulate both hemoglobin levels and platelet counts in this population.

Computer-Aided Colon Polyp Detection on High Resolution Colonoscopy Using Transfer Learning Techniques.

Colonoscopies reduce the incidence of colorectal cancer through early recognition and resecting of the colon polyps. However, the colon polyp miss detection rate is as high as 26% in conventional colonoscopy. The search for methods to decrease the polyp miss rate is nowadays a paramount task. A number of algorithms or systems have been developed to enhance polyp detection, but few are suitable for real-time detection or classification due to their limited computational ability. Recent studies indicate that the automated colon polyp detection system is developing at an astonishing speed. Real-time detection with classification is still a yet to be explored field. Newer image pattern recognition algorithms with convolutional neuro-network (CNN) transfer learning has shed light on this topic. We proposed a study using real-time colonoscopies with the CNN transfer learning approach. Several multi-class classifiers were trained and mAP ranged from 38% to 49%. Based on an Inception v2 model, a detector adopting a Faster R-CNN was trained. The mAP of the detector was 77%, which was an improvement of 35% compared to the same type of multi-class classifier. Therefore, our results indicated that the polyp detection model could attain a high accuracy, but the polyp type classification still leaves room for improvement.

Cu(II)-Catalyzed Phosphonocarboxylative Cyclization Reaction of Propargylic Amines and Phosphine Oxide with CO2.

Compounds bearing organophosphorus motifs and 2-oxazolidinone have found numerous applications in pharmaceutical chemistry, homogeneous catalysis, and organic materials. Here, we describe an efficient and selective protocol for straightforward access to a series of 5-((diarylphosphoryl)methyl)oxazolidin-2-ones via the copper-catalyzed difunctionalization of the C≡C bond of propargylic amines with CO2 and phosphine oxide. Notably, copper catalysis is a sustainable and benign catalytic mode. This reaction proceeds under mild reaction conditions, which is operationally simple and scalable with a broad scope, exclusive selectivity, and good functional group compatibility. Mechanistic studies suggest a one-pot tandem cyclization/radical addition sequence, along with the phosphorylation/cyclization scheme.

Population attributable risk estimates of risk factors for contrast-induced acute kidney injury following coronary angiography: a cohort study.

BACKGROUND: Contrast-induced acute kidney injury (CI-AKI) is a common complication with poor outcomes following coronary angiography (CAG) or percutaneous coronary intervention (PCI). However, no study has explored the population attributable risks (PARs) of the CI-AKI risk factors. Therefore, we aimed to identify the independent risk factors of CI-AKI and estimate their PARs. METHODS: We analyzed 3450 consecutive patients undergoing CAG/PCI from a prospective cohort in Guangdong Provincial People's Hospital. CI-AKI was defined as a serum creatinine elevation ≥50% or 0.3 mg/dL from baseline within the first 48 to 72 h after the procedure. Independent risk factors for CI-AKI were evaluated through stepwise approach and multivariable logistic regression analysis, and those that are potentially modifiable were of interest. PARs of independent risk factors were calculated with their odds ratios and prevalence among our cohort. RESULTS: The overall incidence of CI-AKI was 7.19% (n = 248), which was associated with increased long-term mortality. Independent risk factors for CI-AKI included heart failure (HF) symptoms, hypoalbuminemia, high contrast volume, hypotension, hypertension, chronic kidney disease stages, acute myocardial infarction and age > 75 years. Among the four risk factors of interest, the PAR of HF symptoms was the highest (38.06%), followed by hypoalbuminemia (17.69%), high contrast volume (12.91%) and hypotension (4.21%). CONCLUSIONS: These modifiable risk factors (e.g., HF symptoms, hypoalbuminemia) could be important and cost-effective targets for prevention and treatment strategies to reduce the risk of CI-AKI. Intervention studies targeting these risk factors are needed.

Characteristics and requirements of hypertensive patients willing to use digital health tools in the Chinese community: a multicentre cross-sectional survey.

BACKGROUND: Digital health tools (WeChat or mobile health apps) provide opportunities for new methods of hypertension management for hypertensive patients. However, the willingness of these patients to use social media and mobile health apps for hypertension management remains unclear. This study explored the characteristics and requirements of patients willing to use digital health (WDH) tools to manage hypertension. METHODS: From February to March 2018, we administered questionnaires to 1089 patients with hypertension at eight Chinese primary medical units. We assessed independent risk factors of WDH and requirement among WDH patients. RESULTS: Overall, 43% (465/1089) of participants were WDH patients, who were younger (58 ± 12 vs 61 ± 13 years) and had a greater proportion of employed individuals (31% vs 14%) and higher education levels (65% vs 52%) than the non-WDH patients (all P < 0.0001). After adjusting for other risk factors, higher education (OR: 0.52; 95% CI: 0.34-0.79), good medicine adherence (OR: 1.5; 95% CI: 1.0-2.3) and blood pressure self-monitoring (OR: 1.6; 95% CI: 1.2-2.3) remained significantly associated with WDH (all P < 0.05). WDH patients responded that digital health tools should try to provide a platform for blood pressure monitoring (42%), medication reminders (41%), hypertension knowledge (39%) and doctor-patient communication (32%). CONCLUSION: Our survey suggested that among hypertensive patients, willingness to use digital health tools was significantly associated with education, medicine adherence and blood pressure self-monitoring. Digital health tool developers and researchers should pay particular attention to recruiting older, less educated and unemployed patients with less willingness and who are less technologically savvy and research the requirements of WDH patients (blood pressure monitoring, medication reminders, and knowledge education) in the future.

Anion-Functionalized Pillararenes for Efficient Sulfur Dioxide Capture: Significant Effect of the Anion and the Cavity.

A series of anion-functionalized pillararenes were prepared and applied in the capture of SO2 through incorporating an anion with different basicity into pillararenes. A high SO2 absorption capacity up to 15.9 mmol g-1 and excellent reversibility were achieved by tuning the basicity of the anion and the size of the cavity. Spectroscopic investigations and DFT calculations indicated that high SO2 capacity originated from multiple sites interaction between SO2 and the anion, where SO2 chemical absorption was significant strengthened by the cavity, because the anion was confined in the window of the cavity and the window was electron-deficient. Interestingly, a phase transition occurred during absorption and desorption process. The method proposed in this work provided an efficient strategy for improving gas absorption through a simple functionalization of the supermolecule, which was also very important for some other fields such as polymers and materials.

Computer-Assisted Design of Ionic Liquids for Efficient Synthesis of 3(2H)-Furanones: A Domino Reaction Triggered by CO2.

A strategy for the highly efficient synthesis of 3(2H)-furanones by hydration of diyne alcohols catalyzed by base-functionalized ionic liquids under atmospheric-pressure CO2 that was developed through computer-assisted design is reported. The best range of basic ionic liquids as catalysts was predicted at first, and [HDBU][BenIm] exhibited the highest catalytic activity. Through a combination of NMR spectroscopic investigations and quantum-chemical calculations, the results indicated the importance of the basicity of the anion and the species of cation in the ionic liquid.

[Roles of G protein-coupled estrogen receptor in the male reproductive system].

The G protein-coupled estrogen receptor (GPER), also known as G protein-coupled receptor 30 (GPR30), was identified in the recent years as a functional membrane receptor different from the classical nuclear estrogen receptors. This receptor is widely expressed in the cortex, cerebellum, hippocampus, heart, lung, liver, skeletal muscle, and the urogenital system. It is responsible for the mediation of nongenomic effects associated with estrogen and its derivatives, participating in the physiological activities of the body. The present study reviews the molecular structure, subcellular localization, signaling pathways, distribution, and function of GPER in the male reproductive system.